French Summer White Wines

View this email in your browser Green’s has selected 7 wines made from 9 different grape varieties made to enjoy during the hot weather.

GA WINE NEWS - JULY 2014

FRENCH SUMMER WHITE WINES

Summer calls for an entirely different style of wine than the rest of the year. Instead of the heavy, powerful wines that accompany the cuisine of cooler weather, try something light and refreshing. We’ve found several all from France that quaff a thirst and match lighter foods too. Summertime is also a great time of the year to experiment. Throw off the Chardonnay shackles. Wine lovers of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but ponderous over-oaked white wine. By golly, try a cool refreshing Roussanne. How about a crisp Sauvignon Blanc from Loire Valley or Bordeaux? Amaze your friends with a Cotes du Rhone Blanc. There are so many styles of wine out there that it seems a shame to concentrate on one or two types, no matter how delicious they are. Green’s has selected 7 wines made from 9 different grape varieties made to enjoy during the hot weather. All were picked for their ability to refresh and entertain. -Green’s Wine Buyer

*All wines featured in this email qualify for a 10% Discount on 12 Bottle Cases (Mixed or Solid) and a 5% Discount on 6 Bottle Cases (Mixed or Solid)

Domaine du Vieux Chene Cotes du Rhone Villages Blanc Cuvee des Seigneurs 2013 Green’s Cash Sale Price:

(Organically Grown Fruit) Made in equal parts from the 3 most famous white grape varieties of the Rhone Valley, Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne, this wine would sell for 2-3 times as much if sourced from California. Honeysuckle and pears all spring from the glass as one smells its exotic aroma. A rich, slightly viscous texture greets you upon tasting. This lively wine possesses excellent fruit that is framed by refreshing acidity and a bare nuance of oak. I can’t think of a more versatile dry white wine for summertime drinking. Vallée Coquette Vouvray Demi Sec 2012 Green’s Cash Price:

100% Chenin Blanc, Vouvray is one of the best known wines of the Loire. This is the classic style, made with just a touch of sweetness; I would classify it as medium-dry. It has a ripe fruit aroma and displays mouth ﬁlling fruit in the taste. A delicious thirst-quencher, serve alone or with fruit and cheeses. Excellent with oriental cuisine, it is particularly good with spicy Thai dishes.

Chat. Rauzan Despagne Bordeaux Blanc 2013 Green’s Cash Sale Price:

2013 has turned out to be a fantastic vintage for white Bordeaux. The red wines, not so much. This blend of 34% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Semillon, and 33% Muscadelle is sourced from the Entre-Deux-Mers district of Bordeaux. No barrel aging here, it’s all fermented and raised in stainless steel tanks. Citrus fruits and a hint of bell pepper in the aroma, this white Bordeaux displays amazingly rich fruit concentrated ﬂavor, yet with just enough acidity to keep everything lively and refreshing in the aftertaste. Perrier Chignin Bergeron Vin de Savoie 2012 Green’s Cash Sale Price:

And now it’s time for something completely different…made in the French Alps from Roussanne (locally called Bergeron) this grape is traditionally a Rhone Valley variety, but I can attest, it makes spectacular wine here too. Possesses a very aromatic bouquet of ﬂowers and honey, the dry ﬂavor has a very expressive fresh apricot character. Refreshing and well-balanced, the Savoie version of Roussanne seems to have more acidity than when grown in the Rhone Valley.

Koenig Riesling 2012 Green’s Cash Sale Price:

A classic dry Riesling from Alsace, there are hints of smoke and granny apple on the bouquet and in the ﬂavor. Crisp on the palate with bright refreshing acidity, this is dry Riesling at its best.

Gueneau Sancerre Le Clos Chartier 2013 Green’s Cash Sale Price: If there is a benchmark for Sauvignon Blanc, it is Sancerre. Flinty and minerally, it possesses rich gooseberry-like fruit qualities that combine with racy acidity. It is a wine best enjoyed in its youth, while fresh and exuberant. There is only one bad thing about Sancerre. It is too popular, which has pushed its price up over the years, usually averaging around $25-$30 today. I can’t tell you how delighted I was to stumble upon this property four years ago. Consistent quality and it’s an absolute steal!

Domaine Les Froids Pouilly Fume 2013 Green’s Cash Sale Price:

Sancerre’s fraternal twin, Pouilly Fume, is made just across the Loire River from the same grape, Sauvignon Blanc. Wine connoisseurs have debated endlessly which is better. Quite frankly, I can’t make up my mind. Gooseberry, citrus and white fruits in the bouquet, the ﬂavor possesses good fruit concentration. Still, it has that wonderful balance you ﬁnd in its brother, Sancerre. My suggestion to you is to buy both and make up your own mind!

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