Domaine South
French Wine Tasting
Featuring Becky Wasserman & Co.
Friday, March 13th, 4 pm - 6pm
Special Guest, Perry Riddle of International Wines
$20 per person
256-759-9952 to Reserve
Becky Wasserman & Co. was founded in 1979 by Becky Wasserman-Hone, an American expatriate who has lived in Burgundy since 1968. Our company exports wines from small domaines and shippers in Burgundy and other regions who honor their terroirs. We do not endorse any single method of vinification or an “ideal” type of wine.
The Wines
2024 Brendan Stater-West Saumur Blanc, Loire Valley, France $35.99
Tense, mineral, and finely sculpted, the 2024 Saumur Blanc from Brendan Stater-West delivers a vibrant expression of Chenin Blanc rooted in limestone. Aromas of lemon zest, green pear, and chalk unfold into a taut, focused palate with bracing acidity and a clean, saline finish. A wine of quiet precision and clarity, it’s as compelling on its own as it is at the table.
Terroir: From the lower part of Les Chapaudaises (in the commune of Bizay, northeast-facing, mostly sandy-clay-loam over limestone) or from Les Albaudaises (2024) on the southwestern slope on the hillside of Brézé, west-facing, 90 cm deep sandy-silt topsoil, Turonian limestone bedrock.
Viticulture: Organic (certified)
Vinification: Sorted directly in the vineyard (with sorting table), pressed with whole clusters, settled and decanted, 2-4-week ambient yeast fermentation in steel tank at 20°C, malolactic conversion sometimes blocked due to the very low pH (between 3.07 to 3.12) and the cold cellar environment (10 to 12°C), aged for 8-10 months on the lees in used barrels, no fining, tangential filtration, SO₂ added after pressing and fermentation and is adjusted to 20 ppm free SO₂ at bottling.
With that infectious smile, a humble disposition, and a willingness to "trust the process," Brendan Stater-West is intuitively built to be a great vigneron. One might ask how a young American guy from Oregon with no winemaking background ends up in Saumur as the right hand man to Romain Guiberteau, one of the benchmark producers in the Loire Valley. It started while Brendan was working at a hip Parisian wine shop, where he first encountered a bottle of Guiberteau and fell hard for the purity and laser- focused expressions Chenin Blanc. After a move to Saumur, he pestered Romain until he finally gave in to that all-American charm and gave him a job chez Guiiberteau. His luck and hard work continue to pay off, as he has since taken over farming in some choice old-vine parcels in Brézé for Chenin and La Ripaille for Cabernet France. Upon our last visit with Brendan, he shared the exciting news that he had recently bought a property in Chacé, a town in the appellation of Saumur-Champigny, from a family with deep roots in the region.
2023 Marcel Deiss Complantation Blanc, Alsace, France $35.99
Pure and fresh aromas and flavors of yellow peach, lime, spices, nectarine, and fresh citrus fruits. It is refined and delicate, showing increasing concentration through to the bright, stony, mineral finish. A beautifully complete white wine.
Certified biodynamic
ABOUT THIS WINE
A field blend of Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Muscat à petits grains, Gewurztraminer, Sylvaner, Pinot Auxerrois, Pinot Beurot, Muscat Blanc, Rose d'Alsace, Traminer, Chasselas Rose. The vines were planted between 1980 and 2010; sourced from multiple Bergheim vineyards with clay-limestone soil, including younger vines from 1er Cru parcels. Pressed with whole clusters, ambient yeast fermentation. Aged 12 months on the lees.
ABOUT THIS PRODUCER
No one will argue that Deiss is among the top two or three domaines of Alsace. As to the rest, Jean-Michel Deiss is what the French call, a fouteur de merde, a shit-stirrer. After an old man on his deathbed entrusted him with one of Alsace's gems, the Schoenenbourg vineyard, Jean-Michel found that it was planted to an old field blend or “co-plantation.” He soon realized that this was the missing link in his quest for great wine and he replanted every single one of his top vineyards to such blends. Though this had once been the norm in Alsace, by the time Jean-Michel planted his grand crus to field blends, it was a technique reserved to lowly wines. Then, he took on the Alsatian cru system. Too many grand crus, and too large at that, but no premier crus was idiotic, he thought, and he self-appointed seven of his top vineyards “premier crus.” When you taste them, it makes crystalline sense, but this is technically an illegal practice and Jean-Michel has been battling the authorities ever since. His latest concern is to have ancient but currently illegal Alsatian varieties added to the list of authorized grapes. A troublemaker indeed, but the wines are absolutely magical.
2023 Famille Ogereau L`Enjouee Rouge, Loire Valley, France $25.99
From: Anjou, Loire Valley, France
Varietal: Cabernet Franc, Grolleau Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay
Taste: On the nose, it presents a floral and spicy bouquet, primarily due to the Grolleau grape, which imparts delicate floral aromas and subtle spice notes. There is a distinctive peppery nuance, adding complexity to the aromatic profile. Gamay enhances these elements with additional floral and spicy undertones, while the Cabernet varieties introduce a fine, infused texture accompanied by crisp red fruit aromas. On the palate, L'Enjouée Rouge follows the nose bouquet.
Pairing: For a classic match, consider duck confit with herbs—the richness of the duck will harmonize with the wine’s freshness and spice, while the herbs accentuate its floral undertones. Charcuterie boards featuring cured meats and tangy cheeses are another traditional pairing, with the wine's acidity cutting through the meats' fattiness and balancing the cheese's sharpness.
“Enjouée” means playful or joyful, a perfect descriptor for this vibrant, fresh wine. Vincent and Emmanuel Ogereau both play the tuba, thus the nod to their preferred instrument on the label.
Terroir: From Saint Lambert du Lattay and Saint Aubin de Luigné, in the heart of the Coteaux du Layon, on schists. Viticulture: Organic (Ecocert)
Vinification: Vinification varies slightly with vintage (see below). Full malolactic conversion, aged for about 5 months in underground, tile-lined tanks, filtered with diatomaceous earth.
2023 Domaine La Calmette Serpent A Plumes Rouge, Cahors, France $35.99
A joyful and immediately satisfying Malbec/Merlot blend, this is the juiciest of La Calmette’s wines. Immediate and enticing, bursting with ripe red fruits and spice underpinned with a satisfying edge of graphite and intense minerality.
2023 was an exceptional vintage for Maya and Nicholas, the resulting wine is beautifully silky and ripe.
In a region otherwise known for muscular, tannic, over-baked reds, ‘Serpent A Plumes’ goes against the grain, showing Malbec’s brighter, lighter side without compromising on substance and depth of flavour.
Made with a blend Malbec and Merlot, a small portion of the grapes are left whole bunch while the rest are de-stemmed. The grapes are co-fermented in concrete, and undergo a gentle maceration for one week to maintain fine tannins whilst keeping Malbec's signature inky colour.
Gentle and considered winemaking ensures the wine happily balances between depth of flavour and freshness.
About La Calmette
Nestled within the Cahors region of South-West France, Maya Sallée and Nicolas Fernandez are part of a growing movement of young wine-makers producing lighter, fresher wines in a region famed for robust, tannic reds. Maya and Nicolas bring not only a thorough knowledge of viticulture but also a meticulously researched scientific backbone to their natural wines - a blend of intuition, experience and research.
Varieties: 75-90% Malbec, 10-25% Merlot
Vine Age: Planted from the 1970s to early 2000s
Terroir: West-facing, 300-330m altitude. Kimmeridgian limestone and marl bedrock, fairly deep clay-limestone soil.
Viticulture: Organic (AB), biodynamic methods.
Vinification: Some whole cluster inclusion and a percentage of the fruit pressed immediately. 6-15 day ambient yeast fermentation with gentle infusion. Aged about 12 months on the lees in concrete and stainless steel tanks. No fining, no filtration. Minimal SO2 adjustment at bottling (10 ppm).
2023 Domaine La Calmette Trespotz Cahors, France $36.99
Domaine La Calmette, spearheaded by Maya Sallée and Nicolas Fernandez, is a standout producer in Cahors dedicated to revitalizing the region's terroir through organic and biodynamic viticulture. Their 2023 Trespotz is a vibrant blend of Malbec and Merlot grown on diverse soils of Kimmeridgian limestone, red clay, and marl. On the palate, it offers a bright explosion of fresh red fruits and floral notes balanced by a refreshing mineral finish. This is a far cry from the region’s reputation for ‘black wine’.
Varieties: 95-100% Malbec, 0-5% Merlot
Vine Age: Planted in 1977 and 1992
Terroir: 340m altitude, significant temperature changes from day to night, on iron-rich red clay and marl soil with Kimmeridgian limestone.
Viticulture: Organic (AB), biodynamic practices. Guyot Poussard or Cordon de Royat pruning.
Vinification: Partially de-stemmed, 6-30 day ambient yeast fermentation in tank with gentle infusion, aged on the lees in concrete tank, stainless steel tank and used barrels, no fining, may be filtered if needed, minimal SO2 adjustment at bottling (10-15 ppm).
Trespotz is the Occitan name for Maya and Nicolas' village. This is an blend of different terroirs typical for the area, including siderolithic red clays.
2023 Antoine Sanzay La Paterne Saumur-Champigny, Loire Valley, France $35.99
"The 2023 La Paterne is supple, perfumed and delicious for early drinking. There's an unobtrusive touch of reduction that adds zest to the red fruit, orange peel and floral notes. After ten months of aging in concrete, the aromatics are allowed to shine. There's richness on the palate and a hint of sweetness on the finish."
Certified organic
100% Cabernet Franc
Clay and limestone terroir, with high iron content in the soil
45+ year old vines De-stemmed, indigenous yeast. Fermented in concrete for 25 days. Aged in 60% cement, 40% older barrels for 9 months
Antoine Sanzay, embodying the warmth and passion of someone deeply connected to his roots, cherishes his vineyards, the culture of his region, its culinary arts and, naturally, its wines. As the sixth generation at the helm of his family's estate, he has transitioned the 12-hectare property, which includes two hectares dedicated to Chenin Blanc, to organic viticulture. His approach is steeped in tradition in the cellar, favoring long maturation periods and frequently opting for used barrels. The maturation process occurs within the tuffeau stone cellars, a natural choice that maintains a consistent temperature throughout the year, offering an ideal environment for the gentle aging of his wines. The wines from this estate are known for their highly aromatic profile, offering a well-balanced and refined experience. They are not overly concentrated, presenting a rather delicate and nuanced character. - Wine Advocate