Friday, September 25th from 2-7 p.m. – Free wine tasting featuring soulful French wines from importer Charles Neal – San Francisco-based importer Charles Neal is one of our favorite importers, and we invite you to stop by the store this Friday any time between 2-7 p.m. to taste some of his fantastic, small family estate, artisanal wines. In fact, we like Charles’ selections so much that we’re going to pour his wines tomorrow for our free wine tasting from 2-5 p.m. as well. If you are a fan of true, terroir-driven, authentic French wines, you don’t want to miss this.
The Wines
1. 2013 Jean-Pierre et Jean-Francois Quénard Chignin (Savoie, France) – Domaine Jean-Pierre et Jean-François Quénard own and farm 15 hectares (37 acres) of vineyards around the beautiful village of Chignin, in the picturesque, Alpine influence region of Savoie. This wine is composed entirely of the native Jacquere grape from 40 year old vineyards planted in clay and limestone soils. Often referred to as “Mountain Muscadet,” this dry, super clean, and mineralic white is a perfect option to enjoy with oysters on the half shell or other fresh shellfish.
2. 2014 Domaine Ricard Touraine Blanc “Le Petiot” (Loire Valley, France) – Mark my words, Vincent Ricard is a legend in the making, and he’s currently making some of the best and most intriguing Sauvignon Blancs in the Touraine AOC. His entry level “Le Petiot” bottling is comprised entirely of Sauvignon Blanc from hand harvested, 40 year old vines. Bright, refreshing, and possessing classic Loire Valley minerality, this is a terrific value in Sauvignon Blanc.
3. 2013 Domaine de Colette Regnié (Beaujolais, France) – This small, practicing organic estate is owned by Jacky and Evelyne Gauthier and is located less than 1 kilometer from the border of Morgon. Although Regnié achieved its Cru Status in 1988 making it the newest of the Crus, local lore in the region states that this was the site of the first vineyards planted in Beaujolais by the Romans. Fuller bodied than most Beaujolais, it shows off a stunning array or ripe red fruits and earth nuances with silky tannin and refreshing acidity. Try it with roasted chicken and root vegetables for a delicious experience.
4. 2013 Domaine Ragot Givry “Vieilles Vignes” (Burgundy, France) – In our humble opinions, this is one of the greatest Red Burgundy values on the planet. Father and son Jean-Paul and Nicolas Ragot passionately run this small domaine located in the Cote Chalonnaise sub-region of Burgundy. They farm without the use of chemicals and the vineyards use for this wine are 50+ years old and composed of clay and limestone soils. A fuller expression of Pinot Noir, the wine sees twelve months aging in French oak (20% new), and it offers up a nice mix of darker fruits, earth, and exotic spices. Try it with steak au poivre!