The Experience WINE CLASS...

Endangered by Cabernet Sauvignon? The Rocky Terraces Cailouteuses in Roussillon France

“I have seen the future of wine and it’s name is Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.” –Jancis Robinson

Today we start a series of sessions with the Fredericksburg Tasting Room team we are calling "The Experience Wine Class."  We will be watching and meeting for the purpose of expanding our knowledge and experience with wine.  Our guide will be Jancis Robinson's Wine Course, an excellent resource!  Aired in the United Kingdom in 1995 and is fascinating to see both areas where the wine industry has NOT changed and areas where it HAS. You can watch it all on YouTube!

Episode 1- Aperitif has a powerful hold on me because of the narrative arch Jancis takes us on; after filling in her background she tells you quite convincingly that the ONLY opinion about wine that matters in your own. As she builds the story of the wine industry showing us the competition results and supermarket buyers at work juxtaposition to vines being pulled up and wineries passed over by the buyers, and the changing habits of the wine drinking population.  At the end she boldly proclaims “I have seen the future of wine and it’s name is Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.” Probably not quite prophetic in 1995, it is amazing at how DOMINATE these two grapes have become.  From the vantage point; here in the future, I can see just how right she is today.  To drive the point home we can look up the places featured; the most dramatic being Domaine de Mayrac, which the supermarket buyer passed over, was sold by the Buoro family in five years of the filming.  Carignan, the grape vines being bulldozed in the video, in the Languedoc and Roussillon regions the planting area has decreased by seventy-one percent ((as of 2009, most likely even more today) or is it less...meaning more bulldozing and less Carignan grapes.) This is where it impacts me; yes it is our opinion that matters and the wine choices we make today have deeply profound effects in the lives and communities around the world. As consumers, sellers, educators and lovers of wine we have to make the right choices, informed choices and wise choices. 

It is a very compelling episode which is informative and instructional. Our group watched it and I provided this handout which has a few notes from the video and some information and links to more on the web related to the topics Jancis covers, hopefully it adds a bit of depth on the subjects.

“I have seen the future of Texas wine and it’s name is Carignan.” –Steven Krueger

The Experience WINE CLASS… information is compiled in the spirit of education and communication with the intention of stimulating discussion and helping everyone develop their own Experience with WINE! And please reply to this blog; do you believe the future of wine is Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, OR Carignon???

2013 Rambling Rosé at Becker Vineyards

 It was a beautiful Saturday in the Texas Hill Country AVA,Saturday August 10th, 2013.  It is harvest time and on this occasion we were celebrating another great vintage of the Becker Vineyard's Provencal!  We figure this was about the ninth year of doing this tasting.  This is one of the many Culinaria events that take place year round in celebration and support of the culinary arts in South Texas.  We thank every one who participated in this worthwhile endeavor. 

It was great to see that the category of rosé wine is more popular than ever, both seating for this event were sold out.  The attendees were already rosé wine  drinkers and enthusiast.  This is great news because this is a category of wine that Texas can make in quantity and quality that rivals the best rosé wine in the world.  I thank the Becker's leadership in making this wine and providing this forum to develop our knowledge and experience with rosé wine.

We tasted the rosé wines blind, blind tasting is the only way to accurately judge and assess the quality of any wine.  The picture above shows the six wines at the start of the tasting.  The colors are beautiful and varied from pale pink, often called salmon, to richer pink hues that can become fairly red in appearance.
My notes and review of the wines are below following the order they were presented with the top left wine being the first and the bottom right being last.


Le Poussin Rose, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 2012
High acidity making the first sip bracing and intense, followed by cranberry, raspberry and sour red fruit flavors.  There are secondary flavors of earthy tones and a floral flourish in the finish.

Belle Glos, Pinot Noir Blanc, Brugioni Vineyard, Sonoma Coast, California 2012
A smoky aromatic nose with flavors of strawberry, raspberry and a pronounced minrality. There are hints of tannins and fruit is persistent throughout the taste experience, making this a delicious and rich wine.  

Provencal, Becker Vineyards, Tallent Vineyard, Texas Hill Country, 2012
Strawberry and tart cherry aromas and flavors with a dusty minrality.  There is a light musty note with a hint of orange peal in this balanced well made wine.

Alexander Vineyards, Rosé, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, France, 2012
A pretty floral nose, blooming flowers and Prosciutto ham, beguiling combination that is appetizing.  The flavors are tart and tangy with a subtle effervescence with white cranberry fruit.

Balandran, Rosé, "Les Mugues" Costières-de-Nîmes, Rhone, France 2012
A bit of orange spritz on the nose with subtle flavors of strawberry and a smooth flavor experience with a satisfying finish.

I'M (Isabel Mondavi), Deep Rosé, Napa Valley, California 2012

Aromas of cola and cherry with a smoky background, the flavors are rich with cherry and vanilla with a lush mouth feel and a persistent finish.

All six wines are excellent and would make for an enjoyable selection for your next bottle of wine.  The cuisine for the event was prepared by Chef John Brand of the Omni Hotel on the Riverwalk.  It was a duck confit and it clearly demonstrated how well rosé wines pair with food.  If you are ever in doubt on which wine to pair with almost any meal you can reach for a bottle of rosé wine, it is very food friendly.  The ultimate test that proves this is Thanksgiving dinner; the turkey, the ham, dressing, potato salad, green bean casserole, cranberry relish and everything else on the table will go with rosé wine!  

Do you have a favorite rosé wines?  Please comment below...

Tour de France: Viognier, CINQUANTE-CINQ, Vin de Pays d'Oc, Languedoc, France, 2012

The grape vine flourishes in the Mediterranean climate of Languedoc, with more acres planted to the vine than any other winegrowing region in the world!   Thirty miles southwest of Montpellier,  in Alignan du Vent, the producer of Cinquante Cinq is the largest family-owned and operated coop in France, with a long history of farming and managing the same family-owned vineyards.  Working with the microclimates created by the coastal Mediterranean influence, on sites with optimal exposure to the sun and its prevailing North wind, Aligan du Vent is home to a variety of soils, including siliceous gravel, middle terrace areas of clay and gravel, and lower terraces of sand.  Here Cinquante Cinq is making some stunning wines!

• LUXURIOUS
• White Peaches
• Baked Apples
• Citrus Oil 
• White Flower Petals
• Minerals

Made with 100% Viognier from fifteen year-old vines, using Sustainable Farming techniques; no chemicals, no synthetic treatments this is a delicious wine.  Only eight-hundred cases were made making this a wine that will be gone before we know it.  Thanks to the families and farmers that made this wine possible, it is truly remarkable.