March 2009 Wine Club Selections

Exploring the Valleys of France Do you love the world's most popular grape varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir? Me too. This month is not about that. We've got one month of winter left here, and I'm turning to the Valleys of France to get us through it. We may not look to the Valleys as often as we should. Shame on us. Bordeaux and Burgundy make some fantastic wines, to be sure, but what is life without a little variety? Without a little spice? The Valleys of France, particularly the Rhone and the Loire, produce a variety of gems from crisp and floral white grapes like Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, and reds from spicy and heady grapes like Grenache, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc. Chateauneuf-du-Pape, an appellation within the Rhone Valley where up to thirteen different varietals are approved for their red blends, is one of my personal favorites... where else do you find that kind of freedom and creativity in blending? Meanwhile the Loire, which is unfortunately often overlooked and misunderstood, presents a real opportunity for off-the-beaten-path discovery. What's that? You're not sure about Cabernet Franc on its own? Glad you've joined us this month, then. When you know your way around these Valleys, they don't disappoint!

2007 Origine Sauvignon Blanc Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc Region: Loire Valley, France Food pairing: Pan-roasted Trout with Lemon If you've tried Sauvignon Blancs that are typical of California, then you know Sauvignon Blanc to be a fruity and vibrant wine, rich with white and tropical fruits. If you know Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand, then you likely know Sauvignon Blanc as tart and grassy with that infamous "gooseberry" note. But if you've never tried a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, then you've never experienced the mineral stoniness and crisp but even acidity that Sauvignon Blancs from this corner of the world can carry. This one in particular was made, we think, with the international consumer in mind. While it carries that minerality we look for in French Sauvignon Blanc, it also carries just enough ripeness and white fruit that we American quaffers are not left asking "Where's the fruit?" Fresh, clean and lively, this white will be a perfect "hello" to Spring on our first warm day after the storms subside. 2003 Domaine Le Murmurium "Opera" Cotes du Ventoux Grape variety: Grenache, Syrah Region: Cotes du Ventoux, Rhone Valley, France Food pairing: Cassoulet Truthfully, I first picked up a bottle of this gem from the Cotes du Ventoux because I needed a red wine for dinner with my sister, the opera singer. Yes, I allowed the name to persuade me. But I knew that our French wine buyer had recently sourced some great finds, and this turned out to be one of them. I was pleasantly surprised by how rich and well-made this blend of Grenache and Syrah drank for only $15, and immediately asked if we could get more for the Wine Club. Upon further research, I found that Mr. Parker was just as excited about this find as I was (and apparently didn't have the state-side hookup, sadly for him.) "The 2003 Cotes du Ventoux Cuvee Opera is an amazing wine of great density, richness, and full-bodied potency." He began. "Sadly, there are only 4,000 bottles of this beauty, which tastes like a top-flight Chateauneuf du Pape. Enormously impressive, it admirably demonstrates the potential of this appellation's clay and limestone soils."

Qty 2007 Bourillon-Dorleans Vouvray Grape variety: Chenin Blanc Region: Vouvray, Loire Valley, France Food pairing: Soupe au Pistou (see recipe) Throughout history, every market has had to adapt to its consumers' preferences. The English, for example, were the Loire Valley's main customers for wines...that is, until the English found Bordeaux. The Claret-lovers then moved on, and Loire wines went to the Dutch, who in turn began to influence the style and varieties of wine grapes grown there. So in the most historical sense, we have the Dutch palate to thank for the lovely crisp, floral and clean Chenin Blanc that we have here. Grown in the appellation of Vouvray, Domaine Bourillon-Dorleans' wines have been crafted by three generations of the Dorleans family since 1921. The wine is still matured in natural 15th century troglodyte caves on the property, and represent the most traditional characteristics of Vouvray. Look for light aromas of white flowers and stones on the nose, flowed by a palate of sweet lemon, pear and quince that's set off by clean acidity on the finish. 2006 Clos de Caveau "Carmin Brillant" Vacqueyras Grape variety: Grenache, Syrah Region: Vacqueyras, Rhone Valley, France Food pairing: Roasted Chicken with Rosemary If you're a follower of wine history, you may have read about the Paris Tasting of 1976 in George Taber's account, Judgement of Paris. In this story, Stephen Spurrier, an Englishman who then ran a wine shop, arranged for a blind tasting of French and American wines in Paris, and the world was shocked to learn that American wines took top honors for their Chardonnay and Cabernet. What does this have to do with Vacqueyras? That same year, Spurrier decided to sell the vineyard property he had purchased, Le Clos de Caveau, to Gerard Bungener. The French man and his family then sunk more of a decade of work into repairing and renovating the estate, switching to organic farming in 1989. Today, the estate produces 50 acres of Grenache and Syrah focusing heavily on organic practices and maximizing the individuality of their own little terroir. The result is a wine that is rich with red cherry and hints of nutmeg and allspice, and we think would hold it's ground quite well if Spurrier ever decided to hold a rematch, this time with Rhone varietals.

Qty 2006 Milliere Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes Grape Variety: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Counoise Region: Chateauneuf du Pape, Rhone Valley, France Food pairing: Pot au Feu Certain types of vines, when managed well, benefit from age, producing grapes with more and more depth of character every year. Though Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines are unique in that they can include up to 13 different grape varieties in one blend, all or most of these varieties do indeed fall into the category of vines that improve with age. Domaine la Milliere seems to have hit a jackpot in this respect, as old vines account for a full 95% of their stock. Their knotted and gnarly Grenache vines were all planted between 1891 and 1920, while their Syrahs are 50 years old and their Mourvedres, Cincaults, and Counoises are almost centenarians. All of these vines grow together in their 15 hectare hillside vineyard, forming what they call "the aromatic palette" of their blend. The wine does in fact exhibit a range of aromas and flavors, from pepper, currant and bay leaf to earth, leather, and Chateauneuf's 2006 vintage hallmark, a good dose of foresty "garrigue." Qty 2005 Domaine Durand Cornas Premices Grape variety: Syrah Region: Cornas, Rhone Valley, France Food pairing: Rack of Lamb with Boysenberry Sauce Within the Northern Rhone, there are several special appellations, like Hermitage and Cote-Rotie, that have received some rather glamorous attention in recent years. Glamorous attention, that is, for the Rhone. Meanwhile Cornas, the very tiny and southernmost of the Northern Rhone appellations, tends to be overlooked in the shadow of the former two appellations, yet slowly but surely it's gaining its due recognition for inky, early-ripening, chunky tannin-laden Syrahs. Eric and Joel Durand make one such Syrah worthy of recognition, laden with deep jammy berry and licorice aromas, finishing with fresh acidity and fine-grained and structured tannins. The notoriously "score-stingy" Josh Raynolds of Steven Tanzer's International Wine Cellar gave it a score of 88-91 points. Luxuriously drinkable now, this Cornas has the stuffing to age for several years as well.

1990 Raffault Chinon Picasses Grape variety: Cabernet Franc Region: Chinon, Loire Valley, France Food pairing: Pan-roasted Turbot with Chanterelles Just last month, I lamented that it's so rare that I have the chance to send you an older vintage of a wine for Wine Club, as it's often only feasible for us in the retail business to obtain "current releases." So it was a very pleasant surprise when I was seeking out a great Chinon from the Loire Valley for our March Premiere selection, and one of our suppliers mentioned that she had a little bit of Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses available... from 1990. Who is passing out all of these cellar keys lately? And where can I get one?! Knowing that 1990 was a banner vintage for the Loire Valley, and that if anyone made good Chinon in any year it was Olga Raffault, we jumped at the opportunity. Domaine Olga Raffault is located on 25 hectares of vineyard land in Savigny-en-Veron, Loire Valley. All of their vineyard plots are acclaimed for producing terrific Cabernet Franc and white Chinon, but it's the Les Picasses vineyard with its limestone soils that carries, perhaps, the most coveted terroir. This wine will need to be approached with the understanding that 18 year-old Chinon Cabernet Franc is a far cry from this year's release of, say, jammy California Cabernet or even five-year-old Bordeaux, for that matter. Rather than expecting a concentrated core of ripe fruit that grabs you until the tannins arrive, expect some very interesting and subtle complexities: a meaty, mineral-laden nose, notes of leather and black olive, some chalky mineral texture, and a finish of subtle sweet red fruit and white pepper. It's a wine to open in a pensive and patient mood. Give it a taste when you first open the bottle, admire what you find, then let it sit for a short time and come back again. Your mother said not to play with your food; she said absolutely nothing about your wine. 2006 La Barroche "Fiancee" Chateauneuf du Pape Grape Variety: Grenache, Syrah Region: Chateauneuf du Pape, Rhone Valley France Food pairing: Duck Confit over Lentils Domaine La Barroche has been passed through generations of the same family since the 14th century, and their current vintner, the present steward of the land and winery, is a former chef. So I lean toward trusting them with their blending abilities. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the blend for their 2006 "Fiancee" was an uncharacteristically simple for Chateauneuf-du-Pape 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah. I mean, I could've come up with that blend, no? Well, maybe not. As it turns out, quite a bit of thought went into this decision. "This wine combines equal measures of two seemingly opposite grapes: 100 year-old Grenache and young Syrah," they explain. "These two varieties complement one another beautifully: a fusion of masculine and feminine - a silky blend of power and finesse with fresh fruit aromas accompanied by gingerbread and coconut nuances." Add to that some nice fresh berry and cracked pepper, and you've got one great bottle of wine, simplistic formula or not!