Home Consumer Tasting Notes Of Red Wines From France

Tasting Notes Of Red Wines From France

Valpolicella harvest-black-wine-grapes-loaded-plastic-crates-italian-vineyard-rural-winery-receding-high-angle-perspective-fresh-fruit-vines-wine-production-concept.jpg

By TOM MARQUARDT and PATRICK DARR

France is the ancestral home of the world’s most popular red grape varieties. With the exception of tempranillo, the top 10 most widely planted red wine grapes all hail from France — and Bordeaux is the Garden of Eden for three of these grapes. Of the five main red wine grapes in Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have found homes in most wine-producing countries with varying degrees of success.

Malbec stars in Argentina and is finding interest in other countries as well. Petite Verdot remains a blending grape used throughout the wine world to add color and aromatics to red wines. Cabernet franc found a home in the Loire region in the 18th century where it has dominated red wine production in Chinon, Samur-Champigny, Bourgueil and Anjou.

Chateau de Villeneuve Samur-Champigny 2021 (Vivino)

We are particularly fond of cabernet franc, the often-forgotten blending grape that is having a renaissance in California. But in Loire, cabernet franc has been a staple for centuries and is rarely blended. The climate here is perfect for this grape variety and helps craft a wine that is fresh and fruity.

Faith Based Events

We recently sampled three cabernet francs from appellations in the center of the Loire Valley and want to share our impressions. All are 100 percent cabernet franc and displayed no oak influences.

Chateau de Villeneuve Samur-Champigny 2021 ($20-25). The simplest but satisfying wine of the group with cherry and berry notes and a hint of herbs.

Domaine Grosbois Gabare Chinon 2020 ($40-45). Fresh blackberry and strawberry notes with a hint of coconut in the finish. Our favorite of the session.

Chateau Fouquet Domaine Filliatreau Samur 2021 ($20-25). Berry, olive and fresh herb notes.

Ancient Peak

We have noted our interest in Ancient Peak wines in past columns and they never disappoint. The owners of Ancient Peak are three winemaking families who have multigenerational participation in the operation.

The Margarita Ranch where these wines were made was originally developed by the Robert Mondavi family in 1999. The current owners took over the vineyards in 2005 and began to make wine.

Ancient Peaks Renegade Paso Robles Santa Margarita Ranch 2021 (Ancient Peaks)

The Ancient Peak wines we have tasted offer bright, abundant fruit flavors in a very balanced easy-to-drink style, and often at affordable prices between $20-30. Following are our recent tasting notes.

Ancient Peak Zinfandel Paso Robles Santa Margarita Ranch 2021 ($24). This wine is a zin lover’s dream. Deep raspberry and cherry notes with a hint of oak. A complete wine.

Ancient Peaks Renegade Paso Robles Santa Margarita Ranch 2021 ($28). An unusual blend of mostly Syrah with a pinch of petite verdot and malbec. This is a solid chunky red wine with bold berry and plum notes and soft tannins. Great with boldly flavored cuisine.

Ancient Peaks Oyster Ridge Paso Robles Santa Margarita Vineyard 2020 ($60). This is a limited release featuring cabernet sauvignon (75 percent), cabernet franc (12 percent), and a mélange of petite verdot, merlot and malbec to round out the cuvee. Berry, cherry and plum notes dominate in this bold but soft presentation with a bit of oak. The name reflects the calcium-rich soil filled with fossilized oyster shells from eons ago.

Lange Twins Winery                                                                                    

Conversing with winery owners and their winemakers and viticulturists, we frequently hear them describe their efforts as primarily farming. There must be some truth to this aphorism because, without good grapes, any of their post-harvest efforts are meaningless.

Lange Twins Clarksburg Merrill Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 (Vivino)

The Lange Twins Winery, owned by twin brothers Brad and Randall Lange, are fourth-generation farmers from Lodi. Their great-grandparents began farming watermelons in the 1870s and the family first began farming grapes in 1916. They now grow a wide variety of wine grapes and market several wine brands. We recently tasted two of their offerings from the Lange Twins label and were favorably impressed with the quality and relative value of their wine.

The first was the Lange Twins Clarksburg Merrill Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 ($28). Cool breezes from San Francisco Bay moderate the Clarksburg vineyard temperatures, making the area ideal for chardonnay. We were really impressed by this wine which revealed expressive fruit notes of rich round pear, peach, and white plum with a hint of cinnamon.

We also tasted the Lange Twins Cabernet Sauvignon Jahant Lodi AVA 38 Vineyard 2020 ($38). This wine exhibited ripe strawberry and blueberry notes with a hint of herbs. Nice package with good complexity.

Ports

Now that we’re deeply into winter, a glass of port is the perfect potion to ward off the chill. Here are two we recently tasted.

Dow 10-Year-Old Tawny Port ($40). Bright cherry color, moderate sweetness and lovely cherry fruit, a touch of vanilla and nuts.

Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos Vintage Port 2010 ($65). Made in years that are not declared and sourced from a single vineyard, this wine is intended to mature early and cost less than a vintage-dated port.  It is very good and still sporting its primary cherry fruit along with plum and an appealing hint of licorice. Great for the upcoming holiday season. Serve as dessert, or alongside dessert, especially chocolate.

Wine picks

J Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2022 (Jwine.com)

J Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2022 ($47). Juicy cherry and cola flavors with a splash of clove and oak. Delicious.

Argyle Spirithouse Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2022 ($65). We absolutely loved this richly textured chardonnay from Oregon. Ripe apple notes with nuances of nutmeg and cloaked in a creamy mouthfeel.

Domaine Curry Founders Blend Napa Valley 2022 ($85).  Lavender, floral aromas with boysenberry and juicy cherry flavors with oak-inspired notes of mocha and vanilla.

The Icon Rock Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Uco Valley ($20). This reasonably priced wine from the Mendoza region of Argentina has broad red fruit character with a dash of spice.

 

Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr, MoreAboutWine, posted on SouthFloridaReporter.com
Republished with permission
Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr have been writing a weekly wine column for more than 30 years. Additional Wine reviews on MoreAboutWine
All photos are randomly selected and do not indicate any preferred wine. Listed prices are subject to change and do not include tax or shipping.
You can send questions to Tom Marquardt
marq1948@gmail.com
Always drink responsibly
!

Disclaimer

The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components


Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr have been writing a wine column since 1985. They have traveled extensively to vineyards in France, Spain, Italy, Greece and the United States. Tom currently resides in Naples with his wife, Sue, where he conducts wine tastings. His web site is MoreAboutWine.com. Patrick is in the wine retail business in Annapolis, MD.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here