January Wines of the Month

It feels like it has been snowy and cold here for 100 days strait, and I have found myself day- dreaming of the little alleys in Paris, the smell of fresh coffee and pastries streaming out of every other door, fantasizing of colorful French gardens rich with the aromas of spring time, with lovers strolling hand and hand, and the breath of life fresh on their skin as winter has washed away and all things are new again.

But it’s January in Kansas City…hey a girl can dream, can’t she? To make my dreams more real, I’ve picked two wines from France. First, a lovely and complex Pinot Gris from Alsace and second, a deep, elegant, and intriguing Chinon (made from Cabernet Franc) from the Loire.

2005 Lucien Albrecht “Cuvee Cecile” Pinot Gris, Alsace, France 

The history of the Albrecht family as winegrowers can be traced back to 1425 with Romanu Albrecht, who settled in the town of Thann. Their cellar dates back from 1772. It houses large oak barrels that are over one hundred years old (the oldest dates back to 1827).

The golden rule on the Lucien Albrecht Estate is “respect the grape.” The grapes are harvested by hand, whole grapes are pressed in a pneumatic press and the juice is settled statically.

The vines are grown with meticulous care; there is a great concern with respect for nature. Jean Albrecht closely supervises every stage, from the vine to the bottling of the wines.

Aromas: dried apricot, peach skin, green apple, lemon peel, slight vanilla, hints of white flower, white pepper, spice, and a slate minerality.

Palate: What you smell is what you get as aromas marry seamlessly into the palate with a bit more apricot and white flowers. It has a light and refreshing mouthfeel with a slight viscosity that coats the mouth. Pleasantly integrated acids make this a great wine with food.

 2006 Olek-Mery “Cuvee des Tireaux” Chinon, Loire, France

Jean-François Olek was of Polish origin. His original career in nuclear power science brought him to the Loire Valley where he met his wife and settled down. He fell in love with the wines of Chinon and purchased vineyards just to the east of Chinon in the village of Cravant-les-Coteaux, the veritable heart of this appellation with its steeply sloped, south facing vineyards. Nathalie Olek now manages the domaine.

Domaine Olek-Mery is fairly small, with only 9 hectares of vineyards. Organic farming principles have significantly influenced their philosophy and practices. No chemical herbicides or fertilizers are used.

Nose: black cherry, prune, fig, dried strawberries and cranberries, dried orange peel, violet, star anise, herb garden, saffron, cinnamon stick, slight earthiness, and forest  floor.

palate: dried cherry and cranberry, prune, herbs, cinnamon stick, and slightly biting tannins cry out for a dry, aged steak.