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750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$33.52
Fruit-filled Cabernet Franc, lightly spiced on the nose and backed-up with soft tannins and ripe redcurrant and...
1.5Ltr
Bottle:
$156.06
$173.40
The 2017 Saumur Brézé Les Arboises, from the south-facing monopole that was planted on sand and silt topsoil over...
1.5Ltr
Bottle:
$167.95
3 bottles:
$164.59
This shows great tension between the firm but ripe tannins and the intensely flavored palate, which displays notes of...
750ml
Bottle:
$787.95
6 bottles:
$772.19
As in 2016, my favorite of the white parcel selections this year is the 2017 Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc (231 cases...
375ml
Bottle:
$18.00
12 bottles:
$16.63
100% Cabernet Franc. Les Picasses is the most famous Chinon lieu-dit, close to the village of Beaumont-En-Véron on...
750ml
Bottle:
$26.95
100% Cabernet Franc. Les Picasses is the most famous Chinon lieu-dit, close to the village of Beaumont-En-Véron on...
Pre-Arrival
Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny Le Bourg 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$602.46
The 2017 Le Bourg exemplifies the site's characteristic power and structure. This is not a wine that you should buy...
Pre-Arrival
Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny Le Clos 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$197.65
A sense of minerality with gunflint on the nose, almost a tertiary character, giving the impression of a cooler...
Pre-Arrival
Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny Les Poyeux 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$263.95
Set for release in November 2022, the 2017 Les Poyeux is a delightful wine. While waiting for the winemaker, I was...
1.5Ltr - Case of 6
Bottle:
$94.95
If there's a Cabernet Franc vineyard you need to know in the Saumur Champigny - or the Loire or the world for that...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$73.28
The 2017 Saumur Brézé Les Arboises, from the south-facing monopole that was planted on sand and silt topsoil over...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$49.55
This shows great tension between the firm but ripe tannins and the intensely flavored palate, which displays notes of...
Pre-Arrival
M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc L'oree 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$159.53
Rich and opulent on the nose, with yellow peach and honeycomb. Very full bodied, with that immediate internal sweet...
Pre-Arrival
M. Chapoutier Ermitage L'ermite Blanc 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$637.81
As in 2016, my favorite of the white parcel selections this year is the 2017 Ermitage l'Ermite Blanc (231 cases...
Pre-Arrival
M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Meal Blanc 2017
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$229.95
The 2017 Ermitage le Meal Blanc starts with refined notes of crushed stone and pencil shavings that move into a...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$41.90
Robe: This wine offers the robe of a lively red with lovely violet highlights.
Nose: The wine presents itself...
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle:
$39.27
Robe: Beautiful and very intense ruby color.
Nose: The nose releases lovely nuances of mint, red berry liqueur, and...
Cabernet Franc Marsanne Melon de Bourgogne 2017 France
Cabernet Franc is not simply an important grape varietal for the fact that it is one of the most widely grown strains of vine in the world, but also because it is a vital grape in the production of many of the finest wines the world has ever seen. For centuries in its native France, it has been a varietal synonymous with elegance and high quality, and has become a key fruit in the production of the Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style blended wines which have gone down in history thanks to their magnificent flavors, aromas and levels of aged complexity. However, Cabernet Franc is also a wine grape varietal for use in single variety, unblended wines, and has plenty to offer on its own. Most commonly, it is renowned for its wide bouquet, which often includes fascinating notes of tobacco, violets or bell pepper over a beautifully pale and decadent liquid.
One of the more unusual French grape varietals, Melon de Bourgogne has been grown in and around the Loire Valley for several hundred years. In fact, this grape was first planted in the Loire region of Pays Nantais back in the mid 17th century, after a devastating frost decimated most of the red grapes which were typical in the area. The winemakers of Pays Nantais were keen to cultivate vines which were hardy, high yielding, and capable of surviving another such frost, and so turned their attention to Melon de Bourgogne for this very reason. The native home of the varietal is actually in Burgundy, where it is still grown to a lesser extent.
Because Melon de Bourgogne produces naturally heavy yields, the vintners of Pays Nantais go to great lengths to reduce the amount of fruit the vines bear. This allows the finest characteristics of the grape to come forward, and also opens up the opportunity for it to express the wonderful granite and schist soils in which the vines are grown. Melon de Bourgogne is a minerally white wine grape varietal, with a very subtle set of fruit flavors. It is prized for its freshness and brightness, and is seeing a revival in the twenty first century as an excellent wine for pairing with a wide range of foods.
Year in, year out, France enjoys its prestigious reputation as the producer of the finest wines in the world. With a wine making history which spans several thousand years and owes its expertise to the Romans, it comes as little surprise that this most highly esteemed of the Old World wine countries continues to impress and enchant both novices and experts to this day. Despite the rise in quality of wines from neighboring European countries, not to mention the New World, the French wine industry continues to boom, with up to eight billion bottles being produced in recent years. However, France prides itself on always putting quality before quantity, and the wide range in fine produce is a testament to the dedication and knowledge of the wineries across the country. Indeed, from rich and complex reds to light and aromatic white wines, French wines are as varied and interesting as they are enjoyable to drink, making this country a firm favorite for wine lovers across the globe.