Oeno Files

Another trip to our favorite wine store turned up this inexpensive gem, Château Jouclary Cabardès 2005. Lots of fruitiness without being jammy or sweet, very approachable, good with steak. Cabardes require a blending of wines, and the wine shows it by being very even in flavor and a smooth finish. The wine retails at just under $10 at the store.

I couldn't find a Château Jouclary website, but this French wine site had the background on Cabardès: "the only French appellation to associate 40% minimum of atlantic grape varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Cot and Fer Servadou) with 40% minimum of mediterranean grape varieties (Syrah and Grenache), completion of blends possible with 20% of Cot and Fer Servadou."

I believe the wine distributor told us this wine was predominently Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah, but we tasted six wines and I could be mixing things up a bit. (This U.S. wine distributor, turned up via google, mentions Merlot, Grenache and Syrah.)

The Menetou-Salon designation, a neighbor of Sancerre wines in the Central Loire, includes both reds from Pinot Noir and whites made from Sauvignon Blanc. We have in our possession a bottle of the 2006 white Menetou-Salon by Henry Pellé.

Did I mention that we went to the wine store again? Did I mention the email that praised the this wonderful white wine value? Did I mention we ordered a case of it, sight unseen? No? Well then you are in the same state of innocence and grace that I was on Saturday afternoon, when it was suggested we stop at our favorite shop to see what they were tasting.

Actually, we have in our possession a case minus one of the Henry Pellé, and fortunately for me and everyone else involved (which could be you, dear reader, should you stop by), Henry Pellé makes a pretty nice little white Menetou-Salon.

A good restrained sauvignon blanc, a little minerally into citrus. I initially claimed a lemon finish, but my wife suggested grapefruit and I had to agree. She thought the minerals were prominent, I found them modest. This wine is not the big fat gooseberry-and-grass-over-citrus brute out of New Zealand, which I also love, but instead a well-defined and restrained white in the Central Loire style.

We had the wine with Cajun-spiced tilapia, which was probably a bit too much spiciness for the wine, but the fish came and went, and we drank the Menetou-Salon with pleasure all evening.