…the following are the beverages we chose to enjoy with our “Spencer on the Go” French food from a truck…..
2007 René-Jean Dard & François Ribo, Crozes-Hermitage AC (Syrah) – Northern Rhone Red
2007 Crozes-Hermitage, René-Jean Dard and François Ribo
You’ll find Syrah (Shiraz) from Marlborough to Napa, South Africa to Barossa, Washington to the Languedoc, but it’s at its best in France’s Rhône Valley. The Rhône Valley is split into two major areas: The Northern Rhone and The Southern Rhone. Southern Rhone reds are dominated by blends with grenache taking top bill; syrah, mourvedre, and many others round out the mix. In The Northern Rhône however, Syrah is purely expressed as a single varietal wine and is the lone red grape of the region.
The Rhône Valley, France
Much like the rest of the world, The Rhône has benefited from modern wine making techniques; wines are cleaner and less susceptible to contamination. Even though the wines have become cleaner, most of the modernization ends there. The majority of producers still opt for a hands off approach to winemaking, in lieu of the contemporary augmented styles of wine common in the New World. The most sought after wines come from the appellations of Hermitage, Cote Rotie, and Cornas, but some beautiful examples can be found in the second tier – Crozes Hermitage and St. Joseph. On rare occasion these wines of the latter can rival those of the more well known appellations. The wine tasted this evening was from the second group and was wonderful. It’s not to say that this wine is a blockbuster, but that its compelling deliciousness lies in its layers of flavor and purity of fruit. The pair does a fair amount of whole berry fermentation and the wines are indeed made to be consumed in their youth. “What we like is natural wine because it’s alive, wine that does not necessarily have to be kept – just drunk and drunk again.” -François Ribo
Tasting Notes:
Gorgeous, wonderfully balanced and complexly aromatic. A perfect example of Rhône Syrah. Each taste produced layer upon layer of flavor: blackberry, black pepper, rosemary, violets, iron, lemon zest, cured meats, raspberry bubblegum and tar. It is medium bodied, long-lived on the palate and backed by the perfect amount of acidity. This would be a great pairing for red meats and mushrooms, game and herbed dishes. It’s a great way to experience an amazing Rhone Syrah without the huge price tag of the most sought after appellations.
Price: $54
Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections
Enjoyed at: Terroir Natural Wine Merchant
2007 Clos Roche Blance “L’Arpent Rouge” Touraine AC (Pineau d’Aunis) – Loire Valley Red
2007 Touraine "L'Arpent Rouge" Clos Roche Blanche
When I first drank red wine, it was the girth and power of the likes of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and other bigs that really did it for me. Over time I came to love wine for being the refreshing and delicious beverage that it can be. I found myself wanting less reds that numbed my palate to the possibility of following with anything else. It was at this point that I began to appreciate wines of lighter body, that aimed for complexity and grace over raw power (see: Burgundy). These are the wines that are not clouded by wine making, but show true for what they are. Furthermore, oak will always taste like oak…. and when a winemaker has chosen to go without that, the consumer will get a more pure expression of what that juice is actually like. It’s not to say that oak is bad. Indeed most Burgundy see oak. When oak becomes the dominant flavor in the wine, it’s hard to tell what else is there. Enter: wines of expressiveness and ….. ACID!!! Wines (white and red) with acid have since become my go to and my passion. Don’t be afraid of the word – “acid.” It doesn’t mean that your wine will be sharp and harsh. Can you imagine OJ with no acid? It would be flat (see: Tang). This is not dissimilar to what occurs in wine. Couple this concept with the fact that, after you taste enough wine, “interesting” becomes almost as good as “good.” Now the stage is set for a wine like this Touraine Rouge (an appellation in the Central Loire Valley), made exclusively from the little-known grape Pineau d’Aunis, to shine. Note: Sometimes referred to as Chenin Noir, Pineau d’Aunis is not related to the Pinot family of grapes.
The Loire Valley, France
Tasting Notes:
Weighing in on the light side of medium bodied, the Clos Roche Blanche’s Pineau d’Aunis is one for those looking for something interesting. Though not as exceptionally balanced as the Crozes-Hermitage, it was still very classy and ultra-layered. Tasting notes include: mushroom, cherry, strawberry, peppery spice, bell pepper, and flinty aromatics, plus very bright acidity. The wine was a little tart, but not off-putting.
While I wouldn’t say that a wine like this would be easily found in most markets, I do think that it illustrates a resourceful picture in that, lots of cool flavors can be had in those lesser known wines you may have passed over time after time. They can be hit or miss, but the price point is usually friendly enough that it is worth the experiment. If these “out there” wines are also expensive you can usually bet on one of two things: 1. they have amassed a cult following for their unique and delicious individuality or 2. they are extracted and full of oak and they’ve amassed a following for their similarities to wines the constituency has become used to. Take your pick. I loved this one.
Price: $36
Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections
Enjoyed at: Terroir Natural Wine Merchant
-Wines at Terroir can also be purchased retail.
CorkDork 