Farmstead Cheeses and Wines: Jeff's Blog

This was our last day of the ‘Death March with Foie Gras’ and most of the group was looking forward to it being over. 

Strangely, I felt newly revived and was eager to visit Sancerre and Calvados,  our last two stops before going to Paris that evening.

Our first stop was about an hour and a half from Amboise, and not far from our last tasting/visit in Vouvray. 

Jean Reverdy et Fils Sancerre has been in the shop on and off since we opened, and I’ve always appreciated how the wine functions as both a great introduction to the AOC and how it far exceeds expectations for the price, and after tasting the 2011 vintage and tank samples from 2012.  Be looking for it to reappear on the shelves before too long.

But the surprise of the visit was their 2012 Rosé – Sancerre Rosés are typically so high in acid and low in fruit that drinking them – while certainly a bracing experience – doesn’t deliver the drinking pleasure that many folks expect from a rosé.  I’d been hearing that 2012 was a disaster in the north of France, wine-wise, but this ’12 rosé was the bomb – great acidity to be sure, but with a nice core of raspberry granita fruit and white strawberries!

We tasted through the Sancerre Blanc, Rosé and Rouge – the whole lineup was fantastic.  I am generally not a fan of Sancerre Rouge, finding that the Pinot Noir flavors to be too muted and overwhelmed by the minerality, but the 2010 was balanced and had a lot going on.

After that tasting, there was a small lunch  – Christophe and his new bride were gracious hosts, and prepared a thoughtful meal for us- green salad, a beet and ham salad, a potato gratin, and some really great Jambon de Sancerre – a locally made ham that is lightly smoked over grapevine cuttings!

Then we took a short tour of Sancerre and its vineyards, stopping to walk through Reverdy’s Reine Blanche vineyard and to a beautiful overlook of the entire region from the town center.

We bid Christophe adieu,  and piled in the vans for the drive to Calvados Morin, at the eastern edge of the appellation, about an hour and a half outside of Paris.

Calvados Morin is a Veilleur of Calvados – they don’t grow the fruit nor do they distill the product – their expertise is in aging the Brandy, and at that they are experts!

Prior to the visit, I knew very little about Calvados, except that it was made from apples, and I was even wrong about that!  Most if not all Calvados is distilled from a combination of apples and pears – sometimes up to 35% pear eaux de vie!

In the lesser aged ‘Calva’ (3-7 years), the pear adds a bright, fruity component; and in the more aged brandies, the pear flavors drop out and add a caramel base to the complex apple flavors.

So here’s how it works – the recently distilled brandy comes in from the six or seven distillers that work with Morin, and the juice is transferred – separated by each distiller – to very large oak tanks – fifteen feet tall ovals that hold thousands of gallons 

These are holding vessels that will allow the young Calvados to settle and rest for a month or two.  Then each tank is tasted by the Master Blender, and the juice is transferred to either 350 liter Taransaud barrels or larger foudres for up to two years, depending upon the quality of the brandy. 

The Calvados spends time in various vessels, being racked somewhat frequently – every six months or so – as unlike wine – the more the stuff is manipulated – racked and transferred, the more refined and complex the flavors become. 

Morin bottles a young Calva – 3-4 years of age that is their most popular, then a 5-7 year version, then stepping up to 10-12 years, 15-18 years, a 20 years pays d’Auge, 22-25 years, and a very special bottling – Age Incconnu – which is bottle aged in their damp and moldy cellars for an additional 10-20 years!

We tasted through the line – with the excpetion of the Age Inconnu of course (it costs about $270/bottle) – each new level brought more depth and complexity!

What a valuable and educational time!

Then we piled back into the van for the drive to Paris – through a mild but wild looking snow storm!  We arrived at the Hotel de la Bordonnais in the 7th nearby to the Eiffel Tower.  

Thirteen Days, thousands of miles and calories traveled to and stuffed in, and nearly 400 wines and spirits tasted, studied and drunk! 

Most of our crew had fallen ill at sometime during the trip – I had a mild foot injury that hampered me for the first few days and a bout of some mild gastro distress for an additional few days – but I feel lucky that I wasn’t felled as badly as were my other travelling companions!

All in all a fabulous, educational, grueling, interesting, amazing, frustrating, fun trip!

We arrived in Mt St Michel in time for dinner; I was anxious to try to the celebrated Agneau de Pré Salé – lamb that has been fed on the salty marsh grasses of the region.  

The restaurant was just across the way from our hotel, and our table was set and waiting for us.   Remebering the great quality of seafood from here, I orderd some oysters and langoustine – briny and fresh from the sea.  Amazing.

Then came the lamb – rosy and pink, drizzled with a bit of salt, accompanied by potatoes and some salad.   The lamb had a profound saline quality that was at the base of the flavor profile.  I’d never had anything quite like it before! 

We drove a long way from Bordeaux to Mont St Michel in order to be able to see this island monastery in the morning before it opened.  We woke well before dawn and walked the 1.5 mile causeway, the only sound was our footpads and the only sight, the hazy outline of our feet in the light mist.   I felt like a “pellerin” or pilgrim, who would walk across the sands during low tide to seek absolution from the Benedictine monks who lived in the Cloitre des Merveilles.

I had been to Mt St Michel four times before, and it is quite amazing, but always full of people – so many that in the summer, it is nearly impossible to walk across the street without difficulty.

We had heard that if you get to the top, where the Monastery is, at dawn, you can hear the monks chanting vespers; this was untrue, but it was still nice to be able to wander the streets of the quaint windy village before the busloads and busloads of folks arrived.

After a while we hunkered down in a coffee shop waiting for the Abbey to open.  Then, at 9:30 we reclimbed the hill and were the first inside – a great and rare pleasure to be able to see one of the great wonders of the world in silence – as it was constructed to be appreciated.

Then it was back in the vans for the drive to the Loire Valley.  We arrived in Chinon at mid afternoon.  It was great to see the Troglodite homes – carved from the soft Tuffeaux into the cliffs.  We drove through the town and out into the countryside to the southeast .

We arrived at Domaine Rouet, and were greeted by Jean Francois – winemaker, owner and proud biodynamic farmer.  

We sat in his parent’s living room at the Domaine and tasted through the wines – a well made by a bit overly  extracted rosé, a bright  tank aged Chinon, and  two oak aged wines.  What impressed me most about the wines was the great minerality, surrounded by nice confit cherry fruit.

The oak aged wines were precise with great fruit, without being overwhelmingly encumbered by the wood, and the basic red had varietal typicity, nice length and lots of freshness. 

We left Rouet for the relatively short drive east to Vouvray to taste the wines of Chateau Gaudrelle, made by Alexandre Monmousseau. 

I’d met him before with Fran Kysela and like his wines very much.  They didn’t disappoint in his cellar either , including an amazing 30 yr old version of one of his dessert Chenins!

We left our hotel and drove south to Barsac to visit with Chateau Gravas, an excellent producer whose property is situated between two better known producers – Chateau Climens and Doisy Daenes.

The wines were very well constructed, and it was great to taste the much maligned 2012 vintage in barrel – despite what Ch. Yquem may of said, 2012 will be a solid vintage,  with great sugar acid balance.   The piece de resistance was the bottle of 1984 Barsac he poured -  nutty brown, with a loooooong finish!

Then we drove the short drive to Cadillac to visit Chateau Suau, an organic estate run by Monique Bonnet.  I’ve known Monique for several years through Fran Kysela – so I was looking forward very much to seeing her estate.

We drove the perimeter of her vineyards, Monique’s American husband pointing out the various plantings, the birdhouses installed to attract beneficial wildlife.  We arrived at her very neat production facility, barrel chai, and then climbed the stairs to her very homey meeting/tasting room for a tasting and much anticipated home cooked meal. 

Monique’s wines are very well made – textbook petit chateaux, with a precision that you don’t find in wines at this price level.  I especially liked her l’Artolie, a Merlot based cuvee that is fermented in specially designed 500 liter barrels.

Monique is quite an accomplished chef, and I loved the pumpkin soup and braised veal stew.   I also enjoyed playing with her new dog – Gallia – a very gentle St Charles Spaniel, who was quite content to let me pet her ad infinitum.

We left the hotel early for the drive to Cahors, a two hour drive. I was looking quite forward to visiting Chateau Ponzac, as I knew they were producing great wines. We pulled off the Autoroute, onto a small Departmental route, and after a few miles approached the beautiful Quercy farm of the Chateau.  We were warmly greeted by Mattieu and Virginie, owners of the estate; Olivier, marketing manager;  winemaker Pascal Verhaeghe who also owns and makes wines at the famed Ch. du Cedre, and Matthieu’s very friendly Berger du Beauce dog.

We walked around the estate a bit, Pascal and Olivier explaining about the different quality levels of Cahors, and the specific terroirs of this estate.  The estate makes three different cuvées, two of which are exported to the US – Maintenant – grown on limestone soils which has a fresh mineral core and bright spicy fruit, Patiemment, a cuvée of older vines grown on clay and limestone soils, and finally Eternellement, grown on a unique clay soil that is barrel fermented using a method that Pascal learned from Rene Barbier at Clos Mogador in Priorat.    

We returned to the family home for a tasting of the wines and a great traditional lunch of duck bones, saffron rice, cepes/porcini mushrooms and Rocamadour cheeses.

The wines were as good as expected, and the Eternellement was astounding – the older vintage we tried was perfectly integrated with deep flavors, a nice core of acidity and a broad mouth feel.

We left Avignon early, it was to be a long day and like every day on this trip, we had a lot of mileage to cover.

Our first stop would be in the southern Rhone, then Provence, then the Languedoc. I spied the famed Dentelles de Montmirail rock formation in the distance; we were approaching Vacqueyras.

We pulled into town, made a quick succession of turns and wound up at a beautifully rustic farm – Domaine de la Colline St Jean – home to a very nice, but rustic Vacqueyras.

The tasting room was off the courtyard and very typical for the region – rustic beams and a musty wine smell.  The three wines were fruit forward and pleasant enough (although plagued by a bit of Brett) as were the cassis-filled chocolates that accompanied the tasting. 

We left Colline St Jean for neighboring Beaumes de Venise to taste the wines of Domaine des Bernadins, one of the leaders in the region.  We were met by 7th generation winegrower Elizabeth Hall, whose grandfather actually established the AOC in 1943!

Domaine des Bernadins is a beautifully manicured farm, and the tasting area is filled with history – ancient bottles of Muscat lining the walls, along with many awards from wine fairs and competitions.  

We tasted through the wines – the dry Muscat was nice, simple and floral, the regular cuvée of the sweet Muscat was textbook – bright flavors and a lingering finish; the red was good as well.  But the piece de resistance was a special wine called “Hommage”, a cuvée of five different years of Muscat Beaumes de Venises, blended and then aged for an additional five years.  Layered, complex, honeyed and mouthfilling without being unctuous – this was a special wine!!

We piled back into the car for the drive south to Provence. 

As we drove south the sun shone brighter and brighter; it’s no wonder why folks flock to Provence – it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth!

We passed Aix en Provence and headed towards Marseille, passed Mt. St. Victoire made so famous by Cezanne and along the Cengle, a famous rock formation, got off the highway and arrived at Ch. de la Galiniere – a beautiful modern complex built at the foot of Le Cengle. 

I love modern architecture, and this building, which incorporated rustic features like local stone and deep wood touches, was stunning.

We were met yet again by Fabrice, our host in Burgundy, the Rhone, and now here – for this was another Sauvestre property – by the way, Sauvestre has exquisite taste and makes great wines.  In fact, I discovered that we’ve been selling the wine of La Galiniere for years – under the Le Cengle rosé label.  Turns out that Fran Kysela markets his own version of the wine – same wine, different label.

It was great to taste the 2012 vintage – that signature pink grapefruit aroma and flavor was there in full force – it looks like 2012 will truly be a great vintage for French rosé!! 

We piled back into the van for the drive west, past through the Rhone to the Languedoc, to meet a new producer for Kysela – Clotte Fontaine.  The estate, a 12th century fortified farmhouse, has been lovingly and intelligently restored by Phillipe Pages a Renaissance man who, besides making wine, raises bulls and horses for bullfighting, makes his own paper, and is quite a student of French history!

His gravity flow winery is pristine – and the wines produced there – the reds from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre; the one white wine from a blend of Chardonnay, Roussanne and ten other varietals, are feminine and round, with deep layered flavors, that despite their apparent sexiness, have a nice core of acidity and a good sense of structure.   Each of the wines was more layered than the one previous, and will be coming into the shops before too long. 

I could have stayed there for hours, tasting and chatting with Mr. Pages, but the pace of this trip is grueling, and there is little time for lingering.  It is a place that I’ll return to though.

The drive Southwest to Beziers was pleasant – as night was falling I could see the Etang de Thau to the south – a great oyster producing pond – the land had flattened out, and the weather was very mild.

We pulled into the parking lot of the large Cave Coop of Pomerols, makers of the Picpoul that we’ve been selling since day one at Farmstead, and I was impressed by the enormity of the complex.  This was a million bottle per year facility, large stainless tanks everywhere.

It was fun to taste the Picpoul as tank sample and as a finished product, along with several other of the Pomerols offerings.  Year in and year out they make consistent, fun and east to drink wine.  Kysela pretty much created the Picpoul category in the US; it’s a brand that we’ll carry forever.

We left the hotel early to taste the Crozes Hermitages and Hermitage of Domaine des Colombiers, a small but well kept estate just outside of Tain l’Hermitage.  The wines were well made, but served a bit too cold to overcome Syrah’s inherent reductive nature.  The proprietor Florent Viale was pleasant though and showed great pride in showing us his small chai where the 2012 Hermitage was undergoing maloactic fermentation.

We piled into the van to drive south, for today would be a busy day – five more wineries before we see a hotel room! 

But today would also be a day where we visited three of the most important wineries in Kysela’s portfolio – Grand Veneur, Mordorée and Segries .

Our first stop was Clos de Miran, a beautiful facility owned by Vincent Sauvestre and operated by the very passionate Dominique  and Natalie Djedarouai.  The Djedourai’s have converted the estate to organic viticulture and follow the biodynamic lunar calendar.  They are starting to plow the rows by hand using Cesar, their large draft horse. 

The winery is housed in a coverted Maison de Campagne – a wealthy manor house, and contains all modern winemaking facilites – cement and stainless fermenters, automatic punchdown machines, etc.   The wines are varietally correct Cotes de Rhones and CdR Villages, with a decent sense of place and terroir.

Next up was Domaine Grand Veneur, whose 2010 Veilles Vignes Chateauneuf was just awarded 100 points from Parker (unfortunately ‘unobtanium’, but we do have plenty of the 97 point 2009).

We tasted through the entire line. starting with the whites and roses, trough the Cotes du  Rhones, to  the Chateauneufs, each level precise, regionally and varietally correct, with each level progressing in layers of complexity and ageability. 

The entire present generation of Jaume family was present, two brothers and baby sister, guiding us through the nearly 25 wines in the tasting!

Then it was a small lunch of local crudités, some Caillotes (caul-wrapped balls of spinach and pork – amazing), local goat cheeses and plenty of Chateauneuf du Pape! 

During the lunch was a small blind tasting of two wines - tasted side by side.  One was tired, brownish, but with interesting deep flavors; the other seemed years newer, bright, with great acidity 

We went around the table  and tried to divine what the wines were .  I surmised that the first was a Cotes du Rhone from the mid 90s and the other was a Chateauneuf from perhaps three vintages past – 2007 or 2008. 

Boy was I wrong!!  Both were from 2000 and both were Chateauneufs!  The one that had gone south was the very famous  Vieux Telegraphe, while the other was Grand Veneur – same vintage, but with very different results!!

Then we drove out into the vineyards to see the terroir of Chateauneuf and to see the single vineyard Champauvins site.  Large galet stones and not much soil!!

Next up was a relatively new producer or Kysela – Domaine Corneloup – where the charming and proud proprietor (and her very cute dog)  presented tank samples of her very well made Tavel Rosé.  If you know Farmstead, you know we love Tavel Rosé, and it will be great to offer one at a lower price point than the ethereal but not cheap Mordorée.

Speaking of which, it was time to leave for Mordorée, a domaine much beloved by Farmstead – we’ve carried their Tavel, Cotes du Rhone, Lirac and Chateauneufs since opening the shops, so I was excited to finally meet Christophe Delorme, the winemaker. 

I had met Christophe’s brother Fabrice several times in the States – Fabrice handles the marketing and sales, and is a great ambassador for the family estate, but Christophe doesn’t like to travel.

It was past nightfall when we arrived, so there was not much to see beyond the tasting room, but Fabrice and Christophe were warm, inviting and informative  as we tasted through their lineup of organic whites, rosés (four, count ‘em four!) and reds. 

I especially liked the regular Tavel, the reserve Tavel, and the Lirac – all 2012 tank samples, that when finished will be arriving in the shops.       

We toured the small but efficient facility, and said goodnight, for we still had one more stop before bed – Segries  – whose Lirac has been a mainstay in the shops for years.   We were warmly greeted by Henri de Lanzac, patriarch and now retired winemaker, his daughter Anne and her husband, who has taken over the winemaking duties from Henri.

We tasted through the 2012 lineup – with the Lirac and Tavel standing out.  The conversation and wine were pleasant and fun.   And then Anne brought out platters of Foie Gras and black Truffles , the truffles found by friends of Henri from the nearby forests!
 
We literally gorged ourselves on the local delicacies, washed down by Tavel and Lirac.   Good times!

Then we said goodnight and headed to Avignon for a well deserved rest; for today we sampled almost 60 wines!

The drive from Beaujolais to the Rhone was short = about an hour, but the second that you passed through Lyon, you could tell that you were in another country – the south of France.  The light was different and everything seemed – less heavy.   We started to see vineyards through the light fog…Cote Rotie!!!

Guillaume took a side road and we started to climb, and climb, and climb.  The road got narrower, and narrower, and steeper, and there were switchbacks and it got even narrower!
 
We pulled over to look out over the steep hillside down to the valley and river far below.  Vines all the way down to the highway…..

We then drove to Tournon, across the river from Hermitage, to check into the hotel before starting our relatively short day of tasting.  Today would focus on some of my favorite wines – the whites and reds from the northern Rhone Valley – Marsanne/Roussanne, Viognier and Syrah.

Our first stop was up valley, back to Cote Rotie to taste the wines of Joel Champet.  We entered the quite funky winery – part construction site, part tool shed, and part barrel room. 

We tasted their 2011 Cote Rotie, from assembled bottle sample, hogshead and foudre, and were very clearly able to taste the various flavor components that went into the assemblage. 

This third generation winery owns 5 hectares throughout the appellation, some hillside, some at the plateau on top, and each area produces a different wine.  The resultant wine is a 6% Viognier co-ferment. 

2011 will be a medium vintage here, very well balanced, and unlike many Cote Roties, ready to drink upon release.

We bid adieu to Champet for the short drive to St. Peray / Cornas to taste the wines of Johan Michel, a relatively new producer that makes Cornas and St. Peray of great power and finesse.  Johan and his wife are very friendly, if a bit shy and circumspect around strangers, but their  winery, a charming medieval farmhouse warren of buildings that is being lovingly restored, speaks volumes.  It’s a place where one feels immediately comfortable – rustic surfaces enlivened by some whimsical touches.

We went to the small chai to taste through barrel samples of the 2012 vintage.   First off, we tried his St Peray Blanc, a barrel finished blend of Marsanne and Roussanne- witrh explosions of peach and grassy notes erupting from the grassy base, and the wine’s pleasantly oily mouthfeel was spot on!  This was a very good, no GREAT Marssanne Roussanne, or would be in a few months when it was bottled. I sure hope that Fran decides to bring it in to the USA!

Then came his younger vine cuvée – an aoc wine of fruit from his Cornas vinyards, from vines too young to qualify for the appellation.   Well balanced and varietally correct – a really good introduction to Johan’s red wine stylistic profile.

Then we tried his two Cornas – one from  50% hillside fruit and 50% bottom of the hill fruit that was whole cluster fermented, an the other, Cuvée Jana, that was 100% destemmed, with a greater proportion of hillside fruit.  Smoke and Bacon fat on the nose, a grapey attack, with bold  yet precise syrah flavors – and that was   just the ‘entry level’ Cornas! 

We tried the prestige cuvée next, and wham! – textbook northern Rhone complexity and length, but with none of the grip and restrained flavors that one is used to in Cornas (a wine that used to take at least 10 years too ‘come around’, but whose patience was amply rewarded.

We then tried the same wines – previous vintage.  Again textbook wines of clarity, finesse, power and length.  This guy can make some wines!  Hopefully we’ll see some of them in the shops in a few months.

Then it was off to the valrhona shop in Tournon to buy some of their world class chocolqte – they were really the first place to produce amazing artisanal chocolates and started the revolution that we see now in the US with small batch, origin specific chocolates.

Then up the hill to the chapel at the top of the  famed hill of Hermitage to see the vines, take some photos an admire the views at sunset.  It was bracingly windy and cold, but the views were stupendous  and it was amazing to be able to walk through some of the most famous vines in the world!

Today was to be a difficult day – five appointments, ranging from Meursault to Beaujolais – not an easy task, but not insurmountable either.

We started the day at Domaine Chavy Chouet – a rustic estate in Meursault run by Romaric Chouet, who has recently taken over the reigns from his father Hubert.

Chavy Choet makes wines from Puligny, Meursault, Volnay and Pommard.  I was especially enamoured with their Bourgogne Blanc “Femelottes” bottling, a wine from a plot just outside the Puligny appellation – a creamy yet steely wine with good length and finish, and their Meursault Premier Cru Narvaux with a soft mouthfilling palate, a good core of minerality, a splash of good acidity and a nice long finish.

After the tasting (of reds, white, bottled and barrel samples) we walked a short bit to the family’s single vineyard site right in Meursault – the quite charming walled vineyard – Clos de la Citeaux.  As always, it was nice to be able to walk the dirt and see from where the wine cometh.

We piled back into the van for the relatively short drive to Domaine Guillemot Michel in Viré Clessé.  We were met by Pierrette and her daughter Sophie, who showed us the immaculate winemaking facility, located at the back of the family estate.  The wine is certified biodynamic, and the Guillemots are certainly living the organic life – a lovely fruit and vegetable garden, compost pile, etc.

They make one wine – a Viré Clessé, and we tasted through several vintages as well as a tank sample.  The wines were pristine and precise, with a bright lemony attack and a great mineral core – a wine that would make someone who says they don’t like Chardonnay to completely change their mind!

Then, the tiny estate of Michel Delorme, a rustic place in Vergelesse in the Pouilly Fuissé AOC – lovely folks, lovely place, and some pretty kick *** Chardonnay from southern Burgundy!

Next up was the Cave de Lugny a large Cave Cooperative where we tasted some component samples.   The finished product – an entry level Macon – might be making it into the shops someday.

Then we drove South – to Beaujolais – to sample wines and to dine with the folks from Manoir du Carra, who make some very interesting Beaujolais (a word one never really expects to hear with that region). 

The two wines of interest for me here were a Beaujolais Blanc – a bright and lightweight Chardonnay that had some real zing, and a Moulin A Vent where the grapes had been destemmed (not made with Carbonic Maceration as 90% of Beaujolais are).  The wine has complexity and depth, and the 5-10% oak aging gave the wine a serious note that you’d never associate with Gamay!

Then came dinner – local cured meats, Poulet de Bresse (the world’s only AOC chicken!), potatoes from the region, and local cheeses.   All in all a great day!!

The three hour drive from Alsace passed uneventfully. Despite some gastro illness coursing throughout the van, our small group was coalescing nicely, an added bonus on this 15 day trip throughout France.

Today we’d be tasting wines in Burgundy, and it was very cold – for me, tasting the subtle and sometimes elusive wines of Burgundy can be  a difficult tasting assignment – as Burgundy doesn’t begin to express itself unless I am in a place of solitude and contemplation, and a cold and moldy cellar isn’t very conducive to that. 

But I digress….

Our first stop was to taste the wines of Maurice Ecard, producer of some stunning wines from Savigny es Beaune .  Maurice has gotten old, and there was no clear succession of the business to his sons, so the winemaking and viticulture responsibilities were turned over to Vincent Sauvestre – who produces several wines already in the shop.

We were warmly greeted at the Sauvestre facility in Meursault by Fabrice, the company’s export manager, who walked us through the impressive gravity flow winery.   When we exchanged business cards, he looked at mine and said “Farmstead!  I know your shops in California.”  It turns out he is good friends with the Sauvestre rep in California and and is aware of almost every sale in Northern CA, including mine. 

We tasted through the lineup – a delightful Cremant de Bourgogne Rose  and a single vineyard Savingy Rouge stood out from the tasting and will probably be in Farmstead before too long.

Our next stop was in Gevrey Chambertin, and on the way north, we were able to see the vineyards of Corton, Vosne, and Nuits-St-Georges – some of the most expensive vineyard lands in the world.

We were to meet with Thierry Mortet,  who, unlike the wines from his more famous late brother’s domaine, makes strictly non-interventionist red wine with a true sense of terroir and finesse,   From his entry level Bourgogne Rouge, all the way to his single vineyard Chambolle Musigny, here were wines of grace, structure and  a very feminine approach to Burgundy.

All of the wines are organic, and he uses at most 20% new oak per wine.  We have his lieu dit old vine Gevrey Chambertin – Vigne Belle – in the shops at present- definitely worth a try.

We bid Thierry adieu and started back south to Beaune, taking the back roads to see some famous vineyards – Romanee Conti and La Tache.  We stopped for the obligatory pictures, and then returned to the hotel, where our gracious host Guillaume took me into Beaune to buy a souvenir or two.

Then it was back to the hotel for a decent Burgundian meal -eggs poached in red wine, and a big steak, accompanied by a great bottle of Nuits St George!

We left our hotel in Beaune early in the morning for the three hour drive to Alsace where we would  be visiting the wines of Wolfberger- a large cooperative located in Eguisheim, just south of Colmar.

Cooprative wineries used to have a bad reputation, but many if not most of them in France have greatly increased the quality of their wines.   Wolfberger is no exception.

Wolfberger’s holdings include vines planted in over thirty classified Grand Cru vineyards, including our first stop – the Rangen vineyard.  

Rangen is a steep hillside site, planted to Reisling and Pinot Gris, both of which we tasted – along with a young raw milk Munster cheese – at the site.  We were also able to see the Croix de Lorraine from the vineyard – whose famous double cross was the symbol for the French resistance fighters during the Second world War.

After driving a short way to Eguisheim, we checked in at the charming Hostellerie des Papes, a lovingly restored 19th century warren of buildings.  My room was on the third floor, with a charming dormer window poking out under the sloping roof.

After a brief rest break, we walked next door to the new Wolfberger tasting complex.  Their winemaking facility has moved to Colmar, and they have created a beautiful large shop in the old one, replete with mood lighting and an informative slide show.  We tasted through their lineup of organic sparkling and still wines, highlighted by a bracing Cremant rosé, a Pinot Blanc, and a Gewurztraminer, all of which will be in the shops before too long. 

Then came the eaux de vies, liqueurs, and a very interesting beer distillate infused with herbs called Amer Fleur de Biere, which tasted interesting by itself, but when mixed 1 to 10 with the local beer, was a new taste experience!

We tasted through over 25 wines, sparklers, eaux de vies and liqueurs, including some very cloying chocolate licquers that would work well in coffee perhaps, but not in my gullet!

We bid our host adieu, returned to the hotel for a short rest, and then to Colmar for a wonderful traditional Alsatian meal of Swarzhopf (head cheese) and Choucroute, washed down with beer, Amer Fleur de Biere, and Alsatian Reisling!