Loire Lessons #1: Cuvee La Grange Dîmière

Loire Lessons #1

Jean Max Roger, Cuvee La Grange Dîmière, Sancerre 2010, 12.5%, €21.35 Karwig Wines

Pinot Noir

Will be heading off to the Loire later this year and thought I’d better get a bit of practice on the wines. Karwig’s have quite a selection, indeed a whole shelf full, and soon, with no little help from Emily, I had enough to start my Loire lessons.

This Rosé was the first and very pleasant it turned out to be. The immediate pressing of the Pinot Noir grape “gives a unique salmon colour, along with lightness, elegance and finesse”.

But, dare I suggest, it is a rosé with backbone. Maybe backbone is too strong a term. It sure has the pink colour of the salmon and I think I can safely suggest that it also some of its suppleness.

A very pleasant combination of colour, texture and flavour. A winner for me and Very Highly Recommended.

It is called "La Grange Dîmière" in reference to one of Bué’s ancient tithe barns which constitutes the oldest part of the winery. Bué is the family village.

Bird on the vine

* On the subject of the Loire, if anyone has any tips, not just on the wine, I'd be glad to hear from you!

Happy New Year, With Rosé en Primeur!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

With Rosé en Primeur!

Just got a Happy New Year card from the folks at Laurent Miquel vineyard near Beziers. Dominique is one of the signatories and she explained to me previously that the French spread out the New Year Celebrations over the first few weeks. No rush there then!

But you may want to rush out for an offer that Dominique also told me about. It is one where you pay less for your Rosé rose by buying it “en primeur” via From Vineyards Direct 

 Three years ago From Vineyards Direct launched what is now a traditional  “en Primeur” release of new vintages of Pontet Bagatelle Rosé, raising a good few eyebrows by introducing pale pinks into what has often seemed to be the preserve of more ‘serious’ wines from a particular left or right bank.

Describing the rationale for selling Pontet Bagatelle rosé en Primeur, Esme Johnstone, co-founder of FromVineYardsDirect, said: “It is the best rosé from Provence, probably France, and the first 2011 rosé to be sold en Primeur. It is outstanding… We want our customers to be able to enjoy this wine without paying through the nose.”

The 2011 harvest at Château Pontet Bagatelle was ideal and, producer Garry Stephens describes the wine as “The best rosé we have ever produced at Pontet Bagatelle – an appetising pale pink colour with a nose that bleeds intense but restrained summer berry fruits. Good balance, acidity and a great finish. Just about perfect – I am thrilled”

• The wine can be purchased at the remarkable price of €51 in Bond. This is €45 less than the price of the 2010 vintage as fromVineyardsDirect have been able to purchase the majority of the harvest this year – and Garry wishes to thank FVD customers. This stunning Rosé will also be available in Magnums, Double Magnums and Imperials.   The larger bottles add a touch of drama as well as flavour to any party, reception or wedding.

The prices in bond for delivery late April/May are as follows:

Bottle    €4.25Bt or €51cs       

Magnums or €9 or €54 cs(6)

Double magnum(300cl) €25 or cs (3) €75

Imperial (6oocl) €78

Queries to info(at)fromvineyardsdirect.ie  

KARWIG: TRYING TO KEEP THE SUMMER ALIVE

Domaine Houchart 2010, Cotes de Provence Rose, 13%, Karwig.

In Roussillon in Provence, built from stone from nearby
ochre quarries,  I bought the beautiful rosé below left.

Fair play to Karwig Wines. They are trying hard to keep the summer alive and this rosé will bring you a little sunshine from the Midi even if it is dull outside.

They have a great selection on offer and I was tempted by the Bandol (over a fiver off) but, having tasted a string of Provencal beauties this summer, I picked the Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence. 

Marcus Gates was helping me make the choices and he says that the rosés have been flying this summer and the offer will continue for quite a while yet.

This vineyard is located in Puyloubic, a little village close to Aix-en-Provence, and has been producing “for more than 100 years famous rosé, red and white wines”. Not too sure about the fame of the village but rosés in Provence are generally good, even if not always famous.

This pale pink effort by Houchart doesn't disappoint. Nothing weak about this dry rosé as it roams the taste buds, exciting interest as it gently rolls. Nice sharpish flavours of white fruit that hit home. 

TAVEL: BEST ROSÉ IN FRANCE

TAVEL (FRANCE) 2010 CUVÉE A LA PEINTURE, 14%.

Much about the featured painter, Daniele Buisson, on the label but not so much about the wine from Tavel. It is Rosé, as that is all they produce in this southern Rhone village. 

The nose is slightly shy, yet aromatic. On the palate it is dry and the fruit, after a shy shakehands, begins to blossom and you find yourself sipping a smooth and flavoursome wine. Tavel wines are dry and tend to have more body and structure than most rosés.

Tavel promotes itself, not in a shy way, as the Best Rosé in France and it is certainly a contender. But there are many such contenders further south in Provence where virtually each wine village produces a very presentable rosé. I especially liked the one from Mas de la Dame.

On a recent visit to Tavel, I bought this Cuvee a la Peinteure. But they do have another ace up their sleeve and the helpful lady in the Vignerons de Tavel premises produced it, though not from under her sleeve! In my humble opinion, then and now, the Cuvee Royale was better and didn't cost a whole lot more. This may well be the best in France!

It is grown in a different part of Tavel on the smooth round stones also found in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and is located east of the town in the direction of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Irish stockists of Tavel, not necessarily my tastings, include Power and Smullen and O’Briens  

For more on my visit to Tavel, and the strange little animal I saw after lunch (and the tastings!), click here.