Hi Jennifer!

I’m trying to log on for the wine tasting. Help

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This is a everyday white from the south of France.The blend is 70% Clairette, 10% Ugni Blanc
10%Grenache and 10 Bourboulene.This is a basic Cotes du Ventoux blend.It gives the winemaker more complexity than he would have with only one grape.Each grape brings something different to the wine.Serving temperture around 43 to 53F.I perfer around 53.It tones down a little of the acidity.

Kerry, you’re going to need to refresh your browser to see new comments. It’s still a little before 7, so let’s give John a few minutes to sign on and tell us about this wine.

my reflexive response was ummmmm…yummy! there’s a little something figgy in the finish, which i find quite luscious!

Priscilla & I from the Downtown Women’s Wine Club will be tasting tonight. First time participating, look forward to comments.

Hi John! This wine has certainly opened up since I poured it about 20 minutes ago. Very crisp at first, now it’s a bit fuller.

I detect a hint of fennel. Did anyone cook the chicken from the blog recipe?

I turned 50 last week

Priscilla and I are detecting the fennel anise as well.

I get a little floral notes on the nose.Citrus and minerality on the palate

Priscilla and I are detecting the fennel/anise as well.

other than the grenache, the other grapes are new to me. I love the light, yet layered (complex) taste and nose. Also, I like it on the warmer side as well….(but I like my chards room temp, too–)

I can see the flora quality in there as well. There is also a fall fruit component, maybe pear.

Hi angela I thought the same thing my first time

The clairette is completely new to me, too. When John was telling me about it on the phone, I thought he was talking about a claret and I was completely confused.

just joined in.. had a difficult time finding the wine out east! Thanks to KirbyWines for having it!

john-didn’t realize we’re both capricorns and 50! It’s the new 30, they say….well, here’s to you, to me and to all of us gathered here with this oh-most-wonderful-wine!

Almonds? That’s interesting. A few weeks ago Mimmye mentioned pecan hulls and I was intrigued; I don’t usually think of nuttiness in a wine.

getting the minerality now…

I looked up some info about this grape because I was unfamiliar with it as well. I read that the grape generally lacked acidity. Well, I had just taken the first sip and noticed acid right away. I’m glad others taste that too.

Larry says he’s not tasting any of the things you’re mentioning.

marie–I got the apple in the nose at first…when very cold and first poured!

Hello John,
Just need to chime in on the importer. As you know, Bourgeois Family Selections is an import company that was started By Philippe and his wife only about a year ago. He was with a large French import company for 9 years before that. Philippe is French and his wife is from the states. The whole portfolio is made up of wines that are either sustainably farmed, organic or biodynamic. Furthermore, every wine is from a small family producer, not some large faceless juice pump of a wine company!

I made marinade chicken on the grill, while I was sipping the wine and OMG what a taste! I told Dave this is a keeper. Really like the smoothness and no bitter after-taste.Thanks John, great choice!

Brett or John, which is this wine?

We didn’t see the chicken recipe. We made the Fig Tree Shrimp from Alyce’s column about two weeks ago — shrimp with butter, garlic, tarragon, chervil, etc. It’s a good match for the wine.

I attended a wine tasting dinner at the Brushmark last year and the distributor spoke about how many French small family wineries try to keep their independence and own label by using a larger company to bottle the wine, but they distribute it themselves through a collective. I think that’s what was said.

vermouth…that explains the familiarity on the nose to me! This is really an excellent choice…John–you’ve outdone yourself again….

A salmon en papillote is on the menu tomorrow…good thing I bought 2 bottles!

Actually, we had Tyler’s mac ‘n cheese……dinner comes later when you have a 16-month old….

man–we should have gone to Larry and Mimmye’s for dinner!

I don’t know but I like the concept of small owners, great wines….and if that sustains, then we will ALL be better for it!

pretty complicate to type here. basically they all are no pestisides, herbisides, etc. but each one is at a different level

Hello? Just finished pizza with some friends and there are four kids running around our house?

Hows the wine?

googled it: vineyards using international standards of sustainable viticulture practices in wine grape production. These practices are based on a score system consisting of basic required practices, prohibited practices and numerous ecological options.

The biodynamic, and stop me, Brett or John, if I’m wrong, is the most extreme. Biodynamic growers employ methods like the lunar cycle and oh, I don’t know, maybe goat’s blood (not really).

Sustainable is mostly old-fashioned farming, and organic means that the grower has to grow on land that hasn’t been treated with any unnatural products for a period of time, or that nothing has been applied to the grapes.

john, earlier you mentioned the clarietteis is used in making vermouth- is that why it has the evaporates quickly from the tongue description?

And speaking of Valentine’s Day, has anyone thought about whether you’d like to taste on the Thursday (V-Day) or on the Wednesday?

I guess that’s how long it takes to get home from work when you live so far away, Bill…

Bill, where’ve you been?

Jennifer,
you got it. Boidynamic practices are really out there when you first read or hear about them. Benziger in California is a Biodynamic property and a great stop if anyone gets out there. Most of it makes sense, but there is a lot of voodoo as well. Many people who use this practice say I don’t know how it works, but it works!

Hi Robert!

Not to change the subject, but what food would go well with next week’s wine?

We recently moved here from Pennsylvania, which is a state that controls all wine sales through state owned stores. It is quite a revelation to be able to go to a variety of wine stores and find wines we could not even imagine in PA. Thanks Jennifer for starting this blog.

We have a hobby of visiting winerys during our travels. Can anyone recommend any in this area?

Well, Marie, Robert Dean thinks we should all cook duck next week, but since most of us don’t have access to it, I’ll come up with something else and like last week, either post it tomorrow or over the weekend.

Dave & Pam, you might want to look at Missouri. They got a great group of winerys to visit.

Opps, sorry, wineries…What about adding spell checker to the blog?

Dave and Pam, you may want to fly to California - Frontier has some great fares!

I am flexible for V’tine’s day either way…couples may have a different priority! Am getting the baby aspirin now, Angela….right at the front of my mouth/nose!

we haven’t been to the california wineries,but we did visit quite a few in upper New York, the Finger Lakes.

referencing a comment by someone earlier, i did get a big whiff of almonds, almost like marzipan when i first tasted this wine. i love it too that we are tasting from a smaller producer. this importer has a great unoaked chardonnay called drunk rooster, really great and not expensive!

again, great choice john! thanks everybody…see you next week!

p.s. sparklings are my mostest favorite of all!!

I’m often asked “Do you like red or white?” like it’s a yes or no question. There are so many variables!

I can see baby aspirin…I mean taste.

Larry, Mimmye, didn’t we have Drunk Rooster somewhere?

john, what are your thoughts on central cali coast wineries…?

John I am with you, lets go to the hot tub and drink RED wine…sorry, aI know that there is a lot of people who like white wine, but its 30 degrees out side and I agree with Angelia..almonds and a little bit of herbs in the nose.

I can’t remember! (about the Drunk Rooster) But we definitely should try it!

Gosh, this wine has become so soft that it’s almost–not quite, but almost–lush. Again, I’m amazed at how wine changes over the course of the hour that we do this tasting. I simply don’t pay that much attention otherwise, and I’m enjoying this so much.

If you like to travel to wineries, then you gotta go to Washington state some time. That’s real wine country

Central California Coast seems to be the new undiscovered grape growing area around San Luis Obispo… an undiscovered area by all means.

Bill are we having a pool party this year?

Claudia, have you seen the movie Sips?

Bring me duck and I’ll cook it. Still, I’ll come up with another recipe for those not blessed with access to duck breast (can’t get home from work and cook a whole duck by 7!)

I meant Sideways, not Sips….I’ve sipped a little too much myself…..

Long gone bow now but the wine was wonderful!

I was wondering how I’d never heard of Sips!

Ok, Robert, tell us about your wine…

Thanks for clarifying, john!

And hold on, I want in on the pool party!

Marie–I’m just going to get the bottle to look for the alcohol content…

John–thank you for such a lovely choice.
Jennifer–thank you for starting this lovely group.
All the rest of you dear oenophiles–thank you for making this an exceptional hour!

You must have a understanding of Wine Pool parties the “when the going gets weird the weird turn pro” correct Bill.

Marie–very much!

LOVED Babette’s Feast. Wine is 14 percent alcohol, and Bill, that’s not a bad idea–ordering duck instead.

Thanks for this week’s choice… a nice change from the Pinot Gris and Chardonnays we normally have around the house!

hello everyone, hello John. Hope you are all well and thank you for featuring one of my wine tonight. I would be happy to answer any questions you have.

Hello Philippe! sorry i missed you yesterday. everyone loved your wine!

Thanks Jennifer for the vision; thanks john for hosting and everyone else the insight & buzz humor…’til next time!

Hello, Philippe. Everyone, this is the man who made this wine. He was in town last night for a tasting at The Blue Fish, which I missed, but John talked to him and convinced him to join us.

Philippe, this is normally when we finish but I’m sure folks will want to stay and talk with you for a bit. And thanks for joining us.

Thank you John. Next time, I will be back early April…. Off to France tomorrow. I apologize I do not have the In Fine with me…. how long have you had it open?

Philippe, about 90 minutes for me, and the change is extraordinary.

A little over an hour

Claudia, talk to Philippe…

Of course we all want to hear from Philippe, but Robert, don’t sign off without telling us about next week’s wine.

Great I think this little IGT “Super Tuscan” will supries everyone!

The folks at Poplar Pike Wines say next week’s selection is one of their best sellers!

Great night everyone, good pick John, see ya’ll in 2 weeks. I’m off

Southern France is for sure beautiful and offer a great variety of amazing values for all taste….

Claudia, I am actually an importer and I represent a portfolio of 30 wineries. Of these, I have one that is mine, Le Drunk Rooster, and I make wine at about 5 others. Drunk Rooster is in the Languedoc, about 20 minutes north east of Beziers. The rest of my books are wines beatifully made by my friends and I feel very privileged to import them here for you.

We’re back…road trip to the south of France courtesy of FedEx!

Sorry, misunderstood….

Good night, Robert. See you next week, and I’ll be in touch tomorrow about recipes for next week.

Claudia, I think you misunderstood because I misrepresented. Philippe, I thought you were the winemaker. I am certain that several of us have tried Drunk Rooster, though.

Thanks, Philippe, have a safe trip tomorrow and we appreciate your time!

Good night all.

Jennifer, this is a great idea! Thanks for making it happen! Look forward to next week.

OK, everyone, we did go over but it was nice. See you next week. Check the blog this weekend for food suggestions, and thanks for your participation. What a lovely time!

I still taste almonds…….

Holy moly, what a tasting this was! I’m really sorry that i couldn’t participate tonight. Sounds as if you all had too much fun….. oh well, another night.