Tag Archives: France

Wine of the Day: Antoine Arena Grotte di Sole 3-28-16

Domaine Antoine Arena Patrimonio Grotte di Sole Rouge, Corsica, France 2011 750ML ($49.95) Buy Now: $29 special

Antoine Arena manages such depth in his otherwise energetic, soulful wines. The 2011 Grotte di Sole is among the best possible examples, and we’re lucky to have it on offer. Sun-soaked fruit flirts with a leathery backdrop which never goes overboard; the gorgeous aromas of dark cherry and spice makes it very much a sip once, sniff twice sort of wine. This is an adventurous wine which will pleasantly surprise, though certainly fall within the register of anyone who loves the complexity of northern Rhone wines, the food-friendliness of Tuscan wines, and the persistence of Loire reds. I, for one, love it.

– Tyler

Wine of the Day: Philippe Pacalet Les Perrieres 3-27-16

Philippe Pacalet Les Perrieres, Beaune Premier Cru, Burgundy, France 2010 750ML ($99.95) Buy Now: $89 special

My jaw basically dropped upon first tasting this wine. I don’t spend as much time with Burgundy as I should, perhaps, but still know when I’m onto something good. The 2010 Perrieres is layered and suave in all the right ways. This one’s recipe includes goji berries with some cherry-tinged roundness, a touch of mint and sage, and a hint of bramble. The finish is unceasing, and I truly don’t know whether you’re better off drinking all of it you can get your hands on ASAP or monitoring its progress through cellaring. Just do what feels right with this guy. – Tyler

Wine of the Day: Fosse-Seche Saumur Blanc 3-25-16

Chateau de Fosse-Seche Saumur Blanc Arcane, Loire, France 2012 750ML ($39.95) Buy Now: $33 special
Case-12 Chateau de Fosse-Seche Saumur Blanc Arcane, Loire, France 2012 750ML ($379.95) Buy Now: $333 special (that’s only $27.75/bottle!)

This was a surprise… Perfect balance, with a great honey-brioche-elderflower-peach quartet which gets all the notes right. The finish has all the energy of a band giving it’s all for the last song of the night. For Chenin with personality and depth, look no further.

– Tyler

Wine Advocate 93 points “Yields of the 2012 Saumur Arcane were remarkable low (10-15 hectoliters per hectare), but finally gave a full-bodied, firmly structured wine with a powerful length. Golden yellow in color. Rich, ripe and deep on the nose, very profound and complex, but also superbly pure and stony in its core showing cooked quinces and honey. This is a very mineral, straightforward and stimulating wine of great purity, a serious expression of the unique terroir of Fosse-Sèche. Drink now and until 2030+.” SR

Wine of the Day: Patrick Bottex Bugey-Cerdon 3-24-16

Patrick Bottex Bugey Cerdon La Cueille Sparkling Rose, Savoie, France NV 750ML ($21.95) Buy Now: $14 special
Case-12 Patrick Bottex Bugey Cerdon La Cueille Sparkling Rose, Savoie, France NV 750ML ($249.95) Buy Now: $149 special (that’s only $12.42/bottle!)

The Bugey region of France has hosted winemaking since Roman times, although it took until 2009 for it to receive AOC status. This wine hails from La Cueille, a small medieval hamlet on the high altitude limestone-rich hills surrounding the main village. Patrick and Catherine Bottex have farmed the area since 1991, producing small quantities of this unique style of sparkling wine. The wine was ‘discovered’ by importer Kermit Lynch when the well-known Beaujolais producer Marcel Lapierre opened a bottle at a party.

The wine is 90% Gamay and 10% native Poulsard. It undergoes a partial primary fermentation in cuve and is bottled with some residual sugar, allowing the secondary fermentation to complete in the bottle. This results in a low alcohol and medium to fully- sparkling wine with some naturally occurring residual sweetness.

Eminently drinkable, this juicy sparkling offers lush notes of black raspberry and marionberry with a vibrant acidity and steady fizz. The light sweetness and low alcohol combine to make this supremely refreshing on its own or a flexible pairing to just about anything on your plate this summer – try it Kermit Lynch’s favorite way: on a beach with hamburgers!

-Suzanne

Vinopoldeal- Vissoux Beaujolais

June 2013

Pierre Chermette was just 22 when he took over Domaine Vissoux from his parents in 1982. Since beginning, Pierre was one of few in the region making a Cuvée Traditionnelle in pure Beaujolais tradition. Pierre, along with his wife Martine, has long held the motto “quality before quantity”, opting for lower yields and handpicking in the vineyard. In the cellar, his wines are non-chaptalised and use only indigenous yeasts. Pierre was interested in the Crus of Beaujolais and bought vines in Fleurie and Moulin à Vent in 1994 and 1996. Their Moulin a Vent bottling, Les Trois Roches, is the Chermette’s top cuvee. It is named for the three parcels it is sourced from in the famed Moulin à Vent cru. Rochegrès is said to give the finesse, Roche Noire the liveliness of fruit, and Rochelle the power. The sum of the whole gives the intense yet beautifully balanced Gamay that Moulin a Vent is known for, producing a wine in 2010 that Wine Advocate says “will intrigue and invigorate for at least half a dozen years.”

Moulin A Vent Trois Roches 2010 $29.95 EXTREME DEAL $21.90 SOLD OUT

91 POINTS STEPHEN TANZER & WINE ADVOCATE “Bright violet color. Pungent aromas of red and dark berry preserves, with musky herb and lavender nuances building with air. Juicy, palate-staining black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors show subtle sweetness and very good clarity. Finishes with noteworthy energy and focus, leaving licorice and cherry pit notes behind.” Best Price in the US!