Cheers@Home Winter 2022 | Page 14

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Design . “ The wines are better made in the vineyards and much more expressive .”

And keep your eye out for 2015 releases , Kulla advises . The vintage ’ s dry start and late meant wines needed a little time to come into their own , but are now truly showcasing their potential .

BORDEAUX The hallmark of Bordeaux : well-structured , complex reds that can be feisty in their youth but tempered , balanced , smooth and nuanced after a few years — or decades — in the bottle . And while there is no shortage of high-end classified growth offerings with staggering age-worthiness , this storied French wine region also offers surprises to be discovered .

Bordeaux wine production dates back two millennia after the Romans conquered Gaul and established vineyards for the thirsty soldiers . Though a phylloxera outbreak decimated the industry in the late 1800s , it bounced back .

Today the Bordeaux region touts 5,500 winegrowers and 110,000 hectares under vine , and more than 65 % of vineyards have a certified environmental approach .

Though 85 % of the industry focuses on red blends , there are also understated , food-friendly whites using sauvignon blanc and semillon , as well as luscious , late-harvest dessert wines . A new generation of winemakers has been making an impact in sustainability practices and new styles .

“ Bordeaux is developing a range of modern reds that are more supple , fruity , expressive , less oaky , reflecting terroir ,” says Christophe Chateau , spokesperson at the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux ( CIVB ).

Jessica Green , founder of Wine Vie Natural Wine Consulting & Events and owner of Down the Rabbit Hole Wine Boutique in Sayville , NY , agrees . “ My customers are shopping for ‘ drink now ’ wines — they are not looking for wines to cellar ,” she says .

“ This generation is very curious about wine and want to explore outside of merlot , cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc with indigenous grapes and easy drinking styles ,” Green adds .

Side Bar TExt

2020 Château Roquefort Bordeaux Blanc ($ 15 ), a blend of 81 % sauvignon blanc and 19 % semillon full of flinty minerality and tart green apple .

2018 Château Haut-Rian Côtes de Bordeaux ($ 19 ), a blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon whose austere tannins and black fruits hint at what some aging will do .

2018 Château des Combes Bordeaux Rouge ($ 14 ), with red fruit spice and vanilla and soft , approachable tannins .

2015 Château Simon-Cuvee Excepionelle Sauternes ($ 60 / 375ml .), made in the Barsac region from old vine semillon , sauvignon blanc and muscadelle , it shows honeyed apricot and juicy orange .

Temperature increases and shorter growing cycles related to climate change have resulted in new permitted plantings in 2021 of four red varietals ( arinarnoa , castets , marselan and touriga nacional ) and two whites ( alvarinho and liliorila ). This translates to exciting future opportunities for a region also steeped in the past .

LOIRE VALLEY This 175-mile region is dotted with 300 châteaux — former playgrounds and bucolic havens of escape from Paris for French royalty . Now on the UNESCO World Heritage List , the Loire Valley boasts the country ’ s longest river ( the eponymous Loire river , which has a moderating effect on the terroir ), the cradle of the French language and a site of world-class winemaking dating back to Roman times .

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