Lavau, Gigondas, 2010, France

Is that a Gigondas on the shelf or are you just happy to see me, Costco?  I really don't mean to ape this other blog's style but sometimes my wallet is empty and the bargain wine pickings are kinda slim here in Honolulu.  Either way, for less than 15 bucks the 2010 Lavau is a great opportunity to get a real taste of what the southern Rhone has to offer.  Wines from Gigondas or Vacqueyras are not too difficult to find in the states and can be a real step up in both complexity and body from your everyday Cote De Rhone without being nearly as expensive as a Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  

The Lavau is vibrant purple black in the glass.  It has very enticing nose of violets, raspberries, minerality and inkiness.  This wine has an initial austerity and lack of fruit right out of the bottle.  I picked up hints of woodiness and bell pepper with tar hitting on the back end.  As it opens up raspberry fruit and black licorice with creamy milk chocolate undertones really start to shine.  This is far from full bodied but the purity and richness of the fruit really give the Lavau a sense of grandeur (Did I really just say that about something I bought at Costco?)   The acidity and berry flavors beautifully bob and weave around each other like a young Cassius Clay.  I'm trying not to wax all poetic all the time about what I love but sometimes it just can't be helped.

Chateau Bonnet, Entre Deux Mers, 2011, Bordeaux, France

I just love it when white wine has a little stink to it.  For some reason, stinkiness is something people usually can appreciate in a red wine but when it comes to whites we're looking for something completely crisp, clean, pure etc.  I think that barnyardy poopy musty dirty sock flavors can bring complexity and balance to white wines as well.  Anyway, this Bordeaux from the far northern region of Entre Deux Mers was stinky but also spicy like the kick from bitter kale or chard.  I also smelled smashed banana and white flowers.  The spice carried through on the flavor of this entry level white wine work horse as well.  Tropical notes of coconut and lilikoi dominate the front end .  The acidity was not overwhelming but still super persistent balancing out the round honey mid-palate.  As the wine warmed, I was also was reminded of the strong desire to drink slightly flat 7-Up whenever I get even a slight upset stomach.    I love how wine can bring up the most random of memories.  Anyway, this is a lovely little balanced white blend for less than 15 bucks.

Pierre Chainier, "1749" Sauvignon Blanc, 2011, Loire, France

This is a tale of two wines . . two entirely different wines in the same bottle.  The first Sauvignon Blanc you down ice cold within the first ten minutes of being open.   Though it claims to be from the Loire, it smells like something more from  New Zealand with its fruit forward lime, wet grass, meringue, and a hint of florality.  It's rather round on the front end with a nice crunchy acid attack on the mid palate.  The initial lively tart citrus notes seamlessly flow into more richer apple pastry on the finish. You struck by its complexity for the teenage price point and want to taste more and more and more from this so called Pierre Chainier.   

The second wine shows up a mere 10 minutes later.   It's just a hint warmer but somehow almost all of the acidity and balance has faded away.   The brightness and length also seem to be taken out back and shot like a lame horse.  Fuck, it's like straigh up welches peach juice!  Is something wrong with my ragged 36 year old taste buds?  Is this tiny rock of an island driving me crazy?  Please drink some of this for me and let me know what this wine shows up for you!  

French Kiss - Getting Fresh with France (a guest post by Ellis Holiday)

The Languedoc-Roussillon is probably not the first place that pops into your mind when you are trying to decide on a bottle of wine. It may be the last place on Earth you would think of unless you are lucky enough to have a few fond memories of travel in the south of France. In which case you are one of the lucky few who know how unique and delicious these wines can be.
Languedoc grouped with it’s neighboring Roussillon makes it one of the largest and most productive wine producing regions in France and also the world. This region represents villages with a history of wine making that stretches as far back as the Greeks who planted vineyards here in the fifth century BC.  Among the most notable AC’s are, Costieres De Nimes, Coteaux Du Languedoc, St. Chinian and Faugeres. 

Why have you not heard more about the wines produced in this beautiful Mediterranean climate?

Louis Latour, Macon-Villages Chameroy, 2008, Burgundy

MORE FRENCH WHITES, PLEASE!   This Villages level Burgundy from Macon is iridescent golden yellow in the glass.  On her first smell, Kelly yelped, "Gorgonzola Apple Salad!"  I got sliced golden apple and poop (in a good way).  The mixture of fruit and funk in this wine is pretty undeniable.  I also picked up golden raisins and laughing gas.  This is a full bodied effort with a powerful flavor of perfectly ripe juicy gold apple with lovely soft citrus overtones and fig.  The wine-makers note this Macon-Villages has a "suave, billowing aftertaste."  I concur.  For all its weight, this wine gets has a surprisingly smooth de-crescendoing lightness on its long finish.  It completely blows my mind that that a chardonnay this complex and layered sees absolutely no oak.  It's something I have yet to taste in any domestic producers' wines, whose stainless steel chards I find too bracing and quick.  I'm happy that there are still bargains (picked this up for less than 20) to find there but I know that for most oenophiles, Burgundy can be a slippery slope.  Please don't let me blow my next paycheck on one of these!  

Chateau Roc de Breuil, 2009, Cotes de Bourg AOC, Bordeaux

Every once in a while you smell something in a glass of wine and it sends you reeling back into the strange dream that was your childhood.  This right bank baby sure did that from me.  I remember going to stay with my grandma back in the late 70's at her shag carpet covered apartment in Skokie, Illinois,  a city full of single Jewish grandmothers.  I remember sitting at her little kitchen table watching "Murder She Wrote" and her going out on the patio for a smoke during a commercial break.  She would come back pop a Certs in her mouth and offer one up to me.

And BOOM, that's exactly what this wine smells like!  Smoke and Certs!  Oh yeah, I also pick up red pepper flakes, strawberry jam, and tart candy.  This Merlot-driven blend from the northern region of the right bank of Bordeaux is light-to-medium bodied and hazy crimson in color.  The flavor is dominated by raspberry with lively light spice and resiny notes.  It's got good acid, not much length, and tough but not too bitter tannins.  The Roc de Breuil reminds me of a slightly brawnier Beaujolais Villages.  Maybe it's all psychosomatic, but after some recent disappointing bottles this wine has an authenticity and realness that I can appreciate.  12 bucks at Costco and oh I wonder how this would pair with some tako poke!           

Domaine de Pajot “Les Quatre Cépages”, 2008, Cotes De Gascogne

This wine comes from Gascony, a region in southwestern France that is far better known for brandy than wine. The winemaker, Domien Barreau, utilizes sauvignon blanc and three obscure native varietals (ugni blanc, gros-manseng, colombard) to produce the Domaine De Pajot. The color is pale and straw and somewhere between a lighter chardonnay and a typical sauvignon blanc. The nose is reminiscent of a viognier and like walking through the perfume section of department store. There are also whiffs of warm cotton candy, orange marmalade, and candied ginger. The Domaine De Pajot is a light to medium bodied wine. Dried apricot is the dominant fruit on the front end of the palate. It’s definitely got a strong sugary-edge but I still found it pretty unique. There are also hints of rock candy, honeysuckle, and dandelion. A green melon component kicks in on the mid-palate and carries on into the finish. I found that the big dose of residual sugar really hid the acidity and threw the wine slightly off balance. You can pick this up at People’s Food Co-op for less than 10 bucks. It’s a great summer sipper if you don’t mind your whites on the sweet side!

Domaine de la Pepière 2006 "Cuvée Granit" Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France Marches de Bretagne

The Cuvee Granit is named after the high concentration of granite in the soils from which the grapes were grown in the Muscadet region of France. It is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Merlot. The Domaine de la Pepire is deep cherry red in color and is fairly opaque. The nose is massive, complex, and oh so old school. I picked up cranberry and savory notes of marinara sauce, jalapeno pepper, basil, truffle oil, and smoke. The fruit takes over a bit more on the flavor profile. Strawberry really hits you on the front end and transitions into more tangy cranberry and rhubarb pie into the finish. I also got hints maple syrup and something resembling a green Indian chutney! I love how the wine-maker didn’t need to rely on the use of oak to bring out those interesting secondary flavors. The granit doesn’t have a massive body or crazy complex flavor profile but it more than makes up for it with charisma, originality, and vibrancy. I think this would pair well with a lot of different vegetarian foods. It’s got the acidity and subtle tannic backbone to cut through the vinegar in a bean-based or pasta salad.