Give Thanks for France
Free tasting | Saturday, November 17, 2018 | 4-6PM
Emmanuel Haget and friends. Photo Credit.
This Saturday we're celebrating the upcoming day of thanks alongside the arrival of new French wines from Mise Wine Co. Jackson is opening bottles from Valentin Zusslin (Alsace), Mary Taylor (Bordeaux), Emmanuel Haget (Loire Valley) and France Crispeels (Languedoc-Roussillon). Come give thanks for France (and for each other) and stock up for Thanksgiving Day!
The Line-up:
NV Valentin Zusslin Cremant D'Alsace Brut (Alsace, France) | This Alsatian winey has certainly earned its metaphorical wrinkles: it has been around since 1691! While run by the Zusslin family now, the sister and brother team (Marie and Jean-Paul Zusslin) have certainly inherited knowledge from previous owners from the many years that the winery has been around! The Zusslin's have switched the growing methods over to all biodynamic practices, and boy, does it really show in the wine. This elegant Crémant is a blend of Pinot Auxerrois, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris and was grown in a walled vineyard in Clos Liebenberg where horses still work the land. No sulfur or dosage were added to this sparkling. It is an electric, dazzling mouthful of rockiness, lime, and grapefruit. Perfect for appetizers before the Thanksgiving feast.
2017 Mary Taylor Anjou Blanc & 2015 Mary Taylor Bordeaux Rouge (Bordeaux, France) | Massachusetts native, Mary Taylor, has curated her own line of wine by working with growers throughout France. Mary believes that one doesn’t need to be a serious wine expert to experience honest, authentic, and real wines that Europeans have been enjoying for centuries! With her growers and winemaking tribe, Mary has created a simple ‘White Label Series’ of wine that transports you to the heavenly country landscape that France is so known for. Part of Mary’s philosophy is ‘[w]henever you open one of our bottles, you’ll know you’re getting more than just another commercial brand or standard Chardonnay or Merlot.” You experience the ‘taste of place’ and ‘terroir’ with Mary’s wines from growers who farm sustainably and organically. The Bordeaux rouge is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Anjou Blanc is all Chenin Blanc. Both ‘vin de table’ are perfect for sipping and pairing with one of our cheese platters!
2017 Emmanuel Haget 'Palabres' Pineau d’Aunis (Loire Valley, France) | 100% Pineau d’Aunis from natural winemaker Emmanuel Haget. I can’t find much information online about Emmanuel, but when I tried this light red wine all I could think of was how perfect it would pair with roasted veggies and turkey. It’s a beautiful natural wine with pizzazz and funk. I adore it!
2016 Vignoble Reveille 'Pointe Rouge', Cotes Roussillon (Languedoc-Roussillon) | France Crispeels, native to Belgium, is as friendly and charming in person as her wines from Vignoble Réveille. After studying architecture and working in business administration, film and writing, she attended enology school in Marseille shortly after her son was born in 2000. In 2006, Crispeels launched Vignoble Réveille in the Languedoc-Roussillon, not far from the French Pyranees, with the purchase of a very old Carignan and Grenache vines. She uses all biodynamic winemaking, and her natural wines at Vignoble Réveille speak from the earth. We're opening her newest blend ‘Point Rouge’ - a robust and silky blend of Grenache and Carignan grown on granite and gneiss soil.