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Domaine Clavel

2007-06-25T18:00:46Z

INTRODUCING PIERRE CLAVEL, WINEGROWER

My goal, Excellence in what I produce in all humility, with sincerity - the simplest expression of my terroir. My hope, That the bottles leaving my cellar to reach connoisseurs throughout the world will contribute to exchanges, pleasure, satisfactions, sensations and, why not? sensuality. I imagine Their active presence on family tables, on those of crowded restaurants, or else in the intimacy of a couple. I would like My wine to be a source of conviviality, of narrowing the gap between different destinations, of languages, of situations, of different frames of mind and of different moments. I am aware That the search for excellence is difficult. I am worried that I am still far from attaining it, there are so many external elements beyond my control, beyond that of the men and women around me.

INTRODUCING PIERRE CLAVEL, WINEGROWER

My goal,
Excellence in what I produce in all humility, with sincerity - the simplest expression of my terroir.

My hope,
That the bottles leaving my cellar to reach connoisseurs throughout the world will contribute to exchanges, pleasure, satisfactions, sensations and, why not? sensuality.

I imagine
Their active presence on family tables, on those of crowded restaurants, or else in the intimacy of a couple.

I would like
My wine to be a source of conviviality, of narrowing the gap between different destinations, of languages, of situations, of different frames of mind and of different moments.

I am aware
That the search for excellence is difficult. I am worried that I am still far from attaining it, there are so many external elements beyond my control, beyond that of the men and women around me.

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An exceptional setting, at the edge of Montpellier : overlooked by the Pic St Loup…. the sea in the distance…

Bought in 2001, this is the fruit of 15 years’ work on vines and wine.

It is here that Pierre and Estelle Clavel wanted to regroup the winery and the cellars dispersed up until then on various sites.

Taking precious care of our 260 casks of the Copa Santa and Calage vintages in the calm surroundings of these ancient stones.

Half-buried, with temperature and hygrometric control, the wine storehouse allows us to wait patiently for a wine maturation of quality.

To see their wines:

La Copa Santa 2002

Les Garrigues 2003

Domaine Clavel

Domaine Deshenrys, Languedoc France

2007-06-22T20:32:26Z

The Domaine Deshenrys

  Soil

  The Vines of Domaine Deshenrys are growing on limestone clay soils and
villafrancian terraces that bring out the full expression of their personality.

  Grape Varieties

  The White Wines are made from Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Roussanne,
Muscat and Viognier.

  Red and Rosé Wines are made from Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah,
Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre and Petit Verdot.

  Vinification

  Our wines are vinified by Nicolas and Henry-Ferdinand Bouchard, and then bottled on the Estate itself and stored in an air-conditioned cellar to improve keeping. The maximum
yield is between 50 and 65 hectoliters per hectare.

Red 2002 Red 2003

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Henry Ferdinand Bouchard, farming the domaine started by his great-grandfather in the mid-1800s, is attempting just such a program. He is the fourth generation of his family named Henry Bouchard, and when he began estate-bottling all of his domaine's wines some ten years ago, he decided to honor the hard work of his ancestors by naming the estate Domaine Deshenrys. "There are enough companies named Bouchard in the wine business," he says, adding with a mischievous smile, "besides, I wanted to name my son Nicolas!".

Thirteen hectares in the Coteaux de Languedoc planted to 90% Syrah and 10% Grenache, and 47 hectares in the Côtes de Thongue of the Herault Département with 12 different varietals provide the raw materials for his efforts. As we have noted elsewhere, great wines come from great grapes; grapes which come from vines that carry low yields and are picked at optimum ripeness. This is accomplished at Domaine Deshenrys by stringent pruning techniques, limiting yields to an average of 40 hectoliters per hectare in the Coteaux de Languedoc Appellation (maximum legal yield 60 hl/ha), and 50 hl/ha in the Côtes de Thongue (which allows a generous maximum of 80 hl/ha).

The grapes are harvested at night or in the early morning to avoid heat damage and oxidation, and to prevent the onset of too rapid a fermentation. Once in the chais (or cellar) the grapes are sorted on a table de tirage (or sorting table) to eliminate bad fruit, destemmed, crushed and fermented in temperature controlled vats (18ºC for the whites, building to 32ºC for the reds). All of the wines are aged in vat, except the Coteaux de Languedoc, which sees some six months in old oak barrels, and the Faugeres Songe de L'Abbaye, which is, aged for six months in new oak barrels.

The wines show the extra care that the grapes receive at Domaine Deshenrys. The whites are clean, crisp, and well balanced, with superb acidity and none of the flabbiness often found in the region. The reds show amazing concentration and depth, with deep, extracted colors, soft and lush red-black fruits, and a velvety texture neither overly alcoholic nor too tannic. The best wines seem to be the blends rather than the single-varietals, "they speak more of the region, its culture and terroir, the intermingling of influences from Bordeaux and the Rhône," suggests Henry Bouchard, the Fourth. The Alliance Blanc is an exotic blend of Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Muscat Petits Grains, and Sauvignon Blanc, showing white flowers, peach and melon in the nose, with a broad, rich texture and bracing lemon-kiwi acidity to end. The Tradition Rouge consists of 50% Syrah, 30% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and is complex, powerful, with a tarry red-black fruitiness and a hint of smoky tannins. The Coteaux de Languedoc shows all the finesse, depth, and concentration of a mini-Côte Rôtie, with grilled black fruits and a creamy, soft finish.

>>> More Details :

Red 2002 Red 2003

Château Cesseras, Minervois-La Livinière, Languedoc

2007-06-22T18:37:22Z

The Château Cesseras is located in Languedoc, south of France, Minervois-La Livinière appellation.

The vineyard is the property of the Ournac family; I contacted Mr Pierre André Ournac and I’m now really glad to share what I know about this vineyard. Take 2 minutes to read this, it’s really interesting!

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Interview:

“I’m working for the familial farm of 160 acres in Cesseras, with my brother since 1985. We’re the seventh generation of the family since 1840 to run the exploitation.

Since I arrived, we totally restructured the vineyard adapting varietals to different kinds of soil. In the “appellation” area (AOC), we planted Syrah, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre (In France and Portugal term used for wines whose characteristics and name derive from the location where the vines from which they come are grown. Their quality is guaranteed by special Government regulations controlling their production. In other countries the term is used for wine having particular qualities which derive from the place and methods of production). We’ve conserved an old Carignan, turned to wine by carbonic maceration. In the “Vin de Pays” areas, we planted white varietals as Viognier, Chardonnay, Marsanne and Muscat. Also, we have red varietals as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Marselan (Cabernet + Grenache). We just implanted a new varietal: the “San Giovese”, from Toscany producing the famous Chianti.

We just equipped the cellar by high performance materials as: high volume pneumatic press (Apparatus used to extract juice from grapes or marc by pressure), stemmer (Machine for separating the stems from the grapes or crushed grapes), Hot & Cold generator for the control of fermentation temperature, with tubular refrigerators (Device used for cooling must or wine and consisting of a series of tubes in which the cooling liquid is circulated), Soil filter, inoxable metal and concrete fermentation cellar (The part of a winery in which the fermenters are located and the fermentation is carried out).

We have our own machine to harvest grapes, which means that we reap each varietal at its best maturity.”

Ageing:
The Syrah 2003 is a blend of Syrah (70%) and Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan (30%). These three last varietals are turned to wine by carbonic maceration (1° prolonged contact of the must with the solid parts of the grapes. 2° crushing or disintegration of grapes by mechanical means). 60% of this blend grows up is woody cask during 14 months.

Scoring:
Ø The Syrah 2003 has won the gold medal at the 2006 International “Vinalies” challenge. The 2004 vintage won the gold medal at the same competition in 2007.

Ø They just bottled in the 2005 vintage, and it’s going to be in the “Best wines of France” book, coming out in September 2007.

Ø Concerning previous vintages, the 2001 has been honored by 5 stars by the Decanter Magazine, and won a Languedoc wine tasting competition…The second one was the Château Massamier, La Mignarde (2000), elected best wine of the world later… Amazing, isn’t it?

Ø They work since 1995 with the so famous Londoner Berry Bros & Rudd Company and also with the so famous restaurant “The IVY”…

>>> See details about The Syrah 2003 (tasting notes, etc)...

>>> See more about La Livinière.

>>> See more about Languedoc.

Minervois La Livinière, Languedoc Wine Area

2007-06-21T18:49:45Z

]]> "It was one of those magical days of autumn, all the more appreciated for the grey skies and rain left behind in London. This was the Minervois at its most seductive; the vines were changing colour, with brilliant splashes of red and yellow in the November sunshine, and the pretty little village of La Livinière nestled amongst the vineyards. We were enjoying a fine view and Maurice Piccinini was in full voice, speaking as fluently as ever, despite his advancing years. His subject was one close to his heart, the new cru of La Livinière.
He warmed to his subject, explaining how Minervois - a small appellation in the middle of a vast sea of vin de table - was created as recently as 1985. Within a couple of years, Piccinini and a handful of fellow growers had realised that the appellation was all very well, but that they needed to do more if the full potential of their wonderful terroir was to be achieved. They came up with the idea of a cru; a wine that was even better, with even stricter production criteria.
Maurice explained how people had taken little pride in their wine; many did not bother to declare their appellation, but preferred to work for larger yields of inferior vin de table. They needed motivation, and this is what Piccinini and other like-minded producers set out to achieve. The first discussions took place in 1987, but as bureaucracy moves slowly and the negotiations involved the cumbersome machinery of the INAO, Minervois la Livinière was finally recognized as a cru in 1997.
From our position on a terrace above La Livinière we had a splendid overview of the vineyards, which cover two terraces, a lower and a higher plateau, not just in La Livinière itself, but also the adjoining villages of Azillanet, Siran, Cesseras, Félines-Minervois and Azille. The geology is based on the limestone and clay of the Petit Causse, the cliffs that run at an altitude of about 140 metres at the foot of the Montagne Noir. A precise delimitation of the vineyards has been carried out, with about 2600 hectares qualifying for Minervois la Livinière, although much less is actually sold as cru wine: in 2000 five village cooperatives and 30 producers made wine from just 200 hectares of vineyards. For now the cru represents a tiny part of most producer's output.br>The criteria for production of the new cru echo the improvements taking place all over the Midi, with an emphasis on the so-called cépages améliorateurs, or improving grape varieties. Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache Noir get the nod, at the expense of Carignan, Cinsaut and Alicante Bouschet. The latter is recognisable from its autumn colours of deep red, but is now allowed only for inferior vins de pays or vin de table.
Carignan still has its protagonists, especially when the vines are 50 or more years old. However as Daniel Domergue of Clos Centeilles observed: "if you can make good wine with Carignan, consider how much better you can do with something else". He, on the other hand, enthuses about the quality of Cinsaut. His Capitelle de Centeilles is pure Cinsaut and he says: "It must have a low yield, with really ripe grapes, and needs a long cuvaison; nor must you put it in wood, or else it loses its fruit. It is also has the advantage of withstanding drought conditions with the sobriety of a camel crossing the desert without a drop of water!"
Syrah and Mourvèdre must account for a minimum of 40% of the blend in La Livinière, whilst Carignan and Cinsaut must account for no more than 40%. Grenache Noir can make up the balance. You may produce a pure Syrah, but are not allowed to say so the label. Whilst Syrah and Grenache grow stunningly well in the wild hills, Mourvèdre is more problematic, reacting badly to the ravages of the north wind and rarely ripening really well.
However, the essence of Minervois la Livinière, as in so many Midi appellations, is the blend; a marriage of different grape varieties that adds subtle nuance of flavour to the whole. Natural alcohol level must reach a minimum of 12% without enrichment (so no chaptalisation) and maximum yield is a modest 45 hl/ha. Ageing may be in barrel or vat, and unlike basic Minervois, the wine must be bottled at source, so cannot be sent off to a négociant elsewhere in France.
There are strict tasting criteria to be met before a wine may be sold as Minervois la Livinière; not everyone is guaranteed acceptance of their wine. An energetic syndicat for this small cru is headed by Patricia Domergue of Clos
Centeilles. She has just taken over responsibilities, and one senses a firm determination behind her genial front, with great ambitions for her cru. The syndicat is also trying to achieve some sense of cohesion, with a distinctive logo on the capsule. Again not everyone is prepared to accept another blind tasting for this privilege; even amongst a small group of producers, a sense of unity can be difficult to achieve with so many ideas, personalities and opinions.
Each year there is a tasting of the newly released vintage, to award the Livinage to the best wines. And that was the reason for my visit. Patricia Domergue had assembled a panel of 16 tasters, mainly from France, but also a small representation from Germany and Britain. We worked our way through 22 examples of the attractively supple 2000 vintage, with its ripe fruit and harmonious tannins. My tasting notes conveyed the typical flavours of the Midi: peppery, spicy notes, conjuring up the images of warm sunshine that are so particularly appealing on a winter's evening back home.
Six wines were awarded the Livinage, namely Grand Terroir Rouge from the cooperative at La Livinière, Cuvée Gaia Rouge 2000 from the cooperative at Azillanet, Domaine de Vipur for Lady A, Château Saint Eulalie for la Cantilène, Domaine Borie de Maurel (the property of Michel Escande) for La Féline Rouge and Cuvée Limitée from Château Laville Bertrou.
Maybe Minervois la Livinière will remain of specialist interest for the moment, but it is none the less a fascinating illustration of the enormous progress made by the whole of the south of France over the last few years, with a dramatic improvement in vineyard and wine making techniques. Other parts of the Minervois are set to follow its example, but for the moment it remains a lone cru. Seek it out for a glass of warmth on a grey winter's day."

-By Rosemary George MW, 04/03

See our wine from La Livinière

Domaine Schlumberger

2007-06-19T23:42:20Z

Let's see what we know about this wine maker...

]]> We are 100 % estate winegrowers who exclusively harvest and transform our own production. We do not buy any grapes nor juice or wine (Alsatians winegrowers represents only 22% of the regional production).
Situated on the dizzy heights of the hills of Guebwiller, in the south of Alsace, with slopes of 50° and at an altitude going from 250 to 390 metres, our vineyard is certainly one of the most breathtaking in Alsace.
Its excellent southwest, south, south east exposure gets a great deal of sunshine.
Guebwiller is the only spot in Alsace producing 4 Grands Crus. Half of our vineyard, i.e. 70 hectares, are composed of these unique “terroirs”.
The wines of our Grands Crus portray, from year to year, the ancient memory of the stones of the land.
Vosges sandstone gives subtle nuances : sometimes wine can be lightly different just for a few meters difference.

Our estate is located in Alsace, east of France. When our ancestors in the XVI Century settled in Guebwiller, the monks “les Princes Abbés” of Murbach controlled the vineyard. This power ceased at the French Revolution, end of the XVIII Century and it permitted a new land regrouping.

In 1810 Nicolas Schlumberger (1782-1867) set up a factory of materiel machines in Guebwiller. As he was attached to the land he also bought about 20 hectares of vines. That was the start of a rare harmony between earth and human exigencies: “Les Domaines Schlumberger” were born.

Three generations later, Ernest Schlumberger (1885 – 1954) took care of the Domaine. Because of the phylloxera that ruined the vines in the early XX Century, the vineyard of Guebwiller was abandoned by most of the winegrowers during this period. Shrewdly, Ernest Schumberger realised the opportunity in front of him, so he bought plots of vine and replanted them. He also built terraces on the whole vineyard and established horizontally planting of the vine.
Eric Beydon-Schlumberger arrived in Guebwiller in 1971 and invested himself in the company. We owe to him a re-planting of the old vineyard as well its world famous renown.

The Cellar

The grapes are harvested during the first days of Autumn and transported under 2 hours to the cellar. No stripping (except for the Pinot Noir), but the grapes are conveyed whole to the presses.
Slow and regular pneumatic pressing provides almost limpid juices. The juices are strained using static sludge removal. A perfectly limpid juice is put to ferment, at a controlled temperature between 20°C and 23°C, in tuns made of centenary oak casks, for 6 to 12 weeks.

The new wine is then racked, then it rests for 8 to 9 months on fine lees inside the tuns.

A filtration ends this first stage of wine making at the start of the Summer.

The wine is then refined, at constant temperature, for 12 to 18 months in a stainless steel tanks, then prepared for bottling.

Bottling is performed using an equipment sterilised with steam and using a membrane filtration unit with 1.2µ then 0.65µ cartridges, to guarantee a perfect microbiological stability.

4 sample bottles are taken during each bottling session for analysis by an independent laboratory certified by COFRAC in order to guarantee the perfect quality of our wines to every customer.

All our wine bottles are fitted with a natural cork, which we select ourselves from the same suppliers we have been using for more than 50 years.

The bottled wine, stored in pallet cases, is stored in our wine storehouses for several months, before being labelled, then dispatched throughout the world. All of our cellar work is controlled by ECOCERT once a year or the traceability of our wines is checked from the vine to the bottling.

^ - ^

What about Horses ?

We find records of this rustic, good-tempered horse as far back as the Roman period.
It seems that it comes from a crossbreeding between local mares and German stallions. They were the best reproductive stallions in all Burgundy and the knights of the middle age mounted them when they fought in tournaments.

Horse of warriors, the Sun King Louis XIV, and Napoleon I adopted them for their cavalry as well as for towing artillery and coaches. Unfortunately all these withdrawals for the army led to a shortage of the breed. It is only early in the 20th century that a few people decided to take care of them. In 1910 the first breeder competition took place in Maîche (Department of the Doubs). This proud horse once again found its place of honour, assisting numerous farming activities. Since then, though motorisation has increased, the Franc-Comtois horse is still present in our vines and hearts.
Today, it is the first breed for farm working in France.

Let's see what we have in stock...

Sparking New Vintage Gewürztraminer Kessler 2001

Gewürztraminer Cuvée Anne 500mL Gewürztraminer Cuvée Christine VT 2000

Grand Cru Kitterlé 1998 Pinot Gris Spiegel Grand Cru 2004

Pinot Gris Grand Cru Vendanges tardives 1996

Riesling Cuvée Esnest Nobles 1999 Riesling Grand Cru Saering 2004

Gewürztraminer Fleur de Guebwiller 2003

Justin Vineyard

2007-06-18T23:08:48Z

]]> JUSTIN Vineyards management techniques include vertical trellising, special resistant rootstock and clonal selection, canopy thinning, crop load management, and biodynamic farming to assure the highest quality fruit. Whole cluster pressing, extended maceration, barrel fermenting, native yeasts, no filtration, and gravity racking are just a few examples of the techniques that make JUSTIN wines stand out. JUSTIN’s vineyards incorporate a total of 160 acres. They range in elevation from 1100 feet to almost 2000 feet, are mostly dry farmed, and are primarily planted in full-bodied Bordeaux grape varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Soils are mainly sedimentary limestone and clay interspersed with nutrient rich volcanic out-croppings. Replanting is done periodically.

In addition of our home estate vineyard planted in 1981 JUSTIN has expanded its vineyard acreage by contracting working with a handful of select growers in the Paso Robles appellation.

The Paso Robles appellation encompasses more than 600,000 acres and is the largest stand alone AVA in California. Numerous distinctions exist within the overall appellation and to highlight those differences 11 “sub-appellations” were established in 2007.

Vineyard Practices

Aggressively pruning the vines helps focus the plants stored carbohydrates on promoting strong early growth in shoots. When shoots reach around 6 to 8 inches, we remove any growth not intentionally left at pruning. To help intensify color, ripen tannins and maintain healthy vines, we increased sun exposure and air circulation by removing laterals and creating a tunnel through the middle of the canopy. In May, we removed smaller fruit bearing shoots that might have had difficulty ripening their clusters to decrease production and increase fruit quality. In June, an early crop removal pass was done to balance out the unusual heavy crop load. The warm summer provoked early verasion, and to ensure we had even maturity throughout the vineyard, we removed green or pink colored fruit. Yields of less than 3 tons per acre extended the growing season and we harvested most of the Cabernet Sauvignon from the middle of October through early November, depending on the micro-climate of the vineyard site.

Winemaking Practices

Our winemaking team began sampling the ripening grapes on a regular basis in early September. During the last few weeks before the grapes were picked, we tasted the skins, juice and seeds two to three times per week. We evaluated color, flavor and tannin ripeness to determine the exact harvest date.

A skilled crew handpicked the grapes into ½ ton picking bins. Once at the winery, our crusher-destemmer removed all of the stems and lightly crushed the grapes. The must (crushed grapes) was then placed in a stainless steel tank. UV-43 yeast, a strain known for its intense cherry and berry characteristics, then fermented the wine to dryness over a ten-day period. During fermentation, the fermenting wine was pumped over for about 35 minutes twice daily to extract the ripe tannins and intense flavors from the skins. After fermentation, another two to three weeks of pump overs were needed to extract the slower releasing tannins found in Cabernet Sauvignon. Malolactic fermentation took place in barrel to incorporate the complex flavors. We blended the wine in mid July of 2006 to allow the wine to integrate for 9 months prior to bottling. The wine was aged for 18 months in 24% new American oak.

Wines:

Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Chardonnay 2006

Loire

2007-05-11T00:25:22Z

The Loire Valley is famous for its white wines. None of them use Chardonnay as a main grape variety. Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon are widely used. About 75% of the production is made of white wine. Although Loire is a land of white wine, some red wines are very interesting. They are fruity and pleasant: The Loire Valley is probably the most beautiful wine region in France and in the world.

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The region is wide and follow the river, starting in the Auvergne and Massif Central and finishing in the Atlantic coast around Nantes city. The Loire river is wide and deep. The landscape is quiet and undulated. It is probably more accurate to say that the Loire Valley is made of several different regions which have one thing in common: the river. Wine making in the Loire Valley:

The wines reflect the mood of the landscape. They are soft, pleasant, charming and light. About three quart of the production are white wines. The main grapes are Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon for white wine and Cabernet Franc for red wine.

History of wine in the Loire Valley:

Vines already existed when Romans invaded the Loire Valley. The legend says that Saint Martin was the first to make wine in the Loire region. It was in 380. The wine production then grew fast. In both river banks, wine makers made white wine. On the hills, they went for red wine. Such as in Burgundy, most of the vineyards belong to monasteries and monks had developed the wine production in the whole region.

Provence

2007-05-11T00:17:17Z

Provence is one of the most beautiful region in France. Eventually the region is also one of the most popular and attracts many visitors and dwellers. Provence calls to mind sun, lavender, olive tree and rosé wine.

Provence vineyard is very old. The Roman were the first to grow vines there not far way from Marseille port. Caesar wrote about it in his memories. Provence is very well known for its rosé wine. The region produces almost half of the rosé french production. However red and white wines from provence are improving and some of them can compete with the best in France

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This wine region is divided in 3 main parts.

Côtes de Provence Côtes de Provence is a wide area covering Côte d'Azur (French riviera) from Marseille to Nice cities. Soils, grapes and techniques may differ but one thing remain: the sun. Half of the rosé wine made in France is coming from Provence! And 80% of the wine made in Provence is rosé. Rosé de Provence are dry and fruity. They are perfect as summer wine, for aperitif, with a salad or with typical mediterranean meals. Some Red wines are also appealing as they keep on improving. Red wines from Côtes de Provence are generally quite strong however in some areas they can be light and delicate. White wines from Provence are excellent with local seafood. Bandol

Bandol vines are located in the hills between La Ciotat and Toulon, facing at the Mediterranean Sea. Bandol is one of the oldest vineyards in France. The first vine was planted in Bandol 2,500 years ago by the Romans! With Marseille's port close-by and because of the special characteristics of its full body red wine, Bandol wine bottles could be found in India or Brazil already 2 centuries ago. Mourvèdre grape is a strong base of any Bandol Red wines. Mourvèdre gives to the wine body and spice. Bandol is obviously one of the best Red wines from Provence. Bellet

Bellet is one of the smallest appelation in France along with Château Grillet. Bellet vineyard is located just West of Nice city. The slope of the hills is so steep that no machine can work there. Therefore the production is limited, less than 100,000 bottles a year. All the wines from Bellet are of high quality and orginal. Wine makers use sometimes local grapes such as Pignerol and Mayorquin for the white, Fuella and Braquet for the red and rosé. Red wines are powerful, white are aromatic and rosés are fresh. However Bellet wines are very hard to find outside of Nice.

Burgundy

2007-05-10T23:43:15Z

Firstly, let me tell you that Burgundy is Bourgogne in French. It’ll help you to understand the following subject…

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The wine region starts just south of Dijon at Marsannay-la-Côte and runs southward to just short of the city of Lyon. The area of Chablis stands on its own to the northwest of Dijon, about as close to Paris as it is to the heart of Burgundy. The main wine regions in Burgundy proper (those that are entitled to the AOC Bourgogne designation) are the Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune (collectively known as the Côte d'Or or "golden slope") and further south the Côte Chalonnaise. The Route des Grands Crus (which loosely translates as the "road of great vineyards") traverses the Burgundy wine region.

The area is made up tiny villages surrounded by flat and sloped vineyards. The sloped vineyards have the most exposure to sunshine and the greatest drainage. The best wines (Grand Cru) from this region are usually grown from the middle part of the slopes while the "Premier Cru" come from a little less favourably exposed slopes. The relatively ordinary "Village" wines are produced from the flat territory nearer the villages. Beaujolais, Chablis, and Mâcon are also viticulturally part of Burgundy. Burgundy experiences a continental climate characterized by very cold winters and hot summers. The weather is very unpredictable with rains, hail, and frost all possible around harvest time. Because of this climate, there is a lot of variation between vintages from Burgundy. Burgundy is in some ways the most terroir-oriented region in France; immense attention is paid to the area of origin, and in which of the region's 400 types of soil a wine's grapes are grown. As opposed to Bordeaux, where classifications are producer-driven and awarded to individual chateaux, Burgundy classifications are geographically-focused. A specific vineyard or region will bear a given classification, regardless of the wine's producer. This focus is reflected on the wine's labels where appellations are most prominent and producer's names often appear at the bottom in much smaller text.

Burgundy classifications, in descending order of quality, are: grand crus, premier crus, Commune or village, and finally generic Bourgogne.

Grand Cru refers to wines produced from the small number of the best vineyard sites in the Cote d'Or. Grand Cru wines make up 2% of the production at 35 hectoliters/hectare. These wines need to be aged a minimum of 5-7 years and the best examples can be kept for more than 15 years. Very few Chardonnays or Pinot Noirs in the world can be aged and continue to improve as well as these wines. Grand Cru wines will only list the name of the vineyard as the appellation - such as Corton or Montrachet - on the wine label.

Premier Cru wines are produced from specific vineyard sites that are still considered to be of high quality, but not as well regarded as the Grand Cru sites. Premier Cru wines make up 12% of production at 45 hectoliters/hectare. These wines need to be aged 3-5 years, and again the best wines can keep for much longer. Premier Cru wines will usually list both the name of the village of origin - together with the status of the vineyard - eg "Volnay 1er Cru" as the appellation, and then the name of the individual vineyard (eg "Les Caillerets") on the wine label.

Village wines can be a blend of wines from supposedly lesser vineyard sites within the boundaries of an individual village, or from one individual but non-classified vineyard. Wines from each different village are considered to have their own specific qualities and characteristics. Village wines make up 36% of production at 50 hectoliters/hectare. These wines can be consumed 2-4 years after the release date, although again some examples will keep for longer. Village wines will show the village name on the wine label, eg "Pommard", and sometimes - if applicable - the name of the single vineyard where it was sourced. Several villages in Burgundy have appended the names of their Grand Cru vineyards to the original village name - hence "Puligny-Montrachet" and "Aloxe-Corton".

The AOC Bourgogne classification refers to wines that can be sourced or blended from anywhere in the Burgundy region. These wines make up the rest of production at 55 hectoliters/hectare. These wines can be consumed up to 3 years after the vintage date. Appellations between generic "Bourgogne" and individual Village wines are also found, such as "Macon-Villages" or "Cote de Beaune-Villages", where the wines can come from a wide but defined area which will include several individual villages.

Other Burgundy AOCs that are not as often seen are Bourgogne Passetoutgrains (which can contain up to two thirds Gamay (the grape of Beaujolais) in addition to Pinot noir), Bourgogne Aligoté (which is primarily made with the Aligoté grape), and Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire. The latter is the lowest AOC, and Grand is intended to refer to the size of the area eligible to produce it, not its quality. There are certain regions that are allowed to put other grapes in miscellaneous AOCs, but for the most part these rules hold. These regulations are even confusing to the majority of French adults, according to research (Franson). Chablis wines are labelled using a similar hierarchy of Grand Cru, Premier Cru and Village wines, whereas wines from Beaujolais are treated differently again.

For the white grapes, Chardonnay (Bourgogne blanc) is the most common. A secondary grape is Aligoté which is lower cost and higher in acidity; this is a very aggressive grape and is grown in small quanties. Aligoté from Burgundy is the wine traditionally used for the Kir drink, where it is mixed with blackcurrant liqueur.

Chablis, Macon wines and the Cote d'Or whites are all produced from 100% Chardonnay grapes. For the red grapes, all production in the Cote d'Or is focused on the Pinot noir grape while the Gamay grape is grown in Beaujolais. In the Cote de Nuits region, 90% of the production is red grapes.

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Source: Wikipedia

Rhône

2007-05-10T23:25:49Z

The Rhône wine region is first divided into north and south. The north produces syrah based reds and pure viognier whites. The south produces Châteauneuf-du-Pape and other blends from several varieties.

]]> The first cultivated vines were likely planted in 600 BC, however, the orgins of the two most important grape varieties in the northern Rhône (Syrah and Viognier) are unknown.
Syrah is the only red grape variety allowed in these wines. The grape is also widely known as Shiraz, its name in Australia, which has made the variety very popular with consumers around the world. Some Syrah, however, has white mixed in. The only white grape varieties in the north are viognier, marsanne, and roussanne. Marsanne and roussanne are used for the whites in Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Saint Joseph, and Saint Péray.
The northern Rhône is characterized by a continental climate with harsh winters but warm summers.
Northern Rhône reds are often identified by their signature green olive and smoky bacon aromas. Premier Cote Roties include Guigal's "LaLa's": La Landonne, La Mouline and La Turque, while some of the most renowned wines from Hermitage are Chave's Cuvee Catelin and Jaboulet's La Chappelle. These and other top class reds from Northern Rhone command consistently high prices, but can age effortlessly for decades.
From north to south the appellations are:
·         Côte-Rôtie AOC - reds with syrah and up to 20% viognier.
·         Condrieu AOC - whites with only viognier.
·         Château-Grillet AOC - whites with only viognier.
·         Saint-Joseph AOC - reds with syrah and up to 10% marsanne and roussanne, whites with only marsanne and roussanne.
·         Crozes-Hermitage AOC - reds with syrah and up to 15% marsanne and roussanne, whites with only marsanne and roussanne.
·         Hermitage AOC - reds with syrah and up to 15% marsanne and roussanne, whites with only marsanne and roussanne.
·         Cornas AOC - reds with only syrah.
·         Saint-Péray AOC - sparkling and still whites with only marsanne and roussanne.

Southern Rhône
Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC has 13 legal varieties, and the surrounding areas, Coteaux du Tricastin AOC, Côtes du Ventoux AOC, Côtes du Vivarais AOC, Lirac AOC, Tavel AOC and Vacqueyras AOC can have more. Gigondas AOC is predominantly made from Grenache Noir and is more restricted in the other grapes it can use. Fortified wines (vin doux naturel) are made in the Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise AOC and Rasteau AOCs.
The southern Rhone has more of a Mediterranean climate with milder winters and hot summers. Drought can be a problem, but limited irrigation is permitted.
The red wines of the Southern Rhône are blended from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, and Cinsaut while the white wines are blended from Ugni Blanc, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, and Clairette.

Côtes du Rhône
Côtes du Rhône AOC is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée that covers both the northern and southern sections of the valley. Typically it is only used if the wine does not qualify for an appellation that can command a higher price. Produce from vineyards surrounding certain villages Cairanne, Rasteau and others may be labeled Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOC.

Languedoc

2007-05-10T23:09:05Z

Languedoc wine (often labeled Vin de Pays d'Oc) is produced in southern France. While "Languedoc" can refer to a specific historic region of France and Northern Catalonia, usage since the 20th century (especially in the context of wine) has primarily referred to the northern part of the Languedoc-Roussillon région of France, an area which spans the Mediterranean coastline from the French border with Spain to the region of Provence. The area has around 700,000 acres under vines and is the single biggest wine-producing region in the world, being responsible for more than a third of France's total wine production. As recently as 2001, the region produced more wine than the entire United States.
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The Languedoc-Roussillon region shares many terrain and climate characteristics with the neighboring regions of Southern Rhone and Provence. The region stretches 150 miles from the Banyuls AOC at the Spanish border and Pyrenees in the west, along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the Rhone River and Provence in the east. The northern boundaries of the region sit on the Massif Central with the Cévennes mountain ranges and valleys dominating the area. Many vineyards are located along the Hérault River. Vineyards in the Languedoc are generally planted along the coastal plains of the Mediterranean while those in the Roussillon are to be found in the narrow valleys around the Pyrenees. The peak growing season (between May and August) is very dry and the majority of annual rainfall occurs during the winter. In the Languedoc, the plains area is the most arid and hottest region of France. The region's Mediterranean climate is very conducive to growing a large amount of a wide variety of grapes, with vintners in the area excelling in mass production. The average annual temperature is 57°F (14°C). The tramontane inland wind from the northwest often accentuates the dry climate; drought is the most common threat to vine production, with French AOC and European Union regulation prohibiting the use of irrigation. In December 2006, the French government responded to global warming concerns and relaxed some of the irrigation regulations.

In 1999 severe weather had damaging affects on the wine producing industry, including hailstorms in May that affected Roussillon and a rain surge in mid November that saw a year's worth of rain fall in 36 hours in the areas of Corbières and Minervois in the western Languedoc.

The composition of soil in the Languedoc varies from the chalk, limestone and gravel based soils inland to more alluvial soils near the coast. Some of the more highly-rated vineyards are laid on top of ancient riverbed stones similar to those of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The Languedoc-Roussillon area is home to numerous grape varieties, including many international varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The traditional Rhône grapes of Mourvedre, Grenache, Syrah and Viognier are also prominent.

Chardonnay is a major white grape, used in the Vin de Pays d'Oc and the sparkling Crémant de Limoux. Others include Chenin Blanc and Mauzac, which is also the principal grape in the sparkling Blanquette de Limoux. The sweet fortified wines of the Muscat de Frontignan and Muscat de St-Jean Minervois regions are made with the Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains grapes. In the Muscat de Rivesaltes AOC, fortified wines are made from Muscat of Alexandria grapes.

Among the reds, Cinsault and Mourvedre are major grapes of the Corbières, Faugères, Fitou, and Minervois AOCs. Cinsult is also commonly used in rosé production along with Lladoner Pelut, Picpoul Noir, Terret Noir and Grenache. Grenache is also the main grape used in the fortified wines of the Banyuls region. Some of the oldest vines in France are Carignan grapes. Winemakers often use carbonic maceration to soften the tannins.

Other varieties that can be found include Roussanne, Marsanne, Vermentino, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul, Maccabéo and Rolle.

Vins Doux Naturels are "naturally sweet" wines that have been fortified with brandy to stop fermentation, leaving residual sugar to add sweetness to the wine. The majority of Languedoc sweet white wines are made with a variety of Muscat grapes. The red fortified wines of the Banyuls are made from Grenache grapes, normally have an alcohol level between 16 to 17% and carry residual sugars in the 8 to 12% range.

In Banyuls, winemakers use various methods to "bake" their wines to encourage deep raisin colors. Some winemakers utilize a solera system of transporting the wine among different size barrels of various ages that are left out in the sun to warm. Others will put the wine in large glass jars to expose it to direct sunlight. In addition to the dark color, the resulting wines often have a nutty, rancid taste called rancio. In the Banyuls Grand Cru AOC the wine is required to be aged in wood barrels for two and a half years. The crémant produced in the Languedoc is made according to the Méthode champenoise in the small villages around the town of Limoux. The wines are normally composed of 70% Mauzac and a 30% combination of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. AOC regulations require a year of aging on the lees. The Blanquette de Limoux, when labelled méthode ancestrale, is composed entirely of Mauzac and aged approximately three months less on the lees, the actual date being determined by the moon's cycle.

Source: Wikipedia

Bordeaux

2007-05-10T20:54:25Z

The Bordeaux region of France is the second largest wine-growing area in the world with 284,320 acres under vine. Only the Languedoc wine region with 617,750 acres under vine is larger. Located halfway between the North pole and the equator, there is more vineyard land planted in Bordeaux than in all of Germany and ten times the amount planted in New Zealand.

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The major reason for the success of winemaking in the Bordeaux region is the excellent environment for growing vines. The geological foundation of the region is limestone, leading to a soil structure that is heavy in calcium. The Gironde estuary dominates the regions along with its tributaries, the Garonne and the Dordogne rivers, and together irrigate the land and provide a maritime climate for the region. In Bordeaux the concept of terroir plays a pivotal role in wine production with the top estates aiming to make terroir driven wines that reflect the place they are from, often from grapes collected from a single vineyard. The soil of Bordeaux is composed of gravel, sandy stone, and clay. The region's best vineyards are located on the well drained gravel soils that are frequently found near the Gironde river. An old adage in Bordeaux is the best estates can "see the river" from their vineyard and majority of land that face riverside are occupied by classified estates.

Red Bordeaux, which is traditionally known as claret in the United Kingdom, is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carmenere. Today Malbec is very seldom used, and Carmenere is used in tiny quantities. An example of a famous château that uses Carmenere is Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux.

White Bordeaux, including the sweet Sauternes, is made from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle.

As a very broad generalization, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the blend in red wines produced in the Médoc and the rest of the left bank of the Gironde estuary. Merlot and to a lesser extent Cabernet Franc tend to predominate in Saint Emilion, Pomerol and the other right bank appellations.[citation needed]

Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style by blending these grapes. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico. The vast majority of Bordeaux wine is red, with red wine production out numbering white wine production six to one. But Bordeaux also produces dry white wines, sweet white Sauternes, rosé wines and even the sparkling Crémant de Bordeaux.

Source: Wikipedia

Source:

Chile

2007-05-09T22:37:29Z

Chile

Dear Member,
You'll receive this month wine from Chile. Let's talk about this wine country.

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The total area planted to wines grapes is 114,448 hectares with 76% of Red varieties and 24% of White Varieties. We can discover a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carménère concerning red wines; Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Moscatel of Alexandria for white wines.
There are 13 wine areas in Chile. The most important ones are Maule Valley (43% of Chile’s total planted area) and Itata Valley (South of Maule Valley).

Thinks to know about Chile
o Chile makes the most consistently good wines from the South American continent. In particular, Chilean cabernet sauvignons stand out for their quality.
o The large part of the best Chilean wine is sold outside of Chile, Especially in the US, Chile’s leading export market.
o Though Chile built its wine reputation on good values, the unmber of bargains has begun to decrease while the number of moderate and expensive wines continues to rise.

Source: Wines of Chile

Paso Robles

2007-05-08T23:20:38Z

Paso Robles...

You'll have the chance to taste this AVA (American Viticulture Area) during the month of May 2007 being a member of the California wine club. Here few words about it...

Chablis

2007-05-08T22:02:09Z

The Chablis region is the northernmost wine district of Burgundy, France. The grapevines around the town of Chablis are almost all Chardonnay, making a dry white wine renowned for the purity of its aroma and taste.

]]> The northern location (48°N) means that Chablis wines have more acidity and less fruit flavours than other Chardonnays, but their pure, minerally style has great elegance. They often have a "flinty" note, sometimes described as "goût de pierre à fusil" (gunflint).

The story of Chablis and its vineyards is of cycles of slow recoveries after violent setbacks, both human and viticultural.

It is likely that vines came to the region with the Romans, if not before. As elsewhere, the Dark Ages saw monasteries putting great effort into viticulture for communion wine, and the proximity of Auxerre meant that the market in Paris was readily accessible.

There are records in the mid-15th century of Chablis wine being shipped to England, Flanders and Picardy. But in February 1568 the town was razed by the Huguenots, and the region did not really recover until the 18th century. Then came the ravages of the Revolution, the Little Ice Age and Prussian invasions. Just as the vineyards were being built back up, they were hit first by mildew in 1880, and then by phylloxera.

Again the region recovered, producing over 160,000 cases per year in the 1930's, but it took a heavy toll in World War II, and barely 5000 cases were produced in 1945. Production recovered to over 100,000 cases by 1949, but the vineyards were devastated by the late frosts of 1957 and 1961. Many were not replanted.

Appellation

The Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée was designated in 1938 and covers 6834 hectares, of which 4820ha are currently planted with vines.

There are four classifications, in increasing order of quality :

Petit Chablis AOC - approximately 1550ha

Chablis AOC - 4400ha

Chablis Premier Cru AOC - 750ha, yield restricted to 50hl/ha

Chablis Grand Cru AOC - 100ha, yield restricted to 45hl/ha

Geography

The region covers 15km x 20km across 27 communes, either side of the Serein river. The soil is Kimmeridge Clay with outcrops of the chalk that extends from Sancerre up to the White Cliffs of Dover.

The Grand Cru vineyards occupy a chain of three interlocking limestone slopes on the right bank overlooking the river. The seven Grand Cru vineyards are (from southeast to northwest): Blanchot, Les Clos, Valmur, Grenouilles, Vaudesir, Les Preuses and Bougros.

The Premier Crus lie on a series of hillsides on both banks of the river. The best Premier Crus are also on the right bank facing the southwest. There are 79 Premier Cru vineyards, including Les Beauregards, Beauroy, Berdiot , Chaume de Talvat , Côte de Cuissy , Côte de Jouan , Côte de Léchet, Côte de Vaubarousse, Fourchaume, Les Fourneaux, Mont de Milieu, Montée de Tonnerre, Montmains, Vaillons, Vau de Vey, Vau Ligneau, Vaucoupin and Vosgros.

"Chablis" in the New World

Until the 1970's, producers in the New World labelled their wines with names familiar to their customers. Hence the name "Chablis" would be applied to any dry white wine, regardless of where it came from or what grapes it was made from. Pressure from the French government and the rise of varietal labelling means that these semi-generic names are dying out.

Source: Wikipedia