French Wine Explorers
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- June/July 2005
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This month's wine explorations:
- Versatile Summer Wines
- A New Rhone Valley "Cru"
- 2006 Wine Tours Schedule Preview
- Provencal Gazpacho Recipe
- Upcoming Wine Events: France and U.S.
Summer has definitely arrived here in France. With temperatures hovering in the 90's F (30-35° C) for over 10 days now, we're wondering if summer 2005 will be comparable to the incredible heat wave of 2003. And we're looking for any way we can to cool down. Gazing inside the wine closet (thankfully refrigerated), the Bordeaux classified growths are looking decidedly unappealing in this heat. I need something lighter, crisper, thirst-quenching, and most of all, chilled!
Great summer wines come in all colors - red, white and rosé - but they have a number of characteristics that unite them. They need to have enough acidity to be refreshing and enough body to be satisfying without being heavy. Sensual aromas of ripe summer fruits like grapefruit, peach or strawberry are very inviting, as are notes of delicate flowers and fresh, tangy minerality. Tannins should be light enough to allow serving at cool temperatures (since chilling accentuates tannins and can make them hard and unappealing). We tend to wear light, limpid colors when the temperatures rise, so why shouldn't our wine do the same? Transparent colors gives an impression of lightness and fluidity, in gentle hues of lemon yellow, peach, rose or cherry.
Luckily, a great variety of wines fit this description. Aside from being perfect for summer quaffing, wines of this type are among the most versatile available. Their lighter character makes them a great match for many different types of food. Here are some of my favorite French wines, with suggestions for light summer dishes to accompany them:
Graves Blanc with cold, Provencal Gazpacho Soup (Chateau Chantegrive, Cuvée Caroline): the fresh, herbal aromas of Sauvignon Blanc match nicely with the vegetal aromas of the tomatoes and green peppers in the gazpacho. Lively acidity keeps this round wine light and crisp. A Sancerre would also work, as would an aromatic rosé like a Baux de Provence or a Côtes de Provence. See below for our easy and delicious gazpacho recipe.
Speaking of rosé: Bellet Rosé (Chateau de Bellet, from the Provence wine region) with Paella: a complex wine that combines mineral complexity (which marries nicely with the shellfish in the Paella) with aromas of almond and herbes de Provence. Or try a white Côteaux d'Aix en Provence with your Paella or a rosé from Côtes de Luberon like Chateau la Canorgue with its lovely salmon color.
And what about red? Why not try a Gamay, but not from Beaujolais this time (although there are many wonderful Beaujolais reds that make for fine summer drinking). I'm talking about a Gamay from the Touraine in the Loire Valley. How about Domaine de la Charmoise, where Henry Marionnet makes a lovely, light and fruit-forward Gamay, cherry red with very light, silky tannins. Serve it lightly chilled with a summer pasta salad with goat cheese, spring vegetables and country ham in a balsamic vinaigrette.
Visiting the French wine regions in the summer is very pleasurable. It's rarely crowded, usually cooler than most parts of the U.S. in summer (and most places are air conditioned these days), and the sun shines until at least 10pm each evening. And there's just nothing like dining on an outdoor terrace under a parasol in a charming medieval village square on a balmy summer evening. Let us know if we can help with a private tour, or join us for our Best of Burgundy tour, Aug. 29-Sept. 2, or our Paris, Champagne & Loire tour, Sept. 11-17.
The National Institute of Original
Appellations (I.N.A.O., the French governing body for the appellation
system) has just announced the creation of a new "cru" in the
Rhone Valley wine region. In this vast wine region, the second largest in
France, the "crus" are the communal appellations, the highest
level (representing the smallest delimited surface area planted in
vines) in the appellation hierarchy of the region. The Rhone has
only 13 crus at present: 8 in the Northern Rhone (Côte Rôtie,
Condrieu, Chateau Grillet, St. Joseph, Hermitage, Crozes Hermitage, Cornas
and St. Péray), and 5 in the Southern Rhone (Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Lirac,
Tavel, Gigondas and Vacqueyras).
Beaume de Venise is currently one of 16 "named" villages in the Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation, those that have the right to put the name of the village on the label. But at the end of 2005, it will become the 14th cru of the Rhone Valley, and more specifically, the 6th in the Southern Rhone Valley. This small village is best known for its suave white fortified wines made from the Muscat grape under a separate appellation, Muscat de Beaume de Venise. But its vineyards, and those of three adjacent villages, also produce full-bodied red wines made primarily from Grenache and Syrah grapes.
Like Gigondas and Vacqueyras before them, the estate owners of Beaume de Venise were able to convince the I.N.A.O. that their wines deserved their own appellation, rather than being lumped together with the Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation as a subregional (lower level) appellation. To accomplish this, they had to prove not only that their terroir is superior in quality, but that their wines have a distinctive typicity and specific winemaking traditions that set them apart from the other appellations. They also have to prove that they have the necessary notoreity in the marketplace under the proposed new appellation name to merit elevation to the communal or "cru" appellation level. This painstaking process usually takes five to ten years, and involves extensive collaboration with the I.N.A.O. to analyze the area's soil quality, microclimate, topography, winemaking and viticultural traditions, and market strength. Two other petitions for cru status from current Cotes du Rhone Villages vineyards are also being studied: Vinsobres (which is scheduled for promotion shortly after Beaume de Venise) and Sablet.
What does this mean for the consumer? Certainly that the price of Beaume de Venise red wines will increase after its cru status is made official. But elevation to cru status also brings with it a commitment to stricter quality standards, and that should mean higher and more consistent quality, and therefore better value, for lovers of Rhone Valley wines.
Take a look at photos from this year's Rhone Valley tour - we hope they'll inspire you to join us for tastings at top estates of this beautiful region on next year's tour in June (exact dates to be announced in the July newsletter).
2006 Wine Tours Schedule Preview
Many of you have been asking us for our tour dates in 2006, so we're working feverishly to finalize the 2006 schedule as quickly as possible. We'll be announcing the full schedule in the July newsletter, but we can already give you a "sneak preview" of some of the highlights:
- the 2005 Bordeaux Prestige tour sold out very quickly, and I know that some of you were disappointed that there was no space left and you couldn't go on the tour. So I'm pleased to say that we'll have TWO Bordeaux Prestige tours in 2006, one in May and one in June, once again with lodgings at the totally private "Super" 2nd Growth Chateau Pichon Longueville and tastings at all five First Growth chateaux, among others. This tour is a French Wine Explorers exclusive, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for lovers of fine Bordeaux wines.
- we're upgrading the Tuscany tour for 2006, including tastings at the Super Tuscans like Sassacaia and Ornellaia and many of the finest boutique wineries in Brunello and Chianti. Accommodations will be at fabulously beautiful 4-star hotels, with sumptuous dining. This wil be a harvest tour, and you'll have the fun of watching the grapes come into the wineries (and maybe even pick a few yourself).
- a new 5-day tour of the Loire Valley is also in the works. You'll enjoy accommodations at a luxury Chateau, Michelin-starred dining and the best wine producers of Vouvray, Savenierres, Chinon and more. Of course, you'll also visit some of the regions lovely historic chateaux like Chenonceau and Azay-le-Rideau. Combine this tour with a few days in Paris with a wonderful wine tasitng dinner for a great vacation!
Burgundy will once again be represented with 2 great tours, we'll have a new-and-improved Rhone Valley tour, and a Best of Bordeaux with a great variety of Grand Cru and boutique producers. And as always, private, customized tours for those who prefer. Be sure to check the July newsletter for full details and dates, or contact us at info@wine-tours-france.com if you'd like us to send you the 2006 schedule the moment we have it.
Ingredients: 2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled |
In an electric blender or food processor, purée the tomatoes, onions garlic, peppers and cucumber. Empty the veggies into a tureen or bowl (not metal). Stir in salt and pepper, then very gradually stir in the olive oil. Mix in the vinegar and water. Taste for seasoning. Chill 2-3 hours before serving. Serve with crusty French country
bread.
|
Upcoming Wine Events in France
- July 13 & 14 - Fete du Vin (Wine Festival), Vacqueyras: enjoy wine tastings with the winemakers of this "cru" of the Rhone Valley. Info: 04.90.65.86.72
- July 24 - Fete du Vin (Wine Festival), Cairanne: wine tastings and food tastings and events in this delightful village, one of the Cotes du Rhone Villages producers. Info: syndicat.cairanne@free.fr, or 04.90.30.86.53
- July 24 - Fetes du Cotes de Ventoux, Bedoin: couple this event with the one in Cairanne for a memorable day of wine tasting! Info: 04.90.65.63.95 (or just show up in the center of town).
And in the United States:
- Wine South 2005, Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 17 & 18, 12:30 to 5:00pm both days. Gwinnett Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth, Georgia. The premier food and wine event of the South. Two days of food, wine, art and music. Includes samplings of over 600 fine wines, gourmet cuisine provided by local restaurants, wine seminars and chef demonstrations. Hotel packages are available at three excellent hotels. Info: www.winesouth.com, (678) 985-9494, winesouth@aol.com. Tickets: $55 In Advance ($60 at the door) - using the promotional code "wineexplorers", French Wine Explorers newsletter readers will receive $10 off the ticket price!
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Contact Us!
I'm always available to answer your questions about our wine programs, our company, and wine in France in general. Please feel free to contact me at lgreene@wine-tours-france.com, or toll free at 1-877-261-1500.
Best regards,
Lauriann Greene-Sollin, Sommelier-Conseil
President/Founder
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FRENCH WINE EXPLORERS
info@wine-tours-france.com
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Tel: 1-877-261-1500
Fax: 1-253-423-5316
© 2005 French Wine Explorers. Articles © 2005 Lauriann Greene. All rights reserved. WST #601 903 728.