Local Grappe

The general public knows the grape varieties such as Cabernet, Riiesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir.

 I tell you about another grape. these local varieties are unknown by the general public. Many winegrowers work with natural yeast and organic farming.

Sometimes you have the links for vinmonopolet of Norway.

White grape : 

Albarino  : varietal of Galicia. the appellation is Rias Baixas. With the Atlantic Ocean, the winds give the fraicheurs its wines with lots of personality.

Albarino Pedralonga  2013 rias baixas Cosechas 

The color is yellow semi intense , the nose is closed with spices and white flower. The attack is smooth, the plate is long, semi-ample  with final round. Aromas are spice and pear jam. The retro-olfaction is long and complex - mint and mineral. This semi robust and long wine is very fresh. In oslo; you can buy in Vika vinmonopolet.

Clairette : Low-acid variety, it was used in the Languedoc-Roussillon vineyards as the basis for vermouth. Clairette is used in most white Côtes du Rhône. This variety was made famous by the gross Clairette de Die and Crémant de Die (100% Clairette). wiki source. Petit salé come from Côtes de Provence.

Petit Salé Chateau Roquefort Raymond Villeneuve:

Pale yellow semi-intense, the nose is open with fruit. The mouth is semi-robust, semi-long, delicate with anise and lemon flavors. the retro-olfaction is mineral and complex. the wine is easy to drinking wine . that is pleasant to the Saint-Jacques.

Chenin :

Cultivated  in the USA and in South Africa, this grape has its origins in the Loire Valley ; Savennière Anjou, Vouvray or Coteau du  Loir. These wines can be dry, semi-dry or sweet. I remember a story. One of my clients had discovered a secret cellar in the house of his grandfather. All wines were vintages before the Second World War. 1917, 1927, 1929, 1937. His grandfather was died with his secret and his fabulous treasure. My client has benefited greatly and told me one thing: "Magnificent." Often unrecognized in Norway, many wines come from organic farming and natural yeast. Chenin wine are complex and concentrated with complex retro-olfaction. 

Les saules domaine des sablonnettes 2011 : 

This complex wine should be decanted. The attack is unctuous, the medium is semi powerful and heavy, the retro-olfaction is mineral. The wood is not disturbing. Beautiful heavy and feminine wine. This estate - Joel Mesnard- develops great sweet wines with tangerine nose, delicate mouths with long minerality.

Anjou domaine René Mosse : This wine is masculine, powerful with a nice minerality. Male wine to be decanted

coteaux layon la roullerie 

Classic sweet wine with nice acidity 

Muscadet or Melon de bourgogne

its second name is  Melon de Bourgogne, a native of this region, this variety is planted near Nantes. In the 1970s, it is famous in Paris, for its liveliness and lightness. But supply below demand reduces the quality of the wine for decades . For twenty years, winemakers regilds its bad image of muscadet. There are 14 different terroirs that give 14 different - if the winemaker works in organic farming and with natural yeasts. Since, several years : you have a new appellation. Muscadet village. The winemakers let the wine during 2 years in vat steel. The wines are rich and more personality. There are two types of Muscadet: fresh wine to drink young on oysters and shellfish, complex wines from different terroirs. It is very important to decant this kind of wine. And you can  drink with fish sauce.

In 1995, during my two years at Nantes Atlantis restaurant, we organized tastings between sommeliers every month. When it was our turn to invite, I had the bad idea to expose the wine selected for the tasting, a Muscadet. Femine diplomacy intervened and made me understand that if it was Muscadet, nobody will be present.

A month later, a Burgundian winemaker accompanied us for a tasting of his region.For my wine tasting, 30 sommeliers from the region of Nantes were present. Between Pernand Vergelesses and Meursault, i have served a decanter with white wine opened during 3 hours.The nose is butter,and citrus with a heavy and powerful palate. The retro-olfaction was complex and long. 

Verdict: "Chablis" answered  the tasters and i saw Landron Joseph,

winemaker in Muscadet and laughed under his mustache. He recognized his wine, Muscadet Hermine d’or 1990 ... I wanted my revenge ... It was fantastic .But a week later, an order was necessary, my friends sommeliers bought the stock. I cried all the tears in my body! Revenge is really a dish best served cold.

Rien que du melon domaine la Paonnerie : 

the color is Orange and brown for the next day. This nose is complex  with fruit ... Wine has gaz slightly after its opening. This wine is semi-complex, glug glug  The retro-olfaction is long, mineral and salty When you decant it becomes powerful and the color changes ... nice  wine without sulfur.

domaine Jo Landron fief du treuil : I am very glad to taste wine of jo.  I find Less sulfur, the wine is semi powerful, crispy  with a long retro-olfaction. Beautiful muscadet

Altesse ou Roussette de savoie : legend saids it come from Cyprus. It is grown mainly in Savoy.

Autrement Altesse jacques Maillet : This wine tasted  a few years ago was gold in color, the middle is ample, concentrated and long .... This wine without sulfur addition before bottling must be decanted and  you will be surprised. Great natural wine.

Gruner vetliner 

From austria, it gives wines similar to Riesling with hints of pepper, and especially crispy wines.

Gruner vetliner Meiklang ; the color is pale yellow. The nose is pure pepper and fruit. The palate is delicate and easy to drink. Wine gloug gloug lightweight and straight 

Jacquère : From Savoy, Wine is nervous and diuretic with few alcohol www.giachino.fr

Monfarina : the last time I tasted it, it was pure with a delicate mouth very easy to drink on the oysters or appetizer.

Malvoisie This very old Mediterranean variety is produced in Italy and Corsica. The wine is round and rich.

Malvasia frizzante Camillo donati  : the color is gold, the middle of wine is easy to drinking with fine bubbles.. After an opening day the color is orange, the gas is gone. The wine is ample and powerful with long minerality

Mauzac :native of Limoux and Gaillac. his nose is apple, it can be sparkling with no added yeast, dry or moist.

Mauzac nature Domaine Plageole (sparkling) :

"special winemaking called" rural "or" Gaillacoise «  in Galliac or Ancetral for Clairette de die or Blanquette de Limoux; Direct pressing. Static settling (24 hours). natural yeast. Not disgorged. From 25 to 30 g bottling pour10,5% actual alcohol, the bubble-making is carried out 3 months after bottling. This leaves 10 g of sugar and alcohol is mounted around 11 °. "taken from the website of Plageole. This nose of  wine   is apple and  easy to drink with delicate bubles and  a round  finish. You drink alone or with beautiful girl ......

Pinot blanc  gives simple wine in Alsace. Especially in organic farming with natural yeast, the wine can be more complexe and ample.

Pinot Blanc Jean-Baptiste Adam : the color is Pale yellow, the nose is lemon , the attack is semi-onctuous, the mouth is delicate, semi-robust and crispy. The final is round, the Retro-olfaction is mineral. This kind for wine is nice for an aperitif or for asparagus white sauce.

Pinot blanc Jean-Pierre Frick : The nose is more complex, the aromas changes always. The  wine is semi-robust with a little gas. This wine is powerful and long when it is decanted. It become orange after one opening day. the rétro-olfaction is long with minerality . Very great natural  wine

Sylvaner 

Used primarily in Germany or Alsace, this variety is for simple wines. But made by biodynamic winemakers, they give a wine easy drinking dry  but with a long retro-olfaction. Crispy wine for oysters and aperitif. You can find grand-cru in Alsace.

Sylvaner ostertag : 

the color is pale yellow, the is discreet but complex with minerality, fruit and flower. the wine is crispy, straight and semi-robust. A digestible wine is a lit nervous. 

Torrontes :

 Origin from Spain, the most beautiful white come from Argentina. They are round and fruity.  I tasted Torrontes from Argentina "Fair trade" was a bit heavy but clean without return of sulfur. Interesting  to taste and to drink for aperitif this kind of wine but not to keep.

Terret : the Grape is very late with high yield. It was for wine tables, it was replaced with more accessible varieties. But from vines biodynamic and natural yeast wine is powerful and long.

Terret domaine Fontedicto : There are some years I have tasted this male wine , concentrated and round. The retro-olfaction was very complex and long with aromas like honey, spicy and minerality. This wine is very different with a great personality  As a southern wine, this wine should be consumed within five years.

Savagnin : 

We do not know the origin of his country. The winemaker mades with  this  grape : le vin jaune. This wine is  oxidative of nutty nose, powerful and ample. During winemaking,  « la part des anges »  is not offset by an addition of wine . Thus, there is formed a « voile » which protects the wine from the final oxydation. To taste at 13 ° we can be  kept this powerfull wine in wine cellar during many years

Vin jaune 2007 Stéphane Tissot :

The color is intense yellow, the nose is complex , pure  with nuts and spices

The attack is semi-smooth; the palate is powerfull, concentrated and long. The retro-olfaction is long  and complex with a freshness and minerality.

This « vin jaune » can be drunk easily with a nice freshness.

Cépage rouge 

Baga :Portugal native variety of the new region: Bairrada. This oceanic region is cooler than the others. This late variety gives elegant wines such as Pinot Noir with semi-intense ruby color. A wonderful discovery.

Baga old vines territorio vivo Felipa Pato: The ruby color is semi intense, the attack is smooth. The medium is long and powerful. the aromas of palate are mineral; licorice and red fruit. This wine is powerful but elegant with lovely mineral in retro-olfaction. Great discovery ....... Beautiful freshness for a Portuguese wine ...You find this wine in Norway.

Gamay : one of the oldest grape varieties around the thirteenth century. It has allowed to make light red wines. In the 70s, Jules Chauvet perfected winemaking of Gamay; carbonic maceration. The most famous Beaujolais is primeur. Drunk on the third Thursday of November, It has been maligned, but a few organic winegrower  work without added sulfur and redorent the coat of arms of the new Beaujolais. My favorite is Christian Ducroux. Morgon and Moulin à Vebt vinified with natural yeast and from a  organic farming have nothing to fear side of Burgundy. The proof in the last contest of the best sommeliers de France: 3 red wines in  blind test.  2 Burgundy and Moulin à vent from Jadot. The 3 finalists told pinot black. Gamay Beaujolais gives the notes of strawberries, pepper and wild.When the wine come from  natural yeasts  winemaking. From  selected yeast laboratory: the nose is synthetic strawberry like  tagada.

Pinaut d’aunis : 

The oldest vine in the Loire Valley; it is called black chenin. The wine has a female and elegant body. His nose is red pepper and fruit. Its tannins are fine. Many blind tasters say  good Pinot Noir. The vines are often very old

Morgon côte de py 2012 Jean-Foillard ; color is ruby semi-intense, the nose is semi-complexe with strawberry. The attack is semi unctuous, the palate is semi-robust, delicate and semi long. Tannins is supple. Retro-olfaction is long and complexe- fruit and minerality. Long, racy and Feminine wine. Very good wine without sulfur

Rouge-gorges 2012 Eric NicolasThe color is clear semi-intense ruby, the nose is open wild and pepper, with a nice complexity. The palate is elegant, semi-long, semi-robust. The tannins are fine, retro-olfaction is long and very mineral. This elegant wine is complex with soft tannins. 

Concerto Jean-Pierre Robinot 

The color is ruby semi-intense, the wine is powerful, long and elegant. The tannins are fine and retro-olfaction is very complex - aromas sherry and pepper. This wine can be decanted . You can drink now or  lyou can keep  several years. in wine cellar.

Braucole 

The second name is Fer servadou, The origin of this variety is the Middle Ages and the Spanish Basque country. The wines can be racy and powerful. You can keep it for few years.

Champs d’orphee vin de pays côtes du tarn 2012 Stéphane Lucas

the color is intense ruby, The nose is closed, the wine is powerful, ample and long with elegant tannins. This sulfur-free wine is digestible with presents tanins but fine . The retro-olfaction is complex. Beautiful wine natural . You must decant this wine or you can keep it in wine cellar

Carmenere grape of Bordeaux, but he was very present in Chile. It gives powerful wines with fruity; spicy nose and present tannins. It begins to return in the Libourne with ten hectare.

Malbec is called côt in the Loire, Auxerrois in Cahors. This French variety is very popular in Argentina and  in altitude

Malbec 2011 Archeval Ferrer.The color is intense ink, the nose is spicy. The wine is male and concentrated with fine tannins. The rétro-olfaction is long with nice freshness. You can drink this robust wine on reindeer.  

Lemberger Blaufrankisch is a grape variety that is found in Austria and Croatia. It produces wines with freshness. The wine that I present is made by a German winegrower in Spain.

Acinipo  2003 F.Shatz: The color is ruby semi-intense, with aroma kirsch . The wine is round semi-long easy drinking with slightly rustic tannins. Nice minerality.

Pinotage : Cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault developed in 1925 by Abraham Perold in South Africa. Pinot Noir done  structure at Cinsault.

Reyneke Pinotage 2011 : I have not tasted this wine

Tannat : Tannat is Béarn varietal ; it come from  appellation Madiran in France and Iroulegy. You can find Uruguay and Argentina. This variety is rich in tannin.

Château d'Aydie  : this wine, I have not tasted. It is expected a powerful wine with tannins in its youth and soft with time.