Bourgueil Stephane Guion -- Deals and Steals

This has opened up deliciously from just six months ago. If you drink it now you'd be happy. Or you can sit on it more and you'll be amply rewarded. The 2008 from magnum was glorious recently, but alas sold out.

From 40 to 85 year-old Cab Franc vines farmed organically since 1965. Vinified using natives yeasts, without additives and no addition of sulphites until bottling, when a small dose was applied.

We sell it for just $17! One of our Deals and Steals!


Bourguiel "Cuvee Prestige", Domaine Guion 2012 $17.00 (order here)

Noella Morantin Touraine Gamay

A few days ago I got together with friends for a terrific meal at a neighborhood Chinese restaurant. I brought a newly released Gamay from the Loire because no red goes better with Chinese (Cantonese in particular) cuisine than Gamay. Gamay's tartness and fruity sour cherry flavors go with practically any Chinese dish, including steamed fish! Yet, I have a weakness for pork so I ordered barbecue pork cheeks. The sweet tender slices were heavenly with the Gamay.

The particular Gamay I drank was Noella Morantin's 2013 Touraine Gamay "La Boudinerie", which was fitting since she made this as a vin de soif to go with cochonailles. "Boudinerie" is the name of the farm she rents where she has her cellar. Perhaps they used to make blood sausage there, too.

After years working at Domaine Les Bois Lucas, in 2009 she jumped on the opportunity to lease a good chunk of vineyards from nearby Clos Roche Blanche, which was downsizing and now totally retired. She is helped by Laurent Saillard, who used to operate a restaurant in New York, then decided to go back to France to work at Clos Roche Blanche, then at Noella Morantin's domaine. Laurent is also leasing vines from Clos Roche Blanche and has started to produce wines on his own.

Noella's Gamay is beautifully crafted. I'm not sure how old the Gamay vines are but they probably have some age since they were from Clos Roche Blanche. Noella does partial whole cluster fermentation--maybe 60%--and vinifies with natural yeasts and no additives. She adds minimal sulfites during the one racking but none at all afterwards even at bottling.

This 2013 Gamay has a fresh and wild expression, a rawness for sure, and an edge. It would be interesting to see how it ages, but for now I love its savage charm--goes well with the bbq pork.

Vin de France Gamay "La Boudinerie", Noella Morantin 2013 $23.00

Weekend Tasting: 6th and 7th March 2015

A couple of new Gamays just arrived, one from the Loire and the other from Beaujolais. Come and taste these new arrivals this Friday and Saturday, Mar. 6th & 7th 12pm-5pm. Tasting is complimentary.

Simon Tardieux worked with Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet at Clos Roche Blanche in the Touraine region of the Middle Loire. Without any vineyards, he teamed up with Alain Courtault who was just in the process of converting his vines to organic farming. Together these two are crafting delicious, unpretentious thirst wines or vin de soif at very affordable prices. The 2011 Gamay is made naturally, with native yeasts and without additives and just a small dose of sulfites at bottling.

Nicolas Testard trained at Domaine Prieure-Roch and with his close friend, Frederic Cossard, two of the very few natural wine producers in the Cote d'Or. Prieure-Roch is owned by Henri Roch, one of the co-owners of DRC and a nephew of Lalou Bize-Leroy. After his Burgundy stints Testard went back to Beaujolais and started his own domaine making affordable thirst wines or vins de soif with little intervention: no additives and no added sulfites. The 2014 Beaujolais-Villages Primeur is a Nouveau wine released late last year for immediate enjoyment.

TASTING FEATURE:

Beaujolais-Villages Primeur, Nicolas Testard 2014 $14.00

Touraine Gamay, Domaine Courtault-Tardieux 2011 $16.00

Clos Roche Blanche 2013

I have long been obsessed by the wines of Clos Roche Blanche, which are produced in the Touraine region in the middle Loire. I first discovered their wines fifteen years ago. It was the first wines I bought imported by Louis/Dressner Selections, which were then locally distributed by Bock Vines. It was hard to find these wines in the West Coast and hardly anyone knew about them.

The vintage of Clos Roche Blanche I started selling was 1998. A terrific vintage. I bought several cases of both the Sauvignon Blanc and the Cot. I was naive to think in the late 1990s and early 2000s that people are going to like the taste of unmanipulated wines like Clos Roche Blanche and that people would get excited about wines costing just $10 a bottle. Thus, the wines gathered dust on the shelf. The Sauvignon I almost managed to sell through because it was easier to understand, but the Cot--made from vines over a century old--was a hard sell. It had tannins and high acid, the very antithesis of fruit bombs. I pulled the remaining 1 case of Sauvignon and 2 cases of the Cot and put them in our temperature-controlled storage.

Six years later Louis/Dressner Selections had become a celebrated importer and many of the wines they bring in, including the Clos Roche Blanche, have developed a cult following. I put the 1998 Clos Roche Blanche back on the shelf and, of course, they sold out like crazy. They both tasted pristine. People never even think of aging these wines because they're not expensive. Well, these Sauvignon and Cot from Clos Roche Blanche showed that price has nothing to do with quality or ageability.

My long love affair with Clos Roche Blanche is coming to an end soon. 2014 will be the last vintage to be released by the domaine, as the owners, Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet are retiring. Much of their vineyards have already been leased out or sold. Thankfully, we still have the newly released 2013 wines, as well as the 2014 wines to look forward to.

Clos Roche Blanche was started by the Roussel family in the 19th century in the Touraine hills next to the Cher river. Three generations later the estate was taken over in 1975 by Catherine Roussel, who was soon joined by her husband, Didier Barrouillet. Since 1995 the vineyards have been farmed organically and some biodynamic treatments were also applied. In the cellar, vinification is done with native yeasts, without additives, and no added sulfites (except on rare occasions) even on bottling. Instead, CO2 is applied to protect the wine.

If you are any kind of wine lover, you owe it to yourself to discover the brilliant wines of Clos Roche Blanche while there's an opportunity to do so.

Touraine "Sauvignon No. 2", Clos Roche Blanche 2013 $20.00 (order here)
100% Sauvignon Blanc from vines planted on one of the great terroirs in the Loire, the Touraine hills above the Cher river. The grapes are macerated for 48 hours and the wines are aged on the lees. Fermented with native yeasts and vinified without additives and no addition of sulfites. Instead, CO2 is used during bottling to protect the wines.


Touraine Rouge "Pif", Clos Roche Blanche 2013 $18.00 (order here)
A blend of about two-thirds Cabernet Franc and one-third Cot from organically farmed grapes above the Cher river. The bunches were destemmed and vinified with native yeasts, without additives, and no addition of sulfites. Instead of sulfites, CO2 was used in bottling to protect the wines.

La Grange Aux Belles (Anjou)

Young vignerons Marc Houtin and Julien Bresteau formed their small domaine La Grange Aux Belles near Angers in Anjou in 2008. Production is tiny and their wines sell out fast mainly in Paris natural wine bars, and in a few cities in Europe. The winery's motto is: Des vins de plaisir sans artifices. Their wines are made for pleasure, without additives or tricks. The grapes are grown organically and the wines are vinified with natural yeasts and made without additives and little, if any, addition of sulfites.

The "Fragile" is 100% Chenin Blanc from 20-40 year-old vines planted in clay-limestone and schist soils. The fruit for this cuvee is harvested late with 5%-10% botrytis. Of course, the wine is fully fermented, bone-dry with less than 2 g/l residual sugar. I've always believed that the best dry Chenins are harvested with a bit of botrytis, as the wines offer Chenin's full potential. The wine was barrel-fermented and aged in second and third-year barrels using native yeasts and without any additives and no addition of sulfites. The flavors are sharp and intense, well layered, and getting deeper and deeper on the palate.

An incredible Pineau d'Aunis is the Brise d'Aunis from La Grange Aux Belles. Aptly called "Brise" (breeze) for that's the sensation I feel drinking it. It's a clever tongue-in-cheek, of course, since it's a Vin de France, hence Marc and Julien can't put the varietal on the label, as well as the vintage. Kudos to their creativity and to the lusciousness of this wine! Bright, intense flavors. So good to pair with any food.

Vin de France (Anjou White) "Fragile", La Grange Aux Belles (2012) $25.00 (order here)

Vin de France "Brise d'Aunis", La Grange Aux Belles (2013) $22.00 (order here)

3 Effective Cab Franc Remedies for the Rougeardless

Around this time of the year a frenzy happens in wine geek nation. A feverish search for elusive bottles of that wine unicorn: Clos Rougeard. I'm at a loss on what spurred this phenomenon. But then again a similar rush used to occur several years ago with Wine Spectator's pronouncement of its Top 100.

If, alas, you happen to come up empty, there's no need to sulk. You are not alone, in fact, nearly all would end up with a Rougeardless search. And so I'd like to step in and offer 3 Rougeard remedies. Though they taste differently from Clos Rougeard, they work for me because they share Rougeard's pure and expressive flavors and natural winemaking approach.

I think these 3 wines should keep things interesting until you get lucky enough to land a bottle of Rougeard. And you might just feel content enough and forget about searching for the unicorn.

Sylvain Dittiere is the new, young rising star of Saumur. He worked closely with Thierry Germain, Anthony Foucault (son of Charly Foucault of Clos Rougeard) and even Marc Tempe of Alsace. He's a micro-negoce, producing small quantity of wines from vineyards that are organically farmed and planted with 30 to 40 year-old Cabernet Franc vines. He applies a non-interventionist approach to his winemaking, vinifying with natural yeasts and applying minimal sulfites. This superb release has a gorgeous concentration. Fleshy and dense, with wild, rustic, flavors of dark berries, earthy, game, mineral, and spice. It is as intense, complex, and expressive as a great Syrah from Cote-Rotie.

Saumur-Champigny, La Porte Saint Jean (Sylvain Dittiere) 2011 $29.00 (order here)


Sebastien Bobinet became the eight vigneron in his family when he took over his grandfather's 2-hectare vineyard, predominantly planted to Cabernet Franc, in Saumur-Champigny back in 2002. Young and wet behind the ears, he befriended Nady Foucault of Clos Rougeard and trained with Olivier Cousin to learn the ropes. He learned fast. Today, 12 years later, he's a rising star and his small production is eagerly snapped up by customers in the few places his wines are sold.

Bobinet's wines are healthy and pure. He farms organically and vinifies with natural yeasts, avoiding additives and the addition of sulphites. He aims to express precisely the excellent
terroir of his wines. The 2013 Saumur-Champigny "Ruben" is 100% Cabernet Franc from a 1.25-acre parcel of the vineyard planted with 25-40 year-old vines. It is aged in larger barrels of 330 liters in the domaine's natural limestone cave. This is a wonderful Saumur-Champigny, floral-scented, juicy, and textured. Very youthful, yet luscious. A few more years and it will even be more irresistible.

Saumur-Champigny "Ruben", Sebastien Bobinet 2013 $23.00 (order here)


Imported by Beaune Imports, the same West Coast agent of Clos Rougeard. This, of course, is 100% Cabernet Franc from organically farmed vineyards in Bourgueil, very close to Saumur. It was the late Didier Dagueneau himself who recommended Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier to Beaune Imports when they were searching for a Bourgueil producer. Juicy, with intense Cabernet Franc fruit and supple tannins. Well balanced and expertly crafted by Pierre Gauthier, a true master of Loire Cabernet Franc.

Bourgueil Cabernet Franc "Joir de Soif", Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier 2012 $16.00 (order here)

Better in Magnum?

 

I was introduced to Domaine Guion's Bourgueil recently by tasting this magnum of 2008 "Cuvee Prestige" next its younger sibling, the current release 2012. The four-year age gap already shows the difference in maturity. The 2008 has evolved to gain more depth and flavor complexity. I can't wait to see how this magnum develops with some more age, that is if I can resist opening it!

Guion's Cuvee prestige is 100% Cabernet Franc from 40 to 85 year-old vines farmed organically since 1965. Stephane Guion vinifies using natives yeasts, without additives and no additon of sulphites until bottling, when a small dose is applied to safeguard the wine for its journey.

Domaine Guion was established by the Guion family in the 1950s in Bourgueil, in the middle Loire near Touraine. They were a pioneer in converting to organic farming as early as 1965. Today, the 8.5 hectare estate is run by Stephane Guion, who took over from his father in 1994. Their vineyards are all within Bourgueil, consisting of all Cabernet Franc (Cabernet Sauvignon is allowed by the appellation) ranging from 10 to over 80 year-old vines.

As I've discovered with this magnum, Domaine Guion is the source for pure, long-lived Bourgueil Cabernet Franc that age beautifully. Their wines evolve as long as a top Chinon or Saumur-Champigny, but at a bargain price.

Bourgueil "Cuvee Prestige", Domaine Guion 2008 1.5L Magnum $40.00 (check it out here)

Autour de l'Anne: Loire to Languedoc and Back

In Buellton, CA, in the heart of Santa Barbara wine country, I thought I'd lug with me a bottle of Anne Paillet's 2012 Autour de l'Anne "CSG" Coteaux du Languedoc to Industrial Eats, a new local eatery that's frequented by local winemakers. The place, owned by New York transplants, specializes in salumi, charcuterie and smoked meats, much of them made in-house. I thought, this is just the perfect spot to drink Anne Paillet's wine, notwithstanding how this place is big on promoting local wines.

Anne Paillet is married to Gregory Leclerc of Chahut et Prodiges, a much praised natural wine producer in the Touraine area of the Loire. Yet, Anne rents a small organically and biodynamically farrmed vineyard in Pic St. Loup in the Languedoc. She vinifies the wine in the Languedoc, then moves them to the Loire to age in a her husband's cave cellar.

The result is that the cuvee CSG--consisting of Cinsault, Syrah, and Grenache from 40-60 year-old vines--seems to be more Loire than Languedoc. It's a juicy, refreshing, light-bodied red with noticeable tannins, bright acidity, and just 12.5% alcohol. Four of us drained the bottle in no time over plates of charcuterie, salumi, salad, and smoked pheasant. We could have easily finished another bottle, or maybe two. The wine was delicious and refreshing, I hardly touched the water during the meal.

Vineyard Gate offers two of Anne Paillet's current releases. Both brilliant. The other one is all Syrah that has northern Rhone-like intensity, but with just 12% alcohol

Coteaux du Languedoc Rouge "CSG", Autour de l'Anne 2012 $28.00


Coteaux du Languedoc Rouge "Syrah", Authour de l'Anne 2012 $35.00

Not a Trick But A Treat--Devilishly Real Cabernet Franc

"It's better to make small real wines that fake great wines", said the famous oenologist Emile Peynaud. For the past 20 years Christine and Joel Menard of Domaine des Sablonettes have adhered to this principle, lovingly tending their small 13-hectare vineyard. They run their domain to very exacting standards, applying biodynamic methods, and as a result produce stunning, natural wines--vinifying only with wild yeasts and not chaptalizing or filtering. What they make are wines that are devilishly real.

I adore this 2010 Le Bon Petit Diable. 100% Cabernet Franc from 20 year-old vines planted in schist in the Anjou region. It's light, bright gushing with luscious red fruits. This is a most refreshing red to drink anytime of the year, but its bright, vibrant flavors make fall's hearty dishes taste even more delicious.


Vin de France "Le Bon Petit Diable", Domaine des Sablonnettes 2010

Olivier Cousin's Anjou Pur Breton

Support Olivier Cousin. No sham wines. Get the facts here.


Vin de Table Francais "Pur Breton", Olivier Cousin 2011 (click to buy!)

A Chicken, An Egg, and A Cab Franc at Roostertail

It was predetermined. Last night we were craving roast chicken and at the same time thinking of nothing else to imbibe but Cabernet Franc. Okay, we've made up dinner in our minds but where to go was the only thing to be figured out.

The answer popped in my head, placed there by the chicken gods, I presume. Roostertail in the Pac Heights. I've never been but it seemed right, particularly on this warm July night. There are not many nights one can go out in San Francisco in a t-shirt, last night was one of them.

Almost as soon as we sat down I ordered a plate of their chicken wings. As far as I can recall this is the greatest order of chicken wings I've ever had. I don't know what they put in it. There was a taste of olive oil and fresh coriander, so these aren't the Buffalo kind. It's not sweet or spicy or sticky as most plates of chickens wings are. It's different and it's good.

Where there is chicken there must be eggs. Having devilled eggs on the menu is brilliant for a chicken joint. An old-fashioned treat that's finding its way back on a few restaurant menus for the past several years. I find devilled eggs addicting.

The cob-shaped cornbread here is the real thing, served with soft butter on the side. Unlike typical cornbreads that are sweet and dense and muffin-like, this is crumbly and doesn't taste sweet at all.

The whole roast chicken comes out conveniently quartered. Mary's Chicken of Pittman Family Farms in the San Joaquin Valley, CA is the source. Tasty, though not the best-tasting chicken I've had. That distinction still belongs to Field to Family in Petaluma, CA.

But the salad was killer. A kind of modified cobb salad, without the dressing, and pitted black olives tossed in. This was simple and genius.

There are only three dessert options but I zeroed in right away on the chocolate chip bunt cake, an old-fashioned coffee cake, moist and really tasking like chocolate chip.

Every dish we ordered was demolished. And the new Loire Cabernet Franc I brought, the 2009 Domaie de la Paleine Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame helped everything go down deliciously. This is from the newest appellation in the Loire, the AOC was just granted in October 2009. La Paleine's new release is wonderful. A great summer red. Next time you're having roast chicken or pulled pork sandwich on a picnic, bring this gorgeous wine.

Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame, Domaine de la Paleine 2009 $21.00 (click to buy!)



Roostertail
1963 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA

Gamay of the Purest Quality

Henry Marionnet has long been regarded as the best producer of Gamay wines in the Loire. He firmly believes that Gamay grows best in the Touraine. He replanted the Gamay vines in his estate in 1967 using selection massale. Situated at the highest elevation in the Touraine, the vineyard, with its clay, flinty soils, has the perfect terroir and microclimate for Gamay.

Marionnet farms organically and allows grass to grow as cover crop to control the vigor of the vines. He always picks late and at maximum ripeness using small baskets to bring in the fruit. He always vinify with natural yeasts and does not chaptalize or apply sulphites or other additives in the winemaking. Only minimal sulphites are added during bottling. However, in the case of one wine, the Première Vendange, there is no addition of sulphites at all!

Henry Marionnet's 2011 Première Vendange is 100% Gamay from selection massale vines planted in 1967 and 1968. It is a tribute to the first wines made by Man and so is completely natural. No sulphites or any additives were added during vinification and bottling. The wine was vinified using only natural yeast and was not chaptalized. Only a light filtration was done before bottling.

Elegant and charmingly fruity. The purity and transparencey of flavors taste absolutely refreshing!


Touraine Rouge "Premiere Vendange", Henry Marionnnet (Domaine de la Charmoise) 2011 $20.00 (click to buy!)

A Zen Repose

What a gratifying change of pace last night at Millbrae's Zen Bistro! The past three weeks have been the most tense and hectic of my life, so I really needed to immerse myself in a bacchanalian meal once again while we're still in the midst of the holiday season.

Fortunately, two of my best buddies came to the rescue. I suggested we just grab some handy white wines from the stash and head to the neighborhood seafood bistro, where a fish tank filled with live shellfish awaits us. No one argued.


Not even Chablis can match the genius pairing of Bordeaux Blanc and fresh oysters--these pair were simply a match made in Bacchus heaven. Zen Bistro's chilled half-dozen oysters are miyagis dressed in a light yuzu vinaigrette, topped with tobiko and a dab of chili sauce. It is the best plate of fresh oysters in town. The 1962 Château Faubernet Bordeaux Blanc, soft but still alive after all these years, with some residual sugar, was elevated by the sweet and piquant flavors of the oysters.



Mirugai, or geoduck clam, is a humongous bivalve with an overgrown appendage. Ordered whole and fresh from the tank at Zen Bistro, the chef prepared it two ways.


Of course, the purest and most mouthwatering way to enjoy mirugai is to sashimi the long siphon or "neck" of the clam. The chef served the paper-thin sashimi slices in a bowl of ice. Sweet!


Given that we were in a Japanese restaurant with a Chinese crew, we were roused to be served the clam's body en papillote, with butter, garlic, and wine. The chef must be French-trained. Needless to say, this second mirugai dish was spectacular, and perhaps even topped the sashimi preparation. A seamless match with a 1981 Alsace Gewurztraminer whose producer escapes me.


And now for the pièce de résistance, the 4 to 5 pounder Alaskan King Crab. The animal was still swimming in the tank when we ordered it.



Everyone knows this crab for its long, meaty legs. The chef prepared the legs for us sashimi style--its flavor was sweet with a briny contrast, slippery in the mouth with a lobster-like density and chewiness. Dipped in soy and wrapped in minty, fresh green shiso leaf, these crab legs were decadent.


We opted for a ramen noodle soup as the second dish for the remaining portion of the crab. Though most of the flesh of this crustacean is in the legs, the soup draws out the rich flavors of the shell and innards, infusing the noodles with a lot of goodness. You can't have a more opulent ramen noodle than this. It's a long way from Nissin!


My last bottle of 1999 Didier Dagueneau Blanc Fumé de Pouilly “Pur Sang” turned out to be an unmistakable choice for the crab medley. I've had this wine many times before, but at ten years, this magnificent pure Sauvignon Blanc was at the peak of its powers. Bright, mineral, more restrained, yet filled with fresh-cut herbs and ripe, crunchy green pears. A great finish to this awesome meal!



Zen Bistro
420 Broadway
Millbrae, CA 94030
(650) 697-9988

François Blanchard’s Brilliant Touraine

photo courtesy by François Blanchard

Last Friday night was another fun dinner at Day Break. Patrick made a delicious puréed cauliflower soup that was refreshing on that very warm night. I chose the entrée of pork roulade stuffed with raisins, wilted greens, and apple sauce, and afterwards finished off with a nectarine Melba with vanilla ice cream. Yumm! I could have gone for seconds.

The wines we drank were a mix of California, except for one—I’ll talk about this in a moment. Helen Turley’s 2000 Marcassin Alexander Mountain Chardonnay Upper Barn was fat and smoky, overripe with fading orangey flavors. The 2000 Pride Claret Reserve was in that opulent Napa style; sweet, chocolaty, and redolent of oak. The 1986 Johnson-Turnbull Napa Cabernet Sauvignon was drying out a bit, though still elegant and heavily infused with spearmint. Much better was the 1986 Laurel Glen Sonona Cabernet Sauvignon, which lacked bouquet but surprised us with its youthful concentration and grace. And finally for dessert, the 2004 Sine Qua Non Mr. K Straw Man Vin de Paille, a Semillon concentrate that must have contained a ton of sugar; unctuous and thick, with honey and fruity botrytised scents and lots of apricot flavors.

I really enjoyed the variety of these California wines, but the surprise wine of the night and one I have never tasted before was the Vin de Table de France, François Blanchard, a 2004 Sauvignon Blanc from the Touraine region of the Loire Valley made by François Blanchard of Château du Perron. Relegated to the lowest of the low, Vin de Table wines are not permitted to have any identity—no vintage, no varietal name, not even the region of origin on the label. It is practically death to any wine to receive such an ignoble designation. Yet, by force of personality this wine sparkled, figuratively and literally. Its ethereal fizz tickled the lips and popped on contact, leaving the palate with an almost off-dry, intense taste of cidered pear and apples with a tip of white pepper. Underneath the fruit was a layer of minerals that lingered solo in the long finish. I felt happy to have enjoyed this unique wine for the first time.

François Blanchard, Loire’s latest enfant terrible since Didier Daguneau, is a thirty-something local jazz musician in Tours. Just over five years ago he decided to resuscitate his family’s long-neglected tiny wine estate. He did little to modernize the winery, except to install electricity. The main improvement were the two manual vertical basket presses be brought in!

In the vineyard, farming has been organic from the outset (AB certified), though Blanchard doesn’t plow, and allow weeds to run almost amok in the vineyard and around the winery. His winemaking is totally artisanal and as natural as possible. He almost never uses SO2 and certainly never touches industrial yeasts or bacteria. He ferments in ambient cellar temperature without any temperature control in the vat. The cellar itself is maintained in ambient temperature with perhaps some adjustment if necessary. Blanchard believes that vinification should proceed with the season. Soutirage or racking is kept at the most minimum to preserve the carbonic gas created by the fermentation, hence minimizing the use of sulphites. I can tell you that after opening the bottle, the gas is intact and the wine is fresh and lively. The bottle, by the way, is enclosed in crown cap and sealed with a wax capsule.

Alas, François Blanchard’s wines are not exported. I would have to visit him soon, maybe next March and pick up a few bottles.