There is an often-quoted, ancient philosophical saying attributed to the Chinese: “He who tooteth not his own horn, same as not having tooteth at all.” Well, if we may, toot toot.
I recently predicted the French would rush to get their wines into this country because of the recent Brexit event, the exiting of Britain from the European Union. Surmising the French probably anticipated the results and thus we are now seeing more French wines on dealer’s shelves and, as predicted, at reasonable prices. Toot toot.
Among the major French wine producers worthy of notice is Patrairche. A winemaker in France does not become a major producer by making mediocre wines. To the French, wine almost is a religion and, like a religion, the greats are worshipped while the others are forgotten.
Patrairche was founded in 1780 in the Burgundian town of Beaune. So renowned are the vineyards in and around Beaune, the French army was required to salute the vines as they passed certain vineyards and as the allied troops were pushing the Germans out of France during World War II, the Germans purposely abandoned the area so the vineyards would not be damaged. This is the same area from which Patrairche draws much of its wines and the first taste of these wines will illustrate exactly why they have lasted this long.
Patriarche Gamay Beaujolais 2015 ($12)
The French wine most of us are familiar with is the Beaujolais. The Patriarche 2015 Gamay Beaujolais is a friendly and easy to drink wine. Just by its fresh fruit flavor alone, it evokes smiles from one and all and turns an ordinary meal into a party. The dominant flavor of this wine is blackberry and plums with a spicy licorice in the background and in the finish. There is little to worry about what to serve this wine with as it can and will accompany just about anything, and it is excellent.
Patriarche Saint-Veran Chardonnay 2015 ($15)
Located just to the south of Beaune are seven grape growing communes that go by the collective name of Saint Veran. This area is noted for its chardonnay grapes. It is the soil, the weather and just that magical French touch that makes the flavor and aroma of the Patriarche Saint-Veran Chardonnay deeper, broader and richer than most of its California cousins. The aromas of peach and pear merge with citrus and oak with a hint of spring flowers all wrapped in a soft, buttery robe. This is an excellent wine and so very, very French.
Patriarche 2015 Coteaux Bourguignons ($12)
The name Coteaux Bourguignons translates as Hills of Burgundy and indicates wines made in the district of the same name. While the district is famous for its megabuck limited production wines, the area also has many small family-owned vineyards that supply grapes to the large producers such as Patriarche. The wines labeled Burgundy most often are made from pinot noir grapes. This wine, however, is a blend of gamay beaujolais and pinot noir resulting in a very interesting wine. The flavor and aroma are a host of cranberries and plum with a hint of cherry. This is the perfect accompaniment to any and all barbecued meats.
Patriarche Veuve Du Vernay Sparkling Rose ($15)
This sparkling wine is French but it is not champagne. Only wines made in the Champagne district can be labeled as champagne so this very nice wine must be labeled simply as vin mousseux, French for sparkling wine. Made from a blend of burgundian grapes, the syrah, cinsault and grenache, it is a fruity, bubbly excursion into another style of French sparkling wine that can turn any ordinary meal into a feast and is most definitely worth your attention.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and manages ArticlesOnWine.com. He can be reached at ben@articlesonwine.com.
