Wine Drama

[Gardian]

For day-to-day drinking, we normally buy the wine box Merlot from the local co-op.  It's cheap and cheerful and perfectly nice (well, not perfect, but .......)

Anyway, I re-stocked last week and opened up the 1st box yesterday evening.  I took a mouthfull and for only the 2nd or 3rd time in my life, I disposed of the contents of my mouth and the remainder of the glass.  OH was (for once) struck dumb and realised that there was a serious crisis.   The wine had so much tannin, you'd have needed to shot-blast your teeth if you'd carried on drinking.

I returned to the co-op this morning.  "Have you tried this Madame?"   "It's the new season's stock", she said.  "Probably a bit young, but it's OK - depends on your taste".

I said that "A bit young" was an understatement, but could I change it?  Checked out the regular Rouge, which was OK and the exchange took place.

Meanwhile, the Patron emerged from his office and joined in the tasting check.  "Yes, young, but supple and with time .................".   I politely pointed out that perhaps a wine box product was meant to be ready for consumption there and then.   Blank looks at the impertinent Rosbif.

My teeth are just about recovering.

[Cassis]

Gardian - you are a rosbif by your own admission and so it will have been obvious to those at the co-op that you could not possibly know how to truly appreciate their product, so I'm sure no offence would have been taken.  They would put it down to a congenital malady.

I just found out last week that dental cover is included on your Carte Vitale, so fear not.

[Gardian]

[quote user="Cassis"]Gardian - you are a rosbif by your own admission and so it will have been obvious to those at the co-op that you could not possibly know how to truly appreciate their product, so I'm sure no offence would have been taken.  They would put it down to a congenital malady.

True, true

I just found out last week that dental cover is included on your Carte Vitale, so fear not.

But, irrevocable damage?  My fangs have a sort-of terracotta look - quite fetching in a way. 
[/quote]

[Llwyncelyn]

Dear Gardian you live in the Gard.  Is that adjoining the Rhone Valley and thus south of Lyon and Beaujolais.

I thought that the Syrah and related varieties held sway in your area.  Merlot is noted for its extracts of 'blackberries' and thus fruity.

Boxes have to be conditioned or so I am informed and perhaps en vrac may be better?

[Will]

Merlot is a very easy grape to grow, and to process, so it is found virtually everywhere that red wine is made, and is generally ideal for making the everyday type of wines. Gardian was probably unlucky, because it is generally fairly low in tannin, particularly compared with cabernet sauvignon.

Llwyncelyn is right that Syrah is the best known grape in the area, particularly the northern Rhone, and is predominant in the good Rhone wines such as Hermitage and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but the bulk wines from the co-ops are not normally regarded in the same light (though I do know of a producer at Chatueauneuf-du-Pape, but that's another story).

The only producer we buy direct from regularly is in the Loire, and certainly there it is exactly the same, whether it goes in bottles, boxes or vrac.

[Gardian]

Will & Llwyncelyn ...............

Whilst Syrah is the predominant grape in the northern CdR, down here in the southern half, Grenache is the predominant variety.  It will typically make up 80% of a blend, with varying %'s of Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre making up the balance.  This applies even in Chateauneuf du Pape, where one grower (according to my Robert Parker book, because I thought I'd better check my facts!) even uses 100% Grenache.

On a considerably more mundane level, the replacement Rouge Superieur box was opened last night and was fine!  That by the way is a Grenache / Syrah / Mourvedre blend.    

[Llwyncelyn]

Will please do not forget Cornas or Cote Rotie and if in Cornas and he will open his door and which is on the RN go and visit Clape (yes that is his name) if he will not see you go across the road and see Voge he used to play Rugby for Valence across the river.  Then Guigal in Cote Rotie but now I am retired I do not have the ability to buy his wines.  I know of two producers one in Cairanne and one in Gigondas which have 100% Syrah in certain vintages.  It takes some getting used to.

Now a question which appellation in France uses all 13 grape varieties in the making of its wine or at least is allowed to use all 13?

[Llwyncelyn]

Gardian before I retired here in France I used to 'collect' only Rhone wines and for over 30 years. I was very lucky for I had in Chepstow a double vaulted stone cellar a/c dehumidified all that sort of thing and used to buy all the opening offers of Rhone.  From Beaucastel to Vieux Telegraphe and even had some of Chateau Rayas 1978 and all his good vintages before the owner unfortunately died whilst shopping in Avignon.  In Cairanne there is a lady whose name I think is Rabasse Charavin and she does 100% syrah.  Of course there are lots of good but equally not so good producers in CDP and I have been to them all! In CDP there was a domaine that used to work according to the phases of the moon he was somewhat wierd and one day decided to go walk about leaving his wife and her sister in charge.  He has not been seen since! In the North I had lots of Chave and others but not Chapoutier for I do not rate him.  Parker does but I spent a morning with Chapoutier once and he was a pain.  He does have some acreage in CDP.  Of course Jaboulet was once a wonderful house.

Of course there are Cote du Rhone villages and from memory there is only one on the right hand bank of the river as you go down.  I forget its name but it is something like Domain St Anne.  Its wonderful.

Then to Rasteau and near here in Avranches one of the best wine dealers in Northern France convinced me to buy a bottle of Rasteau at 35 euros.  I forget the name of the domaine it was awful.

When we came to France all the wines went to auction and it reached almost 2000 bottles I had a fit so did my wife initially but then the usage that the money could be used for took over.  Oh for those days. One day soon and with a friend we are going down the Rhone from the north to the south and staying at places I know so well.   

rdgs