Today – This is what wine is all about for me. It is a voyage of discovery. Tasting wine is like going on a journey back in time to an undiscovered land. Each wine I tasted this afternoon had what the French would term “terroir”- a sense of place, of ease in its own surroundings. Tasting these wines created images in my mind of peasant women, crooked doors, rusty hinges, and quaint French villages surrounded by soft rolling hills.
Today – I had the chance to taste a series of wines imported to the US by a French couple. When they moved here they couldn’t find any of the good affordable French wine they enjoyed drinking. So they called up their winemaking friends in France and had them ship a few cases. Thus “Jenny and Francois Selections” was born. What a pleasure!! I found a treasure chest of wines and small producers.
Today’s highlights include – to open the tasting – Chateau Haut Lavigne, a deceptively simple white blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc from the Cote de Duras near Bordeaux. Delicious, clean, fresh and crisp from the deft hand of a female winemaker, Nadia Lusseau. This was springtime in a glass with a waxy golden exuberance. The texture of the Semillon coats the mouth while the bright acidity of the Sauvignon competes for attention.
Next a Gamay from Guillot-Broux’s Macon-Cruzille, a region in Burgundy more famous for their rich white chardonnay. Fresh red cherries, screaming with acidity, green peppercorns and rocky minerals. My first thought upon tasting is to dash to one of the restaurant kitchens to see what the Chefs can do with some awesome local arugula. It took me a while to start to comprehend this wine, but once I got passed the initial shock, boy, it was ON. I like it when a wine takes time to slowly reveal itself and asks the taster to do some of the work. Tasting wine should be a meditative not competitive experience!
Probably the highlight from today for me - a Cotes du Rhone from the village of Signargues. Deep, rich, balanced, licorice, herb, a rush of sweet fennel, dark cherries. It reminded me of an exquisitely lush Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but for a fraction of the price. You will be seeing this Domaine Les Genestas very soon in the restaurants. Wow! I cannot recommend the Rhone region enough for those of you who seek out gems of great value. I knew 2007 was a great Rhone vintage, but this juice is ridiculous.
Today – it was confirmed to me that the true joy of life is constant revelation. There are surprises and adventures to be had at every turn. Hang on to those favorite memories with all the clarity that you can muster, but never turn down the opportunity that life gives you to experience something new.
Or – to put it another way – Never order the same bottle of wine twice!
Cheers!
6 Comments
Hi Patrick,
So glad you are enjoying our selection! Hope to come meet you one day soon.
Cheers,
Jenny
Patrick, Would love to try these wines. I think they would be a good fit for the shop. Had dinner with Kathleen at SNOB on Sunday night and had a great bottle of Sancerre from Chaderton selections. Very clean!!
Des – you must definitely check them out. The portfolio is through J and J. I have notes on four others that I loved but didn’t want to overwhelm the blog.
I think you are referring to the Roger Neveu Sancerre from Chadderton? I totally agree. If I could only pick one to drink for the rest of my life, this would be it. Single Vineyard, Crisp, zesty mineral chalk, lime,etc. I have it placed at High Cotton in Greenville as well as SNOB and we did a staff training the other day and everyone went crazy about it. Someone even used the term “golden cranberries” to describe it which I thought was a really interesting description for the finish.
Look forward to my next visit to the store to see what surprises you have up your sleeve too!
Jenny – you must come and visit. I think you would be shocked at the great wine and food scene here…and the servers are friendlier than in New York! Charleston just got voted number 3 in the world for food and wine. Come stay with us at the Post House for the weekend!
I’m serious.
Patrick
Wow Patrick !!!. Your evocative descriptions are truly inspiring. I can see myself drifting dreamily through the ancient vineyards in the majestic ripening sun. Then sitting in quiet, peaceful contemplation under a leafy logia overlooking the rolling terraces as the darkening crimson light gently bathes the receding skyline. A weather hardened peasant, his striped shirt, beret and the slight hint of garlic evoking whispers of the past, loving pours a glass of tranquil claret; through my fingers trickles an almost magical handful of that sacred earth, nurtured by countless generations, from which the gift of Bacchus, in all its elegant radiance, burst forth. As Galileo waxed “wine is water held together with sunlight”.
I do hope they syndicate your blog; certainly major publications such as Bosham Life (or failing that Private Eye’s “Great Pseuds of Today”) would be seriously interested.
In vino veritas.
Sailbad
Sailbad – glad you are enjoying the blog.
Nice use of the word “Logia” too. That can be a tough one to work into everyday conversation!
Glad to see the muse is still flowing as freely as the gin back in the old UK!
Try not to fall off the back of the boat!
P