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MARCILLAC - THE NEW WINE FRONTIER
LET'S TRY THIS ONE MORE TIME
Last Saturday, we were all set to roll out the Marcillac, which we headlined as the star of the wine tasting. Only problem was we misplaced it. The good news for you is that it has one more week's age on it and is sure to be drinking even better than it would have last week, so drop everything Saturday afternoon and come see what the Fer Servadou grape tastes like. In case you forgot the details, we repeat the promo here -
Initially (like, a thousand years ago) a thriving business, wine production met the needs of the local population and were held in high esteem by the middle classes and the clergy of the area. However, a public health crisis at the end of the 19th century, the frosts of the early 20th century and the decline of the mines combined to bring down wine production, and it reached its lowest point ever in 1965. It was at this point that a handful of producers decided to take action in order to prevent the wine industry from becoming completely extinct. In 1965 they decided to apply for VDQS status (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure), i.e. the classification immediately below AOC wine, which it was granted under the name Vin de Marcillac. The growers re-landscaped the vineyards and cleaned up their cellar work, and in 1990 the wine-growing area was granted AOC status under its present name, Marcillac.
You won't find any Marcillac at Lowe's, that's for sure. You have to come to Erick's Saturday to see what the fuss is all about. We're very excited to have been able to get a bit of this wine and introduce you to what may be a once-in-a-lifetime wine experience!
2010 Domaine du Cros Marcillac "Lo Sang del Pais" ($14.99). Not even Robert Parker has heard of this wine, so we had to turn to Lettie Teague of The Wall Street Journal. She says, "the 2010 Domaine du Cros Lo Sang del Pais Marcillac practically burst from the glass with powerfully vivid floral and raspberry aromas. It was unlike any wine I'd ever tasted, and from a grape I'd never encountered before-the Fer Servadou-thought to be a cross between Gamay and Cabernet. It was Pinot Noir gone wild...This wine from southwestern France has a truly exotic nose of blackberry and spice. It might be a stretch to call it Pinot-esque, but it's a lovely wine for the price and partners well with food." Be the first in your block to add a Marcillac to your wine collection.
Next up is a tasty Super-Tuscan, the 2008 La Brancaia Tre (Italy, $22.99). From The Wine Advocate (90 points): "The 2008 Tre is an attractive mid-weight red laced with dried cherries, dried flowers and spices. [I]t delivers excellent balance in an approachable, mid-weight style. This looks to be an early drinking wine from Brancaia. Tre is 80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the estate's three wineries, all in Tuscany." We'll also be the 2009 Viizcarra Senda del Ora (Spain, $21.99).
Our $5 paid tasting wine is a Petite Sirah from the Treasure Hunter portfolio ($39.99). Many of you know Treasure Hunter wines as wines bought from some of California's best producers that are bottled behind this private label and sold for a fraction of the price they sell for behind the label of the producer. In essence, you are getting a Lexus at Toyota prices. Why does Lexus sell their cars to Toyota so the latter can sell them for less? Because in this economy they have too many Lexi to sell and the only way they could do so would be to reduce the price, which they don't want to do to the brand.
Our white offering is the racy 2009 St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc (California, $20.99), rated 88 points by Wine Spectator: "Racy gooseberry, lime peel and passion fruit flavors are juicy, crisp and mouthwatering. Chamomile tea notes on the finish give this some extra personality."
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