Indulgence
NWC&G’s Wine Club
August 2020 Wine Notes
As usual, it is my goal to find some tasty wines for you to stock your “cellar,” whether you need drinkables for any night of the week or something a little more special for a meal or occasion with friends & family. This month, I am focused on Europe. Interestingly, (provided the new tariffs don’t take effect) some of the best values still come from abroad, and even from France—the world’s most recognized and sought after country for wine. Why? Well, that is not to say that all French wines are less expensive than domestic ones, but that when able to search, most often, you will find the best values in our European friends. I think it is a combination of things—the culture, for starters has a different set of values; they simply have experience that we do not; and, multiple generations of wine making within families provides skills and economic advantages that domestic wine makers cannot compete with. While wonderful wines are being produced on both sides of the pond, value wines are harder to find here. There are so many importers who do great work foraging inexpensive wines from talented and committed wine makers—Wine Traditions, Jennie & Francoise, Neal Rosenthal and Kermit Lynch, and some new ones like Vinotas, Selections de Vina, Selections Natural, and the list goes on. My job is to find them, so that I can continue to provide delicious wines that are good values regardless of the price tag. European wines are also, generally speaking, food driven wines, a little lighter in body, so that they are ideally suited for the warmer months when my palate wants light, fresh, refreshing wines to accompany lighter foods. This month’s selection is made with that menu in mind, but still some full-flavored wines for those of you who have a hankering for that style and that will suit you with the hearty grilled meats we are enjoying! Always, it is about balance, a thought that I will leave for the next set of notes. As always, enjoy & eat, drink, & think,
Cheers, Maria
Super Value 3 Pack
2019 Zorzal Rosato This Grenache rosé has wonderful abundant fruit on the front of my palate, which makes it a wonderful food rosé. While is abundant in berry notes, it is dry, and finishes with a lovely citrus and quince crispness that leaves the palate ready for its next bite. I enjoyed this with the pan seared fish and Ligurian Pesto!
2019 La Poule Blanche. I love this Sauvignon Blanc for all of its fruit in beautiful balance with acid and texture. Here are the notes from the wine maker, “This wine combines the best of French winemaking Know-How with modern winemaking technology. Skin-contact before pressing. Alcoholic fermentation at low temperature (14-15°). Oak aging for 20%. Fruity nose of peach, grapefruit, bananas and mango. The palate is well balanced. A wonderful delicately wooded finish. Ideal with a rocket and parmesan salad or seafood linguine. Serve chilled at 12 ° C. A side order of Louis Jordan’s jumpin’ jive complete the scene, ” there ain’t nobody here but us chickens “. -- Sacha Lichine. I had it with my weekly fish share, and it was particularly well suited for pan seared monkfish.
2019 La Coq Rouge. Wine Maker Sasha Lichine balances modern technique with old world traditions, and the result is a very affordable delicious wine that appeals to all palates and is very approachable. I like this one with a chill on it this time of year.
Value Wines
2019 Zorzal Rosato This Grenache rosé has wonderful abundant fruit on the front of my palate, which makes it a wonderful food rosé. While is abundant in berry notes, it is dry, and finishes with a lovely citrus and quince crispness that leaves the palate ready for its next bite. I enjoyed this with the pan seared fish and Ligurian Pesto!
2019 La Blaque Rosé. I put a 2nd rosé this month because that is the little power that I have in this world😉 Celebrating France would be a crime not to! This one is classic Provencal with a surprising rich texture which gives it a melon like quality and a little raspberry to brighten it up. There is a pithy lemon and apricot finish that is very clean and a touch of supple tannin. I love this one and included it on both Value & Select levels for a treat for everyone. I suggest enjoying it with Taleggio & fresh apricots or peaches and some sliced prosciutto.
2019 La Poule Blanche. I love this Sauvignon Blanc for all of its fruit in beautiful balance with acid and texture. Here are the notes from the wine maker, “This wine combines the best of French winemaking Know-How with modern winemaking technology. Skin-contact before pressing. Alcoholic fermentation at low temperature (14-15°). Oak aging for 20%. Fruity nose of peach, grapefruit, bananas and mango. The palate is well balanced. A wonderful delicately wooded finish. Ideal with a rocket and parmesan salad or seafood linguine. Serve chilled at 12 ° C. A side order of Louis Jordan’s jumpin’ jive complete the scene, ” there ain’t nobody here but us chickens “. -- Sacha Lichine. I had it with my weekly fish share, and it was particularly well suited for pan seared monkfish.
2018 Luccarelli Pimitivo This is the one for those of you who like a little more body on your wine. Stylistically, more full bodied. The is the Italian grape often associated with its domestic cousin, Red Zinfandel. As far as I know, they are the same DNA, but they drink a bit differently, depending on where they come from and who is doing the wine making, of course. This Primitivo is rich, balanced, and nuanced with compelling earthy flavors like mushroom and thyme. These savory notes balance the rich brambly fruit on the midpalate, but also give the tannins some complexity on the finish. I would enjoy this with a grilled skirt steak with a harissa rub & a salad with sun dried tomatoes.
2018 Zorzal Red I am hard pressed to find a wine that is both as good and as cheap (there, I sadi it!) as this Spanish Garnacha. It has wonderful bright berry flavors with a bit of ripe cherry notes and touch of figginess that I adore. Its texture has a richness that is likely a result of malo lactic fermentation in wood, but gives it a smooth butter quality that makes it ideally suits for roasted fishes and meats.
2019 La Coq Rouge Another Sasha Lichine wine for our selection this month, and as always he does not disappoint! This time, grenache, and would be fun to open side by side with the Zorzal to see the difference that place makes. This Grenache has all the berry notes and the wonderful earthiness that is typically associated with the grape but is lighter in texture and body than the Zorzal, so would be nice with a little chill on it, which is how I served it recently with some roasted salmon and caprese salad with a balsamic glaze.
Select Wines
2019 La Blaque Rosé. This one is classic Provencal with a surprising rich texture which gives it a melon like quality and a little raspberry to brighten it up. There is a pithy lemon and apricot finish that is very clean and a touch of supple tannin. I love this one and included it on both Value & Select levels for a treat for everyone. I suggest enjoying it with Taleggio & fresh apricots and peaches with some sliced prosciutto.
2018 Perrussett Macon Villages This Chardonnay is a perennial favorite at the shop, each vintage with its subtle variations always satisfies. It has the fruit associated with Chardonnay, apple, pineapple and other exotic fruits, and because of its time in oak a subtle richness that is often associated with wines of the Maconnaise (a region in Burgundy). This is a Chardonnay that would meet most Chard drinkers in the middle, it is like Goldilocks, just right. By which, I mean that it is neither laser sharp like Chablis nor that buttery rich style of many New World Chardonnays. I can just sip this one, but it is better with food, and go for the triple crème Delice (which we will have in stock starting next Wednesday!).
2018 Domaine La Remejeanne Blanc This is an interesting Rhone blend with several grapes that all contribute a different flavor and nuance to the wine. Roussane gives the wine exotic fruit aromas, Clairette provides aromatic finesse of flowers and citrus, Viognier has apricot notes, but also provides teture and roundness, Marsanne gives it bod, and Bourboulenc, which is just fun to say, gives it a toasted bread aromas and vivacity that is unmistakable. The wine is supple and rich and would be fantastic with Grilled or Roasted fish, but I tonight, I am going to drink it with a Roasted Chicken with Herbs, smashed potatoes, and grilled zucchini.
2017 Domaine La Remejeanne Rouge Another wonderful wine from Rémy Klein and his son Oliver, owners and winemakers of this certified organic Domaine is located in the small village of Sabran. The estate is nestled in a sun filled landscape at 280 meters which results in a cooler climate than most of the Southern Rhone. Cooler growing climates endow the wines with a freshness and liveliness despite its intensity of flavors. This wine maker achieves balance in the wines because of traditional methods of winemaking that result in an elegance and finesse, along with the wildness that the region is known for. You will get the deep berry notes along with some baking spice, vanilla, and a little anise, as well as some dusty notes of lavender and clay. Enjoy this one with a pan seared pork chop—I like the Anthony Bourdain recipe in his Les Halles cookbook!
2016 Domaine D'Ouréa, Vacqueyras I could write a similar note for the Ouréa that I did for Remejeanne, both wild and elegant, flavorful, balanced, and nuanced. The main difference for me in this wine is the intensity of brambly fruit that is expressed with such freshness that is likely the result of whole cluster treatment. That gives the wine a light Carbonic feel—this is the treatment of most Gamay in Beaujolais, which is familiar to many of you. See if you pick up on it. The wine is delicious and so beautifully crafted, just as is Klien’s wine, just subtly different, so invite friends and open both, mix your grill with rich fishes and light meats, and tell me the difference in the two! ( I will feature the two wines in next weekend’s tasting on IGTV, so watch for it!)
2018 Domaine Vincent Paris, Granit 30 Cornas This is a new one for me, so here are the importer’s notes. I will definitely use this for one of the new IGTV tastings, so I can get to know it better! “Vincent Paris, whose first vintage was 1997, is as shy as his wines are bold. In his early 30's, he has retro sideburns, but not much else in the Cornas appellation's new star is "retro". Vincent's uncle is Robert Michel, one of Cornas' finest growers. He made his two first wines with his uncle then, seeking autonomy, rented facilities for the vinification of his most recent wines. He is in the process of building his own winemaking facilities with a courtyard that holds his apricot plantation.
Vincent Paris, co-president of the appellation of Cornas with Jacques Lemencier, owns 6 hectares of vineyards and produces about 2,500cs per year of which 1,600cs are Cornas. He inherited most of his own vines from his grandfather (some of which are 90 years old) and has also rented some vines from his uncle. Vincent's total rented and owned holdings amount to 8 hectares. They are located at different places primarily along the southeast facing Cornas slope and a small lot in St. Joseph.
Deep, bright-rimmed magenta. Bright and energetic on the fragrant nose, displaying intense black/blue fruit and floral scents that pick up olive and cracked pepper notes as the wine stretches out. In a juicy, fruit-driven style, offering appealingly sweet cherry, blueberry flavors, suggestions of spice cake, licorice and cola. Finishes very long and smooth, with just a hint of fine-grained tannins and resonating spiciness.”
Collector’s Selections
2018 Domaine Vincent Paris, Granit 30 Cornas This is a new one for me, so here are the importer’s notes. I will definitely use this for one of the new IGTV tastings, so I can get to know it better! “Vincent Paris, whose first vintage was 1997, is as shy as his wines are bold. In his early 30's, he has retro sideburns, but not much else in the Cornas appellation's new star is "retro". Vincent's uncle is Robert Michel, one of Cornas' finest growers. He made his two first wines with his uncle then, seeking autonomy, rented facilities for the vinification of his most recent wines. He is in the process of building his own winemaking facilities with a courtyard that holds his apricot plantation.
Vincent Paris, co-president of the appellation of Cornas with Jacques Lemencier, owns 6 hectares of vineyards and produces about 2,500cs per year of which 1,600cs are Cornas. He inherited most of his own vines from his grandfather (some of which are 90 years old) and has also rented some vines from his uncle. Vincent's total rented and owned holdings amount to 8 hectares. They are located at different places primarily along the southeast facing Cornas slope and a small lot in St. Joseph.
Deep, bright-rimmed magenta. Bright and energetic on the fragrant nose, displaying intense black/blue fruit and floral scents that pick up olive and cracked pepper notes as the wine stretches out. In a juicy, fruit-driven style, offering appealingly sweet cherry, blueberry flavors, suggestions of spice cake, licorice and cola. Finishes very long and smooth, with just a hint of fine-grained tannins and resonating spiciness.”
I think I will try this with grilled lamb chops with lots of rosemary, this classic pairing of Syrah & lamb was what brought me out of 15 years of vegetarian eating—and I have never looked back!
2016 Domaine des 3 Cellier, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Alchimie Blanc This white is for the red wine drinkers of the world with loads of flavor and body that results from the combination of several grapes and the warm climate conditions of the Souther Rhone. It has notes of apricot and Meyer lemon that make me think of tart au citron, and a wonderful bees wax quality from the Bourboulenc, with toasted notes and a creaminess that is decadent and divine. All of this with a clean finish from the acidity that reads like a key lime pie...are you salivating? Chill it, but let it come to up to room temp before drinking so that you can really enjoy the subtle flavors that will explode on the palate. Enjoy this one with a summer winemaker’s chicken, like a quick white wine coq au vin!
2017 Roger Sabon, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Olivets At Roger Sabon, winemaker Didier Negron allows the fruit to macerate for minimum of a month, which allows for optimal flavor extraction without overly concentrated weight on the palate. Slow fermentation and gentle treatment of the grapes gives the wine power and elegance in even distribution. I have always loved the wines of the Southern Rhone, but as I have grown in my wine appreciation, I limit my enjoyment of Châteauneuf's because they can at times exhaust my palate. This is not the case with Sabon’s wines at all. In fact, there is a freshness of berry flavors paired with intensity of dark cherry and even a fresh fig quality that is satisfyingly balanced with herbal notes of the garrigue that bespeak the dryness of the air in the region. Enjoy this one with a special meal, as it will elevate the experience. I can’t help but want steak frites with lots of green pepper corns!
Cheers!
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