2015 Puligny-Montrachet “Les Chalumaux”Comtesse de Chérisey
France | Burgundy
$120
Producers
If you’re looking to store some rays for a rainy day, Michèle Aubery says her Sagesse will age nicely for years to come. Made from the “younger” of the old vines (planted in the ’50s), this Côtes du Rhône flaunts the purity and power of 100% Grenache. Try it now, but do take Michèle’s recommendation and cellar some, too.
—Emily Spillmann
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Grenache |
Appellation: | Côtes-du-Rhône |
Country: | France |
Region: | Southern Rhône |
Producer: | Domaine Gramenon |
Winemaker: | Michèle Aubèry-Laurent & Maxime François Laurent |
Vineyard: | 60 years, 26 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone varied with gravel, galets roulés, and/or sand |
Aging: | Grapes macerate for 15 days in cement cuve, wine ages for 12 months in barriques before bottling |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 14% |
Selected by Kermit Lynch France | Southern Rhône | Côtes du Rhône
Domaine Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône | Gigondas
Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône | Vin de France
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône | Vacqueyras
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
Frédéric & Daniel Brunier France | Southern Rhône | Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The southern Rhône valley is Grenache country. It’s also known for its stones. With a viticulture history dating back well before the Popes arrived in the 12th century and one of France’s oldest appellations d'origine contrôlée, Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe, the southern Rhône is unquestionably one of France’s best known and premier winegrowing regions. The wines have the pedigree and age-worthiness of Burgundy and Bordeaux, but with a rustic, Mediterranean character. Like most wines from southern France, the reds, whites, and rosés are blends. Filling out the Grenache for the reds and rosés, you’ll often find Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. The common white grape varieties are Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Viognier, Roussane, and Marsanne among others. From the alluvial riverbed stones found in Lirac, Tavel, and Châteauneuf to the limestone cliffs of the Dentelles de Montmirail that influence Beaumes-de-Venise (where you’ll find excellent Muscat), Vacqueyras, and Gigondas, great terroir abounds.
Kermit’s entrance in the region came in the mid 1970s on his first trip with Richard Olney, an American ex-pat and friend of Alice Waters. On that trip, Richard introduced Kermit to the Brunier family of Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. Soon after, Kermit began importing the Brunier’s wines—their Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” bottling remains a staple of our portfolio today. In the late 1990s Kermit teamed up with the Brunier family to purchase the famed Gigondas estate, Domaine Les Pallières. More than 40 years later, we now import wines from fifteen southern Rhône domaines spanning the entire area of the region.
Château de Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône | Tavel
Les Pallières France | Southern Rhône | Gigondas
6-Bottle Sampler France | Southern Rhône
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône | Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône | Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône | Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Maxime-François Laurent France | Southern Rhône | Côtes du Rhône
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
Domaine Gallety France | Southern Rhône | Côtes du Vivarais
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône | Vacqueyras
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône | Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Château de Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône | Tavel
Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
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