West Seattle Wine Cellars

TONIGHT'S TASTING: DIRECT IMPORTS FROM ITALY
Courtesy of Small Vineyards
Thursday March 28 • 5:30 to 8:00 pm

As you know from our announcement on Monday, this is the last wine tasting under our ownership. And while weekly tastings WILL continue in the same format (informal, open to everyone, with no tasting fee), we felt it was only fitting to commemorate our transition with a tasting from Small Vineyards, our oldest import partner.

Tonight we're pouring seven limited quantity wines that they imported directly from Italy, and hope you join us in raising a toast to our shop's amazing history and bright future!

Club members: you can pick up your April wines tomorrow (Friday) after 5 pm, any time on Saturday, or next week during regular hours.

Finally, a big thank you for over 24 years of your support! Your patronage has helped make and maintain West Seattle Cellars as the treasured community resource it has become.

Here's tonight's delicious line-up:

• Groupe Uval, Umanu White — Our first wine of the night comes from Corsica, the Mediterranean island north of Sardinia and just off the Tuscan coast, that is technically part of France, but culturally very much a part of Italy. Made by a cooperative, this wine is a blend of 70% Vermentino and 30% Biancu Gentile, both minerally grapes that flourish in the limestone soil. It features flavors of citrus and melons that nicely balance the minerality. Small Vineyards recommends it with herbed goat cheese or shrimp scampi.

• La Quercia, Montonico Superiore “Santapupa” — La Quercia is a small, organic estate in the Abruzzo region on Italy’s rugged Adriatic coast where their 40-year-old vines grow in the family’s windswept hillside vineyards. Montonico is a white grape indigenous to the region and is known for producing fresh and citrusy but full-bodied wines. Recommended particularly for mushroom risotto or grilled seafood.

• Monte Tondo, Corvina Rosato Frizzante — It’s back! We were able to get a limited amount of this very popular, lightly bubbly Rosé, made by Marta and Gino Magnabosco from Corvina, the predominant red grape in Valpolicella and Amarone. It’s delightfully refreshing and would pair well with salumi or other appetizers.

• Cantina del Morellino, Cala Civetta, Ciliegiolo — Moving to Tuscany, we’ll get to taste this tasty Ciliegiolo—a red grape that gets its name from the Italian word for cherry and is often blended in small amounts in Chianti. It’s believed to be a parent grape to Sangiovese. This one comes from a cooperative in the Maremma region of southern Tuscany and is dark and rich with notes of ripe cherry and violets. Wonderful with any dish with tomato sauce.

• Vinea Domini, Roma Rosso — This friendly blend of 60% Montepulciano and 40% Sangiovese comes from the volcanic Castelli Romani hills, just southeast of Italy’s capital city. It has smooth plum and cherry fruit, with a touch of rustic tannins at the end that makes it a great companion to beef stew or cassoulet made with Italian sausage.

• Cantina di Venosa, Terre di Orazio Aglianico del Vulture — Many of you are familiar with the noble red grape Aglianico, which mostly comes from the area around Mount Vesuvius near Naples. However, this 100% Aglianico comes from a cooperative in the mountainous Vulture region in the northern part of the tiny province of Basilicata. It has the classic Aglianico dark plum and licorice flavors, with black pepper and black olive notes unique to this region. An ideal match for rich and savory meats, such as grilled steak, lamb, roasted pork, or braised barbecue ribs.

• Martoccia di Luca Brunelli, Rosso di Montalcino — This wine comes from Luca Brunelli’s tiny hilltop estate in Montalcino and, like Brunello, is 100% Sangiovese Grosso, a small grape with lots of power and Cabernet-like tannins. It is muscular yet accessible, with fine-grained tannins and bright flavors of cranberry and cherry. It should pair nicely with carbonara, pork chops, or meatballs in a Marinara sauce.

EXCITING NEWS AT WEST SEATTLE WINE CELLARS

As most of our customers know, we are approaching retirement age, and have been giving a lot of thought to how we could secure the future of West Seattle Wine Cellars as the only full-service wine shop in West Seattle.

So we are very happy to announce that, on April 1, we will pass ownership of the shop to our friends, West Seattle neighbors, and club members Jessica DiAsio and Bryce Fink, who live very close to the shop.

Jessica and Bryce are excited about the opportunity to serve the West Seattle community with the same high standards of selection and service that our shop has demonstrated since its founding in 1995. Watch for another upcoming email in which they'll introduce themselves and share their enthusiasm.

We want to assure our customers that no immediate changes are planned.

Tom will continue to be in the shop for the foreseeable future, helping in the selection of wines and assisting customers in finding the right wines.

The wine tastings and wine clubs will continue in the same format.

Gift certificates will continue to be honored, and all the wines that we are holding in the shop for customers will still be available.

Just as our dear late partner Bear learned from Matt, West Seattle Cellars' founder, and as we learned from Bear, we look forward to passing on our knowledge and experience to Bryce and Jessica.

We’d like to express our deepest gratitude to all our wonderful customers who have loyally supported us for over 24 years. We hope you’ll continue to support West Seattle Cellars as Jessica and Bryce open the next chapter in our story.

Tom and Jan

WINES FROM THE LOIRE VALLEY IN FRANCE
At tonight's tasting... 5:30 to 8:00 pm
Thursday March 21

As the longest river in France, and one of the country’s largest and most diverse wine regions, the Loire Valley produces a wide variety of wines along its 300-mile east-west course—including red, white, Rosé, and sparkling, as well as exquisite dessert wines. The one signature characteristic they all share is their refreshing, food-friendly acidity, which makes them very popular in our shop. Best of all, Loire wines are great values: all of the wines we’re pouring tonight are just $17 or less! Come join us for this delicious line-up:

• Vignerons du Pallet, “Les Petites Sardines” Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie — The Muscadet region, at the western end of the Loire, is best known for its fresh, seafood-friendly white wines. This wine is 100% Melon de Bourgogne and is made by a cooperative of 10 farmers in the village of Le Pallet, not far from the Atlantic. As required by the appellation rules, it is aged on the lees, adding a balancing touch of pearliness to its fresh, citrus flavors. Great with oysters, sardines (of course!) and any kind of shellfish.

• Cave des Vignerons de Saumur, Saumur Blanc, “Les Pouches” — The Saumur zone lies on a plateau near Touraine, in the central Loire Valley, and is better known for its Cabernet Franc than for white wine. However, the Les Pouches vineyard area (lieu-dit in French) has quite a bit of the variety of limestone known as tufa, which is perfect to bring out the minerality of Chenin Blanc, useful for seafood, vegetables, and chicken dishes. This wine is produced by one of the oldest cooperatives in the region, formed in 1957 by 40 wine-growing families.

• Château de Valmer, Vouvray — Vouvray is the most important white wine appellation in the Touraine district. The wines are based exclusively on Chenin Blanc and can be made dry (sec) or sweet. This dry white comes from a small 35-hectare estate, with the vineyards planted on hillsides with clay and limestone soils. Its citrusy aromas and lively acidity make it a good match for aromatic curries and stir-fries.

• Domaine Bigonneau, Quincy Blanc — Gerard Bigonneau and his daughter Virginie make wines in both Reuilly and Quincy, villages in the eastern part of the Loire not far from Sancerre. Whites from both villages are always Sauvignon Blanc and this one is fresh and floral, with notes of citrus fruit and spice. Like Sancerre blanc, it pairs well with a wide range of dishes, including grilled fish, shrimp scampi, ceviche, seafood stews, green vegetables, and goat cheese. And it is a budget-friendly $17, quite a bit less than the wines from Sancerre.

• Domaine Bigonneau, Reuilly Rouge — Reuilly rouge is always Pinot Noir, and it’s always a good value in comparison to Burgundy. Gerard and Virginie ferment their Pinot in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks so that it retains its freshness and floral aromas, and then age it on the lees to avoid the herby notes sometimes found in Loire Pinot Noir. Soft and smooth, with raspberry and cherry flavors, it’s a pleasure with white meats and soft cheeses.

• Cave des Vignerons de Saumur, Saumur Rouge, “Les Pouches” — This 100% Cabernet Franc is sourced from vines aged 40 to 45 years in age, grown on tufa limestone soil in this lieu-dit near the city of Saumur. This red is fruity and elegant, with soft, easy tannins, a red you could chill and enjoy with seafood or Asian cuisine.

SPANISH WINE TASTING TONIGHT!
Thursday March 14 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm
Open to all age 21+

With all of the glorious sunshine this week, it seemed only fitting to taste wines from warm, sunny Spain tonight. We'll start with two classic Spanish whites, followed by a line-up of all-star reds from Jumilla in the southeast, Navarra and Rioja in the north, and Montsant in Catalonia. All this quality, and yet all of these wines are priced under $20!

Big thanks to Barb Schaeffer from Elliott Bay Distributing (who has been our rep for this portfolio since 2006) for pouring these lovely wines for us this evening... we hope you can join us!

• Oro Wines, Kentia Albariño — Albariño is the most widely planted white grape in northwest Spain’s Atlantic coastal region of Rías Baixas. This one is fruity, crisp, and fragrant, with great minerality and refreshing acidity. A quintessential wine for fish and shellfish.

• Bodegas Vatan, Nisia Verdejo — Verdejo is a crisp, aromatic white that flourishes on the sandy soils of the plateau of Rueda in central Spain. Nisia Verdejo comes from 80- to 100-year-old vines and is hand harvested, in contrast to the many industrial producers in the appellation. It’s bright, fresh and minerally with complex citrusy flavors, fabulous for oysters, crab, and all kinds of fresh seafood.

• El Coto de Rioja, Crianza — El Coto was founded in 1970 and is now the largest landowner in Rioja. This 100% Tempranillo is sourced from all three Rioja sub-regions, and aged for 12 months in American oak and a further six months in the bottle. It is smooth and juicy, with layers of berries and spices, perfect for barbecue, and with a depth exceptional for a Crianza, which is why we put it in the Collector’s Club last year.

• Bodega Nekeas, El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa — This 100% Garnacha comes from 130-year-old vineyards in the Valley of Valdizarbe, the oldest winemaking area in Navarra, which is just north of Rioja in northern Spain. Importer Jorge Ordóñez considers the wine an expression of “Atlantic Grenache,” due to the influence of the ocean winds on the vines in these high valleys in the Pyrenees. The result (another past Collector’s Club wine) is a versatile, spicy red with dusty tannins, bright red fruit, and notes of black pepper that works well with spicy stews, lamb, and poultry.

• Celler Can Blau, Can Blau — From Spain’s northeastern Montsant region, this complex red is a blend of about 50% Cariñena with 25% each Syrah and Garnacha. The earthy Cariñena is grown on clay soils, the minerally Syrah on steep limestone slopes, and the rich Garnacha on broken slate. The result is a wine with dark fruit flavors and a touch of spice. A longtime shop favorite, recently in the Collector’s Club, and great for game meat, lamb or poultry, roasted vegetables, or heartier mushroom-based dishes.

• Bodegas Juan Gil, Tinto — We end with this 100% Monastrell, grown on the chalky, stony limestone soils of Jumilla in southeastern Spain. A long-time shop favorite, the current vintage of this red is concentrated, powerful, and expressive, with ripe red fruit flavors and subtle notes of spice and underbrush. It’s ready for cured meats and big steaks!

TASTE WINES FROM MEXICO'S VALLE DE GUADALUPE TONIGHT
Thursday March 7 • 5:30 to 8:00 pm
Open to all age 21+

The Valle de Guadalupe consists of five contiguous valleys in northern Baja, just two hours south of San Diego, where winemaking dates back over 200 years. With its Mediterranean-type climate and marine influence from the Pacific Ocean, it's perfect for growing a wide variety of grapes: white wines and lighter reds are sourced from grapes cultivated higher up on the hillsides; heavier reds are sourced from grapes grown on the hot valley floor.

Tonight, Beso Imports' founder Patrick Neri has brought us some new wines from his portfolio, which he'll be pouring along with his engaging and very informative tasting explanations. Every year these wines find more and more customers... come give them a try for yourself!

Tonight's line-up:

• Carrodilla, Ir y Venir — This blend of 63% Sauvignon Blanc and 37% Chenin Blanc comes from the first certified organic and biodynamic estate in Mexico. It’s light bodied and lively, and combines the tropical flavors of the Sauv Blanc with the bracing acidity and floral aromas of the Chenin. It’s perfect for salads and root vegetables.

• L. A. Cetto, Private Reserve Chardonnay — L.A. Cetto was founded in 1928 by Don Angelo Cetto who migrated from Italy to Mexico in 1924. Today the third generation of the family is producing the wines, exclusively from their own estate-grown fruit. This rich Chardonnay features an excellent balance of fresh fruit and the toasted vanilla notes of the barrel, appropriate for richer and creamier poultry and seafood dishes.

• Santo Tomás, Merlot — Santo Tomás is the oldest winery in Baja California, as their vineyards were first planted in 1791 by Jesuit missionaries. Their Merlot, sourced from estate vineyards like all of their wines, is aged in stainless steel to bring out its fresh berry flavors. It pairs wonderfully with grilled lamb chops, pork tenderloin, or roasted vegetables.

• La Lomita, Cabernet Sauvignon — Although formally founded only in 2009, La Lomita’s vineyard sites include some of the valley’s oldest vines, grown in organic vineyards at around 1,000 feet elevation in the middle part of the Valle del Guadalupe. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in neutral barrels for nine months, this Cab is smooth and deep, with inviting savory notes. Plays well with burgers, meat-based pizzas, and steak.

• Monte Xanic, Calixa Blend — Monte Xanic, founded in 1988, was Mexico’s first “boutique” winery. Their Calixa red is a blend of 40% Tempranillo, with 30% each Cabernet and Merlot, a classic blend in the Valle de Guadalupe, where Tempranillo flourishes, producing bright and fresh reds. The winery recommends drinking it with sausages, Serrano ham and steak tacos.

TASTE OUR CLUB WINES TONIGHT!
Open to everyone age 21 and over
Thursday February 29 - 5:30 to 8:00 pm

Come celebrate Leap Day with a wine tasting from our March Collector’s Club (open to everyone, not just club members). We always aim for as much diversity as possible in our clubs and think we’ve succeeded again this month: we'll be pouring red wines from Corsica, Italy, Spain, and Argentina, along with two very different French whites—one from Cabardès in the southwest, and a Beaujolais from the north. Stop by this evening and see what we’ve conjured up for your tasting pleasure!

Tonight's line-up (complete with food pairing notes as always!):

• Domaine Jouclary, Sauvignon Blanc — This 100% Sauvignon Blanc comes from Cabardès, an appellation in southwest Languedoc located on the slopes of the Montagne Noir, just outside the walled city of Carcassonne. The climate here is affected by both Atlantic winds and Mediterranean sunshine and this crisp, fresh white has a touch of salinity that reflects the influence of the Atlantic. It is fermented with some skin contact, then aged on the lees for several months, adding nice aromatics and texture to the fresh acidity typical of the grape. In the past, we’ve recommended drinking it with grilled fish with lemon and capers, crispy roast chicken, or Japanese cuisine.

• Jean-Baptiste Duperray, Côteaux Bourguignons, Chardonnay sur Calcaire — When we taste a wine discovered by our friend Cyril Frechier, one of the most experienced wine people in our town, we’ve come to expect excellence. So we’re delighted to put in the club this minerally gem, whose grapes come from the limestone soils of southern Beaujolais, the Pierres Dorées (“golden stones”). Recommended for poultry, fish, seafood, white meats, and goat cheeses.

• Groupe Uval, Umanu Red — The first of two direct import wines from Small Vineyards on Alki, this red comes from Corsica, the Mediterranean island north of Sardinia and just off the Tuscan coast. Politically it belongs to France, but culturally it is very much a part of Italy. Made by a cooperative, this wine is an unlikely blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Niellucciu, the Corsican clone of Sangiovese. It features fresh berry flavors with savory and brambly notes from the limestone soil. Perfect for barbeque, grilled vegetables, and sheep cheeses.

• Monte Tondo, San Pietro Valpolicella Superiore — Our second Small Vineyards red comes from Gino Magnabosco and his daughter Marta, who make very popular still and sparkling whites from Soave and Rosé and red wines from Valpolicella in the northern Veneto region, not far from Verona. This red is a blend of 55% Corvina, 30% Rondinella, and 15% Molinara and is much richer than their light Corvina, since the grapes are dried for about a month before pressing and the wine is aged five months in oak. While not technically a ripasso, it has a similar flavor profile, with violet aromas and black cherry flavors from the Corvina, and the other grapes adding spice. Very satisfying with grilled or braised meats.

• Bodegas Manzanos, Siglo Gran Reserva Rioja 2009 — Bodegas Manzanos was founded in 1890 and has properties in both Rioja Alta, the highest part of the Rioja region, and Rioja Orientale, the lower vineyards in the eastern part of Rioja. As a Gran Reserva, this wine is sourced from 50-year-old vines and aged for three years in mostly neutral barrels. A big hit at our last Spanish tasting, it is a traditional Rioja, 85% Tempranillo with 15% Garnacha, and is a savory mix of red and dried fruit, baking spices, grilled herbs and black olive flavors. It’s a classic match for rustic dishes like game sausage and roast pork.

• Bodega Vistalba, Corte C — We tasted this wine last week with the charming Carolina Kirkwood, Head Sommelier at Vistalba, and it was very well received. The winery is the only one located in the tiny Vistalba valley on the western edge of the Luján de Cuyo sub-region in Mendoza, one of Argentina’s warmer areas. They produce three red corte (blends) with Malbec as the predominant grape. The “C,” blended in this vintage with about 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, is created to be their most immediately accessible red, with inviting flavors of red fruit and soft, silky tannins, the perfect accompaniment for steak or grilled meat with chimichurri sauce.

TONIGHT'S TASTING: WINES FROM ARGENTINA
5:30 to 8:00 pm — Thursday, February 22
Open to all age 21+

Since we bought the shop in 2000, the wines of Argentina have dramatically increased in quality and popularity. The main growing area, the Mendoza region, is a high, hot plateau (much like eastern Washington) known for its full-bodied whites and fruity reds that are not only delicious, but outstanding values.

Tonight's tasting features wines of BODEGA VISTALBA, poured by their very own Head Sommelier Carolina Kirkwood... with help from our longtime friend, the irrepressible West Seattleite Jeff Peda who has represented these wines for many years in this market.

Here's this evening's wonderful line-up:

• Tomero, Chardonnay — The Tomero wines take their name from the tomero, the person in charge of regulating the water supply from the Andes to the local wineries, providing vital irrigation to their vineyards. The wines are all single varietals and get their grapes from vineyards planted in 1981 in the high-altitude Uco Valley, in the southwestern part of the Mendoza plateau. This Chard is easy to drink with expressive notes of ripe apples, white peaches, and crème brûlée — a nice match for richer fish dishes.

• Bodega Vistalba, Corte C — The main winery is located in the Vistalba valley on the western edge of the Luján de Cuyo sub-region in Mendoza. They produce three red "corte" (blends) with Malbec as the predominant grape. The “C,” blended in this vintage with about 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, is created to be their most immediately accessible. The wine has inviting flavors of red fruit and soft, silky tannins.

• Tomero, Malbec — A classic Argentine Malbec, the Tomero has intense, dark stone fruit reminiscent of plum and dried figs, followed by chocolate and vanilla notes imparted by time spent in French oak. The silky tannins and juicy mouth feel make it the perfect companion for steak or grilled meat with chimichurri sauce.

• Tomero, Cabernet Franc — The Tomero Cab Franc comes from grapes grown on rocky, sandy soils high in Mendoza’s Uco Valley. The harsh conditions produce a deep, complex wine with dark plum flavors, the spicy pepper and herbal notes so characteristic of Cab Franc, and an undercurrent of earth. Worth trying with tomato sauce dishes, grilled meat, duck, or lamb with herbs.

• Vistalba, Corte B — The Corte B adds the savory blending grape Bonarda to the mix, as it is 68% Malbec, 23% Cabernet, and 9% Bonarda. It features, ripe, dark, dried fruit, with aromas of to***co and cedar, silky tannins, and complex layers of cacao, herbs, and spices. It’s very versatile and can easily accompany hard cheeses or stews and roasts, in addition to grilled meats and veggies.

• Tomero, Single Vineyard Malbec — Only the grapes from lots 9 and 13 of the Tomero vineyard are used to make this complex reserve wine. It features plum, cherry and blackberry flavors with fine-grained tannins, moderate acidity, and notes of coffee and chocolate.

Bodega Vistalba was founded in 2003 by veteran winemaker Carlos Pulenta, third generation of a traditional winery family. The winery was built on a family farm in Vistalba Luján de Cuyo Mendoza, where its historic vineyards produce elegant wines, on par with the great wines of the world. Learn more:

http://www.bodegavistalba.com/

MEET THE WASHINGTON WINEMAKER...
Special Saturday Tasting with Andrew Latta from LATTA WINES!
3:00 - 5:00 pm • Saturday February 17

Latta Wines is a winemaker-owned, small lot Washington Winery founded in 2011 by Andrew Latta. Andrew came to wine through years of restaurant work in his home state of Kentucky, a sommelier position in Thailand, and then on to working with the famous Charles Smith of K Vintners.

In addition to making wine under the Latta Wines label, Andrew also makes a very affordable line-up under the Kind Stranger label, whose proceeds benefit Mary’s Place and the International Rescue Committee.

This is Andrew’s first visit to our shop and we are excited to welcome him. He’ll be pouring:

• Kind Stranger, Pinot Gris 2022 — Andrew sources this Pinot Gris from the high elevation rocky soils of Lawrence Vineyard on the Royal Slope, which are littered with caliche (a mineral deposit of gravel and sand) and broken basalt. This fresh wine, new to the Kind Stranger lineup, is fermented dry in stainless steel without malolactic conversion and aged on its lees for six months prior to bottling. Flush with citrus blossom and pear flavors, it’s a good wine for foods with any kind of cheese sauce.

• Latta, Roussanne CB 2022 — Also from Lawrence Vineyard, this Roussanne is a much richer wine, fermented in barrel and featuring honeysuckle and citrus aromas leading to a rich, creamy texture. An excellent match for fresh, lightly spiced dishes.

• Kind Stranger Rosé 2023 — Last year’s version of this dry Rosé was by far the most popular Rosé in our shop. The 2023 vintage has just been released and will make its debut on Saturday. A blend of Mourvèdre and Grenache, sourced from the warm Wahluke Slope, it has good acidity and features refreshing flavors of wild strawberries and watermelon.

• Kind Stranger, Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 — All of the Cabernet for this wine comes from 45-year-old vines on the Wahluke Slope. Aromas of black currant and dried herbs lead to fruity plum flavors supported by good acidity, fine-grained tannins, and spice notes. A deep, rich Washington Cab for less than $20!

• Latta, Latta Latta GSM 2019 — The Latta Latta is a blend of 61% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 19% Mourvèdre from Upland, Lawrence, and Freewater Rocks vineyard, all great sources for the red Rhône grapes. It was fermented with native yeasts sourced from the vineyards and then aged in large, neutral barrels, which keeps it fresh and complex. Andrew offers this analysis: “Grenache gives the red fruited framework and herbal ‘garrigue’ notes, Syrah the gamey depth and expansive mouthfeel, and Mourvèdre holds down the bottom with bloodied blackberry and spice.”

TONIGHT'S TASTING: WINES FROM SOUTHERN FRANCE
Thursday February 15 - 5:30 to 8:00 pm
Open to all age 21+

This week we’ve decided to cast our French wine-tasting net all across the south of France, with three wines from the western part of Languedoc, and three from the areas around the Rhône Valley... all in a variety of styles, all featuring different southern French grapes. Despite ever-rising prices on what seems like everything these days, all of these wines are less than $20 and once you taste them, you'll see what great values they are! Big thanks to Corey Lund of Bianco-Rosso Imports who will be pouring the following line-up for us:

• Domaine Philémon, Perlé Nature — Domaine Philémon is located in Gaillac, in the far western part of Languedoc, where they make this fresh, lively white wine from the indigenous grape Loin de l’Oeil (“far from the eye”), named after the long stalks that are farther from the bud of the plant than most varietals. Unlike other Gaillac producers, Philémon does not add carbon dioxide to the wine. It features minerally and citrus flavor—a good match for seafood, particularly mussel stew and ceviche.

• Domaine La Florane, À Fleur Visan Côtes du Rhône Blanc — Domaine La Florane is a biodynamically-farmed estate in the village of Visan, which is on the northeastern edge of the Rhône Valley, in the shadow of Mount Ventoux. Their basic white is a mixture of seven different grapes, from 30-year-old wines grown at an altitude of 350 meters. The result is a rich wine with good acidity, marked by the peachiness of the Roussanne and the creaminess of the Marsanne. Best with richer seafood and white meat dishes, particularly with cream sauces.

• Domaine la Manarine, Carignan — Carignan is a red grape widely planted throughout northern Spain and southern France, prized for its high yields and distinctively earthy wines. This version comes from a three-hectare vineyard from the Plan de Dieu plateau, like Visan, in the shadow of Mount Ventoux. This plateau is known for its unique hard limestone pebbles, which impart classic minerality and make the wine an excellent partner for spicy lamb meatballs, beef brisket, or roasted pork.

• Château de Massiac, Sentinelle de Massiac Minervois — Minervois, located in the southern foothills of the Massif mountains not far from the Mediterranean, is the top appellation for Syrah in Languedoc, due to the limestone and clay soils and the cooling winds from both sea and mountains. This dense, concentrated wine is mostly Syrah and a bit of Carignan, showing ripe blueberry and plum flavors mingled with pepper and dark chocolate notes. Great for grilled meats, BBQ, or lentil stew.

• Domaine la Manarine, Côtes du Rhône Rouge — The third great red grape of southern France is Grenache, which is the main varietal in this wine from Plan de Dieu. To us it is very reminiscent of the savory reds from the plateau in the more well-known village of Vacqueryas, except at a much reduced price. Its silky tannins and spiciness work well with a variety of foods, notably stews, game, and roast chicken or pork.

• Domaine Philémon, Braucol Gaillac Rouge — Returning to the far western part of Languedoc, we’ll taste one of Philémon’s red wines, which is 100% Braucol, more widely known as Fer Servadou. The Fer in the name refers to the iron notes characteristic of the varietal, which also features woodsy floral aromas and spice notes. A good fit for challenging savory and spicy dishes like smoked pork belly or Korean barbecue.