A few in the group were not very familiar with Loire Valley wines, thus I was very happy that they really enjoyed them and I am happy to report that the next day some of them went out and purchased some of the wines we drank.
Loire Valley wines do not receive a lot of ink from most of the top wine critics and as a result they are not as well known and therefore they remain very reasonably priced. I for one hope this trend continues as I have many delicious wines in my cellar from the region that are under $30 a bottle.
Chenin Blanc is probably my favorite white grape and Cabernet Franc is one of my favorite reds. The Chenin Blanc grape possesses high acidity, which means it can be used to make everything from sparkling wines to stunning dessert wines.
Cabernet Franc is lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon and in my opinion results in a more feminine and elegant wine than the latter.
We began with 2006 Clos Rougeard Saumur Brézé Chenin Blanc from the small commune of Saumur in the Loire Valley. What a terrific wine that is just entering its peak drinking window. It has a gorgeous crystal clear yellow hue along with a pure citrus bouquet that is deep and complex. On the palate the wine has a sensuous viscosity, is beautifully balanced and full-bodied. The wine keeps evolving with each sip and has a long finish. Built for age this wine will last for another 25 years.
Clos Rougeard is owned by the Foucault brothers. The estate has attained cult status. Every Michelin three-star restaurant in France hustles to get a small allocation. While it is rarely found in America, you can get it at 56º Wine, Bernardsville, NJ for about $70 a bottle.
On to the Chinon, another small commune in the Loire Valley, for 2007 Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grezeaux, Cabernet Franc . Bernard Baudry is one of the newer stars of the Chinon. Les Grezeaux is his top cuvee. The vines for this wine are up to sixty years old, Baudry's oldest, and are hand harvested at a yield of 40 hl/ha. They are fermented in cement, but then sees typically a year of barrel ageing, in wood which is between one and five years old.
This bottle had a gorgeous nose of berries that soared from the glass. On the palate it displayed an earthiness that encompassed ripe fruit and wonderful complexity. Like the Breze, the wine kept evolving in the glass. Tannins were soft and allowed for a lengthy elegant finish. This wine will benefit from a few more years in the cellar and last for another 20. The price, hold on to your hat, $25. An amazing value. Chambers Street Wines, NYC.
Back to Clos Rougeard for the 2005 Clos Rougeard Samur-Champigny, Les Poyeux Cabernet Franc. This is a stunning wine in the making. While it drank beautifully tonight it will benefit immensely from another 3 or 4 years in the cellar. Aged in older barrels, the oak is beautifully integrated. The earthy bouquet soars from the glass. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, with great fruit and a long elegant finish. $80 at 56º Wine, Bernardsville, NJ.
We then returned to the Chinon, this time for 1989 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses Cabernet Franc. Another absolutely stunning wine with a deep earthy bouquet, a full-bodied, complex and focused palate. The finish is long, elegant and earthy. A Round and delicious wine with a great deal of soul that is drinking beautifully at the moment and should continue to do so for some time.
Les Picasses, is the most classic and age worthy wine from the domaine. It comes from a limestone terroir, where the vines have reached a respectable fifty years of age. The fruit is hand-harvested and the final yield is typically in the order of 30 hl/ha and after fermentation, which is carried out in stainless steel controlled to less than 30°C, followed by a maceration of 25-30 days, the wine that results goes into large foudres where it will rest for between 12 and 14 months before bottling. The 1990 vintage of the Les Picasses is available at $60 a bottle at Amanti Vino, Montclair. NJ. While I have not tasted this vintage yet, it does reside in my cellar. I did however have a bottle of the 2005 Les Picasses yesterday and it was superb. $25 a bottle at 56º Wine.
The final Loire Valley Cabernet Franc was 1986 Catherine & Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Perrieres, another absolutely gorgeous wine which hails from the Bourgueil commune in the Loire Valley. The wine drank fabulously. Fully mature on the palate, the wine simply soared from the glass. Rich and complex, it was earthy an elegant with a gorgeous velvety finish. I wrote about this wine in my “New & Delicous Wines” post last month. It was my favorite of the Loire Valley wines of the evening, which is quite a statement considering how well they all drank. $85 at 56º Wine.
My wine of the evening though was the 1997 Quintarelli Alzero Vino da Tavola Cabernet Franc from the Veneto region of Italy. I have had this wine on numerous occasions over the past 5 years and it always blows me away. It is simply one of the most memorable wines I have ever tasted and probably will ever experience. It embodies purity, balance, depth, richness, etc. etc. etc. The wine keeps evolving and soaring from the glass as you drink it. Round, complete and delicious is perhaps the best description of the wine. This is wine that loves to be decanted. I decanted this bottle for 7 hours and it continued to evolve as we drank it. In fact I would venture to say that if you opened this a day before drinking you will be richly rewarded. I was fortunate to pick this up a few years ago for less than one-half the $350 - $400 price you will have to pay today. Yes it is expensive, but if you wish a special wine for a special occasion, this is it. De-Vino Wine Boutique, NYC. You may also find it at The Pluckemin Inn Wine Shop, Italian Wine Merchants or NY Wine Warehouse, although their web sites did not show the wine in stock at the moment.
Let me not forget the food, which complimented these great wines perfectly. Tony Grande’s son Natale was at the helm in the kitchen this evening and he performed at a level that was the equal of the wines. .
Chef Natale prepared two homemade pastas. Jim and I had the Cavatelli in a sauce of Stracciatella di Bufala (a cheese produced from the milk of water buffalo) with crumbled Italian Sausage. This was a tour de force. The cheese is almost like a cream cheese and in combination with the sweet sausage and perfectly cooked pasta the dish was devine.
The others opted for Maccheroni alla Chitarra con Bottarga. Homemade, guitar string formed pasta in light “Aglio e Olio” with gray mullet roe, Calabrese peperoncino & pistachios. I have had this dish on many occasions and can attest to its deliciousness.
Main courses consisted of Rack of Lamb “in Salsa Balsamica”. The lamb is prepared in a tangy Balsamic vinegar reduction, sprinkled with pink peppercorns, and served with stuffed roasted tomato and carrot puree.
Lolly Pop Beef Short Ribs “Stracotto”. Slow cooked bone-in “Piemontese” beef short rib “Al Vino Rosso” served with risotto alla Parmigiana with English peas.
Ahi Tuna “Tre Pepi”. Rare cooked peppercorn encrusted Ahi tuna in a creamy brandy sauce over sautéed seasonal vegetables.
All were equally delicious. Espresso finished a perfect evening.
In closing I’d like to encourage you to try the wines of the Loire Valley if you have not had any in the past. Along with the producers mentioned here additional favorites that are very reasonably priced are Gaston Huet, Francois Pinon and Phillipe Foreau.
Saluté
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