Inexpensive French Wine Tasting And Farmer's Markets

A tasting of French producers looking for importers into the US... Started off with some lovely 07 white burgs, moved into some good loire whites including a Tressalier, which I'd never had before. It was similar to sauvignon, but with more minerality, maybe something like a cross between, Muscadet and Sauvignon.


Then, some of my favorites of the day. Domaine de Clairac. A rose of grenache and cinsaut, I believe, unlike any I've ever had before. It was like a rose petal and raspberry leaf infused tea. AND, the vigneron, Deborah Knowland, insists on aging it nearly a year longer than most roses. I'm going to totally paraphrase, but she said something approximately similar to:
Most makers of rose seem to believe it must be fresh, that it must be sold and consumed right away. But I disagree. I think, for my style, these wines need to develop, to take on their own characteristics that make them so unique.
After tasting her beautiful Rose, and two Marsanne, and an alicante bouche, I'd have to agree with her stylistic choices. She's clearly setting out to create her own style, that, while not untraditional, is a clear departure from many of the overpowered, tannic monsters the world seems to be demanding.
It's unfortunately overdone and trite to bring gender politics into this, so maybe that's exactly why I'm drawn to make the allusion- These are feminine wines. Endearingly, alluringly, and undoubtedly, feminine wines. Even the reds are made as if they were white wines. The Allicante Bouche grape, one of the few with actually red flesh, will make a red wine, even if pressed and treated as a white. This allows for a delicate, soft and subtle red, even at home in a sushi restaurant. Deborah's wines are beautiful, but unfortunately, none of these wines are currently available in the US, unless anyone feels like becoming an importer... Let me know, I've got a short list of producers that need representation.


So, after winding down with some Alsatian Gevurtztraminer Vendage Tardive, we headed off to the Thursday Farmer's Market at Yamashiro, a giant Sotoshu-looking series of buildings up in the hills overlooking Hollywood. What a great location for short rib, cod, pulled pork tacos and you guessed it, more wine tasting.


The flight was ok. I shoulda just gone with my gut and bought a bottle of the Edward Sellers. But hey, no complaints...