;)


-----Forwarded Message-----
From:
Sent: Mar 30, 2010 2:38 PM
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Subject: great wine in PA LCB Store. Run dont walk


Chairman's Selection™

Clare Luce Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Chairman's Selection™

Quoted at $115.00......Save $89.01

The Wine Advocate 91-93 points: 'The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits slightly more opulent, riper black currant fruit in the aromas along with some hints of anise and spicy oak as well as some cocoa and espresso. The wine is dense ruby/purple, medium to full-bodied, beautifully rich in fruit, with silkier tannins and slightly lower acidity than the 2005. It should drink well when released and age nicely for 12-15+ years. Production is around 1,000 cases from this vineyard that sits nearly adjacent to the famous Vineyard 29 off Route 29.' Dec 2007



Click below to see inventory at local stores


# Code: 15923
# Description: Clare Luce Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
# Size: 750 ML
# Price: $25.99



http://www.lcbapps.lcb.state.pa.us/webApp/Product_Management/psi_ProductInventory_Inter.asp?from_Chairman=true&cdeNo=15923&sortBy=PNAME&filterBy=RED



According to A in Maple Glenn this wonderful bottle is the last of the litter. Co has closed its doors. Last time they had it in the stores it sold out within a few days. R and I enjoyed a bottle last night. NICE


P



above is an e mail forwarded to me relative to a recent post. it was rewarding to see such a long distribution list (deleted for privacy's sake). please keep reading and visiting my sponsors. i will continue to look for wines such as this which all of us can enjoy!

watch for the dinner post from last night later today. this will be a slightly more expensive wine, although some of the on line prices are less than the price in the pennsylvania state store system.

faux pas followed by a winner

i promised not to write about wines i did not like, so there was no post for sunday night. last night though was a major winner of a wine. the meal was night number two of a vegetable soup with pistou, salad, and home made bread. the soup was particularly sturdy with leeks, onions, garlic, pistou, several legumes, tomatoes, potatoes, and some hot peppers i slipped in without admitting to. this soup was a big challenge and may have been why sunday's wine went without mention.

the images give a hint of this wine. it is young. the color is an inky dark ruby. the aromas are violets and ripe black fruits. the taste begins with black cherry and blackberry and finishes with a smoky burnt jam. the tannins are firm but not obtrusive. this is well balanced. i just retasted the open bottle 24 hours later, the wine has lost nothing of its initial richness, the fruits and tannins have softened and i think this is what the wine will have after a couple of more years of bottle age. this is a wonderful young wine from a small domaine.

the wine is "domaine st pierre 2007 plan de dieu." this is a blend of predominantly grenache with syrah and mourvedre. the producer is located in the village of violes. his web site is well structured and i hope to visit him on our next trip to the region.

Domaine St Pierre
Route d'Avignon
84150 Violès.... Tél. : 04 90 70 92 64 .... Fax : 04 90 70 90 27
domaine.saint-pierre@wanadoo.fr
www.domaine-saintpierre.fr

plan de dieu? this is a relatively new appelation, outlined on the map above and granted its status in 2005; prior to that the area's wines were cote du rhone. it is north of chateauneuf du pape and west of vacqueyras.he four communes are camaret-sur-aigues, jonquieres, violes and travaillan. in a way, it is in the center of everything. historically, the area has been committed to vineyards since the 1300's and particular development occurred in the middle ages under the templar knights. the aoc only includes red wines.

les anges se sont penchés sur le berceau d'un vignoble au nom merveilleusement évocateur...
vaste plateau transpercé par la lumière, le soleil et le vent, le Plan de Dieu offre des vins touchés par la grâce ! les vins rouges élaborés sur cette aire d'appellation porteront désormais la dénomination

this is another excellent wine from an excellent region. this producer has consistent quality throughout his portfolio, which includes an excellent vacqueyras and cotes du rhone blanc, rose, and rouge.

the focus of this seeming study of the southern rhone around chateauneuf du pape, gigondas, and vacqueyras is to point out the exceptional values which can be found. there is no reason to shy from a producer's "second wine" or a wine from an aoc of which one has not heard, as these are typically great values at a lower cost than the wines from more renouned villages. look for these as an alternative which does not require a special occasion to drink.

that said, tonight is a chateauneuf du pape because of a birthday dinner. there will be a post later this week listing the wines reviewed this month.

california two'fer

as promised, this is not just about fruit forward young southern rhone wines. and today, there will be two wines posted.

while wandering the aisles of the local pennsylvania wine and spirits shop yesterday, and wondering who chooses to order some of the swill offered, i was given a tip. there was a special purchase wine from a boutique napa producer selling for $26 which lists for $116. that is an odd price reduction and the question is why? the economy is bad and a large number of producers are in dire straits, some are selling their properties or have sold them and need to purge inventory. for that kind of a discount it was worth a try, maybe this would be something to go back and purchase in volume to cellar so i picked up a bottle then resumed my unrewarding wandering. i saw bottles we had tasted at the producers during our napa trip last summer at ridiculous mark-ups. then, i found a second label which brought back an amazing collection of flavors, something special i had tasted on that same trip at a very reasonable price. two wines to try, one red and one white.

dinner plans changed and suddenly the wine choices seemed slightly off, but it was worth a try. can a big young red pair with smokey grilled chicken and spinach gnocchi with a creamy vegetable and pistou sauce? the plan had been to make a tarte a citron for dessert but inefficiency had left no time.

the advice had been to decant the red about an hour before serving; i decanted half and tasted from the bottle. a dark maroon wine, with aromas of the smokey rub on the chicken, tobacco, and dark fruits. the taste was fruit forward with ripe black fruits and a hint of smoke. the tannin was well balanced. there was a slightly astringent finish. an hour later i tasted what had been decanted, there was less fruitiness, but the ripe black cherries and blackberries were still there along with smoke and tobacco. the astringent finish was gone. the wine partnered perfectly with the meal, white food and red wine. tasted again today, the tannins have softened and the wine has matured. it remains exceptional.

dessert became another issue, as there was not any. having already made one unique pairing we went for it again. what about the white wine with a simple ice cream? now i had a delicate white wine- not a dessert wine- going with ice cream after a big red wine. the wine was pale and young with intense aromas of honey, flowers, and citrus. the taste had crisp melon, pear, and lemon. the acidity was perfect. it stood up to what had preceded it and to what it was served with. tasted again today, the acid has softened, but the wine did stand up well to being open over night. i actually tasted this backwards again today, after the cab, and it worked perfectly. this is an exceptional wine for an affordable price.

the red wine was "clare luce abbey estate, cabernet sauvignon, napa valley, 2006." the web site is www.clareluceabbey.com. the wine was custom crushed and vinified at the adjacent vineyard 29. the grapes were sourced from the clare luce abbey's 7 acre hillside vineyard. the property has been sold to vineyard 29. this is an exceptional wine at an unbelievable price. i think it will age well for a decade based upon its behavior with decanting and retasting the decanted wine the next day. it is unclear to me if the advertised 2007 vintage is their last, or if it ended with the 2006 as i cannot locate a date of sale for the property on line. shortly after noon today the inventory of this wine in the local shop will decline significantly; it will be served on special occasions over the coming years.

the second wine was "pine ridge 2008 chenin blanc- viognier." we had found pine ridge quite by accident during our trip last summer- they had been recommended by another producer as a place to visit because we were ahead of schedule for the day and wanted to add a stop. i filed this wine away as a great warm weather wine for lunch and lite dinners. it is 81% chenin blanc and 19% viognier. they have a large portfolio of wines in a variety of price ranges, this bottle is under $12 dollars and compares well with similar wines for twice the cost. i highly recommend it. we have some of the producer's other wines aging in our cellar. i think a case of this will be coming home today for consumption this summer. their web site is www.pineridgewinery.com.

first things first, who can guess the grape varietal in the last photo?

this wine is the post which was intended for this morning about the wine from last night. of course, the delay has given me an opportunity to retaste the wine after 24 hours of exposure to air. i have discussed wines from this producer already; their portfolio in the southern rhone is quite broad. i have tasted most of the wines they make. as the photo's hint, this is a chateauneuf du pape. how does a cdp come into the price range? this wine was a special purchase by the pennsylvania lcb and thus was on sale for about half of the stated price. we bought 3 cases, after this bottle is done the remainder go into the cellar to rest for several years.

unlike the "grand wines" from this producer which have a strong contribution from mouvedre, grenache predominates in this wine with a healthy dose of mouvedre and syrah. as with any "second" or "third" wine, it is unfair to compare this wine with its more robust brethern. this is a 2004 wine. of note, based upon my search today it is no longer available (8300 cases made). but given that the subsequent 3 vintages were exceptional, the producer's primary wines from those vintages were outstanding, and the economy has tanked, it is a safe bet that if you see one of these later vintages at a good price that it will be an excellent bargain. this is a reliable producer.

the wine is dark ruby and almost inky. the nose has tar, chocolate, and cherries. in the mouth the fruit is quite forward with red cherries, dark chocolate, herbs, and tar. the finish has a hint of smoke with well balanced tannin- although the smokiness is not as prominent as in many cdp's. when tasted the next day the fruitiness has softened and smoke, chocolate, and garrique have come forward. based upon nearly 2 years of tasting this wine, i think it is getting ready to undergo a radical transformation from a very good effort to something quite special. a couple of quiet years in the cellar should allow this wine to develop a more sublime character.

this is perrin et fils 2004 chateauneuf du pape les sinards. again, this wine is not available but illustrates my point from several posts ago: this is a reliable producer who has made a good mid-range wine during a quirky vintage. this wine, like all of the wines from perrin et fils, is a safe bet. the other wines from perrin are the various chateau beaucastel offerings including coudoulet de beaucastel, perrin et fils, and vielle ferme. this is an exceptional range of very good to excellent wines, just beware of wine shop and restaurant mark-ups.

for those of you who are not fans of the southern rhone relief is in sight, tonight i am tasting another palcb special purchase which is offered at a ridiculously low price. sorry, no more hints because i want to get some before it sells out.

why do we drink sparkling wines?

this was not the originally intended post, but that wine can wait until later as it was to be done this morning and i missed that deadline already. this question came to me early today, "why do we drink sparkling wines?" the obvious answer was to celebrate events. the next thought was what kind of events? well, some are good and some are bad- weddings and divorces, births and deaths, jobs won and those lost. sparkling wine truly is for the best of times and the worst of times.

everyone thinks of champagne when they think of wine with bubbles, but there are a countless excellent options from elsewhere in the world. the folks in champagne are the only source of "true champagne," but were they the first producers of this celebratory drink? the answer is no. before the monks in champagne had produced their wines, the benedictine monks of limoux in southern france had perfected the beverage. thus, there is a conflict between langue d'oc and langue d'or- the south was first. because of the warmth and superior potential for ripening the grapes used for sparkling wines from the south do not yield the same result as the pinots and chardonnay from the north. but, they do produce an excellent wine which will match with any occasion.

Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux Blanc de Blancs 2005

this wine is pale yellow with small uniform bubbles producing a velvety mousse. it has a nose of citrus. the taste is of lemon and green apples, with crisp acidity on the finish. there is no aftertaste.

this is a reliable sparkling wine and is certainly the original. i strongly recommend it and at $10 to $15 it is reasonable to have a bottle around for any occasion, or no occasion. this is a reliable wine year to year, the quality is quite good, and it is an excellent value. bottles "lost" in the cellar seem to mature. i strongly recommend it.

2007, what a year

i have accumulated a number of wines to discuss. presently, we are in the midst of a theme, the southern rhone in 2007. the focus though has been wines which can be found at a reasonable price. another part of this topic is how to shop, in the wine store or on the list, and find a reasonable wine when you really do not know much about the wines offered. the point is that most of the wines from the southern rhone in 2007 are excellent. most of these wines can be drunk young so they are ready to consume now. this combination makes these wines a safe bet.

for tonight, i have gone to the french web site for the wine to look at the local price. the cost in the pennsylvania state store system was $13, although it is listed as a special sale with the "regular" price being $25. it is available elsewhere in the united states for $20 to $25. i will allow the reader to translate the cost from the producer's web site.

i have 2 cases of this wine in my cellar and jill describes it as a food friendly wine, meaning that it shows best when coupled with a meal. we have had it with a variety of foods, it is exceptionally flexible. i have tasted it 2 and 3 days after bottles have been opened and it maintains its character well; i view the ability of a wine to show well when retasted the next day as a sign of an exceptional wine.

this wine is dark ruby. it has the fragrance of flowers, red fruit, and mineral. the flavors reflect its grenache and syrah grapes; it has tastes of red cherry, dark fruit and a touch of mesquite. it has a earthy, mineral finish. there is a hint of dark chocolate. the tannins are fine and well balanced, which i think is why it stands up so well to the oxygen in an open bottle for a couple of days. i like this wine and i think that it should last a couple of years in my cellar and just for amusement i plan on keeping a couple of bottles back to taste in the remote future.

this is "domaine de la soleiade vacqueyras, 2007." the following is from the producer's web site.

Origine
Le domaine familial de la famille Geay est planté sur 45 hectares et porte bien son nom. Les vignes s'épanouissent sur le plateau caillouteux des garrigues, dans le décor grandiose des Dentelles de Montmirail au climat particulièrement ensoleillé.
Vinification
Par des pratiques culturales raisonnées, nous réduisons au maximum les traitements phytosanitaires pour produire un vin pur et naturel. Les raisins issus de vignes à faible rendement (32 hl/ha) sont ramassés à la main à pleine maturité pour obtenir un vin gourmand. Une sélection des meilleures grappes s'effectue lors de la cueillette.
La vinification s'effectue dans notre chais ultra moderne par un subtil mélange de techniques traditionnelles et novatrices.
Le vin est dégusté tous les jours pendant son élaboration pour vous garantir le meilleur.
Nous suivons la fermentation en raisonnant chaque paramètre pour que le raisin se transforme en un vin riche de grande expression aromatique, aux tanins soyeux et enrobés.
Cépages
55 % Grenache
45 % Syrah
Site: vigneronsdecaractere.com
BP1, Route de Vaison la Romaine
84190 Vacqueyras - France
Tél : 04 90 65 84 54

Domaine de la Soleïade 2007

Appelation : Vacqueyras
Gamme : Domaines et châteaux

Vente Internet uniquement
en savoir plus »
5,83 €
7,10 €

this wine has been well rated by the wine publications. i recommend this specific wine highly. furthermore, products by des vignerons de caractere are reliable and predictable, a safe bet if one cannot figure out what to get.

i will move on from this southern rhone collection shortly. there are several other wines from this region to post, but i will introduce some variety soon. as spring has seemingly begun, preparations for blush wines will begin as well; the previously discussed domaine rouge bleu can be viewed as a standard as blush wines are described.

the photos in this post are of vinsobres. one photo from the earlier post was from grignan. this was a wild back road drive from gigondas to gevrey chambertin. that is a good reminder, there is a st. veran i promised to comment upon.

village on a hilltop

the challenge for tonight is what to put with grilled pork tenderloin marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, hot red pepper, and herbs accompanied by rutabaga sauteed in butter and black bean salad. there are a lot flavors and aromas in that meal. i think this type meal pairs well with a younger more fruit forward wine. i chose a 2007 wine i have experienced in two prior vintages. the weather that year was spectacular in the southern rhone and wines developed potential for drinking early or after aging.

this wine is a deep ruby color. the nose reveals the significant percentage of syrah in the blend, with intense red fruits and cherry. the full bodied taste of the wine shows cherries, raspberry, flowers, and finishes with graphite. it is well balanced. of note, the wine did not improve when tasted a day later, which suggests to me that it may well be best consumed young and vibrant.

although the photo is of the sign for the vinsobres wine commune and for domaine jaume, the wine tonight is perrin vinsobres les cornuds 2007. it is readily available. the perrin family owns chateau beaucastel in chateauneuf du pape and produces a wide variety of consistently good wines. this is an excellent value, has been highly rated by the wine pundits, and shows the character of the region well. it is easier to obtain than the wines by jaume.

date night

the post for friday night was too much to do at 11 pm. we went to one of our favorite local french restaurants. a special evening demands a special wine, so i went a bit over the limit i had set, but an occasional splurge is worth it. this wine did come from our cellar and was 15% under the current on line prices. the pennsylvania state store system has retained this lower price (please, no one tell them).

dinner was at spring mill cafe, www.springmill.com. escargot, salad, shrimp and scallop, and game hen tangier. there always is a spectacular array of flavors to match, but this does create a wine problem.






this special wine was a solution to the potential tastes and conflicts of the meal. it is traditional in its style, and is blend. its aoc allows a up to 13 different grape varieties to be used; most producers do not include all but this one usually does. grenache, syrah, mourvedre, and cinsault are the predominant grapes in this dense and dark ruby wine. it has intense aromas of fresh red fruit, tar, and garrigue. the taste is fruit forward, with strawberry and red cherry. it finishes with chocolate, tar, and herbs. the tannins are still firm, but as a blend the balance is perfect. retasting the "remains" of the bottle after 24 hours of exposure to oxygen brings out the ageworthiness of the wine, the fruit has mellowed a bit, the tannins remain, the tar, leather, and chocolate provide the finish.

the producer is one of the oldest in the region. they are not a small, limited volume wine maker. but, they have retained a traditional style. the year was 2005. we visited at at new years and learned of the village's wonderful vintage. what and where is this?

vegan burgers and frites

this is an amazing combination, particularly when the burgers have pungent st alban cheese and the frites are done with garlic and herbs. the wines this week have been wild and eclectic too, and there are a number of matches for this meal both red and white. this begs for something which can stand up to the fat of the cheese. the intense aromas of the roasted garlic and the cheese demand an intense wine. i have 3 options in mind for tonight.

this is a full bodied white wine. the color is pale. the aromas are those of lavender and honeysuckle. the flavors are concentrated fruits- green apples and pear- with honey fig and vanilla. the finish is spicy with well balanced acid. this is not an ordinary white wine. not an oak and vanilla chardonnay or a floral peach and citrus sauvignon blanc.

the stage was set for this wine in the discussion of the "big house white." this takes it a step further. the wine is conundrum 2007.

conundrum originated in 1989 as an experiment, an option to the caymus portfolio of cab based reds. it was a blend with a rhone personality: sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, muscat, semillon, viognier, and canelli. this blend exceeds the sum of its parts; the product is intensely floral, driven by fleshy fruits and citrus, and has exceptional balance year after year. although it began as "caymus conundrum," in 2001 it became its own brand.

i learned about conundrum in october 1996 during a trip to the napa valley. cycling from winery to winery, in the early afternoon i stopped at caymus. i knew their spectacular red wines, but the refreshing "treat" of the stop was the white wine of the tasting, conundrum. yearly, i cellar the cab and drink the conundrum. it has maintained its quality and remained consistent as it became its own brand. i compare this with southern rhones, white chateauneuf du pape, st veran, and the occasional california blend such as "big house white." it is a stellar wine, consistent in quality, and an excellent value. this is a special and favorite wine. i put it up against my favorites and it more than stands its ground.

now, what is that st veran with all the structure that i compare to this blend?

chicken and pasta, with vegetables and gorgonzola

that was dinner last night and represented an interesting mix of flavors and fat from the cheese (which had been hidden in the back of the refrigerator for several months, thus making it exceptionally pungent and well past its sell by date). nothing white or subtle could stand up to this meal.

the choice was a deep ruby colored lirac. this wine had scents of flowers and red cherries. the taste was plum, currant, red fruits, and tobacco. it stood up to the bold flavors of the meal perfectly. it has retained its aromas through the night well, although i did not retaste it this morning.

this was was 2007 chapelle de maillac lirac rouge by domaine roger sabon of chateauneuf du pape. i obtained it for under $20 in a pennsylvania state store. it is a very nice wine from a reliable producer and shows the same style as their chateauneuf portfolio, at an every day price. i would strongly recommend this wine.

i think tonight's post will need to be a follow-up california white wine to the big house...

After last night's battle with the wine list, tonight was an evening for something simple. Dinner became a stew of refrigerator vegetables and left over spicy sausage, the recipe called for a white wine. we are proponents of the don't cook with it if you will not drink it school of thought but there was no intent of a spurge this evening. the dish begged for a crisp and floral wine both in cooking and in accompaniment. we always have basic reliable wines around for this multi-purpose use.

we chose a 2008 california white wine with a southern rhone twist: malvasia bianca, muscat, canelli, viognier, and roussanne. only one producer makes something like this, "big house." this formerly was one of the eclectic wine children of randall grahm and his bonny doon winery; they produced unique wines from an amazing range of grapes for years. nothing has been lost since the sale of the "big house" brand.

this wine has an exceptionally floral nose with hints of melon and tropical fruits. its taste is crisp and features apricots and peaches. the finish focuses on the apricot and a hint of lemon. the wine is perfectly balanced. residual sweetness is offset by acidity. the final tanginess leads into a finish of lemons.

this wine is, as are all of the "big house" and "bonny doon" wines, a reliable quaff. they are consistent and predictable and do not break the wine budget. and, it is available nearly everywhere.

for tomorrow, maybe california has a "big brother" for this wine child by a different producer. we will see.

some of you may notice the times of these posts, ignore them. it seems that the clock is set for a zone somewhere between san francisco and maui. the last post was at 2346.

the dreaded wine list

so, it is monday night and jill has a friend visiting from out of town and we are going to meet her for dinner. i made the reservations last night, after a futile search to find one of our favorite byob's that might be open on a monday night. jill changed the reservation to somewhere else.

how to manage wines from the wine list.

first, know your group's preferences.

second, check to see if the list is available on line so you can preview it and get an idea of the options. no luck tonight, they have their lunch, dinner, dessert, and drink menus posted but no wine list.

third, look for known producers and regions.

finally, match the wine style and varietal or blend to the meal everyone chooses.

tonight's list bore no resemblance to my last visit to this restaurant. how does one match wasabi, tuna, duck and plum sauce, and striped bass to a wine without creating a mouth puckering experience? a cab would be entirely wrong and merlot would not stand up to the wasabi. this was a meat meal with a twist and none of the white options were hefty enough to match it. i settled on two possibilities, a nuit saint george village or a california zinfandel. these are opposite ends of the spectrum- big and full bodied versus delicate and sublime. considering the wasabi and a good history i chose the zinfandel. i did not trust a large production village wine to partner with this meal.

tonight's wine was seghesio sonoma county zin 2008. there was a substantial mark up on this wine as it is readily available for about a quarter of this restaurant's price. this is a full bodied wine which begins with aromas of fresh red fruits. the tastes are of ripe red cherries, raspberry, and a hint of toast. the finish has plenty of chewy tannin. this is a readily available wine and in shops it is an excellent value. seghesio has a long history of producing quality zin's. i strongly recommend it, even if tonight it was the victim of a wine list mark up.

zinfandel from a reliable producer is a safe bet, and it is an american wine (in spite of its european origins, it thrives on this side of the pond). about 2 weeks ago i had a similar experience at 11 maple street in jenson beach florida. i followed my rules of reliable producer and predicable varietal- we had an outstanding turley zinfandel but the mark up was only about 30%. trusted producer, predictable grape, consistent region, and a restaurant with a reasonable price for an exceptional wine; i do not know what more one could ask for. unfortunately on that night the four of us had agreed that we only would have a single bottle for the table.

both of these zinfandels are excellent wines. i would recommend them without reservations over a broad range of vintages. tonight was two wines, and my perspective on how to approach the wine list.

dinner, the reference wine

tonight's wine was tough to pick. the meal is a micro-salad of bell and poblano peppers with tomato and garlic with balsamic, roasted cornish hen with potatoes, mushrooms, and onions, and a simple dessert (wish there had been time to make a raspberry clafoutis0. this meal offers me too many possibilities- a big zin or syrah, or a supple pinot, all might work; a steely st veran would pair well too.

i chose my syrah reference wine. this producer year in and year out makes absolutely reliable wines. that is not a criticism, this is unadulterated syrah. i look at this as the benchmark to compare with other wines.

the color is dark and inky. the nose is ripe black cherries and black pepper. the clincher, in the mouth this has ripe black cherrys, figs, and black pepper. the finish is smokey pepper and chocolate. this is a big wine which does not overpower the flavors of this meal.

the wine? rosenblum cellars 2006 solano county syrah england shaw vineyard. this is a great wine from a reliable producer, it is safe in the wine shop and safe if you see it on a wine list.

back to september 2009

today's wine is a trip back to september 2009, specifically the 3rd and 4th. i had promised a rose wine for this posting. st laurent des arbres is within walking distance of tavel, an aoc devoted entirely to rose and alleged to be the favored wine of louis XIV; rose is becoming ever more popular in france. in spite of those facts and the many wonderful tavels we have experienced the wine i chose to review is from the other side of the rhone, near the village of st cecile des vignes. this is the story of the rose that did not make it back to the united states.

through the amazing process of serendipity i made 2 discoveries while planning our trip to france for last september, "french word a day" and domaine rouge bleu; then i learned they were a husband and wife team (plus 2 kids, a dog, and her puppies). i inquired about a visit and we were rewarded with an exceptional experience. on september 3 we visited jean-marc and kristin at domaine rouge bleu and had the opportunity to taste their wines, with them, overlooking the vineyard and mont ventoux. in addition to his several outstanding reds, jean-marc offered his 2008 rose and his still fermenting (just harvested) 2009 rose directly from the fermentation tank. we are eagerly anticipating our return trip this september to have the mature 2009.

the 2008 domaine rouge bleu rose was wonderful. it begins with a nose of fresh red fruits. the tastes are subtle, red cherries, strawberry, and lemon with perfect crispness.

we included a bottle in our purchase with the intent of bringing it home. matters changed on september 4th at lunch, with a loaf of bread and a fresh cheese. alone in the tasting the wine had been excellent, coupled with our simple meal it was superb and easily held its own against any blush wine we have ever tasted. this is an exceptional wine with an exceptional range made by a producer who is focused on every aspect of his wine- the land, the vines, the grapes, and the vinification. of note, jean-marc also had arranged for us to visit his uncle jean-claude vidal of domaine du banneret on september 4.

i would strongly recommend this wine, and all of the wines of domaine rouge bleu. below i have abstracted from the winemakers site and from "french country wines" additional information and tasting notes. jean-marc is currently doing a wine tour of the united states.

Domaine Rouge-Bleu

Dentelle 2008

Possessing many mature vines, this new estate of 20 acres is farmed organically with attention paid to biodynamic processes. Near the village of Cairanne in the southern Rhone Valley, these wines are produced by traditional methods with care and attention by Jean-Marc Espinasse and his wife, the author Kristi Espinasse.

Terroir : Located at the foot Dentelles de Montmirail, the vines of this “cuvée” comes both from AOC Côtes du Rhône blocks (Carignan of 35 and Grenache of 57 years old) planted on a very rocky draining soil and on pebbles.

Working the vines : Inspired from bio-dynamiques methods (Consulting with Matthieu Bouchet – Terres en Devenir). Without any herbicides nor pesticides. Mechanical work on the ground. Products used : cooper, sulfur. Infusions of nettle, horsetail, wicker. Apply of MT 500, 501.

Harvest and winemaking : Manual in cases. They happened mid September in the morning in order to keep the freshness. After a straight press, the juices have been kept cold for a natural decantation before winemaking happens. Winemaking happened slowly for 3 almost weeks. The cold winter has permitted a natural fining. A light filtration has been done early January 2009 before the bottling, which ttok place on the 13th which is a fruit day on the moon calendar.

Tasting notes :

Very pale orange-pink color. Nose expresses delicate granada aromas with hints of lemons. The mouth is very fresh and as the fruit aromas develops, the fat and the length express too. This rosé can be enjoyed by itself and will also pair with seafood and white meats. (Winemaker)

Rouge-Bleu Vin de Pays Rose' 2008 $12.50 (from “French Country Wines”)

A very pale orange-pink color leads to delicate aromas of red fruit and lemon. As the fruit flavors develop in the mouth so does the structure of the wine present itself. Nicely balanced and with good acidity, a long finish is not a surprise. Enjoyable enough on its own, it will also pair nicely with seafood and white meats.

dinner wine. again, i have had the 2005 and 2007 vintages of this wine. currently the 2007 is available but i am tasting the 2005 tonight. dinner is red beans with celery, onions, garlic, and red peppers with spicy turkey sausage over brown rice - this meal has some heat and smoke.

not all wines will show well with this combination. a 2002 cote d'or would be a really eclectic pairing. another nice option might be a big california zinfandel. following the southern rhone beginning the choice is domaine la bouissiere gigondas 2005. i have several notes for this vintage as well as the current tasting and notes for the 2007.

this starts with an aroma of red cherries. this has spicy currants and red fruits with plenty of tannin and well balanced acidity. the finish is pure graphite with a hint of tobacco. it has been fun watching this wine mature over the last 2 years since i first cellared it. based upon the tannin i think it still has a couple of great years in it.

comparing the 2007 and the 2005 shows the strength of the fruit and consistency of this producer. as a younger wine, the 2007 is quite fruit forward but has all of the same elements of the older wine. decanting of both wines softens the tannins and allows the structure to mature.

these are wonderful wines by a consistent producer. i am not sure how i missed the 2006 but it clearly is my loss. the 2007 is great now decanted or could last in the cellar for several years; the 2005 has time left in it but is clearly at a peak.

wonderful wines, an execellent option at home or from an enlightened wine list. decanting opens them up. matt

seductive and under $20

and now for our first wine i have chosen a white lirac with which i am familiar having tasted it several times, including in france. i have had the 2006, 2007, and 2008 wines, as well as red wines by this producer.

domaine lafond roc-epine lirac blanc 2008

wonderful aroma of fruit blossoms. tastes of peach and citrus with a crisp and balanced finish. nicely acidic but not overwhelming, this wine softens with time and increasing temperature. the fruit is not as vibrant as the previous two years, but the wine still is wonderful. i have left this wine unrefrigerated overnight and retasted it, the acid softens and there is no hint of oxidation.

this is a wonderful wine which reminds me of a white chateauneuf du pape. 2008 was a difficult vintage because of the weather, but the result for this producer was excellent. the wine goes well with pungent cheeses, white meats, and grilled vegetables. i would strongly recommend this wine.

day one, a new beginning

welcome to an idea i have had for several years, wines for the rest of us. i enjoy reading the major wine publications and value the knowledge gained from them. but, it is not likely that i will be obtaining and tasting a 2007 burgundy with a production of 50 cases and costing $500 a bottle, then cellaring a case of it; nice idea but unlikely reality. similarly, i know i can find excellent wines for a premium price, but that is not what most of us would drink on a regular basis. where does that leave us?

my aim is to enjoy reasonably priced and obtainable wines. these may not be large production wines, but they are wines one can find and enjoy at a reasonable price. the target price range for wines i discuss will be less than $25. there will be times i splurge and go a bit higher and there will be times i look at what can be obtained for less than $10. i will not describe a wine and advise against it, if i do not like it when i taste it i will not review it. what you read is what i have tried and liked.

please tolerate my digressions into food and travel, you might find some of them useful. from the purely self serving standpoint, click on the sponsor links added by google, this is what pays for the wines i taste and recommend. and remember, i will not recommend it unless i would drink it and serve it to someone else. i am limited by what is available through the pennsylvania state store system, i cannot taste it otherwise unless i am traveling or it was a gift.

our little friend above is the terroir terrier.

and so it begins... matt