Wine talks

 

 

Our Dearest old vines can have a rest now as their 2011 vintage is behind. Let's talk about what they have beautifuly produced now.
NB : This beautiful picture was taken by my lovely wife Kristi. Check out her new book here.

Dear Friends,

2011 is about to close but this is more than a year that is over. Those 5 first years of hard work, hope, pain, joy, fear, excitement have finally permitted us to give birth to a range of wines that reflects our terroir and wine mentality. Let's review them

Dentelle Rosé :
Our Rosé is the outcome of the style I like for such a wine which should be fresh and fruity. When we crushed our first grapes in 2007, it was not at all in my mind to make some rosé. As a Provence raised guy, I was a bit shy to make the rosé I like in the Southern Rhone. Our first rosé finally came out in 2008 as this cool vintage allowed to compensate with the general lack of natural acidity. From then, I have been "hunting" for more acidity and I found the recepie with early harvest combined with direct press which permits to maintain acidity high and alcohol low. Its name (Dentelle) is a play on words as we are facing Dentelles de Montmirail and as "Dentelle", which means lace in English is a good way to describe this smooth and light wine made from Grenache and Carignan.

 

Dentelle red :
In the same spirit of the rosé, this red is made to be a refreshing wine. Carignan has this natural ability to bring freshness and Grenache will bring the body of the wine. This wine can be drunk young, on the fruit side and even a bit cool. With a bit of aging, it turns into more minerality with some spices and gamy flavors. Vintages after vintages, I tend to reduce the maceration time in order to make a lighter wine, which fits well in the spirit of the "Dentelle". In 2011, I have reduced from 2 weeks to 10 days the maceration time and I might even try myself with a "nouveau" tank next year, apart from the regular wine.

Mistral red :
Just a couple days before the start of our first harvest in 07, a strong Mistral wind blew all night and eventually made a lot of very mature clusters fall on the ground. Well, this eventually decided on the official picking start, a bit earlier and by collecting fallen grapes but it was a clear message from Mother Nature. The full body, rich and powerful wine made from these very old vines was eventually named after this famous wind which describes quite well the wine and which is so important to our terroir.
This wine is also the best ambassador of what we produce, in volume (50%) and in spirit since it is elaborated with our very old Grenache vines. 

Lunatique red :
Farming also permits to discover terroir and all its hidden treasures. Inside our 20 acres, there is a small area located on an old river bed where all the vines are planted on pebbles. No wonder why the people who planted them 60 years ago have used Grenache as the it is the very best grape for this kind of hot soil which reflects sun and heat to the vines. On this gorgeous day of end of September 2009, the whole harvest team was ready for 1/2 of work to complete harvest. Those grapes were supposed to fill the Mistral tank. But, on a "moody" decision, I decided to process those grapes separately which meant that we have to move some grapes in fermentation (which can be very dangerous) to get an empty tank. This "Lunatique" decision gave the name to the wine.

Behind the scene... We should always have in mind that terroir and age of the vines are the best ingredients to make good wine.

"Voila", these are all the wine stories for the moment... In 2013, we should harvest some white grapes from vines planted in 2009. I have a few ideas on names but of course, if you have some, they are welcome.

Merry Christmas to all of you, wishing you for the occasion a wonderful 2012 vintage to come.

Cheers,

Jean-Marc
Domaine Rouge-Bleu

 

Comments

[Glenn from St. Paul]

Félicitations, Jean-Marc. J'espère que nous vous verrons de nouveau ce printemps aux États-Unis. Et aussi, bravo à Kristen à propos de la publication de son livre. J'en ai déjà acheté un comme cadeau pour ma femme. Joyeux Noël à toute votre famille.

[Susan Boehnstedt]

JM
You have come a long way baby! So proud of you.
Much love, XOXO
RB

[Frank Levin]

Thank you very much for these stories.
We wish you the best in everything in the coming seasons.
We have two bottles from your first year layed down. Is it time to drink them yet?

[Chief Grape]

Thanks all for your wishes
Frank : If that is Dentelle, you might consider drinking them soon now. If that is Mistral, they can wait...
Joyeux Noel,

[Voie de Vie]

Joyeux Noel, Jean-Marc! Thanks for the winey recap ... and "moody" decisions can be the best kind. :)

[Kip Ingham]

Jimmy

Congratulations at the end of another good year. Those old vines keep producing and you keep making great wines. We look forward to visiting you in May...save some wine for us!

[Susan Carter]

Happy Christmas to you & your family and your vines & wines.

[Roger Anderson]

Bonjour Jean Marc,

Kristi and I have exchanged emails from time to time about Nikon cameras, photography and Smokey and his injuries. My wife and I live near Detroit, Michigan and would like to try some of your wines and particularly for me, a Rose. However when I search your sources in the U.S. I am not able to locate one in our part of the country that sells where we could go and buy them and I have not been successful in finding an online source from which to order. I am just wondering whether you might know of a dealer you can suggest I research to place an order for shipping to us. Thank you for your consideration for me and Joyeux Noel!

Roger

[Tim Averill]

My Lunatique and my Mistrals are awaiting are awaiting a special occasion to be lifted out of the cellar and released. Perhaps when you come to Massachusetts. Kristin's "Blossoming in Provence" was opened upon arrival and devoured last night.

[Paul Guerin]

A very merry NOEL to Chief Grape and the bunch and all the diVINE wine produced by the not too sweet not to dry famile Espinasse!
Paul and Jean Guerin

[Phyllis & Tim]

Joyeux Noël from Houston, TX Love the wines and the photos. So proud to represent you. Can't wait to see the book.

[Kate Dawson-Taylor]

Well done Jean-Marc.
It has been wonderful to know how you and Kristin have followed your dream.
Many congratulations to famille Espinasse for ALL that is entailed in the nurture of nature to produce not only wonderful wine from little grapes,but a great supportive family unit,not only in St Cecile-des -Vignes but your wider world family.
David,Kate,Amanda ,and Nordine send all best wishes for the family and grape harvest 2012.

[Eileen deCamp]

Joyeux Noël from Charlottesville, VA! I love the Mistral and I would like to try the Lunatique because I love the name. I will drink some with Kristi's new book.
Congratulations to you both!
Eileen

[A Hopwood]

Jean Marc,
This was a great post! I enjoy reading everything that goes into the wine, even the name, almost as much as I enjoy drinking it. My grandmother always says the key to good food is the love that you put into it....I think the same is true for wine and I can taste the "love" that you put into Rouge-Bleu! Thank you for helping my friend, Mitzy, find your wines. She surprised me with a couple of bottles....a lovely and appreciated gift!
I can't wait to try the Lunatique.
Bisous,
Amber

[Neil and Diana Goldschimidt]

Kristin, Jean-Marc and wonderful children: Joyeux Noel and a great new year, Diana and I wish for the four of you. Neil's 97 year old mother has come to live with us, thus our lives are a little up side down and very busy. One of us is hoping to come to Provence for the last two weeks in January and if this happens we would be at least 50% happy, if that person could see you all.

We are so proud of what the Espinasse family has achieved. Your "agent in place" in Portland continues to place your wines in many fine restaurants and retail wine establishments. We continue to drink them as our favorite house wine for us and our friends and guests.

All of our love and best wishes for 2012. Neil and Diana

[Louis Plauche']

Your photo looks like a Cezanne painting. I can't wait to taste your wines in France. Hurry Mai!

[Chief Grape]

Thanks all of you for your kind words. They feed my will to keep up with this beautiful venture which is also very demanding.
Happy New Year !

[Guinevere White]

Bon nuit de Santa Fe, New Mexico. Congrats on your latest vintage. I would love to try one of your fantastic wines (Lunatique perhaps?), but I cannot seem to find a single place in New Mexico that carries your label. Any chance you'll be adding a retailer in NM? FYI, Southern Wine and Spirits distributes locally, and Santa Fe (where I live) is a hugely popular destination for anyone interested in wine and culinary delights. I'd love to see you and your wines here! Merci...bon chance!

[Tom Fiorina]

Jean-Marc,
Thanks for sharing those personal insights about your wines. I also appreciated your New Year best wishes. Your wife Kristin's new book sounds like a good read, and I will put it on my 2012 reading list. I look forward to future newsletters from you, and I hope that our paths will cross again soon--perhaps at Vinisud??? Best regards, and good health and prosperity to you and your family in the coming year.

[Chief Grape]

Guinevere, NM is actually on my list ! I know an importer named Fiasco Wines and I plan to try to meet with them when I am in the area next Spring. In the meantime, our good friend, wine importer and business partner Tim Smith imports our wines in TX and hopefully he can ship some wines to NM. His email is tms@frenchcountrywines.com so don't hesitate to contact him.

Tom : I will be at Vinisud for a off tasting at Chateau de Flaugergues (http://a-la-recherche-du-vin.typepad.com/HLV.jpg). Hope to see you then.

Bonne année à tous,

[Rob Feckler]

Those wines can definitely be a nice gift to someone on a special day, or a drink to share with your friends and loved ones on any special occasion. Among those, my favorite would be the Mistral red. I just like how that full and matured flavor of wine can create that warm feeling inside your stomach.