sign in sign up
<<
Home , Burgundy, Provence

SUNDAY SCHOOL’S WINE BUYING GUIDE: EASTERN

______

JOINING US FOR THE CLASS? HERE’S THE QUICK GUIDE:

The regions we cover in Eastern France are , , , Jura, Savoie, Rhône and .

Here are our top suggestions to get the most out of the class. Shop for one, two, or all three:

WHITE ALSATIAN BLEND • cool-climate aromatic wines similar to those found over the border in . • The blends will say Edelzwicker (pronounced “Eh-duhl-zvicker”) or Gentil on the label. • while it is common to find sweet wines from Alsace, these blends (mentioned above) are always dry and are usually great value (around or under $20).

ANYTHING FROM SAVOIE • these are great value wines, usually between $15-$20. • most of the grapes are unique to Savoie. Look for white grapes Jacquère or Altesse (aka Roussette), or the red grape Mondeuse. • sometimes you will see the village name on the label instead of the grape. Common ones are Jongieux, Abymes, Apremont, Arbin, or Chignin. • don’t stress too much about all these details. Basically, if the bottle has a flag with a white cross on a red background on it, you’ll know it’s from Savoie (they share the flag with their neighbor ). It’ll be good. Get it.

ANYTHING FROM JURA • if you’re willing to splurge look for anything labeled Côtes du Jura, red or white. • reds will be made from Poulsard, , or Trousseau (or a blend of all three); whites are made from either or Savignin. These wines are very unique and will open up beautifully over the course of a couple days. • these are usually above $30.

If in doubt, bring this list into your local bottle shop and be open to their suggestions (suggested Portland wine stores listed at the end of this guide)! Feel free to shoot us an email with questions or other suggestions. Happy shopping!

______

WANT TO DIG DEEPER? HERE’S THE FULL-ON GUIDE:

©Sunday School LLC sundayschoolwine.com

CHAMPAGNE • remember that only true Champagne comes from Champagne, France, and can only be labelled as such (there are a couple of loophole exceptions in California— Korbel, Cook’s, André—who were allowed to keep the name—it’s weird, I know). • there is nothing like real Champagne. But it’s not cheap. Think $40 at the bare minimum. • for a more budget-friendly version, look for anything with the word “Crémant,” (e.g., “Crémant d’Alsace” or “Crémant d’Loire”). • The word “Crémant” tells you that it’s a , from France, made the same way as champagne, but not from the region of Champagne.

ANYTHING FROM BURGUNDY • Pinot Noir/Chardonnay central, with quality and price ranging from mediocre to off the charts (it gets complicated very quickly—this is one region where a knowledgeable bottle shop is helpful)...or join our Pinot Noir class (next one: May 24) for a Burgundy lesson. ;) • For a base level Burgundy, look for one labelled Bourgogne Rouge or Bougogne Blanc (the name of the catch-all appellation). These certainly won’t due justice to amazingness of Burgundy, but they are solid wines and much gentler on your pocket book (think $20-30).

CHABLIS • this is a appellation in Burgundy, but the wines are distinct from the rest of Burgundian whites. • they are made from Chardonnay but are about as opposite as you can get from your grandma’s buttery- oaky California Chard. Instead, they are light, sharp, citrus-y, and often taste like you’re licking rocks. Try one for a totally different take on Chardonnay.

RED FROM NORTHERN RHÔNE • all reds from Northern Rhône will be . Expect a meaty-white peppery-sweaty-gym socks version of Syrah. They are usually pretty pricey from these regions, but worth it. The fanciest are from the appellations Cornas, Hermitage, and Côte Rôtie. Look for appellations St. Joseph or Crozes-Hermitage for one tier down in price. • better yet, look for one labelled Collines Rhodaniennes—this is the catch-all (IGP) Northern Rhône appellation and a great intro to Northern Rhône Syrah at a more budget-friendly price (think under $30).

RED FROM SOUTHERN RHÔNE • Southern Rhône reds are blends of mostly , Syrah, Mouvèdre (often referred to as GSM blends). Most of it is basic and labelled Côtes du Rhônes. You can probably find one of these at any regular ol’ grocery store. They can be hit and miss, but the price will often make up for it.

• for something a bit nicer look for a Côtes du Rhônes Villages. It will say this on the label, along with the name of the actual village after it. S • for something even fancier, try Southern Rhône‘s most famous wine: Chateauneuf-du-Pape, a blend of up to 13 different grapes, resulting in hearty, age-worthy and complex wines. Or try one of its baby brothers: Gigondas, Vacqueras, Lirac.

A WHITE FROM RHÔNE

©Sunday School LLC sundayschoolwine.com • whites from the Rhône Valley (both north and south) are typically blends of , Roussane, and Viognier. They are fuller-bodied, fruity and floral and often leave an oily-ness in your mouth, like beeswax or honey. Try one of these if you want a white with a big, rich flavor-punch.

A FROM PROVENCE • Provençal rosé is the worldwide standard-bearer for rosé. Not that they are always the best, but they helped rosé soar into popularity. They are distinctly pale-salmon in color and are known for their bright, stone fruit-y, herbaceous flavor. Think peaches, thyme, rose, and citrus. • There are lots of these around. Look for Coteaux Varois or Coteaux d’Aix en Provence on the label.

A RED FROM PROVENCE • for a real splurge, find yourself a . These are big, meaty, wild wines made from Mouvèdre. They are known for pairing with lamb. They can be quite pricey, but they’re worth it! Grill some lamb with some Provençal herb mixture and try out this classic pairing. Don’t forget to decant it for an hour or so before drinking. (You don’t have to be fancy, a big mason jar or jug will do fine.) • Bonus!! Look for a Bandol rosé. These are usually around $25-30 and are some of the best rosés you’ll ever find. For real.

If you’re in Portland, check out these wine shops for a diverse selection of French wines: Baldwin’s (Lake Oswego), Park Avenue Wines (Downtown), Division Wines (SE Division), Mom & Pop Wine Shop (NE Sandy), Great Wine Buys (NE Broadway), 1856 Beer Wine Cider (NE Prescott).

Happy exploring!! Mallory & Martin

©Sunday School LLC sundayschoolwine.com