Tasting Notes: In a good large glass (and not too, too cold), the wine has a limpid, rose gold color, like polished copper in candlelight, with flashes of bright vermillion. The nose opens gradu... ally, with delicate aromas of wild strawberries, ripe nectarines, orange blossoms, and bay leaf, that later meld into a mix of fresh and preserved fruits, including red currants, white peaches, and salted melon, along with fleeting suggestions of fresh butter, hazelnuts, and black tea. On the palate, the ripe stone fruit and red berry flavors are seasoned with mouth-watering pink sea salt minerality and muted suggestions of parsley, green mint, and ginger. Drink now–2028 (like fine Champagne Rosé, this one isn’t only for the summer after the harvest). Read More
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If you can keep up with Dominique Roger on a brisk climb through his immaculate, steep vineyards, you’ll learn a lot more about wine, and maybe find that you suddenly care a lot more about who grows it and where it comes from than you ever did before. Dominique manages Domaine du Carrou in Bué, one of the 14 communes in the Centre-Val de Loire that is located in the Sancerre appellation. Since the 17th century, 8 generations of the Roger family have produced wines in the Bué area of Sancerre, which is known for exceptional terroir and producing complex wines. Today, the estate consists of 11 hectares (27 acres) of vineyards, with 7.5 hectares (18.5 acres) planted to Sauvignon Blanc and 3.5 hectares (9 acres) planted to Pinot Noir. In the vineyards, Dominique takes care to respect the environment when working the soil, and he skillfully prunes the vines to allow the grapes to reach optimum maturity. After hand-harvesting, Dominique and his workers select clusters one by one to further ensure grape quality. All of these practices reflect Dominique’s motto: “Pas de grand vin sans raisins d’excellence,” or “There are no great wines without excellent grapes."
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The Loire River runs 635 miles from the Cévennes Mountains in southeastern France to the Atlantic Coast and flows through (or near) over 60 different appellations. During its long history, the hillsides along the banks provided well-drained soils on which to grow grapes, and the river itself provided a transportation network to outside markets. Before phylloxera destroyed the vineyards of Sancerre (on the left bank of the Loire, south of Orléans) in the late 19th Century, the best vineyards were reserved for Pinot Noir, while the white grape Chasselas, produced wines that often found itself shipped to Champagne for blending. After phylloxera, Sauvignon (blanc) proved most successful when grafted to American rootstock, and with a rising fashion for white wines, became the dominant variety in the region. The more ancient red wines of Sancerre were not even recognized by the AOC until 1959, with a restriction (only lifted in 1982) that limited Pinot to less favorable vineyard sites.
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The Pinot Noir grape is an ancient variety that has been grown for nearly two-thousand years in Burgundy, and is also famous for producing high-quality red wines around the world. This variety is known as being difficult to farm, due to its sensitivity to climatic conditions, such as wind and frost. The thin skins and tight conical grape bunches of Pinot Noir also make it susceptible to fungus and mildew. Some of the finest Pinot Noir wines are produced in cooler climate areas, and are characterized by a light body and complex aromas of earthiness and fruit.
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Goat cheeses, crudité, and butter-laced seafood preparations (Coquille St. Jacques!) work very well with this wine. Also try a simply roasted (well-farmed) chicken.