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Thierry Triolet Brut Champagne NV
Origin: Champagne, France
Retail: $35.95 | Sale: $32.36
The Champagne house of Thierry Triolet is located in the village of Bethon. The vineyards in Bethon are part of the Côtes de Sezanne region of Champagne which begins near the town of Sezanne and extends southward for about 20 miles. Geologically, this narrow band of hills with deep deposits of limestone, is a continuation of the more massive Côtes des Blancs. Traditionally, the Sezanne vineyards have been a source of excellent Chardonnay grapes for the large negociant Champagne houses to the north. Thierry Triolet farms in accordance with the principles of sustainability and is certified both as “Level 3” Haute Valeur Environnementale and Viticulture Durable en Champagne. He is committed to having low yields and prunes accordingly. The pressing is done slowly at low pressure in a modern bladder press. Fermentations are then carried out in a variety of tanks. No barrels are used in fermentation or aging.
The Brut NV is a blend of Chardonnay 65% and Pinot Noir 35%. By including three different vintages, the “assemblage” benefits from mature wines. The Champagne ages for a minimum of two years “sur lie” before disgorgement and is finished with a dosage of 11g/L. This produces a floral yet richly textured house style with a “bel canto” nature.
Chardonnay 65% & Pinot Noir 35%.
Domaine du Cros Marcillac Rosé 2021
Origin: Southwest, France
Retail: $15.95 | Sale: $14.36
The appellation of Marcillac is located in the western part of the Auvergne, nestled in the mountain range known as the Massif Central. The vineyards lie along steep slopes in a remote valley that offers a beneficial micro-climate. The valley draws warm and dry air from the Mediterranean during the summer and fall while also sheltering the vineyards from the harsh winters. The local grape of the area is Fer Servadou, locally called Mansois. In the local dialect, Occitan, it was called Saoumences, which is interesting because of the last part of the name being similar to Mencia, or the Spanish name for Cabernet Franc. In fact, the Cabernet Franc and Fer Servadou are both part of the Carmenere family of grape varieties. Domaine du Cros, with its 33 hectares, is the largest independent producer in the appellation and Philippe Teulier and his family have been instrumental in reestablishing the reputation of Marcillac’s wines. Philippe Teulier’s vines lie at elevations as high as 450 meters on a few different hillsides that surround the village of Clairvaux. Much of his vineyard is terraced and the soil is an iron rich clay known locally as “rougier” with outcroppings of limestone.
“Lo Sang del Pais” translates as “the blood of the countryside” and one can easily feel the life-force of this wine. They produce only a small amount of rosé every year. The wine is basically a rosé version of the red wine. The grape bunches are hand harvested and after being de-stemmed they are fed into fermentation tanks using gravity flow. After a day or two, some free run juice is drawn from several different tanks and assembled into a stainless-steel tank to ferment at a low temperature. It has a remarkably vibrant and bright color and aromas that are reminiscent of red fruits enhanced by iron and pepper.
100% Fer Servadou
Le Pas St Martin ‘Sous le Tilleul’ 2019
Origin: Loire, France
Retail: $16.95 | Sale: $15.26
Domaine du Pas Saint Martin is set among troglodyte caves formed out of ancient fossilized marine life that covered the Saumur region 10 million years ago. Laurent Charrier and his mother run the domaine which is a certified organic farm. Laurent’s father was not interested in producing wine and thus in 1994 when Laurent took over the responsibility of the domaine, he picked up where his grandfather had left off. He immediately set out to acquire certification for organic farming which he received in 1997.
‘Sous le Tilleul ‘ translates to ‘Under the Basswood Tree’ and is a direct press summer friendly wine, sometimes rose, this time approaching more of a red wine. Delicate and fresh ripe cherry and strawberry aromas are underlined by a full flavored and fresh finish.
100% Grolleau