D Tasting Group - October 23, 2009

Cahors, Chateau Haut-Monplaisir 2005
By law, there must be at least 70% of Malbec in the wines from Cahors (South West, 200 kms east of Bordeaux).
Haut-Monplaisir sold its fruit to the negociant until 1998, when Cathy Fournie, the daughter of the owner, stepped in.

Raventos Rosado
This wine adds 15% of Monastrell (Mourvedre in France) to the classic Cava blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo. All estate grown.











Jaboulet, Les Cedres 2005
70% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre
Robust wine. Perfect pairing with venison!

Sunday in New York (October 11, 2009)

One of our favorite wine bars in manhattan

High Line, Manhattan

High Line, Manhattan

Fantastic Middle-Eastern take out in Greenwich Village

Provence white and rose Wine Class (October 13, 2009)

More details about the class: http://www.afsf.com/

2008 Domaine de Brigue, Cotes de Provence *
Domaine de Brigue vineyard was founded in 1970 by Roger Brun on 70 acres in the Le Luc plains between Aix-en-Provence and Cannes. In 1986, Fernand Brun and his wife Martine took over the family business and have be...en since developing the vineyards. T...oday, Domaine de Brigue vineyards extends over 200 acres on the Vieilles Pierres (Old Stones) and Terres Rouges (Red Earth) areas.

The quality of their wines results from the marriage of the grape varieties, terroirs of origin including ideal soil and exceptional Mediterranean climate, as well as state-of-the-art equipment used in the wine making process and vinification.

Brilliant and crystalline color, with a nose full of fresh peaches and wild strawberries including hints of white blossoms and spice. In the mouth, it is just as delightful with flavours of peach and cantaloupe surrounding a bright, dry, mineral acidity.

50% Grenache, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cinsault

2008 Domaine de la Bastide Blanche Bandol Blanc
La Bastide Blanche was acquired by a member of the INAO (the French board that governs wine laws and regions), Louis Bronzo, who wanted to raise the world’s awareness of Bandol wines by creating wines that were the... equals of wines from more famous ap...pellations.

Bandol was the holiday hangout of Aldous Huxley and Thomas Mann years before Bridgette Bardot had even heard of St. Tropez.

This Bandol Blanc is both steely and rich, with acidity and minerality riding alongside citrus and more tropical fruit characters. Wonderful with roasted fish or shellfish as well as mild cheeses.

Ugni blanc 32%, Clairette 47%, Bourboulenc 14%, Sauvignon Blanc 7%

2006 Domaine du Bagnol, Cassis Blanc
Blend of marsanne (50%), clairette (35%) and ugni blanc (15%). Cassis is a tiny harbour near Marseille. Fresh, mineral and slightly briny. Ideal with with fish soup, stew and, of course, bouillabaisse!

Home cooking (October 10, 2009)

Languedoc Trip (October 4-10, 2009)

More pictures and texts here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=575545753&ref=profile#/album.php?aid=130607&id=575545753

Brooklyn, NY: Vinegar Hill House (October 2, 2009)

http://www.vinegarhillhouse.com/

2005 Hautes Terres De Comberousse Roucaillat Blanc

Small domaine run by a Paul Reder who is producing one of the most interesting white wines of the region. This exuberent yet serious white has a distinct profile, driven by the harsh conditions of stony, sparse soil and strong sea breezes from the Mediterranean. The bouquet reveals nuances of white flower and candle wax and is somewhat reminiscent of a dry chenin blanc. Hints of fennel and orange peel keep this white bright and clean. Delicious and unusual.

50% Roussanne, 30% Rolle and 20% Grenache Blanc

Visit of Rebecca Ohayon from the Vigouroux Estates in Cahors (Sept 30)

Two videos of Languedoc-Roussillon

Couple of great videos:

Collioure (heart of the Collioure AOC and Banyuls AOC, both in Roussillon, right next to the Spanish border)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqFNkOvveNE&feature=related

Languedoc-Roussillon, one of the most exciting wine region of France today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tZxOazYQ7g


A bientot..

Sweet Languedoc-Roussillon Wine Class

The three colors of Vins Doux Naturels

A Vin Doux Naturel is a style of fortified wine made from grapes with a naturally high sugar content. The fermentation process is manually stopped and a neutral alcohol (from the same grapes) is added to the wine. Those grape sugars not converted to alcohol by the action of yeast provide the sweetness. The added grape spirit more than compensates for the reduced conversion of the grape sugars to alcohol.

The Vins Doux Naturels of the Languedoc are:
•Muscats de Frontignan
•Muscat de Lunel
•Muscat de Mireval
•Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois
•Those white wines are produced with the two Muscat varieties Muscat d’Alexandrie and the higher quality Muscat à petits grains.

The Vins Doux Naturels of the Roussillon are:
•Rivesaltes (red and white)
•Muscat de Rivesaltes (white)
•Maury (red and white)
•Banyuls (red, rose and white)
•Banyuls Grand Cru (red)

•The Muscat grapes are perhaps the oldest vitis vinifera variety in the world, native to Greece. Used in the Rivesaltes AOC for its sweet desert wine. Grenache Blanc, Malvoisie du Roussillon and Macabeo are also included in the white blends for the AOCs that do not have “Muscat” in the title.

•Red Vins Doux Naturels from the Roussillon are mainly made from Grenache and are rich and powerful in flavors of fig, coffee, black tea, hazelnut, and chocolate.
•There is 50% Grenache noir grape in the blend.
•Banyuls Grand Cru: Contains a minimum of 75% Grenache noir, considered the best variety for these wines.
•Carignan Cinsault and Syrah are also permitted.

•They must be aged in oak for at least 30 months.

We Tasted tonight:

2007 Clos du Gravillas "Douce Providence" Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois

Taste of pineapple, floral nose, honeyed structure and lots of minerality. Delicious aperitif or served with roquefort cheese.

1979 Cuvée Amedee Rivesaltes

The color is a translucent tawny brown and there is a lot of complexity to savor on the nose, from sappy maple, currant and spiced orange through to toffee and licorice.

1989 Banyuls Grand Cru, L’Etoile
The palate is a delight, with its elegance, great finesse and flavors grilled hazelnut, tobacco, and cocoa blended with crystallized fruits.
It is a well balanced wine ready to serve with a chocolate dessert, coffee or a cigar...

Map of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence

Map of the Vins Doux Naturels from the Languedoc-Roussillon

French Wine Tasting on the Rooftop in San Fancisco (9/28/2009)

Thank you Christy for hosting this great event with your Stanford Alumni Group.

Line up was:

Vouvray Sec, Sylvain Gaudron 2007
100% Chenin Blanc (as for all whites in the Middle Loire Valley)
Finesse, minerality and power. Notes of ripe peach, honey, apricot and classic Vouvray minerality and flint. Small amount of residual sugar.

Bourgogne Blanc, Chateau du Chatelard 2008
100% Chardonnay (as for all whites in Burgundy)
Notes of white flowers like acacia paired with scents of vanilla. Toasty oak tones that extend into a very long, complex and subtle finish.

Cotes de Provence, Domaine de Brigue 2008
50% Grenache - 30% Cabernet Sauvignon - 20% Cinsault
Brilliant and crystalline color, with a nose full of fresh peaches and wild strawberries including hints of white blossoms and spice. In the mouth it is just as delightful with flavors of peach and cantaloupe surrounding a bright, dry, mineral acidity.

Cotes du Rhone (organic), Domaine des Carabiniers 2007
50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% cinsault
Rich, ripe, round, deeply satisfying and full-bodied. Bursting with lovely, intense black currant, spice and game notes

Bordeaux Medoc, Chateau Le Barrail 2004
55% Cabernet Sauvignon – 45% Merlot
Deep color, ripe with a very fruity nose. This wine has been aged for 12 months in oak barrels, including 25% new.

Bordeaux Sainte Croix du Mont, Chateau La Grave 1998
90% Semillion - 10% Sauvignon Blanc
This classic Sainte-Croix is full and generous, almost buttery in texture at times, but in addition has a great acidity and an impressive structure which gives it a great potential for ageing.

Alsace Tasting at PariSoMa (Sept 25, 2009)

Dark berries, medium-bodied and plenty of minerality. Another great value Pinot Noir from Alsace
Tasting Location (once a month)
1436 Howard St (between 10th St & 11th St) San Francisco (http://www.parisoma.com/)

France Summer 2009 (Last 2 days: Paris)

France Summer 2009 (Day 9&10: Beaujolais, Champagne & Normandy)

France Summer 2009 (Day 6,7 & 8: Riviera, Provence & Rhone)

France Summer 2009 (Day 4&5: Sancerre, Rhone, Marseille)

France Summer 2009 (Day 2&3: Loire Valley)

France Summer 2009 (Day 1: New York, Paris & Normandy)

Tailgate Party Terroir-style

D Tasting Group

BBQ wines in Sacramento, Tunisian style

Aurelien Farewell Dinner

Alliance Francaise Jura Wine Class

Alliance Francaise Savoie Wine Class

BBQ wines in Sausalito

Top Burger

Dinner with Raymong, Rusty et Peter

Last night at Applewood in Brooklyn

Traveling to and drinking wines of Morocco

Port4lio Trade Tasting

Wine Dinner at Cote Sud

Wine Dinner at Fleur de Lys

Life at Soizic / Mua in Oakland

Wine Dinner 2 at La Folie

Wine Dinner 1 at La Folie

Wine Dinner at Yabbies

Bordeaux Wine Class at Saint Supery

Alliance Francaise South West Wine Class

Alliance Francaise Loire Wine Class

Alliance Francaise Champagne Wine Class

Alliance Francaise Rhone Wine Class

Alliance Francaise Bordeaux Wine Class (6/9 - 7/15/2009)

California Wine Country 2009

Champagne, September 07'

France Italy 08 - Part 4

France Italy 08 - Part 3

France Italy 08 - Part 2

France Italy 08

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