French Family Wines
Free tasting | Saturday, November 4, 2017 | 4-6PM
Chris from OZ is pouring a selection of French wines all made by small family-run farms. Let's keep it in the family! All of these vineyards are now maintained by the children of the original estate owners, with the exception of Château Falfas. While this is not unusual in the winemaking world, especially in France, on Saturday we want to emphasize the people behind the properties. These five wines are made organically, and the heart and the soul behind these family-made wines speaks volumes to the quality and purity of the juice. Free to public!
2011 Domaine de La Bergerie, ‘Le Clos de la Girardiere’ – Loire Valley, $24
Domaine de la Bergerie is a family estate dating back to 1964 founded by husband and wife team Yves Guégniard and Marie-Annick. The domaine has always adhered to a high standard of excellence: green harvest, strict sorting and separate vinification of each harvested parcel. Now, as Yves and Marie-Annick's daughter, Anne, begins to take the lead, organic viticulture is utilized on their 89-acre property encompassing multiple appellations of the Loire including Anjou, Savenniéres, Côteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume. This lush, oily white wine is from their main grape, Chenin Blanc. It has potent mineral undertones from its schist soil, and a honeycomb off-dry finish, a distinct characteristic of Chenin, one of the world’s most versatile grapes!
2015 Domaine Daniel Seguinot, Chablis – Burgundy, $25
This Burgundian Chardonnay is the tops! The grapes are sourced organically from a 15-hectare property in Maligny, 8 km north of Chablis. Maligny is one of the 19 villages that benefit from the world-renowned Chablis wine appellation. Thanks to a privileged southwest sun exposure, the village, leaning against the right bank of the Serein river, provides rich and well-balanced wines. Daniel Seguinot began his property in 1971 and the family estate is now run by his two daughters, Emilie and Laurence. This Chablis has deep citrus notes along with white flowers and mineral shine. Pair with oysters, grilled fish, or a citrus salad.
2014 Domaine de L'R, Chinon Les Cinq Elements – Loire Valley, $23
Frédéric Sigonneau is a young winemaker who spent time making wine throughout the Duero in Spain before returning to Touraine in the Loire Valley to manage his grandfather’s vineyard chock-full of Cabernet Franc grapes. At Domaine de L’R (field of ‘air’), Frédéric maintains organic vines, with no herbicides or pesticides, at his ‘R’ vineyard, a 3.6-hectare property extending over a vast plain of gravel in the heart of the Chinon appellation. Fermentation occurs in concrete vats with short pumping over. This robust wine has notes of red berry fruit, cinnamon, and sage. A perfect autumnal red to pair with anything from roasted veggies to lamb to even fish.
2015 Château les Croisille, Le Croizillon Cahors – Southwest, $15
Did you know Malbec originated in Cahors in southwest France? It did! This ripe Malbec is from 35-year-old vines grown on sandy red clay and is farmed organically by the Croisille family. It does not see oak, but instead stainless, helping give it fresh finesse and a light, easy-drinking Malbec for any occasion. Cécile and Bernard Croisille bought property in Cahors in 1979 and brought the land back to life with rootstocks of the Malbec grape. Their sons Germain and Nicolas now run the 30-hectare property focusing efforts on the wide biodiversity of their property in order to continue making great, pure wines.
2014 Château Falfas, Côtes de Bourg – Bordeaux, $20
With 20 hectares of vineyards planted on rolling hillsides of Bayon in the Côtes de Bourg, Château Falfas has a winemaking heritage that dates back to the 14th century. The Château was one of the very first in Bordeaux to practice organic and biodynamic methods. Today Château Falfas is owned by Véronique Cochran, who is building on the traditions of the past with a very simple philosophy: the best wines are not “made” but rather “grown”. She remains passionate about practicing biodynamic principles to extract the very essence of the terroir, producing authentic, rich and generous wines. This Bordeaux blend (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec, Cabernet Franc) is full-bodied and remarkably complex for such a young Bordeaux with dense black fruits and tobacco notes.
