Layne’s Wine Gig
TUESDAY NIGHT WINES
By Layne V. Witherell
Following our deep dive into the world of unattainable unicorn wines last month, I thought we could relax and get a bit more real. These are the wines you can have on the deck without the agony of making that breathless call to the bank or enduring the shock of your shrinking checking account balance showing up on your phone. And there are a lot of them around! So today we will raise our glasses and drink a few.
VIN DE PAYS (Pays d’Oc), FRANCE
In general, French country wines are from that gigantic, yawning region of over 300,000 acres planted in the South of France. Modern technology, the kiddos graduating from wine schools, and the planting of international grape varieties have made these classic Tuesday night wines.
Maison Barboulot Cabernet-Syrah, $7.00-$10.00 bottle
This is a Pays d’Oc, but you must look closely at the back label to tell. They aren’t hiding anything — they have never been that great at marketing the region. It should boldly say “South of France” on the front label, but who knew, and it doesn’t.
Typical of this region the cabernet isn’t the full-throated, intense, energetic fruit from Napa but a softly calm, drink it on the deck, fruity red. You aren’t looking for vintages here, just something to wash down that delicious French baguette and Brie, or just a sandwich.
Grape varieties in this area tend towards the red and can feature Cinsault, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Carignan, and Mourvèdre. Also, some good chuggable Chardonnay can make guest appearances.
The only threat you can encounter is a greedy importer, distributor, or retailer creating adorable little labels in conjunction with their co-op producer and jacking up the price. Certainly, Pays d’Oc wines are just that — ultimate Tuesday Night Wines. Remember when reading the back label, as well you should, Vin De France is a lower zip code on the French food chain and if you are paying $15.00 for a Pinot Noir from here… you just got ripped off!
CLINE VIOGNIER, North Coast, California, 2020, $12.00
When you get tired of over-the-top, oak centric California Chardonnays for Tuesday night, you might switch it up to a refreshing Cline Viognier. Originally a Rhone variety, viognier is making surprising guest appearances in warmer climes, alone or as a blend. Apricots, peaches, honeysuckle; perfection for a spring picnic. You can also settle into some Chinese takeout nicely with Cline Viognier.
I like Cline. They are still family-owned and haven’t been gobbled up by a hedge fund aimed at sucking profit at all costs (usually from you, the wine buyer). As a journalist, and not a wine rep who has to peddle the stuff, they represent integrity and Tuesday night value. Their Zinfandels are benchmarks of both price and quality. Their “Ancient Vines” Zinfandel, 2019, $15.00, is a masterful glassful of fruit made from over 100-year-old vines. So, have it with a charcuterie board, strong cheese, or barbecue! Especially barbecue.
MACON-IGE, 2020, $12.00-$15.00
Burgundy in France is both hallowed and pricey. These are Chardonnay vines grown in limestone and aged without oak. This is minerality as refreshment. Macon is the region, and the name after the dash refers to one of its forty-plus little surrounding villages that are all similar in flavor and style. They are aged in stainless steel and bottled for immediate consumption. But you can’t replicate this limestone region/grape confluence. Hence the sometimes-scarce availability.
The problem with Burgundy, other than being small, is that the land is divided up among the siblings. Little pieces become smaller little pieces. Therefore, there are bottlers (negociants) like Drouhin, Louis Jadot, and Chanson who put little pieces from growers together and make them more shelf and wine list accessible. Worth the search and a try. They go with calamari or ceviche, as well as that impossible pairing with artichokes.
The BIG problem is crop size. As yields are down, prices climb. So Tuesday night may get pricier.
LA CAPRANERA FIANO, IGT, Campania, Italy, 2019, $12.00
Campania, around Naples, was an ancient Roman wine land. Sorry Tuscany, you lose, and must wait about 500 years for those tourists to swoon. With the fall of the Roman empire the region reverted to forgotten, and to rustic, with the local grapes falling into total obscurity. Enter Antonio Mastroberardino from a noble winemaking family endowed with an abundance of historical curiosity. He rescued the vines from oblivion in the 1940’s and, as they say, the rest is history. His family obtained permission from the Pompeii Historical Park people to plant a vineyard and make a “Pompeii Reserva” wine. First vintage since the Romans left town. Unfortunately, it falls into the unicorn category.
Fiano is a crisp white that sees no oak and is best served cold, young and is meant to wash down a little shrimp and pasta or the classic Caprese salad. It delivers “hazelnuts with a whiff of pears” per Matt Kramer. If you care for a deeper dive into the grapes of the region, line this up alongside a bottle of Falanghina and a bottle of Greco di Tufo (all local cousins). The good news is that it is widely planted, as are the others, and will fit into the Tuesday night budget.
The Falanghina is a bit more luscious and is very pasta and cream sauce friendly. Throw in a bit of octopus for texture and more flavor.
Third in the triumvirate of local grapes is Greco di Tufo, which contains more minerality and backbone. It is fully dry with hints of almonds and apricots. A terrific roast chicken accompaniment.
With a bit of local rooting around you should be able to find these classic Tuesday night wines, or similar substitutes, and have a night beyond box wine and pizza. Although, someday there might be a review in this column of the best box wines and pizza. I can’t ever promise anything.
LAYNE’S WINE GIG: THIRSTY THIRD THURSDAY
For an afternoon of snark, fun, and wine come to Layne’s Wine Gig on the third Thursday of every month, 5:00-6:00 p.m., at BLUE, 650 Congress Street, Portland. Four pours of three ounces each for twelve bucks. But it’s best to check the website for updated vax and mask policies as they are changing all the time. Visit portcityblue.com.
Layne has been a professional in the wine business for many decades as a teacher, importer, writer, competition judge, and winery CEO. He was awarded the Master Knight of the Vine for his pioneering work in the Oregon wine industry.
Read more WEN Layne’s Wine Gig posts here.
Visit Layne’s blog at http://winemaniacs.wordpress.com/blog.
