French White

Burgundy   Loire   Alsace   Others

Burgundy
Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Blanc, 2007 ($19.99) - This wood-aged 100% Chardonnay comes from a highly respected Burgundy house. Pierre Faiveley founded the domaine in 1825 as a negoçiant house. His son, Joseph (1823-1923) began purchasing vineyards. Subsequent generations continued buying land. Today Domaine Faiveley owns 120 hectares (296 acres) of vineyards that include prestigious Crus from Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, as well as Mercurey in Côte Chalonnaise. The remaining 20% of their production comes from select vineyards under long-term contract. Beginning with the 2006 vintage, all negoçiant wines made by Faiveley carry the Joseph Faiveley name. This basic (for Faiveley) wine comes from plots in all three regions. The 2007 vintage was saved from mediocrity by gorgeous weather that began in early September. Thin wines were made by growers who completed their harvest in August, but most of Faiveley’s grapes were not picked until mid-September. The wine was aged for 10 months (50% in French oak barrels with a light toast). A pleasure to drink, it has good acidity, freshness, and elegance. The expressive nose of white flower is followed by bold and generous fruit, the merest touch of wood, and an exceptionally long-lasting finish.

Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay, Thierry et Pascale Matrot, 2007 ($19.99) - The Matrot family has been estate bottling wines for three generations and have been farming organically since 2000. This lovely wine from a vineyard just outside of Meursault (average age of fines - 30 years) is a great introduction to white Burgundy. It was fermented with native yeast in oak barrels (15-20% new) for 8-10 weeks, then left on the lees (with stirring or ("batonnage") for another 11 months during which it completed malo-lactic fermentation. The wine combines bright fruit with a nice acid balance. Pears and apples show on the nose, and it has a round texture despite the acidity. It is refreshing and shows a touch of licorice on the finish. Serve it with charcuterie, chicken, or fish.

Domaine Gilbert Picq et Ses Fils Chablis, 2008 ($22.99) - A family affair, this small domaine has been owned by the Picqs since 1976. With their Gilbert now retired, the children run the show. Didier works the cellar, Pascal oversees the vineyards, and Marilyn looks after the commercial side in the office. Severe pruning gives low yields which allows the vines to ripen fewer grapes and reduces the need to chaptalize (add sugar) a practice that is common in Chablis. Made from 22-year old vines from a number of different vineyards, this unoaked Chardonnay is crisp, clean, nervy, flinty, minerally, and age-worthy. At a time when many Chablis producers are pushing the boundaries of Chablis geographically and stylistically, it is a delight to find a traditional producer whose age-worthy wines are pure and true. The tell-tale minerality of fine Chablis is evident in this light-to-medium-bodied wine, and the finish is exceptional for a village wine. Picq Chablis is a fine introduction to the vintage, which was one of Burgundy’s best in recent memory. For a real education, put a few bottles away for 5 years or more. As good as this wines is when young, it develops nuances and complexity with age
"Picqued" your interest? Here's more info: Starting in 2006, they have converted to 100% natural yeats for all of their cuvees. All of the Picq Chablis bottlings are fermented and raised in stainless steel tanks to protect the wines’ underlying expressions of terroir. Pascal Picq is careful to keep yields as low as possible each year, pruning back severely each winter and routinely crop-thinning on two occasions each summer. The serious work in the vineyards can be felt immediately in the Picq wines, as even the Chablis villages and the old vine cuvée offer up a depth and intensity of flavor in the mid-palates that is most often associated with at least premier cru level wines. The relatively small size of the estate may also account for the exceptional quality of their Chablis AC bottling, as there is always sufficient attention paid to the village wine in the cellars by Didier Picq. The Picq Chablis AC is one of the finest examples to be found in the appellation, with the structure and cut to age gracefully for up to twenty years. It is a great, great value. 

Loire
Sancerre, Karine Lauverjat, 2008 ($20.99) - What a wonderful Sauvignon Blanc and what a great value! The 2008 vintage for Sancerre was uneven, but the best wines were terrific - more precise, more aromatic and more concentrated than the very good 2007 with comparable acidity. Mildew and uneven ripening affected many growers, but the best ones sprayed and harvested only as each parcel ripened and ended up with terrific fruit. The Lauverjat family has been making Sancerre for generations in the tiny village of Sury-en-Vaux.  They produce harmonious. balanced wines that express the domaine’s unique terroir. The 12 hectares of vineyard are on the slopes of one hill, giving a range of exposures and two main soil types. The upper part of the hill is dominated by limestone clay soil known locally as "terre blanche" and produces full-bodied, well-structured wines. The lower part of the slope has a pebble limestone soil known locally as "caillottes" and produces lighter, fruitier wines. This ideal location allows the Lauverjats to produce subtle and varied wines which display individuality and finesse.

Sancerre, Jean-Paul Picard, 2008 ($23.99) - Sancerres remain a relative bargain. There are few Sauvignon Blancs on the market that can compare to their combination of clean fruit, solid acidity, depth of mineral character, and overall balance and refinement. The wines produced by this small, ten-hectare domaine are proof that not all Sancerres are created equal. As Sancerre is a large appellation, the best villages have developed their own reputation for quality with Bué considered one of the finest. The vineyard slopes surrounding this hamlet have outstanding clay-limestone soils, sunny southwestern exposures and ideal elevations. Picard makes his fine Sancerre Blanc from the very select Grand Chemarin and Chene Marchand vineyards. The best Sauvignon Blancs, like Picard’s, have a fresh grass and mineral bouquet with lots of orange-citrus fruit on the palate and a clean, refreshing finish. This wine's elegance and balance make it an ideal match for a range of white meat and fish dishes.

Alsace
Willm Riesling, 2008 ($12.99) and Pinot Blanc, 2008 ($12.99) - Many wine lovers overlook the great values and delicious wines that come from Alsace, France. Here are a wonderful dry Alsatian Riesling and Pinot Blanc that are clean and soft yet crisp. They are perfect with a wide range of foods ranging from seafood to veal and are especially pleasing with Asian cuisine. Their softness also makes them ideal as an apèritif.

Bott-Geyl Pinot d’Alsace, 2005 ($17.99) - Alsace produces some exceptional values and some of the most food-friendly white wine available. This beauty is truly delicious. A blend of 3 different grapes from the Pinot family: Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris. This lively wine is just off-dry, but it has great balance, substantial flowery fruit, fat texture, and soft, rounded mouth feel.
   The young Jean-Christophe Bott’s commitment to purity, concentration, and varietal character has focused the world’s attention on this tiny domaine in Beblenheim which lies in the heart of Alsace. Bott-Geyl began in 1947 and has reached true greatness under Jean-Christophe’s watch. He strives to balance the region’s tendency towards overwhelming sugar levels and over-the-top concentration with delineated terroir and bright, clean fruit. The domaine subscribes to biodynamic farming techniques. The vines average 30 years of age. Hand-harvesting, gentle pressings, and fermentation with only natural, indigenous yeasts are the norm here. After fermentation, the wines may spend some time on their lees for up to six months which helps develop the texture, flavors, and aromas. The wines are also held in bottle for several years before releasing for added complexity and flavor development. It is perfect with Asian food.

Others
Roc St. André Bordeaux Blanc, 2008 ($9.99) - The white wines of  Bordeaux are not as well known as the reds, but some terrific  Sauvignon Blanc-based values come from this large wine-making area.  This one shows good fruit in a fresh, crisp style. It's a terrific value.

Domaine Pélaquié Côtes du Rhône Blanc, 2008 ($12.99) - We wrote up the Tavel rosé of this producer last month. Pélaquié also makes a terrific white wine from grapes such as Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, and Marsanne. Lush and velvety in texture, it has good acidity and interesting husky flavors with tropical notes that are off the beaten path for most folks but are none-the-less very appealing. The grapes for this wine come from the village of Laudun, considered to make the finest CDR Blancs in the entire appellation. The lighter sand, clay, and limestone soils here contribute a fine floral elegance (think hyancinth!) that is rarely achieved elsewhere.

Domaine Tariquet Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 ($11.99) - The founding and early history of Domaine Tariquet is a fascinating but long one. Go to www.tariquet.com/uk/history-tariquet.asp; it is worth the time. Located in Gascony, the domaine produces very fine Armagnac as well as a line of quality varietal wines. The estate-bottled Sauvignon Blanc is 100% varietal. Gascony's mild climate offers this grape variety a new range of aromas. Its distinctive bouquet shows fine intense floral notes, some minerality, and an underlying suggestion of ripe grapes. It is fresh and refined with an attractive intensity. This is a wonderful wine with fish, shellfish, and white meat.