Spotlight on Southern France
Transport yourself to the French Riviera with rich Vermentino, bold Gigondas, classic Provence rosé, and more picks from our staff.
À Yvonne, Blanc, Dom. des Amiel – 2021 $36.96
A foeder-aged Vermentino from the Languedoc. Mellow farmhouse and earthy aromatics start opening up to a rich-bodied white with flavors of honey, pear, and light yeasty undertones. Foeder complexity shines through and drops the normal acidity seen in Vermentino rounding out the body well with a nice natural kick on the back end. – Ben Wood, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Gigondas, Dom. Gour de Chaulé – 2020 $34.96
The Gigondas region is situated in the Southern Rhône Valley. This area has an amazing vine-growing tradition and is mainly known for red grapes. The classic trio of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre help to create a wine with different layers. This wine is perfumed with aromas of red fruit, balanced by spice notes, dried fruit notes, and a solid tannic structure. Definitely bold in its style, I consider it, in a good way, an old style wine—earthy and concentrated with a long finish. I would decant it for a while before drinking. – Andrea Fraccari, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Rasteau, Elodie Balme – 2021 $24.96
Elodie Balme’s winemaking career started under the tutelage of Marcel Richaud, one of the pioneers of biodynamics in the Southern Rhône. With her mentor Marcel’s encouragement, she founded Domaine Elodie Balme at just 23 years old. Over time she has modified her farming approach: replacing fertilizers with contact products, organic inputs, ploughing, and discontinuing the use of chemical pesticides. In the winery her ethos carries over. This low-SO2 usage makes for a fruit-forward wine with bright notes of raspberry, strawberry, and black cherry. An underlying stony minerality gives the right amount of earth on the palate. Bright freshness and resolved tannins make this a stellar choice for lamb-based stews – Matt Goodyear, Astor Wines & Sales Consultant
Pétillant Naturel “Pour de Vrai”, Ch. Puech Redon – 2022 $21.96
Domaine Puech Redon is the family estate of winemaker Cyril Cuche. Cyril celebrates biodiversity and his winemaking style is decidedly “minimal intervention.” This unbelievable pétillant naturel, produced with 85% Cinsault and 15% Syrah, was the collaboration between Puech Redon and famed Rhône producer Eric Texier. The color may blush slightly pink, but I experienced this wine to be a soft amber. Persistent lychee fruit notes lingered throughout the sip. The naturally induced bubbles were fine and dry on the palate, consistent and balanced throughout the bottle. It was a joy to drink! – Evan, Cucciniello, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Côtes de Provence Rosé “MiP,” Dom. des Diables – 2022 $14.96 for a limited time
Here you have it: that classic Provence rosé! When in doubt, drinkers typically opt for lighter rosé, which has led some producers to make what amounts to very bland acidic water. The “MiP” rosé is very clean and refreshing, but has something else going on, too. If you’re looking for Whispering Angel, this is the perfect substitute, at a much better price. 60% Cinsault, 20% Syrah, and 20% Grenache are left to age on the lees for 4 months after cold fermentation. The resulting wine is crisp with a light texture and easy-peasy to drink. With fruit flavors that are reminiscent of a Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc (think Sancerre) this is a crowd-pleasing fun-time wine. – Josh Mizrahi, Sales Manager