Floral Sampler
We wine pros excel at throwing around jargon like mineral, earthy, and fruity that is meant to convey a whole lot about how a drink smells or tastes, but doesn’t actually mean anything to most people. Given that wine is made from fruit that comes from the earth, it ought to taste at least a bit fruity and earthy, no?
Floral is another term we love to employ. Describing a wine as “floral” is certainly evocative: consider the dazzling color of a field of wild poppies, the sweet and balmy scent of blooming jasmine, and the silky, seductive sensation of rose petals brushing against one’s skin. But what does it actually mean?
On a quest for enlightenment, a group of us paid a visit to Flowerland, our friendly local nursery, to stop and smell the flowers. After all, there must be a good reason why a wine’s aromatic signature is often referred to as its “bouquet.” However, our experience perhaps raised more questions than it did provide answers. Just as wine is a living being, sensitive to variations in temperature, humidity, and other factors, certain blossoms can be more or less aromatic depending on time of day, weather, and other aspects of their environment. And just like some wines are best enjoyed at certain times of year, seasonal flowers show their colors only during specific seasons.
Ultimately, much more investigation is needed before we can confidently tie the scent of flowers to those of fermented grapes. But to further entertain this idea, we selected six bottles often described in terms of their floral aromatics for you to judge for yourself. Do you identify orange blossoms wafting up from a glass of Kante’s limestone-born Malvasia Istriana? How about notes of violet and peony soaring from a bright, juicy goblet of Gamay—grown in Fleurie, no less? Is Sardinian mountain Cannonau reminiscent of sweet rose petals?
—Anthony Lynch
|
This item is not eligible for discounts |
| Wine Type: | sampler |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Country: | France |
|
Normally $222.00 SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE $178.00 (a 20% discount) |
2018 Bordeaux Blanc “Extérieur” • Domaine de l’Alliance $28
2017 Muscat • Albert Boxler $46
2016 Venezia Giulia Malvasia • Kante $35
2018 Fleurie “Les Moriers” • Domaine Chignard $27
2016 Cerasuolo di Vittoria • Portelli $26
2017 Cannonau “Barrosu” • Giovanni Montisci $60
More from or France
2019 Muscat du Cap Corse “Grotte di Sole”
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
2021 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise HALF BOTTLE
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
2020 Hermitage Blanc “La Pierrelle”
Barruol / Lynch France | Northern Rhône
2022 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Sortilège”
Les Eminades France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru “Les Chaignots”
Domaine Robert Chevillon France | Burgundy
2016 Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut 1er Cru “Monts de Vertus”
Veuve Fourny et Fils France | Champagne
2019 Riesling Grand Cru “Eichberg”
Kuentz-Bas France | Alsace
2023 Sancerre “Racines”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2023 Bonifacio Blanc “Tarra di Sognu”
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2023 Gevrey-Chambertin
Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils France | Burgundy
2023 Chénas “Vibrations”
Domaine Thillardon France | Beaujolais
French Roots
12-Bottle Sampler France
2019 Muscat du Cap Corse “Grotte di Sole”
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
2021 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise HALF BOTTLE
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
2020 Hermitage Blanc “La Pierrelle”
Barruol / Lynch France | Northern Rhône
2022 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Sortilège”
Les Eminades France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru “Les Chaignots”
Domaine Robert Chevillon France | Burgundy
2016 Blanc de Blancs Extra-Brut 1er Cru “Monts de Vertus”
Veuve Fourny et Fils France | Champagne
2019 Riesling Grand Cru “Eichberg”
Kuentz-Bas France | Alsace
2023 Sancerre “Racines”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2023 Bonifacio Blanc “Tarra di Sognu”
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
2023 Gevrey-Chambertin
Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils France | Burgundy
2023 Chénas “Vibrations”
Domaine Thillardon France | Beaujolais
French Roots
Whether it’s a grape that thrives in a singular location or a blend that defines a region, some of our favorite wines are inextricably linked to their places of origin.
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
If you're looking for value, look where no one else is looking.
Inspiring Thirst, page 211