When I teach about Italian wine, I often speak about the breadth and diversity of wine found in Italy. Wine is synonymous with Italy and vice-versa. It would take a lifetime to taste the abundance and diversity of wine regions, a challenge I have been working on for nearly 37 years. On a trip to Italy a few years ago, we traveled from Rome, through Umbria and Tuscany, ending up in Venice. It was a two-week adventure that was remarkable and unforgettable. Along the way, we made sure to sample everything, focusing especially on those local specialties that never made it out Italy. We also tried to take a lot of these specialties with us, so that we could prolong our experience when we arrived home.

Wine, of course found its way home with us and one rarity was recently opened and enjoyed. The wine in question is from a tiny region in Umbria called Lago di Corbara, a miniscule DOC nestled against the man-made lake Corbara. Interestingly, when a dam was erected in 1950’s across the Tiber river, the lake was formed and over the succeeding decades, a local meso-climate evolved that proved beneficial to grape cultivation. After many years of success, in 1998 the Lago di Corbara DOC was codified.

The production acreage is tiny, with only 64 acres of vineyard area and approximately 7,600 cases of wine produced annually. Because the DOC is relatively new, a wide selection of both indigenous and non-indigenous varietals is allowed in the wines.

Principal white varietals are: Chardonnay, Grechetto, Sauvignon Blanc, and Vermentino.

Principal red varietals are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Nero, and Sangiovese.

Single varietal wines are required to have no less than 85% of the listed varietal on the label. There are both white and red blends, Bianco and Rosso wines, as well as dessert and specialty wines, such as Vendemmia Tardiva (late harvest) and Passito wines.

The red wines from the region tend to be full-bodied, structured with layered complexity. The white wines follow suit, with more body and less aggressive acidity.

With the tiny production numbers, it is highly unlikely that any of these wines will find traction in the US, but one can only hope, because the wine we brought back was tremendous.

2014 Titignano Tenuta di Salviano Solideo, Lago di Corbara Rosso, Umbria, Italy

Earthy nose… dark fruits, brambles, cooked fruit, cedar, vanilla hints. Medium-to-Full-bodied, moderate acidity with firm tannin. Good balance. Dark fruit core. Anise, dried herb, powerful with a dark fruit core. Alcoholic. Long finish with layered complexity. Aging potential 5 – 7 years. A wonderful testament to the diversity of Italian wine.

Tu Salut!

I recently pulled some reasonably old wines from Cline Family Cellars out of the dark corners of the wine cellar and opened them for a taste. The results were surprisingly strong. I say surprisingly, because my personal experience with aging mid-level California wines has been decidedly mixed.

I probably should not be surprised, though. I have been enjoying Cline Family wines since the late 80’s and always found them to be a notch better than other wines at their price points. For those who are unfamiliar with the brand, Cline Family Cellars was started in 1982 in Oakley California by Fred Cline. The early vintages came from original plantings of Mourvèdre, Zinfandel and Carignane dating back to 1880. In 1989, Cline purchased a 350-acre horse farm in Carneros and relocated the winery to Sonoma County. Cline chose Rhone varietals as their focus, planting Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. As the years past, so did further expansion, both in acreage in Sonoma and in breadth of varietals, adding Pinot Noir, Merlot and Chardonnay.

Cline Family Cellars is exactly that, a family-owned operation. As their website states, the winery is “built on a passion for winemaking and rooted in respect for the land.” As such, the winery practices sustainable farming at all their sites, achieving Certified status in Sonoma County as well as the state of California. An abiding philosophy at Cline is stewardship of the land, something that is echoed in the quality of their wines.

The same attention to sustainable farming is applied to wine making, where a combination of classic techniques is combined with modern technologies to produce authentic and expressive wines that allow the quality and character of the fruit, and vineyards to speak through the wine.

The wines in question predate much of what is on the web site, so it is hard for me to say what, if any influence the current team had on their production. However, it is safe to say that the wines showed so well after nearly 20 years in the cellar because of the basic philosophies of “passion” and “respect.” The foundation upon which Fred Cline built his winery shows in the longevity if these bottles.

2003 Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel

Bold nose, with cherry, blackberry and red current hints. Surprisingly powerful for a wine of this age. Well balanced, with moderate acid and well-integrated tannin. Silky. Burnished on the finish. Raisins, exotic spices and dried fruit on the finish. At peak. Very impressive.

2001 Cline Ancient Vines Mourvèdre

Lively nose with blackberry, cherry jam notes and hints of allspice. Jammy, with elegant structure and very well-integrated tannin. At peak, but with a seemingly tireless finish… suggesting a long duration at peak! Another stellar offering!

2001 Cline Small Berries Mourvèdre

Spectacular fruit on the nose, bright and intense. Well-balanced with finesse and elegance and an endless, layered finish. Black cherry, menthol and eucalyptus in the palate with dried currant, raisin and tar on the aftertaste. Remarkable!

*(Author’s Disclaimer: This article is not meant to imply that Nielson has done anything misleading or underhanded in the production or sale of its Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir. The wine conforms in all ways to the legal bottling requirements for what is listed on the label. My use of the Nielson label in no way constitutes a criticism or endorsement of the wine or winery, nor does this article in any way seek to positively or negatively influence a reader’s impression of Nielson, or Byron wines. The article is an educational piece meant to demonstrate how to interpret the legally-disclosed information on an American wine label.)

Anyone who has been to one of my classes has heard me talk about the legal meaning of terminology on a wine label… Our Federal Government has created certain requirements for wine labeling and additional legal definitions for terminology found on a wine label. The requirements and definitions are there, presumably to protect the consumer, or at least inform the consumer about the product they are buying.

There are seven pieces of information that are required to be displayed on a wine label in the United States:

1. Brand Name
2. Wine Class or Type
   • Fruit Wine, Rice Wine, Mead
   • Sparkling Grape Wine
   • Still Grape Wine (Generic, Semi-generic, Varietal)
     • Table wine (wines less than, or equal to 14% alcohol by volume)
     • Dessert Wine (wines more than 14% alcohol by volume)
     • Fortified Wine (wines more than 15% alcohol by volume)
3. Name & Address of Bottler
4. Alcohol Content (tolerance +/-1.5% for <14%; +/-1% for >14%)
5. Sulfite Statement
6. Government Health Warning
7. Net Contents

Other important definitions, are as follows:

Place of Origin Requirements (for a place name to be listed on the label):

• United States 100% from the named area
• State Name (Except CA) 75% from the named state
• California 100% from California (if so labeled)
• AVA 85% from the named AVA
• Specific Vineyard 95% from the named vineyard

Varietal Requirements (for a varietal to be listed on the label):

• 75% of named varietal (90% in Oregon)

Vintage Date Requirements (for a vintage to be listed on the label):

• 95% of the wine must originate from the listed vintage

Bottling Requirements (for bottling terms to be listed on the label):

• Produced 75%, or more of grapes crushed
• Made 10%, or more of grapes crushed
• Cellared, Selected, Vinted 10%, or less of grapes crushed

The terms: “Estate Bottled” and “Grown, Produced, and Bottled By” have special defined meaning on an American wine label.

Use of these terms is limited by the following criteria:

• The wine must list an AVA
• The winery must be located within the listed AVA
• The winery must have grown 100% of the grapes used to make the wine on the
  land owned or controlled by the winery within the AVA (control is defined as “a
  lease of at least three year’s duration”)
• The winery must have crushed the grapes, fermented the resulting must and
  finished, aged and bottled the wine in a continuous press.

Other proprietary terms, such as “reserve” or “meritage” have no defined meaning.
Trademarked terms have no defined meaning.

So what does this all mean? It means that wineries can craft their labels to tell whatever story they want, so long as the seven aforementioned label items are included. It also means that you need to be astute to fully understand where marketing ends and truth begins.

I was recently out to dinner with friends and is often the case, I was asked to select a wine from the restaurant wine list. Always looking for something interesting that also appears to be a good value, I landed on a domestic Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara county.

Let’s examine and dissect the following wine label:

*Author’s Note: The use of the Nielson Pinot Noir label in no way reflects the author’s impression of quality, but is merely used to illustrate the legal requirements and definitions of American wine labels.

For the seven required items, we have:

1. Brand Name: Nielson (by Byron)
2. Wine Class or Type: Table Wine
3. Name & Address of Bottler: Nielson Wines, Santa Rosa, CA
4. Alcohol Content: 13.5%
5. Sulfite Statement: Present
6. Health Warning: Present
7. Net Contents: 750ml

Some other important terms found on this label:

• Santa Barbara County (Legal): 85% of the grapes in this wine came from Santa Barbara County – There is no vineyard statement, therefore, we can only conclude that the wine has no specific vineyard of origin.
• Pinot Noir (Legal): 75% of the varietal in the wine is Pinot Noir. The wine could be 100%, but legally, all we truly know is that 75% of varietal is Pinot Noir
• Vinted and Bottled By (Legal): This statement means that no more than 10% of the grapes in the wine were actually crushed by the winery listed. In actuality, none of the grapes needed to be crushed by the winery in order to use the term “vinted.”
• Original Vineyard Planted in 1964 (Marketing Statement): Absolutely no meaning to this statement, other than somewhere in the “history” of the winery, a vineyard was planted in 1964. There is nothing that legally connects this “original” vineyard to the wine in the bottle.
• Primary Soils, Barrel Regime and Flavor Notes (Marketing Statement): Absolutely no meaning to these statements. While the winery may be implying that the grapes were grown in a vineyard whose primary soils were “marine-derived sediments,” there is nothing on the label to legally connect this statement to the wine in the bottle. Furthermore, the Barrel Regime is merely a statement to how long the winery held the wine and in what medium they used – in this case – 16 months in French Oak. The Flavor Notes are merely one taster’s impression of the wine and again, have no legal meaning, but may be helpful in connecting style with personal preference.

Another point that is very subtle… On the back label the name of the winery (Nielson) has a trademark symbol and then the statement “by Byron.” This tells me that the actual winery behind this bottle is Byron and they are licensed to use the Nielson name, as well as tell the story on the label. Nothing about the origins of Uriel J. Nielson in 1964 necessarily have anything to do with this wine. I’m not saying this is deceptive, but it is very shrewd marketing indeed.

So, not to be too one-sided, like any thorough wine consumer, I visited the link on the label. I found a very flashy web site that told a wonderful story about the origins of Nielson wines, specifically that the wine “pays homage to its namesake, Uriel J. Nielson, who in 1964 planted the first commercial vineyard in Santa Barbara County.” Scrolling down, I find a brief paragraph about this “Nielson Vineyard.” Their wine maker seems to be quite the adventurer, as evidenced by his feats of rock climbing.

I drill downed further into the web site to find specific information about this Pinot Noir. I found the following:

2016
This wine comes from three major Pinot Noir growing regions within Santa Barbara County, each of which is influenced by unique soil types and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Santa Maria Valley is one of California’s coolest AVAs with well-drained soils and one of the longest growing seasons in the world, brings pretty aromatics and red fruit flavors to the wine. Slightly warmer in climate, the Los Alamos area contributes ripe dark fruit flavors. Just south of Santa Maria Valley and Los Alamos, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, characterized by steep vineyard slopes and a distinct gravel minerality, adds power, depth and austere tannin expression.

Interesting…

So, my conclusions… Byron is actually the winery behind Nielson. This is not necessarily noteworthy – I like Byron wines and market segmentation is important in wine making. It is fairly common today for wineries to be owned by larger parent wineries or holding companies. It is a fact that wineries demand extraordinary amounts of operating capital and sometimes, small, family-owned operations struggle and seek outside investors to ease the burden somewhat. Nothing wrong with this, just important to keep in the back of one’s mind.

However, the grapes in this specific wine had nothing to do with the Nielson Vineyard so lovingly described on the web site and it is highly likely that the wine was not even made by the winemaker at Nielson. They likely purchased an already made wine, or wines, from  “three major growing regions in Santa Barbara County.” He took said wine and aged it in French oak in a storage facility, probably in Santa Rosa CA, not Santa Maria. Why Santa Rosa? Because the address on the back label states Santa Rosa. The address on the web site says Santa Maria. Santa Maria is the sexier address from a wine making perspective and the office or tasting room of the winery is in Santa Maria. However, the legal address of the wine’s bottler is Santa Rosa, as evidenced on the back label. Again, not terribly important, except you should know where the marketing ends and the actual truth begins – which was the premise when I started this article.

In closing, does any of the above matter? I guess if you like the wine and are happy paying what you pay for the wine, then all of the above can be filed under “legal arcana” and left at that. However, if you closely examine wines and try to understand linkages between soil, climate, grape growing and ultimately wine making, then this wine is a bit of an enigma. Readily available information on the wine would imply all kinds of things about vineyards, soils, climates, grape growing and wine making and yet, none of that is necessarily relevant given the legal statements on the label. Could I have written the winery or even made an attempt to speak to the wine maker himself? Sure, but they were fairly clear on the web site, even providing a PDF of wine information for my use.

That said, Nielson does produce several Pinot Noir wines from grapes grown on the Nielson Vineyard. The wines produced from these grapes are “Grown, Produced and Bottled by,” so we know that these are the real deal. However, they are between 2 and 3 times the listed price of the Nielson Santa Barbara County wine, the subject of this analysis. Again, none of this is a problem if you like the wine and don’t have an issue with the price…

Remember, I started this article by saying that the Federal Government requires and defines the statements on a wine label to “protect the consumer.” I would say they did their job, as long as you know the definitions behind the terminology.

Here endeth the lesson…

*(Author’s Disclaimer: This article is not meant to imply that Nielson has done anything misleading or underhanded in the production or sale of its Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir. The wine conforms in all ways to the legal bottling requirements for what is listed on the label. My use of the Nielson label in no way constitutes a criticism or endorsement of the wine or winery, nor does this article in any way seek to positively or negatively influence a reader’s impression of Nielson, or Byron wines. The article is an educational piece meant to demonstrate how to interpret the legally-disclosed information on an American wine label.)

First… This post is not about Greenvale Vineyards in RI. I adore Greenvale and I think they make amazing, estate-grown wines. Their winery is a lovely place to visit – my favorite in RI actually, and the proprietor and staff are among the friendliest and most knowledgeable that I have ever met. So, even though the wine that I will talk about is a product of Greenvale Vineyards, this post is not about Greenvale…

What then is this post about? The dark side of owning a deep, deep wine cellar.

With more than thirty years of collecting, we have amassed a significant number of wines, with a total bottle count well north of 5,000 bottles. The collection is scattered across a wide palate of wines – many from regions where the wines are made to age. Inevitably, when one grows a cellar to these proportions, wines are purchased that do not have prodigious aging potential. One buys wine that one enjoys and not every enjoyable wine begs to be aged. So, lurking in the dark corners of our wine cellar are bottles that are aging into atrophy.

In October of 2013, we conducted a tasting entitled “The Lost Bottle.” The tasting consisted of a flight of wines that were uncovered during a “cleaning and reorganizing” effort. After a week of work, a case+ of wines were found that exemplified the risk of deep cellar ownership. The list of wines was as follows (dates in parentheses note purchase date):

1996 Domaine des Cassagnoles, Cotes du Gascon (4/27/1998)

1996 Chateau La Blancherie, Graves (4/27/1998)

1997 Domaine du Closel, Savennieres (7/8/2000)

1995 Francis Cotat Chavignol, Sancerre (1/31/1997)

2004 Monkey Bay, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough (4/23/2005)

1996 Domaine Dauvissat-Camus, La Forest, Chablis (7/4/1998)

1989 St. Clement Chardonnay, Abbott’s Vineyard (3/30/1992)

1990 Herm. Donhoff Oberhauser Brucke Spatlese Riesling, Nahe (12/28/1998)

1990 Le Bocce, Chianti Classico (11/5/1992)

1997 Ricasoli San Ripolo, Chianti Classico (3/29/2004)

1998 Ricasoli Occa Guiccarda, Chianti Classico Riserva (2/23/2005)

1998 Villa Cafaggio, Chianti Classico (10/6/2001)

1998 Domaine Celinguet, Coteaux du Languedoc (1/29/2000)

1999 Les Cailloux, Chateauneuf-du-Pape (7/2/2002)

The outcome of the event was actually far more favorable than originally anticipated, with only two of the wines tasting simply dreadful (the 1996 Domaine Dauvissat-Camus and the 1989 St. Clement, were undrinkable), and the other wines tasting decently, albeit some with that resplendent patina of age. We dodged a bullet…

Fast forward to today… As I was looking for something to have with dinner, I stumbled across a bottle of 2003 Greenvale Vineyards Cabernet Franc from the Southeastern New England AVA.

We visit a lot of wineries and when we visit, we tend to take home our favorites from the visit. Back in 2006, we made one of our many forays into the then burgeoning RI wine trail, which included a stop at the beautifully situated Greenvale Vineyards in Portsmouth, RI. After a few hours of tasting and being given a tour of the vineyards, we left with a few cases of our favorites – including the 2003 Cabernet Franc. I was especially pleased with the Cabernet Franc because the wine did not exhibit the usual markers of cool climate Cabernet Franc – bell pepper and green, stemmy notes. Instead the wine was very nicely balanced with dark, cherry fruit, dried herbs, cedar, vanilla and excellent structure. At the time, I noted a five year window of improvement in bottle aging – which means the peak for the wine would hit around 2010. We actually bought six bottles in September 2006. We drank bottles in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2020. The cellar notes indicate the wine showed strongly in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, with some weakening in 2014. The last bottle we opened just recently in 2020 had this tasting note:

Herbaceous nose with hints of bell pepper, cardamom and cedar. Dried cherry and rosemary notes. Firm acidity with tired fruit. Balance is consistent with a 17 year old wine from New England, meaning there is little fruit, tight acid and almost no tannin. Pleasant but tired aftertaste with layered complexity.

This story is actually a favorable example of aging wine over a long period of time… meaning, the last bottle opened was a fitting closing chapter for the wine.

Then why is this a cautionary tale? Because deep in the corners of our wine cellar there are numerous bottles of wine that are likely at, or worse, past peak. Many of which are not the last bottle of a particular vintage. The 2003 Greenvale is a wake up call that a careful, re-assessment of the cellar is in order. If for no other reason then to prioritize the drinking of certain bottles. Recognizing that there will be too many to consume before their fated end.

As has been said at almost every Musings event – the assessment of a bottle’s aging potential is far more art (read “swag” – silly, wild ass guess) than science and part of the beauty in having a wine cellar is to watch wines grow, develop, age and eventually pass. It is the cycle of life in a bottle – the constant reminder that nothing is permanent and that from whence we came, so too shall we return…

As a Knight Templar, this featured wine has special meaning…

Commandaría is believed to be the oldest “named” wine in production today, dating back to 800 B.C. The wine, which is a sweet dessert wine, is made on the island of Cyprus. The wine was originally served by the Greeks as a festival wine, recorded by the poet Hesiod, along with the wine-making process. Commandaría is made from the Xynisteri and Mavro grapes. The grapes, which are often very ripe at harvest, are then further concentrated by sun-drying. While often a fortified wine, through its production method using ripened, sun-dried grapes, the wine often reaches high alcohol levels, around 15%, even before fortification.

The name Commandaría derives from the region where the wine is made. The area, at the foothills of the Troödos mountains, was once home to several Templar military bases, or Commanderies. After the arrest of the Templars in 1307 by King Philip the Fair, the region was subsumed by the Hospitallers, who produced and exported the wine in large quantities.

The wine achieved its greatest notoriety when King Richard the Lionhearted served the wine at his wedding to Berengaria of Navarre on May 12, 1191 in the chapel at Limassol on Cyprus. At the ceremony the king was credited with exclaiming that the wine was “the wine of kings and the king of wines.”

Today, the wine is legally allowed to be made in (14) neighboring villages: Agios Georgios, Agios Konstantinos, Agios Mamas, Agios Pavlos, Apsiou, Gerasa, Doros, Zoopigi, Kalo Chorio, Kapilio, Laneia, Louvaras, Monagri and Silikou. The designated area has assumed the name of the Commandaría Region and is located on the south facing slopes of the Troödos Mountains at an altitude of 1,500 to 2,700 feet. The region is within the larger Limassol District. Only grapes from vineyards with vines that are at least four years old are allowed. All vines are pruned in the goblet method and supplemental irrigation is prohibited. The grape harvest may only commence after the Vine Products Commission of Cyprus has given the green light, which is based on the average sugar content of the grapes.

Spes Mea in Deo Est

Based on preliminary reports, as well as some actual taste experience, it appears that Bordeaux is poised to release two, back-to-back exceptional vintages – 2015 and 2016. The last time this happened was 2009 and 2010.

As the 2015 wines begin to roll in, it is clear these wines are magnificent – showing characteristics of both the 2009 and 2010 vintages, Bordeaux’s best vintages of late. The wines possess the structured elegance of the 2010 wines combined with the lushness and approachability of the 2009 wines.

At this point, there have not been many 2016 wines in the retail stream to taste, largely because most château have only just wrapped up their initial future offerings. There are, however, some château that are releasing wines and what is coming to market provides evidence of the superior nature of the vintage.

It has generally been the case that as Bordeaux prices have climbed, more attention is paid to second labels, or lesser châteaux in search of greater value. This approach is especially important when faced with back-to-back exceptional vintages.

Such is the case with the 2016 Tellus Vinea Bordeaux. Tellus Vinea is a subsidiary wine made by the same team behind Château Belregard Figeac, a legitimate Grand Cru Saint-Emilion wine. The Pueyo Family has owned Belregard Figeac since 1853. With over 150 years of continuous ownership, the impact of seasons of experience with their vineyard parcels shows in the exceptional quality of their wines. This extensive knowledge of the vineyards in Saint-Emilion has allowed the Pueyo family to find great sources of grapes for their AOC Bordeaux wine Tellus Vinea. The original vineyards supplying Tellus Vinea bordered Lalande-de-Pomerol and the wine distinguished itself as a high-value “baby-Pomerol,” despite the broad Bordeaux AOC. However, after the 2011 vintage, these vineyards were no longer viable and the Pueyos needed a new source of grapes. Beginning with the 2014 vintage, the Tellus Vinea is being sourced from vineyards located on less sandy, more argilo-calcaire soils in Juillac, much further south and east from Lalande-de-Pomerol. The new vineyard source is managed organically, and all harvesting is manual. The varietal distribution on the parcel is approximately 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc and the presence of calcareous soil imbues the wine with firmer structure than pre-2014 wines.

The 2016 Tellus Vinea is a wonderful wine. Well-balanced with fresh, vibrant fruit on the nose and firm tannin on the palate, the wine exhibits great structure with a presence of smoothness and elegance. Woven amid the fruit are earthy, herbaceous notes with strong cedar on the aftertaste. The finish is somewhat short, attributable to the wine’s youth. The wine is drinking very well now and should improve over the next 5 to 7 years. At an average per bottle cost of $17 pre-discount, the wine is an insane value. Gordons in Waltham, MA had a Daily Flash offer at the beginning of March of $14 per bottle net, which further improves the value proposition.

Cheers!

The 2015 vintage in Bordeaux is very highly-regarded, and as wines from the vintage enter the market, many are met with bated breath in anticipation of their arrival. Château Haut Ségottes is such a wine.

Château Haut Ségottes is a classic Saint-Émilion producer that has been owned by the same family since 1860. The current proprietor, Mme. Danielle Meunier, “vigneronne extraordinaire”, is the fourth generation of her family to oversee this twenty-two-acre estate.

From the importer’s website (Neal Rosenthal):

Meunier’s great-grandfather purchased the estate around 1860 and had earned gold medals for his wine as early as 1912 at the Concours Agricole in Paris. In 1959, the estate began to bottle its wine in earnest. In 1972 Madame Meunier took the reins of production and we can proudly stake our claim as one of her first and most loyal clients: we have been purchasing her wines since the 1977 vintage.

The twenty-two-acres of Château Haut Segottes are all planted within the St. Emilion Grand Cru appellation. The vineyards are planted 60% to Merlot, 35% to Cabernet Franc, and 5% to Cabernet Sauvignon. The position of the vineyards within the appellation is outstanding. Parcels are found within the “lieu-dits” of Fortin (across from Château La Dominique and approximately 1,000 feet from Château Cheval Blanc); Chauvin; and the highly regarded “Plateau de Corbin”. Château Haut Ségottes bottles between 30,000 to 40,000 bottles per year.

Château Haut-Ségottes is a very traditional Saint-Émilion wine. Harvesting of the grapes is entirely manual. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks and the young wine is aged in oak for approximately 18 months. New cooperage is limited to 20%. The wine is not filtered before bottling.

Although the vineyards are planted to 60% Merlot, the ultimate blend that is bottled as Château Haut-Ségottes is actually a majority of Cabernet Franc – almost 65%. The dominance of Cabernet Franc gives the wine considerable structure and makes it exceptionally age worthy. Approximately 10,000 bottles per year are imported into the USA.

The 2015 wine is quite the little powerhouse. On the nose the wine exhibits bright cherry aromas with hints of cedar and dried herbs. Full-bodied with firm tannin and moderate acidity, well-balanced. Dark fruit core on the palate, tight with a hint of greenness, likely due to the higher percentage of Cabernet Franc in the blend. Long finish, somewhat closed, but showing a touch of spice on the aftertaste. Built for moderate aging, the wine should improve for the next 15 years, or more. The wine is a strong value, with an average retail of around $41.00 per bottle, pre-discount.

Cheers!

Instinctively, when one thinks of the Rhone Valley, one inevitably thinks about red wine. Not surprising, given that the most famous wines of the region are red. But, like anything in life, if you look more deeply you will find hidden treasure. Many white wines of the Rhone are exactly that: hidden treasure.

There are many white varietals grown in the Rhone, but the principle white grapes are Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains. Roussanne and Marsanne are considered the work horses of dry white Rhone wines, with Marsanne providing strength and Roussanne providing aromatic appeal. Muscat is largely dedicated to dessert wines, or highly-perfumed, soft, light-bodied dry whites. Viognier, quite possibly the least-planted white grape in the world, is revered for its ability to create wine of infinite complexity and finesse.

In the Northern Rhone, Viognier finds it home in the famed appellations of Condrieu and Château Grillet, where wine that is the stuff of legends is produced.

As you move south, Viognier becomes more of a supporting cast member, providing seductive aromas and pretty floral flavors to blends of Roussanne and Marsanne in Côtes du Rhône Blanc wines. Some noted producers see the value of increasing the percentage of Viognier in their white wines. For these wines, the experience is all about beauty and exotic appeal.

Since 2006, cousins Guillaume and Bertrand Gonnet, the sons of Châteauneuf-du-Pape producer Font de Michelle’s owners, Jean and Michel, have been very involved in running the Famille Gonnet domaine. Overall, the domaine includes 74 acres in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and 50 acres in Côtes-du-Rhône. So far, the young sons are making quite a name for themselves with an array of wines that are very well-received. After tasting their CDR Blanc, it is clear they are doing things right.

This lovely Côtes du Rhône Blanc is produced from vineyards located outside of the village of Signargues, not far from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The cepage is largely Viognier, with small amounts of Clairette in the blend. The 2016 vintage is being touted as one of the best vintages in the Rhone in over 40 years. As such, this delicious 2016 white wine has many of the same endearing characteristics found in Condrieu, that famous all-Viognier Appellation in the north. The primary difference is that this CDR Blanc is a third to one quarter the price of Condrieu.

The wine itself is just lovely, featuring a seductive nose of bright citrus fruit and wild flowers. Medium-bodied and well-balanced with moderate acidity, the palate is redolent of refreshing stone fruits and hints of minerality. Elegant with a long finish showing slight almond-skin and lime notes. Not for aging and a tremendous value at an average price of $15.99/per bottle pre-discount. The downside – availability may be tight because of limited quantities. That said, the wine is worth the search!

Cheers!