Once again, we have a great set of wines for you. The emphasis this month is on excitement of flavors: there are no shrinking flowers here. We hang out with our old friends from Spain, France and Argentina, but we’ve got grapes and regions that aren’t all that common. If you get all reds, you’ll also see a tasty Italian number.
There is one major change this month, which I ought to let you in on. The first is that I have gone back to including wine notes with each of the shipments. I found beautiful 100% post-consumer recycled paper, and I have been feeling like not having the notes in your shipment takes away some of the value. But don’t let the notes keep you from going to the website: there are pictures and links to more information and maps for each of the selections, a plethora of good stuff that you don’t want to miss. There is also an opportunity to comment on the wines and share your thoughts (though no one has done this yet. Your invitation code to register and leave comments on the site is “member01″.
Also, we have a very special tasting at Cellar46 on August 1st. I will be leading a tasting of the exceptional Burgundies from Lucien Le Moine. For more information, click here reservations are required, but it’s well worth it: the wines are stunning!
To see the selections for this month click here
If you have all red, click here
I hope you enjoy the wines.
Thank you,
Jake
Columbard is thought to be a cross between Gouais Blanc (you just drank one of these the other night, didn’t you?) and Chenin Blanc. It is most common in the Charente where it is used to produce Cognac and Gascogny where it is used to produce Armagnac, though it produces lesser quality brandies than Ugni Blanc because it has lower acidity and higher alcohol. There are also giant plantings in 
California (it was the most planted white grape there until 1991) where it produces mediocre wine from the central valley that often shows up in jugs of “California Chablis” and increasing plantings in South Africa where it makes really tasty wines (I’ll put one in a future shipment).
This Columbard is from Domaine de Mirail who also produces very good Armagnac (which, incidentally is made from 100% Folle Blanche, but a topic for another day). They have decided to treat their Columbard plantings as quality still wine grapes, and the results have been phenomenal. The vineyards are planted at a relatively high density of 3600 plants per ha, and have relatively low yield of 60 hl/ha (in California Columbard often yields 210 hl/ha). Grapes are harvested at night to maintain their acidity, and soaked on their skins before pressing. The go through a cool fermentation, then remain on their lees in the tanks for 4-6 months, when they are bottled. The resulting wine is wonderfully refreshing, and full of vibrant peach and grapefruit flavors, with a creamy mouthfeel . . . perfect front porch wine.
Verdejo from 
times article for some really good suggestions about others to look for). What is especially nice is that Rueda, through modern winemaking techniques, has managed to keep their unique native grape as the focus of their region, adding to, rather than taking away from the variety available in the world. (
The three owners of 
while) as a winemaker outside the family.
Château de Jouclary is owned by Robert and Pascal Gianesini, who have been making exceptional wines from their 60 ha estate. Rather than use all of the permitted red grapes, they have focused on the three which they believe grow best on their property: Merlot, Grenache and Syrah. The Merlot makes up the majority of the wine, and provides the background, while Syrah and Grenache from the rocky upper slopes of the hill provide spice and richness.
Southwest France remains one of the greatest sources of hearty, rustic, delicious reds in the world. It is lucky for the adventurous, that the name Bordeaux evokes such intense (often misplaced) trust, because no one ever ventures south, to the likes of Cahors, Irouleguy and Madiran which suits me just fine. These wines remain some of the most underpriced in all of France.