Photos from Domaine Jacques Selosse

Posted by | Posted in Grape Adventures | Posted on 08-20-2014

My recent trip to Champagne ended with a tour of Domaine Jacques Selosse, led by the legendary vintner himself, Anselme. Much has been written about Selosse, of course. And I added to that yesterday with my latest piece for Grape Collective.

One thing I didn’t mention? The 10-room hotel and restaurant he runs with his wife, Corinne. The hotel was beautiful, the food was exquisite, and the entire staff was charming.

Below are some photos from my visit to the winery.

An assortment of wines brought by visitors to the Domaine. Note the bottles from Arnot-Robert and Sandhi!

An assortment of wines brought by visitors to the Domaine.

Ham, slowly curing. (Check out my recent Grape Collective column for details.)

Ham, slowly curing. (Check out my recent Grape Collective column for details.)

 

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Barrel samples!

Labeling the bottles we selected to taste.

Labeling the bottles we selected to taste.

We opened the Version Originale, the 2002, and the Ambonnay Le Bout du Clos.

We opened the Version Originale, the 2002, and the Ambonnay Le Bout du Clos.

Discovering Greece’s Splendors

Posted by | Posted in Grape Adventures | Posted on 08-18-2014

Photo credit: Ed Comstock.

Photo credit: Ed Comstock.

When I told people I was going to Greece this summer, I received my share of odd looks. Didn’t I know that there was a financial crisis going on there? But I was going to Greek islands, well trodden on the tourist route, not even mainland Greece where, perhaps, maybe, I’d be more likely to experience problems.

Still, my interlocutors imagined mass strikes, poverty, violent protests, and worse. They seemed sure that — given their essentially “flawed” society, given that the chickens of European socialism had come home to roost — everybody in Greece must be miserable.

I saw none of that, nor, frankly, any sign at all of the economic downturn.

This is not to say, by any means, that there aren’t real problems that have befell the wonderful people of Greece, nor that many are not suffering from some very real difficulties. Rather, I’m saying that to imagine an economic collapse, or localized violence, as somehow essential to the fabric of such a great society — as indiscriminately and totally crashing across every place and every institution like a tsunami — is akin to imagining that Manhattan or Seattle are dangerous places to visit because there is violence in Flint, Michigan.

So here’s the point: if you have wanted to go to Greece, go. There is no better time. Don’t let anything stop you. Its land is still as eternal, its blue skies are still holy, and its people are still as authentically kind, unpretentious, and generous as when Henry Miller was there.

But when you do go, I suggest you be very careful in selecting your wines. For the most part, they are not good.

In fact, I’ve never experienced more science-project wines in my life. Read the rest of this entry »

Photos from Champagne Savart

Posted by | Posted in Grape Adventures | Posted on 08-14-2014

If there’s one grower whose popularity has exploded over the last year, it’s Frédéric Savart.

While at a small dinner party in Napa in February, two different guests arrived with bottles of Savart. When a New York attendee inquired about the producer, the Bay Area folks were shocked — “he’s the hot new grower,” they explained.

On Instagram, it sometimes seems as if Bryan Garcia (aka @corkhoarder) drinks Savart on a daily basis. Superlatives are used by Raj Parr whenever he pops open a bottle — which he seems to do quite regularly. Mike Madrigale is a fan. These are great allies for any wine brand.

It helps, of course, that Grand Cru Selections imports Savart’s wines. (Garcia works as a rep for Grand Cru.) And Fred, as he’s known, is quite active on Twitter and Instagram.

But his wines are the real deal.

Producing about 3,000 cases annually, it’s obvious that Savart’s goal is to make high-quality wine. He just happens to be in Champagne. That’s why some of his wines see malolactic fermentation and others don’t. Some see large oak barrels, some see small oak barrels, and others don’t see any oak at all. Dosage varies. It’s also why his vin clair was mind-blowingly delicious.

Hanging out with Fred on my visit to Champagne was a blast. Get your hands on these wines, because they’re only going to get even more popular. Below are some photos from my visit.

The three vin clairs tasted.

Three of the many wines tasted.

An oak barrel. I'd never seen one before.

An oak barrel. I’d never seen one before.

Frédéric is extremely photogenic.

Frédéric is extremely photogenic.

Explaining the different wines.

Explaining the different wines.

Brotastic.

Brotastic.

Photos from Champagne Krug

Posted by | Posted in Grape Adventures | Posted on 08-13-2014

There’s never been a better time to explore Champagne.

Since the dawn of global wine consumption, large producers like Moet & Chandon and Louis Roederer have dominated the Champagne market. That all changed in the late 1990s, when Terry Thiese began importing “farmer fizz.”

Wine geeks quickly became obsessed with growers in Thiese’s portfolio like Chartogne-Taillet, Vilmart, Pierre Peters, and Gimonnet. Today, it seems like there’s a hot new producer every month. Ulysse Collin! Vouette et Sorbée! Jérôme Prévost! Frédéric Savart! Sometimes, it’s hard to keep up.

But there’s still something special — heck, beautiful — about certain big-house Champagnes. One of my favorites is Krug. The NV offering (ahem, “multi vintage”) is without comparison. And all Krug’s wines effortlessly combine power with finesse.

Visiting Krug was certainly one of the highlights of my recent visit to France. Below are some photos from my visit.

Joseph Krug and a journal of his that was discovered just three years ago.

Joseph Krug and a journal of his that was discovered just three years ago.

One hallway (of many) in the cellar at Krug.

One hallway (of many) in the cellar at Krug.

Riddling racks.

Riddling racks.

The library. Sadly, it was behind a locked gate.

The library. Sadly, it was behind a locked gate.

The wines we tasted.

The wines we tasted.

Photos from Jean Foillard

Posted by | Posted in Grape Adventures | Posted on 08-12-2014

Earlier this month, I spent 10 days eating and drinking my way through France. (See here for details on my July 4th tour of Paris’ natural wine bars and retailers; Click on the winery names for photos of my July 9 visits to Chateau Thivin, Domaine Chignard, and Domaine Diochon.)

On the morning of July 10, I headed to Domaine Jean Foillard.

Together with his wife Agnès, Jean Foillard took over his father’s 35-acre domaine in 1980. Kermit Lynch had just started importing wines from the region, and it didn’t take long for him to fall in love with Foillard’s wines. Together with a handful of other producers in Morgon, Foillard was rejecting the temptation to churn out industrialized, oak-soaked wines designed for mass appeal. Lynch dubbed Jean Foillard, Marcel Lapierre, Jean-Paul Thévenet, and Guy Breton the “gang of four” — and praised them for holding onto Beaujolais’ ancient practices of viticulture and vinification.

The moniker stuck, and the four men helped save Beaujolais from itself.

I’ve been a huge fan of Foillard for years, and tasting the wines at the domaine was a spectacular experience. Below are some photos from my visit.

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A rainy morning in Morgon.

Waxing the bottles.

Waxing the bottles.

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The wines we tasted.

 

Photos from Domaine Diochon

Posted by | Posted in Grape Adventures | Posted on 08-07-2014

Earlier this month, I spent 10 days eating and drinking my way through France. (See here for details on my July 4th tour of Paris’ natural wine bars and retailers.) On July 9, after visiting Chateau Thivin and Domaine Chignard, I headed to Domaine Diochon in Moulin-à-Vent.

Located just across the road from the cru’s namesake, the 12.5 acre vineyard and winery was established in 1935. Its modern history begins in 1967, when Bernard Diochon succeeded his father.

Seven years ago, Bernard handed off the winemaking responsibilities to Thomas Patenôtre, a local vigneron. Bernard’s presence is still felt, though. The winery is his home, and while visiting, it was obvious that he still spends quite a bit of time in the vineyard and in the winery.

Below are some photos from my visit.

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The famous windmill.

Bernard Diochon.

Bernard Diochon. Check out the sweet ‘stache.

Thomas Patenôtre, showing us the pre-phylloxera vines.

Thomas Patenôtre, showing us the pre-phylloxera vines.

The vineyard at Domaine Diochon.

The vineyard at Domaine Diochon.

The wines we tasted.

The wines we tasted.

 

Thomas Patenôtre also likes to DJ.

Thomas Patenôtre also likes to DJ.

Patenôtre's cat.

Patenôtre’s cat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos from Domaine Chignard

Posted by | Posted in Grape Adventures | Posted on 08-06-2014

Earlier this month, I spent 10 days eating and drinking my way through France. (See here for details on my July 4th tour of Paris’ natural wine bars and retailers.) On July 9, after visiting Chateau Thivin, I met with Cédric Chignard, a fifth-generation vigneron in Beaujolais.

Domaine Chignard was founded in 1900 on a steep site in Fleurie known as “Les Moriers.” The vineyard slopes down into Moulin-à-Vent, and Kermit Lynch has described the resulting wines as “a marriage of the two. That explosive, floral Fleurie character emerges from an intense, regal, tannic, Moulin-à-Vent chassis.” In addition to 20 acres in Fleurie, the Chignards own a small hillside vineyard in Julienas. At both sites, the vines are more than 60 years old.

Below are some photos from my visit.

 

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Cédric Chignard.

An artistic shot!

An artistic shot!

 

Exploring the differences between Fleurie and Julienas.

Exploring the differences between Fleurie and Julienas.

The full lineup of wines tasted.

The full lineup of wines tasted.

 

Photos from Chateau Thivin

Posted by | Posted in Grape Adventures | Posted on 07-31-2014

Earlier this month, I spent 10 days eating and drinking my way through France. (See here for details on my July 4th tour of Paris’ natural wine bars and retailers.)

On July 9, I arrived in Beaujolais for a visit with Claude-Edouard Geoffrey at Chateau Thivin.

Chateau Thivin traces its roots to the 15h century, when it was built on an ancient volcano. Its “modern” history begins in 1877, when Zaccharie Geoffray purchased the property at auction. (Claude-Edouard, who manages the property today, is Zaccharie’s great, great grandnewphew.) When Kermit Lynch made his first trip to Beaujolais in 1979, Chateau Thivin was Richard Olney’stop recommendation” in all of Beaujolais.

Below are some photos from my visit.

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The welcome sign at Chateau Thivin.

Claude-Edouard Geoffrey, the fifth-generation proprietor of Chateau Thivin.

Claude-Edouard Geoffrey, the fifth-generation proprietor of Chateau Thivin.

 

St. Vincent, the patron saint of vintners, watching over the wines.

St. Vincent, the patron saint of vintners, watching over the wines.

Exploring the differences between Brouilly and Cote de Brouilly.

Exploring the differences between Brouilly and Cote de Brouilly.

Not Drinking Poison While Visiting Paris

Posted by | Posted in Grape Adventures | Posted on 07-23-2014

Aaron Ayscough at Aux Anges.

Aaron Ayscough at Aux Anges.

Earlier this month, I spent 10 days eating and drinking my way through France.

On July 4th, my trip began with a tour of Paris’ natural wine bars and retailers led by Aaron Ayscough of Not Drinking Poison in Paris. For wine geeks, I can’t imagine a better way to start a trip to France.

Our first stop was at Septime Cave, the wine bar from the team behind Septime and Clamato, two of Paris’ hottest dining spots. While there, we enjoyed two wines: Domaine Belluard’s 2010 Vin de Savoie “Mont Blanc” and Kenji & Mai Hodgson’s 2012 “Heart & Beat” rosé of Cabernet Franc.

Both were absolutely captivating. The sparkler came from Gringet, an obscure grape that’s native to the Savoie region — and barely exists. Aaron described the rosé — which saw 12 months in neutral oak — as “almost comically intellectual.”

Our second stop took us to Aux Anges, a small wine shop run by a young winemaker named Benoit Joussot. The shop’s selection was more conventional than expected — I recognized most of the labels — but we opened a fascinatingly interesting rosé-colored white wine.

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Septime Cave.

The Domaine Le Roc des Anges’ 2013 “Les Vignes Métissées” incorporated 15 local grape varieties (red, gray, and white) — all picked at once and co-fermented as a white wine. The acidity was electric, and if it weren’t for a hint of tart red fruit, it could have passed for a Sauvignon Blanc. It was delicious.

Next, we visited Cru et Découvertes, a gem-filled shop with overflowing shelves. There, we explored sulfur with two wines from La Ferme des 7 Lunes, a small, biodynamic winery in Saint Joseph. We compared the winery’s basic Saint Joseph bottling to its “Chemin Faisant,” which sees no addition of sulfur at bottling.

The differences were striking — and the opposite of what I expected. While the “normal” Saint Joseph showed tart, fresh fruits and focused aromas of meat, pepper, and black olive, the “Chemin Faisant” was darker and murkier, but somehow more compelling.

As Aaron put it, “the sulfured Saint Joseph is like seeing a painting on the clean white wall of a gallery – it’s curated and you know what qualities to look for – while the unsulfured version is like encountering the same painting in the home of collector, where it’s complemented by furniture, a piano, a bowl of fruit, etc.”

Finally, we visited Le Siffleur de Ballons, a popular wine bar and shop from Thierry Brumeau, the sommelier-restaurateur behind L’Ebauchoir, a neighborhood bistro. (Interestingly, Brumeau once worked for Michel Richard in Washington, DC.)

While there, we opened a 2011 Domaine Lise et Bertrand Jousset “Singulière,” a Chenin Blanc made from a small parcel of 100+-year-old in vines in Montlouis. The wine (and cheese we ate there) was awesome.

For those who aren’t familiar with Aaron’s blog, be sure to add it to your list of regular reads. It’s a great resource for discovering natural wines and keeping up with the Paris wine scene. And if you’re visiting Paris anytime soon, be sure to sign up for one of his tours!

Val d’Aosta: The Corner of Italy

Posted by | Posted in Grape Adventures | Posted on 06-11-2014

Val d’Aosta. From Wikipedia.

Val d’Aosta. From Wikipedia.

Last week, I tried a wine from a region that I’d long had my sights on. The region called me through the pictures I’d seen of its rugged, steep landscape and the stories I’d read of the cultural mash-up between Italians, French, and even Germans.

It was a wine from Val d’Aosta.

Val d’Aosta is the autonomous region in Italy’s northeast corner, smack in the foothills and shadows of the Alps. Over the years, Val d’Aosta has been ruled by many – but the community has always been reclusive and kept to itself. This shows in the wine.

Only the most knowledgeable wine buffs could recognize half the varieties that are allowed in the all-encompassing Val d’Aosta DOC. The viticulture is centered around the southwest flowing Dora Baltea river, which traps heat and reflects light to the vines, most of which peer south to the river, not unlike in Germany’s Rheingau.

Varieties in Val d’Aosta range from the well-known — like Nebbiolo (called Picotener or Picotendro, locally), Gamay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay — to the local specialties, like Fumin, Petit Rouge, Petite Arvine, and Prié Blanc.

The wine I recently enjoyed was from a variety I’d never heard of: Cornalin

Specifically the 2010 bottling from Grosjean Freres.

Few wines from the region are exported, but this variety has a solid following locally. The only other place I’ve even found it mentioned is in Switzerland, in the Swiss Grand Cru appellation of “Conthey” in Valais.

On the nose, the wine delivers handfuls of dried sweet spices, craisin, spent violets, and lots of rocky earth. The soils in Val d’Aosta are stony, glacial leftovers with a mix of sand and limestone, distributed rather evenly throughout. Aspect and elevation create the differences in microclimates.

The palate offered juicy yet tart red fruits, savory and sweet spices, and a solid, rustic grip, not unlike what I’d expect from a local Picotener. As expected, the acidity was bright but not painful. The valley sees a lot of sunlight as it is shaded by mountains from harsh weather, but the nights are always brisk.

The wine was tremendously complex, especially considering it’s aged only in steel. Without question, it’s one of the most dynamic reds I’ve tasted that hasn’t seen oak. I’m looking forward to opening some of these bottles at the restaurant this summer if any guests as for a complex red that isn’t brooding.