It was nice to get Nicolas Mestre here again for a second visit. This time I could not say " no " to tasting wines with him as he had an excellent selection of Joe Dressner's wines. Joe tries to find the best, local growers in Europe, many in France and the Loire. He also goes into other countries as well such as Portugal. I have gotten to know him through his better Loire Valley country " finds " that are often biodynamic or " fighting organic ". Joe has been here I think three or so times himself and does visit from New York when he can. In the meantime it's great to have Nicolas with a good spectrum of Joe's wines to purchase and have delivered each week when we need them.
This coming Wednesday, September 10th at Cleveland Park Wines and Spirits ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue, Washington D.C. N.W. www.clevelandparkwine.com 202-363-4265 ) we will be conducting our " BIG THEME " monthly tasting on French country wines. We'd like to focus on a lot of the lesser-known French wines that now more than ever represent great values and quality. We will pour 40 or more wines this evening from 5:30-8:30 PM. Please join us, there is never any cost to you. All the wines will be ON SALE and Nicolas Mestre will pour I hope.
On Wednesday, August 20th, 2008 Nicolas brought us a selection of Loire Valley wines, and one Morgan Beaujolais cru red Gamay. I don't have the list before me but there was a couple of whites including a really complex, mineral-dry Chenin Blanc. One of the reds was made from a local grape that I have rarely ever heard mention, even less had an opportunity to taste. I loved it's open brightness, freshness and toasty flavors; medium-to-light-bodied, a great hot-weather quencher. The Morgan had good medium-body and was also both focused and firm where needed, fleshy, too. If money was not an issue I would have bought immediately a case of each for the store. To address this issue I will buy some of these and others to have Nicolas taste on Wednesday, September 10th, 2008. This will give you all a chance to taste the excellent quality and varied types in both Nicolas and Joe's portfolio of French country wines. For more info on both go to : www.louisdressner.com and Joe's blog at joedressner.com, as well as to www.williamscorner.com as well as nicolas@williamscorner.com for more technical info and updates. I love Joe's blog, it's so informative, so honest and refreshing, too ). Nicolas has his warehouse in Charlottesville, Virginia. I look forward to doing some business with you Nicolas.
Here are some pictures of Nicolas and his selection of wines. As you can see I continue to take pictures of everything through the wine glasses with wine in them to permanently affix the wine with the people behind them. Hopefully we can get Joe Dressner back here again soon. And I still have to meet Joe's wife, Denyse - the Louis in the name : Louis.Dressner.
I just got a call from Nicolas filling me in on names and prices of some of these French country " gems :. Nicolas surprised me as well when he served the reds first and then the whites, just like Robert Mondavi recommended. We started with a DOMAINE LES VINS CONTES Loire " Le Petit Rouquin " 2007 red Gamay selling for $17.49. Then we tasted a red Pinot Noir/Gamay red blend from the town of Cheverny called CLOS DU TUE BOEUF ( dead beef/bull?! ) selling for $22.99 a bottle. We followed that with the DOMAINE DE LA BRISEAU 2006 red, hand-harvested, foot-stomped grapes " Pata Pon " loire valley red made from the indigenous grape called Pineau D'Aunis that costs $28.49. We also tasted a red Rhone as well as the Morgan Gamay that I mentioned : LOUIS CLAUDE DESVIGNES 2006, $27.99.
Nicolas then moved onto the white wines. We started with the DOMAINE LES VINS CONTES " Le Puits " 2007, $19.49 made from the indigenous grape Menu Pineau. Mike Martin here especially liked this white. The only wine not from Louis Dressner was a Muscadet called CHATEAU DU COING that spends so much time on it's lees that they cannot call it " sur lie ", 2002, $20.99. It's called " Ancestrale " by owner Veronique and still drinks beautifully. We then tasted the DOMAINE BELLIVIERE Jasnieres, 2006 most-northern Loire Valley white made with the Chenin Blanc grape that will sell for $26.99.
To better see these labels enlarge the pictures here and they will be more easy to read, even through the wine glass as I have taken. The picture of the clown for example is playful and intriguing. What do you think? Do you like simple labels like it? The rest of the pertinent information is on the label on the back. Call Mike or me here at the store for more info: 202-363-4265. Join us for our September THEME French Country Wines tasting, too.
I have not gone into detail about these wines here. Let it suffice to say that in general I found the wines to really be exceptional, fun, different and wines to captivate and stir the imagination and palate and warm the heart. These are all real wines made to complement the foods of their regions. Both Mike and I tried them and we each had our favorites. They are not made I believe to gain big scores. Balanced, distinct and all worth trying and enjoying with friends and family over a good meal that just stretches out nicely over a period of three hours or so?! Is that too much time? I don't think so. Cheer to you Joe, Denyse and Nicolas. TONY
1 comment:
It's Morgon. Otherwise, nice notes.
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