French Wine Gift - Unique Wines from Independent French Growers

Wines of the Month: November 2005

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The descriptions found below are the ones our members will find with their monthly shipment of two bottles of fine wine from the French Wine Club.

Red: Plume Bleue 2004, Vin de Pays d'Oc

Last year I introduced you to the Pélican Bleu, a cheerful blend of Grenache and Syrah from the Costières de Nîmes (Côtes du Rhone South).

Mark Fincham is the owner of the vineyard that produces the Pélican Bleu. Mark is a British national who invested time and money in this new wine-producing venture. The blend of 2003 was a success, and so is this 2004.

In the meantime, a major European beer brand named Pelican kindly informed Mark that if he did not change the name of his wine, they would sue him into oblivion.

This explains the new name of Plume Bleue, but the wine is the same blend as last year, a 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah. It is a light wine, very ripe yet lively. It is very fruit-driven, definitely a gulper, not a sipper. It is a wine easy to drink that will accompany many meals.

Plume Bleue is a wine to drink now.

To order, click here: Bottle ($14.75), Case ($141.60 - 20% off!).

White: Quincy 2003, Domaine Crotereau

Domaine Crotereau is a small domaine owned by Pierre Ragon, an older, very traditional grower right in the village of Quincy (Loire Valley). He grows almost exclusively old vines, pruned back for quite low yields. It represents one of the finest values in Sauvignon blanc I have ever tasted: lovely ripe citrus, mineral and melon aromas (from old vines); on the palate the wine shows a minerality that is quite distinctive (different from Sancerre because here there is much more gravel and less limestone rock in the soil), all wrapped in a richer texture from the old vine. The length of the finish is surprising.

Enjoy the Quincy on its own as an aperitif, with fish or chicken in a white sauce.

To order, click here: Bottle ($14.75), Case ($141.60 - 20% off!).

Previous 12 Wine-of-the-Month Selections

(Important note: in general, only cases of past Wine-of-the-Month selections are available, and even so, we cannot guarantee that they will be accessible after a certain amount of time. Please call or e-mail us to check on availability before ordering.)

October 2005:
Red: Chateau Ventenac 2002
White: Vin du Bugey, Jacquere 2004

September 2005:
Red: Domaine des Entrefaux Crozes-Hermitage 2002
White: Domaine de la Salette 2004

August 2005:
Red: Château Reignac de Tizac (Bordeaux) 2000
White: Château Hélène “Pénélope” 2004

July 2005:
Red: Domaine des Romarins, Côtes du Rhône 2002
White: Picpoul de Pinet, Domaine des Lauriers, Côteaux du Languedoc 2004

June 2005:
Red: Domaine de Coussergues, Mourvedre 2003
White: Domaine La Bastide, Viognier 2004

May 2005:
Red: Domaine La Millière 2003
White: Chardonnay du Bugey, Domaine Plantaz 2001

April 2005:
Red: Clos Bagatelle St Chinian 2002
White: Apremont 2003

March 2005:
Red: Domaine de Costebonne 2001, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence
White: Vin de Pays des Côtes de Thau, Sauvignon Blanc “Hugues de Beauvignac”

February 2005:
Red: Château Rauzan Despagne 2003
White: Colombelle 2003

January 2005:
Red: Arrogant Frog 2003
White: Domaine de Valensac 2001

December 2004:
Red: Cossart de Margaux 1999
White: Clos des Verdots Bergerac 2003

November 2004:
Red: Pelican 2003
White: Ballade en Straminer 2002

October 2004:
Red: Réserve Grand Veneur, Côtes du Rhône 2003
White: Domaine Trois Frères, Chardonnay 2002

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