The Ultra Quick Guide To Understanding French Wine

[Geoff]

You love wine - specifically Australian, Californian or Chilean wine.

Nope, I much prefer (continental) European wines, personally, though that might be because I've spent so much time living there.

I don't drink all that much wine these days, and probably experiment less than I should on unknown (to me) ones, but I've yet to find a New World wine that approaches the complexity of a good Rioja, Chablis or Barolo (though I've kinda gone off Barolo recently; maybe my tastes have changed). A generic Tempranillo or Chardonnay just doesn't do it for me, somehow.

[MiM]

Interesting discussion. Thnx Dev

I've experienced that "Wolf Bass" syndrome gazillions of times with wines that reach the shelves of our monopoly. As the Nordic spirits monopolies are huge buyers, they can often get really good deals from less known wineries when they take in new brands. So you can often find nice interesting new items on the shelf. But then, next year it's clearly not as good, and the year after it's often already time to move on to another product. Customers mostly think their taste has developed or that they have become bored (which naturally can be partly true also), but I believe mostly the producers tries to cut the corners, once their on the market.

[devogue]

You love wine - specifically Australian, Californian or Chilean wine.

Nope, I much prefer (continental) European wines, personally, though that might be because I've spent so much time living there.

No worries, Geoff - I know a great many people prefer Euro wines; I was just using a little device to get the OP going.

I don't drink all that much wine these days, and probably experiment less than I should on unknown (to me) ones, but I've yet to find a New World wine that approaches the complexity of a good Rioja, Chablis or Barolo (though I've kinda gone off Barolo recently; maybe my tastes have changed).

All of the wines you mentioned are extraordinary, and the best examples have never been emulated in the New World (or elsewhere in Europe for that matter). A few alternatives that might give you pause for thought, though... if you can get a hold of Rijk's Pinotage from South Africa - there's nothing quite like it from Europe, and it is by far the best example I've ever tried of this much maligned grape. It has that Rioja funkiness, autumnal, forest floor notes with porty hints of blackberry and raspberry. Shit hot stuff (pricy at around £20 a bottle, but like Gran Reserva Rioja it's worth every penny). The polar opposite of Chablis is Australian Chardonnay, but the Aussies are making incredible Chards - the French should be shitting their pants with fear. The big boys in Margaret River and Adelaide Hills are producing wines with intense ripeness but with incredible lightness of touch and elegance - I find 90% of white Burgundy at the same price point just doesn't cut the mustard by comparison and I never, ever thought I would say that. As for Barolo - it's just singular. I've tried examples of Nebbiolo (the Barolo grape) from the likes of Steve Pannell in Australia and they just lack something, there's an extra dimension, a kind of filthy Italian swagger that just isn't there. However, there is a fucking mental wine from Argentina that will blow anyone here away - Renacer have got together with the legendary Italian family Allegrini to produce an Amarone from the classic Bordeaux grape varieties. Again, it's over £20 a bottle but it's so fucking crazily brilliant I giggled when I tasted it, and that's happened to me only three or four times with a wine.

A generic Tempranillo or Chardonnay just doesn't do it for me, somehow.

Anything generic bores me as well. There's nothing more depressing than formulaic wine, especially from major appellations with greta reputations like Chateauneuf du Pape. There's so much shit out there.

[JimC]

Dev, I recently visited a small Victorian winery called Mount Gisbourne. They specialise in Pinot Noir and Chardonay. I tried their current Pinot, enjoyed it, and bought a bottle for $30...

Casually, thaye mentioned they had excess stock of their '03, off-loading it for $10 a bottle when bought in the dozen. I tasted it, and went fucking wow! Totally feral for a Pinot, some of which from Oz are a bit like lolly water... It had real farmyard flavours, savoury, dry...

Bought the dozen - I might go back for more!

[Geoff]

Anything generic bores me as well. There's nothing more depressing than formulaic wine, especially from major appellations with greta reputations like Chateauneuf du Pape. There's so much shit out there.

Yeah, tell me about it.

I trained as a Sommelier, many years ago, at one of the poshest hotels in the NW (used to get all the politicians, pop stars and minor Royalty staying there), and I had the privilege of compiling the wine list...it's amazing what you can get away with sometimes! I did learn the spiel pretty well, though.

Sadly, lack of funds impedes my research these days... it's more often the 3 for £10 from Asda (though I've found a few nice surprises from time to time)

[JimC]

Anything generic bores me as well. There's nothing more depressing than formulaic wine, especially from major appellations with greta reputations like Chateauneuf du Pape. There's so much shit out there.

Yeah, tell me about it.

I trained as a Sommelier, many years ago, at one of the poshest hotels in the NW (used to get all the politicians, pop stars and minor Royalty staying there), and I had the privilege of compiling the wine list...it's amazing what you can get away with sometimes! I did learn the spiel pretty well, though.

Sadly, lack of funds impedes my research these days... it's more often the 3 for £10 from Asda (though I've found a few nice surprises from time to time)

Come out to Melbourne, and I'll take you on a winery crawl of the nearby regions! Especially if I can persuade Bron to drive!