Thursday, February 26, 2009

Violet, You're Turning Violet, Violet

I'm shockingly making the switch here to white much earlier than I though I would, not because of New World's preceding post (which sounds like a delicious October Nicoise salad actually), but because this one needs to be shared immediately.

Clos de la Coulée de Serrant 2003 - Loire Valley

It's one of the first Domaines in on the river and 100% Chenin Blanc.

You know when Violet eats the Everlasting-Gobstopper in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? Well after 30 seconds with this chenin, I know exactly what she was talking about (minus the swelling into a giant blueberry).  And for all of you turned off by the distinctly French lilt and the length of the producer's name, it's just French for "Thanksgiving Dinner, but backwards."

You get dessert up front: a gorgeous tart and baked granny smith apple and cinnamon pie, except Granny baked the pie for 17 minutes too long, because she went to take her pills, but got distracted by the cat who had lodged itself between the fire place and the wood-bin, which upon having resolved the matter, fell asleep, forgetting what she was doing (meanwhile, pie's on fire).  The pie is certainly burnt, but she got lucky, because the honey glazed crust is nicely caramelized.  Then a savory and minerality from the bird, and a citrus cranberry sauce.  Distinctly at the end, and very strangely I might add, is the walk up from the car to the front door: the taste of pineneedle and cone, as you smack into the branch mouth first.

This chenin blanc is you at the end of the day's feast: gutt-bustingly fat, full of alcohol, but knowing it was satisfyingly worth it.

7 comments:

Elizabeth said...

I love the C'ville wine blog.

Anonymous said...

Oh this is truly a wonderful Chenin Blanc. But, I have some amazing New World Chenin Blanc to share with you soon, a couple from South Africa that will knock the socks off this edition from Loire.

I say we do a Chenin Blanc head-to-head!

Anonymous said...

The real story with this wine is Nicolas Joly, the grapegrower, who turned the entire domaine biodynamic in the 80s and more or less wrote the book for French wineries interested in terroir and making wine with purpose. This guy is more or less worshipped by winemakers and grapegrowers trying to make wine in a "beyond organic" manner - i.e. no chemicals, no bagged yeasts, nothing that wasn't done hundreds of years ago. Lots of the Mosel - Saar - Ruwer guys are into this, too. This is (probably) why a Chenin Blanc from Serrant or a Reisling from Darting can last like 75 years and still be awesome.

Old World said...

YES, Ryan, right on the muhnees. This guy is such a trip, and they get even more into it than the biodyanmics. They synchronize various steps of the process from planting to harvest with the phases of the moon! This is what happens when you let tree-hugging, frisbee throwing, Neo-hippy, cheeba-monkeys run a domaine. I'm sure it's like back to the days of the Normans with Joly: Pagans with white dresses and flowers in their hair, holding hands in a circle, idly chanting and swaying, invoking the spirit of Freyja, the God of fertility and abundance. I wouldn't be surprised if he made all of his employees do their bidness right on the vine, to further keep all raw materials "in house."

New World said...

employees do their bidness right on the vine, to further keep all raw materials "in house."

now that's sustainability.

thanks for your comments, Ryan! welcome to the blog.

Anonymous said...

Also, where did you find this wine?

Old World said...

I bartend at a Provencal Restaurant in NY, and it was added to our wine program just recently. I nabbed it from my sommelier, when the bottle was left by a guest.

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