Our Wine Wednesdays, include one *free sample from each of our hand selected fine wine features (up to four wines). Wines this week come from one of our oldest industry friends Jean-Philippe Bourgeois. JP has lived and worked out of Asheville for over a decade. The wines he imports are all made with very low to zero manipulations, and almost all are organically farmed. This will be an amazing opportunity to taste wines from some of France’s greatest wine regions. Cheers!!

Clara Vie, Blanquette de Limoux Brut Nature (NV)
A custom cuvee between JP Bourgeois and Francoise Antech. Maison Antech-Limoux holds a six-generation family tradition of winemaking. Since the late 19th century, the family has had a vested interest in the winemaking traditions of the region, and each generation has added their own touch. Françoise, a member of the sixth generation, inherited her elders’ strong character. A guardian of the heritage, she is also a fervent advocate of social and cultural action in her region. For over five centuries, the family has tamed this magical terroir to make fine sparkling wines. The secret of their character lies in the wise combination of Limoux’s three terroirs, which form the backbone of their cuvées: freshness from the Pyrenees, minerality from the ocean and roundness from the Mediterranean. In the family vineyard, they try out new methods on their old vinestocks on the appellation’s highest land — stony, south-facing hillsides nearly 400m above sea level opposite the Pyrenees. Blend: Mauzac, Chenin, Chardonnay. Aging: 24 months in stainless steel. Crystalline yellow with golden hues, the intense nose offers delicate scents of hawthorn. A nice freshness of mouth with aromas citrus fruits with a very harmonious finish or the wine expresses itself fully.

Domaine des Gerbeaux, Mâcon-Solutré
100% Chardonnay. Nested in the village of Solutré-Pouilly, close to the famous Rock of Solutré, Domaine des Gerbeaux is a small estate created in 1896 by Jean-Michel Drouin’s grandfather Jacques Charvet, thus the high end cuvee in his honor. Domaine des Gerbeaux was created by his son Xavier, the 5th generation of winemakers within the family. Domaine Des Gerbeaux is owned and run by Béatrice and Jean-Michel Drouin, who took over the domain in 1979. The Drouins have been making wine in Burgundy for over a century and Jean-Michel is producing some of the best and most distinctive wines in the Mâconnais region, all in very small quantities (barely 5,000 cases a year). Béatrice also comes from a vineyard owning family and between them they have a collection of over forty small parcels of vines spread around Mâcon, St. Véran, Pouilly, and Solutré: 15 acres altogether of prime vineyard sites. Harvesting is entirely by hand using small baskets, no pesticides or herbicides are used and fermentation temperature control is rigorous. These are generous, fruit-laden wines characterized by grapefruit and mineral flavors that can hold their own against much of the fancy Côte de Beaune. Jean-Michel is obsessive about every aspect of his winemaking. Viticulture is biodynamic in all but name. An estate of 17 acres located in the village of Solutre, dependent of the commune of Fuisse and the small village of Pouilly. The average age of the vines is between 35 and 45 years old with parcels as old as 90 years. 7 months in stainless steel tanks. A rich and complex wine with aromas of white and exotic fruits; on the palate, it is round and silky, mineral, with a smooth persistent finish on a white fruit nose.

Château Grand Francais, Bordeaux Supérieur
At Grand Francais, wine is about tradition and modern know-how living in harmony. The symbiosis of terroir and men living their passion gave birth to natural and complex wines. The toponym Gascon which gave its name to the estate, Grand Francais, dates from the 15th century, and designates a region nested between the l’Isle valley and the Drome, both affluent of the Dordogne River, located just north of St Emilion. Chateau Grand Francais spreads over 19 acres of vines planted at 45% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Cabernet Franc which brings aromatic complexity and elegance. Harvest is done by hand and fully de-stemmed. Cold maceration for a week, each varietal is vinified separately, and blended after a careful selection for each cuvee. “Wine is alive; because of its life, because I like to find life in wine, I chose to eliminate all chemicals from the estate and farm organically. Grand Francais lives in a modest and chic environment, not flashy, not artificial. Soul, Spirit, and Elegance are the principles of each vintage”. Blend: 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc. Aging: 10 to 14 months in new and older French oak 600 liter barrels Ruby robed, this wine expresses elegant aromas of Morelo cherries, vanilla and spices; after aerating for a few moments, the nose develops notes of cooked fruits creating harmonious and great complexity. A smooth and ample attack in the mouth,with an elegantly well-incorporated woodiness and structure.

Domaine de Châteaumar, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Secret de Nos Vignes
Castel Mar (Chateaumar) estate dates back to the 11th century.Castel Mar (Chateaumar) estate dates back to the 11th
century. For many generations the vines at Domaine de Chateaumar have been cultivated by father and son. Today it is Jean-Felix and Frederic Souret managing the vineyard, always maintaining the greatest respect for nature: vineyards run for generations without any pesticides or herbicides. The estate is located 9 km from Orange, in the heart of the AOP Cotes du Rhone. The vineyards include 25 acres in Cotes du Rhone, on stony clay-limestone soils, and 12 acres in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The soil of this prestigious appellation is red clay and large round cobbles. The vineyard is naturally established from several noble varieties of the Southern Rhone, principally Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. Farming is fully sustainable. The soil is turned several times during the year which allows the vines to draw a wonderful energy from deep down to create beautifully formed grapes. Once matured the grapes are hand-harvested, selected, and sorted. Blend: 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre. Aging: 12 months in demi-muids French oak barrels (50%) and in concrete tanks (50%). The wine is a deep, nearly opaque purple, bringing confident aromas of raspberry, strawberry and blackberry to the nose, with eucalyptus, black pepper, licorice and floral notes. Touches of cinnamon and spice follow onto the medium to full-bodied juicy palate. The tannins are firm, ripe, and well integrated. It all makes for delicious fun. This very limited production wine is rich and robust with a gorgeous structure, soft tannins and a long persistent finish.

 

 

 

 

 

*tasting free with purchase of $10 or more per guest