3 2 Pair

Domaine Cédrick Bardin Pouilly-Fumé, France 2010 $26

From a boutique producer with extremely small areas under vine (less than twenty acres in Pouilly-Fumé), all sustainably farmed, this is a classic Pouilly-Fumé, on the elegant, delicate end of the spectrum. Careful blending, of sauvignon blanc harvested from his various vineyards with different soil types, gives the wine a sharp focus of fruit (citron zest) and elevated aromatics (citrus, white flowers, a touch of the famous ‘smoke’) to compliment the classic minerality and energy of Pouilly-Fumé. Great zest and flinty stoniness, but overall a restrained wine for the type; balanced and reflective.

Cheese: Crotton D’Antan, goat, Loire, France - A little goatey French button… citrusy and grassy.

Château D’Angles ‘Classique’ rosé
La Clape, Languedoc, France 2011 $17

An elegant rosé from Eric Fabre, winemaker at Château Lafite Rotschild for most of a decade. When he settled on his own estate, he chose land on the edge of the Mediterranean, at La Clape, site of winemaking since the late Roman Republic. Eight out of ten days at his vineyard are full of sunshine, with cooler damp breezes off the sea at night to give the grapes just the right balance as they ripen. Fabre’s wine is certified sustainable, hand harvested, and estate produced. The wine is a blend of mourvedre, syrah, and grenache, and really shows off Languedoc rosé. A fresh and complex nose, with a palate of raspberry, white peach, citron, and Meyer lemon. Incredible texture. Really an elegant, balanced wine.

Cheese: Cowgirl Creamery ‘Mt. Tam’, cow, Point Reyes, California Buttery goodness… organic triple creme.

Domaine de Nidolères ‘L’Angelette’ Côtes du Roussillon, France 2008 $15

From vineyards in the foothills of the Pyrenees, this is one of those wines that shows off mountain fruit and lesser-known appellations. A blend of 60% carignan, 20% grenache, and 20% syrah, this expression of old-vine fruit (the carignan vines are 90 years old!) is an amazing value. With hand-picked fruit and traditional production methods, this winery produces an aromatic, medium bodied wine, with a good balance of dark fruit and wild herbs, a crisp entry and a round palate, and a moderate finish; an excellent wine for seasonal foods on the grill or in the picnic basket.

Cheese: Neal’s Yard Sparkenhoe Red Leiscester, England Cheddar-like, with a mellow sharpness and sweet nutty notes.