A perfect wine for X'mas

My perfect wine for Christmas? Coteaux du Layon, Cuvée Les Clos 2010, from Domaine Philippe Delesvaux made from botritised and late harvest (50:50) chenin blanc grapes. It is luscious and deliciously sweet, but not clogging. Works well with marzipan, foie gras and all the festive cakes, from fruit cake, cheesecake to poppyseed cake.
The sweetness that comes from late harvest dehydration is perfectly balanced by the acidity. On the nose quince, pink grapefruit and apricot flavours are combined with honey. In the mouth the wine is round and rich, well balanced with long-lasting finish.
Can't wait till Christmas...

 

Marie Bories, Domaine de Blanes

Congratulations to Marie Bories from Domaine de Blanes who's rancio won award for best wine during the Salon du Club des Professionnels du Vin de Strasbourg. Rancio is a local speciality from Roussillon, produit du terroir, made of grenache blanc that followed 9 years of controlled oxidation in a barrel. With age this white wine turns gold, than amber in colour.This atypical wine matches perfectly with pan fried foie gras and  caramelized turnips.

Late harvest chardonnay

Just finished picking late harvest chardonnay from a small parcel in Venzelles, Mâconnais. Some grapes have been affected by botrytis. After very slow,gentle press in an over 50 years old wooden press Marmonnier the wine will spend 18 months of ageing in oak barrel. The result,as in previous years, is expected to be elixir with aromas of candied fruits: figs, quince jelly yet at the same time wine with elegance and freshness.  This wine has a substance and will age well...

Côtes de Provence

Just spent a weekend tasting rosé wines from Côtes de Provence. It felt almost like a  summertime: 18°C and sun...

Autumn at Domaine du Deffends

Year 2012 has been difficult at Domaine du Deffends. Extreme climate changes, from torrential rain to worrying drought, from the coldest to the hottest days, hail, frost...And yet nature is strong, after burning hot summer we can now admire green grass brought back by the autumn rains.
In the cellar the wines from harvest 2012 are now finished, winification went without any problems.
For the first time wines from 2012 vintage will have "vin bio" that is organic wine status rather than just "wine made from organically grown grapes". That change has been brought by European Community that finally reached an agreement to establish a charter regulating the winemaking in Europe.

Champagne cork

A tiny bit technical today with the constitution of the cork aiming at sealing a bottle of champagne.

Indeed champagne cork must have very specific qualities to resist a pressure of 6 kg/cm2, which is almost three times the average pressure found in car tires. The top part is made of agglomerated cork  to ensure resistance to torsion, when the bottom part that is in contact with the wine, known as mirror, consist of natural cork in the form of one, two or three pellets, each 6 mm wide. On the top of that champagne cork is nearly as wide as long : 31mm to 48mm.

Finally the word "Champagne" have to be written on it.

 

La Montée de l'épine

Vintage 2012 is not going to be a good one for Catherine and Philippe Delesvaux in the Loire Valley. After endless weeks of rain and very low temperatures fungal diseases developed on the vines. Results of this year's crop are very disappointing : only a quarter of the cabernet franc plantation has been saved from water and there is no cabernet sauvignon this year, which did not have a chance to ripen and finally has rotten. No Montée de l'épine 2012! Grapes were not good enough to harvest them and so will serve as birds food this year.
La Montée de l'épine 2011 ,that already taste very good, will be available at the beginning of 2014.
Luckily there is still some of the 2010 available on the market (www.vinovino.pl) so enjoy it!