In France’s Loire Valley, a very large wine region stretching from Central France to their West Coast, the most important red varietal is Cabernet Franc. Here, wines made from Cabernet Franc are light to medium bodied, with herb and red fruit flavors, as well as signature violet and pencil shaving aromas. They’re delicate and complex, and are beautiful with food. Look for French reds labeled from Touraine, Anjou-Saumur, Chinon and Bourgueil. Two of my favorites at our store Antoine Simoneau’s Touraine ($9.79 per bottle) and Charles Joguet’s Chinon ($23.79 per bottle).

The majority of New World Cabernet Francs come from here in the U.S. We tend to treat this varietal much like Cabernet Sauvignon here, with heavy extraction of color and tannin and quite a bit of oak. While this style certainly has its place, the nuances of Cabernet Franc tend to be lost, in my opinion. However, I have found a few New World Cabernet Francs that, while more medium to full-bodied, still allow the delicate nuances of the grape to be expressed. My favorites at the store right now are the Arbor Crest Cabernet Franc, from the Columbia Valley ($19.99 per bottle) and the Spangler Cabernet Franc from Southern Oregon ($22.29 per bottle).

Upcoming Events:

Friday, April 30, 4 to 7 p.m. – Meet Dawn Barrett from Penner Ash, who will be pouring a selection of their wines.

Friday, May 7, 4 to 6:30 p.m. – Welcome Darius Price from Owen Roe.

Friday, May 21, 4 to 6:30 p.m. – Join Chris from Cascade Cliffs.

Friday, May 28, 4 to 6:30 p.m. – Meet Molly from C&G.

Cheers!

It’s officially spring now, and I hear that the weather should be turning nice sometime this weekend, so now seems as good a time as any to begin some spring cleaning at the Terwilliger wine shop.

When you walk through our wine department, you’ll see that the Chardonnay section is now organized by region – from California to local Chardonnays to Burgundy. I’ll be keeping an eye out for other new and exciting Chardonnays to come through the door, too.

We’re also shrinking our sparkling wine section a bit to fit in some new miscellaneous whites. You’ll still find Pinot gris, Pinot blanc, Sauvignon blanc and Riesling in this section, as well as some interesting French, Spanish and Italian white blends. We have, however, started to build a Rosé section in anticipation of some warmer weather. I’ve recently brought in four new Rosés, all of which are dry with beautiful fruit (just because it’s pink doesn’t mean it’s sweet), but each is different from the next. My current favorite, the 2008 Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup, has great spicy notes and will pair beautifully with most any light dish.

I’ve diligently been working to fill in some holes in the Zinfandel/Syrah section, too. I recently brought in three new Zinfandels, all with great spice and fruit – not to mention great value. You’ll now find Northern Rhone Syrahs in this section, including a great new addition, the J.L. Chave Côtes-du-Rhone “Mon Coeur.” This biodynamic producer is a family owned winery that has been passed down through the generations since 1481. The wine is balanced and aromatic, with earthy notes and lush fruit.

The Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon section has also bulked up a bit, and one of the things that has surprised me the most is the quality of Cabernet Sauvignon that you can get for the money. For example, the 2007 Cannonball California Cabernet Sauvignon is rich, full bodied and lush, and retails for only $14.79. Likewise, Owen Roe’s 2008 Sharecropper’s Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is worth ever penny at only $13.99.

Finally, I’ve been working on creating a new section in our wine set. It includes wines from Bordeaux, New World Bordeaux blends, Malbec and Cab Franc (both varietals used in Bordeaux blends). I’ve added three new Malbecs to the shelf, as well as two fantastic Bordeauxs and a Cab Franc or two.

While there’s still more cleaning up to do, the place is looking pretty good if I do say so myself. We hope you’ll stop by to peruse the wine department soon!

Wine Tasting:
Friday, April, 16 from 4 - 6:30 p.m. – Erica Landon from Hawks View will join us as she pours their Pinot gris and Pinot noir.

I’m excited to be the newest member of the Market of Choice team at the SW Portland store, and I look forward to keeping you posted about the latest goings on in the wine department. Having spent the last three-plus years working for Oregon wineries, I love to chat about local wine regions or help you discover wines from other fantastic areas of the world.

Over the last week, we’ve added a few new arrivals that are not only delicious wines, but are all great values:

2008 J. Scott Roussane, Columbia Valley, Washington – Roussane is a grape seen mostly in the Rhône Valley of France, typically blended with Marsanne in the northern Rhône and with Marsanne, Viognier and Grenache Blanc in the south. This wine is aromatic like a Viognier, but has the roundness of a Chardonnay. One of my favorite new arrivals, this wine is delicious with fish or other light dishes, or just enjoyed on its own. $16.29

2008 Schloss Saarstein Pinot Blanc, Mosel, Germany – The vineyards that this wine comes from are situated around an 18th century castle high atop the steep hillsides of the Mosel River in Germany. Showing steely minerality and crisp fruit, this Pinot Blanc is one of the best I’ve tasted so far. $14.99

2007 Domaine mas de Martin Cuvée Roi Patriote, Val de Montferrand, Southern France – Using varietals not typically seen in the Languedoc region of southwestern France, this wine is a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Grenache noir. A rich, full-bodied wine that brings out the best of each of the varietals in the blend, including jammy fruit, nice structure and earth. A great value! $17.99

2006 Chateau Lagarosse Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France – Located on the right bank of Bordeaux, this wine is primarily Merlot blended with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Velvety and full-bodied, this is a great expression of Bordeaux, without the big price tag. $14.79

2008 Broadley Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Oregon – This wine is currently part of our “Savories” selection, and at $14.99, it’s a total steal. Pretty aromatics with fruit and floral notes lead to a layered palate of cherry and raspberry fruit, excellent depth and balancing acidity. $14.99

Upcoming Events

This Friday, March 19, from 4-6:30 pm, we welcome Mark Retz from Independent Wine Company, who will be pouring some of the wines in his portfolio, including Viento Verona, Heydon Road Cabernet Sauvignon and a couple of other surprises. We hope to see you there!