Water into Wino

Chateau Moine Blanc Saint Émilion Grand Cru 2005

Chateau Moine Blanc Saint Émilion 2005
Bordeaux, France ($30)

After driving some 450 miles to visit friends in NYC, I was given the opportunity to pick out a wine from their stash to follow up the local pinot noir I brought from home. Pleased to find a good selection of decent Bordeaux wines, I picked out what I thought would be a good pairing with the potato and cheese gratin, brussel sprouts and baked ham dinner.

Knowing that St. Émilion wines had a good percentage of merlot and cabernet franc and knowing obviously that grand cru is something better than not, I choose this Chateau Moine Blanc 2005. Oh yea, I’ve also been exposed to the hype of that vintage in France so I knew that I couldn’t go wrong with this choice. This one is a blend of 70% merlot and 30% cabernet franc.

Without letting it warm up from the cellar, we filled our glasses and didn’t miss a beat on our wine consumption. Aromas of blackberry, cherry and spice came through along with some moderate oak notes. If there was one thing we all agreed upon, it was that this wine had balance. The fruit, oak, tannin and acid were all on the same page.

I was afraid I’d chosen a bottle that might have been a little too pricy just to open without regard for temperature and lack of decanting but it turns out this bottle was only around $30. My basic knowledge of French classifications lead me to think anything grand cru would be a big ticket item, but this wasn’t Burgundy. Saint Émilion Grand Cru is the appellation, not a vineyard designation.

Regardless of its moderate price, I know this wine would impress many of the winos I know. This cab franc fanatic doesn’t mind merlot leading the way every now and then, especially when they come together to show balance and grace. Saint Émilion Grand Cru will find its way back in to my glass soon.

Peybonhomme-les-Tours 2003

Peybonhomme-les-Tours 2003 Premieres
France, Bordeaux, Cotes de Blaye ($12)

I finally motivated myself and my girlfriend to hop on the 1 train to Chambers Street Wines last saturday. I've read so much about their extensive organic selection and their huge selection of Loire wines. Between four and seven o'clock they had about ten wines to taste including a few Loire whites, a bunch of Burgundian reds, and three Bordeaux reds. In the past I might have been intimidated by the staff and especially by my ignorance in the details of French wine.

The three Loire wines were delicious. So far the hype behind the 2005 vintage is accurate, as each of these 2005 examples represented accordingly. The Raimbault 2005 Sancerre Les Godons was my favorite of those. The five Burgundy wines were nothing special. Just another example of how I don't get excited about Pinot Noir. Of the three Bordeaux wines, the Peybonhomme-les-Tours 2003 Premieres Cotes de Blaye was tasty and for only $12 it spoke to my wallet as well.

Ruby red color with aromas of raspberries and cherries. Extremely supple and smooth. Very well balanced and effortless on the palate. The finish is long and reveals some earthy notes. Overall an elegant wine for the price and my whole view of French reds being overpriced has been altered. My grade: A-