French & Italian Riviera
Free tasting | Friday, September 8, 2017 | 5-7PM
Let’s sail together along the French Riviera into the Italian Riviera, leaving our worries at bay. This happy line-up is full of brightness and liveliness thanks to the idyllic environment of the Mediterranean. Join us in Provence and then sail off to Liguria's breathtaking, yet rugged, half-moon of a coastal landscape located just below Italy’s famed Piedmont region.
Punta Crena, Cruvin (2016) - Liguria, Italy, $25
Varigotti is probably the most beautiful and evocative places in Liguria, just east of the French Riviera. The vineyards are owned by the Ruffino family on a thin coastal strip separating the sea from the Alps at 350 meters above sea level. Cruvin (croo-VEEN) is a temperamental native grape with low yields. The Ruffinos are one of the only families in the world producing wine from this grape. ‘Cruvin’ in local Ligurian dialect means ‘to fall’ because the grape falls so easily off the vine when ripened, thus Mr. Fox featured on the label is waiting for the grapes to fall so he can eat them up.
Bruna, Riviera Ligure di Ponente Pigato Majé (2016) - Liguria, Italy, $22
Since 1970, Riccardo Bruna, now along with his daughter Francesca, have created wines that burst with life and a sense of terroir and place. This white Ligurian wine of 100% Pigato is a straw yellow hue, with aromas of yellow peaches and citrus. Their organic Pigato vines are grown atop calcareous rock and blue clay soils - so unique! The result is a confident elegance, freshness, and pure mineral drive.
Château d' Estoublon, La Réserve (2016) - Provence, France $20
In Provence, basked by the Mediterranean sun and the Southern Slopes of Alpilles, is Château d'Estoublon. It is exactly what people picture when they think of Provence: blue skies, craggy cliffs, and castles. The Château has a castle where people can stay at year-round, if you feel like sunbathing and drinking rosé on your next vacation! The vineyard was founded in 1731 and is currently run by the gorgeous Schneider Family. Their ‘La Réserve’ rosé is mineral driven with pineapple and tangerine notes.
Domaine du Cagueloup, Bandol Rosé (2016) - Provence, France, $34
These vineyards have grown alongside nearly twenty-one generations of the Prebost family, with each generation purchasing new hectares as the vineyard and family grows. Now at 40 hectares, the vineyards lie at the foot of Sainte-Baume and are gifted with pleasant maritime breezes, helping to naturally cool their vines. This rosé is a blend of Mourvèdre and Grenache and is decadent with notes of white flowers and orange pith.
Domaine Terrebrune 'Terre d'Ombre' Bandol (2015) - Provence, France, $23
After training as a sommelier in Paris in 1963, Georges Delille bought a property in Bandol with plans to completely renovate the property. Among other things, Georges refashioned a masonry, replanted vineyards, and built a new wine cellar. In 1980, after his son graduated from college, Father and Son released their first vintage together. This red blend is a mixture of Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Cinsault, which flows with vibrance and light spiciness.
