Last Wednesday was "Winesday" for us. We drove up to the Touraine-Amboise wine production area on the north side of the Loire river, between Blois and Tours. It's a "sub-appellation" that is basically a mirror image of the string of Touraine-Chenonceaux wine villages along the south bank of the Cher river, closer to Saint-Aignan and Montrichard. Here's a link to a map of the eastern part of the Touraine production zone, which includes the Vouvray, Chinon, Bourgueil, Montlouis, and Mesland appellations, among others.
Our first stop was the Domaine des Bessons, right on the border between the villages of Cangey and Limeray. It's a winery we discovered two or three years ago and we've now been there three or four times. On Wednesday, it was François Péquin himself who "received" us and poured us tastes of two wines that we ended up buying. The winery's brochure says that no pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used in the Domaine des Bessons vineyards.
The wine that Walt wanted, called Les Silex, was out of stock until the 2015 vintage is bottled in March. It's a very dry Chenin Blanc. Mr. Péquin introduced us to two other white wines, one a fruity, off-dry Sauvignon Blanc called Arroma and the other a late harvest Chenin Blanc dessert white that he calls Médium. Both are sweeter than the white wines we normally look for, but both tasted delicious. We bought six bottles of each, at 6 euros per bottle, for special occasions.
Our second stop was the Cellier Léonard de Vinci in Limeray. It's a cooperative operated by a group of local vignerons to make and sell red, rosé, and white wines made from the grapes they grow. We bought 10 liters of dry Chenin Blanc and 10 liters of Gamay red wine made from what the woman at the co-op called '"pure Gamay-Beaujolais". Both are sold en vrac (in bulk) and we will bottle them ourselves (10 liters is the equivalent of 13 bottles).
We also got twenty liters of red wine in "bag-in-box" packaging, one a Gamay-Côt blend and the other a red vin ordinaire (now called vin de France) made using a blend of two or three different local varieties of Gamay. I'm looking forward to tasting the difference between the two Gamay wines and also comparing them with the Gamay blend that includes some Malbec, which is known as Côt here in the Loire Valley.
We also got twenty liters of red wine in "bag-in-box" packaging, one a Gamay-Côt blend and the other a red vin ordinaire (now called vin de France) made using a blend of two or three different local varieties of Gamay. I'm looking forward to tasting the difference between the two Gamay wines and also comparing them with the Gamay blend that includes some Malbec, which is known as Côt here in the Loire Valley.
So I would like to try some wine
ReplyDeleteDoes most 2015 wine become available in March? Wini from Chez Bonne Femme recommended this wine. They are now out of stock, do you suppose they will have more in March?
ReplyDeletehttp://chezbonnefemme.com/a-great-everyday-french-wine-for-great-any-night-french-food/
In the Loire Valley, wines made from the previous year's crop are often released "young", in March or April, because they don't undergo long aging in oak barrels. I don't know about the wine you mention but I'll have a look.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Wini M.'s ideas on simple, everyday French food and wine. And I think a Côtes du Rhône, Loire Valley, or Beaujolais wine is usually the best buy and they can be very good — light-weight, fruity, and perfect to go with food without being overwhelming.
DeleteI remember going with you chez Leonard de Vinci. As I recall the wine - a red one - we bought was very good.
ReplyDeleteThe wine from the Limerayjj co-op is very good, I think, and the people who work there are helpful and knowlegeable.
DeleteThis would have been considered a small bit of Heaven to my husband :)
ReplyDeleteIt's heaven to me too.
DeleteHow wonderful for you :)
Deletedo you make an appointment to visit these wineries or can you just show up? I remember passing some & they looked closed & not to approachable.
ReplyDeleteWe just showed up and Mr Péquin was there. Usually it's his wife who's running tastings and sales. Then the co-op: the advantage of going there is that it's a regular place of business, so it's open and staffed according to a published schedule. I know what you mean about some wineries not appearing to be open to drop-in customers. There are plenty that do require that an appointment be made in advance.
DeleteI remember arriving in France almost 20 years ago with our niece and her husband, 2 days after their marriage. We got a car at CDG, then drove to the Loire Valley where we'd be staying for a week. Our first stop was at a winery in either the Touraine-Amboise or Touraine-Mesland appellation. It was little more than a garage, and we tasted wine from vats with the winemaker and his dog (well the dog didn't taste). There were some very nice wines, and we bought a few. My niece's husband commented: was that really 9 dollars for the 3 bottles? I said yes. And his response was that here was this winemaker, making wine in little more than a garage, selling it for practically nothing, and seeming to be very happy to accommodate visitors; and here I am working my a** off to make ends meet. Something seems to be wrong.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, Bob. Wine here is not a luxury product. A lot of people making and selling wine are far from getting rich.
DeleteBut they must be making a living...
DeleteI certainly hope so. It must be very difficult in some regions.
DeleteI see that you drove your new car...I like the set up you have in the trunk with the bungee cords keeping everything in place. It is amazing how much wine is made near your home.
ReplyDeleteWe did drive the Citroën. We both enjoy driving it and riding in it. And we use the bungy cords too when we go to the supermarket to strap shopping baskets and bags in so they don't fall over and spill groceries all over the place.
DeleteThe bungee cord idea is great ! I will be moving within the next month or 2 and will be taking a very long drive.
Deletewith 2 cats and some luggage etc. Bungee cords are just what I need. merci !
Sounds great. We are lucky to get very reasonably priced and quite good wines here.
ReplyDeleteYou sure had a productive Winesday! It sure beats my trips to the local Food Lion to select my weekly tipple!!
ReplyDelete