Wine & Words

Ex Cellars is an importer specializing in the wines of France as well as select estates in Portugal, Spain and the New World. Phillip obtained his undergraduate degree in French language and literature from East Carolina University in 1997. In 1999 he moved to Grenoble, France where he received an MBA in international business and a deep understanding and appreciation of the great wines of France.

As usual, all Featured wines will be 20% off all month and will be available by the glass Friday and Saturday evenings at Back Bay Café, Not as usual, Mary and I will be yielding our usual tasting host slot to Phillip for a special tasting on Saturday October 11. Phillip will be pouring and talking about these wines from 1:00 until 3:00 at Wine & Words…& Gourmet in Washington, then from 5:30 until 8:00 at Wine & Words, Belhaven (where they will be accompanied by a dinner menu of all French cuisine). There is no cost for the tastings at either location. If you’re planning to join us for dinner in Belhaven, please call us for a reservation – 252.944.2870.

I’ve written this newsletter as a background on the regions and wines that Phillip is bringing, but you’ll want to mark your calendar to participate in this rare opportunity to learn from a true expert.

Prices marked are the regular retail, followed by the Feature Price with a 20% discount.

Languedoc-Rousillon is the area of southwestern France between the Spanish border and the Rhone valley. This is the warm Mediterranean countryside known as the Midi, characterized by dry, rocky soil and mild weather. Though it has several well-known AOCs like Corbières and Minervois, it up-started in the international wine world with simple Vins de Pays d’Oc (“wines of the country of the Oc”) that are rich and flavorful and don’t break the bank.

Jacque and Francois Lurton, sons of the famous Bordeaux producer André Lurton, started their own company in 1988 with the intent of producing French style wines from grapes grown all over the globe. They now have properties not only in Languedoc-Rousillon but also in Chile, Argentina, Spain and Portugal. Their wines are stylish but informal and are always great values.

Lurton Les Fumées Blanches 2007 Regular $12.15/ Feature Price $9.72

This has long been one of our favorite French value wines. It is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from warm climate vineyards, with an extended time on the grape skins to bring out the richness of the fruit. And it has Sauvignon Blanc’s ability to pair with a large range of food, especially seafood and cheeses.

Lurton Les Salices Viognier 2006 Regular $14.95/ Feature Price $11.96

The “Les Salices” range of wines from the Lurton brothers is made from grapes grown on the steep rolling hills of the Minervois, Corbières and Limouxin regions where they benefit from hot, sunny days and cool nights. Viognier (vee-ohn-yay) is a white grape that does particularly well in this terroir, bringing out the floral notes that remind me of Riesling or Muscat. It is soft and easy drinking, but pairs well with food.

Lurton Les Salices Pinot Noir 2006 Regular $14.35/ Feature Price $11.48

This is another of our favorite value wines. The classic Pinot Noir of France is from Burgundy, and those are certainly wonderful wines (try our stellar Chateau de la Maltroye), they’re pricey, too. For a French Pinot Noir that has the varietal’s excellent food pairing properties but doesn’t cost more than the food, try this one.

The Loire Valley is really many wine regions, from the cool highlands of Sancerre and Pouilly- Fumé, through the midlands of Vouvray, then on through Anjou-Saumur and emptying into the Atlantic where we find the famous seafood wine Muscadet. At 630 miles, the Loire is the longest river in France; and as the last wild river in Europe it is designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Baumard Savennières 2005 Regular $32.00/ Feature Price $25.60

The Savennières appellation consists of only 150 acres in the Anjou region of the Loire Valley. The grape grown is Chenin Blanc, a grape that yields wines of high acidity that sometimes need some time to mellow but that can age a surprisingly long time for white wines. This one, of 100% Chenin Blanc, is already 3 years old, and it’s delicious, with a depth of fruit that leads into its long, dry finish. C’est magnifique!

Along with the Rhine, Danube, Loire, Douro, Garonne and Moselle, the Rhone is one of the most important wine rivers in the world. It constitutes a myriad of appellations and wine styles that read like a who’s who of great wines – Côte Rôtie, Crozes-Hermitage, Côtes du Rhone, Gigondas and Châteuneuf-du-Pape. The grapes here are mostly Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre for the reds and Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Rousanne for the whites.

Guigal Crozes-Hermitage 2004 Regular $23.25/ Feature Price $18.60

This wine from the Northern Rhone vineyards of E. Guigal is 100% Syrah. It is interesting to compare this sophisticated beauty with the fruit bombs of Australia that are made from this grape and known as Shiraz -- same grape, very different wines. From its rich nose of red fruits to its long dry finish of silky tannins (18 months in oak barrels), this is a wine to savor with the best of French cuisine.

“Bordeaux is more than just a famous wine-growing area. It is a symbol for great wine in general, a model for the whole world of wine.” – André Dominé, Wine

The numbers tell part of the story. Bordeaux wine is made in 9,000 wineries, usually called châteaux, with 57 appellations (regulated, named places of origin), using the grapes of 13,000 growers. That’s a lot of wine, and the quality runs from cheap everyday table wine to some of the most legendary wines in the world. Wine has been made here at least since Roman times, but the area gained its true fame for making “claret” when Eleanor of Aquitaine married the duke of Normandy, Henry Plantagenet, who later became King Henry II of England. This was a happy marriage for wine lovers, if not for the principals themselves, and the rest is wine history.

Château Recougne Bordeaux Blanc 2007 Regular $12.15/ Feature Price $9.72

The main white grapes in Bordeaux are Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Here the latter is made into an international-style wine that is dry and crisp, while maintaining a bright fruitiness. This is accomplished through the use of modern stainless steel temperaturecontrolled fermentation vessels. A wonderful wine with seafood.

Château Recougne Bordeaux Supérieur 2005 Regular $17.70/ Feature Price $14.16

The Bordeaux Supérieur appellation means the grapes come from anywhere in the Bordeaux region and have a higher quality than the simple Bordeaux AOC designation. This one is a blend of 77% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is an excellent everyday table red at a price that’s, well, “every day.”

Château Boutisse Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2005 Regular $48.00/ Feature Price $38.40

It’s generally considered that the premiere region of Bordeaux is Médoc and the second is Saint-Émilion. The easiest distinction to make between the two regions is that Médoc wines are mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, need some age before they’re ready to drink, and last a long, long time; whereas, Saint-Émilion wines are mostly Merlot, which makes them ready to drink at a younger age, but keeps them from being ageworthy for decades. This 2005 vintage is 88% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc. This is a big, velvety wine with smooth elegant tannins, a worthy companion to red meat, wild game, or strong cheeses.

Tasting Opportunities…