While observing the elegant appearance and the green tones of this wine, I think of the name of this fine wine produced in the Terre d’Argence. It refers to silvery shimmer of alders’ and olives’ leaves moved by the Mistral wind. This wine tasting reveals a generous, mineral and elegant wine. One of Robert Parker’s favourite.

 A lovely white gold with sun reflections and transparent and shiny appearance..

toasts of green tapenade (en guise d'apéritif)
Cod brandade
Goat cheese
exotic fruit salad (mango, ananas, papaya)

 This white wine is classified as a “Vin de Pays du Gard”. The vineyards are located between the southern regions of Rhône and Camargue. The soil is mostly composed of pebbles of sandstones that allow the ground to absorb the sunrays during the day and free them during the night to preserve the freshness and the purity of grapes. The Mistral wind blows on the vines for one third of the year and it assure a natural purification of the vineyards, reducing the need for sanitary treatments.  

« Pessac-Léognan is one of my favourites denomina- tion. This little château is every bit as good as big wi- neries for the quality of its wine. Its vintage 2009 stands out for its nice balance, boldness and lightness. And it will improve even more with ageing. Will you reco- gnize the delicate aromas of redcurrant that I have iden- tified? »

 Light purple colour with violet reflections.

Rabbit terrine
Veal flank with carrots

Pont-l’évêque cheese

Chocolate cake

 The Mancèdre winery extends for 11 hectares on the east side of Pessac-Léognan. The vineyard flourishes on a soil made of gravels coming from the Pyrenees. Gravels give strength and lightness to wine. Grapevines also benefit from an excellent hydric regulation and natural poverty of soil, elements necessary to obtain ripened and concentred grapes. 

«Sunny days are coming, and I really wanted you to taste a nice rosé, fresh, fruity and light. One that would be perfect for the first pre-dinner drinks with your friends! I finally found this rosé from the Valensac domain, and I really enjoyed its nose full of strawberry and white flowers aromas. Without too much alcohol, this cuvee is perfect both for pre-dinner drinks and for summer dinners. »

 Light salmon pink robe with pale pink reflections.

Mexican salad
Sausages

Goat cheese

Strawberry ice cream

 This property is located in the center of the Languedoc- Roussillon region, very close to the editerranean sea. It benefits from the maritime influence, and that enables soils to be fresh despite the high temperatures during summer. 

Full-bodied and heady, this wine is rather manly. That’s how the wines from Vacqueyras are! I really enjoyed the fact that its texture is so smooth and that it lasts for so long in the mouth after you swallowed it. You will remember these flavours for a pretty long time! 

 Deep ruby red colour, colourful tears..

Brioche sausage roll
Cassoulet
Banon cheese
Chocolate éclairs

 The vines are planted on quite a poor soil, made of clay and limestone mixed with pebbles. When it comes to vines, a poor soil is not necessarily a problem because it stresses the vines that therefore grow its roots deeper into the ground to find nutrients. And a vine that has to work more produces better grapes! 

This wine is perfect for a charcuterie board shared with friends on a summer night. This nice wine from Gaillac, made according to the principles of sustainable agriculture, displays complex aromas of cinnamon, gingerbread and red berries. On the palate, its creamy texture and its soft tannins show that it is a refined yet powerful wine.  

 Garnet colour in the thick tears. .

Saucisson
Bayonne ham
Saint-Albray cheese
Poached prunes with rum

 The Domaine de la Chanade is located on the plateau Cordais, north of the Gaillac appellation. The vines are planted on southern exposed hillsides. Thus, the grapes spend more time in the sunlight which ensures a high level of concentration in sugars. This is why the wines of Domaine de la Chanade are so rich! 

This Côtes-du-Rhône’s purple flashy colour suggests that the wine will be fresh and lively. On the palate, the wine is indeed lively and comes along with soft melted tannins that enhance the explosive aromas of flowers and red berries. Just after swallowing, pay attention to the remarkable length of that wine and take the time to appreciate the nice spicy aftertaste. If you enjoy refined wines, this bottle is for you ! 

 A beautiful purplish red and shiny dress..

Chicken liver salad
Grilled steak
Saint-Félicien cheese
Red wine poached pears

 Domaine de l’Olivier is made of 48 hectares of old vines planted on hillsides. The old vines especially enjoy these slopes and their southern exposure. Moreover, the soil is made of clay which gives more complexity to the wine. However, old vines exposed south could give wines that lack of freshness, which is not the case thanks to the strong wind that constantly blows on the grapes. 

Based in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Ogier is a major winery of the southern Rhône Valley. Through the years, they developed strong connections with the best winegrowers in the area. Therefore, they are able to get the best grapes ! You might remember we already presented the white version of Artesis. I am very glad to present you this month Artesis red which displays nice aromas of blackcurrant and garrigue. The softness on the palate is particularly flattering.  

 A limpid garnet dress..

Ham bruschettas
Spaghetti bolognese
Tomme cheese
Strawberry salad

 Grapes used in order to elaborate Artesis 2015 were selected on two main parcels: one is located in the Aigues Valley where the soil is made from sandstone and limestone, and the other on the rocky plateau of Plan de Dieu and its big pebbles. These soils gave different level of maturity to grapes, and blending those allowed the winemaking team to reach the perfect balance between ripeness and freshness. 

A beautiful wine that pays tribute to Syrah, a grape variety I particularly like. It reminds me of my years spent at La Tour d’Argent where I had fun to pair this grape variety with different duck recipes. This wine, with the aromas of jammed fruit and the typical peppery nuances of the syrah, will sublimate a roasted duckling. A match that you’ll not forget ! 

 A beautiful cherry dress with thick tears..

Patanegra ham
Roasted duckling
Beaufort
Cherry pie

 Crozes-Hermitage is a wind-swept place. The vine, dry and ventilated by the wind, is thus better protected from certain diseases. Moreover, when it comes from the north, the Rhone wind brings a nice freshness allowing the vine to reach peaks of sugar richness while keeping good acidity balance. 

The south of Burgundy has long been underestimated because no Grands Crus were located there. The truth is that some amazing terroirs lie there and the little bonus of sun they get around Chalon gives a quite persistent version of pinot noir. Mercurey is doubtlessly one of the best appellation in this area ! 

 A beautiful ruby dress with thick tears..

Swordfish salad with herbs
Roasted quail and spring vegetables
Beaufort
Strawberry pie

 The vineyard of Mercurey enjoys a very special terroir because it lays on a rugged relief punctuated by small hills alternating gentle and severe slopes.This type of relief gives grapes that have benefited from various sun exposures. Therefore, the final blend will display a larger spectrum of aromas, hence a higher level of complexity. 

Patache d'Aux is a classic Medoc that goes through the years with a unique and constant style that regularly earns the distinction of Cru Bourgeois. The garnet robe with thick tears offers smoky, tobacco and roasting aromas, then leather notes gives way to plum and blackcurrant. In the mouth, the tannins are melted and the wine is persistent. One of my must-haves ! 

 A garnet robe with thick tears..

Venison soup
Deer fillet with red wine
Saint Nectaire cheese
Crispy dark chocolate millefeuille

 The terroir of Château Patache d'Aux is essentially composed of clay, limestone and gravels. This stony terroir is particularly filtering and can accumulate heat to restore it to the vine and helps the ripening of its berries. 

Second wines from Bordeaux renowned Chateaux are often an opportunity to feel the same king of sensation but for a far more affordable price ! However, the vines and therefore the grapes take advantage from the same skills and the terroir are often quite similar, which allow sometimes the second wine to be more looked for than the chateaux. Liversan is a good example of that : its second wine really is not so different from the Chateau itself. 

 A grenat robe with viscous tears and marked intensity..

Beef stew
Grilled mushrooms
Salers
Chocolate fondant

 Haut-Médoc is on Bordeaux left bank and is known for its famous villages as Margaux or Pauillac. This appellation only produces red wines on pebbles called graves that thanks to the warmth they keep from daylight help the grapes to ripen and grow strong yet silky tannins.  

“ Sophie Giraudin considers Les Terrassettes as “the cuvee for my friends”. It’s the most important and representative between all her wines. This tipple is light and complex at the same time, and this is what I love most. It’s rare to find a quality carignan, however, when they are well made, they are simply wonderful!”

 Garnet colour, deeply shining with many purple reflections.

Italians bruschette 
Pizza napoletana/p>

Soft Goat Cheese

Fresh Fig cake

 Vineyards are situated in the heart of the Corbière denomination and they grow on clayey-limestone and silt-laden soil. Silts are granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay and they occur as soil on a surface water body. Silts are very beneficial for soil’s fertility. Finally, the name of this wine comes from its terraced vineyards. 

« For several years, wines coming from the Pays d’Oc have suffered from a bad image, but their image has now been cleaned-up and they deserve it! While tasting this cuvee, you will directly feel its aromas of flowers and white fruits that will surely please you. This cuvee has just been bottled: you will therefore be among the first ones to taste it, so enjoy! »

 The robe is translucent with light green reflections. This indicates that the wine is young.

Anchovies
Trout with almonds

Tomme cheese

Exotic fruits panacotta

 The Domaine de Cabriac is located at the foot of the Mont Alaric, in the Corbières region. Its vineyards are already twenty years old: they start producing fewer grapes, but the wines produced are more concentrated and intense. Over the years, the vineyards developed their roots that now go deeper in the soils to find nutrients. Who said that getting old was bad? 

This wine is a real bodybuilder: rich, powerful and full-bodied! Its licorice and mint flavours are sharp, and the structure is dense and vinous. This wine fits perfectly with exotic and spicy food. It has good aging potential,while being friendly to taste young. Moreover, it will give you the opportunity to discover or rediscover the talents of Michel Rolland, a very talented (and sometimes controversial!) winemakerfrom Bordeaux. 

 Robe opaque black, with blue-violet reflections..

Bayonne ham
Boeuf Bourguignon
Langres cheese
A plate of blackberries, strawberries and blueberries

 Did you know that Mendoza is the most important wine region in Argentina? With 150,000 hectares of vineyards, Mendoza is one of the most important viticulture areas in the world. Michel Rolland’s vineyards are locatedat 1200 meters of altitude, in the Uco Valley. span> 

I selected this wine from Domaine Jean-Maurice Raffault because even if it was just bottled as it is the 2014 vintage, it already shows a lot of richness. Its aromas of strawberry and spices are typical of the Loire Valley, but the aromas of banana are more unexpected. Having fun with wine by being surprised is something I love. To enjoy the wine even more, pair it with a tripe sausage or a camembert cheese. 

 Ruby colour with raspberry reflections..

Tripe sausage
Ratatouille
Camembert cheese
Pears poached in spicy red wine

 The town of Chinon is located on the banks of the Vienne River in Indre-et-Loire. The vineyards of Chinon are located in a really unique microclimate that reminds some places around the Mediterranean Sea. The soil consists almost entirely of erosional scree and gravels on top of rather hard limestone. 

You do not even need to pour the first glass to experience this wine. Immediatly after opening the bottle, you can already smell the powerful ripened fruits aromas exhaling in the room. On the palate, it’s an ecstasy. You will certainly notice this incredibly soft texture that glides over the tongue. These concentrated and powerful wines are the new signature of the Languedoc region. This is the perfect wine for a Christmas turkey served with cranberry sauce. 

 A garnet dress with a smooth tear..

Pieds paquets
Beef stew
Cabécou cheese
Pannacotta

 In the hills behind the Mediterranean Sea coast, Mas Onésime’s vines are planted on schist based soils. This specific kind of soils allows vines’ roots to go particularly deep in the ground in order to find their water and nutrients. It’s a real perk in such a dry region as Languedoc! 

This Brouilly impressed me with its refinement and power. The uncommon nose starts the party with nice aromas of fruits and peonies. On the palate, you will feel again this deep intensity along with minerality, this salty like impression that characterizes the best Brouilly, the most famous of the ten “Cru” of the Beaujolais region. 

 A beautifull cherry dress with thick tears..

Ham in Port cream sauce
Lengua in Mushroom Sauce
Saint-Marcellin
Raspberries with whipped cream

 Domaine des Cadoles’ three hectares are planted on a granitic soil. The main characteristic of granitic soils is that it has strong filtering properties and therefore let the water gets deep taking on the way nutrients away from the roots. So it submits the vines to a high level of water stress. It’s a good thing for gamay as its lazy variety has to be challenged to reveal its full potential. 

Château l’Evêché is ruled by skilled people ! Indeed, we already chose for My VitiBox their Bordeaux Supérieur and their first Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. There is their second Grand Cru that impressed us. Tannins are fine, the aromatic structure is very elegant and we get magnificent scents of ripen black berries, typical from high class merlots. On the palate, you will also find fine tastes of liquorice and hints of chocolate. 

 A purplish red dress with viscous tears..

Gazpacho
Roasted lamb
Burrata cheese
Chocolate tart

 The vines used to elaborate La Chapelle-Lescours are planted on a soil made of fine clay and large heavy round pebbles called graves. This kind of soil perfectly regulates the water supply to make sure vine stocks get all the nutrients they need but are not flooded which could result in diluted wines. 

Light and subtle, this Touraine wine has an enchanting nose that reveals notes of red fruits and noble vegetal flavours. On the palate, the wine is fresh and displays nice crisp and juicy red berries aromas. There is just enough tannin to give to the wine structure and length. 

 A beautiful cherry dress with thick tears..

Rabbit Terrine
Veal Axoa
Brie
Honey fried figs

 Located between Tours and Blois, the appellation benefits from the oceanic influence on its western side and the continental climate on its eastern side. The vines are planted on clay, the signature soil in Touraine, mixed with sand and flint. The soil warms up quickly which favours the ripening of the grape varieties.