Southern Comforts
In
the bad old days, not so long ago, many French country wines were little more
than rustic plonk. At best, they served the needs of local workmen or curious
tourists; at worst they were converted into industrial alcohol. Then in the
1970s, all that changed. The French Government introduced a new wine
classification called Vin de Pays (“Country Wine”). Although these wines
were only one notch up from the rock-bottom Vin de Table, they were
governed (and still are) by production rules that allowed wine makers to grow
virtually whatever grapes they wanted. This eventually led to the production of
some exceptional artisan wines in those regions and the appearance of wineries
dedicated to quality. Vin de Pays d’Oc (“County Wines of the South”) come
from the massive Languedoc-Roussillon area down near the Mediterranean.
Maison Virginie Viognier, Vin
de Pays d’Oc 2009 (white), France. (Foodmart Jomtien, Bt. 565)
Maison Virginie is a relatively new company, located between
the towns of B้ziers and Narbonne and dedicated to the production of high
quality wines. The Viognier (vee-o-NYAY) grape is comparatively unusual, but it
can produce wines of distinction. This pale, straw-coloured wine has a delicate
aroma of apricots, pears and peaches. Give it time to breathe by opening the
bottle in advance, because this is not the “in-yer-face” style of some
Californian wines. The mouth-feel is excellent, with a very smooth silky texture
and just the slightest nip of acid to add zest and interest. The price might
seem a bit high but in the wine world, with a few notable exceptions, you tend
to get what you pay for.
This wine would be ideal with lightly-prepared chicken
dishes. The company’s website suggests that this wine could accompany les
plus noble poissons. I’m not sure whether Pacific Dory is considered noble
enough, but I’m going to try the wine with deep fried Dory filets in a batter
made with Japanese tempura flour, Chang beer, a dash of paprika and chilli
powder. This recipe, which makes a lovely thin crispy batter, is a closely
guarded secret, so please don’t pass it on.
Les Ormes de Cambras Merlot,
Vin de Pays d’Oc 2009 (red), France. (Friendship, Bt. 425)
Les Ormes de Cambras is a huge company based near
B้ziers. Twenty million bottles of this wine are produced each year, and get
this: solely for consumption in France. The population of France is about
62 million so the French must drink an awful lot of it.
I don’t blame them, for this super little wine has good fruit
and just a touch of satisfying tannin. If at first the aroma doesn’t come
though, slosh the wine around in the glass. (Incidentally, this is why I
advocate using large wine glasses.) It’s made entirely from Merlot (mehr-LOH)
grapes, so it’s softer and less assertive than Cabernet Sauvignon. At 12.5%
alcohol, you could safely serve this with beef, pasta or even fried chicken, if
the thought of red wine and white meat doesn’t make you wince. I’d suggest
opening it about half an hour in advance. If, in this sultry climate you prefer
your reds cool, about thirty minutes in the fridge should do the trick.
Oh, just in case you were wondering, the Pacific Dory Tempura
was superb and the textures of the fish and the Viognier wine matched perfectly.
Even the dogs agreed. Mind you, those three would wax lyrical over a bowl of
Pedigree Chum.
