| Bedford Wine Merchants Blog - What's New In Wine |
ROSE THE GREAT SUMMER WINE
Rose’s fall into two major categories. The majority of roses are made from lighter pigmented grape varieties such as Pinot Noir and Grenache. They are generally very elegant and do well with foods generally associated with white wine. Those produced from darker skinned grapes achieve a deeper, richer wine that bears some relationship to the red wines that work so well with foods, but are refreshing enough to be drunk on a hot summer day. Most of these wines come from warmer climate.Rose’s have a natural affinity for the foods of spring and summer. They work well with many dishes that are murder on red wines, or foods that are too hearty for most white wines. They are a marvelous accompaniment to spicy foods, as they tone down the heat and the spice brings out the character of the wine.
Provence is the regions most famously associated with Rose. The wines of from Les Baux Mas de Gourgonnier ’08 vintage 88 points, and Mas de la Dame ’09 vintage 87 points, and the surrounding villages in Northern Provence are dry, clean, and refreshing to have on a hot summer’s day but still has enough flavor to marry well with the region’s spicy foods. Roses from Bandol, Pradeaux, 08 vintage 92 points, Chateau de Peyrassol ’09 vintage recommended by NY Times, are rich and full flavored, with excellent depth that do well do well with white meats.
From the town of Cassis next to Marseille Domaine Bagnol ’09 vintage recommended by NY Times, produces spicy, herbaceous wines that complement the rich fish varieties of the area especially when seasoned with provincial or asian spices. The Cotes du Provence a little further west on the Mediterranean Coast Chateau Coussin ’09 vintage, recommended by the NY Times, and L’Estandon are dry and fruity and do best as an aperitif or with light cheeses and salads. Grenache and Cinsaut are the most common rose’ blend with miner quantities of Syrah and Carignon added to the blends in Bandol and Cassis.
Rose’ de Loire was an appellation created 1974 for a blend of red grapes (primarily Cabernet with Pinot Noir, Gamey, Pineau d’Aunis) that are produced in Anjou, Saumur, and Touraine. Beautiful, delicate, elegant, and complex Rose’s are produced in Sancerre Crochet ’08 vintage 91 points, from Pinot Noir and from Burgundy the Magnien Bourgogne Rose ’08 vintage 88 points.
Rose’s from Spain Condesa de Leganza and Italy, Regaleali like those from the Bandol tend to be more like red wines, being darker in color, fuller in body with intense red berry flavors and good depth.
What all the Rose’s have in common is a freshness, vitality, minerality and a good clean finish.
GEVREY CHAMBERTIN-THE MOST COMPLETE WINES IN BURGUNDY
Gevrey Chambertin located on the Cote de Nuits has more acres under vine in the Cote d’Or and more famous individual vineyards than any other village in Burgundy.
Because of it’s famous vineyards, there are more producer living off the that name rather than the quality. This is true at the village level and even among the Grand Crus. While in all of Burgundy, knowledge of the producer matters more than the vineyard, it is even more important in Gevrey Chambertin.
Sitting on a terrain made up of clay and limestone gravel the wines are typically, fuller, deeper in color, firmer in texture and more tannic than its neighbors. They take time to develop, but eventually become the most complete wines in Burgundy with great structure, complexity, and rich velvety fruit.
They boast eight grand crus, the most famous being Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Beze followed by (in order of quality) by Mazis Chambertin, just a step below that of Chambertin and Clos de Beze, Latriciere slightly less intense but silky, Ruchottes intense, but more elegant while Griotte, Charmes, and Chapelle still firm but with aromatic, fragrant fruit. The commune also boasts almost thirty premier crus with Cazetiers, Lavaut-St. Jacques, Varoilles, and Clos St. Jacques arguably the equal to some of the Grand Crus.
Many consider Chambertin as the most complete vineyard only matched by Romanee_Conti for its completeness and intensity. Clos de Beze is qualitatively on the same level although somewhat less powerful.
Because of it’s famous vineyards, there are more producer living off the that name rather than the quality. This is true at the village level and even among the Grand Crus. While in all of Burgundy, knowledge of the producer matters more than the vineyard, it is even more important in Gevrey Chambertin.
Sitting on a terrain made up of clay and limestone gravel the wines are typically, fuller, deeper in color, firmer in texture and more tannic than its neighbors. They take time to develop, but eventually become the most complete wines in Burgundy with great structure, complexity, and rich velvety fruit.
They boast eight grand crus, the most famous being Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Beze followed by (in order of quality) by Mazis Chambertin, just a step below that of Chambertin and Clos de Beze, Latriciere slightly less intense but silky, Ruchottes intense, but more elegant while Griotte, Charmes, and Chapelle still firm but with aromatic, fragrant fruit. The commune also boasts almost thirty premier crus with Cazetiers, Lavaut-St. Jacques, Varoilles, and Clos St. Jacques arguably the equal to some of the Grand Crus.
Many consider Chambertin as the most complete vineyard only matched by Romanee_Conti for its completeness and intensity. Clos de Beze is qualitatively on the same level although somewhat less powerful.
LIGNIER-MICHELOT EXTRAORDINARY WINES
Lignier-Michelot has been around since the beginning of the 20th century, but like so many of his neighbors sold their grapes to the big burgundy négociants. Virgile Lignier, who joined the Domaine in 1988, is the fourth generations to run this fine 8 hectare estate and was instrumental in bottling their wines under their own domaine. By 1992 they began to estate bottle and sell about 50 percent of their wines. In 1998, Virgile took over the reins of the estate from his father with 2000 being the first vintage that he vinified completely on his own.
Lignier-Michelot has holdings in Chambolle-Musigny, Gevrey-Chambertin and Morey St. Denis at the villages level, as well as number of superb Morey premier crus in the vineyards of Aux Charmes, Chenevery and Façonnières. They include a parcel of fifty year-old vines in Chambolle-Musigny from which they make their Chambolle Musigny “Vieilles Vignes” bottling, and all three premier cru Moreys; Aux Charmes, Chenevery and Façonnières whose vines are all in the fifty-five to sixty year-old range. A parcel in the grand cru vineyard of Clos de la Roche rounds out their fine lineup. Total production is about 1000 cases per year.
Over time, Virgile’s philosophy has evolved from that of a technical winemaker to a passionate viticulturist. As he said, “It’s all in the vineyard. It’s not what I do in here; it’s out there. The raw material.” He now spends more time tending to the vineyards and letting the wine make itself. His 2006 vintage shows in the quality of his wines.
As Bruce Sanderson wrote, “The 2006s from Lignier-Michelot, tasted blind in Wine Spectator’s New York office, showed lush, juicy textures and fresh, dark berry flavors.”
Lignier-Michelot has holdings in Chambolle-Musigny, Gevrey-Chambertin and Morey St. Denis at the villages level, as well as number of superb Morey premier crus in the vineyards of Aux Charmes, Chenevery and Façonnières. They include a parcel of fifty year-old vines in Chambolle-Musigny from which they make their Chambolle Musigny “Vieilles Vignes” bottling, and all three premier cru Moreys; Aux Charmes, Chenevery and Façonnières whose vines are all in the fifty-five to sixty year-old range. A parcel in the grand cru vineyard of Clos de la Roche rounds out their fine lineup. Total production is about 1000 cases per year.
Over time, Virgile’s philosophy has evolved from that of a technical winemaker to a passionate viticulturist. As he said, “It’s all in the vineyard. It’s not what I do in here; it’s out there. The raw material.” He now spends more time tending to the vineyards and letting the wine make itself. His 2006 vintage shows in the quality of his wines.
As Bruce Sanderson wrote, “The 2006s from Lignier-Michelot, tasted blind in Wine Spectator’s New York office, showed lush, juicy textures and fresh, dark berry flavors.”
For a complete listing of my blog posts plus any archived posts, please visit What's New In Wine
Address:
24 Village Green
PO Box 0266
Bedford, NY 10506
Phone:
914 234-6012
888 315-8333
Store Hours:
Mon-Wed 10AM-7PM
Thurs-Sat 10AM-8PM
Sun 12PM-5PM
Email Address:
24 Village Green
PO Box 0266
Bedford, NY 10506
Phone:
914 234-6012
888 315-8333
Store Hours:
Mon-Wed 10AM-7PM
Thurs-Sat 10AM-8PM
Sun 12PM-5PM
Email Address: