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…
