Classic French wine tasting with a twist was designed for our wine club to expand to explore the wines that define French wines. Champagne, Bordeaux, and Burgundy probably are the first three wine regions that pop up when someone sees “Classic French Tasting,” right?
It’s hard to exclude wines from the most famous three. Still, there’s a way to explore classic French wine regions and taste beyond the most obvious choices.
Mailly Grand Cru Reserve Champagne
Champagne was the obvious pick for classic French tasting, and we started with Mailly Grand Cru Reserve Champagne.
Still, we wanted to make it more than a sparkling start but memorable and educational. While Mailly is a respected Maison de Champagne (Champagne House) with an almost century-old winemaking tradition, the more significant is the presence of two words on the label – “Grand Cru.” It means grapes came from vineyards classified as Grand Cru – the best and most prestigious growing sites. Only 17 properties in the Champagne region are classified as such. Why is that such a big deal? The source of grapes is of the most important in the French wine world. More on that later in the post.
This easy-to-drink brut is a blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay.
The aromas of stone fruits, apple blossoms, brioche, and citrus notes create a pleasant feeling of anticipation, and it doesn’t deceive after the first sip.
It feels clean, fresh, and elegant on the palate, with flavors of pastry and fruit, with soft hints of passionfruit, grapefruit, and lime.
It might not be as crisp as some other Champagne classics like Pommery. Still a good choice for those who prefer softer crowd-pleasing Champagne.
2020 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis
While wine geeks know that Chablis is always made from Chardonnay, the general public needs to be made aware of the fact. Fewer wine enthusiasts know that the Chablis appellation is in the northernmost part of Bourgogne.
2020 Domaine William Fèvre was an excellent introduction to this distinct Chardonnay style is literally and figuratively a world apart from a typical American Chard.
This aromatic wine with notes of white acacia blossom, honey, and soft flinty minerality opened on a palate with flavors of lemony apple and rounded texture.
It was silky, yet not buttery. Crisp but not bone-dry. To sum up, it’s an excellent Chablis that is enjoyable today and capable of improving with age. It’s a good start for those who appreciate drier style Chardonnay or want to take a break from in-your-face buttery and oaky California wines.
2020 Domaine William Fèvre is also a good bargain considering the price-to-quality ratio.
2017 Bouchard Pere & Fils Meursault
What’s a classic French Tasting without a benchmark wine?
2017 Bouchard Pere & Fils Meursault is that for the Chardonnay world. Comparing it with Chablis was an extra bonus.
Both are from Burgundy, with Meursault being from the southern part. It represents a quality that most winemakers worldwide are inspired to create and excited to hear, “Your wine reminds me of Meursault.”
We poured it blind to our club members to see the unswayed reaction when they tried one of the best Chardonnays in the world without knowing it. The smiles on their faces said it all.
The floral aromas of honeysuckle and jasmine harmoniously intertwined with fresh grass and limestone minerality. Ripe mango, honey, and yellow apple flavors balanced by Meyer lemon, toasted notes, and refreshing acidity.
In contrast to the Fèvre Chablis, Meursault had a rich, voluptuous body, similar to drinking heavy cream after milk. Still, with all its might and tropical notes, it’s no California Chard.
2017 Bouchard Pere & Fils Meursault is rich, complex, and sophisticated thanks to refreshing acidity keeping it in check.
2020 Louis Jadot Marsannay ‘Longeroies’
2020 Louis Jadot Marsannay Longeroies was another benchmark must-have at classic French tasting. And as straightforward classic, as it could be – Pinot Noir from Bourgogne.
This bottle came from a well-known Burgundian producer with over 150-year winemaking history. Louis Jadot wine is omnipresent in shops worldwide, and while they mass produce a lot of drink-and-forget bottles, they also make some that reflect the uniqueness of the terroir.
Marsannay’ Longeroies’ is a bright example of it. Why?
The quality and price of Burgundian wines are primarily determined by the place where the grapes came from rather than the winemaker’s reputation. Typically, the smaller or more specific the site, the better.
In the case of this wine, Marsannay is the northernmost village of Cotê de Nuits, arguably the best part of Burgundy. All the vineyards surrounding Marsannay can bear its name as an indicator of quality.
But it gets better.
Longeroies is one of the best crus (land lots) in Marsannay, and the vineyard is over 80 years old. The specificity of the site and the age of the vines (generally older is better) point towards the high quality and exclusivity of this Pinot Noir. Granted, we had high expectations.
The numerous expressions of cherry define 2020 Louis Jadot Marsannay Longeroies. It came through with the aroma and flavors of ripe fresh Morello cherry and cherry compote. The fruit is complemented by a red rose, raspberry, cedar, and juniper. Still, it’s hardly fruit-forward wine like California or Oregon Pinot Noir.
Somehow it maintains the delicate balance between the flavors, allowing each to shine through yet, stay whole.
2019 Cuvée Sainte Vierge Châteauneuf du Pape
The following classic came from the Châteauneuf du Pape (CdP) appellation of Rhône Valley in Southern France. While the typical wine lover is not as familiar with CdP, it’s less iconic than Bordeaux or Burgundy.
2019 Cuvée Sainte Vierge Châteauneuf du Pape is another wine that might look like an obvious choice for classic French tasting for wine geeks, yet it is difficult to read the name a few wine lovers are familiar with.
Cuvée Sainte Vierge 2019 comes from one of the most distinct winemaking areas of the world – Châteauneuf du Pape of France. The soils of the top estates look more like a pebble beaches than a place where something might grow.
Typical for Châteauneuf du Pape, it’s a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre.
Cuvée Sainte Vierge opened with aromas of cherry, chocolate-dipped prune, green tobacco leaf, damp earth, and black rose. It is followed with flavors of black cherry, Cornelian cherry (red tart berry), dark chocolate mousse, and sweet tobacco.
2020 Château Miselle Sauternes
We thought the classic French tasting would only be complete with Bordeaux. Yet we wanted to keep some intrigue.
Many wine enthusiasts love Bordeaux, yet only some are familiar with Sauternes, a region’s hidden gem. This dessert wine is a work of a unique fungus called the Noble rot (pourriture noble in French) that infects grapes only when weather conditions are just right. It doesn’t happen every year, but when it does, the symbiotic relationship between grapes and Noble rot results in highly aromatic, naturally sweet, and flavorful dessert wine.
Like most other Sauternes, 2020 Château Miselle is a blend of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes.
A vibrant golden color invites you to enjoy the delicate and complex bouquet of crystallized apricots, beeswax, golden raisins, and quince aromas. The fruity palate is clearly defined, luscious and full-bodied, with peach, honey, and tangerine marmalade flavors.
2020 Château Miselle is good entry-level Sauternes if you have never tried it. If you’d like to explore further, try 1er Cru Sauternes like 2012 Chateau Climens. These wines have enormous ageing potential and can give you a trip to hedonistic heaven thanks to the depth and complexity of the flavors they may develop over time.
Sauternes is one of the best partners to Roquefort or Cambozola if you’re a fan of blue cheese. The musky and funky aromas of blue cheese are complemented by beeswax and astringent flavors balanced by luscious fruit and honey notes.
Aftertaste
Our Classic French Tasting with Twist was hardly an exhaustive but rather an introduction and, in some way, a deep dive into French wines that serve as the benchmark for the rest of the wine world.
It was fun observing the reaction to Meursault Chardonnay and the smiles on people’s faces that came with the first sip. Most recognized immediately that the wine was exceptional, although we tasted it blindly.
We also recognized (not for the first time) that some needed more high-end wine-tasting experiences to appreciate the nuances of Marsannay Longeroies Pinot Noir. It’s understandable because we all live in Oregon Pinot Noir country and are accustomed to fruit-forward wine style.
With this tasting, we only pulled up the curtain to spark the curiosity of our wine club members.
What wines you would pick for a classic French flight?
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