SUNDAY SCHOOL’S WINE BUYING GUIDE: WESTERN FRANCE

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

The regions we cover in Western France are Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Southwest France and Languedoc- Roussillon. If you want one or two, here are our top suggestions:

LOIRE VALLEY MUSCADET • these shouldn’t be much more than $15-20. • pronounced “muss-kuh-day.” Don’t be afraid, these are unrelated to the often-sweet wine Muscat.

ANY RED FROM SOUTH WEST FRANCE • these should also not be much more than $15-20. • in particular, look for appellations Marcillac, Gaillac, Fronton, Cahors, Madiran.

Want to buy more, or switch it up? These are great options as well:

LOIRE VALLEY CABERNET FRANC • look for the appellations Bourgueil or Chinon.

BORDEAUX RED • maybe you have one of these sitting around in your basement, crack that baby!

ANYTHING FROM LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON • bonus points if it’s actually from Roussillon; look for Côtes Catalanes or Côtes du Roussillon on the label

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

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

LOIRE VALLEY MUSCADET • these are great value; usually around $15. • pronounced “musk-uh-day”. • don’t be afraid: these are unrelated to the usually sweet Muscat (they are actually made from Melon de Bourgogne). • usually bone-dry, super minerally, full of acid and the quintessential pairing for oysters and mussels frites.

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LOIRE VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC • this is where the most famous Sauvignon Blancs in the world live! • nothing like their New Zealand counterparts, these are flinty, crisp, steely, and taste more like rocks than they do tropical fruit and cat pee (yes, that’s a real thing). • look for the appellations Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumè for the most esteemed examples. • or for better value look for Cotes de Giennois, Menetou-Salon, Quincy, or Reuilly.

LOIRE VALLEY CHENIN BLANC • this is where the most famous Chenin Blancs in the world live! (I’m seeing a theme.) • these are full-bodied, oily, often taste of pineapple, and are commonly seen in sweet and sparkling forms as well. • look for Savennières (always dry, but sometimes oxidized in style, i.e. nutty and golden in color), Jasnières (usually very dry but can be sweet), or Vouvray for the most famous, or Anjou or Saumur for better value. • look for “sec” on the label to tell you the wine is dry; “demi-sec” means it will be sweeter. • lookout for the sweet-wine appellations: Coteaux du Layon, Bonnezeaux, Coteaux de L’Aubance, and Quarts de Chaume. (Delicious, but you’ll need to pair with some chess pie or honey and cheese.)

LOIRE VALLEY CABERNET FRANC • remember “franc” rhymes with “honk,” not Frank. • a typical Loire Valley Cab Franc has characteristic “vegetal notes” meaning it tastes like green things: bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, and underripe (green) fruit. One that has these characteristics will give you the full, classic Cab Franc effect. • look for the sub-regions Chinon and Bourgueil in particular. Also, Anjou, Saumur, and Touraine wines are often Cab Franc (though other grapes might be blended in as well).

RED BORDEAUX • these are blends of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (with small amount of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot). • Bordeaux are differentiated by left bank and right bank (in reference to what side of the river they are on) • left bank Bordeaux are primarily Cab Sauv (more expensive and serious and age-worthy) while right bank Bordeaux are mostly Merlot (softer, rounder, less expensive, drink sooner). • less-expensive Bordeaux ($15-20) usually have more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon, are less astringent/tannic and often seem fruitier. • look for the appellations Montagne Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Côtes de Bourg, or Fronsac.

ANY RED FROM SOUTH WEST FRANCE • these are great value – usually between $15-20 and the variety of wines is endless. • for a Bordeaux-like wine without the Bordeaux-like price, go for Cahors, Coteaux du Quercy or Bergerac. • for something more out of the box look for these:

2 o Marcillac – made from the grape Fer Servadou; if Pinot Noir lived in a barn and didn’t take a shower for a few years. Light, funky, and “poopy” (or rustic, if you want to be nice about it). o Fronton – made from the grape Negrette; they are said to taste like violets and onions. Full- bodied, black fruit, wild and feral. o Madiran – mostly made from the grape Tannat, these will stain your teeth. Inky and tannic. Good wines for the fireside. o Gaillac – the options here abound. Reds and whites. They do just about everything. Find anything and just try it! o Irouleguy – France’s only Basque wine region. These reds are deep, dark, and tannic. Their rosés are deep in flavor as well and are particularly underrated.

SOMETHING FROM LANGUEDOC • there is a lot of junk produced in Languedoc (pronounced Long-uh-dock), but good wines can be found. If you like Côtes du Rhônes try something from the Languedoc hills… • especially look for these appellations: Corbières, St. Chinian, Costières de Nîmes, or Fitou, or my favorite, Faugères (these are on the earthier, less fruity side and often taste of wild herbs or “garrigue”, which refers to the scrubby grassland in the area). • for a banging white look for Picpoul de Pinet. These super zingy, high in acid, mineral-driven and perfect for summertime porch-drinking.

ANYTHING FROM ROUSSILLON • if you can find a wine from Roussillon (and not Languedoc, often these are lumped together) try it! They are harder to stumble upon and are often a bit pricier, but they are worth it. • for a Roussillon wine, look for Côtes du Roussillon or Côtes Catalanes on the label.

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).

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