Friday, March 21st
French Wine Tasting
Featuring fabulous new wines from Grape Expectations!
($20 per person, 4pm - 6pm)
Domaine South
Call 256-759-9952 to Reserve
Pierre Dumazet’s staunchly traditional domaine of the same name has been family-owned since 1860. All the vineyards are worked by hand, even the soil is hand turned with a 4-pronged fork.
Grape Expectations Wine Tasting
Domaine South
Friday, March 21st
4pm - 6pm, $20
With Special Guest, Phil Oreh of Alabama Crown
256-759-9952 to Reserve
2022 Petites Sardines Muscadet, Loire Valley, France $21.99
From: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Loire Valley, France
Varietal: Melon de Bourgogne
Tasting Notes: The nose is dominated by the fresh aromas reminiscent of sea spray from the nearby Atlantic, along with lemon and grapefruit zest and light floral accents. The wine is characterized by its brisk saline minerality, hints of green apple, lemon citrus, and slight round pearlescence from just the right amount of lees contact during the winemaking process. A perfectly fresh sipper for your next barbecue, trip to the beach, or summer picnic!
This wine comes from a very small, atypical coop of just ten members, all from the commune of Le Pallet in the heart of Muscadet. Le Pallet is one of the only seven communes in all of Muscadet with “Cru” status, and many consider it the best of these Crus.
2022 Vincent Wengier Aligote, Burgundy, France $19.99
Nose of lime and wildflowers. A frank approach to the grape variety Aligote. Freshness, tone, clean and crunchy fruit, a real delicacy. Salivating iodized finish. An alluring youth.
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Vincent Wengier is a fourth-generation Chablis winemaker who, along with his wife, Sophie, has produced wine under his name since 2018. Domaine Vincent Wengier was first established in 1950 and is located in the southwest region of the appellation, in the village of Prehy, two hours southeast of Paris. The Wengiers manage 27 hectares of vines, spread over four appellations. They hold HVE (high environmental value) certification to promote fauna and flora within the vineyard. Their careful attention to detail in the vineyards has also earned them organic certification, effective in 2023.
2023 Fèvre-Fèvre Chablis, Burgundy, France $24.99
Sourced from parcels situated beside the village of Fontenay-Près-Chablis, at the very
heart of Chablis’ vineyards.
On high plains or steep hills, these vines grow on stony soils (Kimmeridgien Limestone).
Most of Fèvre’s vineyards are between 15 and 25 years old, some are 75 years of age
(planted by Nathalie’s Great Grandfather).
This is a fresh and fruity example with consistently forward minerality.
2022 Dom FL Savennieres La Croix Picot, Loire Valley, Fance $29.99
Domaine Fournier Longchamps is a family estate based in Rochefort sur Loire in Maine-et-Loire. It lies near the river Loire, 15 km southwest of Angers. The estate’s vineyards cross the boundaries of several highly respected appellations, including Loire and Savennières, best known for its highly rated white wine.
Varietal Composition: 100% Chenin Blanc
The harvest is carried out manually with successive selections in order to obtain very high-quality grapes. No malolactic fermentation is carried out on the white wines, allowing the wine to keep a richness of expression, aromas during tasting and a very important aging potential.
Tasting Notes: The aromatic notes are lively, delicate and deliver a saline sensation on the finish.
2021 Baud Rouge Ancestral Cotes De Jura, France $19.99
Tucked in between Burgundy and Switzerland lies the region of Jura. Although the climate and terroir are similar to Burgundy, the wines from this region’s remote hillside vineyards are entirely unique.
The Baud estate dates back to 1742, today the 9th generation manages the winery. Siblings Clementine and Bastien, both under 30, are making some of the best-value wines in the area. Jura is that narrow valley in the remote hills between Burgundy and Switzerland, which millions of years ago was covered by an Ocean and today still bares many of the fossils from that time. If you kick a stone in a Jura vineyard, it will probably be a fossil!
A delicious blend of 70% Trousseau and 30% Pinot Noir, this cuvée is named “Ancestral” because it is made from Baud's oldest plots of red grapes planted by Clementine and Bastien's grandfather.
This light and whimsical red wine has aromas of leather and concentrated notes of morello cherry and wild strawberries. The tannins are soft, silky, and elegant. Extra sensation with a light chill.
Enjoy it on its own, or serve with red meats such as game and venison.
2022 Domaine Dumazet St Joseph Muzolaise, Rhone Valley, France $32.99
Pierre Dumazet’s staunchly traditional domaine of the same name has been family-owned since 1860, with just under 6 hectares under vine.
Varietal Composition: 100% Syrah
Elaboration: Total respect of nature; no chemical treatments, all the vineyards are worked by hand, even the soil is hand turned with a 4-pronged fork. This way of cultivation enhances micro biological development in the soil and respectively more minerals will free up and found in the grapes, resp the wine. Yield control, leaf thinning and green harvesting are applied to stimulate perfect grape maturation and a high phenolic (aroma) level.
After a partial destemming, the vinification is classic, with a fairly long maceration period of often over 1 month. The aging takes place in 225 litre French oak barrels for 12 to 15 months. A smaller part of the barrels are new.
Tasting Notes: Classic and well made, powerful, balanced, good extraction, oak is not dominating, violets on the nose, black fruit on the palate, nice minerality, very long mouthfeel, very good aging potential.