Domaine South
European Wine Tasting
Dazzling Spanish and French Wines
From Featured Importer, Grape Expectations!
Special Guest, Phil Oreh of Alabama Crown
Friday, October 23rd, 4pm - 6pm
$20 per person
256-759-9952 to Reserve
The Wines
2025 Domaine Pierre Riffault Sancerre "Cortem à Bâtis", Loire Valley, France $32.99
Beautiful pale gold color, with green hints. On the nose some oro blanco, Meyer lemon, white peach, kumquat, gooseberry, a touch of basil, and flint. Its palate is light and lovely with excellent minerality and a crisp, dry finish. 100% Sauvignon Blanc
This wine is a blend of two vineyards vinified separately in stainless steel tank to preserve its freshness, with minimum intervention. The wine sees 6 months of aging in stainless steel to then be bottled. The soil is mostly calcareous clay (locally known as caillottes) this soil is indeed very rocky, stressing the vines in such a way as to produce a rich, ripe grape, completely indicative of the region.
This is a third-generation producer, with father Pierre handing things over to son Bertrand in 2005. Bertrand brings a bit of a unique (and more urban) background to what is overall a fairly provincial scene in Chaudoux – He returned home to the winery after earning a Master’s degree in Sociology, and is just as interested in music and cooking as he is winegrowing. If you make it to the property ask about their unbelievable collection of old clay “crotin de chavignol” molds. The family owns 20 vineyard plots in total (almost exclusively on very steep slopes), and all soils are either flint or of of two types of calcareous clay known locally as “caillottes” and “terres blanches.” In terms of size we are talking 9.5 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and 1.5 hectares of Pinot Noir.
2024 Fèvre-Fèvre Chablis, Burgundy, France $28.99
Sourced from parcels situated beside the village of Fontenay-Près-Chablis, at the very heart of Chablis’ vineyards. On high plains or steep hills, these vines grow on stony soils (Kimmeridgien Limestone). Most of Fèvre’s vineyards are between 15 and 25 years old, some are 75 years of age (planted by Nathalie’s Great Grandfather). This is a fresh and fruity example with consistently forward minerality.
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
One of Chablis’ most recognizable names, branches of Fèvre family have been producing wine in the region since the early 1800’s. Nathalie and Gilles Fèvre base themselves in the village of Fontenay-Pres-Chablis, where they operate a Domaine that is impressively large by Chablis standards with over 100 acres under vine in total including a large proportion of classified holdings (Grand Cru Les Preuses, 1er Cru Fourchaume, and 1er Cru Mont de Milieu). It is worth noting that their basic “AC Chablis” holdings are unusually strategic, as most of their acreage sits on the Côte de Fontenay just northeast of the region’s coveted Grand Cru slopes. Nathalie and Gilles are putting the final touches on a new winery that you must see to believe – An impeccably efficient gravity flow setup cut into the side of their main vineyard site in Fontenay.
2025 Conde Valdemar Blanco Tempranillo, Rioja, Spain $16.99
100% Tempranillo Blanco
Pale yellow colour with greenish reflections, clean and bright. On the nose, it shows an intense and fresh fruity character, with notes of white fruits such as melon and pear, complemented by delicate herbal hints. On the palate, it offers a smooth and rounded entry with a rich, creamy texture. Herbal and fruity notes reappear on the long finish, marked by a subtle saline touch that reflects the limestone soils from which it originates.
It is perfect to drink it with small appetizer dishes, creamy cheese platters, fried calamari, carpaccio, sushi, ceviche or chicken skewers. Ideal with shellfish, risottos, duck magret and pastas.
Hand-picked grapes in the morning in boxes. Fermentation at 16ºC in stainless steel tanks and ageing for 4 months on fine lees until its bottling.
2023 Conde de Valdemar Finca Alto Cantabria Blanco, Rioja, Spain $35.99
Founded in the 1980s, Bodegas Valdemar is a Rioja winery with a much longer family history dating back to 1889. Today, at the fifth generation of the Martinez Bujanda family, the winery is recognized as one of the most prestigious in Spain, with over 300 hectares spread across the Rioja appellation.
The Viura grapes are sourced from the Finca Alto Cantabria Singular vineyard, planted in 1975 and located at an altitude of 114 meters above the Ebro River. Here, the calcareous, sandy-loam soil, the slope, and good ventilation provide ideal conditions for growing white grape varieties. After manual harvesting, fermentation takes place partly in stainless steel and partly in French oak. The finished wine then ages on the lees for 6 months.
The result is an elegant and distinctive wine with a bright straw-yellow color with greenish highlights. Its aromatic profile is broad and intense, with notes of stone fruit and dried fruit and smoky nuances. On the palate, it is juicy, fresh, and balanced, with a lively acidity and a touch of saltiness resulting from the calcareous soil. The finish is long and smooth. Try it with Asian cuisine, fish with white sauces, and seafood pasta.
2024 Domaine Thulon Morgon Les Charmes, Beaujolais, France $22.99
This farm is located on the old estate of Château de Thulon (15th century) and was purchased by Annie and René Jambon in 1987 after they were “métayers” for 20 years there. Their children Carine and Laurent are now running the estate, and a passion for experimentation sets them apart from peers in the region. These are some of the best values in French wine we’ve come across in the last decade.
The Morgon “Les Charmes” has a clean and vibrant bouquet with perfumed dark cherries, redcurrant, and a touch of gravel and rose petal. The palate is nicely structured, brimming over with energy. The acidity is very well-balanced, yet quite sturdy, as Morgon should be, but without the hard edges. Abundant mineral-laced raspberry, boysenberry and violet pastille flavors are supported by a subtle white pepper quality that builds on the back half.
100% Gamay. Manual harvest with 80% of the fruit destemmed before crush. Alcoholic fermentation in vats with aging on the fine lees. Light filtration before bottling at the estate.
2019 Conde Valdemar Rioja Reserva, Rioja, Spain $19.99
Deep ruby-red colour, clean and bright, with good intensity. On the nose, it reveals great aromatic complexity, combining ripe black fruit and licorice with notes of wild herbs, fine spices, and delicate toasted hints. On the palate, it stands out for its balance and liveliness, with a broad and silky mouthfeel. The long and expressive finish reflects its careful aging, bringing refinement and elegance. Especially suitable for beef, grilled pork, roasted lamb, chicken, barbequed food and grilled vegetables. Also a perfect match with pasta dishes, tacos, enchiladas, stir fried noodles and all kinds of cheeses.
87% Tempranillo 6% Garnacha 4% Graciano 3% Maturana
23 months in American (70%) and French (30%) oak barrels.