New subject: [wine] Re: Loire, Rhone at A' Rebours on Thursday

4 Apr 2005

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 &lt;mandastad(a)msn.com&gt; -----
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
...
 From the Loire, Whites With Bite 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.
...
 From around the city of Tours and on to Orl�ans, where
the Loire begins its long, leisurely arc to the south, sauvignon blanc is the white wine
grape of choice. At Sancerre on the west bank of the river and Pouilly-Fum� on the east,
it truly comes into its own. Quincy and Reuilly, 30 miles west of Sancerre on the banks of
the Cher, are also part of this world, with their own wines made from the white sauvignon
grape.  
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   *

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