The Incredible, Drinkable Loire Wine

I consider the Loire Valley to be one of the most alluring and prolific wine regions in France. Situated 2 hours south of Paris and stretching to the Atlantic, the Loire Valley is an impressive 300 square miles.  The Loire, often called the “The Garden of France,” is charming with its rolling hills, vineyards and more than a thousand chateaux. It would be difficult to highlight all the regions at one go, so please do not be offended if I leave out your favorite sub-region.

Starting from the east is the famous region of Sancerre where Sauvignon Blanc is not just supreme but adored as one of the best examples of that varietal. Sancerre is made up of 14 communes and includes 4000 acres. The many soil types produce lean and lively Sauvignon Blancs that are unique and highly sought after. Sancerre also produces some great quality rosé and red wines made from Pinot Noir. East of Sancerre are the lesser known appellations of  Menetou-Salon and Quincy, which produce softer-style Sauvignon Blanc (not as steely as Sancerre) and at lower prices.  

Central Loire can be split into three provinces, Anjou, Saumur and Touraine. This area offers the broadest selection of grapes including Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cot (Malbec) and Grolleau. They also use a labeling system to indicate the dryness/sweetness level of the wine: sec, dry; demi-sec, semisweet; moelleux, sweet and the rare pourriture noble (botrytis).

Anjou is most associated with outstanding quality sweet wine, though it also produces whites, rosé, reds and sparkling wines.

The appellation of Saumur, with its chalky/limestone soil produces wonderful light and fruity red wines with a rich earthiness, especially wines from Saumur Champigny which yields outstanding reds.

Touraine is best known for dry whites made from Sauvignon Blanc, but also Chenin Blanc is used for sparkling wine. Wines from this area are also a great value if you are looking for something different for a summer white. Another exceptional red wine producing region of the Loire is Chinon located east of Saumur on the left bank of the Loire River. Made from mostly Cabernet Franc grapes, reds from Chinon are elegant, supple and with a distinct violet aromas.

Near the Atlantic, the western part of the Loire Valley with its cooler climate is home to Muscadet wines.  The most well-known being Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. The grape in this delicious fresh white is Melon de Bourgogne, which was brought over from Burgundy in the late 17th century. Muscadets are delicately dry with aromas of white flowers and light citrus.  Fantastic with oysters!
   
I hope you agree that the Loire Valley has a lot to offer for the adventurous wine drinker. Bring one to your next dinner party or seafood extravaganza.

Recommended Loire Valley wines currently in stock: 
Chateau De La Chesnaie 2007 Muscadet Sèvre Et Maine Sur Lie ($15)
Domaine Lecomte 2007 Quincy ($20)
Domaine du Grand Bouqueteau 2006 Chinon (Cabernet Franc) ($19.50)
Philippe Raimbault 2007 Sancerre ($34)

Contributor: Gina Gregory, Sommelier & Manager, Portalis Wines

Rosé … a beautiful, refreshing summer sipper

Rosé is the product of the fermentation of red grapes, where the skins are left on for a short time, resulting in a light color, lower tannins and a lower alcohol level compared to red wines.  The longer the skin contact, the bigger the body and the darker the color.  Rosé is usually made using the same grape varietals as the red wines from any given region.

The home of rosé is Southern France, with the French drinking more rosé than white wine. About 75% of the wine production in the Provence appellation is rosé. The production of the Tavel appellation in the Southern Rhone is 100% rosé. Other big rosé-producing appellations are Lirac, Côtes Du Ventoux and Côtes Du Luberon, with the most common grapes being Grenache, Cinsault, Mouvedre and Tibourin.

The best rosé I have ever had was Domaine Tempier, and it was damn near perfect:  an ideal balance of weight, fruit, elegance and acidity with wonderful flavors of strawberries, cherries and raspberries. We currently carry Domaine Tempier 2008 Bandol Rosé.  At $44 it’s quite pricey, but well worth the experience. Most rosé falls in the price range of $12 to $18 and most of them won’t disappoint you.

Today, most wine producing areas produce rosé, including Spain, Italy, California, Oregon, Washington and more.  Here are wine notes on several rosés that we currently carry.  Keep in mind that you drink these wines young and for the most part they hit the market starting in late May and are gone by fall, so enjoy them while they last:

Domaine Saint Roch Les Vignes 2008 Rosé (Provence, FR) $16/case $12.80
Notes: Dark peach color. Aromas of ripe strawberries followed by flavors of melon & peaches. A well-balanced and delightful rosé. Dry finish.

Domaine Ott 2008 Les Domaniers Rosé (Provence, FR) $21/case $16.80
Notes: Golden peach color. Just beautiful. Aromas of strawberries and melon. Smooth, velvety texture. Well-balanced and structured. Great integrated acidity. Strawberry and melon flavors all the way through. Hints of herbs. Provence, baby!

Fuente Del Conde 2008 Rosado (Cigales, Spain) $14/case $11.20
Notes: a dark pink color with aromas of wild raspberries followed by flavors of raspberry tart and blackberries. Great acidity and refreshing finish.

Triennes 2008 Rosé (Provence, FR) $18/case $14.40
Notes: Peachy pink color.  Beautiful aromas of sweet strawberries, honey dew melon. Smooth, velvety texture with perfect acidity. Elegant and very focused. Great finish. Fantastic rosé.  (Note: currently served at the Portalis Wine Bar by the glass for $8.25.)

Contributor:  Jens Strecker

Malbec – The Dark Horse

courtesy of www.appelationamerica.com

Due to recent press of this grape from the celebrated wine region of Mendoza, Argentina, Malbec has become one of the most popular red wines among both connoisseurs and novices. It wasn’t always available on the shelf, never mind in different styles ranging from juicy and silky or bold and spicy. Malbec is indeed making a comeback. Comeback you say? What if I told you that the dark, mouth-filling, robust and hip wine, known for its power and uniqueness has a sordid past? That its beginnings were in old world soil, and that it struggled to have an identity of its own?

Malbec had its start in Bordeaux, France where it is known as “Cot or Pressac” and is one of six original grapes including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and Carménère permitted in red Bordeaux wines. Malbec’s thin skin and dark fruit wasn’t able to produce rich wines in Bordeaux, so its traditional use was to provide color and tannins. After a bad frost in the mid 1950’s destroyed 75% of the Malbec vines in Bordeaux, usage has continued to dwindle. Its main home in France is now the warmer southwest region of Cahors, where it thrives as Auxerrois (not to be confused with Auxerrois Blanc) as well as a small presence in the Loire Valley. If you haven’t had a chance to try Malbec from either of these regions, I highly recommend you do so. The Cahors version is so dark and tannic that it’s known simply as, “black wine,” and has great character and potential for aging. In the Loire Valley, Malbec takes a lesser role to Gamay and Cabernet Franc, producing elegant and food friendly reds.

Despite its early plantings in Argentina in 1868, Malbec lay virtually unknown for over a century to the rest of the world. In Argentina, the combination of warm sunshine, the long growing season and irrigation from the Andes was a natural climate for Malbec. Combined with the high altitude of Mendoza, (Argentina’s flagship region) Malbec was able to flourish and finally become harmonious with a region it could call home, with its new incarnation being an inky, velvety and rich wine.

Oh what a difference a century makes. Malbec has become one of the most buzzed about grapes in the modern wine age. Not only is it the benchmark of quality wines from Argentina, Malbec is currently produced all over North America, including 60 appellations spread throughout 12 states & Canada, along with plantings in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Chile. It’s still rare to see 100% Malbec wines outside its native France or it’s adopted home of Argentina, but there is no doubt its influence on our wines today. Take a look at the next red blend you drink. Don’t be surprised if there is a little Malbec in it, bringing character and firmness to wines as it has for so long. Malbec has had a long journey, mostly in obscurity. Who doesn’t like a good comeback? I’m putting my money on the “dark horse” to become a world-class competitor!

Come taste Malbec at one of our upcoming tastings:  Argentina Tasting Wednesday, March 18th  or Loire Valley Tasting Friday, March 20th (line-up includes one Malbec from the Loire)

Click here for available Malbec wines from our website.

Contributor:  Gina Gregory

St. Émilion – Bordeaux, France

 

The medieval village of St. Émilion

 Contributor: Gina Gregory

  Taking wine trips abroad is one of the most rewarding and anticipated events of my year.  On one of these memorable trips, my husband and I traveled to France.  Our first stop was a week in Bordeaux, one of my favorite wine regions. I’ve spent many years drinking, collecting and selling the famous wines of Bordeaux, so it was a dream to finally get a chance to visit the area I’ve grown so fond of. If you ever get a chance to visit the Bordeaux wine region, I highly recommend the area of St. Émilion.  Located on the east side of the Gironde estuary (known as the right bank), St. Émilion is a fortress-like medieval village with cobblestone streets and Romanesque churches.  It’s also the name of a wine growing region, much smaller than the Médoc (located on the left bank), but produces more wine than all the famous appellations of the Médoc combined.  The Romans planted vineyards in this area as early as 2nd century AD, which makes it one of the oldest wine regions in Bordeaux.  Remarkably there are over 1000 crus located within 6 miles of the St. Émilion village. Though it’s dense with châteaux, St. Émilion is home to some of the best quality Bordeaux including Château Cheval Blanc, Château Magdelaine, Château Ausone, Château Pavie, Château Figeac and Château Angelus.

 

Hillside vineyards and wall of St. Émilion

 There are several different soil compositions in St. Émilion including hillsides of limestone, clay and a few gravelly terraces, which result in a fairly wide range in style and quality of wines.  Dominated by Merlot and Cabernet Franc (here known as Bouchet), St. Émilion is a red wine district, producing only red. Considered more approachable at a younger age, wines from this area are often described as robust & velvety with a rich fruitiness.  The classification of St. Émilion is complex and is separate from that of the Médoc.  It is split into 5 categories: St. Émilion, Grand Cru, Grand Cru Classé, Premier Grand Cru Classé B and Premier Grand Cru Classé A.

The vineyards of Château Angelus

    On one of our afternoon strolls through the hilly village, we entered a tiny wine shop (St. Émilion has over a hundred of them) that specialized in old vintages.  Immediately upon entering, the friendly owner asked us our birth year. Since my husband’s (Kenny) birthday was in a few days, we gave her his birth year 1970.  She shuffled around the tiny room moving a few old boxes here and there, when suddenly she claimed, “ah, yes” and from a dusty box, she pulled out and even dustier bottle; a 1970 Grand Cru St. Émilion, from Château Vieux Rivallon.  I thought, what the heck, for nostalgia sake, let’s take a bottle home and we’ll have fun re-living our holiday.  We sat on that bottle for another year.  Until one night, while making wild mushroom risotto, Kenny said, “Let’s open the 1970”.  Would you believe that we nearly cried after drinking that wine? Here we thought we had been lured into an impulse buy (which we had), but who would have thought that that 1970 after 35 years and carting it around, plus flying it back to the states, would be one of the most beautiful, complex and stunning wines we had ever had? We were bummed we didn’t by two. So, if you do make it to St. Émilion, and stumble into a small dusty wine shop, my advice is take two of whatever she brings out for you. Cheers!

Château Vieux Rivallon 1970 St. Émilion paired with wild mushroom risotto

 

Portalis Wine Club – December 2007: The Rhône Valley

The last wine club of the year features wines from the Rhône Valley in southeastern France. Wines from this area are exceptional food wines and match well with many traditional holiday dishes including duck, turkey, lamb and beef.

The Rhône Valley is one of the oldest wine growing regions in the world and is divided into the Southern and Northern Rhône Valleys. You can find thrilling, world class wines in Cote Rotie, Condrieu, Hermitage and Cornas (Northern Rhône) as well as in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Vacqueyras (Southern Rhône). Wines from the Northern Rhône appellation are mainly made from the Syrah grape, sometimes blended with Viognier and tend to be drier and more structured, with flavors of minerals & earth, while the Southern Rhône appellation produces an array of red, white and rosé wines, often blends of multiple grape varietals.  The reds from the Southern Rhône are earthy and spicy and tend to be fruitier than those from the north end of the valley.

The 2 bottle wine club features two wines from the Southern Rhône appellation.  The 3 bottle wine club adds in a wine from the Northern Rhône appellation.

DOMAINE DES ESPIERS 2007 GIGONDAS $31
Domaine des Espiers was founded in 1989 by Philippe Cartaux and is located in the village of Vacqueyras. This red is a blend of 65% Grenache and 35% Syrah from the Gigondas appellation. This wine is unfiltered and fermented 6 months in French oak. Tasting notes: Very aromatic. Refined fruit and flavors of dark berries, blackberries, with some herbal and spicy components. Elegant, complex and well-balanced. Great acidity. Still a little young. Needs some time. Up to 2 years

DOMAINE LE COLOMBIER 2007 VACQUEYRAS TRADITION $27
This producer is also located in the town of Vacqueyras. The appellation area covers the two communes of Vacqueyras and Sarrians within the “Vaucluse “department”, at the base of the Dentelles de Montmirail hills. The Vacqueyras appellation received Grand Cru status in 1990.  Tasting notes: Well-made Rhône wine with rustic, dark fruit, blackberries, herbal and earthy notes. Shows tar and mineral notes on the dark, long finish. Great acidity and body. A wonderful wine.  Drink now, up to 2 years.

EMMANUEL DARNAUD 2006 CROZES HERMITAGE $28
Emmanuel Darnaud is one of the most talented young winemakers in the Northern Rhône Valley. After working for 4 years for Bernard Faurie, he made his first vintage in 2001. The winery is located in La Roche-de-Glum. Tasting notes: Seductive bouquet. Dark and racy, with lots of blueberry, olives, violets, tar and iron notes. Medium-to full-bodied, with a firm structure. Long, smoky finish. Drink now, up to 3 years.

Enjoy & cheers,
Jens

Note:  If you are interested in joining our wine club, read more at http://www.portaliswines.com/wine-clubs/index.php

Holiday Cheer – Celebrating with Champagne

Admit it, nothing says “bring on the party” like the sound of something bubbly being uncorked.  Most of you only buy Champagne for special occasions, and chances are that special occasion is coming very soon in the form of a holiday party.  Sure, you feel equipped to select Cabernets and Syrahs that will impress your colleagues and family members, but when it comes to those French Champagne labels it can be…well, down right painful.  As you stand in front of the Champagne section, questions start clouding your mind: “ Which one tastes the best? ” “How much do I need to spend?” “What are the differences?!”  Relax…Help is here.  Below are 3  Champagnes that are delicious, not outrageously expensive, and best of all – from small Champagne growers.  That means you can spread the cheer with bubbles and introduce those you know to something special versus the same ‘ol same ‘ol.  Here’s to you!

R. DUMONT & FILS NV BRUT  $34
(CHAMPIGNOL-LEZ-MONDEVILLE )
The Dumont family have been growing vineyards for over 200 hundred years. The winery is located in the southern Champagne region of the Aube.  Today, 3 Dumont brothers still operate and produce Champagne from their family’s 54 acres which are 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay.  Description: Aromas of blossoms and ripe red apple, it has a light mousse, honey notes and crisp refreshing finish.

BRUNO GOBILLARD NV BRUT $55  Limited
(EPERNAY)
Bruno Gobillard took over his family’s 18th Century estate in 1994 at the age of 28.  He is relentless about producing only the best Champagne possible from their 17 acres (30 year old vines) by vinifying in small vats and leaving the wine on the lees for as long as possible to gain complexity.  To produce a “fresh and tasty” Champagne as Bruno describes, he blends equal parts Pinot Noir & Chardonnay with 10%  Pinot Meunier.  Description: Toasty nut flavors with hints of lemon citrus, producing a long elegant finish with subtle minerality.

JOSÉ DHONDT NV BLANC DE BLANCS  $50
(OGER) 
 José Dhondt is a tiny organic grape farmer and producer who demonstrates that good things do come in small packages.  The 100% Chardonnay fruit comes from the Grand Cru village of Oger in the Côtes-de-Blancs region. DESCRIPTION: Lean, stony, with aromas of  lemon peel and white flowers this bubbly has firm acidity that is delightfully dry to the finish.

Contributor – Gina Gregory