Reverdy Sancerre

 

Reverdy Sancerre

 

 

 

Reverdy Sancerre

The Reverdy Sancerre is a white wine produced in Loire Valley, France in the AOP of Sancerre.  This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc and has a 13% alcohol level.  This white is a pale golden color.  On the nose are notes of orange rind, lime, lemon zest, jalapeno, green grass, unripe peach, limestone, white blossoms, and gun flint.  This wine is a great example of a Sancerre with flavors of fresh citrus, meyer lemon, lime juice, sweet orange zest, green bell pepper, wet stone minerality, wet chalk, and steel.  The Reverdy Sancerre finished crisp and clean with ample acidity. 

 

Food Pairing Ideas:

 

• Acidic items like vinaigrettes and tomatoes.

• Lemon-herbed chicken

• Grilled fish with mango salsa, 

• Caprese salad 

• All seafood 

• Fresh goat cheese such as Feta

• Creamy Brie

• Parmigiano-Reggiano

 

Domaine Filliattreau Saumur

As the weather gets colder, I reach more and more for a rich, full-bodied red, and the 2009 Domaine Filliattreau Chateau Fouquet from Saumur satisfied just that.  The region of Saumur is located in Loire Valley, France.  This wine is made from 100% Cabernet franc grape from vines that were planted in 1987.  The Chateau Fouquet Cabernet franc spent fifteen days of soaking in the cellar, in stainless steel tanks.  It was sealed with a natural cork and had a 12.5% alcohol level. 

The Domaine Filliatreau was a deep purple color.  On the nose were notes of ripe blackberry, dark plum, dried leafs, fresh soil, anise, cassis, and green bell pepper.  On the palate were hints of dark cherry, rich blackberry, wet earth, black licorice, raspberry, wet forest floor, and red plum.  This wine had a long finish and smooth tannins.  Overall, the Domaine Filliattreau is one of the more delicious wines I have had all year.  

Andre Clouet Brut Champagne

A famous Hollywood legend has it that Marilyn Monroe took a bath in 350 bottles of Champagne and a famous quote from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's goes, "I don’t think I’ve ever drunk Champagne before breakfast before. With breakfast on several occasions, but never before, before." It is no wonder with such an exotic past we hold Champagne in such a celebratory light.  

With that in mind, I thought my last blog of the year should conclude with some Champagne!  The N.V. (Non-Vintage means the champagne is made from multiple harvest years) Andre Clouet Brut Champagne is made of 100% Pinot Noir grape.  The Champagne house owns vineyards on the middle slopes of the Grand Crus' Bouzy and Ambonnay within the region of Champagne.  

The Andre Clouet was a pale straw color.  On the nose were aromas of baked green apples, dried roses, spicy bread, yeast, white chocolate, chalky minerality, and lemon zest.  On the palate were raspberry, red apple, Asian pear, baguette, dried roses, fresh yeast, lemon zest, and minerality.  The finish was crisp and dry with tons acidity.  Overall, a delicious Champagne that when money allows I will purchase again!

Want some food pairing ideas?  Well, of course you do!  As a result of Champagne's high acidity and small amount of sugars it goes with tons of food such as

• any mushroom dishes

• risotto or any pastas that have cream based sauces

• fish and seafood, especially lobster

• popcorn and potato chips

• cheese such as gouda, cheddar, goat, and parmesan...but really almost all!

• scrambled eggs

• any dessert that is slightly sweet such as berries, shortbread, or angel food cake

 

 

Trimbach Riesling

One of my absolutely favorite, "Fall is here!" wines is a dry Riesling, and if you have never had one, please give it a try, they are seriously delicious!  The 2008 Trimbach Riesling is produced in Alsace which is a region located in the northeastern portion of France along the Germany border.  Some have even deemed Riesling as the king of Alstaian wines.  The Trimbach Riesling was fermented in stainless steel and concrete vats.  This white wine was sealed with a natural cork and had an alcohol level of 12.5%.

The Trimbach Riesling was a light golden color with green hues.  On the nose were notes of white peach, ripe apricot, lemon zest, tangerine, white blossom, peach blossom, Asian pear, and wet stone minerality.  On the palate were characteristics of ruby red grapefruit, peach, unripe apricot, peach blossom, wet stone minerality, lemon, and navel orange.  This wine finished dry with zesty acidity.  Overall, the perfect welcome to fall wine.       

Chateau de Montfort Vouvray

In my quest to complete my sommelier certification, blind tasting and identifying wines is one of the facets you have to become better than good at. Therefore, tasting an array of wines is important. The 2009 Chateau de Montfort Vouvray is made from 100% Chenin Blanc grape from the Loire Valley, France. Vouvray is actually the region within Loire Valley, France that produce sweet to dry styles of wine made from 100% Chenin Blanc. This wine had an alcohol content of 12% and was sealed with a natural cork.

This Vouvray wine was a pale golden color with green hues. The nose offered aromas of white flowers, honeysuckle, honey, sweet apricot, ripe peach, nectarine, wet stone minerality, fresh flowers, and slight citrus. The palate was similar to the nose with notes of honey, almond, unripe peach, apricot, wet river stone minerality, meyer lemon, sweet tangerine, honeysuckle, and fresh, clean flowers. On the front of the palate this wine was sweet, but finished with ample acidity and tartness. Overall, a delicious wine and a great example of Vouvray.

Bieler Pere et Fils Rose

The weather is getting warmer, and as such, my need or should I say craving for Roses, particularly Provence style roses becomes increasingly evident. The 2010 Bieler Pere et Fils Sabine Rose is a delicious dry rose from Provence, France. Winemaker Charles Bieler, launched Bieler Pere et Fils for his father Philippe, and named this particular wine after his daughter, Sabine. This rose is a blend of Syrah (50%), Grenache (30%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) grapes. This wine had an alcohol level of 13.5% and was sealed with a srewcap.

Bieler Pere et Fils Rosé was a pale salmon pink color with notes of raspberry, fresh, ripe cherry, wild strawberry, watermelon, dried flower, peach, cantaloupe, and spicy minerality on the nose. On the palate are hints of red berry, cherry, nutmeg, apricot, strawberry, white cherry, wet river stone, and honeydew melon. The Bieler Rose is crisp with a long and refreshing finish. Overall, one of my favorite roses.

Barth Rene Gewurztraminer

In all the wines I taste...red....white....sparkling....rose....I lean towards dry, full-bodied wines. So the opportunity presented itself to sample a wonderful Gewurztraminer produced by Barth Rene from Alsace, France. The 2008 Barth Rene Gewurztraminer is a Vin d'Alsace AOC wine. This wine had a 13% alcohol level and was sealed with a natural cork.

The Barth Rene Gewurztraminer was a rich golden color with ample viscosity. On the nose were hints of pineapple, stewed apricots, canned sugary peaches, honeysuckle, white pepper, rose petals, orange blossoms, fresh bouquet of flowers, and mango. The palate confirmed the nose with tastes of chalk, white blossoms, slate, spice, white pepper, cotton candy, sweet peaches, ripe apricots, and dry river bed stone. This wine was sweet on the front of the palate while spicy and rich on the finish. Overall, a wonderful representation of a Gewurztraminer wine!

Domaine de Chevaunet

After reading a few wine magazines...not going to name names...I decided to try the 2009 Domaine de Chevaunet Sauvignon Blanc from Touraine, Loire Valley, France. This wine had a 12% alcohol level and was sealed with an artificial cork.

The Domaine de Chevaunet had a pale golden color with blue hues. On the nose were notes of orange cream popsicle, white blossom, fresh cream, orange blossom, perfume, honeysuckle, wet stone, and honeydew. On the palate were hints of slate, sweet tart, fresh peeled orange, wet river stone, and citrus. This wine had high acidity with a wonderful crisp finish. Overall, a refreshing and clean representation of a Sauvignon Blanc!

Philippe Raimbault "Apud Sariacum" Sancerre

My absolute favorite white wine in the world is from Loire Valley, France. The 2009 Philippe Raimbault (the producer) Apud Sariacum (Apud Sariacum is the older name for the local village now known as Sury-en-Vaux near the Philippe Raimbault vineyard) Sancerre (Sancerre is the AOC region within Loire Valley). This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc with an alcohol level of 12.5% and is sealed with an artificial cork.

Philippe Raimbault Sancerre had a light golden color with slight green hues. The nose was strong with hints of wet river stone minerality, honeysuckle, nectarines, fresh peaches, honeydew, sweet tarts, and fresh water. On the palate were notes of sweet tarts, green chiles, chalk, nectarines, flint, ripe oranges, and river stones. This wine had high acidity with a slight creamy texture. Overall, I enjoyed Philippe Raimbault Sancerre because of the fresh taste with complex characteristics and flavors.

Perrin Reserve Cotes du Rhone AC

The more I learn about wine, the more interested I become in the wonderful world of French wine. The 2007 Perrin Reserve is a Cotes du Rhone AOC from Southern Rhone Valley, France. This red wine consisted of three different grapes Grenache (60%), Syrah (20%) and Mourvèdre (20%). Perrin Reserve Cotes du Rhone had an alcohol level of 13% and was sealed with a screw top.

This wine was an opaque black purple with a garnet rim. On the nose were river stone minerality, water, black cherries, cassis, black pepper, and prunes. On the palate were notes of earth, fresh black cherries, black berries, blueberries, spice, and wet stone minerality. This wine was light bodied with tons of flavors, high acidity, and light tanins. Overall, this was a deliciously smooth red wine!

Domaine La Salette Cotes de Gascogne

When walking through the grocery store I noticed Domaine La Salette: Cotes de Gascogne Indication Geographique Protegee. I thought....Cotes de Gascogne? So I had to try it and I can say I was not disappointed.
The 2009 Domaine La Salette is located in southwestern France in the area of Armagnac near the city of Condom. Domaine La Salette is made of three different white grapes Colombard (80%), Ugni Blanc (10%), and Gros Manseng (10%) with an alcohol level of 12%.
This wine had a medium golden color with star bright clarity. On the nose were notes of white blossoms, honey suckle, honeydew, cantulope, fresh orange blossoms, and wet stone minerality. On the palate were hints of white blossom, apricot, orange, and tropical fruits of pineapple and mango. Domaine La Salette had an oily consistence with a lingering soft, light finish with slight acidity. Overall, this was a delicious white wine that I will be purchasing again!