What's Going On in the World of French Wines

Very good friends recently headed out to the Seattle area for a vacation. Since an old wine friend of mine works at one of the wineries in the Woodinville area, I arranged for my friends to have a tour and a tasting at the winery where he works. Yesterday, I ran into my friends while out at the grocery store and got a chance to get an update on how the tour/tasting went.

While they had a really terrific time, they admitted to me that they had been really nervous about the tasting. They weren’t sure what the protocol was for visiting a winery and they were worried that they were going to do something that was “wrong.” After I reassured my friends that they did everything right and answered their questions, it got me to thinking about the intimidation factor of wine.

Visiting a winery is really one of the best things that you can do as a wine lover – whether you are a newbie or an experienced taster. The beauty of wineries is that you can now find them all over the world. Every state in the US now has a bonded winery (although some bring in grapes/juice from places like CA and don’t grow the grapes on-site) and so you might just find a winery somewhere near where you live. If you are traveling to France, you can almost be certain that you will be somewhere within a few hours’ drive of a winery. Visiting foreign producers is a wonderful way to not only learn about wine, but learn about the culture and the people of a place.

There are a few “protocol” issues that can be good to consider. The first is that it is generally wise to call ahead to the winery to see if you can make an appointment. This is a good idea for several reasons. If it is a small winery, you need to make sure that someone will be there to receive you. You also want to make sure that your arrival doesn’t coincide with something monumental like the day the wine gets bottled or the day the grapes arrive in the winery. Super busy days can mean that there isn’t someone available to show you around and help you taste through some wines.

Some wineries will charge for tastings and tours; others won’t. It all depends on where you are visiting. I’ve always found that expressing interest in the wines and asking a lot of questions will usually result in better service in a tasting room. When the pourer knows that you are excited and interested in the wines that he/she is serving you, they are more likely to be chatty and even sometimes, to open up a more unusual or special bottle for you to taste.

When it comes to tasting the wines, there are lots of dos and don’ts. Don’t gulp your wine, do savor and enjoy it. I recommend that you jot down some notes to yourself – it will help you remember later the wines that you liked the most. Even if the wine is horrible, be sensitive in how you express your opinion. You can be honest, but be honest with tact. If the winemaker is pouring you his best wine and you hate it, he might want your feedback, but try to make it constructive – this is his wine, his baby that you are about to criticize, so do it carefully.

I also recommend spitting when you are tasting through a lot of wines, but if you are not comfortable with that idea, then make sure you have someone along to serve as a designated driver. You might be consuming more than you know. If you are tasting in Europe, some places have very strict laws about driving while intoxicated, so you would be wise to exercise caution.

Most wineries are excited about welcoming guests and showing you all the things that they do at their facility. One of the things I have always noticed about wine was how much people love to share it with each other. Wine experts love to talk about wine, wine makers love to share their experiences, wine drinkers love to share a bottle with their friends – we are an extremely generous bunch of people when you stop to think about it! If you are going to France anytime soon, there are a number of links on this blog that you can investigate to find suggestions on places to go and contact information for some of the different local wine organizations. Also, most wineries have websites, so if you have one in mind, you can probably Google it to find out all of the important information. And if you click over to the right, you can watch my friend Dan as he visits Bordeaux and checks out a winery – and a wine spa – there. If that doesn’t inspire you to want to visit a winery, I don’t know what will!

And I’m curious – how many of you readers have ever visited a winery before? And if you have, do you have any tips to add to make the experience even more fun? Let me know!

Cheers!

All the talk about Beaujolais and the Gamay grape on the blog recently got me to thinking about a fun food pairing to try. Every once and a while, it starts to feel like we eat nothing but chicken, so at the grocery store the other day I spotted a pork tenderloin with a raspberry-chipotle marinade. Immediately it occurred to me that this would not only be a good change of pace for dinner, but it would be a great dish to try out with the Louis Jadot 2007 Beaujolais-Villages!

For the rest of the menu I decided to go with a mixture of flavors (both sweet and savory). For the sweeter side, I tossed some sweet potatoes with a mixture of olive oil, walnut oil, salt & pepper and a few spoonfuls of brown sugar. Our weekly visit to the farmer’s market had yielded a large number of tomatoes and cucumbers, so I made a tangy balsamic vinaigrette for a big salad and then added some mozzarella cheese for good measure.

It was a fantastic match. The wine was very grapey and full of strawberry fruit. But it also had notes of cinnamon and other spices and it worked beautifully with the fruity flavors of the pork. The soft tannins of the Beaujolais didn’t overpower the meat and the combination of the two was both flavorful and enjoyable. The addition of the sweet potatoes worked well both flavor- and texture- wise. With its fresh acidity, the wine seemed to “lighten” the pork and the sweet potatoes and it worked as a most enjoyable palate cleanser for the meal. It even went well with the salad!

For dessert I had made a blueberry and cherry cobbler and what was left in our glasses worked well with that, too. The range of flavors in the meal, as well as the combination of the savory and the sweet components, all married well with the wine. It demonstrated perfectly the wonderful versatility of, and pleasure to be had from, Beaujolais.

But I didn’t stop there. A bumper crop of basil, combined with an abundance of basil that was in our CSA box this week, convinced me that it was the right time for making pesto. So a few nights ago, with the help (sort of) of my 2 and a half year old, I made a batch of basil pesto. We had also received a bunch of different veggies in our CSA box, so it seemed like a good idea to sauté the veggies, make some pasta, toss it all together and serve up a pesto primavera for dinner. As we were setting the table I ran through my different wine options and I decided it would be fun to see how Gamay did with a pasta dish. For this meal I choose to open the Chateau de La Chaize, a Beaujolais from the Brouilly cru.

I was really pleased. The wine was a terrific match with the veggies and with the pesto. We had chilled the wine slightly, so the meal felt light and refreshing. The slight earthiness of the wine was balanced with the mixture of vegetables that we used for dinner. The Chateau de La Chaize is not as fruit-forward as the Jadot and instead it has a lot of earthy, cherry and spicy notes to it – a great compliment to the pesto and the veggies.

All in all, I was pretty impressed with the versatility of Beaujolais. The fruitier example was a great match with the pork and the earthier version was a hit with my homemade pesto. So next time you are looking for a different wine to try with your dinner, I definitely recommend picking up a bottle of wine from the Beaujolais region. I think you will find it to be not only a charming wine, but also a great match with a wide variety of foods.

Cheers!

I first met DC Flynt back in 2001 when I entered the Master of Wine program. You’d be hard-pressed to find a nicer or warmer wine expert! DC has a background in restaurants, but now works as an importer and distributor. DC has always been passionate about French wine, especially wines from Burgundy. I especially love his answer to question number 10 – it is truly indicative of the down-to-earth wine-lover that he is!

1. How did you get started in the wine business?
In 1966 at 14 I started working in a restaurant as a busboy, and shortly became a waiter. Selling wine to our patrons was very profitable for the wait staff, but required some knowledge. In 1974 after finishing college I built my first restaurant/ bar/ wine bar “Scarlett O’s” and in 1981 I opened an up-scale restaurant Café Margaux, which was destroyed by Hurricane Rita in 2005. In 1991 I began the import business DC FLYNT MW SELECTIONS. In the beginning, our primary focus was on wines from Burgundy and a small amount of Champagne. Today we also import wines from Bordeaux, Rhône, Italy, Spain, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand, and distribute wines from the US as well.

2. Tell us a little about what you currently do in the wine business. What is a typical day in the life of DC Flynt like?
Today we are totally involved in import/export and distribution. Along with our distributor partners we ship to 7 countries and 37 states in the US. Besides distributing our regular portfolio of wines, we spend a considerable amount of effort developing custom brand projects for clients like Costco, HEB, Central Markets, and others.

3. What is your favorite wine region in France to visit?
Burgundy, there is something fascinating to discover every step of the way.

4. What is your favorite food and French wine pairing that might surprise people?
That is like asking me which of my children I like best. Here are two meals I love, both are simple dishes, Bouillabaisse and Alsace Pinot Gris, and a Wood Fired Organic Omelet with Champagne. These are inexpensive meals that highlight the best qualities and purity of the food and wine, without masking the flavors either. Alsace Pinot Gris is one of the best buys on the planet, and even the best eggs are so cheap we can all afford to drink Champagne with joy.

5. How has French wine changed since you started working in the wine business?
French wine has both changed and remained the same. I believe that the quality of wine worldwide has improved dramatically over the last 40 years and wines from France are no exception. These positive changes are due to improvements in education in the wine sciences, vineyard husbandry, clonal selection, technology and cellar hygiene. The end result is that we are experiencing an unprecedented era of French wines that display both the artistic effects of quality winemaking and a pure sense of terroir. As a quality wine producing country, France has few rivals and their drive to produce the finest wines seems to be a core competency of the French.

6. What made you decide you wanted to become a Master of Wine?
In the 70’s and 80’s I admired the high level of wine education which was common for the trade in the UK. The leaders in providing this educational experience were the WSET and the Institute of Masters of Wine. In the early 90s, the Institute of Masters of Wine made the decision to open their membership beyond the boundaries of the UK to the world community and I jumped at the opportunity. I had no idea how difficult the course of studies and the examination would be. By 1998, 10 Americans had become Masters of Wine. I was fortunate to be in that group, and although the end result was always in my cross-hairs it was the education, experience and the opportunity to hone my trade that really drove me.

7. If you were stranded on a deserted island, which 3 French wines would you have to have with you?
Hopefully I won’t be alone and this island will have at least one deep cave for me to store cases of Champagne de Bruyne Grand Cru 100% Chardonnay from Le-Mesnil-sur-Oger, 1990 Robert Ampeau Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes, and the 2005 Bernard Gros Frère et Soeur Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Musigny. Champagne and red and white Burgundy are hard to beat if you can only have three!

8. What has been the most memorable French wine that you have ever tasted?
I’ve been fortunate to taste many unusual and top wines from many regions in France, and picking one is tough. It is the occasion and the company that make a wine truly memorable. For me, it was a remarkable bottle of Bollinger RD Champagne shared one evening in the Spring of ‘85 at Restaurant Boyer les Crayères.

9. What new innovations do you see in the future for French wines?
I’m not sure if new innovations are the driving force behind the future of French wines. The French are open to new technology and certainly some regions are more open to change than others, and this is the correct balance. The French have a mandate to protect the sanctity of terroir for the top regions and appellations, and the challenge of competing with the rest of the world for a greater share in the category of table wines. To this end, the euro has hamstrung the French. The innovations that the French producers need now are in dealing with the cost of labor, taxes, poor exchange rates, and useless government regulation. These are the areas that have the greatest competitive impact on agricultural products and this is particularly true in the competitive table wine category.

10. If you were a French wine, what wine would you be and why?
How exciting to be a French wine for a day! Despite all the wonderful choices, as a Southerner I think I would have to be a Bourgogne Pinot Noir. There is not much Grand Cru or Premier Cru about me, even the Village level would be a reach. A Bourgogne Pinot Noir speaks about where it is from in a simple and straight forward way. It is a thumbprint of the land and the vintage, but most of all it is about enjoyment and the simple pleasures. I think that is who I am.

My husband likes to tease me about never taking the cork off the corkscrew when I open a bottle of wine. He says that it shows just how impatient I am for a wine to get opened so that I can taste it. And since even I have to admit that I am not the most patient person, I have to also admit that he is pretty much on the money about my enthusiasm for getting the wine opened. There is something about opening up a new bottle of wine – especially if it is one you haven’t tried before - that is full of excitement and anticipation. Even when you know something about wine, you can always be surprised about what you find in the bottle.

But, actually, my leaving the cork on the corkscrew is not only about my rush to taste the wine. It also has to do with the process of opening the bottle. There are, in my opinion, a lot of steps to take when you go to open a bottle of wine. Sometimes the ritual of opening a bottle is pleasant and there is an aspect of ceremony to it that is both comforting and enjoyable. But, I’ll be honest, sometimes it is also a bit of a pain in the you-know-what to get a bottle of wine open because of all of the steps you have to take. While I don’t mind cutting off the foil, I absolutely detest the bottles where I have to cut through a layer of wax to get to the cork. The other night we opened up a very nice bottle of wine that I definitely enjoyed but will never bother to buy again. Why will I not be shopping for this particular bottle? Because of the 15 minutes it took me to get the wax off and the 15 minutes it took after I got the bottle opened to clean up the wax that was covering the counter and the floor!

When I read articles that talk about the importance of the ceremony of opening a bottle of wine, I find myself rolling my eyes a bit. Certainly there are occasions when pomp and circumstance are called for – I will definitely agree with that. But I don’t think that should go for every bottle. Which is why I am such a big fan of wines topped with screw cap closures. Last night, for a variety of reasons, dinner did not get served at my house until close to 10pm. As we were finally ready to sit down and eat, I quickly twisted the cap off of the wine I had grabbed and thought “wow, that was easy.” No getting out the corkscrew, removing the liner and then taking out the cork and then taking the cork off the corkscrew – nope, just one twist and I was ready to pour.

Which is why I find the resistance to screw caps so funny – and luckily it does appear to be waning. All issues of cork quality aside (we’ll deal with that another day), how refreshing is it to see wines come in all kinds of different packaging? All wines are not the same, so why should the package that they come in always be the same? Yes, some wines are for special occasions and yes, I do prefer to pop the cork out of my Champagne rather than twist off the top like a soda bottle, but really, for my everyday drinking wines, there is nothing more perfect and more efficient to me than a screw cap.

I am always intrigued by the fact that there is a perception that French wines don’t come bottled with a screw cap. And indeed, the push for screw caps did come from more New World wine producers than from those in the Old World. But that is not to say that French winemakers haven’t started to embrace the screw cap. In fact, if you look through my Wines of France picks, you will find a variety of wines that are topped off with a screw cap – both reds and whites. You can try the
the Colombelle White, the Burgundy Hills Pinot Noir, the Mommessin Beaujolais or the Domaine Houchart Rosé, to name just a few!

So whether you are in a hurry to sample your first sip or you are tired of fighting with your corkscrew, next time you see a bottle topped with a screw cap, stop to give it more of a look. Screw caps aren’t just for poor quality wines anymore – you’ll find some of the tastiest wines in the world using this type of closure. And take it from me, they are a snap to get open!

I am thrilled to announce that Rosie Cox of Lexington, NC has won the Wines of France Sweepstakes. Rosie was randomly selected from more than 12,500 entrants and will be taking her husband, Donald (who also entered the sweepstakes!) with her to France this September. I am so excited for both of them! It is also a special coincidence to see someone from Lexington win this fabulous trip! Lexington, NC is where my husband and I were married. (And we had our wedding reception at a winery in Lexington.)

Rosie and Donald will be traveling to both Bordeaux and Burgundy which will give them a chance to experience two of the most important and historic wine regions in the world. What are some of the things that they will discover? In Bordeaux they will get to see the harvesting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes for the red wines, and Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes for the white wines. While in Burgundy, they will have the opportunity to watch as winemakers make wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. The opportunity to learn about all of these different grapes is a wonderful experience for a wine lover – it will change the way they think about wine forever!

Bordeaux and Burgundy offer such a wonderful compare-and-contrast for someone learning about wine. In Bordeaux, you get to see the famous large chateaux and learn about how winemakers skillfully blend several different grapes together to create the full-bodied, rich and age-worthy red wines of the region. In Burgundy, on the other hand, you will find small producers who create silky and elegant reds from only the Pinot Noir grape, and powerful and crisp whites from Chardonnay alone. Each region has set a style for wines that is emulated around the world. And while there are definitely winemaking techniques that are used in both regions, there are also several practices in the cellar that are unique to each, and Rosie and Donald will have a chance to experience them all.

Rosie and Donald have promised to share their experiences here on my blog so that we can all learn from their harvest adventure and see for ourselves what makes French wine so special. I can’t wait for their trip – although I am sure that Rosie is even more excited about it than I am!

Oh, and one last piece of advice for Rosie and Donald – make sure that you take very comfortable and study (and hopefully waterproof) shoes with you. Also, don’t forget to pack some old shirts, too. Winery work is fun, but it can get pretty messy!

In some ways, Gamay is the Rodney Dangerfield of the grape world – all it wants is a little respect. For centuries, Gamay has struggled to be seen as a serious contender. In 1395 for example, Philip the Bold, duke of Burgundy, issued a decree that outlawed the use of Gamay in Burgundian wine. His reasoning was that Gamay was not suited to producing quality wines and that the vine yielded too many grapes.

Over the last 613 years though, it has become clear that while Gamay might not be suited to Burgundy, it is very much suited to the Beaujolais region, as well as several others. And while Gamay might not produce the world-class age-worthy wines that Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir are capable of, it still makes one heck of a juicy and tasty wine.

Gamay grows on the fast side – it is an early -budding, -flowering and -ripening grape which means that although it can be sensitive to frost, it is also capable of ripening in cooler climates. This is one reason why you can find it grown in the Loire and also in Switzerland. Gamay tends to have a fairly crisp level of acid (making it one of the more “refreshing” red wines) and aromas and flavors of fresh strawberries and raspberries. When carbonic maceration or semi-carbonic maceration is used to vinify the grapes, then it is also not uncommon to find aromas of bananas and candied strawberries. For wine lovers looking for a red with fairly soft tannins, Gamay is a great red grape to try. In fact, if you don’t consider yourself a red wine drinker but you want to start experimenting with reds, I would recommend that you consider starting out with an approachable red grape like Gamay.

Although Gamay is grown in several different regions, it is practically synonymous with the Beaujolais region. As the Oxford Companion to Wine points out, “no other wine region is so determinedly monocepagiste as Beaujolais…” meaning that no other wine region relies so heavily on just one single grape variety for all of the wines produced in that region. The wines of Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages and the 10 crus of Beaujolais are all made from the Gamay grape. Of these, only the wines of Beaujolais-Villages and the crus of Beaujolais are considered to be somewhat age-worthy. However, there is nothing wrong with the fact that these wines are best drunk when youthful and fresh – not all wines are meant to be aged and some of Gamay’s charm stems from its youthful grapey-ness.

Gamay is also a very food-friendly and versatile grape. With bright acidity and fresh, but light fruit flavors, it can pair well with both chicken and beef as well as with pork and turkey. It is great with a quiche, but can be just as tasty when served with whatever you might throw on the grill for a cookout. Wines made from the Gamay grape are best served on the cool side, so chill your bottle in the fridge for 25-30 minutes before serving. As I’ve said before, Beaujolais is one of the more refreshing red wines and in the middle of summer, who could ask for anything more?

Last night was the first evening workout for the half marathon program that I have signed up for. After running several half marathons and 1 full marathon in the last 6 years, I finally decided to sign up for a training program to help me stay honest with my workouts and to try to improve my pace and form. While I was running, I started chatting with Sarah, a young graduate student who is preparing to run her first half-marathon. As we attempted to break up the monotony of running laps around the track, Sarah asked me what I do. I proceeded to tell her about working as the Spokesperson for Wines of France and my job as a wine educator. It is always interesting to tell people about what I do – it is usually something that catches people a bit off guard and it typically leads to a fun conversation about wine.

Sarah’s response was interesting. She said, “Ah, well, maybe you can tell me a red wine that I would enjoy, I tend to only drink white wines.” I asked her to tell me a bit more about what she disliked about red wines and her answers surprised me. I expected her to say that she found reds bitter or too dry, but instead, she said “they aren’t very refreshing. I find reds too hot and heavy. I really love Sauvignon Blanc and it always tastes so fresh.”

I found Sarah’s reasoning fascinating on any number of levels, not the least of which is that her answer was a bit different from most I have gotten on this topic in the past. Temperature is one of those things that we don’t talk enough about when it comes to wine. Serving temperature, along with several other factors including alcohol level, plays a very important role in determining how “heavy” or “light” we might perceive a wine to be when we taste it and smell it. A white wine served too cold will seem tasteless, while a red that has been overly chilled will come across as metallic and bitter. At the opposite end of the spectrum, wines (both red and white) that are served too warm will be flabby and flat. And if a wine has a very high level of alcohol, then if served too warm it will seem to be excessively alcoholic and hot. Wines seem more aromatic when served on the warmer side (around 64 degrees F) and can seem to have little or no nose if served too cold (around 46 degrees F).

We’ve talked about cellar temperature before when it comes to keeping wine for a long period of time. While cellar temperature can be a range (from 50 to 60 degrees F), the ideal cellar temperature is right around 59 degrees F. Most people think about serving red wines at room temperature, but really, the majority of reds should actually be served at cellar temperature – not room temperature. What I typically suggest is that you put your red wine in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes before you serve it or place it in an ice bucket (ice mixed with water) and chill it for 10 to 15 minutes. With whites, you need to think about how cold your refrigerator might be. Most fridges are actually colder than cellar temperature (they should be at 37 degrees F) and many whites should be served somewhere between 45 and 55 degrees F (it will depend a little bit on the type of white). So if that’s the case, I would suggest that you take your white wine OUT of the fridge 10 to 15 minutes before you serve it.

After giving Sarah a few suggestions on serving temperature, I also recommended that she try out a few lighter reds that can be served on the very cool side, like a Beaujolais or a Loire Valley Cabernet Franc. She promised me that she would look for some reds and let me know what she thinks. We all meet back up on Sunday for a long run, so I will see if she had a chance to try anything out. In the meantime, I’m curious to see if any of you ever take the temperature of your wines before you serve them or if you cool your reds prior to opening them. Drop me a line and let me know!

Recently at a dinner with another couple, I watched as two different bottles of wine were opened — because he won’t drink white (ever) and she won’t drink red (ever). Now, I try very hard to get across the point to wine lovers everywhere that it really is OK to like what you like. I do understand that not everyone will love all the different types of wines that are out there. But one of the things that struck me was how much this couple was missing out on because they don’t ever share their wine experiences. It also made me think about how there is a big difference between having a preference for one type of wine and completely limiting yourself.

Years ago, I went out on a date with a guy, we’ll call him Roger, who took me to a very upscale steakhouse. As we sat down and the waitress handed us the menus, I eagerly began perusing the wine list. As I have said before, one of my favorite combinations is a steak and a great Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine, but I’m flexible – there are also a lot of other tasty pairings out there. As this restaurant was known for its terrific red selection, I figured that whether or not it ended up being a Cab, we’d find a good red to enjoy. Not wanting to make the choice without his input, I asked Roger what kind of wine he was interested in having.

And then he said it. He actually said, “Oh, I don’t drink red wine.” I believe I replied something to the effect of, “well, what about a red that isn’t very tannic or a really light red wine?” but I can’t be sure – I think I was so surprised by his opposition to the idea of red wine. Roger’s reply: “No, sorry, I don’t drink red wine, ever. I don’t like it.” No amount of discussion could persuade Roger to give any red wine on the list a try – I couldn’t believe it! There was no pleasurable discussion to be had about the bottle of wine we wouldn’t be sharing, no shared enjoyment of the meal. I believe we settled for wines by the glass, but at that point it was clear to me that there would definitely NOT be a second date…

I frequently tell the Roger story to illustrate the fact that when it comes to wine, it is very important to be open to trying new things (and to sharing). There are folks out there who stay away from red wines because they are headache prone – that I can understand. And I also respect people who tell me that they find some red wines too dry and bitter. But what I think is great is when these same people decide that they are willing to keep an open mind and try another red, that maybe that one won’t be too dry or too tannic for their taste. These folks have realized that you can’t lump all red wines into the same group: just because you might not like Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t mean that you will also hate Pinot Noir.

We all have our preferences when it comes to wine – even if we don’t know it. There are definitely certain types of wines I prefer over others – as well as certain styles of winemaking that I favor. But that doesn’t mean that, if presented with a wine that probably isn’t “my type”, I will refuse it. Instead, I think that it is really important to try the wine – in my book it is a learning experience to taste everything – the good, the bad and even the ugly!

There are also so many different variables that come into play when tasting a wine. The temperature of the wine, the temperature of the room, the food being served, the company – heck some people will even tell you that the music being played will have an impact. I have one friend who talks about how he fell in love with a wine on vacation only to come home and try the same wine and find that he didn’t really like it all that much. Sometimes our frame of mind (hello, he was on vacation – everything tastes better on vacation!) will even play a role.

So deciding that you will only drink a certain white wine for the rest of your life is not only boring, but limiting too – just think about all the different wines out there you will be missing out on – there are literally thousands! So if you don’t like the heavier, more tannic reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah, then consider trying a lighter, less tannic red like a Beaujolais made from the Gamay grape. Or try a Pinot Noir – many times people will find that Pinots have a more delicate structure with less drying tannins. And if some reds are too dry for your taste, then consider experimenting with a blend of Syrah and Grenache which you will find in a Cotes du Rhone. When it comes to whites, if you don’t love the oaky and vanilla notes found on many Chardonnays, then look for a Pinot Blanc from Alsace. That’s a white that is very food-friendly, but not too dry or acidic. If you are looking for something a bit more full-bodied, then try a perfumy Viognier from the South of France. And if you love high acid whites with floral notes but want a change from Riesling or Gewurztraminer, then try a mouth-watering Chenin Blanc from the Loire. There are so many different wines out there to choose from!

I don’t know whatever happened to Roger, by the way. Hopefully at some point he decided to take a chance and try red wine again. I’d be willing to bet that some red wine out there somewhere might make him realize that the color of a wine isn’t a reason to refuse to taste it. Luckily for me, though, I ended up finding a guy who is always game for tasting any wine I want to open up, no matter what color or how unusual it might be.

For many wine lovers, Thanksgiving isn’t so much about the turkey as it is about the chance to sample the latest vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau. Each year on the third Thursday in November, Beaujolais Nouveau, one of the very first French wines of the new vintage, is released onto the market. Although today the release of Beaujolais Nouveau is still met with enthusiasm, years ago the anticipation of the release date was so great that it became a contest as to who could sample the wine first.

Hype aside, there is a good deal to appreciate about the wines of Beaujolais and there is much more to the region than just Beaujolais Nouveau. While many wine classes and books will lump Beaujolais in with Burgundy (as it is located just south of Burgundy), the wines from each region are very different. Although as in Burgundy some Chardonnay and Aligoté is grown for white wines, the red wines of the region are made from Gamay, not Pinot Noir. The Gamay grape, which does its best in the granite soils of Beaujolais, tends to produce wines that are moderately colored, with fairly high acidity, moderate to soft tannins and aromas of strawberries and other red fruits.

The Gamay grape though is not the only factor that creates the different style of the wines of Beaujolais. One of the most important things that sets Beaujolais apart from other wine regions is the use of carbonic and semi-carbonic maceration in the wine-making process. Carbonic maceration is an anaerobic (without air) type of fermentation process. In it, whole berry clusters are placed in anaerobic environment (where there is no oxygen), and an intracellular fermentation takes places – you can think of it as if each grape is an individual fermentation tank. In practice, it is very difficult to do a 100% carbonic maceration as the weight of the grapes at the top will lead to broken grapes on the bottom which equals a more traditional fermentation. That’s why you see the term semi-carbonic maceration used. What this method does though is to produce a very fresh, brightly colored fruity red with very soft tannins and a fairly light body. This method is also known for making wines that have very distinctive notes of strawberries, bananas and cherries.

But carbonic maceration is only one part of understanding Beaujolais. The other important aspect of the region that you should learn is the different appellations and categories. We have already covered the Beaujolais Nouveau category. This is the wine that is made ready to drink mere weeks after the grapes were harvested. It is best drunk while still young and fresh – up to six months after release. However, there are still several appellations within Beaujolais that produce wines that are a bit more substantial than the Beaujolais Nouveau. There is the basic Beaujolais appellation which covers wines produced from some of the flatter vineyards in the southern part of the region. These wines typically have a bit more body and concentration compared to the Nouveaus. A step up from the basic Beaujolais is the Beaujolais-Villages appellation which covers wines that are made from the hillier vineyards which are mostly located in the northern part of the region. Beaujolais-Villages wines are usually a bit more age-worthy (1-3 years) and tend to have a bit more tannin to them compared to the basic Beaujolais.

Finally there are the Cru Beaujolais. These are the wines from the 10 named communes that are considered to be the best sites within the region for growing Gamay. They are: St Amour, Juliénas, Chenas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Regnié, Brouilly and Cote de Brouilly. In my opinion, these are some of the prettiest-sounding appellations in all of France. (I don’t know about you, but St Amour and Fleurie just scream Valentine’s Day wine to me.) It is generally accepted that Cru Beaujolais is the most age-worthy example of Beaujolais, sometimes even capable of aging 8-10 years. It is also considered to be the most full-bodied example of the region and there is usually less of the strawberry-banana notes and more cherry, cassis, earth and spice notes to these wines.

So, if you have only ever tried Beaujolais Nouveau, you can see that there is a world of Beaujolais just waiting to be tasted. And if you have never discovered Beaujolais before, then you definitely need to look for these wines on your next trip to the wine store. Beaujolais is one red that should almost always be served slightly chilled – make sure you put it in the fridge about 20 minutes before you want to serve it. With refreshing acidity and soft tannins, Beaujolais is a terrific summer red and would be a great addition to any summer gathering. Now your only decision will be what kind of Beaujolais to serve!

If a visit to Beaujolais is part of your next trip, click here to learn more about setting up a wine tour of the region. And don’t forget to visit www.franceguide.com, the official site of the French Government Tourist Office, for lots of great information on visiting all the wine regions of France.

Bastille Day is just around the corner and this year, I have decided to mark the occasion with a small dinner party. I’ve invited a few of our good friends (one of whom is a definite Francophile) and their children to help us celebrate. Making the decision to have the party was, of course, the easy part – now I am trying to settle on the menu.

So far, here’s what I know for sure I will be serving: a baguette and a selection of French cheeses. After that, I’m at a total loss! I have several options for my salad course. I could do an herb salad with a French vinaigrette or I could go with a spinach salad with mushrooms topped with a warmed lemon vinaigrette. Both would be delicious and fairly easy, so I’m a bit torn.

And then we get to the main course – and here too, I am at a bit of a loss. I think it is partly because there are so many different options and also partly because two of my guests are vegetarians, so I need to make sure the menu works for them. Right now, I am debating between making a vegetable tart, a cheese and broccoli quiche, a cheese soufflé, or ratatouille. I think I am leaning towards the quiche or the vegetable tart as those seem a bit more kid-friendly. Despite the Disney associations, I am not sure how excited my two year old is going to be with the ratatouille.

Dessert is also proving to be a bit challenging. I am debating between crepes (I think the kids would have fun with those) and one of my all-time favorites, a cherry clafouti. There is also the option of making chocolate mousse or a fruit tart or even a fruit soufflé (I have a great banana soufflé recipe), but I think right now my vote goes to making the crepes and serving several different filings – sort of like a make your own sundae bar.

At least I think I have a good idea of what wines I am going to serve for dinner. Salad dressings can be a bit challenging for wine pairings, but I think that if I make the spinach salad and the veggie tart, I will open Olivier Leflaive’s Les Setilles White Burgundy. An all-around and versatile wine, I think it will pair nicely with all of the different vegetables and the mushrooms. The mushroom/spinach salad and vegetable tart combination would also work well with a Pinot Noir and so I could also serve the Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Rouge and then give my guests the option of choosing to have either white or red wine. For dessert, I’ve already settled on the Moet White Star, an off-dry bubbly that will be a festive end to the evening and will pair nicely with either the cherry clafouti or the crepes (and at this point, I’m thinking I’ll go with the crepes).

I still have a few days left to fine-tune my menu though, so if you have any suggestions, please drop me a line and let me know what you would serve for your own Bastille Day celebration. Santé!