French
Wine Tasting
Friday, November 22nd
Le Petit Bijou
We have another gorgeous line-up of profound wines ready to please every holiday table!
Call 256-964-7980 to Reserve
French Wine Tasting
Le Petit Bijou
Friday, November 22nd
4pm - 6pm, $20
With Special Guest, Robert Gunn of Pinnacle Imports
256-964-7980 to Reserve
2020 Jean-Paul Brun Extra Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, Burgundy, France $29.99
Jean Paul Brun is located in Charnay, a village in the Southern Beaujolais just north of Lyon, in a beautiful area known as the "Terres Dorées" or Region of Golden Stones. Brun is the owner and winemaker at this 60+ hectare family estate and has attracted the attention of the French and American press for the wonderfully fruity and delicate wines he produces.
Blanc de Blancs. Farming by Jean Paul Brun is organic, but they are not certified. This is composed of 100% chardonnay from the 2020 vintage, aged on its lees for 18 months and disgorged with a dosage of 5 grams per liter. The nose opens with a delicate note of lemon oil, early spring apricots, and a light note of toast. The palate is light and focused with a flavor set of lemon, just there apricot and a bit of rounded minerality to finish.
NV Jean-Paul Brun FRV100 Rose, Beaujolais, France $25.99
100% Gamay. From Jean-Paul Brun's organically farmed estate Gamay vines on clay-limestone soils in hilly Charnay in the southern Beaujolais. The name "FRV100" is a play on the word “effervescent”--which becomes more apparent when you sound out the letters and number in French--and is indicative of the playfulness of this off-dry, sparkling rosé. FRV100 is made with the méthode ancestrale: the hand-harvested fruit is destemmed and fermented in vat until it reaches around 6% alcohol. The wine is then lightly filtered and bottled and allowed to finish fermenting; there is always some residual sugar. Though the vintage is not allowed on the label, FRV100 is always a single-vintage wine.
2022 Domaine Francis Blanchet Pouilly-Fumé ‘Cuvée Kriotine’, Loire Valley, France $25.99
BLEND: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
VINEYARDS: A single-vineyard selection from a plot just under five acres,
facing southeast, with mostly chalky, limestone soils with many small, white
stones. Vines here represent a massal selection from vines originally planted
at the estate by winemaker Francis Blanchet’s grandparents.
AGE OF VINES: 20 years, on average
WINEMAKING: Hand-harvested. Pressed full cluster; fermented and aged
on fine lees in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks.
TASTING IMPRESSIONS: Aromas of crushed oyster shells, white flowers,
crisp pear, lemon rind. Flavors of limes and lemons, fresh white fruits,
dusting of white pepper and sea salt on the finish. Crisp and lively.
PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: Goat cheese; fish soup; Thai or Vietnamese cuisine
NOTES: ‘Kriotine’ is a fantasy name inspired by the word ‘criot,’ which in
local dialect describes a vineyard terroir with many white stones.
2023 L'esprit Closel "Belle Dame" Chenin Blanc, Loire Valley, France $30.99
The wine shows ripe quince and pear aromas with floral hints, while the palate is ethereal and quite dry with firm acidity and saline mineral flavors under the subtle fruit. This will pair nicely with oysters and delicate seafood preparations, and should develop well with five to ten years of aging.
The family vineyard Les Vins DOMAINE du CLOSEL is located at the Château des Vaults, in Savennières, Grand Cru of the Loire Valley. Focused in shaping and developing the biodiversity in the vineyards by respecting and preserving the natural cycles in the ecosystem. The authentic and lively wines they produce are expressions of the land, work in the vineyard, and the harmony the family strives to maintain.
2023 L'esprit Closel "Rosalia" Rouge, Loire Valley, France $29.99
A light red wine made from old vines growing on the Savennières plateau. Fine tannins, lots of fruit and a pleasant length in the mouth. Evelyne de Pontbriand, winemaker, has managed the estate since 2001. With a literary background, passionate about music, gardens and taste, she is a fervent supporter of the concept of terroir wines, that is to say “wines of the place”.
These wines are made with the same care as the Savennières wines. This new range is a tribute to the very natural approach to winemaking. Each of these wines refers to nature with the name of an insect, a butterfly or simply a water source.
From a very old parcel of Cabernet Sauvignon, planted by Evelyne's aunt because her doctor told her she was drinking too much white wine! For the record, she lived to be 101.
The wine takes its name from the rare and beneficial Rosalia alpina beetle found in the beech and willow trees on the Closel estate.
Smell & Taste : On the nose the wine reveals aromas of both red and black fruits such as black cherries and blackberries. On the palate it is a wine full of delights and freshness. Again lots of fruit and a pleasant length on the palate.
2019 Château de Cérons Graves Rouge, Bordeaux, France $29.99
Château de Cérons is not only a listed historic monument, but a lovely manor house built in the early 17th century situated on a terrace overlooking the Garonne River. Located in the heart of the village of Cérons in the Graves region, the estate is surrounded by imposing stone walls. The château is located in front of a beautiful 12th century church. Winemakers and owners Xavier and Caroline Perromat took over the management of the family estate in 2012. They have been working tirelessly ever since: replanting plots, renovating the cellar, installing gravity-flow concrete vats and opening Château de Cérons to visitors.
The terroir for this 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot blend is a mixed gravel soil with sand and small stones resting upon a subsoil of limestone. The grapes are fermented in concrete vats, with a 2-3 days cold soak beforehand. Vinification lasts between 21 and 35 days with occasional pump overs. The resulting wine is racked and put bank into concrete for malolactic fermentation. The wine is then aged in 50% new barrels and 50% 1 year old barrels before being bottled.
Wine Enthusiast awarded this wine with a Cellar Selection and a 93 Point rating saying 'This wine is ripe, with great acidity bringing forward black-currant flavors. It is a very complete wine, every element in its place, mirroring the elegance of the chateau. Drink the wine from 2026.'