Thursday
Wine
Event
-
February
9
This
week's
wine
presentation
is by
Jared
Whitford
from
Frank
Liquor.
He's
going to
be
pouring
and
talking
about
two
wines
from
France:
We've
created
two
tapas to
pair
perfectly
with the
two
wines:
The two
tapas
and
tastes
of the
two
wines
are $10.
Château
de
Montfort
Château
de
Montfort
is a
stunning
historic
estate
located
on the
limestone
plateau
above
the
Loire
River in
the
Touraine
region.
Originally
a
fortified
farmhouse
dating
back to
the 14th
Century,
this
historic
property
covers
approximately
75 acres
of
premium
quality
land
across
Vouvray
AOC and
Touraine
AOC.
The
vineyards
of
Château
de
Montfort,
based in
clay and
limestone
soils on
a
bedrock
of
chalky
limestone
tufo,
are
predominantly
planted
to
Chenin
Blanc.
The
estate
is
somewhat
unique
in that
most of
its
vines
are
located
surrounding
the
winemaking
facility
in one
large
parcel.
Average
vine age
is over
50
years,
limiting
yields
and
providing
great
concentration
and
depth in
the
wine.
Because
the
winery
is
literally
within
the
vineyards,
grapes
are
picked
quickly
and
transferred
immediately
to the
sorting
table at
the
chais,
followed
by
pneumatic
pressing
into
temperature
controlled
stainless
steel
tanks.
Fermentation
begins
slowly,
with
temperatures
rarely
above
16°C, so
that it
is
approximately
60 days
before
the
desired
level of
residual
sugar in
balance
with the
hallmark
acidity
of
Vouvray
is
accomplished.
The wine
is aged
on its
lees for
approximately
6 months
following
a cold
stabilization
and then
bottled.
The
estate
is most
famous
for its
demi-sec
Vouvray
- one of
the
great
wines of
the
Loire
Valley.
Château
de
Montfort
Vouvray
is an
elegant,
fine
wine
characterized
by
brilliant
fruit
aromas
and
excellent
structure.
Aromas
of
Granny
Smith
apples
and
Anjou
pear
dominate,
with a
hint of
wet
stone
minerality.
The
initial
fruit
sweetness
is
perfectly
complimented
by a
true
zing of
bracing
acidity
and
minerality.
The
finish
is long
and
satisfying,
and the
overall
impression
is of a
tremendously
refreshing
wine,
quaffable
as an
aperitif,
but also
a great
accompaniment
to
sushi,
fish,
chicken,
or pork
in
oriental
preparations.
Château
de la
Chaize
Brouilly-en-Beaujolais
- France
Château
de la
Chaize
is one
of the
oldest,
most
historic
estates
in
Burgundy's
Beaujolais
region.
Boasting
over 250
acres of
land, it
is also
one of
the
largest.
This
stunning
property
-
designated
an
Historic
Monument
in 1972
- was
designed
by
Mansard,
with
gardens
by
Lenotre,
designers
of the
Palace
of
Versailles,
just
outside
of
Paris.
Château
de la
Chaize
is
currently
owned
and
managed
by the
Marquise
de
Roussy
de Sales
family,
making
it one
of the
last
great
privately-owned
wine
estates
in
France.
Château
de la
Chaize
is
located
in the
Brouilly
appellation,
the
largest
of the
Beaujolais
Crus,
where
the
predominant
grape
planted
is Gamay.
On this
estate,
50% of
vines
are
older
than 50
years,
some as
much as
75
years.
The pink
granite
soil
allows
for
excellent
drainage.
Under
the
direction
of the
Marquise
de
Roussy
de
Sales,
the
winemaking
operations
at
Château
de la
Chaize,
as well
as the
property
and
gardens
themselves,
were
completely
transformed
and
updated.
It is
today
considered
one of
the most
innovative
estates
in
Burgundy.
Among
its
forward-thinking
practices
is the
adoption
of
eco-friendly
farming
techniques,
commonly
referred
to as
Agriculture
Raisonne.
Chemical
treatments
have
been
reduced
to a
strict
minimum,
for
example,
and the
growing
of grass
between
rows has
been
re-introduced
to
enrich
the soil
and
reduce
erosion.
Fermentation
takes
place in
large
stainless
steel
tanks,
with a
short
cold
maceration
followed
by
relatively
low
temperature
alcoholic
fermentation.
The
wines
are
drained
by
gravity
to age
gracefully
in large
neutral
oak
casks
for
approximately
one year
before
being
bottled
at the
winery.
Château
de La
Chaize
is one
of the
most
recognized
and best
selling
wines of
the
entire
Beaujolais
region,
offering
an
exceptional
price-quality
ratio.
