Again back at you with the best of wines news of France. By the way for the non Romans LIV is no 54, The wines of France are just super simply awesome and a great tradition. Often imitated, some time equaled ,but never surpass! Therefore, let me tell you some news shall we. Hope you enjoy it as I.
The wine consumption landscape in France has undergone a significant transformation in recent decades. This change is evident not only in the frequency with which the French enjoy wine, but also in the way in which new generations relate to this traditional drink. According to the most recent edition of the five-year survey on wine consumption in France, carried out by Ipsos Observer for FranceAgriMer and the National Committee of Interprofessions of Wines with Designation of Origin and Geographical Indication (Cniv), a notable decrease is observed in the percentage of regular wine consumers. In 1980, approximately half of the French population consumed wine regularly, almost daily. However, by 2022, this percentage has been reduced to just 11%, which represents a decrease of 5 points compared to the previous survey, carried out in 2015. This change not only reflects a change in the habits of wine consumption, but also falls within a broader context of reduction in alcohol consumption in general. A determining factor in this trend is generational change. Younger generations tend to consume wine occasionally, in contrast to older generations who did so more regularly. Of course, the younger generation has been bombarded brainwash into alcohol is dangerours without the key word excess !! In fact, the survey highlights that, from the 1960s to 2022, the average individual consumption of wine by the French has decreased by more than 60% The methodology of the survey, carried out between May 27 and August 9, 2022, was based on a sample of 3,513 people, representative of the French population over 15 years of age, and adjusted to the quota technique. In 2022, the proportion of people not consuming wine “seems to reach a plateau around 37% of French people since 2010”, including 8 % of very exceptional consumers (weddings, end-of-year celebrations) whose share is stable over time, specifies the study. Beyond wine, 19% of French people say they do not consume any alcoholic beverages, a trend increasing by 4 points compared to 2015. But this is also part of an overall trend of declining alcohol consumption worldwide,
A very negative third quarter has caused France to reduce the value of its wine exports by 1.3% during the first 9 months of 2023, to 8,889 million euros, with a decrease of 8.7% in volume, to 958 .5 million liters, and an average price that is 8% higher, up to €9.27/liter. Exports fell around 20% in the month of September 2023,
After 28 years of collaboration, sometimes stormy, between the Albada Jelgersma and Tari families, the Société d’Exploitation du Château Giscours announced that it had acquired on December 13 2023 all of the land constituting the famous 3rd Grand Cru Classé du Médoc. This is contested by part of the Tari family. 95 hectares among the best in Margaux, one of the jewels of the famous classification of Médoc wines in 1855. However, according to some, the Tari family is already contesting this sale, To be continue,,,
The art of entertaining and the discovery of Crémants and sparkling wines from the Loire, whites and rosés with fine bubbles from Chenin, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Pineau d’Aunis, Gamay, Grolleaux Gris and Noir and Pinot Noir, At the Maison Ackerman in Saumur, the Crémant de Loire Royal, emblematic vintage of Maison Ackerman,is always welcome by us, Inexpensive bubbly and great taste a great price adjustment for 2024 and as the world turns, A reliable alternative to the famous bubbly, A visit to the heart of the sublime, sensory and gourmet cellars to share or offer to start the year 2024 will be great.Caves Ackerman, 19, rue Léopold Palustre St-Hilaire St-Florent, Saumur webpage : https://www.ackerman.fr/en/
The cuvée Vieilles Vignes 2021 of Domaine Jeannin-Naltet in AOC Mercurey Beautiful finesse and aromatic depth in the Vieilles Vignes, at the same time expressive, precocious and still a little strict and tight in its tannins: quite worked, its style is based on wood. Essentially from the Lieu-Dit “Les Chazeaux” which is located under the “Clos des Grands Voyens”. The small quantity of grapes, however, made it possible to achieve good maturity, despite very average climatic conditions during the summer. The harvest took place on September 25, with careful sorting. In 2021, they opted for long vatting (25 days for this vintage), 100% destemming and extraction only by pumping over, with the aim of avoiding bitterness or coarse tannins. Domaine Jeannin-Naltet, 4, rue de Jamproyes, Mercurey, webpage : https://jeannin-naltet.fr/en
One property of bubblies I have followed recently maybe couple of year, is the Langlois, they are coming along and doing well, try them you will like them too, me think, Let me introduce you to them, In Saumur, the Maison Langlois, founded in 1885, is a key player in fine Loire bubbles. Four km of underground cellars dug into the tuffeau: here are the optimal conditions in which the Crémants de Loire brut blanc from Maison Langlois age, for a minimum of twenty-four months (double the rules of the appellation), followed by three months of rest after disgorging. A patience which allows the wines to unfold all their aromatic complexity, their inimitable identity. After harvesting exclusively by hand, each of the four terroirs (Coteaux Saint-Léger in limestone, Côtes de Saumur in silico-limestone, Puy Notre-Dame and Montreuil Bellay in clay-limestone) is isolated and vinified independently. The Brut Réserve, to begin with, wonderfully recreates the Langlois style: fine bubbles, a delicate mouthfeel, and intense freshness characterize it. Blending 67% Chenin, 23% Chardonnay and 10% Cabernet Franc, including 12% reserve wines, it opens as an aperitif, where its liveliness and white flower scents work wonders. The Brut Vintage 2018 ,also predominantly Chenin 68%, supplemented with Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Grolleau, it is distinguished by a color with golden reflections, scents of flowers and white fruits, punctuated with a touch of vanilla. Enveloping and generous, the palate seduces with its long brioche finish. The Brut Rosé, finally, exalts the other great Loire grape variety, Cabernet Franc, which represents the vast majority of the blend. It seduces with its great freshness, the elegance of its nose and the fullness of its palate, which makes it suitable as an aperitif as well as at the table, as a starter or as a dessert. The Maison Langlois house also markets in very small quantities two AOC Saumur still wines from the prestigious Clos Saint-Florent, 15 hectares of clay-limestone overlooking the Loire. Aged in Burgundy barrels, the best vintages will age for five to ten years. Webpage : https://www.langlois-cremantdeloire.fr/fines-bulles-dexception/
Florent Latour, of Maison Louis Latour follow the footsteps of his brother Louis-Fabrice Latour,recently deceases, Florent, who came from the world of e-commerce, took over the management of the family house in Burgundy a year ago. Until now , Florent Latour had stayed away from the house. The man had his first career, beginning in the United States, in Cambridge (Massachusetts) in the world of digital transformation before co-founding a company focused on securing online transactions , We tend to believe this successful entrepreneur, trained at HEC and Harvard Business School. The company, founded in 1797, has never stopped projecting itself into the future. « We have just invested in a new vat room in Beaujolais. And we are building another one in Ardèche. We are also consolidating what we do in the Var, with our own land and our associated winegrowers. We only make Pinot Noir. « And the story continue see their wines here : https://www.louislatour.com/en/
Some less known Champagnes worth to go after them are Champagne Barons de Rothschild located in Vertus, a village on the Côte des Blancs, the “technical” heart of the house houses its production and aging sites. The vinifications are segmented according to the origin of the grapes, a procedure expected to be even more efficient in the near future, thanks to a new vat room. The aging criterion is also high, since a minimum of 4 years is required for the Concordia vintage, emblematic of the brand, while the vintages are kept for 8 years before their champagne cycle is completed. Fruits of a score where chardonnay and pinot noir play almost equally, the “Invitation” vintages are thus affiliated with the Champagne tradition of balance and refinement. Affirming the house’s affinity for Chardonnay, the “Signature” label covers expressions that act as hymns to Chardonnay. Literally forged by this grape variety with just a touch of Pinot Noir, the Rosé benefits from the most prized essences of the Côte des Blancs, just like its counterpart in Blanc de Blancs. At the height of its know-how, the “Collection” duo designates vintage champagnes also available in both colors. Their production is based on the demands imposed by their nobility, made from Chardonnays from exclusive plots within Grands Crus in the Côte des Blancs.Webpage : https://www.champagne-bdr.com/
The Champagne Drappier materialized by vaulted cellars, the historical foundation of this family house dates back to the 12C, precisely to 1152, the year it was built by the Cistercian order. This venerable roots also applies to its wines since the ancestor of Pinot Noir , the possible Morillon Noir, was then planted there. However, nothing outdated characterizes the current work of the Drappier family, established in 1808 on this memorable site in Urville, in the department of Aube,(dept 10) where the Champagne region of the Côte des Bars extends. Indeed, in 2016, Champagne Drappier was the very first Champagne estate to be officially certified “carbon neutral”, with all this implied in terms of alternative energy and recycling.This philosophy does not limit the scope of its production and extends to organoleptic considerations on the integrity of the wines, the minimum use of sulphites being not the least of the constraints to which it is subject Combining marls and limestones, it is particularly conducive to the expression of pinot noir, which covers more than two-thirds of its vineyard. Here again, the house is distinguished by a grape variety that reconnects with the Champagne past, as evidenced by the replanting of varieties that have almost disappeared today such as arbane, true white, fromenteau and petit meslier. This is not, however, a conservatory, since the Quattuor vintage brings them together in a unique concerto of whites to the point of deserving the title of world creation! with white grape varieties Blanc de Blancs and Quattuor pinot noir forms the canvas of the range of Drappier champagnes, always in high proportion when it is not their only component Clarevallis: Fine fresh and fruity impulses evoking apple flesh brighten up its aromatic approach and precede a floral current and subtle woody notes, a mineral cloud forming their background. In the mouth, a sensation of roundness testifies to a very beautiful balance, while the material unfolds flexibly and flows surrounded by a pure and dynamic bubble. Borrowing largely from aromas, its intense and persistent taste is punctuated by the noble bitters of its mineral nature,Webpage : https://www.champagne-drappier.com/fr/
It is the story of a migration, from Lorraine to Champagne. The Henriot family moved to Reims in the mid-17C, a city that was then a stronghold of drapers. Since then, far from the cloth trade, the Maison Henriot house has acquired a solid reputation in Champagne, which the announcement of the purchase of the house by the Terroirs et Vignerons de Champagne group last September 2023 is not likely to deny. Founded in 1808 by Apolline Henriot, the House will be the only one in the group to have a vineyard of almost 40 ha, which gives pride of place to Chardonnay. A leading figure in the house’s champagnes, the Henriot Blanc de Blancs cuvée demonstrates know-how, which from the vineyard to the cellar, the essence of the Montagne de Reims, meets each year the 70 winegrowers who work in partnership with the house, whose production amounts to more than 900,000 bottles, made from grapes grown between Verzy, Verzenay, Avenay, Mareuil, Mailly for pinot noir and Chouilly, Oger, Avize, Mesnil, Vertus and Cramant. Webpage : https://www.champagne-henriot.com/fr
Do you want to visit a wine estate but don’t yet know when to go? Don’t worry, there isn’t really a season to visit the winegrowers. I must say to call ahead ,tell them you are coming and show interest in their wine and you will be king/queen ! Coming out of winter, the vines are waking up despite still cool temperatures: the first buds are showing. Autumn is a very pleasant time to visit the vineyards. The pink vine leaves and wild flowers color the vineyard. Summer is here, the temperatures are pleasant and the French go on vacation to the coasts. The vines are in full bloom: the vine flowers appear at the beginning of June. This is followed by the appearance of the first grapes and their mutation. In August, the grapes take on color: veraison continues its course. As you will have understood, summer is the ideal season to visit a vineyard and meet the winegrowers. From September to October, the fruit of the vine reaches the end of its maturation. It is time for it to reach the vats to be transformed into wine: it is harvest time. Many properties open their doors at this time and welcome the curious who wish to take a few cuts with their pruning shears in the vineyard. Autumn is undoubtedly our favorite season to meet our winegrowers! For the less cautious among us, wine tourism lasts until winter. On a beautiful winter day, the vines will show you all their beauty. Come back and warm up in the cellar for a tasting by the fire. This will also be a good opportunity to taste the wines in tank if you have never tried it. En Vino Veritas !
Don’t cry out in front of an unfinished bottle, and above all don’t pour it down the sink !!, there is always something to do with leftover wine. If it’s a sweet wine (sauternes, barsac, tokaji aszú …), a fortified wine (pineau des Charentes, rivesaltes, sweet muscat) or any other wine rich in sugar and alcohol, don’t worry: it keeps. Close the bottle tightly with a cork or frosted glass stopper, and keep it in the refrigerator. If it is a still wine, you can keep it for two weeks (or more) using a vacuum pump and a rubber stopper, utensils that should be in every home. With these, red wine will keep at room temperature and white wine in the refrigerator. And the champagne? Sparkling wines also have their miracle stopper, with or without a lever, to press onto the neck to close it hermetically and trap the bubble. Your bottom of the bottle will be happy to be useful in the kitchen: A sauce! A little wine transforms the marinade of meat or poultry. Be careful, do not marinate for too long, this risks firming up the flesh. One or two hours is enough , As a cooking base , As a flavoring for jams, poached fruits and compotes. Add it while cooking. Wine can be a last minute condiment. A few dashes of red, white or orange wine will make all the difference in a hot soup or in “chabrot”, to finish the bowl or plate. A little dash of oxidative wine in a broth is divine! If the bottle has barely been opened, make a mulled (hot) wine! ,Our plant friends also love wine. Especially red, rich in polyphenols, yeasts, minerals and sugars which protect and nourish the plant. This is not a new idea: red wine tannins have been used in the garden since the 17C, as a natural fertilizer, pesticide, bactericide and fungicide. It should be used diluted at about 15 cl of red wine per liter of water, and not more than once a month. If you have compost, activate it by giving it a base of red wine every month (make sure to ensure that the compost is not too wet).Voilà wine is king I told you so::)
2024 Ranking: The most popular wine sales apps in France :Vivino ,WineAdvisor ,iDealwine,Vignitus,Le Petit Ballon,and Raisin, Mind you only have brief experience with WineAdvisor, and I prefer en person shopping::)
There you go folks, another wine episode of my belle France! The wines news from France that is, superbe, sublime, wonderful, gorgeous, enjoy without moderation but accompanying a meal, family table just perfect. See you in the vineyards of my belle France, Again, hope you enjoy the post as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 