A couple of splendid French whites, from the north-east (Alsace) and the south-west (Gaillac).

 A couple of splendid French whites, from the north-east (Alsace) and the south-west (Gaillac).

Laurent Cazottes “Adèle” Vin de France 2018, 14.5%

€19.95  64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Adèle blanc is 100% Mauzac rose, an indigenous grape from the Gaillac region. where you'll find Domaine Laurent Cazottes. Husband and wife team, Laurent and Marina, are known for making exceptional, artisan eau de vie from various fruits they organically farm. They also make gorgeous wine from old vine Gaillac grape varieties: Mauzac, Braucol and Duras. Their wine, like their eau de vie, is certified organic and treated with great care. Highly Recommended.

Adèle’s colour is more orange than gold. Aromas hint of ripe apples. Lively, and complex, on the rich and rounded palate, intense white fruit flavours (pear, apple), with a fine acidity too, all the way through to the warming (sherry like) finish. Should be versatile at the table. Think I’d start with free range pork (preferably Woodside Farm) with apple sauce, followed by Tarte Tatin.

I think I’d like to have Cazottes as neighbours. In addition to the wines, they also cultivates 600 “Williams” pear trees, no less than “1300 truffle oaks for the melano sporum truffle, 1000 saffron bulbs, oil from our sunflower, bread wheat, barley, black oats, sparse hay, aromatic plants for the production of floral waters and essential oils." Everything is in organic farming, the Cazottes estate is certified by "Nature et Progrès”.

Domaine de l’Achillée Riesling Alsace (AOP) 2016, 12%, €27.95 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Colour of this organic Alsace Riesling is a lovely light gold, quite bright. Aromas are rather intense with lime leading the way, a slight background note of diesel. Quite a presence on the palate, superb flavours of grapefruit and lime, a terrific acidity too and the harmony holds all the way through the persistent finish. Highly Recommended

The label suggests serving at 12 degrees. Don’t put it in the fridge, rather leave it outside the back door these Autumn evenings! They say it is perfect with seafood and raw vegetables. Excellent with all dishes based on white meat and fish, preferably freshwater. Try it with baked trout.

Domaine de L’Achillée is an Alsace winery, situated less than an hour south-west of Strasbourg. The Dietrich family have farmed the land here since 1600. These days they concentrate on grapes and other fruits and have been organic since 1999.

In 2016, the two sons of Yves Dietrich, Jean and Pierre, joined the adventure to give it a big boost, to become independent. Quickly accompanied by an equally passionate team, they built together a straw winery where they now vinify the fruits of the family estate. Apparently, the heavily compacted straw bales are more fire-proof than the iron frame that supports them. Their website says this is the largest straw building in Europe.

Top Co-ops Come Up With Little Beauties

Top Co-ops Come Up With Little Beauties

Once upon a time, the word cooperative was frowned on by wine importers. But, in recent decades, many coops have favoured quality over quantity. Importers, such as Kilkenny's Le Caveau, have long been among those who go off the beaten track in search out the good stuff. Below, we have two very good ones indeed.

Labastide “Terrane” Terres du Tarn (IGP) 2017, 12%,

€13.45 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny 

Located in the heart of the historic Gaillac vineyards, the Cave de Labastide was founded in 1949. Today it is the oldest cellar of the Gaillac appellation. It is made up of about a hundred cooperative winegrowers with an area of around 1,000 hectares of vines.

Colour is mid to dark ruby. Lovely red fruit on nose and on the palate. It is hard to fault this one. Much smoother than expected, slight spice, well made everyday easy-drinking wine. I’d say many a lunch in the area has been polished off with a carafe of this one, obviously an excellent house wine (yet another one!) on the Le Caveau list. Highly Recommended.

You may be wondering about the little known grape varieties that have been used here: it is a blend of indigenous varieties Braucoul (Fer Servadou) and Duras. The former contributes perfumed blackcurrant fruit while the Duras is peppery and structured.

So, enjoy it with your lunch or dinner or just a simple honest baguette with some fresh cheese on the side. Should go well too with charcuterie. Also as an aperitif though perhaps chill it a little if the summer is good!

Madregale Terre di Chetti Bianco (IGP) 2018, 12% abv, €11.95 at NeighbourFood Cork

Also at 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny 

Spritzer with Chambord

This white wine is obtained from a blend of Chardonnay (the dominant partner according to the label) and Trebbiano, the grapes cultivated within the municipality of Tollo in Chetti (a province of the Italian region of Abruzzo). I have long been a fan of this Le Caveau “house wine” and of its companion red. Watch out for it as restaurants reopen, along at the stockists above. Highly Recommended. And well-priced too!

Colour is a clear light gold. Moderately intense aromas with a citrus touch. Fresh and lively on the palate, with an unexpected smoothness. Good acidity too and that helps it match with the suggested light seafood or pasta dishes like spaghetti with clams. But it may also be appreciated as an aperitif.

It was hardly out of the NeighbourFood delivery box when I was pressing it into use as part of a spritzer where its minor companions in the glass were Chambord (the black raspberry liquor from the Loire Valley), ice (lots of it) and soda water.  Quite a pleasant opener to the evening and might well have been more appreciated had I presented it a few days earlier when the temperatures were about 50% higher than they are this breezy evening (June 6th, 2020).

Madregale is produced, using organic principles, by the award-winning Cantina Tollo, one of the biggest and best co-operative wineries in the Abruzzo region, covering 3,200 ha owned by 800 farmers.