Unusual Suspects:

The right place, the right vine.

Saturday October 19th, 2pm

Folks have generation looking for the best place to grow different grapes.  Sangiovese does better in Tuscany that anywhere else.  Merlot is a unique character in Bordeaux.  Tempranillo reaches it’s peak in Rioja.  This Saturday we’re pouring some less usual wines that have also found their perfect place in the world.  We’ll be showing Jaquèrre, Siegerrebe, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc and Mourvedre from the places that those grapes grow best.  Come see what you think.

2011 Jean Perrier Apremont Jacquère $13
Jacquère is a white grape that is widely planted in the Savoy region of Eastern France along the Swiss border.  The Savoy landscape is distinctly alpine. Between lakes and mountains, the Savoy vineyards hang from slopes or clutch at hillsides in little islands that produce their special growth.  Perrier’s Apremont is a nice dry herbal wine with a full round body.  It matches perfectly with cheese fondue and other food of the region.

2011 Ansellmann, Siegerrebe Spätlese $16
Siegerrebe is a hybred cross between Madeleine Angevine and Gewürztraminer. The vine is suited to colder climates as bud-burst is late and fruit ripening is very early  It easily reaches a high must weight which is unusual in cooler climates.  Ansellmann’s Spätlese shows how well the grape does in the Paltz.  The wine is very aromatic with elegant, floral and fruity fragrances reminiscent of roses, mango, passion fruit and apricot. The taste is round, rich with a mild acidity and a long finish.

2011 Tabalí Reserve Carménère  $14
Carménère was originally planted in Bordeaux and used as a blending grape to help balance out the Merlot and Cabernet.  But it wasn’t until it was transplanted to Chile that it came into its own right.  Tabalí’s Reserva has a complex nose with spices, black fruit and chocolate, and a mouthful of smooth tannins.

2011 Les Villaises Saumur Champigny $13
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the common Bordeaux blending grapes, but it didn’t find its own limelight until sometime in the 17th century when Cardinal Richeliueu transported cuttings of the vine to the Loire Valley. The Les Villaises has notes of ripe cherry with a hint of violets, caramel and an earthy mineralness.

2010 Domaine Sorin, Bandol Rouge $25
Mourvèdre 85%, Syrah 10%, Carignan 5% 
Mourvèdre is the backup grape in the Rhone Valley, rarely exceeding 20% of the blend.  It also grows in Spain under the name of Monastrell.  But in Provence the grape comes alive finding a balance between full tannins, wild game and earthy notes and soft red fruit.

 

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