Loire Valley Archives | Crushed Grape Chronicles

Montlouis-sur-Loire – 2 Rivers, 3 Zeros and some delicious sparkling wine #Winophiles

Aug 14, 2020

Montlouis-sur-Loire sits in the middle of the Loire Valley. The Loire Valley is a region in France, that stretches 600 miles along the Loire River. It is divided into 4 basic regions, The Pay Nantais which sits closest to the Atlantic Ocean, Anjou-Saumur, considered the Central Loire, Touraine which is east of Anjou-Saumur and the Upper Loire, which is the furthest east.

Loire Valley Wines Map (courtesy Loire Valley Wines)

Over this immense distance is should be unsurprising that you find a wide variety of wines as you move from the ocean through the lush green valley and then curve around to head south into the foothills of the Massif Central, where the summers are hot and the winters very cold.

The area is in the north of France sitting near the 47^th parallel. The city of Nantes, where the name Pays Nantais comes from has Seattle Washington as it’s sister city. Seattle is also on the 47^th Parallel, to give you a bit of perspective on its northerliness. This is why the vineyards follow the river. The rive moderates the climate, keeping the areas nearby cooler in summer and warmer in winter than areas further away.

This vast region is where you will find the French #Winophiles virtually traveling this month. Jill Barth leads us from L’Occasion. She wrote a wonderful invitation piece on the region that you can read here. Scroll to the bottom of this post to find the other wonderful pieces on this region written by my colleagues in the French #Winophiles.

Touraine – The Garden of France

As I searched for a wine in this expansive and diverse region, I did my usual check at Garagiste, my favorite wine shop. They had quite a selection of Loire Valley wines. One caught my eye and it happened to be from Touraine.

This region has been called the “Garden of France”. The chateaux along the river here attest to the fact that it was a favorite idealic spot for kings and nobleman.

Montlouis-sur-Loire sitting between 2 Rivers

Within the Touraine, our wine comes from Montlouis-sur-Loire which sits between the Loire and Cher rivers. It tends to be overshadowed by its famous cousin across the Loire to the north, Vouvray. If you look at the map above, it is the area in orange just below Tours.

Here, as in Vouvray, the primary grape is Chenin Blanc often known locally as Pineau de Loire. A significant portion (around 1/3) of the Chenin Blanc here is used to make sparkling wines.

Sparkling Chenin Blanc and Vins Mousseaux a Fermentation Unique

Chenin Blanc has been used for Fine Bulles (sparkling wine) in the Loire Valley and Montlouis-sur-Loire for quite a while, but the regulations did not allow for wine made in the method ancestral. This is the method used to create Pet-nats, the Petillant Naturel wines that have become very popular recently. The idea is to bottle the wines before all the sugar has been fermented into alcohol, which causes carbon dioxide to be trapped in the bottle, giving us that fizz.

In June, 2020 the Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC updated their regulations to include “Vins Mousseaux a Fermentation Unique” (source) While these wines have been described as pét-nat, you will notice a difference if you are familiar with pét-nats. These wines, according to the rules of the Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC must be disgorged, so you will see no settled lees in the bottom of your bottle.

Our wine, which has been made in this method since the early 1990s, is now included in the Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC.

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups & Jacky Blot

Jacky Blot created Domaine de la Taille aux Loups in Montlouis-sur-Loire, in 1989. He tends to be meticulous and precise which has earned him the name “The watchman of Montlouis”. He is a fascinating individual. Skurnik Wines and Spirits, imports his wines and shared this wonderful video on their site that is well worth a watch.

Triple Zero

Our wine is called Triple Zero. What does the name mean? It means: Zero chapitalization, Zero liqueur de tirage, and Zero dosage. Jacky Blot named this wine after spending 10 years labeling it “sparkling, natural, without sugar”. It’s kind of hard to market that on a label. Soon others started to make wines in this style. Some were good, some not so much. So to set his wine apart he registered the trademark Triple Zero in 2002.

Back label of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Triple Zero — La Taille aux Loups Triple Zero

Domaine de la Taille can make this Triple zero because Chenin blanc on this chalky soil in this climate can ripen enough to not need the addition of sugar and at the same time keep the freshness. They continue to refine this winemaking changes each vintage to make the wine better. Of course, they can’t see how that worked out for several years, when the wine is ready to drink.

The wine is 100% Chenin Blanc from 40+-year-old vines that are farmed organically. It is fermented and aged in 5-10 year oak barrels (so neutral), does not go through malolactic fermentation and is aged on the lees for 24 months. It is 12.5% abv and I picked it up for $45.

Tasting the Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Triple Zero

This poured sparkling with bubbles that settled after a bit. It is pale lemon in color and clear (remember it has been disgorged). On the nose, I found white peach, biscuit, lime zest, and pear with subtle floral notes. Medium in body it had pronounce flavors of citrus, tart yellow apple, sourdough, and almond.

Sparkling Chenin and Cheese souffle

In looking for a pairing, I settled on a souffle. It’s warm out and the idea of “brunch for dinner” was appealing. It seemed so elegant and bright and perfect to go with a sparkling wine. I adapted a recipe to fit the ramekins I had. I substituted bacon for the mushrooms in her recipe, because I love my husband and he does not love mushrooms.

First unsuccessful attempt at a soufflé.

Sadly, it failed spectacularly. Some of this was my fault. Souffles are intimidating and I was a bit nervous. My roux was tight, I forgot to add the cheese, and I had the oven on convection bake. We ate them anyway and they were delicious, if not beautiful.

I had more ingredients so we decided to make a second attempt.

I did some extra research and found my recipe was also a little off, my bechamel proportions had been wrong. The thing to remember is equal amounts of butter and flour. My first recipe had less butter than flour and had me cooking it 3 minutes, this left me with a dry crumbly roux which is not at all what you want. In addition, my first recipe had me adding less milk, which meant the whole mixture seized up.

Second time around, more butter and milk, less cooking, and a smoother bechamel. I added my egg yolks to this then the grated gruyere, a mixture of crisped bacon and shallots and chopped sage. Now it was time to whip the egg whites into those firm peaks. A dollop of the whipped egg whites goes into the bechamel etc mixture to loosen it, then you take that and gently put it in the bowl with the egg whites. Now it is time to gently fold this together, so you don’t lose the air! This is what makes your souffle rise. The air pockets expand in the oven making your souffle tall, light, and fluffy.

2nd batch of soufflés ready for the oven. — Batch #2 ready for the oven and the finished souffle

Bacon, sage & cheese soufflé — Batch #2 ready for the oven and the finished souffle

Toss the mixture in your buttered and parmesan dusted ramekin(s) and bake, just not on Convection bake! I set mine at 375 degrees and baked for about 18 minutes. When they come out eat them immediately! I had Michael prep everything so we could quickly pour the wine and catch the bubbles in the wine with the soufflé. Within 5 minutes, your soufflé will collapse.

We added a simple arugula, almond and white peach salad on the side.

Taille aux Loups Triple Zero from Montlouis-sur-Loire and cheese soufflé

All over the Loire with the French #Winophiles

As I mentioned earlier, the French #Winophiles are gathering on Saturday August 15^th to discuss wines from across the Loire Vallley. If you would like to join the conversation, find us at 8 am Pacific time or 11 am Eastern time on twitter by following the hashtage #Winophiles.

While I focused just on Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC and one specific wine, the rest of the Winophiles have traveled the entire span of the Loire Valley and will have some amazing regions and wines of the Loire to share.

More on the Loire Valley and its wines

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Robin Bell Renken I have always loved people’s stories. I spent a career in Theatre helping to tell stories, as a Stage Manager. Daily enabling artists to freely and safely tell stories through their art. Then I fell in love with wine. There are so many details, so many nuances, not just in the glass, but in the vineyard, the region and the people. As I met winemakers and vineyard owners and even the people in the tasting room excited to pour me a glass and tell me the story of this wine, I knew these were stories I wanted to share. I completed my study and became a Certified Specialist of Wine and continue learning daily as I meet and interview people in this industry.

Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.

When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.

The Multiple Expressions of Vouvray! #Winophiles

Dec 19, 2019

Vouvray….it’s a lovely word to say. A french wine, it is named for a region, not a variety. It comes from the Loire Valley. That’s the Val de Loire on the map below.

The Loire Valley wine region spans 300 miles along the Loire River from Sancerre to Nantes and is broken into 4 very distinct regions from west to east:

The Pays Nantais – closest to the Atlantic that has a maritime influence.
Anjou-Saumur – a little further inland
Touraine – even further east
The Upper Loire – this area furthest east and inland has a more continental climate and follows the Loire River as it begins to curve south.

Map of the wine regions of the Loire Valley

The region historically was known as the Valley of the Kings and the river is dotted with tremendous chateaus that are show stoppers. We will focus on the Touraine region which is sometime called the “Garden of France”.

The Touraine

When we speak about the Touraine, there are two primary grapes that come to mind:

Cabernet Franc which you find in Chinon, Bourgueil and St. Nicolas de Bourgueil.
Chenin Blanc well known in Montlouis-sur-Loire and probably the most well known region in the Touraine, Vouvray.

Vouvray

You have likely seen a Vouvray on a shelf at a wine shop. It is perhaps the best known of the Touraine appellations. It sits just north of the Loire River East of the city of Tours.

Vouvray was one of France’s first Appellations, in 1936.

The area in the “Garden of France” has many Chateaus and gardens. Here is a quick visual trip…

Vines and church at Vouvray France – August 2016 – The bell tower of the church of Notre Dame et Saint Jean Baptist surrounded by vines above Vouvray in the Indre et Loire region of France
Chateau Valmer in Vouvray France
Les jardins du château Valmer. (The Gardens at Château Valmer)
Vines and grapes at Vouvray France – August 2016 – Vines and bunches of white grapes above Vouvray in the Indre et Loire region of France

Chateau Valmer (pictured above) does make a Vouvray, but sadly, I was not able to find a bottle. Perhaps a trip to the beautiful Château, built at the beginning of the 16th century is in order.

Styles of Vouvray

Vouvray is a wine of many variations. It is made of Chenin Blanc, which sometimes in the region is call Pineau de la Loire. You will find it both Sparkling and Still.

Sparkling Vouvray

Sparkling wines, known here as “fines bulles”, may be made in the Methode Traditionelle – which is the method used in Champagne. You might find these called Cremant de Loire. It can also be made Pétillant (Pét Nat), just slightly bubbly in the Method Ancestral.

In style it can be Brut or dry, or Demi-Sec, which is sweet.

They like their fines bulles here, with sparkling being 60% of the production. And, they like to keep it here, only 1 in every 20 bottles of Loire Bubbles make it out of the country, as opposed to the still wines, where 1 of every 3 is sold out of France.

Still Vouvray

In the still wines you have a variety of sweetness levels from Dry, called Sec through Tendre or Sec-Tendre (off dry) to Demi-Sec which is definitely sweet to Moelleux which is a sweet dessert wine.

It can be difficult to tell which sweetness level you are getting. The residual sugar level is not written on the bottle. Sometimes, a wine will specify sec or demi-sec, but it’s easy to be fooled, as I was.

Choosing a variety of Vouvrays

I went shopping for Vouvrays. The sparkling was simple…it was the only one available. Then for the stills I wanted a Sec and a Demi-Sec. I found a house that had both. But I wanted to expand and choose more than one house, so I chose another that I believed was Sec, but was not labeled. I ended up with a wine that was actually sweeter than the Demi-Sec I chose! Lesson learned, and now I share that lesson with you! On to the Wines

Maison Bougrier Pure Loire Sparkling Vouvray

Maison Bougrier Pure Loire Brut from Vouvray

This wine is made in the Methode Traditionelle. They age on the yeast for 24 months. I noted that they age “sur lattes” which means stacked on their sides. The wine is 12.5% abv and it runs a reasonable $19.99 SRP.

Famille Bougrier “V” Vouvray Grande Réserve 2018

Famille Bougrier 2018 "V" Vouvray Grande Réserve — Famille Bougrier 2018 “V” Vouvray Grande Réserve

This wine, the Grande Réserve “V” Vouvray from Famille Bougrier, is aged for several months in wood. This makes the wine fuller and richer than the regular Bougrier “V” which is made in stainless steel. This wine is 11% abv and I picked it up for $14.99.

Clos Chapon Vourvray Demi-Sec

This Demi-Sec wine does have thermometer graphic on the back of the bottle to indicate the sweetness level. Of course I knew I was getting a sweeter wine as it listed Demi-Sec on the label. The Clos Chapon Vouvray is 13% abv and runs $14.99.

20191219 1126561528873710432637088 scaled — How sweet is this Vouvray?

Tasting and Pairing

Vouvray tasting profile

I shopped in the afternoon, looking to find things to pair with all the styles. Across the board, I knew the basic flavor profiles would include: lemon, apricot, pear, apple, honey and camomile.

I settled on a cheese plate to cover all the styles with fontina, camembert, goat cheese, dried apricots, honey, apple, pear, prosciutto, and salami.

20191218 1731078590688464927673865 scaled — Cheese and charcuterie to pair with Vouvrays

I made a crab salad to pair with the dry wine, which turned out to be the sparkling. We tested some Thai green curry and Indian Palak Paneer with Rajmah Dal as well as pork chops with apples.

Crab salad and pork chops with apples
Thai Green Curry
Palak Paneer & Rajmah Dal

All of the food paired beautifully. Michael was very happy. He tends to avoid sparkling wines, as he doesn’t find them very flavorful. All of these wines were great for his palate. All of these wines are extremely sipable on their own in addition to being great with the food.

A couple of standouts. The crab salad (which was just olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper), went best with the sparkling. You want to go dry with this pairing. The Thai Green Curry was best with the Bougrier Reserve, due to the sugar level. This dish was a tad spicy and the sweetness balanced that. The Palak Paneer, went best again with the sparkling. Oh and dessert! We had lemon bars which were genius with the Pure Loire Brut!

20191218 2004462683247809924580868 scaled — Lemon bars with sparkling Loire

The French #Winophiles on Vouvray

The French Winophiles will gather on December 21st on Twitter at 8:00 am Pacific (that’s 11 am Eastern Standard time, so if you are on the East coast you can sleep in a little!) to talk about Vouvray. Just follow the #Winophiles hashtag. You can always join the chat, even if you don’t have a blog.

Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares “Pairing a School Assignment with a #Winophiles Project: Moqueca + Gautier Vouvray Argilex 2012”
Lynn at Savor the Harvest shares “Why I Chose This Wine as A Holiday Favorite”
Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm shares “Creamy Clam Dip with a Sauvion Vouvray“
Lauren at The Swirling Dervish shares “Monmousseau Ammonite Vouvray: Gussying-Up an Ad Hoc Holiday Feast“
Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares “Carême Organic Vouvray and Lunch at Chateau de Pray“
Nicole at Somm’s Table shares “Champalou Vouvray Brut and a Very Lazy Cheese Night”
Jane at Always Ravenous shares “Vouvray with an Indian-Inspired Dinner”
Linda at My Full Wineglass shares “Still or sparkling, versatile Vouvray shows its style (#Winophiles)”
David at Cooking Chat shares “Spicy Lentil Soup with Wine Pairing”
Susannah at Avvinare shares “Vouvray’s Singular Moelleux Wines”
Payal at Keep the Peas shares “A Birthday and a Vouvray”
Liz at What’s in That Bottle? shares “Va-Va-Va-Vouvray! Get to Know These White Wines from the Loire”
Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares “Vouvray Pairs with Cream”

Check out all the great articles on Vouvray and different ways to pair it!

As always be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up to date on all of our posts.

Exploring France, the Loire Valley, beginning with Sancerre & Touraine

Jan 24, 2014

I will admit that I typically drink domestic wines. I like to buy local and so I support California Wineries as they are the closest. I am finding that I want to expand a little and find out how my beloved California varieties compare with the same varieties from their country of origin. The amazing variety of fragrances and textures that can come from the same variety of grape grown in different soils and climates, then the differences in the winemaking style that can be completely individual or as influenced by an area and the palate of that area’s people.

Today we are exploring Sauvignon Blanc and how the variety expresses itself in the place it is said to express itself best and that is Sancerre in the Loire Valley in France.

The Loire Valley is located in the North West part of France along the Loire River. It has a cool northern climate similar to Champagne, but is one of the most diverse growing regions in France. The area is known for making straightforward wines that express the terroir. You will find pure expressions of the grape here. You can divide the region into 3 broad sections, the west near the Atlantic where you will find Muscadet; the middle where you will find Vouvray; and the east end, which home to Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume.

Our journey with the white wines of the Loire begins here, on the east end of the valley in Sancerre, and then drift a little back toward the middle to Touraine.

Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume come from the eastern end of the Loire. Sancerre sits on the west side of the river and the vineyards here are on a cone shaped hill with white chalk slopes. On the other side of the river you will find Pouilly-sur-Loire where Pouilly-Fume is made. I have heard many tales about the origin of the name Pouilly-Fume; some say the name comes from the morning mists, some say the flint like character in the wine, some for the bloom on the grapes that looks smoky. While many say that you do get a smokey, flinty character from the Pouilly-Fume wines, most experts cannot tell the wines of Sancerre from the wines of Pouilly-Fume, so when choosing a wine, I went with a Sancerre and then ventured a little further to choose another wine to set it against.

The Sav Blancs from Touraine are decidedly less expensive than those of Sancerre and so one of these went into my basket.

Touraine is located on the east end of the middle part of the Loire Valley. This area around the city of Tours is known for Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc but a good portion of their wine is Sauvignon Blanc. This area is where the tributaries the Cher and the Indre enter the Loire River.

Domaine Guenault 2012 Touraine Sauvignon Blanc

Domain Guenault is owned by the Bougrier family and is located on the steep slopes over the Cher river. They are 5th generation negotiants in the Loire Valley. In addition to this property they have domaine and winery holdings in Anjou and Muscadet.

Sancerre while now thought of as Sauvignon Blanc, also produces Pinot Noir. In fact before the phlloxera outbreak in the 1860’s, the vineyards here were planted mostly with Pinot Noir and Gamay. As they replanted the new white Sancerres were considered the counterpart to the simple uncomplicated Beaujolais. The area of ‘Sancerre’ includes the city of Sancerre and 14 other parishes on the left bank of the Loire.

Christian Salmon Sancerre

Domaine Christian Salmon has been growing grapes in Sancerre for 6 generations. The vineyards are located on the finest slopes in Bue, the parish just west of Sancerre.

As to what to pair with these wines? Sancerre is noted for standing up to bolder flavors and over and over I read that it went well with grilled salmon with mango salsa, so…we picked up some Atlantic salmon and mangos and as it was cold out, I pan seared it. Also suggested were salad greens and sharp flavors like vinaigrettes and capers, so we had a side salad with those items. Sancerre and goat cheese was noted as a match made in heaven. Specifically if you can find Crottin de Chavignol to pair with it. I could not, but found a trio of goat cheese Crottin. We popped open the garlic & herb and the Natural cheeses and spread them on Brioche crisps. These were incredibly tasty with both of the wines. We were also hungry enough that we added some Thai lime shrimp skewers and vegetable goyza. Both went fine with both wines.

Goat cheese Crotini and Brioche toast, Thai lime shrimp and vegetable gyoza

Now to the wines. In the glass the Sancerre was lighter, almost clear and had a little touch of effervescence. It was crisp clear and bright with terrific citrus notes. The Touraine was much more golden in the glass. It also had a weightier mouthfeel and you immediately got citrus and petrol on the nose. Petrol, I know…but in a really great way. Both wines were lovely, each in their own way. You could tell that they were both Sauvignon Blancs but they still were very different from each other. I love that the same variety of grape grown just 141 miles away, can be so different in a wine. Both of these wines are much more subtle than the big brassy Sauvignon Blancs that you get from Australia and I also found them more nuanced than many California Sav Blancs that I know.

Next we will venture further west and enjoy some Chenin Blancs from Vouvray and Savennieres!

Adventures with Savignon Blancs

Jan 25, 2013

I’ve been on a Savignon Blanc kick lately and it’s totally by accident. I had a day off and Michael was working and I took myself to a movie and lunch. I asked for a recommendation to pair with my lunch at The View Winebar and Joey took the time to be sure to find something I would like. After determining that we were going white and that I was having gnocchi au gratin she suggested a Sav Blanc. I hesitated. I am not usually a Sav Blanc girl, it’s a little too tart and often…I searched for the word and she replied “metallic”. “Yes”. “Wait” she said. She popped open a new bottle and poured me a bit. It was lovely. Definitely a Sav Blanc and with the distinct grapefruit on the nose, but without that overly sharpness that I often get from a Sav Blanc. So I enjoyed a glass or two of this lovely Savignon Blanc from Francois Chidaine Touraine Blanc 2010 from the Loire Valley. It was perfect to cut through the fat in my luscious gnocchi au gratin and was really pleasant to just drink on it’s own.

Last night Michael and I went out to dinner at Grape Street Cafe. It’s been awhile since we have had the opportunity to have dinner together with our schedules. I ordered the Smoked Salmon pasta and asked for a recommendation for a flight to pair with it. Our waiter suggested the Sav Blanc flight as the dish has a creme sauce. This flight included Walnut Block “Collectibles” from New Zealand, Auntsfield Estate from New Zealand, Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc from Napa and Vogelzang 2009 from Napa. Okay so not really Napa. I came home and did my research today and found that the Vogelzang makes estate Savignon Blanc with fruit from their vineyards in Happy Canyon. The winery itself is located in Santa Barbara.

So first my tasting notes on these wines. Last night I snapped a shot of the flight menu, then put it away so that I could just taste the wines without being influenced by the winery or location. The first wine (The Walnut Block) had a gorgeous nose! There were lovely floral notes (it felt like more than one) lime leaf and zest and then subtle grapefruit. I wanted to dab this wine behind my ears. It was heavenly to smell. On the palate it was aromatic with perfect acidity. It was light and clean and was beautiful to balance the fried calamari we had as an appetizer. The second wine (the Auntsfield Estate) was everything you expect from a Savignon Blanc. It had big grapefruit on the nose and on the palate it was bold and tart. The third wine (the Ferrari Carrano) was the Fume Blanc. It reminded me of the Carhartt Savignon Blanc that I love so much. The nose is a nuanced grapefruit and citrus but on the palate it is much more dimensional. It is less tart and more balanced and rounded with a touch of sweetness. The final wine was the Vogelzang 2009 Savignon Blanc. I was immediately surprised that the wine was more golden, but I didn’t look too closely in the dark light. On the nose I immediately got oak. On the palate I got the tartness of a Sav Blanc but then also a peat note that made me wonder if someone had scotch in this glass. At the end of the night as I was getting to the bottom of my tasting glass, I noticed a squiggle of something burnt on the bottom of the glass. Well, that would do it. So my tasting on that wine has to be tossed out. But….after visiting the website I did find that this wine is aged in neutral chardonnay oak for 10 months. So…maybe I did taste some in there? Who knows.

Okay so now for my research on the wineries!

Francois Chidaine has been producing biodynamic wines for a while, but that’s not what he’s about. As is typical of french wines this is not 100% Sav Blanc, it has a small percentage of Chardonnay. His 40 to 80 year old vines are trained low to hug the ground and by hand harvesting happens in mid October. He does not encourage malolactic fermentation but lets the wines sit typically for a year on the lees.

Walnut Block in Marlborough New Zealand is named after the iconic walnut tree that is the regions oldest at over 100 years old. The vineyard uses a three cane system and organic practices. The Savignon Blanc is a wine that they say will cellar for up to 3 years.

Auntsfield Estate is Marlborough’s first and oldest Vineyard. The history page on their website is fascinating! Filled with great stories! My favorite….Bill Paynter who took over the property in 1905 and ran it until 1931 when the vines were removed and the land turned over to other farming had his final cask of wine hidden away and his sons were told it was only to be opened at his wake. During shearing season while he lay ill his sons realize that the shearing shed was very quiet. They found the shearers all asleep in the shed, having found and imbibed on the hidden cask the night before. They now grow Savignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on the property.

Ferrari-Carano is a winery that I go way back with. I remember enjoying their wines at their Casino in Reno at the opening of the state of the art theatre with Smokey Joe’s Cafe. So I have a fondness for them. As to Fume Blanc, well that I fell in love with thanks to Mike Grgich and the fabulous pourer at his winery that suggested we take a split and pair it with the Tuna Burger at Gott’s Roadside. So…here I bring together two loves. And mind you last night, I had put the wineries out of my head as I tasted the wines, and this was one of my favorites.

Villa Fiore is Ferrai-Carano’s hospitality center. They have tastings upstairs but I suggest setting up for a reserve tasting in the Enoteca Lounge downstairs. It is well worth it. And allow yourself time to stroll the stunning Italian gardens on the property. We enjoyed visiting a few years ago and long to return. There is a coveted bottle of their Tresor in my cellar.

Vogelzang Vineyard with it’s tasting room in Santa Barbara as I mentioned before grows it’s fruit in Happy Canyon, CA one of California’s newest appellations. Located in the Santa Ynez valley (which has become one of my favorite areas) they have a longer stretch of heat during the day because the morning fog burns off earlier than in the rest of the valley. In addition to Savignon Blancs they grow Cabernet and Bordeaux Varietals. Like most Santa Barbara County vineyards they don’t just grow grapes for themselves, they also supply grapes to well known wineries including Foxen, Dragonette, Fiddlehead and others. I look forward to getting to Santa Barbara and doing a tasting here!

So…no longer afraid of Savignon Blancs I have a new appreciation for the range of this variety!

Loire Valley