Club Corner
August '24 Rosé Club
France is renowned for its diverse wine regions, and many of them produce rosé wines. As of now, there are at least 12 major French wine regions known for making rosé: Provence - The most famous for rosé, known for its pale and dry style. Languedoc - Produces a wide range of rosés, often with a bit more body. Côte de Provence - A sub-region of Provence, famous for its rosé. Côtes du Rhône - Known for both red and rosé wines, often with a fruitier profile. Bordeaux - More famous for red and white wines, Bordeaux also produces rosé, often of the Bordeaux Clairet style. Loire Valley - Produces rosé in various styles, including the fruity Rosé d'Anjou. Alsace - Known more for its whites, but rosé is also made, often with a bit of a fruity character. Champagne - Primarily famous for its sparkling wines, Champagne also produces rosé, mostly as a sparkling version. Corsica - Produces rosé with a unique character influenced by its Mediterranean climate. Savoie - Known for its alpine wines, including some excellent rosés. Jura - Makes rosé with distinctive local character. Roussillon - Produces a range of rosé wines with a more robust style. This month we’ve decided to showcase a Bougueil rosé from the Loire Valley, and a Provence-esque rosé made in the Minervois region of the Languedoc. Just outside of the village of Benais, in the heart of the Touraine, sits the lovely Domaine de la Chanteleuserie. This “place where the larks sing,” as the name means, is perched on a limestone plateau in an idyllic landscape. Moïse Boucard, a respected vigneron whom Kermit Lynch discovered in 1976, has not only given his good sense of humor and modesty to his son, Thierry, but his winemaking skills, too. The seventh generation of winegrowers at Chanteleuserie and the second generation to be working with KLWM, Thierry now shares the domaine with his wife, Christine. This is the land of Cabernet Franc, better known locally as “Breton.” While some vignerons in the area add up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the Boucards make pure varietal wines. The Chanteleuserie vineyards enjoy full southern exposure on limestone and clay, with a subsoil of porous, chalky tuffeau that also provides cellars with naturally ideal aging conditions. Thierry keeps yields low and protects his harvest by bringing the grapes in quickly and keeping them cool during destemming. Temperature control continues during fermentation to preserve freshness and acidity, thereby avoiding the rude tannic bite found in some Bourgueils. The wines are later racked into foudres for additional roundness of texture and depth. Château Ste. Eulalie is located in the Minervois region of France’s Languedoc region, midway between Narbonne and the Medieval town of Carcassonne. The rugged Montagne Noire rises behind the chateau, marking the end of the Massif Central; to the southwest, the snowy peaks of the Pyrenees can be seen on the horizon. Narbonne and the Mediterranean lie 45 minutes to the south. It was purchased by Laurent and Isabelle Coustal in 1996, who have undertaken the entire renovation of the vineyards and chais. The estate is comprised of 34 hectares on terraces 200 meters above the town of La Livinière. Long regarded as the finest section of Minervois, La Livinière has now been recognized as an official “Cru de Languedoc” and is entitled to its own appellation. The stony clay and limestone soil is planted with Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault, with an average age of 30 years. The Domaine also includes some century-old Carignan and 70-year-old Grenache vines. Viticulture is organic and is Certified Sustainable. Think Pink, Carrie Upson Domaine de la Chanteleuserie Bourgueil Rosé Region/Country of Origin: Bourgueil, Loire Valley, France About the Winemaking: Rosé made 30% by saignée and 70% by direct press. Direct pressing helps with the fruit and aromatic finesse, and bleeding adds length and complexity in the mouth. Fermented in stainless steel tanks. No residual sugar or malolactic fermentation. Tasting Notes: This is a gorgeous Rose made from Cabernet Franc that is broad, generous and insanely gulpable. Herbal, dark berry and some tobacco on the finish. I love the texture here, the wine feels almost chewy there is so much fruit. Long, long finish. Winemaker: Thierry Boucard Price per bottle / Price per case: $18.99 btl / $205.09 case Suggested Food Pairing: Raw vegetables, cold meats, grilled chicken skewers, as an aperitif. Serve very cold. Château Ste. Eulalie “Printemps” Minervois Rosé Region/Country of Origin: Minervois, Languedoc, France About the Winemaking: Fermentation using the Provençal technique of direct pressing produces this vibrant, dry rosé. Aging is in neutral tanks. Bottling is in late December for maximum freshness. Organic and certified sustainable. 25% each Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre from up to 40 year old vines. Tasting Notes: The exuberant nose redolent of strawberries is followed by flavors of red currants and watermelon, a hint of licorice and a refreshingly dry finish. Owner: Laurent and Isabelle Coustal Price per bottle / Price per case: $19.99/$215.89 Suggested Food Pairing: Exceptionally good with Mediterranean cuisine and a little bit of spice such as tajine and pastilla.
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December 2023 Rosé Club
Back to France As you may recall, the Greeks and Phoenicians began producing wine a long time ago, and during this time, rosé was “invented”. The winemaking process involved separating the juice from the skins and seeds when it started fermenting. Since the color of red wine primarily comes from the skins, ancient wine initially had a pink hue. However, it would eventually turn tawny or brown due to exposure to air, as there were no bottles or sulfur dioxide available as protective measures. In due course, it was discovered that by exerting pressure on the remaining skins of the "free run" juice, a greater volume of wine could be extracted from each harvest. This wine had a deeper hue (as some pigment was released during the pressing process) and possessed a significantly stronger taste. Valuing efficiency (and profit), the Romans preferred this bolder wine - perhaps believing that robust wine produced formidable soldiers? The trend for dark wine dwindled after the decline of Rome, and throughout the centuries, pale wine was regarded as the superior variety enjoyed by nobles and monarchs, while the darker pressed wine was reserved for the common people (with the harshness frequently concealed by additives and spices). The resurgence of Rosé in France was fueled by the automobile, specifically the construction of highways connecting Paris to Provence and Languedoc after World War II, which led to an influx of Parisians traveling south in search of sunshine. Upon reaching the Riviera, French vacationers found themselves in need of a refreshing beverage. With limited options, as local wineries primarily produced red wines that were too heavy for the hot southern climate, they turned to the abundance of pink wine available, which proved to be a light, invigorating, and affordable choice. And so, the indulgence began! Our sparkling rosé comes from the House of Langlois-Chateau, which is based in Saumur in the Loire Valley. It was created in 1912 by Edouard Langlois and his wife Jeanne Chateau, with the help of the Baron de Bodman. In 1973, Maison Bollinger from Ay-Champagne acquired majority ownership of Langlois Chateau. Our still rosé comes from Chateau de Fontarèche. With a history dating back to the tenth century (the first mention of Fontarèche can be found in a deed dated 984), the Chateau de Fontareche consists of 200 hectares that is encircle by a moated fortress constructed in the 12th century by Archbishop of Narbonne. It has been in the ownership of the Comte de Lamy’s family for nine generations, but there is nothing remotely antique about the methods they now employ. The 160 hectares planted to vine lie equally in Corbieres appellation and the surrounding IGP’s. The multiplicity of terroirs in this expansive terrain enables them to grow no fewer than 17 different varieties, including some interlopers like Picpoul Noir. Think Pink! Carrie Upson- General Manager Langlois-Chateau Cremant de Loire Rosé Region/Country of Origin: Loire Valley, France About the Vineyards: Langlois-Chateau owns and manages 175 acres of the best AOC vineyards in the Loire Valley. For their Crémants they have an intensely terroir-focused approach of drawing the best characteristics from 6 distinct vineyard areas and soil types in order to create complex and refined wines. Soils: The Crémant Rosé is hand-picked from 2 specific terroirs with chalky-clay soils perfectly suited to Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. Farming: The winery maintains a sustainable approach to vineyard management and holds the “Terra Vitis” certification. About the Winemaking: Variety: 70% Cabernet Franc, 30% Pinot Noir Fermentation: Treated far beyond the category standards, Langlois-Chateau operates at levels of only the very top Champagne producers. Grapes are hand harvested in small bins, pressed gently and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Aging: At least 18 months on lees, with reserve wines incorporated. Tasting Notes: “ Made completely from Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir, aged 18 months on lees in bottle, this bright, juicy, delicious rosé sports a pink/salmon color as well as classic notes of strawberries, cherries, and flowers. It’s fresh, lively, and fruit forward, and perfect for drinking over the coming year or two” 91 Points James Suckling Production Manager: Jean François Liegeois Price: $27.99 bottle/ $302.29 Suggested Food Pairing: Salt and pepper prawns with pineapple dipping sauce, Cured trout with fennel salad and fish crackling, Tuna stuffed red peppers, Chicken cherry almond salad. Ch. de Fontarèche 2022 Piquepoul Noir Rose IGP Pays d'Oc Region/Country of Origin: Languedoc, France About the Winery: Currently led by winemaker, Vincent Dubernet, a fifth-generation oenologist who joined the team at Fontarèche as Director of Winemaking in 2008, Fontarèche produces an assortment of impressive wines sourced from their 160 hectares of vines planted equally in the Corbières AOC and the surrounding IGP’s. Of the more than 17 different grape varieties planted throughout their holdings, Fontarèche boasts four hectares of very rare Piquepoul Noir, which lends itself perfectly to rosé. Indigenous to the Languedoc, most of the vines were destroyed following the phylloxera epidemic. The 2022 vintage marks the first time that Fontarèche has produced a rosé exclusively from this fascinating grape. About the Winemaking: 100% Piquepoul Noir from a young plot planted in 2017. The grapes underwent an unsulfured machine harvest, before being destemmed and then crushed. The must saw skin maceration for 90 minutes in a closed-cage, stainless-steel press, long draining without pressure and limited rotations. After a gentle pressing with immediate separation of the fractions and a static cold settling (at 39 °F) for five days; the juice was carefully racked and fermented. The young wine saw lees contact for an additional ten days after alcoholic fermentation, before sulfur addition. No malolactic. The young wine was aged for three months in stainless steel before being gently fined and filtered before bottling. Tasting Notes: Faintly minty, with great backbone, the wine brings an original expression to the genre of southern French rosé that lifts it high above the crowd of banal if technically sound wines that drown the market. Pale salmon pink hue. Delicate scents of fresh red berries, followed by flavors of Alpine strawberries, tart cherries, raspberries and a touch of lemon flesh. Fresh, precise and graceful on the palate, this delicious expression of rosé exhibits balanced acidity and a softly fruited, slightly mineral finish. A real original. Winemaker: Vincent Dubernet Price: $16.99 bottle/ $183.49 Suggested Food Pairing: Shellfish platter, Cod fritters, Fried calamari, or tapas. Photo by Jaime Nugent on Unsplash
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