Friday Flight: French Wine, $16 for 5 pours with 3 additional wines for purchase.
For this week's flight, let's taste some of France's greatest hits. It was hard for me to narrow it down, but I think you're going to like it. We'll be pouring wines from Rhône Valley, Bordeaux, Loire Valley, Côtes Gascogne and Burgundy.
Domaine Chiroulet Côtes Gasgone "Terres Blanches" 2023 $15 - Domaine Chiroulet is located in one of the most beautiful areas of the Côtes de Gascogne, about 8 kilometers north of Condom. The landscape covers the gently rolling hills with a patchwork of colors. The domaine's top white blend is made with 50% Gros Manseng, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Ugni Blanc from old vines. It is aged in tank for 8 months with lees stirring to provide additional richness. The nose explodes with Sauvignon Blanc-like notes, including lime, a touch of melon and citrus fruits. Medium-bodied on the palate, this wine finishes dry and clean.
Domaine de Fenouillet 2023 Ventoux Rouge $15 - The brothers Soard, Patrick and Vincent, own and operate this impeccable domaine the cellars of which are situated in the village of Beaumes de Venise, in the shadows of Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles de Montmirail. They trace their lineage as vignerons back to their great-grandfather, Casimir Soard, whose wines were winning medals as early as 1902. 75% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 5% Carignan from the AOP Côtes du Ventoux. Inky purple-black color. Enticing aromas of black cherry, boysenberry, tobacco and eucalyptus. The dark fruit and spice is deep and concentrated on the palate but kept fresh by a zingy acidity.
Mas de Daumas Gassac 2024 Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Rouge, Languedoc $16 - Often called Languedoc's Grand Cru, Mas de Daumas Gassac has been 100% organic since Aimé Guibert bought it in 1974. The red blend—mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with indigenous and unusual varieties—ages for 20, even 30 years with ease. One of France's most singular wines, period.
Chateau Recougne Bordeaux Supérieur 2022 $20 - Legend has it that the name Recougne came in “recognition” of the quality of its wines by King Henri IV in the early 17th century, and while wine has been made on the site for 400 years, the estate is perhaps more relevant today than ever. The wine is marked by a dense ruby/plum color and attractive, juicy blackcurrant fruit. Supple, round and generous, this is an over-achiever and a sleeper of the vintage. Drink it over the next 5-10 years.
Angélique Leon Chinon, Loire Valley 2022 $23 - Angélique Léon is part of a new generation of Chinon vignerons focused on precise, transparent expressions of Cabernet Franc shaped by careful vineyard work and restrained winemaking. Working within the Chinon appellation, she emphasizes site, soil, and vintage variation, prioritizing balance, freshness, and drinkability over extraction or power. This Chinon opens with aromas of red cherry, raspberry, and currant, supported by fresh herb notes. On the palate, the wine is fresh and medium-light in body, with bright acidity shaping the red-fruited core and fine, unobtrusive tannins providing gentle structure.
Bonus Wines
Domaine Paul Autard Côtes du Rhône 2023 $24 - 70 % Grenache, 20 % Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre, from grapes grown in several parcels just outside the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation in Courthézon. The vines average 45 year old, with the oldest being 75 year old. Autard’s Côtes-du-Rhône is a smoky, complex wine, loaded with warm raspberry fruit, showing many of the best attributes of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Domaine de la Horizion, Côtes Catalans "Mar y Muntanya" 2022 $30 - “Mar y Muntanya” (“Sea and Mountains” in Catalan) combines 45% each Syrah and Carignan with a splash of Grenache, raised in a mix of cement vat and large oak barrel. Domaine de l’Horizon is a hidden gem in the world of winemaking, nestled in Calce at the base of the snow-capped Pyrénées. Founded by Thomas Teibert and the Christ family, our estate embodies a profound love for nature. Guided by the principles of organic and biodynamic agriculture.
Domaine Capitain Gagnerot Pernand Vergelesses, Burgundy 2023 $56 - The Domaine Gagnerot was established in 1802. After the second world war, Roger Capitain maintained the estate and passed the stewardship to his two sons, Patrice and Michel in the 1980’s. Now in the hands of the ninth generation, Pierre-Francois and Delphine carry the family tradition.