Rhone Valley Wine Tasting
Thursday, January 9th
Le Petit Bijou
We are moving our tasting up to Thursday to bring you the ultimate Snow Day Wines - Bubbles and Chateauneuf-du-Pape!
This tasting will also feature many wines from Grape Expectations Importing!
(and don't worry, you can still enjoy part two of Grape Expectations next Friday)
Call 256-964-7980 to Reserve
Enjoy a side by side comparison of the luxurious reds of the Rhone Valley: Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, & Vacqueyras! The Gigondas appellation, while sometimes producing wines with a touch of rusticity, can often rival Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Its elevations are higher and soils richer in limestone. Vacqueyras reds are more concentrated than the more general Côtes du Rhône reds and must be at least one half comprised of Grenache by law. We'll have a delicious Cotes-du-Rhone and Cremant de Limoux to kick it off! See ya there!
Rhone Wine Tasting
Le Petit Bijou
Thursday, January 9th
4pm - 6pm, $20
With Special Guest, Kate McElvoy of Rush Wines
256-964-7980 to Reserve
NV Domaine Delmas Blanquette de Limoux Cuvee Tradition Brut, France $17.99
Bronze Medal Decanter World Wine Awards
Fresh, racy with a typical notes of crisp green apple and honey. The Mauzac grape varietal gives this wine its classic Blanquette de Limoux characteristics of crisp green apple. The texture is creamy, with very fine bubbles. Well-structured with fresh elegance and good length.
Varietal Composition: 90% Mauzac (Blanquette) and 10% Chenin Blanc
Elaboration: Méthode traditionelle – the second fermentation takes place in the bottle, the classic vinification technique for fine bubbles. This wine is Brut with 5-7 grams of sugar per liter.
• The vineyards grow in the cool climate, western edge of AOC Limoux, in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains near the Medieval walled city of Carcassonne in Languedoc.
• The grapes are harvested by hand from the Campgrand, Espilies, and Le Pech vineyards.
• The name “Blanquette” comes from whitish color on the underside of the leaf of the Mauzac varietal, grown exclusively in Limoux.
• Grapes are grown from vineyards that are certified organic.
Domaine Delmas has long been considered a reference point for Limoux bubbles and the house is operated by Bernard Delmas, his wife Marlene, and their son Baptiste.
2019 Domaine le Clos des Lumieres Cotes du Rhone Village Rouge Zero Sulfites, Rhone Valley, France $16.99
“Villages” level Cotes du Rhone sourced from older vines on galet topped chalky sand-clay soil. These galets cumulate the sun heat during the day and return it to the vines in the evening, giving extra concentration and depth to the wine.
No added sulfites.
Varietal Composition: 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre
Elaboration: The harvest is done during the night to limit oxidation. The grapes are destemmed and crushed, followed by a pre-fermentation at low temperature to extract more primary aromas. The extraction of aromas, tannins etc. is enhanced by cap punching and pumping over of the juice. The vinification is done at controlled low temperature and is up to 4 weeks.
Tasting Notes: Dark red purple color. Intense floral nose with black fruit. Complex palate with black fruit, spiciness, and thyme. Good tannin structure. Complex wine with a long mouth feel.
2020 Chateau Des Roques Vacqueyras Rouge, Rhone Valley, France $24.99
The vineyards of Chateau de Roques are situated just 20 kilometres from Chateau-Neuf-du-Pape, the soils here share much the same composition of its more prestigious neighbour. The vines are over 50 years old and the harvest is hand-picked.
The Chateau des Roques Vacqueyras wine is brilliant, deep ruby in colour, with a rich nose of crushed raspberry and strawberry with intermingling of herbs and liquorice. Juicy and lush on the palate, packed with red fruit, and white pepper with supple tannins.
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
2021 Domaine Notre Dame des Pallières Gigondas "Les Mourres", Rhone Valley, France $30.99
The 2021 Gigondas Les Mourres offers a slightly more traditional vibe and sweet red and black fruits, spiced meat, garrigue, and bouquet garni-esque aromas and flavors. Based on 80% Grenache and 10% each of Syrah and Mourvedre, raised in concrete tanks and old barrels, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a ripe, sexy, fruit-forward texture, ripe tannins, and an excellent finish.
2022 Crous Saint Martin Chateauneuf du Pape, Rhone Valley, France $38.99
A beautiful clean ruby color. The nose will reveal aromas of cherry, mulberry, and fine spices. Sensual mouthfeel expressing depth and smoothness with aromas of kirsch, blackcurrant, followed by fine spices such as thyme, licorice, and white pepper. Tannins are present but are polished and silky. Complex wine with roundness, power, and a long mouthfeel.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape with engaging intensity from north-facing sandy, compacted safre, galet stone covered soils on Les Bédines. The harvest starts with Syrah, followed by Grenache and finishes with Mourvèdre which needs more time to mature. The yields are low, maximum 35 hectoliters per hectacre. Classic/traditional vinification. The wine pays homage to the year 1879, which is the year St. Martin’s Cross (Crous) was installed by the monks to signal the road to Chateauneuf.
An overnight blockbuster immediately upon arrival two vintages back, Crous St Martin is a collaboration between Rhone expert Harry Bosmans and Eric Bonnet of Domaine Bastide Saint Dominique.
