Between The Wines
GREAT LAKES WINE & SPIRITS
As we have alluded to frequently of late, consumers are increasingly looking for things beyond Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir French wines are hot again (the ‘regular’ stuff, not the $200 to $1,000 a bottle Bordeaux & Burgundies those are always hot) and there are some very interesting, great value wines to discover.
Today’s Hidden Treasures feature is a good example.
Domaine de La Perruche (House of the Parakeet) is a winner. Located in the SaumurChampigny AOC in the central Loire Valley, Cabernet Franc is their foil. Though Cabernet Franc is not generally held in the same esteem as Cabernet Sauvignon (though don’t tell that to the fans of Chateau Cheval Blanc which is around 50% Cab Franc), and though poor examples can be green and harshly tannic, when done right the wines can be glorious.
November 2024
In this newsletter you can expect:
Hidden Treasures
What’s New Thoughts & Observations
Hidden Treasures continued..
Domaine de La Perruche
The estate is based in an historic Chateau along the Loire River, and they produce a range of Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc-based wines. We carry their entry-level Saumur-Champigny, and if it is an indication, their top cuvees must be pretty special. Bright, fresh, herbal & delicious. We also offer their nonestate Chinon a very popular appellation recently The name Perruche refers to the fossilized stones comprised of chalk & flint which permeate the estate’s soils, allowing them to produce excellent red and white wines Perruche translates to Parakeet (not sure if the aforementioned stones look like a bunch of dead parakeets or…?), so the Domaine has adopted parakeets as its symbol. We’ve never tasted parakeet, but if anyone reading this has plans to do so, we’re pretty sure this wine would pair nicely!
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Philipponnat Champagne
We are very proud to be able to represent the wonderful Champagnes of Philipponnat-
Currently under the direction of Charles Philipponnat the 16th generation Philipponnat is one of the very few Champagne houses still managed by it’s founding family. Though their roots go all the way back to 1522 before the wines of Champagne even sparkled the brand was little-known to most outside of the wine trade. Those that did know of the House knew for one reason: their iconic singlevineyard wine, Clos des Goisses. Produced since the 1930’s from a vineyard that Peter Liem said is ‘arguably the greatest vineyard site in all of Champagne’. The resultant wine deserves the same praise.
Under M Philipponnat’s stewardship, the rest of their bottlings are equally impressive in their class. Most cuvees are Pinot Noir dominant (they are based just outside of Ay after all) though their ‘Grand Blanc’
100% Chardonnay from Grand Cru vineyards is a real treat Ageing is a minimum of 36 months for their NV cuvees (more than double the current legal requirement) and 5 years + for their vintage wines. They are also steadily increasing the amount of barrels used for ageing their base wines (neutral, of course).
All of the above read like the playbook from the very best houses in Champagne which readers are very familiar with Philipponnat is likely the best Champagne you’ve never heard of. Treat yourself!
‘Red Blends’; in 2010 it wasn’t even a category, by 2019, red blends were more than 10% of retail sales. And then there is Malbec from Argentina
In the mid-nineties, quality wines from Argentina were few and far between, and Mendoza was about as developed as Mendocino’s Boonville By 2010, the category was red hot, and lots of ‘wine travelers’ took advantage of high-end wineries and luxe hotels and restaurants like Napa Valley south. All of the players had a stake in the ground there or at least a label they were importing The wines over-delivered in their price points, and an increasing number of ‘superpremium’ cuvees started rolling out (as in $100 a bottle+ stuff) But commencing in the late teens, and continuing into this decade, Argentinian Malbec has fallen from fashion.
changing the overall trend. The political changes in Argentina and their strengthening economy doesn’t appear to be a factor. Folks just stopped drinking them
The good news as is the reality of the industry is that the vineyards are still planted, and wine is still being produced And when you have an abundance of wine that is selling slowly, guess what happens? Prices come down Leaving out the $100+ wines, they were mostly still values, but now even the mid-priced wines are tweaking prices. Just one example: try to find a better value in our book than the wines from Piattelli Vineyards. Lots of bang for the buck---even though a buck isn’t what it used to be
So don’t short your Argentinian wine stock just yet Consumers know how to find values especially when most other consumer goods cost a lot more of late Being a contrarian can be a good thing Remind your customers how much they loved the wines of Argentina.
