What's Going On in the World of French Wines

I’m working on a post on Bordeaux for later this week, but I had a really interesting wine last night and so I wanted to share it with everyone on the blog. A few months ago, I was in a wine store in my area when I spotted an interesting looking bottle of wine. The first thing that caught my eye was the label – it was one of those labels that grabs your attention – not because it is showy or there’s a cute animal, but because it was, well, so very pretty. Intrigued, I picked it up and was even more interested to see that it was made with organically grown grapes and that, best of all, it was priced at $9.99. So, naturally, I had to buy it!
So what’s funny about this is that the Les Chemins de Bassac Isa Rouge has been sitting in my wine fridge in my kitchen untouched since that impulse purchase. Every time I’ve gone to pull out a wine for dinner, I’ve looked at it and then thought to myself, am I really in the mood for this wine? I’m not really sure what made me hesitate to open the Isa – I think I was so excited to find it that I was worried that drinking the wine would be a bit of a let-down…amazing how sometimes you can be your own worst enemy!
Well, last night I made spaghetti and meatballs and when I went to grab a wine to serve with dinner, lo and behold, I discovered that I was out of my stash of everyday Italian wines. Yes, I keep a selection of inexpensive Italian red wines on hand to serve with my red sauce – I find that my tomato sauce tends to go best with either a Valpolicella or a Chianti. But I digress…so, unfortunately (or fortunately) for me, there were no Italian reds to be had. So I went searching through the other shelves to see what I could find. And that’s when I spotted the Isa, which had been languishing on the top shelf of the wine fridge for way too long.
What the heck, I thought – why not open it? I’ll admit it, I didn’t have high expectations – not only because of the potential problem of pairing it with my red sauce, but also because I had stupidly convinced myself that something that pretty, that reasonably priced and made with organically grown grapes wasn’t going to be all that tasty – it seemed just too good to be true. Well, silly me. The Isa was lovely, with soft earthy black fruits, notes of spicy plums and hints of ripe cherries. The tannins were fairly soft and the acidity and alcohol were balanced, but somehow the wine went very nicely with the sauce. Perhaps it was the addition of the meatballs to the sauce, but the combination was really enjoyable, and the wine that was left in my glass was equally delicious with my dessert of chocolate chip cookies.

The Les Chemins de Bassac Isa Rouge is a Vin de Pays des Côtes de Thongue, which is located in the Languedoc, in the South of France. The wine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir and the grapes are all farmed organically. If you would like more information about the wine, I recommend checking the estate’s website.
So what did I learn tonight? Well, first off, it was a great reminder that I need to take my own advice when I spot something interesting – I need to not hesitate to open the wine once I get it home! I foolishly made some assumptions about the wine (the label’s too pretty and the wine’s too reasonably priced for it to be really good) that were definitely without merit. And this was a great reminder that there are wines made with organically grown grapes that can be found for under $10. So for all those people who say you have to pay extra for grapes grown without synthetic chemicals, the Isa is a terrific example of the value wines that are available these days. Finally, it was definitely a treat to discover a delicious wine that stood up to my red sauce – and I bet it would be great with a whole bunch of other dishes too!

Recently, as a favor to a very good friend, I conducted a small wine tasting for a group of graduate students. One of the guys in the group had inherited a number of California wines, mainly red wines from Napa and Sonoma, and he wanted to share them with his friends but also have everyone learn a little bit about wine in the process of tasting.

After I looked over the list of wines that we would be tasting, I decided to include two French wines – the first, a Pinot Noir as that was one of the red grape varieties for which we didn’t have a California wine represented, and the other, a Northern Rhone Syrah to serve as a compare/contrast partner for a Ridge 2002 Syrah.

I’d had a bit of a busy week with some travel, our continued quest to unpack and just general business, so I didn’t get a chance to pick up the French wines for the tasting until that day. So, while I was out running some errands, I decided to make a stop at a new wine shop near my house called HV Bottle Shop. As many of you know, as much as I love book stores and shoe stores, there is little that can compare in my mind to the joy of shopping in a wine store – especially a new one I don’t know. So while I literally only had 20 minutes to scan the shelves and make my purchases, I did have enough time to know that I had found a store with some very interesting and exciting wines. For the tasting I selected the 2003 Domaine Bruno Clair Marsannay “Les Vaudenelles” (around $18) and the 2006 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage “Les Jalets” (around $22). I also picked up a few other goodies that I can’t wait to blog about, but I am going to save those for another post.

The wines all showed well, but I was particularly impressed with the Bruno Clair Marsannay, a delicious Pinot that demonstrated that there are definitely bargains still to be found in Burgundy, and one of the wines provided by the host for the evening, the 2001 A. Rafanelli Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley, which was showing beautifully with evolved notes of leather, blackcurrants and cassis fruit. Our Syrah comparison (Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage “Les Jalets” and the 2002 Ridge Syrah Dry Creek Valley) was also very interesting with both wines showing what different climates and oak techniques can do to a grape. The Jaboulet was a bit tighter and leaner, with bright acidity and notes of black pepper, cinnamon and cherry fruit while the Ridge was fuller and softer, still with some notes of black pepper and cherries, but also with hints of coconut and dill from the use of American oak. Both were delicious and well-made, but very different and everyone was intrigued by the comparison.

I have to admit, talking to a group of wine drinkers is always a pleasure, and when the wines are so well-made and fascinating, it is all the more fun (and easy to do!). And of course, it is always interesting to taste wines from multiple regions and see not only how palates and tastes in wine can vary, but also how grape varieties can change depending on where they are grown.

If you are interested in having your own wine tasting, one of the themes that is always interesting and easy to do is an Old World versus New World comparison. You can choose a Pinot Noir (like the Maison Joseph Drouhin Laforet Pinot Noir), a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine (like the La Croix Bonis St. Estephe) and a Syrah-based wine (like the Laurent Miquel Syrah Vin de Pays d’Oc) from France, for example, and then choose 3 New World wines (there are plenty of options – look for wines from Australia, Chile, Argentina or the US). Let me know how your tasting turns out!

In the first part of my Burgundy post we discussed some of the history of the region, the concept of terroir (the taste of a place) and the main grapes of the region (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay). In this part, we will go over the main regions of Burgundy and also cover some tips for buying Burgundy wines.

Burgundy can be divided up into several main regions. We’ll start with the northern end of the region, which is where we find Chablis. Millions of years ago, the area around Chablis was actually under water, and today you can still find fossils of oyster shells in the limestone-clay soils of the region. The wines of Chablis are white, and all made with 100% Chardonnay. Most of the wines from this very cool climate are going to be crisp in acid with notes of green apples and a gunflint/mineral character. It used to be that there was very little new oak used in Chablis, but now you will find some producers who use it. When you are shopping for Chablis, you will find wines with labels that say Appellation Contrôlée (AOC for short) Chablis, AOC Chablis Premier Cru and AOC Grand Cru.

As we make our way from North to South, the next part of Burgundy is the Côte d’Or, which is actually divided into two sections – Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. There are 25 villages (also called communes) in the Côte d’Or which produce wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. You can see from the map below the names of all of those different villages. While both the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune produce red and white wines, the Côte de Nuits is more known for its red wines and the Côte de Beaune more respected for its whites (but you can’t deny that it does also produce some excellent red wines).

There are two main appellations that cover pretty much all of Burgundy: Bourgogne Rouge (Pinot Noir) and Bourgogne Blanc (Chardonnay). If the grapes are grown in one particular village or even from a specific vineyard in a village, then the wine might be entitled to a more specific AOC (Bourgogne Rouge and Blanc are pretty broad appellations). So here is where it starts to get a bit more confusing: within the 25 villages of the Côte d’Or, you will find a large number of vineyards that have their own appellation. Some of these vineyards have also earned special designations. There are those classified as Premier Cru and then there are those elite sites that are considered the best of the best that are classified as Grand Cru sites. There are so many different appellations to mention that it might take weeks for us to discuss them all! (If you would like more information on each specific village, I suggest starting with Jancis Robinson’s Oxford Companion to Wine – it is THE reference book every wine lover should own.)

While it is true that Premier Cru and Grand Cru Burgundies are very expensive, the majority of wines produced in Burgundy are actually pretty affordable. You can find a wide selection of good quality Burgundies priced between $15 and $35. I recommend that you start off looking for wines that have “Bourgogne” on the label (followed by Blanc (or Chardonnay) or Rouge (or Pinot Noir). You can find several to try on my list – like the Burgundy Hills Pinot Noir, the Domaine Faiveley Bourgogne Blanc & Rouge, Maison Joseph Drouhin Laforet Chardonnay & Pinot Noir, and the Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne “Les Setilles.” Wines labeled Côte-de Beaune-Villages or Côte-de-Nuits-Villages can be a good value and I also suggest keeping your eyes peeled for good values from some of the lesser-known villages like Marsannay, Fixin, Savigny-lès-Beaune and St.-Aubin.

Further down the road in Burgundy you will find the Côte Chalonnaise and below that, the Mâconnais. The Côte Chalonnaise produces both red and white wines that can offer very good values for Burgundy – look for wines from Rully, Mercurey, Givry and Montagny in particular. The Mâconnais, which is home to the well-known Pouilly-Fuissé appellation, producers mostly white wines, but there are still some reds made, too. The wines of the Mâconnais region can also offer some excellent values for Burgundy lovers: I suggest looking for wines labeled as Mâcon-Villages, Viré-Clessé, St Véran and, of course, Pouilly-Fuissé. Two to try from my list are the Labouré-Roi Pouilly Fuissé Vallon d’Or and the Domaine des Valanges Macon-Fuissé.

One of the important things to understand about Burgundy is that it has a very fractured vineyard system, where it is possible that a single vineyard can potentially have multiple owners. This fractured system has to do with several things – the fact that vineyards were predominantly owned by the Church up until the French Revolution, the fact that the Napoleonic law of succession, which divides an estate equally between an individual’s heirs, has traditionally been enforced in Burgundy, and the fact that land is so highly valued and expensive in this region.

All of these factors have contributed to why négociants, or wine merchants, are so popular in Burgundy. Négociants such as Jadot and Latour, to name only two, buy up grapes or wine from various grape-growers in Burgundy and then produce wines under their own private label. (Many grape-growers in Burgundy simply don’t produce enough grapes to make bottling and selling the wine worthwhile.) The positive side to this, and what makes a complex region somewhat easier to navigate, is that when you find a négociant you like, you will also usually discover that this same négociant makes wines from other villages and vineyards in Burgundy. So, by looking for the negociant’s name, you have the unique opportunity to taste all of the different terroirs to find the wines that best suit your palate.

Yes, Burgundy can be a challenge, but for most, it remains a puzzle well worth attempting to decipher. There are very few regions in the world that produce wines from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as exquisite and memorable. So go ahead and take the plunge into Burgundy. I don’t think you will regret it!

I’ll be honest – I’ve always considered Burgundy to be my Achilles heel of the wine world: I love the wines from this region of France and find them completely fascinating, but the sheer number of different appellations and vineyards, as well as producers, has always confused me a little bit. Add to that the fact that I don’t really speak any French, so the names on the bottle frequently don’t sound the same way as they are spelled, and you have a bit of a challenge.

What’s a wine lover to do? Well, for one thing, you can’t let it stop you. You have to bravely plunge right into Burgundy because if you decide to skip drinking Burgundy, then you will definitely be missing out on some of the most wonderful wines in all of France. So to help you along on your journey of discovering Burgundy, this is the first of two posts that cover some of the key things you need to know about Burgundy and how you can work on developing a better understanding of this incredible region.

Let’s start off with a little bit of history about Burgundy. This is a region that has been making wine since at least the 4th century AD – if not before. While it is likely that the Romans brought some grapevines with them when they invaded Gaul way back in the 1st century AD, it is also believed that there were already vines being farmed in Burgundy for the purpose of making wine. Unfortunately, detailed record-keeping wasn’t popular until much later, so we will never know the exact details of the origins of the Burgundian wine industry. But by the Middle Ages, we can be very certain that grapes were being grown by nobles and peasants alike. Part of why we know this has to do with the fact that during the Middle Ages in Burgundy, wine-making became one of the central activities of the monks of Burgundy and it was this group that truly revolutionized the winemaking of the region.

As the Church owned a vast amount of vineyards and monks had the time, skill and resources to study the different grapes and vineyards, it was a natural fit. Over time, through intense study and documentation, monks helped to identify the best sites in the region and also which grapes produced the best wines on those sites. The region of Burgundy is very closely tied to the concept of TERROIR, which can be loosely translated to mean “the taste of a place.” Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grapes that are reflective of their terroir – meaning that the wines produced in Burgundy from these grapes will taste differently, depending on which particular vineyards they are grown in. “Terroir” is thus a combination of grape, climate, exposure, soil and, last but not least, human know-how. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were identified very early on as grapes that were capable of producing exceptional wines in Burgundy, with its limestone soil and cool climate.

Therefore, after centuries of work, the Burgundians feel strongly that it is best to concentrate on two main grapes: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In fact, as far back as the 14th century, it was recognized that Pinot Noir produced better wines than other red grapes that were being grown in the area. So almost all of the white wine from Burgundy is made from the Chardonnay grape and almost all of the red wine from Burgundy is made from the Pinot Noir grape. (There are, as always, just a few exceptions, but only a few, so it is pretty safe to stick with knowing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.)

So what do these wines taste like? Well, there is a good deal of variation depending on where exactly in Burgundy the grapes are grown, thanks to terroir. But overall, you can describe the whites as being elegant and mineral with little to moderate amounts of oak. The use of new oak, which gives wines a toasty, vanilla note, is not as popular in Burgundy as it is in other places around the wine world, so many of the whites do not see 100% new oak, but instead only a proportion of new oak. Depending on the appellation, which we will address in the next post, the Chardonnays of Burgundy can be nutty, taste of golden apples, lemons, and spice, or be lean with notes of green apples and minerals.

The reds, made of Pinot Noir, tend to be moderately intense in color, sometimes even on the pale side, as Pinot Noir doesn’t have as much color potential as other red grapes. On the nose they are aromatic, with notes of red fruits and spices. Pinot Noir tends to make wines with supple, silky tannins and a smooth mouth-feel. The wines can have earthy aromas and flavors, but also hints of raspberries, cherries and cooking spices. The best examples from Burgundy are capable of extensive aging and will only get better with time. The common thread for both the reds and whites of Burgundy is how food-friendly these wines are, as Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from Burgundy tend to have high levels of mouth-watering acidity and moderate levels of alcohol.

In my next post, we’ll get into the different appellations of Burgundy and how to deal with the challenge of buying wines from this region.

There are few grapes that are as complex and fascinating as Pinot Noir. I’ve often heard it said that there are very few winemakers out there who don’t consider it the Holy Grail of winemaking – making good Pinot Noir is a challenge. Unlike Chardonnay, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir doesn’t seem to accept mediocrity well. It is a grape that is very demanding – some even call it the “Heartbreak Grape.”

What makes Pinot Noir so finicky? Well, for starters, it is a bit of a temperature sensitive grape. It prefers cooler climates and it tends to like limestone soils – two reasons why it does so well in Burgundy. It is also a thin skinned grape which can make it susceptible to some of the diseases and viruses that can affect grapevines. The thinner skin of Pinot Noir is part of why the color of many wines made with Pinot Noir are lighter than wines made with grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. The paler color isn’t a sign of inferior quality – it more has to do with the fact that there is less pigment to be extracted from Pinot Noir grapes.

Pinot Noir has a pretty interesting history. It is an extremely old grape – one that we think dates back to the 1st or 2nd century AD. There are some indications that it was grown in Burgundy by the 4th century AD and we do have 14th century records from Burgundy that mention a vine called Pinot. Due to its advanced age, Pinot Noir is prone to mutating – since it has been around for so long, vines of Pinot Noir with variations have developed. That’s how we have gotten Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Meunier to name a few. Pinot Noir is also (and we know this through DNA analysis of Pinot) one of the parents of Chardonnay.

So what are the characteristics of Pinot? The color can range from a very pale to moderately intense cherry red and it tends to become garnet in color as it ages. Notes you might find on the nose range from herbal and spicy aromas to fruity aromas of strawberries, red cherries, and black cherries. You can also find hints of violets, black pepper, beets, prunes and plums. Pinot Noir can sometimes have a nose that can smell earthy, gamey, mushroomy or even like a barnyard. I tend to find that Pinot Noir grown in climates that are too warm makes for wines that smell like tomato plants (have you ever smelled your hands after handling a tomato plant? It is a very specific smell that is hard to describe). It is almost an under-ripe and over-ripe aroma that makes me think that the heat didn’t give the grapes the time they needed to ripen (Pinot likes a long growing season).

On the palate, Pinot Noir tends to be described using very sensual language. The body can range from light to full and the tannins are frequently described as being fairly firm, but silky and velvety textured. Acidity is usually fairly high with moderate to moderately high alcohol levels and Pinot Noir is usually very ageworthy. Besides being the main grape of Burgundy (just about all red Burgundy is made from Pinot Noir), you will find Pinot grown in Champagne, the Loire Valley, Alsace, Germany, Oregon, California, New York, Italy, New Zealand, Australia and Canada to name just a few.

If you are looking to sample a few Pinot Noirs, there are several on my top picks to choose from including: Burgundy Hills Pinot Noir, Chamarré Grande Réserve Pinot Noir, Domaine Faiveley Bourgogne Rouge, Fat Bastard Pinot Noir Vin de Pays d’Oc and Maison Joseph Drouhin Laforet Pinot Noir. To taste it in sparkling form, look for Lucien Albrecht’s Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé, Moet & Chandon’s White Star and Taittinger’s Brut La Française.

There are few wine regions that have a more interesting “founding” story than that of Champagne. While there is a great deal of evidence to indicate that the story of the sparkling wine of Champagne being invented by Dom Pérignon, a monk at the Abbey of Hautvillers, is not true, the idea that he was responsible does persist to this day. Legend holds that Dom Pérignon discovered a bottle of wine in which a second fermentation had taken place which had produced carbon dioxide and cried out to his fellow monks, “come quick Brothers, I am drinking the stars!” While we know that this was not what happened, it does much to illustrate the certain “Hollywood” quality unique to Champagne.

So how exactly is Champagne made? Well, first the grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) are picked by hand. This is necessary because you want to avoid breaking any grapes so that there is no contact between the grape skins and the grape juice. This is important because color in a wine comes from skin contact and as 2 of the 3 grapes for Champagne are red - but the final color of the wine desired is more often than not white - you don’t want to encourage anything that will promote skin contact and color extraction.

Once picked, the grapes are pressed in whole bunches, again to prevent as much skin contact as possible. The wine is then fermented with the goal of producing a wine that has high acidity, moderate alcohol and a fairly neutral aroma and flavor. Different vineyards and different grapes are fermented separately and then blended together. The blending step is considered to be one of the most important, as you are not only blending together wines that have just been fermented, but also wines from other vintages. The goal is to create a base wine that will produce a sparkling wine that reflects the house style. For some houses, this can mean blending together as many as 300 different wines to create the final base wine!

After the final base wine is created, a process known as Assemblage, then the Liqueur de triage, a blend of sugar syrup and yeast, is added to the wine. The wine is then bottled and stored horizontally at a cool temperature while the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle. The secondary fermentation that occurs adds not only carbon dioxide (bubbles), but will also add a bit of alcohol and complex flavors and aromatics to the wine. Once the secondary fermentation has finished, the wine will then go through a process called remuage, or riddling. During remuage, bottles will be slowly and gently tilted and turned so that they move eventually from a horizontal to a vertical position with the neck of the bottle pointing to the floor. This will allow the sediment that has been created as a result of the secondary fermentation to collect in the neck of the bottle.

Once the riddling has been completed, the sediment then has to be removed from the bottled. During the disgorgement process, the neck of the bottle is dipped into a freezing solution and then the cap removed. The sediment, which has frozen into a small “ice cube” of sorts, is pressed out by the pressure of the CO2. The final step before the wine is sealed with a mushroom shaped cork, is for the Liqueur d’expédition to be added to the wine. The Liqueur d’expédition, or the dosage, is an addition of wine and sugar that is added to Champagne to adjust the sweetness level.

• Here are the common levels that you will see for Champagne:
  Extra Brut - no sugar, extremely dry
  Brut - very dry
  Extra Sec/Extra Dry - dry
  Sec/Dry - off-dry
  Demi-Sec/Medium Dry - med-dry/sweet
  Doux - very sweet

Personally, I have always found these labels a bit confusing. Why isn’t “Extra Dry” drier than Brut? Instead, Extra Dry, while still on the dry side, can have a little bit of sweetness to it. If you want to compare Champagne sweetness levels for yourself, simply try the two from my list – the Taittinger Brut and the Moet & Chandon White Star. The Taittinger is a Brut Champagne while the White Star is an example of the Extra Dry style.

The sparkling wines of the Champagne region are truly in a unique class all their own. While so many people tend to think of Champagne as the “go-to” wine for celebrations and New Year’s, there is so much more to appreciate about this region and the wines it produces. Champagne, while it does have bubbles, is still a wine, and a very food-friendly one at that. You might be surprised at the idea, but next time you are having sushi or a fish dish, consider opening a bottle of Champagne. Or even try it with BBQ – you might find yourself pleasantly surprised at the combination.

And furthermore, next time you find yourself in Paris, I recommend thinking about a day trip out to the Champagne region. There are any number of producers to visit and the city of Rheims is well-worth exploring. But check the times and tours before you go – making up your own translation to a tour of Champagne caves can be amusing, but you’ll definitely be missing out on some key information that will help you appreciate this wine!

While many people are aware that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are two of the grapes used to make Champagne, few people know that there is a third grape that is typically used in the blend: Pinot Meunier.

Pinot Meunier has a fairly interesting history. Meunier is the French word for miller – a person who grinds grain into flour. The underside of the leaves of this grape can look as if they have been coated with flour, thus the name “Meunier.” You might be wondering if Pinot Meunier is related to Pinot Noir and in fact, Pinot Meunier is a mutation of Pinot Noir, so the two grapes do share some things in common. Like Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier is a red grape, although it is usually lighter in color than Pinot Noir.

One of the reasons Pinot Meunier is such a popular grape in the Champagne region is that it is a terrific grape for cool climates and it buds late and ripens early when compared to Pinot Noir. The Champagne region can be tough on grapes and in some vintages it can be hard to fully ripen the grapes due to the low temperatures. Therefore an early ripener like Pinot Meunier can come in handy. According to the Oxford Companion to Wine (which is a wine lover’s Bible, by the way), there are about 26,000 acres of Pinot Meunier planted in Champagne. While it was historically the favorite (mainly because it was so dependable), plantings of Pinot Meunier have slowed a bit in the last few years compared to plantings of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Each of the three grapes in the Champagne blend bring something to the table; Pinot Meunier is known for adding a lively acidity and fruitiness to the wine. While you might have to search to find a single varietal bottling of Pinot Meunier here in the US market, that are a few that are available. Pinot Meunier is planted in Australia, Switzerland, California (especially in Carneros), British Columbia and a few other appellations in France besides Champagne, such as the Loire Valley. And of course, you can always look for it in Champagne!

My copy of People Magazine arrived today (yes, I fully admit it – I subscribe to and read People Mag) and I have to say it, I am definitely jealous of Angelina Jolie. Not only does the woman look gorgeous three weeks after giving birth to two beautiful babies and not only does she have Brad Pitt as a partner, but she is definitely living in my dream home.

For anyone who doesn’t read People, Brad and Angie have taken up residence in France and are currently residing in Chateau Miraval in Provence. The thirty-five room chateau is surrounded by gardens, a moat, an olive grove and an organic vineyard. Pictures of the property are nothing short of breath-taking. And supposedly the wines (they produce a red, white and a rosé) are very good.

I’m often asked if my dream job is to make wine and own a winery. The standard joke in the wine industry is that to make a small fortune in wine you have to start with a large one. Owning a winery is definitely a capital-intensive business and so, I’ll be honest – it isn’t something I’ve ever seriously considered. However, there is something about the wine lifestyle that we love to romanticize. Movies (anyone ever see “A Walk in the Clouds” – a painful Keanu Reeves performance – or even Disney’s remake of “The Parent Trap”?) show living on a vineyard as a magical experience. Scenes of sun-dappled green vines dripping with grapes make for a beautiful backdrop for any scene. So, if I had the opportunity to live on the property of an organic vineyard and call it my own for a few years, well, let’s just say that you wouldn’t even have to throw in Brad Pitt to make it a deal!

But still, the idea of the romantic culture of wine can get a bit too much play in Hollywood. So I am a bit undecided about whether or not I want to go see the new movie “Bottle Shock” that is being released soon. This movie recounts what is known in the wine industry as “the Judgment of Paris” – a wine competition that took place in Paris in 1976 where wines from France and California were tasted blind. The California wines were rated higher than the French wines, which caused quite a sensation in the wine world; to a large degree it was a moment that really did change the way wines are produced around the world.

But apparently some “liberties” that have been taken with the story to make it a bit more appealing for the big screen, and there is some controversy, too, as there is a second film about the same event that is still in production. My other issue is that the way movies tend to romanticize wine doesn’t really help the industry in the long run as it doesn’t really recognize the reality of the industry. Making wine is a wonderful, but very challenging job. It takes a tremendous amount of work, time and energy and it is the rare wine that truly succeeds in this highly competitive marketplace. I also worry when movies make one wine (or one wine region) so trendy – a phenomenon that happened with Pinot Noir and the movie “Sideways”.

My hope, though, is that people can see beyond the cinematic beauty and realize that while making wine can be magical, unless you are Brad and Angelina, there are few who get to experience vineyard ownership as being a worry-free existence. But if you do want to at least try to enjoy some part of the romance of wine Brangelina-style, then I suggest you consider opening a bottle of Provence Rosé. There are three terrific (and affordable) wines to choose from on my list to get you started: the Commanderie de Peyrassol Côtes de Provence Rosé, the Domaine Houchart Côtes de Provence Rosé or the L’Estandon Côtes de Provence Rosé. And who knows, apparently Brad and Angelina have only leased Château Miraval for a few years, so maybe if you save your pennies, one day it could even be yours!

PS – If any of you out there do check out “Bottle Shock”, be sure to drop me a line – I would love to hear what you think of it.

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.

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!