french wine a day

Vacqueyras

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Dear wine lovers,

Located just next to its big brother "Gigondas" under Dentelles de Montmirail, Mont Ventoux and in a typical Provencal village is another interesting wine from Southern Rhône : Vacqueyras*.

**The reason why Vacqueyras and Gigondas are not in the same controlled appellation although being very close, having similar grapes raised on limestone soils, is mainly due to the fact that slopes are less steep, which make the soil relatively richer**.

Eventually, the wines mainly made from Grenache are more soft and fruity from the ones offered next door. Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsaut complete the blend and permit the wines to gain in complexity, evolving to spices. That's when I like them and I will advice you to pair them with this spaghetti Roquefort recipe***.

Domaine des Amouriers, Château de Montmirail, Domaine de la Fourmone or Domaine la Garrigue are the ones I like the best. Avoid coops if you can, pick a 2001 from your preferred local wine store to experience this beautiful sunny wine.

Cheers,

Jean-Marc Espinasse

Any comments, edits are very welcome at contact@french-wine-a-day.com

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**La raison pour laquelle Vacqueyras et Gigondas ne sont pas dans le même appellation contrôlée bien qu'étant très proches, ayant des cépages similaires ayant grandi sur des sols calcaires, est principalement du au fait que les coteaux sont moins pentus, ce qui rend les sols plus riches**.

The most complete book on Rhône Valley wines is here :

***Spaghetti Roquefort recipe :
Ingredients :
Sour cream
Roquefort
Back pepper
Preparation :
Mix the sour cream, Roquefort and a large amount of black pepper under low fire until the sauce come to ebulition. Leave boiling until the sauce becomes thick and continuing adding blak pepper.

Savigny les Beaune

Savigny les Beaune vines after the harvest

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Dear wine lovers,

Inside the Hautes Côtes de Beaunes area, in between Pernand Vergelesses and Beaune are located the vines of Savigny les Beaune*.

**Here, it is the red wines that largely over lead the production. And with a third of its realisation in 1er Cru this appellation benefit from a worldwide notoriety**.

Pinot Noir behaves smoothly on this poor chalky soil made of gravels and small stones.
The color of the wine is pretty light, the noise expresses a nice dry fruit (cranberry, strawberry) and the mouth is not too tannic which make these wines often appreciated by feminin palates, except the 1er Crus which can be more rustic when drunk young. With a vintage like 2002 or 2003, I would advice to drink a Savigny les Beaune with this red fruit duck breasts recipe***.

Once again, the best way to discover this appellation is to tour it. Small producers like Domaine Serrigny or Domaine Lucien Jacob, imported in the US by Neal Rosenthal (the great guy who gives "terroir" lessons to RP in Mondovino) and where Christine will welcome you in English, are really worth a visit. "Bigger" names like Chanson, Antonin Guyon or Drouhin are also good references. And if you are ready to pay for it, I will advice you this Leroy 1999 that Martine Saunier made me taste last year and I that will never forget.

Cheers,

Jean-Marc Espinasse

Any comments, edits are very welcome at contact@french-wine-a-day.com

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**Ici, ce sont les vins rouges qui sont dominent largement la production. Et avec un tiers de la réalisation en 1er Cru, this appellation bénéficie d'une notoriété mondiale**.

A great gift for Father's Day are these special Burgundy wines glasses :

***Fruit duck breasts recipe
Ingredients for 4 people :
2 duck breasts
Honey
Cranberries
Strawberries
Pears
Muscat grappes
Salt and pepper
Preparation :
Cut the duck breasts fat part up to the meat part and put salt and pepper on the fat part. Leave the duck breasts on fat part on low fire in a pan for 10 minutes to lower the fat. Poor the fat juicz on a cup, let it decante, give away 1/2 of it and poor back the fat juice back to the pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with honey and fruits. Put salt and pepper on the meat part of duck breasts and leave them cook on the meat part in the pan with honey and fruits on low fire for 30 minutes.

Cool tee-shirt

Dear wine lovers,

This tee-shirt has been hand stained by myself with wine lees from Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

By buying it, you will be supporting this "artisan" blog and will own a unique French product.

Use the different options below to pay and don't forget to leave your postal address.

Thanks,
Jean-Marc

PS : If you have questions or troubles using Paypal, don't hesitate to email me.

Payment options :

- By check or cash (19 Euros per unit) :
Please address your payment with your email and your size (M or XL) to :
Espinasse, BP 32, 83460 Les Arcs-sur-Argens, France

- Via Paypal :
Don't forget to mention the size (M or XL) in the appropriate box

Support this "artisan" blog

Dear wine lovers,

If you enjoy my wine columns and want to express your support, here are different ways to do so :

- Shop at Amazon entering the store from the links on my blog. Prices are the same whether you use my links or not. However, when you click through to Amazon via my site, I will earn a small commission from your purchase.

- Buy the coolest wine lees hand stained tee-shirt. A unique personalized French product !

- Consult me regarding my wine services (wine tours, wine business events, wine education, wine supply)

- Make a donation :

Thanks a lot !

Cheers,

Jean-Marc

Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence

Vines and Bastide in the countryside of Aix-en-Provence

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Dear wine lovers,

Situated north-west of the pretty town that will celebrate, this year, the 100th anniversary of Paul Cézanne's passing, are the vineyards of Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence*.

Just like Aix-en-Provence is definitely a cultural town with its annual music festival and its famous painters, the wines from this area are also very eclectic, influenced by a long history dated from Romans, Monks in the middle age and the famous Roi René in the XVIth century.

Famous people like the Bordeaux winemaker Georges Brunet who in the 60's, decided and succeeded in raising Cabernet Sauvignon in Château Vignelaure, Jean Bordonado who created Château La Coste after he had to flee from North Africa, Peter Fisher from Château Revelette or more recently France Careau Gachereau from Château du Seuil have also marked the history of this appellation.

This diversity of characters can also be seen in the various terroirs and eventually in the wines, with roses reds and whites.

I like the roses of Château du Seuil. They are charming and elegant like her owner, France. The reds from Château Vignelaure are surely the best of the area with Domaine d'Eole. The cuvée Léa will fit perfectly with this garlic lamb chop recipe***marinated in soy sauce. When I was an auditor, I had the chance to participate to the evaluation of Vignelaure and we had to question ourselves regarding lots of old vintages of red wines in stock since we did not know their real value. Tasting them, I can tell you that we did not have to depreciate them. As for the white, Château Revelette makes some stunning ones, with the acidity given by the North slopes of Sainte Victoire Mountain.

**All this diversity can be discovered by doing the whole vineyard tour. Whenever you are in the area, I will be happy to assist you for a fun day in vines of Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence**.

Cheers,

Jean-Marc Espinasse

Any comments, edits are very welcome at contact@french-wine-a-day.com

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**Toute cette diversité peut être découverte en faisant le tour des vignobles. Quand vous serez dans la région, je serai heureux de vous assister pour un agréable tour des vignes des Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence**.

Before seeing it with your own eyes, explore the gardens that inspired Cezanne's paintings :

***Garlic lamb chop recipe
Ingredients for 4 people :
4 lamb chops
Soy sauce
Fresh garlic
4 tablespoons of butter
Salt and pepper
1 can (8 ounces) of tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Preparation:
Marinade lamb chops in sauja sauce and fresh garlic for 12 hours.
Melt butter and add it with other ingredients. Poor the sauja sauce and stir. Put lamb chops, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake at 350° for 1 hour. You can also cook them on the BBQ and put them back after to the hot warm marinade with all the ingredients.

Bonnezeaux

Old Chenin vines on the top of the large Bonnezeaux
slope where grapes and mills benefit from the wind

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Dear wine lovers,

Nestled in the famous "douceur Angevine" that characterises so well the climate and the ambiance of this part of Loire Valley is the famous nectar of Bonnezeaux*.

**Bonnezeaux is actually is little hamlet situated on the top of a large slope where lots of mills were built since wind blows strong up there**.

At the bottom of Bonnezeaux is Thouarcé village with the Layon river that participates to create the famous fog enabling noble rot (Botrytis Cinerea) to develop inside the Chenin vines in the morning. During the day, the wind dries this humidity and insures a good sanitary state of the grapes until the vines are ready to be harvested in November.

Harvest in Bonnezeau is actually a long process since up to 4 visits in the vines are necessary to pick, each time, the grapes that are 100% "botrytised".

Eventually and after having being aged in barrels, Bonnezeaux wines are ready to be drunk. Then, sweet flavors of honey, jam fruits of raisins, quince and even spices literally explode inside your mouth. With usually more than 100 grams of residual sugar per liter, Bonnezeaux is definitely a dessert wine that will pair perfectly with this Cinnamon apricot tart***.

Château de Fesles, Domaine des Petits Quarts, pictured here in Seattle by my cousin Fred who carefully keeps for us a great 1997 given by John Beal (a great wine importer - Riservati - in Washington) to celabrate, one day, my daughter's Jackie vintage, Domaine les grandes vignes and Domaine de Mihoudy where I was two weeks ago tasting this outstanding Quintessence 2003 with the owner, Jean-Paul Cochard (video file - might take a while to downlaod), and my friend Dan Farley from J and R Selections, are all very serious references.

Actually and since Bonnezeaux is very small and with a great terroir, most of the wines are good here and should be experienced one day, if you have a chance.

Cheers,

Jean-Marc Espinasse

Any comments, edits are very welcome at contact@french-wine-a-day.com

PODCASTS :
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See Bonnezeaux on a French wine map

*Listen to Bonnezeaux

**Bonnezeaux est fait un petit hameau située en haut d'un grand coteaux où beaucoup de moulins ont été édifiés dans la mesure où le vent soufle fort la haut**.

For Mother's day, why not offering a "sweety" Bonnezeaux wine with this dessert wine glass to enjoy honey flavors with your "honey"

***Cinnamon apricot tart recipe :
Ingredients for 8 people :
2½ cups of walnuts
1½ cups of dates
2 cups of dried sliced apricots
2 teaspoon of honey
1 cup of orange juice
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Preparation :
-Remove pits from dates if they have them and place them in a food processor with walnuts. Process until well mixed and ground, but not smooth. About 40 seconds. It should be a coarse texture when done.
- Press evenly into a 9 inch tart pan with about ½ inch crust around rim. Set in refrigerator while making the filling.
- Slice apricots about ¼ inch thick, and cook in a 10 inch skillet with honey, orange juice and cinnamon on medium low heat, until apricots become tender, and liquid is syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove apricots and syrup from hot pan and let cool in bowl for about 1 hour so it gets fairly cool. Spread evenly over crust. It can be served right away or chilled.

Reuilly

Sauvignon Blanc from Reuilly

Dear wine lovers,

Not far away from where I was born (La Châtre - George Sand favourite place) is one of the smalest vineyard of Loire Valley : Reuilly*.

The vines of Reuilly were first harvested in the 7th century. King Dagobert presented the grapevines as a gift to the monks of the Saint Denis Abbey nearby. Located in the Cher Valley, the wines were brought to the cities of Bourges, England and Netherlands. Today, this AOC covers 150 hectares and the vines are planted on chalky-limestone or on gravelly sand soils.

**Whites wines which, I think, are the most interesting, are produced from Sauvignon Blanc. Like Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé, Reuilly offers a very fresh and fruity expression of this grape but without being too mineral. The red wines made from Pinot Noir are light bodied and will be drunk cool, the rosés made from Pinot Gris are agreable and fruity**.

Drink these wines when they are young (the 2005 will be excellent but the 2004 is also nice) with this tuna salad recipe** and a white Reuilly.

Jean-Michel Sobre, Domaine des Templiers or Claude Lafond are excellent references. Since the vineyard of Reuilly is so small, it is not easy to find some wines unless you decide to tour this beautiful part of France where my heart starting to beat 39 years ago.

Cheers,

Jean-Marc Espinasse

Any comments, edits are very welcome at contact@french-wine-a-day.com

PODCASTS :
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Visit the most beautiful Châteaux of Loire Valley with this collection book :

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** Les vins blancs qui, je pense, sont les plus intéressants, sont produits à partir de Sauvigon blanc. Tout comme Sancerre ou Pouilly Fumé, Le Reuilly offre une très fraiche et fruitée expression du raisin mais sans être trop minérale. Les vins rouges faits de Pinot Noir ont peu de corps et se boiront frais, les rosés faits à partir de Pinot Gris sont agréables et fruités**.

See Reuilly on a French wine map

***Tuna salad recipe :
Ingredients for 4 people :
2 large tomatoes, cut in quarters
1 red bell pepper, cut in matchstick strips
1 green bell pepper, cut in matchstick strips
1 small onion, sliced in rings
1 can (6 1/2 or 7 ounces) tuna in vegetable oil
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons wine vinegar
1/2 small clove garlic, finely minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
12 pitted black olives, chopped
Preparation :
Arrange tomato quarters on a salad serving platter; place pepper strips and onion rings in center.
Drain oil from tuna into a small jar. Flake tuna and arrange in center of platter.
Make salad dressing : Olive oil, wine vinegar, minced garlic, salt, pepper and dry mustard to tuna oil in jar.
Sprinkle chopped olives over the salad.