Rugged Terroir in Côtes Catalanes

July 14-20, 2014

Domaine Vinci Roc 2011 Côtes Catalanes

Price: $35/Bottle SOLD OUT

Nestled at high altitudes amid the scraggly and aromatic coastal Mediterranean scrubland grow the very old vines of Domaine Vinci. In the distance an arid countryside of rocky spurs and limestone cliffs like long shots from a Sergio Leone film.

It’s in this wild and rugged landscape of the Agly Valley that Olivier Varichon and Emmanuelle Vinci are making deeply concentrated yet graceful wines from vineyards that bear absurdly low yields.

This is a region steeped in human history. Just over the ridge from Domaine Vinci is the village of Tautavel, home to Tautavel Man, the oldest hominid fossil remains ever found in France. About 10 miles south and east is the city of Perpignan, once capital of the Kingdom of Mallorca, and an important center of Catalan culture. Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí once declared Perpignan’s railway station the center of the Universe, saying that he always got his best ideas sitting in the waiting room.

One might imagine Dalí feasting on a stew of large chunks of meat browned in olive oil with a sauce of smoked paprika, garlic, eggplants, fresh pepper, saffron and tomatoes, seasoned with thyme and bay leaf, served with a hunk of bread, a bottle of Côtes Catalanes within easy reach.

The 2011 cuvée Roc (the name of the valley where the vines are planted) is a blend of organically farmed Carignan (70%) from 80 year old vines and Mourvèdre (30%). Harvesting is done by hand. The whole grape clusters are gently crushed by foot and vinification takes place with indigenous yeasts in a cement tank. The wine is aged for 12 months in stainless steel tanks. It’s then bottled unfined and unfiltered, with little to no added sulfur.

The result is a wine that is both unique and speaks of the rugged terroir from which it is born. It is aromatically complex with red fruits, leather, and dried herbs and tastes something like eating cherries off of a hot stone. There is streak of earthiness that runs through it’s core until finishing bright and almost juicy. Drinking it you might get the sensation that your mind is making connections across time and oceans.

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Posted on 2014.07.13 in France, Languedoc-Roussillon  |  Read more...

2010 Trouillet Saint-Véran

July 7-14, 2014

Price: $18.75/bottle – 25% off regular price of $25 SOLD OUT

Crisp and clean Chardonnay from Burgundy.

The appellation of Saint-Véran is divided into two small islands separated by Pouilly-Fuissé. Because of the proximity, Saint-Véran is, stylistically speaking, quite similar to Pouilly-Fuissé, with a golden hue, greenish reflection and crisp, clean flavors.

Managed by Marie Agnès and son William, the Trouillet’s 12-hectare property produces wines from several Mâcon appellations as well as Beaujolais. It is on the east-facing vineyards in the commune of Davayé where you’ll find their Saint-Véran plot.

The wine they produce from the Jurassic marl and limestone soils there shows subtle aromas of pear and honeysuckle over notes of citrus and fresh almond. Dry, lively and well-rounded with a streak of wet stones on the finish it is a relatively robust wine, considering the price, that speaks concisely of the southern reaches of the Burgundy region. Think of it as a contemplative patio wine, if you will. And if you can score a few walleye fillets and some good friends to pair with the wine you’d have the makings of a memorable dinner.

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Posted on 2014.07.06 in Burgundy  |  Read more...

2011 Domaine Jean Collet Chablis

June 23-29, 2014

Price: $23.25/bottle – 25% off regular price of $31 SOLD OUT

The secret to Chablis’ authenticity is geology. Chablis lies on the outcrop of the rim of a great submerged basin of limestone. It is Burgundy’s most northern region and the cool climate, along with the Kimmeridgian soil of limestone, clay, and a multitude of tiny, fossilized oyster shells, produce uniquely mineral wines. Chardonnay grapes respond to this terroir with flavors that can’t be reproduced anywhere else.

The vineyard parcels of Domaine Collet are located on the best slopes of the river Serein, which produce wines with both generosity and clarity. Since 1792, the Collet family has devoted themselves to their vines. Today, young Romain Collet joins his father, Gilles, in the vineyards and cellar, ensuring many more years of excellent wines from this Domaine.

2011 Domaine Jean Collet et Fils Chablis is wonderfully articulated with aromas of apple, pear, citrus and toast. It is crisp and fresh and concentrated. A versatile white that works as a patio cocktail, a pairing for an elegant seafood dinner, and everything in-between.

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Posted on 2014.06.20 in France, Burgundy  |  Read more...

Bloomsday Burgundy Tasting: Domaine des Perdrix & Chateau

Château de Chamirey Mercurey Blanc Special 6-pack price $192 ($32/bottle) – SOLD OUT
Château de Chamirey Mercurey Rouge Special 6-pack price $192 ($32/bottle) – SOLD OUT
Domaine des Perdrix Nuits-St-Georges 1er Aux Perdrix Special 6-pack price $528 ($88/bottle)
Domaine des Perdrix Échezeaux Grand Cru Special 6-pack price $1188 ($198/bottle)

Although our new location is just as charming and intimate as the old shop in Royal Oak, it also has substantially more space to browse freely, engage in conversation, or just find a spot to rest your glass. And now that we’re open for business we want to jump right in and host the first of many tastings.

Join us on Monday, June 16th to sample Pinot Noir and Chardonnay-based wines from Burgundy. Bertrand Devillard, of Domaines Devillard, will be on hand to guide us through the wines and share some insights about the region and estate holdings.

The wines offered are produced at Château de Chamirey and represent the depth and value of Mercurey, the most widely recognized and important wine village of the Côte Chalonnaise.

It just so happens that June 16th is Bloomsday, the international celebration of James Joyce‘s novel — and one of the essential works of Modernist Literature — Ulysses. The fictional protagonist of the novel, Leopold Bloom, spends a day kicking around Dublin, Ireland as a kind of contemporary Odysseus. In a passage that made the non-fictional establishment Davy Byrne’s Pub famous, Bloom orders a Gorgonzola sandwich and a glass of Burgundy.

What better way to observe Bloom’s wanderings than with Burgundy and a Gorgonzola cheese sandwich? We’ll be tasting between 5-6 pm with complimentary sandwiches and special pricing on the sampled wines for that hour only.

In addition to the in-store tasting, we’ve asked Chef Paul Grosz of The Stand in Birmingham to prepare a unique dinner inspired by the food that Leopold Bloom eats amid his wanderings. This limited seating dinner will also include wines from Bertrand Devillard’s Domaine des Perdrix in Nuits-Saint-Georges, including an Echezeaux Grand Cru. Call us at 248-398-0030 or email elie@eliewine.com for more information or to reserve your seat.

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Posted on 2014.06.12 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, Burgundy  |  Read more...

Champagne Marc Augustin (Grande Vallée)

The Grande Vallée, Premier Cru Village Avenay-Val-d’Or

Champagne Augustin ‘Terre’, 2020 Grande Vallée ‘Village Avenay-Val-d’Or’ Brut-Nature
D/2023 – Pinot Noir 100%

Champagne Augustin ‘Feu’, 2017 Grande Vallée ‘Village Avenay-Val-d’Or’ Brut-Nature
D/2023 – Pinot Noir 100%

Champagne Augustin ‘Air’, 2016 Grande Vallée ‘Village Avenay-Val-d’Or’ Brut-Nature
D/2023 – Pinot Noir 50%, Chardonnay 50%

Champagne Augustin ‘O2 Rosée’, 2018 Grande Vallée ‘Village Avenay-Val-d’Or’ Brut-Nature
D/2022 – Pinot Noir 100%

Champagne Augustin ‘Amme’, 2018 Grande Vallée ‘Village Avenay-Val-d’Or’ Brut-Nature
D/2023 – Pinot Noir 100%, Sans Soufre, Blanc de Noirs

Champagne Augustin ‘Amme’, 2014 Grande Vallée ‘Village Avenay-Val-d’Or’ Brut-Nature
D/2022 – Chardonnay 100%, Sans Soufre, Blanc de Blancs

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Posted on 2014.06.09 in France  |  Read more...

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