Vin de Savoie: Curtet Tonnerre de Grès 2018

Marie & Florian Curtet “Tonnerre de Grès” 2018. Savoie, France. 11% ABV, Purchased at Chamber Street Wines, $21.99/bottle.

Color is medium straw. The nose offers aromas of honeysuckle, apricot, and golden delicious apple, mixed with a hint of sea air, and a tiny reminiscence of burnt coal.

On the palate: a rich, briny mixture of pear and apple on the front palate with a spicy note along the top palate. An umami note rounds out the satisfying finish. The fruit and acidity sing across the top palate with verve. I paired this with baked flounder, cauliflower and mashed potato; seafood is an ideal match, while pork, chicken, cheese and vegetables will surely pair beautifully. I also found this quite satisfying to enjoy by itself, both well-chilled and at room temperature. Tonnerre de Grès is a white blend of Jacquère and Altesse grapes from vines that grow in sandy loam, averaging 30 years in age. The wine is fermented in concrete and aged for 9 months on the lees and lightly filtered before bottling, never seeing oak. And for those who are curious: “Tonner de Grès” translates to “Thunder of Sandstone.”

Maria and Florian Curtet are what we in the US would call a “mom & pop shop”. A small, independent producer, they are the farmers, winemakers, marketing and sales team. La Chautagne AOC within the Vin de Savoie AOC of France is in the foothills of the French Alps. With their winemaking facility in Motz (just east of the Rhône river and the town of Boursin), it is imperative to schedule a visit or tasting as they spend most of their time in the fields daily.

For more on the Curtets and their winemaking, click here: https://www.domainecurtet.fr/

à votre Santé!

Creto De’ Betti 2018 Bianco di Toscana

Fattoria Betti, Creto De’ Betti 2018 Bianco di Toscana, Tuscany, Italy. 13%ABV, SRP (avg) $18/bottle online

 

By Jim vanBergen, JvBUnCorked.   

All Rights Reserved. Copyright by Jim van Bergen, JvB UnCorked 2019.  May Not Be Duplicated Without Permission.

 

Color is pale straw with a green tinge. The nose offers a delicate aroma of pineapple and citrus. On the palate are crisp apple with white pear, with secondary notes of almond and lime zest. Tertiary notes of sandy clay and lemon rind are on the finish. This is a Tuscan white wine blend comprised of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Trebbiano, fermented in stainless steel before being bottled, spending no time in oak.

 

Copyright by Jim van Bergen, JvB UnCorked 2019.  May Not Be Duplicated Without Permission.

 

I paired this over three separate evenings with meals of roast turkey, grilled salmon, and fusilli with pesto. In each instance, the wine stood strong and paired easily. I was surprised at the ease with with the Chardonnay -Trebbiano blend stood up to the rich grilled turkey with tart cranberry sauce. Likewise, lesser white wines would not have had both the acidity and savory qualities to handle the grilled salmon, for which I usually desire a pinot noir. But this wine had not problem staying the course and showing well throughout, with grilled peaches as a dessert one night, and nectarines the following evening.

 

Copyright by Jim van Bergen, JvB UnCorked 2019.  May Not Be Duplicated Without Permission.

 

Fattoria Betti’s Bianco di Toscana is crisp and refreshing when served cold, and maintains beauty, body, and balance as the meal continues and the wine reaches room temperature. My spouse asked me to include that she specifically enjoyed this wine, and loved the smooth finish that was crisp, yet neither bitter nor sour. The only complaint I had when tasting this wine was wanting to have another bottle on hand!

 

If you don’t recognize the grape trebbiano, perhaps you know it by its French namesake, Ugni Blanc. I think the amount of trebbiano that is in this blend is the reason why I adore it so much: it offers a fruity nose and plenty of acidity without ever being harsh. While it may be more common to see trebbiano blended with Malvasia, I think this blend with Chardonnay is a brilliant combination. Personally I know the grape better from ugni blanc’s long history in the creation of cognac and armagnac brandies- but I’m hopeful to see more trebbiano-blended wines with this success of winemaking.

If you like Italian white wines are are looking for a versatile white that is delightful alone and capable standing up to a bevy of rich proteins, this chardonnay-trebbiano blend is a bottle that you should try. You owe it to yourself to seek out Frattoria Betti’s Bianco di Toscano.

 

Copyright by Jim van Bergen, JvB UnCorked 2019.  May Not Be Duplicated Without Permission.

 

à votre santé!

The Northern-California Fumé

The Fume’ Sauviginon Blanc. 2011 North Coast from Murphy Goode.
Straw with-green tinge, and a lychee, grapefruit nose. On the palate: green apple, bosc pear, a touch of sour grapefruit. Nice acidity, tart finish with a touch of oak. A blend of 93% Sauv Blanc with 7% Semillon;  this wine is great with spinach dip, light cheeses, chinese food, or seafood. Available for a mere hint over $10.