Wine News & Features

Click on the links below to view items from your selection
 

Wine Column

HATS OFF TO FRENCH WINES

By Carolyn Evans-Hammond, published in Outreach Connection and distributed privately, Toronto, ON 21/11/08

I love men in hats.  There’s something about a man who can pull off a hat—in both senses of the phrase.  It suggests not only a sense of personal style but a comfort with having his hair tousled.  And that’s a great combination.  So imagine my glee when I was living in France—the land of the beret.  Of course, there were other advantages to living there—the fashion, the food, the lifestyle, and of course le vin.  Or rather, les vins.  I remember I always had a bottle of rouge, blanc and rosé on the go in my little bachelorette I shared with my cat.  Bien sur. 

 

To tip my hat to the arrival of chapeau season, I’ve decided to share my list of the best new French releases at the LCBO. 

 

Sparkling

 

Taittinger Champagne Brut 2002, Champagne, France, (0989905 $87.95)

This vintage Champagne is one to tuck away in your cellar or drink now.  It’s probably my favourite grand marque bubbly right now.  Gentle aromas of cooked apple, warm butter pastry, and wet stones drift from the glass and echo quietly on the palate.  Elegant and classic.

 

White

 

Domaine Sylvian Bailly Quincy Beaucharme 2007, Loire, France (0086116 $21.95)

Explosive asparagus and celery nose leads to a slightly more restrained palate—creamy yet crisp.  Herbal.  Nice tension between power and finesse, muscle and fat.  No compromise here—just excellent wine.

 

Genetin Pouilly-Fumé 2006, Loire, France (0653154 $26.95)

Great delicacy balanced with power.  Made from sauvignon blanc grapes in that restrained French way, this wine is all about subtlety.  It seduces with a slight rattle of stone and the softest, lushest green grass flavours before slowly revealing a lacy floral dimension. Sassy.

 

Coudoulet de Beaucastel Blanc 2007, Rhône, France (0048892 $33.95)

When we think of the Rhône region, we usually think big reds.  Yet the region’s whites, when done well, can surprise and delight, which is very much the case with this bottle.  Starting with a dry mineral and poached pear nose, it expands exponentially on the palate with orange oil and lemon zest, wet stones, cream, caramel and bitter almond.  Very well-balanced, voluptuous wine (13.5% alc.).  Will certainly warm you up on a chilly day.

 

Red

 

Château Ducla 2005, Bordeaux, France (0162461 $15)

This is a great value Bordeaux made in the classic style.  Starting with that warm breath of cassis, it slowly kisses the palate with ripe blackcurrant, red plum, earth and tobacco, herbs and spice.  Quite nice for the price. 

 

Château la Gorce 1996, Bordeaux, France (0087668 $21.95)

After more than a decade in bottle, this wine has begun to reveal its potential.  Aromas not unlike an aged Burgundy show on the nose—barnyard—then the palate shows black plum and interesting vegetal notes that are quite agreeable actually, all enrobed in a silky texture.  Cerebral wine at a low price. 

 

Coudoulet de Beaucastel Rouge 2006, Rhône, France (0048884 $30.95)

Juicy rich aromas of wild blueberry and crème de cassis.  Lots of smoke and dark chocolate.  Musk, truffle, sweaty saddle.  Velvety and full-bodied (14% alc.) yet beautifully balanced with concentrated extract.

 

Château Beauregard 2005, Bordeaux, France (0500876 $67.95)

This wine from the Pomerol region of Bordeaux shows all the classic richness of that appellation, which makes rich, velvety Merlot-based wines like this one.  Articulate expressions of cherries, chocolate and cream.  Silky palate and supremely balanced.

 

Les Hauts de Pontet-Canet 2005, Bordeaux, France  (0090175  $65?)

This wine is just my style.  Deeply masculine, yet stylish and smart.  Think heady aromas of cassis, granddad’s pipe tobacco, red and black plum, earth and spice.  Not surprisingly, this wine is made from the fruit of the excellent 2005 vintage and it is the second wine of the fifth growth Château Pontet-Canet, which sells for considerably more.  Which brings me to price.  No idea what this wine costs because it was accidently (I assume) omitted from the list and instead of asking I decided to guess.  My guess: $65. 

 

Domaine de la Vougeraie Gevrey-Chambertin La Justice 2005, Burgundy, France (0088740 $61.96)  Tinned strawberries, super-ripe raspberry and wafting violet.  I would like to approach this wine again when it has spent a little more time in bottle.  The exchange would no doubt be more interesting.  Clearly this is one to lay down and a recommended buy for pinot noir fans.

 

To find an LCBO near you that stocks a particular bottle, visit www.vintages.com and search by the product name.

 

This column is distributed privately, appears in Outreach Connection weekly, and is posted at www.wine-tribune.com. Seasoned journalist and qualified sommelier Carolyn Evans-Hammond has written for several major publications including Decanter Magazine, The Times newspaper, and Wine & Spirit International magazine in the U.K., as well as Maclean’s magazine, Taste magazine, Tidings magazine, The Toronto Star and The Province in Canada.  Her bestselling book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, is available at most major bookstores, and signed copies are available through her website.

  

 

---