Saturday, June 14, 2014

Guess what?!? Bourgueil(of Loire, France) produces really great reds! ... Really!!!


In my eternal quest to find good matches for steak…I thought about Cabernet Franc and picked out a very cool wine. It is from Bourgueil. I've written about the Loire in the past...Great wines!

The appellation for this red wine from Bourgueil (and it has six neighboring communes) is in the central Loire Valley wine region of France. It’s a part of the Touraine district but Bourgueil is totally different from its neighbors and is with Chinon, on the further side of the Loire river.

Guess what?!? Bourgueil produces great reds! Really! And a lot of Loire appellations don’t make reds at all) and Rose’s much less. Their wines are crisp, refreshing acidity and have noticeable spiced-fruit flavors.

Well this Bourgueil has notes of black currant and anise; think raspberries and pencil shavings together. It’s tannic and lively…It has a clean feel and a good backbone, . It's Cabernet Franc and a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. So you know... the wine from Bourgueil is a lot more complex than Beaujolais with that spice and ripe berry fruit.

Try one today of these with a grilled steak! I just had a 2011 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Avis de Vin Fort, from Loire, France (a Kermit Lynch wine) with a BBQ steak with black pepper and Montreal seasonings. Great pairing for the summer. There's a place called Chelsea's Wine Vault in NY. Very cool wines...

While we are at it..Also, check out the Region of Saumur for red wines and some rose’ wine in the Loire made primarily from Cabernet Franc.

I have had Reserve des Vignerons Saumur Champigny, 2012.  It has Black Currant notes, Raspberry, Plums Medium-bodied. It has chalky, ashy spine and a stalky thorn bush aroma. Fresh! It stands up to the red or gamey meats well. I have a bottle or two of that; I am going to pull another one out of the cellar real soon.

Reach out for some Chinon wine as well. Ask about it at your local wine shop Good stuff! Well priced!

Saturday, June 7, 2014

A Wine in Pennsylvania gets attention!



A good friend of mine brought me a wine that got my attention that I enjoyed.

In Pennsylvania through their Wine Society there are a few wines that are getting noticed through competitions but special note goes to the Vynecrest's 2012 vintage of Lemberger which won Wine Excellence XII, an annual competition that's organized and judged by the Pennsylvania Wine Society.

The key in this competition is only wines made from at least 75 percent Pennsylvania varietals (and Chambourcin which is a grape whose juice is pink or red rather than clear; is a deep-colored and aromatic wine. It can be made into a dry style or fruit forward style)... are allowed to enter.

The wine also contains a good dose of Cabernet Franc.

Seek it out.