So have you ever been in the position of blind tasting a lighter bodied, rather fruity wine, with bright red fruit flavors, minerals, and in some cases, a vertical structure? As a student in various wine educational programs, yes, I have – and when faced with several wines fitting this description, it can often be choosing between Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Cabernet Franc (assuming it is traditional old world varieties).

As is increasingly the case, I asked a local wine store (who understands the demands/requirements of the programs) to send me four bottles (wrapped to taste blind) from the Loire and Beaujolais. I would not know if they were Gamay, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Franc.

When poured, all the wines had the same purple/garnet color even though they ranged in age from 2007 to 2009. They had a similar nose too … a vibrant red fresh fruit profile, in some cases a deeper sense of soil/minerals/earth than others.

One in particular was darker, suggesting more extraction. Yet without interviewing the winemaker, or tasting other wines from the village, I could not comment if the color was from more extraction/masceration or soil.

Below are some tasting notes from the above, with the conclusion being that the central difference between the Gamay and Cabernet Franc was that that Cab Franc had more structure, and to my mind, the Gamay (all very good quality from known producers and famous importers) had a deeper sense of terroir, in particular, the soil that marks both Beaujolais and the Loire (Tufo, limestone, clay).

2008 Domaine du Vissoux / Pierre-Marie Chermette Brouilly Pierreux
color: purple
nose: shy
palate: med+ dry, acid is med+ tannin is med+ (rough) body med alc est 13 finish is of raspberry, oak, med+

Style: This is a rustic example of gamy from Brouilly which displays some depth and complexity at a very simple level and superior to others. Fresh red fruit, tempered by some older oak, good soil, all add up to a well balanced rustic wine that would pair well with salmon or lamb.

Domaine de la Charmoise 2009
color: fushia
nose: med+ intensity, rustic strawberry, berry fruit with nibs
palate: med intensity, dry, acid med () tannin low+ body med alc est 12.5 length med

Style note: Lots of earth and minerality in this light hued wine which color and weight reflects the soils. Extremely rustic yet can pair well with lamb roasted or charred. (29 views)

Domaine Guion Bourgueil Cuvée Domaine 2007

color: bright purple fushia, transparent, looks younger than 3 years
nose: med+ intensity, green notes ... spice, bell pepper,
palate: med+ intensity, dry, acid is med () tannin med+ body med alc est 13 length med+ ...

Style note: very rich and well balanced Cabernet franc from Bourgueil, elegance dressed in its traditional rusticity.

Compared to the 2009 Baudry Chinon, (also given it is 2 years older) it has more depth, complexity, and finesse while still fitting in the drink early style. The flavors are brighter red fruit with dramatic undertones of black tea.

Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Granges 2009

deep dark muted purple, tears stained
nose: med+ intensity, clear "char" of oak yet may be older oak,
palate: med+ intensity, dry, acid is med + tannin med body med alc est 13 length med+

Style note: A well balanced yet characteristically rustic Chinon displaying juicy fresh fruit, some black tea, and typicity for the region. This vintage seems especially rustic.

Chanrion Côte de Brouilly Domaine de la Voute des Crozes2009

color is purple with fushia rim
nose: just opened, shy -- detect a "flowerbox" aroma, fresh dirt mixed with barely opened flowers
palate: med intensity, dry, acid is med tannin med body med alc est 12.5 (13) finish med

Style note: Considering this is a young bougoulais, it is extremely well balanced and both refreshing on the palate and satifying on the finish. Extremely smooth with concentration of fruit and as much as its class allows, complexity of flavors

Of course, this sort of Sherlock Holmes antics is familiar to students in the Master of Wine program. Typically I ask wine retailers that wine be sent to me blind (i.e. wrapped in a bag so I can’t see the year or variety), at different price points, so I may puzzle it out.

For a summer picnic, my friend and I tasted these two wines, having no idea they shared a grape in common. Though we correctly guessed the vintages 08 and 09, and the fact both were old world (by virtue of the subdued fruit, high mineral content) they felt like they could be a number of high acid, cool climate whites.
On first sniff, it could well have been a Vernaccia or Verdicchio from Italy.

Because of the extreme minerality of both the wines, Sauvignon Blanc does not leap to mind the way it would from a New Zealand SB.

And finally, because it was actually an accident they were being drunk together (sometimes I alert the wine store clerk to send me wines to taste in pairs) at the time of the tasting I had no idea they shared a varietal.

In the end, the key differences between the wines is this: the Sancerre, grown on a specific plot of limestone hills facing the Eastern sun, gives a very chalky limestone wine, with very faint fruit and marked minerality and acidity. Now the Graves was also quite mineral (remember the Graves soil is stony pebbles) yet one could detect a faint amount of white grapefruit. Also, because this Graves was a blend of Muscadelle and Semillon, it was slightly fatter, less lean than the Sancerre.

Both were delicious and from my favorite importers, Kermit Lynch (Graves) and Louis Dressner (Sancerre).

2008 Sancerre La Garenne

Very tight, almost full-bodied Sauvignon Blanc with intense limestone-chalk-mineral palate and long, satisfying stony finish.

2009 Chateau Giraud-Lacoste

Delicate and slightly floral, this is a well structured, mineral-rich wine with a hint of bitter grapefruit on the finish.

Today Sancerre came to New York in the form of Marc Sorrel-Dejerine, International Director of the Chateau de Sancerre, hosting an intimate lunch and tasting and talking about his wine.

Now, it’s possible you are more familiar with the grape variety Sauvignon Blanc than the name Sancerre... and that is because in old world regions such as France’s Loire Valley, they refer to a bottle of wine by the region where it is from. So in the Loire region of Sancerre, your only choices are a “Sancerre blanc” or a “Sancerre rouge.” By French law, the Sancerre white must be Sauvignon Blanc, and the rouge Pinot Noir (and Chateau de Sancerre makes both).

It’s very possible that you have had Sauvignon Blanc and it is your favorite grape, yet you’ve only had it from a region such as New Zealand. The styles of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and from the Loire are very different. First, you have the New World vs. Old World issue, with New World wine generally thought of as being more fruit forward. And most Sauvignon Blanc wines from New Zealand do have an accent on ripe, rich fruit on the nose and palate. Old World wines are said to be more dry and mineral, and this is definitely the case here, as evidenced by both Chateau de Sancerre’s white and red.

I like both styles of wine, for different reasons, and for different times. Often the preference kicks in when it comes time to pair the wines with food. Depending on the dish, a Sancerre is more restrained and complements instead of overwhelming a dish. Today we tried the 2006 vintage of Chateau de Sancerre white with lobster and it was a terrific pairing. The Pinot Noir was paired with Branzino, a grilled fish, and though pairing red wine with fish is not typically thought of as a perfect match, the high mineral content of the red really melded perfectly.

Grapes for the white wine are harvested at the end of September and pressed immediately. The filtered juice undergoes alcoholic fermentation for four to six weeks at a constant temperature between seventeen and nineteen degrees Celsius, then is matured on the lees for the next two to three months. It undergoes battonage (stirring of the lees, or dead yeast cells) to give it body. The wine is then racked and matured on fine lees to preserve its freshness and youth. The prestige white wine, Chateau de Sancerre Cuvee du Connetable, undergoes a similar process save that the grapes come from the best plots, with that terroir composed of flint and chalky stones.

The red wine (Pinot Noir) is harvested by hand in five hectares of vineyards whose soils are composed of clayey limestone. The grapes are sorted several times, de-stemmed, then left to ferment in their juices in thermo-regulated tanks for a two to three week period. The juice is then drawn off and the grapes are pressed. Half the vintage is matured in oak barrels, the other in tanks, for a year. Then the two wines are blended in September and bottled in November.

Today the Chateau de Sancerre estate belongs to the Societe des Producits Marnier-Lapostolle, yet the Chateau has a very romantic history. In the fourteenth century, the vineyards were cultivated by French monks. By 1919, Louis-Alexander Marnier Lapostelle, the creator of the liqueur Grand Marnier, acquired the feudal castle which had been built in the tenth century by the Count of Champagne. Louis-Alexander restored it and made it one of the town’s landmarks.

Chateau de Sancerre is a quality producer and on restaurant lists around the world, as well as in shops. If you haven’t yet had a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire, you can trust Chateau de Sancerre to deliver the specific taste profile this region is famous for.

As a wine educator, one of the most pleasurable aspects of my profession is choosing a theme for a class and introducing students to exciting wines or wine regions I have discovered. And here in Manhattan, this is a special challenge, because in this jaded city most everyone dabbling in the world of wine has tasted pretty much everything the world has to offer.

So I first decided on a theme of Aromatic white wines, and decided that this class should be called “Discovering the ABCs of Wine.” Now in this context, the word “ABC” can mean “introduction to wine” – which is also an intention of the class. Many people have enjoyed wine for decades without really understanding how to analyze wine and appreciate the opportunity to formally learn this skill. Yet for me, ABC also means “Anything But Chardonnay.”

Now there is nothing wrong with Chardonnay. It is an international variety produced almost everywhere on the planet. It can grow in warm and cool climates. It can smell and taste like hot buttered popcorn, apple pie a la mode, or like mineral water with a squeeze of lime or lemon. And the reason it has so many expressions is because for the most part it is a neutral grape, with its expression and style coming from the choice of vinification.

Now for this tasting I chose three aromatic white varietals considered very unusual and hard to find. The first was a 2007 Domaine de Cezin, a wine made from the Chenin Blanc grape that grows in a tiny AOC region called Jasnieres in Touraine in the Loire Valley (France). What’s interesting about this appellation is that it was created in 1938, about a half century before the ‘frenzy’ AOCs are today. Almost every day, it seems, a new AOC is granted.

Given this 1938 AOC designation, one has to ask what is so special about this wine that it was distinguished from all the other regions in the Loire? First of all, Jasnieres is a tiny appellation … just 128 hectares under vine and a dozen producers making a living off their wine. The wine is named after the “terroir” so Domaine de Cezin is the name of the plot, now owned by the Fresneau family since 1952. In doing research on this wine, I saw many family photographs dating even earlier than 1952 – it is very much a family operation. This was likely the case in the Middle Ages, when wine from Jasnieres was drunk and celebrated by Kings (possibly, I’m assuming, with oysters from the mouth of the Loire). If you know Chenin Blanc, you know that it can be dry, sweet, or off-dry, depending on the mood of the producer and the vintage. In good vintages, Chenin Blanc is almost always sweet. This 2007 vintage borders that difficult area between dry and sweet … technically, I believe it must be under 9 grams of residual sugar to be considered “dry” yet sometimes searing acidity can make a technically off-dry wine taste dry by contrast.

In any event, when you taste this wine (a class favorite) you will find very high acidity that is a perfect match with seafood, good mouthfeel, racy acidity, minerals, and notes of lemon and citrus. The soil here is called “tuff” and is made of soft chalk, decomposing clay, with flint – very difficult to work. Vineyards face the south for sunshine and protection from the north winds. The forest of Berce also helps te vines resist the wind. On the web I read that some visiting journalists stopped by for tasting and M. Fresneau revealed that he recently tried a wine from the turn of the century left on the property from previous owners – and that it was still fresh and lively. I can believe this given the soil, acidity, and fifty year old vines.

Now the next wine ws Vin de Savoie Apremont Les Rocailles. I loved this wine in the 2007 vintage (no longer available). I first experienced it in a blind tasting, and with its delicate white and gold flowers, seemed possibly a Muscat. Actually, the grape is the Jacquere and it ONLY grows in the Savoie area of France, which is between the Italian and Swiss Alps. Unlike the Chenin Blanc from the Loire, this wine is meant to “drink now.” The 2008 had less flowers, and more minerals and fruit, which seems mostly citrus (tangerine, orange pith) with some minor CO2. The producer is now Pierre Boniface, who inherited the vineyard from his father when it was twenty hectares producing only this varietal. Now, I read that Mr. Boniface also makes red wines, has increased his hectares, and has succeeded in conquering the export market. In conducting research for the tasting, I see that a handful of blogger/tasters have written notes on this wine, with their readers so excited about it they are demanding to know where they can buy it. If you are reading this outside NYC, you might check out the web site for Hand Picked Selections, its importer.

The last wine in the tasting was the 2007 Finca y Bodega Carlos Pulenta Torrentes Tomero Valley de Cafatyate, which is a favorite among the ladies who lunch crowd. People – mostly women – who rarely drink love this wine because of its intense floral nose. It is like being at a bridal shower in terms of that light, white floral aroma. The grape is indigenous to Argentina (Salta) where it is sunny 360 days a year. Irrigation is mandatory. Despite the sun, the wine keeps its acidity because despite the warm days the nights are cool. The Torino brothers started the winery in 1898, twenty years after the Cafayate Valley became confirmed as a quality wine producing region.

So there you have it. Three very interesting white wines, none of them a Chardonnay!

Please try these wines and use the comment feature to share your thoughts.
 

As a wine educator, one of the most pleasurable aspects of my profession is choosing a theme for a class and introducing students to exciting wines or wine regions I have discovered. And here in Manhattan, this is a special challenge, because in this jaded city most everyone dabbling in the world of wine has tasted pretty much everything the world has to offer.

So I first decided on a theme of Aromatic white wines, and decided that this class should be called “Discovering the ABCs of Wine.” Now in this context, the word “ABC” can mean “introduction to wine” – which is also an intention of the class. Many people have enjoyed wine for decades without really understanding how to analyze wine and appreciate the opportunity to formally learn this skill. Yet for me, ABC also means “Anything But Chardonnay.”

Now there is nothing wrong with Chardonnay. It is an international variety produced almost everywhere on the planet. It can grow in warm and cool climates. It can smell and taste like hot buttered popcorn, apple pie a la mode, or like mineral water with a squeeze of lime or lemon. And the reason it has so many expressions is because for the most part it is a neutral grape, with its expression and style coming from the choice of vinification.

Now for this tasting I chose three aromatic white varietals considered very unusual and hard to find. The first was a 2007 Domaine de Cezin, a wine made from the Chenin Blanc grape that grows in a tiny AOC region called Jasnieres in Touraine in the Loire Valley (France). What’s interesting about this appellation is that it was created in 1938, about a half century before the ‘frenzy’ AOCs are today. Almost every day, it seems, a new AOC is granted.

Given this 1938 AOC designation, one has to ask what is so special about this wine that it was distinguished from all the other regions in the Loire? First of all, Jasnieres is a tiny appellation … just 128 hectares under vine and a dozen producers making a living off their wine. The wine is named after the “terroir” so Domaine de Cezin is the name of the plot, now owned by the Fresneau family since 1952. In doing research on this wine, I saw many family photographs dating even earlier than 1952 – it is very much a family operation. This was likely the case in the Middle Ages, when wine from Jasnieres was drunk and celebrated by Kings (possibly, I’m assuming, with oysters from the mouth of the Loire). If you know Chenin Blanc, you know that it can be dry, sweet, or off-dry, depending on the mood of the producer and the vintage. In good vintages, Chenin Blanc is almost always sweet. This 2007 vintage borders that difficult area between dry and sweet … technically, I believe it must be under 9 grams of residual sugar to be considered “dry” yet sometimes searing acidity can make a technically off-dry wine taste dry by contrast.

In any event, when you taste this wine (a class favorite) you will find very high acidity that is a perfect match with seafood, good mouthfeel, racy acidity, minerals, and notes of lemon and citrus. The soil here is called “tuff” and is made of soft chalk, decomposing clay, with flint – very difficult to work. Vineyards face the south for sunshine and protection from the north winds. The forest of Berce also helps te vines resist the wind. On the web I read that some visiting journalists stopped by for tasting and M. Fresneau revealed that he recently tried a wine from the turn of the century left on the property from previous owners – and that it was still fresh and lively. I can believe this given the soil, acidity, and fifty year old vines.

Now the next wine ws Vin de Savoie Apremont Les Rocailles. I loved this wine in the 2007 vintage (no longer available). I first experienced it in a blind tasting, and with its delicate white and gold flowers, seemed possibly a Muscat. Actually, the grape is the Jacquere and it ONLY grows in the Savoie area of France, which is between the Italian and Swiss Alps. Unlike the Chenin Blanc from the Loire, this wine is meant to “drink now.” The 2008 had less flowers, and more minerals and fruit, which seems mostly citrus (tangerine, orange pith) with some minor CO2. The producer is now Pierre Boniface, who inherited the vineyard from his father when it was twenty hectares producing only this varietal. Now, I read that Mr. Boniface also makes red wines, has increased his hectares, and has succeeded in conquering the export market. In conducting research for the tasting, I see that a handful of blogger/tasters have written notes on this wine, with their readers so excited about it they are demanding to know where they can buy it. If you are reading this outside NYC, you might check out the web site for Hand Picked Selections, its importer.

The last wine in the tasting was the 2007 Finca y Bodega Carlos Pulenta Torrentes Tomero Valley de Cafatyate, which is a favorite among the ladies who lunch crowd. People – mostly women – who rarely drink love this wine because of its intense floral nose. It is like being at a bridal shower in terms of that light, white floral aroma. The grape is indigenous to Argentina (Salta) where it is sunny 360 days a year. Irrigation is mandatory. Despite the sun, the wine keeps its acidity because despite the warm days the nights are cool. The Torino brothers started the winery in 1898, twenty years after the Cafayate Valley became confirmed as a quality wine producing region.

So there you have it. Three very interesting white wines, none of them a Chardonnay!

Please try these wines and use the comment feature to share your thoughts.
 

Looking for a delicious, affordable, and trendy new grape varietal to dazzle your friends at impromptu wine tastings? Look no further than Cabernet Franc, an all too frequently overlooked varietal that pairs well with a wide variety of winter-themed cuisine.

As an accomplished or aspiring wine geek, you may already know that Cabernet Franc is one of the five red grape varietals that make up a Bordeaux Blend. However, in nearby Chinon and Bourgueil, as well as Anjou-Saumur and Touraine, wine is made using this grape alone. Producers in Canada are using the varietal to make sweet ice wine, and in the North Fork of New York, many producers are creating seductively good dry table wine from this varietal as well.

So why Cabernet Franc? Why now? Let us start with the season. As a self-described CF fan I will drink this wine all year round, careful to serve it slightly chilled in summer as the French locals do. Yet the rich, ripe, red-fruit oriented flavors in this wine warm the soul during the cooler months and pair well with winter dishes such as lamb stew. In flavor, the wine is not as tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon and offers some spice on the nose and palate, mostly from long oak aging (especially in France).

Beyond taste, this wine is usually a good value, particularly in France where small, quality producers take a great deal of pride in turning out nicely-crafted wines that typically sell for around $15 a bottle. If you love high-end, fine dining restaurants, you can usually find a delicious bargain with a Cabernet Franc.

As a member of Manhattan's prestigious Wine Media Guild, I've recently had an opportunity to taste this varietal from many regions during our monthly luncheon with cuisine paired under the direction of celebrity chef Lydia Bastianich at her Felidia restaurant in New York. Speakers included author/importer Richard Johnson, Wolffer Estate winemaker Roman Roth, and charismatic Paul Grieco, co-owner and sommelier of the restaurants Hearth, Insieme, and Terroir.

Among the many wines was one of my go-to favorites, Famille Grosbois Chinon Vielle Vigne 2007 (importer Martin Scott Wines) that sells for $17. I also enjoyed the Chateau de Coulaine "Bonnaventure" 2006 ($23, importer Skurnik). Both are exceptionally well balanced and characterized by lush red and black fruit and balanced spice. Jean-Maurice Raffault Chinon 2005 Picasses (importer V0S) was quite extracted and had an unexpected finish of bitter chocolate. Chateau de Vaugaudry offered a Plessis-Gerbault 2003 Chinon that was substantial and full-bodied enough to stand up to grilled steak (Frank Johnson Selections, $20).

I very much liked the USA wines, especially the Schneider Vineyards Cabernet Franc La Cloche 2005, which sells for $60 (Schneider Selections). The flavors were exceptionally balanced, delicate, and well crafted. The Wolffer Estate Vineyards Caya Caberet Franc 2005 ($40, importer Winebow) was just delectable; red, jammy, medium-bodied, and versatile enough to go with everything from lamb to a composed summer salad.

Felidia's team put together a great multi-course lunch with an entrée of meat pie and delicious pasta dish of risotto in a gorgeous purple beet sauce. What surprised and delighted me most was the salad of briefly braised radicchio and endive with thin apple slivers and blue cheese that went surprisingly well with the Cabernet Franc.

If you would like to experience the world of Cabernet Franc, I suggest you befriend a local wine store and ask the clerk to find you samples of this varietal from various regions in France and the USA to compare their styles. Either way, I'm sure y ou will find this charming wine fresh, affordable, enchanting, and versatile to sip every day.

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So! Now that the official article is posted, here are some behind the scenes pics. Regular readers, I would love for you to email me and tell me if you like the pics, or if you just do the RSS or ATOM thing and speed read the copy on your blackberry.

The WMG lunch begins as always with members tasting the wines the distributors and/or producers were generous enough to provide. Here are pics of Lydia Bastianich, who hosts our lunch in her restaurant, posing with members and with me. What is amazing about her, aside from her culinary skills and media friendly personality, is the elegant way she dresses and composes herself. Below Lydia is flanked by Peter M.F. Sichel and Louisa Thomas Hargrave in the group picture.
   

As you can imagine, we have a lot of fun during our seated, multi-course lunch. Here is a typical "grab across the table."

And finally, a pic of two of our three speakers. Typically we have at least one speaker
and the pic below represents member Frank Johnson, an importer who is also a member (wearing a tie and jacket), and speake Paul Grieco, described as a co-restaurant owner and sommelier of those restaurants.

Let's imagine that it is New Year's Eve, and you want to find the perfect wine to pair with a first course of fresh briny oysters. Or maybe you are vacationing in a chic French island like St. Barts, and just bought a freshly-caught snapper from a sleek, tanned fisherman in Prada swim trunks who had moments before cast his net into the emerald sea. What would be the idea wine to accompany the dish?

Perhaps your first thought is Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc - both very appropriate pairings. Yet have you considered Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine? The Muscadet grape (also known as Melon de Bourgogne) comes from a region of France in the Loire Valley, at the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean. The most popular style of Muscadet from this region is Muscadet Sur Lie, which means the wine is "aged" on its lees which gives the wine its yeasty, biscuit-like aroma and fuller body.

Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine is not typically stocked on supermarket shelves, where mainstream-centered supermarket buyers rely on oaked California Chardonnays with their popular aromas of spiced apple pie, or New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs with their refreshing, signature aromatic citrus and mineral notes. In contrast to those two popular varietals, Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine is difficult to pronounce and may take more than a few sips to understand and appreciate.

Yet once a novice Muscadet taster gets past the unfamiliarity of the flavor profile, pleasure awaits. Typically a Muscadet nose is neither pungent or shy, with an aroma that hints at sea breeze and citrus. On the palate, one will usually find a substantial medium body with racy acidity and depending on the winery and vintage, a good concentration of fruit with tart citrus notes.

Of course, white-fleshed fish and seafood is a natural pairing. Yet also consider Muscadet for upscale treats such as caviar, sushi, and sashimi, or serve this crisp, refreshing wine as an aperitif or a light wine to accompany luncheon fare or omelets for a Sunday brunch. Appropriate cheese pairings include goat cheese, both soft and creamy or hard and aged, depending on the flavor profile of the particular wine.

Right now I'm sipping 2007 Domaine de la Batardière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie, a textbook Muscadet Sevre et Main with an aroma of zesty ocean spray, lemon pith, and wet sand, which echoes on the palate. You will find a substantial body and excellent balance between fruit and acidity, with lots of mineral notes from the rich soil. I would pair this particular wine with a hard goat cheese, perhaps with crackers liberally sprinkled with a great deal of black pepper. Or maybe I'd serve the wine with caviar. This particular wine is just under ten dollars, so you will have extra money to splurge.