Jacquesson Cuvée 736 – A Champagne of Textural Elegance and Class

Price: $69 per bottle – SOLD OUT

Although technically a Champagne “House”, brothers Laurent and Jean-Herve Chiquet operate Jacquesson much like a “Grower” operation. Besides their own organic and sustainably farmed 77 acres of vineyard (severely pruned for low yields), they work closely with their neighbors to supplement from an additional 27 acres, all in Grand Cru and Premier Cru areas.

While most non-vintage Champagne is made up of several individual vintages blended with uniformity in mind, the aim of Jacquesson’s 7-Series is to emphasize the best qualities of a given year. The new release of 736 is based on the 2008 harvest with about 34% of the blend made with reserves from 2007 and 2006. It’s composed of 53% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir and 18% Meunier.

The spring of 2008 was rather chilly and wet followed by a dry and cool summer. There was a relative shortage of warm days throughout the growing period but the grapes eventually ripened under excellent conditions with musts that were rich in sugar and having excellent acidity. 2008 is set to be the best year in Champagne since the superlative 2002. Because the Chiquet brothers thought Cuvée 736 tasted best at just 1.5 grams per liter of dosage it is thus labeled extra brut.

Antonio Galloni of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gives it 94 points and declares, “The NV Brut Cuvée 736 is outrageously beautiful. Wonderfully alive and vibrant in the glass, the 736 exudes energy, tension and class, all hallmarks of 2008, the base vintage for this release. Dried pears, crushed flowers, anise and mint develop in the glass, but ultimately, the 736 is really a wine of textural elegance and class. With each passing vintage the 700-series wines seem to keep getting better. Simply put, the 736 is one of the top wines in Champagne. And its price? Very reasonable for the quality of what is in the glass. If I were going to buy only one mid-tier Champagne by the case, this would be it.”

I guess he likes it almost as much as we do.

Stop by the shop this Saturday for a sample.

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Posted on 2013.10.24 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, Champagne  |  Read more...

2011 Domaine Raymond Usseglio Cuvée Impériale “Vignes Centenaires” — Traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Price: $53 per bottle or Special 6-Pack Discount $300 SOLD OUT

On the edge of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, on the road to Courthézon, is where you’ll find La Crau — one of the most renowned lieux-dits in the appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Out of this stony plateau, particularly highly regarded for Grenache, grows vines planted in the years 1901 and 1902. These are the old vines which bear the fruit that Raymond Usseglio‘s son, Stéphane, with his oenologist, Xavier Vignon, transform into the intense and elegant Cuvée Impériale “Vignes Centenaires”.

Composed of 90% Grenache and the rest a field blend of other authorized varietals, it’s a magnificently concentrated wine with abundant herb and flower aromas and a structure that is muscular but not over-ripe.

Kingmaker Robert Parker bequeathed a 99 point status on the 2010 vintage of Cuvée Impériale calling it “a candidate for perfection”. Of course, prices soared for that vintage. Fortunately for us wine drinkers, the 2011 Cuvée Impériale is back to a more reasonable cost (even though Parker still declares it “one of the stars of the vintage”).

Please join us this Saturday at the shop to sample this delightfully classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape. We’ll be offering special pricing on a very limited number of cases. Six cases were allocated to Michigan by the the national importer, all at our shop.

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Posted on 2013.10.04 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, Southern Rhone  |  Read more...

Domaine L’Oustal Blanc Naïck 7 — Aromatherapy in a Glass of Languedoc-Roussillon

Price: $20 per bottle or Special 6-Pack Discount $115 SOLD OUT

Just the other day Yorick was extolling the virtues of the season. Gazing out upon the leaf-strewn sidewalk, he declared, “Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”

Good old Yorick, he fancies himself a poet and is no stranger to hyperbole. All the same, he knows a good wine value when he sees it. Inspired by the crisp autumn air, he dug through the stacks and emerged with his latest recommendation – Domaine L’Oustal Blanc Naïck 7.

Yorick has been grooving on bottles of Languedoc-Roussillon with a little age, so it was no surprise when he pulled out this bottle that is presently drinking at peak. Don’t let the name fool you. Though Domaine L’Oustal Blanc does produce white wine, the Naïck 7 bottling is unmistakably red.

Naïck 7 is labeled as a non-vintage table wine because of its non-conforming blend. (We wine folks know that the 7 stands for 2007 though, nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more.)

The base is 60% (tank raised) Cinsault from the Saint-Chinian appellation where winemakers Claude and Isabel Fonquerle own a sliver of acreage. The remainder of juice is a split of (old barrel raised) Carignan, Syrah, and Grenache from their parcels in the renowned Minervois cru of la Livinière.

The result is aromatherapy in the glass. The nose is filled with big, brushy herbs characteristic of the region that are dusted in cocoa and then stirred into macerated tree fruit. It’s soft but not flabby with a streak of gentle acidity and a mild, minty finish. The alcohol level is relatively high but the 15 degrees shows mainly by turning the camphor aromas slightly more pungent. An excellent food wine, it pairs superbly with a simple dinner of crispy-skin roast chicken and sautéed yellow squash but would certainly hold its own with bean stews, roasted vegetables, and even moderately seasoned dark meats.

About Yorick

Our good friend Yorick is a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy, wont to set the table on a roar. He is well versed in fine literature and wine. We’ve asked Yorick to join the team at Elie Wine Company and periodically browse our inventory for some hidden gems — sometimes obscure, always a good value — and share them with you. Alas, poor Yorick! He cannot hold his wine, or much of anything for that matter. But he does have exquisite taste.

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Posted on 2013.10.01 in France, Languedoc-Roussillon  |  Read more...

Château de La Font du Loup – Elegance in Châteauneuf-du-Pape

La Font du Loup (the fountain of the wolf) is both a famous lieu-dit situated in the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape within the commune of Courthézon, and the name of the natural spring in the center of the estate. Legend has it that wolves from nearby Mont Ventoux would stop to drink at the spring as they made their way to the Provençal plains. The Château was acquired by the Melia family in 1942. Today, Anne-Charlotte Melia, the granddaughter of the founder, and her husband, Laurent, oversee the estate and the winemaking.

We were pleased to welcome Anne-Charlotte to Forest Grill in Birmingham last week for a tasting of her latest release of wines from Château de La Font du Loup. A small group sampled the wine and then sat down to more wine with charcuterie plates, ‘Farm Eggs’ made with Nameko mushrooms and Madeira sabayon, and frog legs with fava beans, garlic and parsley. These were just the appetizers. Michael Broadbent said it well, “Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life’s most civilized pleasures.” Is there any debate?

Since she was a small child, Anne-Charlotte would help her father in the cellar at Château de La Font du Loup. “I was born under a foudre,” she told us. “Wine is a part of my family culture. And I also like that anywhere in the world one can find wine lovers to share a bottle and conversation.”

Her enthusiasm shows in the wine. But Anne-Charlotte gives the most credit to location. “Our vineyards are at the top of a hill, facing north,” she explains. “This and the sandy soil (similar to close by and legendary Château Rayas) give our wines freshness, elegance, and delicacy. For a small part, it’s our way of doing the wines, never over-extracted, vinification at cool temperature, and no new oak.”

There is also an emphasis on environmental stewardship at the vineyard. The soils are fertilized with 100% organic composted sheep manure and grape pomace. When possible, vegetation is left between vines to improve soil structure and resist erosion. “Supervised control” methods are used to keep disease and pests at an acceptable level, with importance given to natural enemies over chemical alternatives.

Please visit the shop this Saturday to sample the wines of Château de La Font du Loup and enjoy limited special pricing.

2012 Château de La Font du Loup Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
Price: $43 per bottle or Special 6-Pack Discount $249 SOLD OUT

40% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, 20% Clairette, and 10% Bourboulenc vinified separately and blended just before bottling. Clairette and Bourboulenc are aged in stainless while the Grenache Blanc and Roussanne spend time in once-used barrique seasoned by a single vintage at Château d’Yquem. Fresh fruit aromas, a creamy texture, and well-integrated acidity make this wine an ideal match for any seafood or white meat based dish. ~300 cases produced annually.

2011 Château de La Font du Loup Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Price: $35 per bottle or Special 6-Pack Discount $199 SOLD OUT

65% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, and 5% Cinsault vinified separately. The Syrah and Mourvedre are raised in twice-used barrique (once at Château d’Yquem and once for the La Font du Loup Blanc). The wine is then aged 12 months in foudres and another six months in concrete. It is both elegant and traditional with an abundance of dark fruits, a medium-bodied texture, and lengthy finish. Here’s your excuse to eat more lamb. ~2,000 cases produced annually.

2011 Château de La Font du Loup Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Le Puy Rolland”
Price: $42 per bottle or Special 6-Pack Discount $239 SOLD OUT

A cuvée of 100% old-vine Grenache ripened slowly on a 10 acre, north-facing plot. Burgundian in style, it offers subtlety and finesse with lovely aromas of flowers, rich earth and sweet, red fruits. ~1,200 cases produced annually.

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Posted on 2013.09.20 in Saturday Sips Wines, France, Southern Rhone  |  Read more...

Saturday Sips: 2003 Premier Cru White Burgundy at its Peak

This Saturday we’ll be pouring from a few bottles of 2003 Louis Jadot White Burgundy, all originating from Premiers Crus in the Côte de Beaune, and all Domaine grown, raised and bottled. With ten years of age, these wines should be reaching their peak of expression and pair exceptionally well with ripe cheeses, poultry liver pâtés, or perhaps a special dinner of Great Lakes Whitefish in cream sauce to celebrate the last few weeks of summer.

Maison Louis Jadot has been producing remarkable Burgundy wines since its founding in 1859. Not only one of the largest producers of estate Burgundies of the Cote d’Or, Maison Louis Jadot is one of the most celebrated exporters of premium Burgundies, owning close to 140 acres of vineyards from 24 of the most prestigious sites in Burgundy.

The Selections:

2003 Beaune Grèves Le Clos Blanc – SOLD OUT
In French, Grèves means sandy, small stones.

2003 Meursault Genevrières
Chalky soils with white marl. The vineyards are spread over gentle slopes with an eastern orientation that allows maximum sunlight.

2003 Chassagne Montrachet Morgeot Clos de la Chapelle Blanc
Morgeot is one of the top two or three 1er Crus of the village.

2003 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Garenne Domaine Duc de Magenta – SOLD OUT
Chalky soil of medium density roughly midway between Meursault and Montrachet..

2003 Puligny Montrachet, Les Folatières
Very stony clay and chalk soil that drains well and warms through easily.

2003 Puligny-Montrachet Champ-Gain
Superb climate situated on the lower slopes of Mont Rachet.

2003 Puligny-Montrachet Les Referts
Benefits from the same shallow, well-drained, clay and chalk soil as Les Combettes.

You can purchase any one bottle, mix-and-match as you please, or we’ll put together a six-pack sampler perfect for gaining insight into the differences of terrior from Premier Cru parcels in the Côte de Beaune.

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Posted on 2013.08.22 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, Burgundy  |  Read more...

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