[wine] Loire, Rhone at A' Rebours on Thursday

Greetings, Had some nice Merlot at JP's. FYI, FFR (for future reference...) JP's has a *limited* number of very nice stems that they use to sell their premium wines. Last Thursday, all of these nicer stems were in use. SO, in the future, they would prefer that we : 1. Ask for stems. 2. Understand that the good stuff may not be available. Maybe they'll find a different place for us to sit. That way, we're not tempted to use the stems and we won't be blasted w/ the wonderful aromas from the kitchen. ("Hey, are you getting seared thai chili on the nose?") This week, the group goes to St. Paul. A Rebours 410 St. Peter, 55102 651 665 0656 Annette Bob Lori Betsy Roger Fredd? Nicolai Sounds like the rest. is in the Hamm building? Better parking is away from the X and the Ordway. e.g. on 6th, Wabasha, 7th, etc. Meters are free after 5:00. Vallet Parking available. If your coming via I-94, then take the 10th st. exit to St. Peter, Right on St. Peter. Better parking on Wabasha, and on 6th st. One ways all around. Cheers, Jim ----- Forwarded message from ANNETTE <mandastad(a)msn.com> ----- HI Jim We decided to do Bordeaux and Loire at the new French bistro in St. Paul - A Rebours - owned by the Bakery on Grand people with Michael Morse at the helm. I set the res. for 8 people. Let me know a count by Wed. if possible. I won't be there until after 7:00. The restaurant is on St. Peter street just west of Kinkaids and the St. Paul Hotel. Street parking or Lawson Bldg. ramp. Annette S. July 9, 2003 By FRANK J. PRIAL MENTION the Loire Valley to a white-wine lover and chances are he or she will immediately think sauvignon blanc. There are other white wine grapes, of course. At the mouth of the Loire River, near the city of Nantes, the grape is muscadet. Oh yes, and the harsh, untamed gros plant that is supposed to go well with oysters. Chenin blanc dominates Touraine, from Anjou and Saumur westward through Tours and Vouvray, but then slowly at first, sauvignon blanc begins to take over. Of these sauvignon blancs, Sancerre is the best of the lot, with Pouilly-Fum� a close second. Local experts, unless they recognize a friend's wine, often have difficulty telling the two wines apart although some experts say the Fum�s are a bit fuller-bodied and richer. And at times, the Dining section's tasting panel had the same difficulty as we went through 15 Sancerres and 13 Pouilly-Fum�s (not to be confused with Pouilly-Fuiss�, a wine from the M�con region in southern Burgundy made from chardonnay grapes). We decided to taste them nicely chilled one boiling afternoon because, in the words of Eric Asimov, one of our regular panelists, "they are such friendly, relaxing summer wines." Mr. Asimov was joined on the panel by two other regulars, Amanda Hesser and me, and a guest, Daniel Johnnes, the wine director of Montrachet restaurant. After having tasted all 28 glasses, Mr. Johnnes called them a good sampling of what's happening in the Loire Valley. He said: "There are many different styles of these wines, and it becomes a matter of the commercial wines versus those showing the heights these wines can reach." And there were a good many wines that met all the criteria for a refreshing easy-to-drink Loire white. That is, they had a vivacity and crispness to them, that sharp bite that comes from good acidity. And they had a smoky, flinty flavor and aroma that tells us where these wines come from: Sancerre and Pouilly-Fum�. Most of the wines we tried were made in the traditional style, aged briefly in steel tanks or large, old barrels to retain the pungency of the sauvignon blanc grapes without adding a new oak flavor, as is often done in California. But a small group of Loire winemakers are experimenting with oak. Sometimes this is done with sensitivity, softly buttressing the sauvignon blanc flavors; often, the oak is overbearing. A glance at any map of Central France will help explain why Sancerre and Pouilly-Fum� stand out among sauvignon blancs. Chablis, which makes some of the greatest of all white wines, is only 50 miles to the east and shares its special terrain, chalk on Kimmeridgian marl, with Sancerre and Pouilly to the east (and Champagne to the north). In our sampling, we tried to hold the line at $25 a bottle. Except for one at $30, they ranged from $13 to $25, with the average price just over $17. Of our top 10 wines, six were Pouilly-Fum�s, four were Sancerres. Our top wine, with three and a half stars, was a Sancerre, Raimbault's 2002 Apud Sariacum ($15). It was also our best value, but isn't the easiest wine to find. Mr. Johnnes found the Raimbault "juicy, ripe and delicious." I found it to be more Californian that Loirean. Also at three and a half stars was a 2001 Pouilly-Fum�, Les Berthiers, from Domaine Gilles Blanchet ($18). Mr. Johnnes liked its "richness and precision," its "stony mineral finish." Two wines each garnered three stars, both Sancerres: a 2002 La Croix au Garde from the Domaine Henry Pell� ($21), and a village wine from Richard Bourgeoise ($15). Everyone liked the mineral qualities in the Pell�. The Bourgeoise wine was Ms. Hesser's favorite. One wine captured two and a half stars, a 2001 Pouilly-Fum� Les Pentes from Serge Dagueneau, the uncle of the more famous Didier Dagueneau of Pouilly-Fum�, whom many consider one of France's finest winemakers. Much of Serge's winemaking is done by his daughters, both of whom have worked in the Napa Valley. Didier Dagueneau's wines, which we did not include, as they start around $50, can be stunning, though they're hardly classic Pouilly-Fum�. He ages them in small oak barrels and achieves a richness and complexity unheard of in these wines. The wines we tasted were traditional feisty sauvignon blancs. In "The Wine and Food Guide to the Loire" (Henry Holt, 1996), Jacqueline Friedrich has fans sensing a move to a softer, California style, and she has them paraphrasing the poet and murderer Fran�ois Villon. "Where," they ask rhetorically, "are the Sancerres of yesteryear?" Our exercise indicated that the change has yet to happen. It had better not. Screw tops at the ready, New Zealanders are waiting in the wings. And they make terrific sauvignon blanc. Takes your breath away, mate. Tasting Report: A Welcoming Liveliness BEST VALUE Raimbault Sancerre Apud Sariacum 2002 $15 *** 1/2 Juicy, ripe and delicious, Daniel Johnnes said. Frank J. Prial called it a California-style wine, big, solid and rich. Eric Asimov found it pungent, fresh and lively. Amanda Hesser detected pineapple and mint in the nose and praised the long finish. Domaine Gilles Blanchet Pouilly-Fum� Les Berthiers 2001 $18 *** 1/2 Prial lauded the wine's beautiful nose and rare intensity. Johnnes found richness and precision, and a stony mineral finish. Asimov called it piquant, airy and herbal. Smoky and vivid, Hesser said. Domaine Henry Pell� Sancerre La Croix au Garde 2002 $21 *** Asimov found a rare complexity and depth in this wine. A lot going on, said Hesser, who detected passion fruit and pineapple aromas. Prial liked a mineral touch and long finish. Johnnes called it juicy, vibrant and concentrated with great minerality. Richard Bourgeoise Sancerre 2002 $15 *** Hesser's favorite: she liked its delicacy and clarity. Prial detected a wet stone aroma and praised the acidity. Johnnes liked the brightness and crisp finish. Asimov called it was a classic Sancerre with mint and lemon aromas. Serge Dagueneau Pouilly-Fum� Les Pentes 2001 $20 ** 1/2 Good concentration with presence and persistence, Johnnes said. Asimov found it lively but narrow, a simple wine. Hesser called it coarse, without much clarity. But Prial enjoyed its attractive touch of citrus. Marnier-Lapostolle Ch�teau de Sancerre 2001 $15 ** Asimov detected aromas of hay and sweetgrass and a touch of honey that he said added richness. Hesser, too, found honey and an earthiness. Johnnes noted a quality of minerals and decay, which he found appealing. But Prial tasted a sweetness that he didn't care for in sauvignon blanc. Langlois Pouilly-Fum� Ch�teau Les Pierre-Feux 2001 $16 ** Nicely balanced with a nice bite to it, Prial said. Hesser felt the nose lacked freshness, but liked the softness in the mouth. Johnnes found an attractive peachy quality. Asimov called it tart and minerally. J. C. Chatelain Pouilly-Fum� Domaine de St. Laurent-l'Abbaye 2001 $13 ** Lively, bright, delicious to drink, Asimov said. Prial liked the balance, acidity and finish. Hesser called it vibrant, but Johnnes felt it was light. Henri Bourgeois Pouilly-Fum� La Porte de L'Abbaye 2001 $15 ** Prial found the nose flowery and the wine vibrant. Fresh and clean with a snappy finish, Johnnes said. Hesser termed it drinkable but not intuitive. Asimov called the flavors clear but found it too tart. Domaine A. Calibourdin Pouilly-Fum� Cuv�e du Bois Fleury 2000 $17 ** Ripe with a long finish, but lacks concentration, Johnnes said. Hesser detected lots of fruit, lots of lemon zest. Prial called it correct and pleasant, though bland, and Asimov liked the rich aroma but felt it lacked character. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *