Mood:
suaveTopic: Bartending
In this week's class, we moved out of Italy and into France. Although I've taken this class once before, French wine is something I know very little about. My teacher gave us a handout, "The Concept of Terroir," already something I have never heard of.
So I did a little research.
Terroir: (noun). The complete natural environment in which a particular wine is produced, including factors such as the soil, topography, and climate.
According to the article, wine has changed over time and has become more popular because of technological advances used in the wine making process. The quality of wine has improved, which wine makers appreciate, however they don't want to ignore the original flavor of the grape—which represents the region it was grown in.
"There is a fine line between making necessary refinements to a fundamental process and turning priorities on end. There is little mystery to the crafting of fine wine."
The article names the vineyard as the proper start to great wine, following these two rules: 1. 90% of the ultimate wine is created in the vineyard, and 2. the role of the winemaker is to let the wine make itself.
It refers to the holy trinity of terroir: soil, climate, and grape variety. These elements make each wine unique; the winemaker is present to ensure the wine is its most clear in order to represent is geographical region.
I take it this is wine many French wines are known for their "earthy" flavor—perhaps its winemaker was sure to only enhance the natural qualities of that grape.
I really enjoyed the first wine of the evening, a white, the Domaine du Bagnol. It is a blend of Marsanne, Clairette, and Ugni. This results in a very light, clean flavor—everything I look for in a white wine!
The second wine of the night was a pretty rose, the Domaine du Gour de Chaule. In making this wine, a small amount of the press juice is added back to the skins, which gives it the rose color. It is composed of Cinsault, Grenache, and Mourvedre. It's a sweet, yet refreshing summer wine.
My favorite red of the class was the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape. It is made up of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvedre. Portions of it matures in barrels for 18 months.
The other wines we tasted this week include the Domaine de Monpertuis, the 2006 Dom. Massiac Minervois, the 2005 Jaboulet Gigondas 'Pierre Aiguille', the 2007 Cotes dy Rhone Rouge, and the 2005 Les Clo de Paulilles.
