Domaine South
European Wine Tasting
French and Austrian Wines
Featured Importer, Vineyard Brands
Special Guest, Phil Oreh of Alabama Crown
Friday, October 2nd, 4pm - 6pm
$20 per person
256-759-9952 to Reserve
The Wines
2025 Domaine Tariquet Classic, Gasgone, France $15.99
Our first bottling of Classic was the 1982 vintage, which makes Classic Domaine Tariquet’s historical wine. Originally made entirely with Ugni blanc, a grape variety grown on the estate for its Bas-Armagnacs, the Classic has been able to renew itself thanks to the evolution of its blend with other grape varieties, while remaining loyal to its origin.
A fresh, crisp white wine with citrus and white flower aromas. Light and full of life, it’s an ideal companion for any occasion.
Dry white wine
Grape varieties: Ugni blanc 45%, Colombard 25%, Gros Manseng 20%, Sauvignon 10%
ABV: 11% vol.
2022 Ingrid Groiss Grüner Veltliner Ried in Der Schablau, Niederösterreich, Austria $34.99
Bright yellow-green silver tints. Fine blossom honey, something like passion fruit, a whiff of candied orange zests, fresh quince note. Juicy, elegant, powerful, integrated acidity, finely spicy, a bit of apple, good food match. (Falstaff).
10h maceration on the skins. Gently pressing without stems. Fermented with vineyard yeasts in a big used barrel. Aged on full lees for 10 months till bottling.
For centuries, the Groiss family has grown grapes in Austria’s largest wine-growing region, Niederösterreich (Lower Austria), and more specifically in the northern subregion of Weinviertel. This area, known for its diverse terroirs and loess soils, produces excellent white wines from indigenous grape varieties, including Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, and Gemischter Satz (a traditional field blend). Weingut Ingrid Groiss operates as a true small family business with Ingrid at the helm, her father helping with tractor work, and her mother assisting in the vineyards. The family oversees 20 hectares (49.4 acres) of organic vineyards, crafting a focused range of wines, including four single vineyard wines grown on 50-year-old vines. Ingrid Groiss studied winemaking at Universität für Bodenkultur and returned home to eventually inherit vineyards from both her mother’s and father’s sides of the family. Upon taking over the family vineyards, Ingrid converted them to organics and narrowed their range to produce only wines that reflected their terroir, grape variety, and vintage.
2022 Domaine Francois Carillon Chardonnay, Vin De France, France $32.99
Aromas of peach, melon and white flowers, with a light toasted vanilla presence from the oak. Lush, with crisp acidity leading to a satisfying finish.
The Carillon family Domaine dates back to the 16th century. Today, François
Carillon farms almost 20 acres of vineyards, located principally in PulignyMontrachet.
The grapes for the Vin de France Chardonnay come from plots located throughout Cote de Beaune and the South of France just outside of the villages of Ales, nearby Avignon. Nice acidity, full of fruit with an unexpected, lingering finish. Following the harvest, the wine is taken directly to ferment in small oak barrels, where it spends at least 6 months and undergoes a light bâtonnage. It is blended and bottled about 12 months after harvest. Soil: Clay-Limestone. Age of vines: 15-30 years old
NV Weingut Loimer Gluegglich Rot, Austria $24.99
Bright cherry red with purple reflections. Cranberry and Amarena cherry – plus a hint of propolis and juniper – onn the nose. A light-footed, juicy wine with moderate tannins. The palate delivers notes of blood orange, cherry and dried herbs. Completely dry with fresh acidity, a silky mouthfeel – and vital tension right through the long citrus finish. (tasted by wine academic Johannes Fiala)
Made just like in the old days. Our Gluegglich Red is characterized by deeply rooted Austrian grape varieties from different vintages. Spontaneously, partially fermented on mash, no fining and no filtering. And patiently matured in wooden barrels. A dry wine with fresh acidity and vibrance.
Grape variety: Pinot Noir, St. Laurent, Zweigelt
Harvest: selective picking by hand in boxes of 20 kg
Mash: destemmed, mashed or whole cluster pressing
Fermentation: spontaneous in wooden fermenter
Aging: Pinot Noir: 6-12 months on full lees, 1-2 years on fine lees in small wooden barrels Zweigelt & St. Laurent: 6 months on lees in small barrels
Vintage: non-vintage (2023 to 2017 Solera)
Sulphur: after blend with 10 mg/l
Vinification: Low intervention
2022 Domaine Xavier & Agnès Amirault Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil Les Gravilices, Loire Valley, France $37.99
It is this wine’s balance which makes it so rich. Living and natural elements cohabit to perfection. It releases the full extent of its candied cherry and prune notes one to three hours after being opened or decanted. It develops roundness and then a rapturous flavor which fades away gently on the palate, sustaining the character of the body.
Located in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil in the Loire Valley, Domaine Amirault's Clos des Quarterons is a 92-acre vineyard. The Domaine has been in the Amirault family for six generations and is currently managed by Xavier Amirault and his wife, Agnès. The estate is 100% certified organic by Ecocert and certified biodynamic by Demeter. The biodynamic methods focus on both the environment and the terroir: soil, place, climate, varietal, and the methods of farming. The goal is to achieve a natural balance across the 53 plots of mostly Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc planted at the estate. This thoughtful method of farming is the Domaine's secret to offering unique and living wines, vintage after vintage.
Les Gravilices is fermented using only indigenous yeasts in low height oak barrels to maximise the infusion of the berries. During the first three weeks of vinification, we “punch down” the cap delicately by hand. We do not use any additives.
Ageing: At the end of the 3-week maceration period, the press juice is added and 50% of the wine is placed in stainless steel tanks and 50% into a “Foudre” (large oak barrels). The wine is aged will last 12-16 months. These large oak barrels will rest at ideal temperatures and humidity in ou winery.
The deep gravel soil provides good drainage giving earlier maturating and well ripened grapes. We favour natural ground cover, and we avoid overworking the soil. In winter we cover the base of the vines to protect from frost.