White Ugni Blanc grapes on the vine.
I don’t know about you, but I prefer wines with a bit of character. I get bored
with that bland commercial stuff. And there’s plenty of it to get bored with, I
can tell you. They don’t really offend, but they don’t excite very much either.
At the other extreme of course, are those horrid things with so much acid or
tannin that your teeth tingle. I once foolishly bought a very cheap Muscadet
which turned out to be so tart and acidic that it was undrinkable. It might have
been quite useful for cleaning out a tractor gearbox or dissolving a small
animal, but not much else.
“Soir de France” Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Pays d’Oc IGP (red),
France. (Best and others, Bt. 385)
Here’s an attractive little red wine from the Languedoc,
which is a cut above ordinary French bistro wine and a good deal more
interesting to drink. It is a rich deep red, with an arresting aroma of red
berry fruits, spices, dry earthy herbs and cherries in the background.
Incidentally, IGP stands for Indication G้ographique
Prot้g้e which translates roughly into “Protected Geographical Region”. The
European Union, in its infinite wisdom decreed that from 2009 onwards, the
lovely old expression Vin du Pays was far too vague and had to go. So
they came up with the less-than-charming IGP classification instead. The
expression Vin du Pays will gradually disappear altogether. The phrase
Pays d’Oc simply means the “Land of the South”.
The wine is light-bodied and dry, with a very smooth, almost
silky mouth-feel. There’s red berry fruit up front and a sprightly “edge” to the
taste which give it a bit of zing. Unlike many French reds, the tannins are very
soft and supple and the wine is well-balanced. There’s a decent finish too.
This is a really easy-drinker and at 13% alcohol I’d be happy
to knock it back with snacks or light meals. It would go well with pizza or
pasta. If you find the label a bit drab, you can always tip the whole lot into a
decanter, which will also aerate the wine and help to bring out the aroma.
Bouchard A๎n้ Blanc de Blancs (white), France. (Villa and
others, Bt. 375)
The French firm of Bouchard in based in Beaune and has been
making wines for over 250 years. This is one of their entry-level wines; basic
but quite assertive and typically bistro-French. In the glass, the wine looks
more expensive than it is, with a pleasing oily appearance and an attractive
pale yellow colour. There is an aroma of fresh fruits, vanilla and a faint
flowery citrus aroma in the background; hints of herbs too. On the palate,
there’s plenty of citrus and a good dash of acidity. It’s quite a light-bodied
wine but very dry and it has a satisfying dry finish.
In case you’re wondering, “Blanc de blancs” means a white
wine made entirely from white grapes. Although the label doesn’t mention the
grapes used, it’s actually a blend of Chardonnay and Ugni Blanc which, you might
be surprised to know is the most widely-planted white grape in France. It’s
known in Italy as the Trebbiano.
I was looking forward to trying the wine later in the evening
with some Camembert cheese, but when I opened the packet the reek of ammonia
revealed that the poor old thing was over the hill and half way down the other
side. In desperation (for to me, a meal without cheese is like a day without
sun) I opened some mild Cheddar. And do you know? The cheese and the wine
matched perfectly. As I keep telling the dogs, never believe that old nonsense
that cheese should only be served with red wine.
The wine is only 12% alcohol, but it’s very much a food wine
and would be excellent with grilled fish and seafood dishes, assuming that you
like your whites dry, sharp and zingy. This lively white would probably go well
with chicken in a creamy sauce, but serve it as cold as you dare. The wine I
mean, not the chicken.