Beaujolais – More Than A November Celebration

When the third Thursday of November rolls around every year, the light, fruity red wine known as Beaujolais Nouveau appears all over the world to celebrate the French harvest.  Meant to be drunk the first few months after its release and made from grapes that were literally hanging on the vine 8 weeks earlier, the wine has become popular largely through great marketing techniques. With aromatics of strawberry and bubble gum and flavors of strawberry, banana and pear, it is hardly a serious wine and has in fact, had a negative effect on the reputation of serious winemakers from the appellation of Beaujolais.

Beaujolais is found in the region stretching from southern Burgundy to the northern Rhone. It is considered part of Burgundy, but the terroire is closer to that of the Rhone. Beaujolais is made from the Gamay grape, an offspring of the cross between Pinot noir and an ancient varietal known as Gouais. Thin skinned like its parent, Gamay ripens a full two weeks earlier, is much easier to grow, and is much more prolific. It was once widely planted in Burgundy, but much was ripped up and replaced by the more elegant Pinot Noir and pushed southward to where it thrives today.

Beaujolais is a large region with 44,000 acres of vines spread over 96 villages. In the northern part, the soil is granite and limestone and the wines tend to be more complex and structured. In the southern part the soil is clay and sandstone and the wines are lighter and fruitier. The vast majority of Beaujolais Nouveau comes from the south. There are several levels of quality.

The lowest is the already mentioned Nouveau and fully one third of the total production of the region goes to this wine every year. The next level is simply called Beaujolais. The grapes are sourced from any of the 96 villages. The vines must not produce more than 60 hectolitres of grapes per hectare, preventing overproduction and less concentration of flavor.

Beaujolais Villages is sourced from 39 of the villages, and the yields are further restricted,  resulting in wines that are more concentrated in flavor and a little more complex and structured. These wines still should be drunk within 2 years.

Cru Beaujolais is the highest quality designation and the wines must come from 7 villages or three small areas. The restriction on yields is even stricter and this combined with the local terroire ( all these villages are in the northern region with the granite and limestone soils) results in the most complex and structured of the Beaujolais, often approaching Burgundy Pinot Noir in finesse.  None of these Cru villages are allowed to produce grapes to be used in Beaujolais Nouveau. The different villages produce wines of varying structure and complexity and this can be predicted by the north /south location of the villages.

Brouilly, Regnie and Chiroubles are the farthest south and produce the lightest wines that should be drunk within 2 years. Fleurie, St Amour and Cotes du Brouilly produce more complex wines to be drunk within 4 years. Finally, Moulin A Vent, Morgon and Julienas are the farthest north and produce the most complex and structured of all. These wines improve with age and are meant to be drunk 4 to 10 years after release.

Serious Beaujolais has aromas of spice and red cherries with flavors of red fruit and spice with a bracing acidity and a bit of earth making them great food wines. They  are especially good with Thanksgiving Turkey. They are often better slightly chilled, especially the lighter ones.

One of the very best Beaujolais is made by Dupeuble for $18.99. Louis Jadot, one of Burgundy’s great producers makes a very respectable Beaujolais villages for $13.49.  The Cru Villages are the ones that illustrate just how good these wines can be. Clos du Roilette Fleurie ($16.99) is my go to Thanksgiving wine and the Thivin Cote de Brouilly is crazy good at $28.99. The Grange Julienas Cuvee Speciale  is well named for it is truly special at $25.99 with great depth and surprising structure.

The 2013 Beaujolais is here, and if you want to celebrate the harvest and the holidays go with the Rochette Nouveau 

Villages at $9.99, although the Georges DuBoeuf with its celebratory flower label is a bargain at $6.99.

Beaujolais is more than the simple wine quaffed over the holidays at cocktail parties. It can be a serious, very good wine to be enjoyed on its own or with food and deserves the attention of every wine lover.

Cheers!

Some Great Bargains From a Small Distributor

One of the biggest concerns of customers in our store is the price of wine. Many people come in after a trip to France or Italy and are discouraged by the fact that they see $19.99 price tags on wines they drank in Europe for a few Euros. This is not because we are making huge margins at Liquormart, and it certainly isn't the fact that the winemakers are getting paid any premiums for shipping their wines here. The reason is the multi-tiered system that rules the wine industry. An estate in Europe must sell its wine to an importer. That importer then sells it to a distributor, who sells it to the store. Often the estate has to pay a negociant to make the wine available to importers.  With everybody getting their substantial cut, it is small wonder that the wines double or even triple in price from the estate to the shelf.

Is there a way to combat this? Not always, but one person does it the right way. Enter Denver's own Philippe Sevier.  He owns some vineyards of his own in Europe. He also visits other small estates that make wonderful  wines, and brings them to Colorado, acting as importer AND distributor. He even delivers the wines himself in his van. When other distributors host trade tastings they do so at restaurants, museums or art galleries at considerable expense (ultimately born by the customer in the store). Phillipe hosts trade tastings in his dining room, with dozens of wines lined up on the table, a few assorted cheeses to enhance the flavors of the wine, and an occasional treat from his delightful wife's oven.  He knows everything about every wine, so it is a very valuable experience for all who attend.

Not only do his methods keep prices very reasonable, but he gives small estates an opportunity to showcase their wines...and many of these wines are very, very good. They grow grapes in the same terroir as the more expensive, well known estates, and have similar winemaking techniques. They can avoid the techniques of mass production that enable the production of hundreds of thousands of cases of wine, and also diminish the flavor and character. The result is a great wine for a great price.

Sampling Sevier's wines is like taking a tour of Europe, and it doesn't feel like a low budget one either, until you hit the checkout line. If we start in Bordeaux, chateau Carbonneau delivers vibrant black fruit flavors with earth, cassis and spice. This is an every day dinner wine for $9.99. Chateau La Croix Bonnelle from St Emilion, shows surprising complexity, with rich dark fruit, earth and spice. One of the most expensive wines in his portfolio at a whopping $16.99!

When looking for crisp, minerally vibrant whites, one may forget Bordeaux and Sevier is there to remind you of these great bargains.

These wines are blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, are beautiful food wines, and perfect for large events....and I sell a lot of this wines for wedding receptions. Chateau Vrai Caillou and Chateau Des Chapelains, both at $9.99, give a mouthful of mineral driven, fresh, vibrant tropical and citrus fruit.

 

Traveling next to Cahors, we come to the birthplace of Malbec. Although most people think of Argentina when they think of this grape, it originated in France and is one of the grapes found in red Bordeaux. Cahors are primarily Malbec with a little Merlot or Tannat thrown in. They are more structured and less fruit forward than the typical Argentinian example, and more complex. Sevier has two, and they are excellent – Chateau St Sernin ($13.99) and  and Chateau Nozieres ($12.99), both are bursting with ripe plumb, black cherry, cocoa, vanilla and spice. Next time when you think of Malbec, give one of these a try.

Looking for a different summertime white? Think Ugni Blanc, a grape most famous for its use in Cognac. In the Cotes du Gascogne, in southern France, this grape makes very flavorful whites. Domain D'Uby makes a blend of Ugni blanc and Columbard. It is fresh and vibrant, similar to a Sauvignon Blanc, but a little more floral and nutty. Awesome at the massive price of $8.99. do you HAVE to have your weekly Chardonnay fix? The Philippe Sevier Chardonnay from the Loire valley, in an unoaked style gives the best mothful of tropical and citrus fruit you'll ever have for a $8.99 price tag.

This is just a small sample of Mr. Sevier's  list of wines. Burgundy is represented and he really does the Loire Valley in style. Wines from Chinon, Bougeuil, Anjou, Muscadet, Sancerre and Vouvray are all found on our shelves and are all fun to try, with not a single one over 15.99!!! The Rhone Valley is not forgotten either. So come in the store and ask for me. Let Philippe Sevier and I take you on a tour of France. First class accommodations at Supersaver prices.

Cheers!

The Garden of FranceWines from the Loire Valley

Also known as the “cradle of the French Language,” the Loire Valley gets the above nickname from the vast vineyards and orchards interspersed among over three hundred historical chateaux. The vineyards extend from the Muscadet region near Nantes on the Atlantic coast (known as the Lower Loire), through the Middle Loire (Anjou, Saumur, Bourgeuil, Chinon, Cheverny and Vouvray), to the Upper Loire (Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé), near the city of Orléans.

The vast majority of white wines are made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne, and almost all the reds from Cabernet Franc with a small amount of Pinot Noir and Gamay. Although mostly still wines are made, Crémant de Loire, a sparkling wine made primarily from Chenin Blanc is second only to Champagne in total bottles produced in France.

The Romans first planted vines along the Loire in the first century, and by the High Middle ages the region produced  the most esteemed wines in France and England, more so than even Bordeaux. The Loire River has a significant effect on the immediate climate, adding the few degrees in temperature to make viticulture possible so far north. Frost in the spring can be a problem, as can under ripening. Chapitalization (addition of sugar to prevent stoppage of fermentation from high acid and under ripe grapes) is legal and occasionally used during poor vintages. Chenin Blanc vines can overproduce, and high density planting, pruning, and canopy management have all successful lowered yields, producing better grapes.

Because of the cooler climate, difference in vintage years affect the wines more greatly here than almost anywhere in France, with white wines being much more lush and full flavored in warmer vintages and much more acidic and mineral driven in cooler vintages. The Cabernet Franc tends to be lighter and more herbaceous in cool vintages and more round and fruity in warm vintages.

Lower Loire

Muscadet is home to the Melon de Bourgogne grape and a very dry, light bodied wine that is  citrusy, fresh, and crisp with a good acidity.

Middle Loire

Anjou, near the town of Angers, is known mostly for its rosés made from Cabernet Franc. Some whites made from Chenin Blanc are similar to Vouvrays and usually  less expensive.

Saumur is the third highest producing sparkling wine appellation in France, with twelve million bottles of Mousseau made from Chenin Blanc every year. Cabernet Franc is made here, and the wines tend to be medium bodied and fruity. Domaine Filliatreau Chateau Fouquet Samur 2011 is a great little gem. Biodynamically farmed, this wine has serious depth, with  beautiful fruit and mineral character. It’s one of my favorite Cab Francs at $16.99.

Chinon and neighboring Bourgeuil are sources for most of the Loire’s Cabernet Franc. Those from the former tend to be round and lush, while the latter tend to be more reserved and tannic. Cabernet Franc is known as Breton in this area. Flavors of raspberry and aromas of green pepper and graphite are typical, and the wines are often served a bit cooler than most reds. Bernard Baudry Les Granges 2011 is a particularly good example of Chinon, with deep cherry, blackberry, and currant flavors with an earthy finish for $19.99.

Moving eastward along the river we next come to Vouvray, home of the world’s most famous Chenin Blanc. The wines produced are full flavored with a high acidity making them very age worthy. They are made in many styles from dry (sec) to off dry (demi-sec) to sweet (moelleux). Aromas and flavors of nuts, apples, honey, ginger, and flowers can be found with an underlying minerality and acidity that make these complex wines stand up to many full flavored dishes. One of my favorites is the 2011 Clos Le Vigneau. From a fifteen acre single vineyard, this wine has the aromas of fresh flowers and melony fruit. On the palate there is fresh fruit in a clean, crisp, dry presentation with plenty of acidity and minerality. Super flexible, it is a great food wine at $19.99.

Upper Loire

As we continue eastward, approaching Orléans, we come to the Upper Loire regions of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé. Both of these regions are known mostly for their white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc, although there is a bit of Pinot Noir grown in Sancerre. The styles differ from the two regions, with the wines from Sancerre having typical flavors of grapefruit and gooseberry with a crisp acidity, and those of Pouilly Fume being more full bodied and richer. Both are delicious. Truly a gorgeous wine, the 2010 Chais St Laurent Les Varennes du Clos is a classic Sancerre. Mineral driven, flinty, citrusy, and very deep and long, this wine is wonderful with all sorts of food. A great value at $20.99.

The Loire is a beautiful place to visit, with its vineyards, gardens, and orchards, as well as its amazing architecture. The wines are some of the world’s finest examples of their respective varietals. Despite the rather difficult growing climate, they are also reasonably priced. If you are planning that special dinner, check out the Loire for a great wine to accompany it.

Take a Price Break After the Holidays—The Languedoc

January is here and we are all dealing with our credit card bills from the holidays, but have no fear—you don’t have to give up good wine! The Languedoc-Roussillon region of France offers up some affordable big, bold reds perfect for cold weather, as well as an interesting white to go with a healthy seafood dinner.

The Languedoc-Roussillon region spans the Mediterranean coastline from Spain to Provence. The area boasts 700,000 acres of vines and is the single largest wine producing area in the world. It accounts for over a third of France’s wine production, and as recently as 2001 produced more wine than the entire U.S. The region has been producing wines since the fifth century.

It is the hottest and most arid of France’s wine growing regions, which allows for full ripening and maturation of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Mourvedre, Mauzac, and Chenin Blanc. International varietals such as Cabernet, Merlot, and Chardonnay thrive there as well. The region is known for its fruit-forward, bold wines that are screaming values. Despite all this, it is probably France's least well-known wine region.

The Languedoc is divided into several appellations, the most well-known being Corbieres, Minervois, Limoux (the birthplace of sparkling wine), and Coteaux du Languedoc. The latter is further divided into several sub districts such as Pic St Loupe and Picpoule de Pinet. This results in a wonderful variety of wines.

Chateau Millegrand  Minervois 2010 is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Carignan. This barrel-aged blend is perfumed with dark cherries, black pepper, and vanilla spice. Hints of herbs and minerals add to a rich palate of dense dark fruits and subtle oak. Although medium-bodied, it is well structured with a good backbone of fine tannins and restrained acidity. All for $13.99.

Chateau de Vaugelas Le Prieure Corbieres 2009 is a blend very similar to the previous wine. This 270 acre estate lies in the hills of Lagrasse, reputed to be the best of the Corbieres growing zones. This estate was the preferred source of wine for The Abbaye Lagrasse in the sixteenth century. (This monastery was an instrumental outpost for the merciless eradication of the Cathars and suppression of other alleged heretics). There is a powerful ripe flattering nose of black fruit and spices. It is warm and velvety on the palate with rich black fruit flavors. The finish is full and rich, with hints of chocolate. Simultaneously exuberant and elegant. Again at a bargain price of $12.99.

Domaine L’Hortus Le Loup Dans la Bergerie 2010 is a wonderful wine resulting from an ancient reclaimed vineyard squeezed between two mountain peaks in Pic St Loup. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Merlot grapes that are grown organically and aged entirely in stainless steel, this medium-bodied wine is fresh and lively with cherry and plum fruit spiked with white pepper, black tea, stone, and spice. Hortus is Latin for garden, and the French name literally means “The Wolf in the Sheep Pen.” The price is $11.99

My suggestion for a white is one of the oldest varietals in France, Picpoul. Its name means “lip stinger” and refers to the grape’s high acidity. Picpoul de Pinet is a designation which may be used if the wine is 100% Picpoul and made only in the town of Pinet. It can be recognized by the tall slender bottle embossed with the Languedoc Cross. Gerard Bertrand's bottling is full bodied with rich, slightly buttery green apple and lemon flavors and has remarkable freshness and acidity for a warm weather wine. It has a bright clear finish. This wine sees no oak and is meant to be drunk young. The appellation covers only 1300 hectares overlooking a lagoon where mussels and oysters are farmed (fitting, as this is a perfect seafood wine). The wine costs only $13.99.

Try a wine from the Languedoc-Roussillon region today. You’ll likely uncover a new favorite...and still pay off your holiday bills!