Great Grapes of Gaillac
2012 Gaillac Blanc (Cave de Labastide)
Sale Price $9.99 – $101.90 case of twelve

2012 Gaillac Rosé (Cave de Labastide)
Sale Price $9.99 – $101.90 case of twelve
Producers in Gaillac have a dizzying number of grapes to choose from, but with fair prices, these confusing grape names soon turn into delicious delights. These two great values have arrived just in time to accompany the bounty of late summer. The Blanc is perlé, meaning that it has some micro bubbles which make it all the more fresh. This blend of Loin de l’Oeil, Mauzac, and Sauvignon is floral, appley, and bone dry. The Rosé, a blend of Duras, Syrah, and Braucol, is also very dry and crisp. It barely hints at raspberry fruitiness, has good body and a lively, spicy finish.

La Centenaire
2012 Pouilly-sur-Loire ‘La Centenaire’ (Serge Dagueneau et Filles)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Across the Loire River from Sancerre is the town of Pouilly-sur-Loire where an almost indistinguishably similar Sauvignon Blanc is produced under the name Pouilly-Fumé. The wine to which Pouilly-sur-Loire gives its name is made, in diminishing quantities, with the grape Chasselas. This grape thrives in Switzerland, but the only vines left in the Loire are being replaced by the much more profitable Sauvignon. Serge Dagueneau’s daughters lovingly tend their over 100-year-old plot of Chasselas and make a thrilling wine. The inviting aromas are peachy and floral. The palate is smooth and vivacious. The finish is firmly dry and long.

Bone Dry Cava
Brut Nature Reserva (German Gilabert)
Sale Price $14.99 – $161.90 case of twelve
Brut Nature Rosat (German Gilabert)
Sale Price $14.99 – $161.90 case of twelve
When a Cava announces itself as Brut Nature it is as dry as it gets. Importer José Pastor contracts with a Cava producer to make these two delicious, unsugared, traditional-method sparklers. The Reserva is made from the customary trio for Cava – Macabeu, Xarello, and Parellada. It is bone dry, crisp, precise, and clean as a whistle. The Rosat is made from the pale red Trepat grape along with Garnacha. It is totally dry, with light red berry aromas and a hint of cinnamon. Salut.

Fumé sur Loire
2012 Pouilly-Fumé (Hubert Veneau)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Hubert Veneau was our last winery visit on our most recent Loire Valley excursion. A gracious tasting, tour, and lunch were provided on that snowy Sunday and the 2012 Pouilly-Fumé was most delicious. This fresh, grassy, minerally, dry Sauvignon Blanc is a delightful match with any and all seafood.

Janasse
2011 Côtes du Rhône ‘Réserve’ (Domaine de la Janasse)
Sale Price $15.99 – $163.10 case of twelve
Domaine de la Janasse must be included on any list of the best producers in the Southern Rhone Valley. Their Châteauneuf-du-Papes are legendary and their Côtes du Rhônes offer many of the same pleasures albeit on a lighter scale. The 2011 Réserve is a healthy mix of five different red Rhone staples and delivers the singed herb flavor of the garrigue along with black olive and plummy fruit. Ratatouille sounds good next to this.

Carignan
2011 Carignan ‘Vieilles Vignes’ (Luc Pirlet)
Sale Price $9.99 – $101.90 case of twelve
In a few years all the remaining Carignan planted in Languedoc will be Vieilles Vignes because few vignerons continue planting the grape. This may not be all to the bad side of the ledger because Carignan has the best chance to make memorable wine from old vines. Young vine Carignan is capable of incredible yields and insipid wine. Old vine Carignan is deep and sappy with vibrant cherry fruit. The 2011 from Luc Pirlet is a fine value, even if it doesn’t say Minervois or Corbières on the label. This is a fine wine for smoky ribs or a grilled flank steak with salsa.

Pecorino
2012 Pecorino (Colle Seco)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.300 case of twelve
Pecorino from Le Marche could be our new favorite Italian white. Italian whites continue to move away from colorless inoffensive whites toward white wine varieties with real character. It had to happen given how many different grape varieties there are in Italy. In 2000 there were only 215 official acres of Pecorino, but there must be many more today. The 2012 Colle Seco from the IGT Terre di Chieti has a nose full of leafy aromas, an interestingly textured mouth feel, and gentle fruit flavor. This is a fine match with grilled fish and a tomato salad.

Gigondas
2012 Gigondas (Domaine de la Maurelle)
Sale Price $24.99 – $254.90 case of twelve
This Gigondas is one of many fine wines that pass through the Vignerons de Caractère, a cooperative winery in the village of Vacqueyras. Cooperative wineries were once known for paying their members the same price per kilo regardless of quality, but this organization rewards better growers with separate bottlings and higher pay for superior grapes. The 2012 Domaine de la Maurelle is a full-bodied, classic Gigondas with immense fruit, herbs, olive, and cracked pepper. This dense red calls for a grilled leg of lamb loaded with garlic and rosemary.

Cru Savoie
2012 Chignin Bergeron (Domaine les Cantates)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Most white wines from the French Savoie taste like river stones washed by cool glacial water, not a bad combination at all. But some growers have a wild card in their portfolio. The higher designated Cru of Chignin makes a wine from Bergeron (a.k.a. Roussanne) that is unlike other Savoyard whites. This 2012 from Domaine les Cantates has power and grace beyond what is typical from the region. The aromas begin with an almond and flower blossom nuance. There is good weight and rich fruit that heads toward sweet, but retreats into dry and mineral. This rather rich white will be an excellent match with a grilled swordfish and also with a poached salmon with fresh herbs.