Tasting Trip Video Blog: Day Four
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Tain l’Hermitage | 6.8.16
Travel Blog: Day Four
Our final morning in the South greeted us with perfect azure skies and a stiff breeze. After coffee and emails in the courtyard, we departed the house for our first visit. The first domaine sits on a hill at the eastern edge of the appellation, and by the time we reached the chateau the wind had become noticeable and steady. The winemaker smiled as she greeted us; “a petit mistral this morning,” she said, crediting the wind with keeping their grapes healthy and mold-free all year long.
Juicy, Earthy Reds from the Garden of Eden.
Perhaps no wines in our portfolio more perfectly express their origin than those of the Mas Foulaquier. Our visit yesterday reminded us just how special this place is. Guided by a fervent belief in biodynamics, these vignerons have set their domaine in a old stone farmhouse on a sunny, idyllic hillside in Southern France.
Tasting Trip Video Blog: Day Three
Pic-St-Loup, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Séguret, Gigondas | 6.7.16
Travel Blog: Day Three
We started early this morning with a drive down into the Languedoc, about an hour and a half south. Once off the autoroute, the road begins to wind through rugged terrain. Scraggly green-gray bushes cover rocky outcroppings bleached by the brilliant sun; the two-lane road is shoulderless, but passing is never in question.
Crisp, Refreshing, No-Oak Chardonnay. $16.95
We arrived in France on Sunday, and are posting updates to our travel blog: AnsoniaWines.com/Travel. So far our nearly meals have all been in outdoor cafés, mostly simple dishes in a classic French style — steak au poivre, salade de chèvre chaud, foie gras and toast. The wines have been refreshing, straightforward, and delicious: a reminder that sometimes the simplest option is the perfect wine.
Travel Blog: Day Two
We weren’t sure what the coffee arrangement would be in our AirBnB, so we brought along an Aeropress and a bag of Stumptown coffee. Thus the morning began with a bit of email catchup, and a warm taste of home. We supplemented with some croissants and a baguette from the Boulangerie around the corner.
Tasting Trip Video Blog: Day Two
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Courthezon, Gigondas | 6.6.16
Travel Blog: Day One
A delayed flight produced an exciting connection this morning between tarmac and TGV. With one in two SNCF trains cancelled by striking rail workers, the margin for error was nil, and with heavy fog and teeming terminals we feared the worst. But the luggage belts were in our favor, and we even managed to grab two double espressos before boarding the packed train.
Tasting Trip Video Blog: Day One
Boston, Paris, Avignon, Courthezon | 6.5.16
A New Summery Blend from the Rugged Ardèche.
France is an old place — many domaines we work with have been in the business for centuries. But others are newer: winemaker Olivier Leriche left Burgundy’s prestigious Domaine de l’Arlot in 2011, and founded a new winery on old vines in the Ardèche. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed following Olivier over the last five years as he has experimented with grape varietals, styles, and blends.
Travel Blog: Allons-y
We’re on our way to France for a two week tasting trip covering the Southern Rhône, Languedoc, Northern Rhône, Beaujolais, Burgundy, Chablis, and Jura. We hope to post photos to this blog daily.
The Best Value in Burgundy.
We find some of our favorite values in towns just off the beaten path. The neighbor villages of Chassange-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet are the world’s best known sources for fine white wine. But just two miles to the west lies the often-overlooked town of Saint-Aubin, which turns out to be an exceptional source for white Burgundy.
New Red Burgundy: Raspberry and Silk
The towns of Pommard and Volnay are giants of the Côte de Beaune reds. Though less than a mile apart, the two towns represent opposing profiles – Volnay tending toward elegant and feminine, and Pommard toward sturdy and masculine. As neighbors they provide an excellent example of the microterroirs of Burgundy.