This month we enjoyed the company of six guests who joined us on our international journey through wine countries. Hopefully our guest list will expand and we will be able to form a second wine tasting club in the fall. After our social get together, we each sampled one of a variety of French wines ranging in price from $12.95 (for a liter) to $18.05. We realized that we were not consuming some of the higher priced French wines listed at the LCBO but we totally enjoyed the good value vintages that we selected. We hope that you enjoy reading about our findings this month:
CHATEAU BELLEVUE LA FORET – 2020
Reviewed by Linda Johnson – May 6, 2021
Since our country of choice for wine this month was France, and it was May and the weather should be “Springlike”, I chose a rose. The best rose wines come from the south of France, and I happened on a real gem.
This wine was given a 92 rating by Natalie McLean, an award winning wine critic. She described the wine as fragrant, juicy and mouthwatering to the palette. It is made from the Negrette grape, a grape that has been in France since the 12th century. It is thought that it originated in Greece centuries before. The flavours are strawberry, black raspberry, red current – with a hint of citrus.
It is a dry, pale rose, perfect for sipping in the afternoon. It pairs well with chicken, veal and spinach salad. The alcohol content is 13.5 percent and the price is $14.95. Truly worth savouring!
GRAND SUD CHARDONNAY – 2020
Reviewed by Ruth Warren – May 6, 2021
The wine I chose was a 2020 Grand Sud. The grapes are harvested from the sunniest area in France. This chardonnay is extra dry with pear and lemon flavours. The alcohol content is 13%. This wine is good value since the 1 Litre bottle was $12.95.
Jaffelin Bourgogne Aligote 2019
Reviewed by: Timothy Sulisz – May 6, 2021
Jaffelin Bourgogne Aligote 2019 is a general list wine at the LCBO from Burgundy, France that has a list price of $18.05. It has 12.5% alcohol content. It is an Extra Dry wine made from 100% Aligoté grapes that the LCBO classifies as light and crispy. It is further described as having a Pale straw colour; lifted aromas of nuts, cantaloupe, vanilla and Anjou pear; extra dry, medium bodied, with clean melon/pear flavours and balanced acidity on finish.
This wine was recommended in the Christmas holiday season by Carolyn Evans Hammond and was rated as a 90 by her. She described it as “like a Pinot Grigio” that is understated and dry, but delivers more concentration, weight and length than the Pinot Grigio. It starts with the quietest of aromas of citrus and stone and then beams in and quickly broadens with midpalate generosity. Flavours suggest mixed citrus and crisp Granny Smith apples, while crushed chalk underpins the fruit and lingers on the finish.
When I first opened the bottle, the first thing that I noticed was a very crisp almost tangy flavour that went down easily and paired nicely with chutney, crackers and cheese. On the second day, when I tried the wine again, it was smoother and less acidic and matched the salmon and grilled vegetables that I had for dinner very nicely. Other suggested pairings from wine reviewers are avocado and shrimp, oysters, clams, and poached sole fillet.
Overall, it was a pleasant surprise finding a good quality wine French wine from Burgundy at such a reasonable price. I will definitely buy another bottle of it.
The Belleruche Blanc
Reviewed by Mary Mulligan – May 6, 2021
Aromatic & Flavourful – Extra Dry
Alcohol: 14%; Sugar Content: 2 g/L
$13.95
This 750 mL bottle is a Grenache Blanc wine made in Rhône, France. It is described as a very pale straw colour with aromas and flavours of grapefruit, pear, honey, red fruit and cantaloupe; bone dry and medium in body.
M. Chapoutier Belleruche wines offer an exceptional everyday option from the talented winemaker Michel Chapoutier. Michel says making affordable high quality wines is one of the most difficult tasks. The Belleruche Blanc is complex and elegant with aromas of apricot, fennel, and floral scents.
Probus Club of Kingsway-Islington 