France
Come with us to France and taste these uber-cool wines. Muscadet, Chablis, Gamay, Cab Franc, and 2 rich blends. We will experience 2 rad whites from north France: Chablis and Loire. Then we will get into some awesome reds. A sparkling, dry, Gamay is sure to blow your socks off (replacement socks will be available). Then we drip in to Loire Valley again with Cab Franc from Chinon. That leads down south for our blends. A Languedoc wine from the Thongue region, and a Rhone blend from one of my new favorite Domaine de la Graveirette.
La Marinere, Muscadet, $10.50
This wine is NOT Muscat, like Moscato d’Asti. This wine is NOT sweet. This wine IS from a grape called Melon Du Bourgogne and is from the east of the Loire Valley Muscadet is unusual in that it is the name of the wine, but not the name of either the grape or region. Bone dry, and perfect for light foods like fish and Gnocchi. Crisp apple and citrus flavors flecked with hints of yeast, white pepper and sea salt. Muscadet is criminally under-appreciated by most wine drinkers and so offers extremely good value.
JM Brocard, Sainte Claire Chablis, Chablis France, 2015 $29
#47 Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2015!! A textbook flinty aroma gives way to green apple, lemon and mineral flavors in this white, which shows fine depth and richness, offset by vibrant acidity. Excellent length. Brocard is an excellent wine maker who builds large wines from the cold grape region of Chablis.
Colin, Perle Rouge, Loire Valley NV, $19
An Awesome Gamay grape. I love this wine. It is deep red, dry as a bone and sparkling! The wine is made in the method ancestral, or "pet-nat". The wine is fresh and fun, with aromas ranging from, dried flowers to dried cranberry and strawberry. In the mouth there is plenty of crunchy, crisp red cherry fruit.
Angelique Leon, Cab Franc, Chinon, FR 2014 $18
Chinon, just a half hour drive east of Saumur, has world-class wines. This Cab franc has bright red color with youthful highlights. Nose marked by earth scents, berries. The palate brings freshness, flexibility, and aromatic delicacy accentuating the fruitiness register. Juicy digest, just for the pleasure of drinking.”
Domaine Montrose, Cotes de Thongue Rouge, Languedoc 2015 $13
35% Merlot, 35% Syrah, 30% Grenache
Garnet red color. Nose of red fruits, blackcurrant and cocoa. The mouth is crunchy and round. It is a fleshy and juicy wine with that background of grippy Grenache.
Domaine de la Graveirette, Lou Tardoun, Vaucluse Rhone Valley, 2015 $17
80% Merlot, 20% Grenache. The works of winemaker Julien Mus. One of my new favorites. Deep purple, with purple hues. The nose opens with notes of blackberries. The palate is supple, with notes of red fruit and a spicy finish. All organic, Biodynamic, and delicious.