July Wine Club Wines

2015 Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Rosé - Loire Valley, France

Rosé is finally having its moment.   Once shunned because of a reputation for being a low-budget, innocuous and sweet, it’s finally emerged as the must-have wine for summer.  While we smugly sit here thinking, “we told you so” we are actually thrilled that rose now generates the appropriate amount of excitement.
That being said, just because it’s pink doesn’t mean it’s good.  Everyone is making a rosé these days, so how is one to choose?
  
You want the real answer? 

Taste a lot of them.  

Guess what? We’ve done that for you… I know, I know, how nice of us.   

After much arduous pink wine swigging and sloshing, we selected the very classy, very tasty Sancerre rosé from Pascal Jolivet.  Sancerre is a village in the eastern Loire Valley in France known for white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc and Red and Rose wines made from Pinot Noir.  The rosé wines from this area are generally a bit higher toned with lots of acidity and bright citrus notes.  Think fresh squeezed pink grapefruit and tangy strawberries coupled with the classic Sancerre "chalky" minerality.  
This rosé is a blend of both direct press and saignée juice (free run juice from just-crushed grapes).  Pascal Jolivet practices a minimalist winemaking style, allowing nature to take it's course, and focuses on natural wines that are easy to drink, not ‘technical wines’ that are heavy and don’t go with food. 
While this is a perfectly appropriate poolside beverage, don’t hesitate to pair it with a green salad with avocado, radish and citrus for a delicious summer lunch.  

2013 Domaine du Pas de L'Escalette "Les Clapas" -  Côteaux du Languedoc, France

For this month's red wine, we found Domaine du Pas de l’Escalette in Terraces du Larzac, a sub-appelation within the Côteaux du Languedoc in Southern France.   
Though the region has a history of winemaking that dates back to the Roman times, Terraces du Larzac wasn’t recognized as its own appellation until 2005.  Honestly, maybe it's because it was just too hard to get to--not long ago, mules were the main form of transportation around these hills.  It’s rugged to say the least.   

Thankfully some people aren't afraid of rugged...

After cutting his teeth as the winemaker at Domaine Pelle in the Loire Valley, Julien Zernott and his wife Delphine Rousseau decided to wander south to look for a new wine making opportunity.  In 2003 they found this off-the-beaten path estate with a collection of parcels already well situated and organically farmed.  The 15 hectares of mature vineyards are divided among almost 30 separate parcels nestled on high terraces supported by “clapas”, the local name for the stone walls that surround the vineyards planted on the limestone hillsides.  This is one of the coolest areas of the Languedoc, temperatures can vary as much as 68 degrees from day to night.  This diurnal swing allows the grapes to retain their lively acidity--a necessary component to a balanced finished wine.

The 2013 “Les Clapas” is a blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Carignan and 20% Grenache.  It's a medium-bodied wine full with notes of red fruits, dried flowers, spices, and savory herbs. Tannins are there, but are very fine and supple. Drink this with a hearty lamb dish to emphasize both the strength and elegance of this tasty wine. 

June Wine Club Wines

2011 Ludovic Chanson "Les Cabotines" Montlouis sur Loire

Oh Chenin Blanc, there’s nothing quite like it.  Exotically honeyed, yet taut, bright and briny, it is one of the most satisfying wines one can drink.   Upon first sip, a synesthetic drinker might even experience a vision similar to a photographer’s golden hour--a world bathed in warm sunshine and dreaminess. 

Well, maybe that’s taking it a little far, but there is something sunny about it…

I have a very distinct memory of my first Chenin Blanc experience.   French and funky, it was unlike anything I’d ever had.  Immediately I was entranced by its aromas of yellow apples, honeycomb and something else, something at the time I didn’t recognize, something savory and even salty.   This savory character has since been described to me as wet wool, wasabi, hay, ginger and oddly even coleslaw.  (I’m not sure I get the coleslaw thing, but you get the picture).   However you experience it, it’s unique to this varietal.

Though Chenin Blanc is now planted all over the world, the benchmark examples come from the Loire Valley in France. While Vouvray is perhaps the most famous appellation for Chenin Blanc production, lately Montlouis, its much smaller neighbor across the River  Loire has been gaining the affection of Chenin lovers everywhere.  Because of the cooler northern exposure and slightly sandier soils, wines from Montlouis can be a bit leaner and more mineral focused.   They are typically vinified in a dry or dry-ish style as opposed to Vouvray which can be dry (sec), half dry (demi-sec) or in-your-face sweet (moelleux).   Montlouis once had a reputation for austere wines of no great providence, but a new generation of growers has been working tirelessly to change that sentiment.  Many of them recognize the importance of organic farming, hand-harvesting to ensure ripeness and minimal intervention in the cellar, practices that have greatly elevated the reputation and the quality of this once underappreciated area. 

Ludvic’s wines are no exception.  In 2006 after spending 14 years in pharmaceutical research, Ludvic quit his job, purchased a plot of land in Montlouis and decided to pursue his wine hobby.  Just a decade later, and with no previous winemaking experience, he is widely recognized as one of the rising stars in the area. 

His 2011 “Le Chanson” Montlouis-sur-Loire is quintessentially Chenin-y with aromas of ripe yellow apples, honey and lanolin on the nose, and persistent mouthwatering acidity on the palate.  It is dry without being austere, holding the impression of sweet fruit without being cloying or heavy.  This wine begs for a cheese plate.  Despite popular belief, wine and cheese are not an easy match at every go of it, but this will work beautifully with most.  

2013 Lime Rock “Kota” Pinot Noir

For our red wine we travel to the northern island of New Zealand, to Central Hawke’s Bay, the oldest wine region in New Zealand.   This crescent-shaped region, which looks suspiciously similar to a pacific-lined bay nearby, is relentlessly sunny allowing for ample ripeness of both red and white varietals. 

This month’s Pinot Noir comes from Lime Rock Wines, aptly named after the limestone ridge formed from a 3 million year old seabed that stretches through Central Hawkes Bay.  A tromp through the vineyards at Lime Rock would reveal crushed barnacle shells embedded with large scallop and oyster shells, locally called kota, that can be as big as its namesake bottle.

The Lime rock winery was founded in 2000 by husband and wife winemaking duo Rosie Butler and Rodger Tynan just next door to Rosie’s family home on the “Limestone Loop” in Central Hawkes Bay.   The couple  spent the 15 years prior working in Australia, Rosie in oenology and viticulture and Rodger in Bio-diversity and ecology.  To describe their approach to farming and vineyard management, they coined the term “Vit-ecology”--the healthy combination of viticulture and ecology.   They believe minimal disturbance to the soils is key to preserve natural biological processes and site complexity.   Weeds and plant cover are welcomed in the vineyard and are recognized as nutrient recyclers and erosion protection for the soils.  Their high elevation steep vineyards have little risk of diseases thanks to the breezy weather and do not require large inputs of water, nutrients or energy.  I think it's safe to say these grapes are pretty happy; the wines can’t help but be lovely.  The highly drinkable 2013 “Kota” Pinot Noir is fresh and fragrant with with crunchy red fruit, dried citrus peel and a warm spiciness.  The palate is lush without being heavy and there’s a beautiful balance between ripeness of fruit, mellow acidity and silky tannins. 

Chill it 20 minutes prior to serving to optimize your Kiwine experience. 

May Wine Club Wines

2014 Lantieri Malvasia delle Lipari Secco, Sicily, Italy

This month’s wine comes from the Aeolian Islands, an archipelago in northern Sicily.    The photos alone are enough to make us want to flee for the nearest airport, but for your sake (these notes would be replaced by pictures of us chillin’ in volcanic mud baths) we will refrain for now.

It’s no surprise that we love volcano wine and will talk your ear off about it given the opportunity, so this especially rare selection was irresistible.  The grapes come from the island of Vulcano, one of 8 tiny islands that make up the Aeolian archipelago perched off the northeastern coast of Sicily.  This island by the way is only 8 square miles total…how there is even enough wine for the thirsty island dwellers, let alone enough to send all the way to California is beyond me, but I digress.

Wines from volcanic terroirs have often been described as salty, noticeably aromatic and surprisingly age worthy.  There are different ideas about why this may be, but I’ll spare you the details for now…all you need to know to enjoy this wine is that the black, loose and almost sandy soils found on Vulcano, produce a Malvasia that is rich with vibrant acidity and exuberant aromatics.

So let’s chat a bit about Malvasia.  The grape is used widely to describe a complex web of varieties that are typically ancient, most likely of Greek origin.  The name itself is a corruption of the Greek “Monemvasia,” the name of a bustling medieval port famous for the distribution of sweet wines of the Mediterranean.  Today, Malvasia is grown all around the globe and is responsible for many iconic dry and sweet wines. 

I mentioned earlier that this wine is an anomaly...that's because it's dry.  Most of the wines from Vulcano are intensely aromatic and sweet, made from dried grapes that have been withered in the sun.  The recipe hasn’t changed much since the 600s, so they must be doing something right, but sometimes the golden nectar of the gods is a little intense, and one just wants some light refreshing white wine, so at Lantieri, they make about 500 cases of dry wine as well.  

In the glass, the color of the wine coincidently matches the sunshine yellow of the label, which doesn’t always influence the taste, but in this case it helps.  The heady aromatics change from savory to floral to citrus oil-y with each swirl of the glass.  This wine is for dreaming about island vacations and warm patios.  If you’re feeling ambitious enough to leave your deck chair, sip this alongside grilled fish with a squeeze of lemon and some buttery olives.

2014 Clos du Caillou Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes, Rhone Valley, France (biodynamic)

Cotes-du-Rhone...a gateway wine for those looking to try something other than their usual "Pinots and Cabs".  Cotes-du-Rhone is an appellation in Southern France that stretches 125mi from Vienne in the north, to Avignon in the south, and from the foothills of the Massif Central in the west to the fore-slopes of the Vaucluse and Luberon mountains east of the town of Orange. Juicy blends of several different varietals are very common (mainly Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre), but the appellation is quite large, so quality can be  variable.  No doubt, you've played the grocery store gamble and ended up with something surprisingly decent for the price tag, but for you loyal soifeurs, we bring you arguably one of the best examples we've tasted.   This Cotes-du-Rhone is on a different level.  Here's why...

Le Clos du Caillou is located in Courthézon, on the eastern border of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation.  The  estate was purchased in the late 1800s to be used primarily as a hunting reserve (though the original owner did have the good sense to build a cellar for winemaking, which is still in use today).   All was well and good in the forest until 1923, when boundaries were being drawn up for the prestigious Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation.  The soil experts wanted to include the property in the newly formed appellation, but when they arrived to survey the land they were promptly met with a shotgun and a shouted warning to stay off the reserve.  They listened, so the property became (and has stayed) an island surrounded by Chateauneuf-du-Pape vines.  

The 2014 vintage is made from 85% 65 year old Grenache, 10% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre grown on the same stony soils that are found throughout Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The stones serve both as a protective layer to retain moisture during dry summer months as well as heat retainers during cooler nights.  

The wine has ample fruit and richness without feeling lazy or overripe. The Grenache provides the wine with pretty raspberry and red plum flavors while the Syrah and Mourvedre round out the structure. Typical Rhone scents such as lavender, incense and black truffle are to be found in this wine as well.   We are pairing this with a grilled pork chop with cheesy grits, braised chard and pickled blackberries.  

April Wine Club Notes

The leader of our Terroiriste Pack found two beauties from northern France. To celebrate springtime, we have crisp Chablis. For those who want something more chewy in their glass, we have a natural Chinon from old vine Cabernet Franc.

2014 Domaine Bernard Defaix Chablis, Burgundy, France (100% organic)
This Chablis comes from Domaine Bernard Defaix. This family started making wine in 1959. At the moment the fourth generation from the family is in charge. Since 2009 they have made their conversion into organic farming official under the auspices of Ecocert. The main goal of the brothers Sylvain and Didier is to preserve the characteristics of each terroir with which they work. With this 2014 Chablis they did a great job. The ’14 vintage is fine and mineral, very typical of Chablis. Their vines are spread over 12 hectares, and situated in the heart of the appellation. This wine is aged in stainless steel tanks so as to respect the typicity of the appellation. Except the minerality, you’ll find lemon, grapefruit and some green apple. It goes without saying that this wine will be perfect with your seafood platter.

2012 Luc Sébille Chinon “Les Débonnaires”, Loire Valley, France (100% biodynamic)
Our red comes from Luc Sébille. Raised on the farm, Luc was a dairy farmer until his forties. He then decided to change the course of his life and became a ‘vigneron’. He now farms 14 hectares of old-vine Cabernet Franc in the heart of the Chinon AOC in southwest Touraine. Luc was mentored by Olivier Cousin (one of the finest French natural winemakers from this time). Olivier taught him to plough by horse and inspired him to fully embrace organic viticulture. Luc doesn’t like the under-ripe, herbaceous taste of cab franc. He makes them velvety and appealing. You think umami, dark fruit and maybe even ink. It’s juicy and delicious! Serve it with goat cheese, spinach quiche and your classic steak frites

March Wine Club Notes

Domaine Jean Masson ‘vieilles vignes traditionelle’ Jacquère, Apremont, France

March’s white comes from the Alpine wine region of the Savoie, where
the vineyards are planted on the south and south-eastern facing
limestone slopes of the Chartreuse Mountains as the land climbs from
the Jura to the towering Alps. Apremont is one of the best known
villages in the appellation. The Domaine Jean Masson, located near the
village of Apremont, produces classic Savoie whites that have been
declared the new benchmark of quality in the region. They are intensely
flowery, with noticeably invigorating acidity.
Jean-Claude Masson and his son Nicolas are often seen as the best
winemakers in Apremont. From their 22 acres of vines they make a
series of wines to express all the subtle differences between the terroir,
often varying their vinification techniques as well.
This specific wine is made from 80 year old vine Jacquère aged in
stainless to preserve the freshness and unique character of the grapes.
On the nose there’s citrus, white fruits, and an alpine herbal quality that
one can only find in regions like this. The palate is dry and tart, with
exotic notes of star fruit and green apple and a firm mineral finish
thanks to the limestone soils of the area. Serve this tasty wine with a
young goat cheese, white asparagus, sole, trout, or mussels. You should
drink this wine as fresh as possible, so don’t feel guilty about opening it
right now!

2013 Brkić Plava Greda Blatina, Mostar, Bosnia Herzegovina (100% organic)

First things first. To prevent you breaking your tongue over this one, it’s
pronounced Burkitch and it’s downright fantastic!
Bosnia Herzegovina may not be a country you would associate with age
worthy, distinctive wines, (or wine in general) but then you haven’t met
Josip Brkićs wines yet. Just an hour’s drive from the Croatian coast, the
vineyards are situated 800 to 1300 feet above sea level in Southern
Herzegovina where grape cultivation dates back at least 2,000 years.
These grapes have a serious history and identity. Since the late 1970’s
Josip Brkić took over his father’s vineyard and has worked tirelessly to
make the wines recognized around the world. Grown on limestone soil
and farmed organic and biodynamic, the vines deliver top quality
grapes. “Greda” is the name of the vineyard where Josip sources the
indigenous Blatina grape for this wine. This multilayered, complex and
sophisticated grape is a descendent from the better known red grape,
Zinfandel.
It has a cold earthy character with a phenomenal natural balance of
acids and tannins and immediately pleasing flavors of plums, cherries,
and even coffee.
While one can wait another 5 years to develop deeper and more intense
flavors, the wine is delicious now. Drink it (now or later) with a crispy
duck breast with cranberry garnish or sticky barbecue pork ribs. 

February Wine Club Notes

2014 Champ Divin Chardonnay. Cotes du Jura, France (100% biodynamic)

This month, in order to balance the obscurity of our red wine selection,
we chose good ol' Chardonnay for the white wine. It would be very unterroiriste of us to choose just any old bottling, so we opted for a lively
and modern ouillé-style Chardonnay from the Jura in eastern
France. (The ouillé style is made by topping up the barrels as the wine
ages to replace the wine lost through evaporation). It's a departure from
the more traditional oxygen-loving nutty wines that have come to define
the region, but we love it's fresh appley fruit, electric acidity, and the
finish reminiscent of sweet almond cream. The wine has a brilliant
golden yellow color and charming aromas of pineapple and white peach.
The flavor’s fresh and lemony and has a beautiful structure. As no comté
would be required to enjoy this wine, it’s at her best with asparagus,
duck breast, scallops and pineapple carpaccio.

This Chardonnay comes from the Champ Divin estate situated at the
foot of the Jura’s first plateau on silty clay and limestone soils. The fact
that this winery is certified by Demeter doesn’t come as a surprise. Ever
since being kids in the 70s, both Valérie and Fabrice Closset-Gaziaux
have been close to nature. Their observing state of mind led them to
study Agriculture. After various advisory jobs in both France and
abroad, they decided to make their own wine in Gevingey, Jura. It felt
natural to change the entire existing vineyard into a biodynamic one.
They strongly believe in being part of a whole, a totality and a universe.
In seeking the best and purest grapes possible, a biodynamic agriculture
in which vines permanently interact with the different energies and
influences, it seemed the logical thing to do. Having tasted the result, we agree!

2013 Laderas de Sedella "Mediterranean Mountain Wine" Romé/Garnacha, Malaga, Spain (100% organic)

The wine ‘Laderas de Sedella’ is made from about 6 acres of hundredyear-old Romé and Garnacha vines. Romé is a dark-skinned grape grown mainly in the Axarquia region east of Málaga, Andalusia. It can also be found in the Sierra de la Contraviesa in Granada. It matures
pretty late and provides smooth, light red wines with aromas of flowers,
red fruits and sometimes vanilla. The garnacha grape gives this wine a
certain ripeness, tannins and structure.
Sedella Vinos is founded in 2006 as a project of winemaker Lauren
Rosillo who produces beautiful wines in other Spanish regions too. The
small vineyard on 2461 feet, located in Sedella, a small town of 400
people, has 6 acres of vineyards rooted in historical steep (45%!) slopes
of slate. Because of this enormous incline, the ground is cultivated using
draft animals and Roman plows.
For this wine, the Romé and Grenache vines age between 16 and 20
months in new French oak barrels. The wine has a deep blue color, high
intensity, violet on the edges and dense and stained tears. The aromas
are reminiscent of the natural environment, with notes of iodine, saltpits
and Mediterranean forests. It’s fruity and elegant. In the mouth,
sensations are soft, round, but fresh and have a pleasant aftertaste.
Although this wine is aged in new French oak, there’s no whiff of it, just
lovely scents of licorice and pine. It's concentrated, juicy and polished.
This wine is easily kept for another 4 to 5 years, but we’re not sure you’ll
be able to resist the temptation…

January Wine Club Notes

2014 Domaine Ostertag "Les Vieilles Vignes de Sylvaner", Alsace, France

Andre Ostertag is making Sylvaner look good.  Oft’ described as ‘bland,’ Sylvaner is a grape that makes the argument for influence of terroir.  The grape, which once reigned over as the most planted white varietal of Germany in the earlier 20th-century, was dethroned by Muller-Thurgau and later on, Riesling.  Despite it’s international reputation for ‘meh’-ness, in its more attractive expressions, it can be racy and angular or broad across the palate with a smokey perfume.  It is recognized as one of the more commonplace varietals currently planted in Alsace, although it is not classified as a ‘Noble’ grape of the region.

Ostertag has farmed Biodynamically since 1997 and is a bit of Seussian Lorax of the wine estate (you could argue ‘he speaks for vine & wine’).  Although admittedly intended as a little guffaw at the AOC/AOP, he has invented a system for classifying his own wine: ‘Vins de Fruit’ is wine that expresses the fruit character rather than the specific vineyard site, ‘Vins de Pierre’ expresses the soil of the terroir more readily and ‘Vins de Temps’ depends on time and weather that allows for successful botrytis rot growth.  These 40-year-old Sylvaner vines set their roots into clay, granite and gravel, but critics rave about Ostertag’s precise hand (or “caress”) in the vinification process.  Smokey, soapy, limey and floral, this wine is best enjoyed with fruits of the sea.