Hidden Treasures from France

France contains a myriad of wines that range from delightful to thought-provoking, and everywhere in between. It's exciting to work with some of the world's most famed wines every day at Fleurie, but there are several wines of France that are often overlooked and undervalued. I'm often pleasantly surprised by wines from regions and grapes that you never read much about. Here are a few hidden treasures that have been particularly impressive over the last year. Keep your eye out for the following next time you peruse the wine list....

Loire Valley Chenin Blanc is quite possibly the world's most undervalued wine. You can find world class bottles around town for incredibly affordable prices. Chenin Blanc is a notoriously high-acid wine, which means that it is perfect for late-harvesting because it can make sweet dessert wines that still have a juicy acidity. For this reason, you are apt to find some Chenin that is dry, and some that is sweet. Both can be excellent, but with most savory French cuisine, ask for a bone-dry Chenin Blanc. The wine is often compact and intense, and might faintly remind you of a fine white Burgundy in structure and complexity.

The quality of wines from Muscadet has sky-rocketed in the past few years. If you haven't tried one in a while, this is a region to revisit-- especially once the weather warms up and you find yourself eating seafood outside on the downtown mall! Most Muscadet is made from a grape called Melon de Bourgogne, or as the locals call it, 'Melon.' It's juicy, dry, compact, and mouthwatering. A variety of soil types in the region mean that you can find a wide range of Muscadet flavors within the basic Melon spectrum.  

Rasteau is the new, hip Rhone region to look for. First, it was Chateauneuf du Pape. Then Chateauneuf became so expensive that everyone started drinking Gigondas. Now, Gigondas prices are rising, and Rasteau is the new value from Southern Rhone. Why haven't you heard of it? It used to be part of the larger 'Cotes du Rhone' Appellation, but in 2009 the producers lobbied to have their own unique region for dry reds. Since then, some stunning world-class grenache-syrah blends from Rasteau have found their way to us.

Grower Champagne-- aptly named because the producers grow their own grapes-- is changing the entire Champagne market. Since the end of WWII, blending contracted grapes from around the region to make a 'house style' has been the modus operandi in Champagne. But several smaller producers who once sold their fruit to big houses are now bottling their own estate Champagne from small plots. Most Grower Champagne is in limited quantity, but the pricing is a steal in comparison to the status quo. You can find vintage Grower Champagne with some age on it for well under $200 on most US wine lists. Look for the 'Special Club' designation, or ask about Grower Champagne options. 

.....and speaking of Grower Champagne, we have a Grower Champagne winemaker visiting us on March 16th. Aurelien from Lahert Freres can answer all of your questions about this new frontier in the Champagne world (the details are below!). 

Cheers to the hidden wine treasures of France!

-Erin Scala, Sommelier