Posts Tagged ‘cabernet franc’

The French wine number one in popularity the world over is Bordeaux. While Bordeaux can be and often is one the most fascinating wine and most expensive one as well, not all Bordeaux are superior wines. Some of them are also pretty common. Therefore, when it comes to Bordeaux wines a bit of knowledge is necessary if you don’t want to get ripped off and really buy what you are expecting.

Top Bordeaux wines are great wines and the better and older they are the pricier they are as well. Top red Bordeaux can reach prices that are out of reach for many people and not the kind of wine you would want to buy for your everyday consumption. However, if you are willing to get more common wines that are still good, but not to the level of the top ones, you can enjoy good reds and even whites at an affordable price.

Bordeaux is a wine that can reach depths and quality that no other wines have ever reached, and this is mostly the reason for its extremely high price. Cabernet Sauvignon which is always blended with other grapes, usually Merlot and Cabernet Franc are responsible for this sublime drink. Most people think of Bordeaux as a red wine, however, this French wine region also produces great white wines, dry and sweet which are much more affordable than the reds.

As just about every French wine, Bordeaux vintage can make quite a difference in the quality of the wine, because a sunny dry year or a rainy cooler year will definitely affect the taste of the wine. Whatever the vintage, however, good Bordeaux wines need to age a few years to reach full maturity and give their best flavor.

If you have never tasted Bordeaux, before you put the nectar to your lips, just make sure you are aware of the fact that you are tasting a GREAT Bordeaux or common one, so you will know what to expect and not be disappointed. The price of the bottle should also tell you which wine is which.

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Author: Regine Marne
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Loire Valley region of central France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that youll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a white Chenin Blanc from Anjou-Saumur in the central part of the region.

Among Frances eleven wine-growing regions the Loire Valley ranks number three when it comes to the acreage devoted to vineyards. The Loire is Frances longest river running for 620 miles (one thousand kilometers) across the center of the country. In many ways the Loire Valley can be considered as a series of regions. Here they are running from west to east: Nantais whose primary grape is the white Muscadet, Anjou-Saumur whose primary grapes are the white Chenin Blanc and the red Cabernet Franc, Touraine whose primary white grapes are Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc and whose primary red grape is Cabernet Franc, and Central Vineyards whose primary white grape is Sauvignon Blanc and whose primary red grape is Pinot Noir. We will review at least one wine from each of these four areas.

Saumur is a city of about thirty-five thousand inhabitants where the Loire and the Thouet Rivers meet in the Anjou and Saumur zone of the Loire Valley, east of the Nantes and west of Tours. It is a bourgeois city proud of its historic center and Fourteenth Century Church of St-Pierre and the city square of the same name. And of course there is a Loire Valley turreted Castle, the Chteau de Saumur well worth the visit even though the Muse des Arts Dcoratifs (Decorative Arts Museum) and the Muse du Cheval (Equestrian Museum) may be closed to the public.

Saumurs Riding School, the Cadre Noir de Saumur (literally the Black Cadre) was founded well over one hundred fifty years ago. Its instructors, whether military or civilian, wear beautiful black and gold uniforms in public performances that attract up to forty thousand spectators. If you are at all interested in equestrian performances make sure to catch their class act. And stop by the Maison du Vin (House of Wine) for more information on this great wine-growing region.

Before reviewing the Loire wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Rillions (Big chunks of Pork cooked in Pork Fat). For your second course savor Bcasse foure au Foie Gras (Woodcock stuffed with Foie Gras). And as dessert indulge yourself with Tarte Tatin (Upside down Apple Tart).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Domaine de Saint-Just Saumur Blanc 2005 AC 12.5% alcohol about $13

Lets start by quoting the marketing materials. We see very little white Saumur in our market, so this is a rare treat indeed. Made with 100% Chenin Blanc, it shows the aromatic virtues of the grape coupled with racy acidity. The result is a wine that may be enjoyed in its youth with seafood dishes such as grilled prawns, but will definitely age gracefully for 3-5 years.

My first meal was fried chicken-breast scaloppini, with rice and Turkish salad. This wine was very refreshing and pleasantly acidic. It was palate-cleansing with a lot of lime. It was quite present when pairing with a strong Turkish salad.

The next meal consisted of slow-cooked chicken legs with a mix of Eastern spices, brown rice, and green beans. The Saumur Blanc was quite forward with plenty of fruit and acidity. It was very pleasant.

The final pairing involved whole-wheat spaghetti and hamburgers but no tomato sauce. The wine was refreshingly acidic with a lot of lime. It was very long. While the wine was somewhat flattened by a fruit-juice candy, it displayed delicate fruit and acidity when paired with a good-quality cheesecake.

The first cheese pairing was with a mild Italian Pecorino Friulano cheese. This was no success; the wine became a bit thin and lost a lot of its fruit. Then I tried a nutty Dutch Edam cheese. The wine was moderately fruity and I would say that combination was OK but not great.

Final verdict. I liked this wine and would buy it again. I feel that it was quite good for the price. And theres not all that much more to say about it.

Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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