WSET Study Group - Loire & Rhône Valley

as graduates of the Algonquin College Sommelier Program, Holly, Jackie and I decided to continue our wine education via WINE & SPIRIT EDUCATION TRUST - WSET Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Wines & Spirits.

both Holly and Jackie are learning via VENDANGE INSTITUTE in Ottawa while I am enrolled via online distance learning WSET UK.  we have come to the conclusion that we will benefit from meeting (perhaps once a week) to keep up with tastings and studies.  

* note:  suggested reading minimum 10 hours per week ... aka INTENSE.

  

this week's focus:  Loire & Rhône Valley

it has become habit to begin with sparkling (if you're going to form a habit, this is yummy one!).  just so happens that this one is from Loire ...

MONCONTOUR BRUT CRÉMANT DE LOIRE ROSÉ - Tasting Note:  This centuries-old château crafts its crémants using the painstaking traditional method. The colour in the glass is just like a newly minted penny. Youthful aromas of raspberry tart, strawberry/rhubarb pie, floral, and toast notes. Dry and crisp, with creamy mousse and delightful aroma replays on the palate that refresh like a freshwater stream. Make this an any-occasion aperitif, or try pairing it with mussels and shellfish finger foods. (VINTAGES panel, Aug. 2010)

CHAVET FILS MENETOU-SALON BLANC 2009 - Description:  Gold Medal winner at the presitigious 2010 Concours Général Agricole in Paris. This vibrant wine showcases all the crispness, citrus fruit and herbaceous fresh-cut grass character that characterizes Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire. A food-friendly white that will delight with herbed chicken, or seafood dishes.  * super yummy with Monte Enebro goat cheese

  
 

LES GRANDES SERRES PRESTIGE DES GRANDES SERRE 2009 - Description:  This wine won a Gold Medal at the Concours des Vins in Orange, in 2010.  Tasting Note:  Recently, Rasteau received a long-awaited approval to begin selling dry red wines under its own appellation name, separate from Côtes du Rhône-Villages. This red has a plum-and-spice nose, and flavours of black plum, blackberry, mince tart, honey and white pepper that all recur nicely on the palate to a warm, spicy finish. A well-made wine, with a medium body and good length. An excellent choice for grilled red snapper or ratatouille. (VINTAGES panel, April 2010)

  

SAINT SERGE RÉSERVE ST-GERVAIS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2009 - Tasting Note:  This crowd-pleaser is simply loaded with rich plum, black cherry, ripe black fruit and spicy notes. Dry, smooth and full bodied, it over-delivers with boatloads of glorious fruit on the palate. The medium-long finish is lightly tannic, with chocolate and sweet spice throughout. Pair with game bird, or with a rich stew. (VINTAGES panel, April 2010)

CHÂTEAU SOUCHERIE CUVÉE S COTEAUX DU LAYON 2002 - Tasting Note:  A barrel-fermented batch from old vines, the Soucherie 2002 Coteaux du Layon Cuvee S displays a heady nose of musk melon, honey, lilies, quince preserves and quinine. Playing the bitter against the sweet on a palate of great richness, this seems to have lost some of the more typical juiciness of its vintage to the barrel, but there is compensation in the wine's unctuous, honey and butterscotch finishing richness. Score - 91. (David Schildknecht, www.erobertparker.com, Aug. 2007)

conclusion:  we picked much better Rhône and Loire wines than Bordeaux - much easier to purchase a decent bottle of wine for $20 from Rhône & Loire than Bordeaux!  I tried to pick one favourite but could not narrow it down.

cheese platter included (all purchased from Serious Cheese):

• Monte Enebro
• Soeur Angèle
• Saint Agur
• aged Gouda
• aged cheddar
• my dad's homemade Hungarian sausage (thanks dad!)

so there you have it - wines from yet another WSET study session.

bottoms up!

Éva