THIS WEEK’S WINE TASTING
French Wine from the Loire Valley, Rhone Valley and Bordeaux
Domaine Franck Millet
“The vineyard of Sancerre is situated at two hours in the south of Paris on the edges of the Loire. It extends over more than 2700 hectares and it is distributed for 80% in Sauvignon (white Sancerre) and for 20 % in black Pinot (red and pinkish Sancerre). Our domain, of a 22 hectare surface, benefits from a knowledge old man of three growers’ generations. We elaborate wines of white Sancerre, red Sancerre, and pinkish Sancerre, as well as red Menetou-Salon. For every year, we look for the best balance and characteristics. Grapes are selected in a rigorous way to obtain a unique and optimal quality for every wine. Medals received during contribute and other reward awarded by the press, confirm the regularity of our wines.”
Domaine Franck Millet Sancerre 2013
Sancerre, Loire Valley. “Sauvignon Blanc 100%. Static racking of the must. Slow, low temperature Alcoholic fermentation in thermoregulated stainless steel vats for 7 to 10 weeks. No malolactic fermentation. Stirring of the lees for 3 to weeks. Light filtration. Clear, brilliant pale gold robe. Powerful nose with aromatic qualities developing in the following months. Very representative of the limestone-clay soil found in our village of Bué. Good acidity form the young vintage while at the same time displaying a surprising suppleness and roundness. Very long on the palate. Very good evolution after several months. Sancerre Blanc makes an excellent Aperitif and a wonderful accompaniment for fish, crustaceans or the famous local “Crottin de Chavignol” goat cheese.Well matured vintages marry well with foie gras. May be cellar aged up to 4-5 years.”
$18.99
Domaine Pichot
“Our 24-hectare (59-acre) vineyard is located in the commune of Vouvray ten kilometres (6 miles) east of Tours on the right bank of the Loire. The vines are of the Chenin Blanc varietyand are on average 30 years old.
SOIL TYPES: Clayey limestone with flint in the Coteau de la Biche vineyard. Clayey limestone in the Marigny and Peu de la Moriette vineyards. VINE CULTIVATION METHODS: Rational use of sprays; the rows of young vines are ploughed. In the rest of the vineyard, the grass is mowed between the rows and the soil is ploughed around the vines. SPRAY APPLICATIONS: These are carried out depending on the weather and not systematically. HARVEST: The fruit is picked by hand or harvested by machine in order to bring in the grapes at the best time and as fast as possible. WINEMAKING TECHNIQUES: After going through a pneumatic press, the must is vinified at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks and oak casks. FILTERING: A tangential filter is used. The wine is bottled on the estate using the chateau’s own bottling equipment.”
Domaine Pichot Vouvray le Peu de la Moriette 2013
Vouvray, Loire Valley. “Chenin Blanc. VINEYARD AREA: 10 hectares (nearly 25 acres). SOIL TYPE: clayey limestone. PLANTING DENSITY: 6,600 vines per hectare. YIELD: 50 hectolitres per hectare. AGE OF THE VINES: between 25 and 60 years. PRUNING: the vines are pruned back to form short spurs, with no more than 12 buds per vine. HARVESTING: manual and by machine. PRESSING: carried out with a pneumatic press. The wine is then allowed to cold settle for 48 hours at 5° C (41° F). WINEMAKING: 80% of this wine is made in stainless steel tanks and 20% in 400-litre wooden vats.” “Fresh floral Chenin Blanc with crisp acidity and rich concentration, this Vouvray is slightly dry, pure and intense.”
87 Wine Advocate- “There are 7,500 cases of the 2012 Pichot Vouvray Le Peu de la Moriette, which was aged in a combination of stainless steel tanks (80%) and wood vats (20%). It possesses plenty of residual sugar, but tastes off-dry because of the terrific acid levels and exuberant style.”
$13.99
Pierre Amadieu
“Since several generations our family is linked to Gigondas. Owner of 7 hectares (17 acres) near the village where vines and olive trees already grown together for more than a century, my grand father also named Pierre Amadieu, decides in 1929 to bottle his Gigondas. He is one of the firsts to print the name of the appellation on his bottles and obtains from 1932 for his cuvee Clos de la Paillouse a golden medal in the Agricultural Concours of Paris.”
“Since 1989, I am on the head of the company and work with my uncle and aunt. Agricultural engineer (Agro Paris Tech) and oenologist, I keep on carrying the family estate and improve every year wines quality. My will is the looking for an elegance, a length on the palate and a “Burgundy” freshness in our wines. A careful parcels selection allows me today to elaborate different cuvées of Gigondas which express each in their way our exceptional terroir.”
Pierre Amadieu Cotes du Rhone Roulepierre 2011
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley. “Bunches of Grenache (75%) and Syrah (25%) grown on chalk and clay soils are strictly sorted to produce this cuvée. Hand made harvests and traditional wine making process express a pleasant colour together with red and black fruits scents (blackberry, plum). A sweet touch of liquorice enhances the beautiful palate. A mouth filling wine in a pure Rhône style. To drink in its youth (2 years) or within 5 years on a grilled poultry, a roasted veal with an unctuous sauce.”
$10.99
Pierre Amadieu Gigondas Romane Machotte 2011
Gigondas, Southern Rhone Valley. “Early in October, the hand picking starts under the still vigorous sunshine of the Fall when the berries just start to be perfectly ripened. The cuvaison is long (about 30 days) in order to extract only the best from each variety, in respect of the spirit and the tradition of the family. This cuvée is aged partly in two year-old barrels and partly in oak casks, during 12 to 15 months. This ageing brings a subtle natural oxygenation along with a round and tasty structure.” “Plum marmalade, vanilla and blackcurrant highlight the finesse of the soft tannins. On the finish, scents of thyme, laurel and rosemary reveal an original and aromatic bouquet ending on a spicy persistency (black pepper). Appreciate on a beef stew with a Rosemary blade, try the match with a vanilla ice cream with its strawberry purée. Drink it now or within the next 5 years.”
91 Wine Advocate- “Along the same lines, the 2011 Gigondas Romane Machotte is 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that spent 12 months in older casks and barrels. A pretty, elegant and silky effort, it offers up notions of sweet cassis, black raspberry, spice and toasted bread, with a medium to full-bodied, focused, textured feel on the palate. A joy to drink now, it represents a solid value and should evolve gracefully through 2021. Drink now-2021.”
$22.99
Chateau Recougne
“Robert Parker at one time called Recougne the finest Bordeaux Superieur. It is an estate that has produced wine for over 400 years, and its name is said to have come from King Henri IV in the early 17th century, in “recognition” of the quality of its wine. The vineyard surrounds the Chateau and the winemaking facilities, and was classified under the Fronsac Appellation, which it straddles, many years ago. Merlot is best suited to the terroir and is the majority planting (75%), complemented by both Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). Factors that contribute to the quality of the vineyard include: several parcels of very old vines of 50+ years, environmentally friendly viticultural techniques, minimal spraying, low yields through green harvesting, and excellent canopy management.
Chateau Recougne Bordeaux Superieur 2010
Bordeaux. A blend of 78% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. “At harvest, the grapes are 100% destemmed and crushed before being placed in temperature controlled vats. Prior to fermentation, approximately 20% of the juice in each vat is siphoned off in order to increase the skin-to-juice ratio (this juice is then used to make rosé wine). Natural yeasts trigger fermentation and a twice daily regimen of pumping the juice over the skins begins remontage. The wine is racked every 3 months and therefore only needs a light filtration. Final blending and bottling takes place 18 months after harvest.” “The wine is a superb value: ripely flavored, full bodied, and smoothly textured; a wine with light tannin and a long finish, tasting of plum, cassis, caramel, and spicy oak. 77% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 16 months in both tank and French oak barrels.”
$14.99
Chateau de Parenchere
“Situated in the eastern edge of the Bordeaux wine growing area, the Château de Parenchère vineyard lies on the borders of the Dordogne and the Lot et Garonne departments. Here they grow in chalky clay with a very high clay content, which is unusual for this area and which goes some way to accounting for the strength of the wines produced from them.
The total size of the estate is 153 hectares of land. The vineyard is concentrated on 63 hectares (161 acres), planted on the estate’s best exposed plots and solely on hillsides so that rainwater drains away naturally. This way, fruit quality is not harmed by stagnating water, which would cause the grapes to swell. Also, thanks to this ideal exposure, the grapes get a lot of sun from the early morning until late in the evening, which help them to reach their best maturity level even in very difficult years. The grapes will therefore be able to plainly express all their aromas and richness.
The choice of grape variety is not dictated by fashion, but rather by what gives the best results on each terroir.
Of course, a terroir alone produces nothing. It requires the right combination and type of grape varieties that can bring out the whole wealth of potential within it. The grape varieties of the 59 hectares of red depend on the different plots of the vineyard and how they are exposed. They are as follows:
• 50% Merlot
• 40% Cabernet Sauvignon (on the most exposed plots)
• 9% Cabernet Franc
• 1% Malbec
Chateau de Parenchere Bordeaux Superieur 2010
Bordeaux. A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. “The palate is full, fleshy and rounded with an underlying structure. It displays intense red fruit aromas (cassis and black cherry) and elegant soft tannins. There is a great balance between this ripe fruit expression and the wine’s freshness.”
$15.99