Summertime Values: White Wines From Gascony

This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

It’s summer and I live in DC. This means white wine. But I don’t want something merely cold and crisp, I want something interesting and food-friendly. White wines from the Gascony region of Southwest France frequently deliver in this department — and they’re cheap!

All of these wines come from the Bas-Armagnac region of Gascony, perhaps better known for its spirits than its dry white wines. But if you’re in the market for value-driven, refreshing white wines to serve with salads, seafood and patio parties, I’m not sure it gets much better than Gascony whites.

These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted. They all come from the portfolio of DC-based importer Robert Kacher.

2013 Domaine de Pouy Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne

SRP: $12
Clear lemon-lime color. Bursts of white peach, lime, lemon and flowers on the nose, some sea breeze elements. Grapefruit and white peach fruit on the palate. Tangy and bright with crisp acid, clean mountain river notes, mineral, sea shell Very crisp. Solid summer sipper for sure. 60% Ugni Blanc and 40% Colombard. (86 points)

2013 Domaine du Tariquet Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne Chardonnay - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne

SRP: $10
Medium gold colored. Bright on the nose, with margarita-like combination of salt and lime, also some sweet white flowers and orange zest. Bright, zippy acid, the buttery-creamy elements are very subtle. Green melon, green apple and lime fruit, all of it crunchy and tangy. Begs for shellfish and a patio overlooking the sea. (87 points)

2013 Domaine du Tariquet Sauvignon Blanc Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne

SRP: $10
Nose of white peach and grapefruit, some saline and mineral notes, sweet floral perfume. On the palate this is brisk and tangy with grapefruit and green apple fruit. Lean and fresh with some minerals, crushed shells and a hint of green onion. Easy-drinking, pleasant stuff. (86 points)

2013 Domaine du Tariquet Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne Chenin-Chardonnay - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne

SRP: $10
Aromas of white peach, wildflowers (with the green stems thrown in), this wine has an interesting mix of herbal and sweet fruit notes on the nose. Creamy body but the acid is solid. Some nice honey and juicy apricot, a bit of saline and mineral notes. Rides a nice line between a mineral-driven Chenin and an apple-driven Chardonnay. 11.5% alcohol, a blend of 75% Chenin Blanc and 25% Chardonnay. (86 points)

2012 Domaine du Tariquet Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne Classic - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne

SRP: $10
Medium straw color. Smells of green pears, green apples, some honeysuckle and baby’s breath. Clean, crisp and thirst-quenching on the palate, this wine has a pleasantly plump mouthfeel. I’m impressed with the depth of the fruit (green apple, pear, melon, kumquat) and the mineral and sea shell tones. A dose of honey and green herbs adds complexity. A lot of fun, a great picnic wine, but it’s also a very well-made wine with a long, mineral-laden finish. 45% Ugni Blanc, 35% Colombard, 10% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Gros Manseng. Crazy value. (87 points)

5 Wines Under $25

One of my favorite wine stores of all time is back up and running. Weygandt Wines in Washington DC's Cleveland Park neighborhood is re-launching with a great new selection of under $25 wines. They still have their classic offerings from Burgundy, Rhone and Germany, as well as an incredible selection of Austrian rieslings and gruner veltliner's from one of my all-time favorite producers, F.X. Pichler.

I stopped by the shop and tasted through five wines, all priced at less than $25. There is serious value out there in Old World wines, and I was impressed at how well these wines showed. The three pinots were all great, which is quite an achievement considering their low price point. Anyway, here are some notes... Cheers! Remember: drink well; drink cheap.

2008 Domaine des Cassagnoles Gros Manseng Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne (France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne)

this wine is made from 100 percent gros manseng. the color is very light straw. the nose shows grass, flowers and green pears. the palate shows fresh acidity and delicious, tangy lemon-lime flavors. at $12, this wine is a steal, and a no-brainer for scallops, light pastas or salads. (86 pts)

2009 Christophe Denizot Givry Domaine des Moirots (France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Givry)

i was surprised by the amount of funkiness on the nose. it's matched with bright red fruit as well, so it's interesting. the palate is bright with acid, it has a solid tannic structure. rich cherry fruit and a distinct iron note. this is a complex wine, but it's also straight up delicious and showing very well right now. this is a steal at $24. (90 pts) 

2009 Gerard & Pierre Morin Sancerre Rouge (France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre)

this pinot noir is really exciting, especially at $25. it's gorgeous purple in color, and the aromas are great: flowers, red currants, plums and just a little bit of loam. the palate is rich with red cherry fruit and dark chocolate, but the iron-like minerality and the fresh acid make this a balanced package. i really enjoyed it, and i think this wine could please pretty much any palate. (90 pts) 

2009 Gerard & Pierre Morin Sancerre Rouge Bellechaume (France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre)

this pinot noir was much richer in style. the nose was full of flowers and dark cherries. i really liked the silkiness of this wine, and the rich cherry and cranberry fruit. (88 pts) 

2010 L'Oustal Blanc (Isabel et Claude Fonquerle) Vin de France K (France, Vin de France) 

this 100 percent carignan is a gorgeous purple color in the glass. it smells like plum cake and blackberry sauce. the palate is really dense and rich. the alcohol shows a bit at 15%. there's a lot of sweet blackberries and milk chocolate on the palate. if you like fruit bomb syrahs, this wine is for you. (87 pts)

A Saturday of Wines

I spent a Saturday touring some wine shops in DC, sipping some, buying others. What a great way to spend a hot day.

Austrian Wines at Bell Wines

These wines were made by a religious order called the Society of St Leopold. Interesting wines. And one of the first times I've had a priest in full garb around while I'm sipping wine.

2009 Stift Klosterneuburg Wiener Nussberg Gemischter Satz - Austria, Wien
interesting white field blend. a bit light for my tastes, but some good zip to it. (80 pts.)

2008 Stift Klosterneuburg Riesling Franzhauser - Austria, Wien
a bit herbal on the nose. white peach kicks in on the palate. nice and zesty. (86 pts.)

2008 Stift Klosterneuburg Weissburgunder Jungherrn - Austria, Wien
i liked this pinot blanc the best of the bunch. fresh and floral on the nose. good, creamy body with golden apple. zesty as well. (87 pts.)

2006 Stift Klosterneuburg Escorial - Austria, Niederösterreich
st. laurent, some cab, and some other red varieties. the nose is lively and light with dherries, raspberries. the palate is fresh, tangy. good raspberry and rhubarb. (85 pts.)

2006 Stift Klosterneuburg Chorus - Austria, Niederösterreich
plush, showing more cab flavors and textures: currants, velvety tannins. this is like a california cabernet but with a bit more acid. (86 pts.)

2006 Stift Klosterneuburg St. Laurent Barrique - Austria, Niederösterreich
vibrant fruit, but for me the oak was a bit too much. (84 pts.)


MacArthur's

Nothing's better than good Chablis on a hot day.

2009 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Domaine Sainte Claire - France, Burgundy, Chablis
lovely, vibrant chablis with minerals and lemons on the nose. rich, golden fruit on the palate, but still great acid. i love the creamy fruit of the 09 vintage maybe more than others, and this is a great example of that at a great price of $20. (89 pts.)

2008 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis 1er Cru Quintessence de la Rive Droit du Serein - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
this was a lot zestier, showing the lively acid and brightness of the 08 vintage. nose of flowers, limes and salt, almost like a fresh margarita. from the first sip to the finish, this wine has linear acid, a ton of minerals and bright citrus fruit. great finish. (90 pts.)

2008 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
what a spectacular young chablis. the nose is vibrant with flowers and lemons, creamy whipped butter, pears. the palate is intense. lots of powerful citrus, pears, nectarine, razor-like acid, just a bit of toast. gorgeous. (92 pts.)

2008 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
orange blossoms on the nose, lemons, hint of hazelnut. the nose on this is bigger and richer than the 08 les clos. creamy palate, intense richness, ripping acid. smoked nuts and minerals on the finish. a gorgeous wine that has years of complexity to gain. (93 pts.)


Weygandt Wines

Last stop on the trip was Weygandt Wines for some whites and roses.

2010 Domaine des Cassagnoles Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne
this is a wine to buy for summer by the case. lemon peel, saline on the nose, minerals as well. i got some nectarine fruit and peach pits, creamy fruit to stand up to the zesty acid and rush of minerals. what a great buy fo $9! (88 pts.)

2010 Domaine des Cassagnoles Sauvignon Blanc Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne - France, Southwest France, Gascony, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne
if i tasted this blind, i would have guessed this as a new zealand sauvignon blanc. grassy and grapefruity nose. creamy guava fruit on the palate with a streak of lively acid. not complex, but a great summer wine. (87 pts.)

2010 Domaine Duseigneur Lirac Rosé - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Lirac
bright pink. tons of strawberries on the nose, strawberry shortcake. rich cherries on the palate, there's almost a bit of unerripe strawberry. a bit bitter on the midpalate and short on the finish but still interesting. (84 pts.)

2010 Château des Baumelles Bandol Rosé - France, Provence, Bandol
light pink color. the nose shows lighter fruit, limes and grapefruits. the palate is a lot richer, with juicy white cherries. i got a flaor of tangerine rind, some rhubarb. really interesting rose with some unique elements. (88 pts.)

2010 La Bastide Blanche Bandol Rosé - France, Provence, Bandol
i always love this bandol rose, and this year is no exception. the nose is really intense, showing vibrant strawberries, plump cherries. really clean fruit. some soft tannins, a bit of caramel as well. this is what i look for in a rose. (89 pts.)