If you are looking for fine French wine and food, you should consider the Loire Valley region of central France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a white Sancerre wine based on the Sauvignon Blanc grape coming from the eastern part of the Loire Valley.

The Loire is France’s longest river. Among eleven France’s wine-growing regions the Loire Valley number three in total vineyard acreage. This region is subdivided into four sections going from west to east: Nantais, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine, and Central Vineyards, the home of the wine that’s reviewed below. This region’s major white grape is Sauvignon Blanc and major red grape is Pinot Noir.

Bourges is a town of over seventy thousand people that’s almost in the center of France. It’s an old style market town with a high and mighty Cathedral, the Thirteenth Century Cathedrale St-Etienne that is really something to see. It is a World Heritage Site. Make sure not to miss the Fifteenth Century Palais Jacques-Coeur (Palace) that was used as a model for several New York City Fifth Avenue mansions. For natural beauty visit the marshes of the Voiselle and Yevre rivers.

Before reviewing the Loire wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Salade de Faisan (Pheasant Salad). For your second course savor Noisette de Biche (Deer Medallions). And as dessert indulge yourself with Poire Rotie au Beurre (Pear Roasted in Butter).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Marnier-LaPostolle Chateau de Sancerre 2003 12.5% alcohol about $19

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Straw yellow color; grapefruit and mineral notes on the note; clean and refreshing citrus/grapefruit and herbal flavors. Serving Suggestion: Shellfish; goat’s cheese dishes; veggie dishes. And now for my review.

My first meal consisted of poached salmon-colored trout in red pepper (the vegetable, not the spice) sauce with boiled rice. The wine tasted like a Chablis, full of lemon and steel with some herbal notes. When I tried it with a salad composed of Clementines, baby spinach, pear, and mango accompanied by a sweet mustard dressing the Sancerre became more acidic while retaining its flintiness. It took on floral aspects when faced with home-made (my grapes, someone else’s) jelly.

The second meal was a purchased organic spinach pizza. The wine was floral, round, and even a bit sweet. It was quite pleasant. With an apple-rhubarb tart the Sancerre was nicely acidic and feathery.

The third pairing involved a lightly sauteed chicken breast, boiled rice, and a spicy tomato-based Turkish salad. It was round, light, and quite long. Then I added a Tunisian hot pepper sauce (harissa) to the bland meat. Interestingly enough the Sancerre became fruitier and somewhat shorter.

Usually I finish the bottle with two cheese. In this case I went to a cheese-less lasagna made with whole wheat noodles, tomato sauce, peas, and ground chicken. The wine was very fruity and quite round. Its refreshing acidity did a fine job of cutting the grease.

One of the classic wine and cheese pairings taught in schools and verified in practice is Sancerre and goat’s milk cheese, preferably Crottin de Chavignol coming from the same area as the wine.

Final verdict. This is a fine wine. I really like Sancerre but find it somewhat overpriced. I am always ready to try another Sancerre, looking for better value.

Given the terrible Artic temperatures in our part of the world, I figured why not review a well-known rose wine from the Rhone Valley region of southeastern France. This beautiful area ranks second in acreage of France’s eleven wine-growing regions. The region runs some 200 kilometers (125) miles along the Rhone River. The northern part is really narrow. Its major white variety is Viognier and major red grape variety is Syrah. This area produces some of the best red wines in all France, and if you ask partisans some of the world’s best red wines. But the north produces only about 5% of the total Rhone Valley production. Wine in the southern Rhone Valley tends to be blended. For example, the wine reviewed below comes from three different grapes.

Tavel is a village of about 1500 people located near some great vineyards, not far from the cities of Avignon and Nimes, and an hour’s drive from the Mediterranean. But you don’t have to leave the village for interesting sights. Sights in the old town center include a Tenth Century Chapel (Saint-Ferreol), the village church and fountain, and the Chemin de la Condamine. There’s a vineyard route and you’re not far from the largest sundial in Europe. Just a bit of wine trivia; Tavel is the one French wine appellation that’s allowed to make only rose wine.

Before reviewing the Cotes du Rhone rose wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Soupe aux Truffes Noires (Black Truffle Soup). For your second course savor Foie de Veau a la Lyonnaise (Veal Liver and Onions). And as dessert indulge yourself with Tarte aux Pralines (Praline Tart).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Perrin & Fils Tavel Rose 2006 14% about $16.50

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tavel produces some of the richest, yet driest roses on the market. They work beautifully as a sipper and are quite adaptable to a variety of foods such as grilled chicken, sea-food salads, bouillabaisse or pork tenderloin. The Perrin 2006 vintage is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, and 10% Cinsault. And now for our review.

My first meal was centered on a middle-eastern dish known as kube, slow cooked ground meat placed in crushed bulgar jackets. This is rose. It was a great blend of acidity with a touch of sweetness. The wine lingered. It sort of bounced off the peppery sauce. When sipped on its own the Tavel was feathery. I felt it was something of an introduction to ambrosia.

My next meal involved a slow-cooked chicken leg with the skin on with a sauce made from soy sauce, garlic, cumin, and onion. The chicken was accompanied by potato patties. The wine was fruity with good acidity. It was light and yet oh so present. For dessert I had a French chocolate pie with a great flaky (lots of butter) crust. The rose managed to hold its own against the somewhat excessive sugar.

The final meal was an omelet perked up by anchovies and capers. The wine was long and fruity, undisturbed by the excessive salt. It became subtler when facing a fresh, acidic tomato.

The first cheese was an Emmenthaler (Swiss). The wine remained round and forceful, but something was lost. The second cheese was a rather gamy goat’s milk cheese from Poitou in central-western France. The cheese cut the wine.

Final verdict. Tavel is known as a fine rose wine. I was not the least bit disappointed. I’ll be pleased to buy it again. But if I’m not doing a review, I won’t bother trying it with any old available cheese.

If you are in the market for fine French wine and food, why not consider the Loire Valley region of central France? You may find a bargain, and I hope that you?ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour where we review a red Bourgueil wine based on Cabernet Franc with perhaps a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon coming from western Touraine in the center of the Loire Valley.

The Loire Valley ranks third in total acreage devoted to vineyards among France’s eleven wine-growing regions. At over six hundred miles (one thousand kilometers) the Loire is France’s longest river. In encompasses several regions which we list going from west to east. First is the Nantais region whose major grape is the white Muscadet. Then comes Anjou-Saumur whose most important grapes are the white Chenin Blanc and the red Cabernet Franc. In Touraine the primary white grapes are Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc and whose primary red grape is Cabernet Franc. Finally comes the Central Vineyards whose major white grape is Sauvignon Blanc and whose major red grape is Pinot Noir. Sooner or later we will review at least one wine from each of these regions.

Bourgueil is a market town surrounded by caves and vineyards. Go north a bit to the Cave Touristique de la Dive Bouteille (Tourist’s Shady Bottle Cave) that’s full of local wines. Don’t miss the Benedictine Abbaye de Bourgueil (Bourgueil Abbey) where according to legend the first Cabernet Franc vine was planted in 1089. Stop by its Musee des Arts et Traditions Populaires (Art and Folk Traditions Museum). Then proceed about 12 miles (19 kilometers) north to the Chateau de Langeais, a great mid-Fifteenth Century Loire Castle.

Before reviewing the Loire wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Quiche aux Rillettes (Quiche with Coarse Pork Pate). For your second course savor Beuchelle, Tourte aux Rognons (Sweetbreads and Kidney Pie). And as dessert indulge yourself with Nougat de Tours (Tours Nougat).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Yannick Amirault Le Grand Clos Bourgueil 2004 13.0% alcohol about $17

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Yannick Amirault is said to be one of the best producers in Loire Valley’s Bourgueil AC. In fact, French publication Classement (2005) called him the best in the region, commenting in the last ten years, the wines of this domaine have appeared as the most complex and the most consistent of the appellations Bourgueil and St. Nicholas de Bourgueil. The wines of the domaine are characterized by body, cleanness, charm, and in a great vintage, by aristocracy. And now for my review.

My first meal consisted of commercially prepared barbecued beef ribs in a sweet sauce accompanied by rice and Turkish Salad. The wine was round and black fruits predominated. The acidity had no trouble cutting the grease. This wine was full but short.

The second meal was whole-wheat spaghetti with a commercial tomato spaghetti sauce that I boosted with a medley of garlic, red pepper, multiple mushrooms, olive oil, anchovies, capers, Greek olives, and Parmesan cheese. The Bourgueil was mouth filling, round, and dark. I don’t remember the last timeI enjoyed pasta and wine so much.

The final pairing involved breaded fried chicken cutlets, potato patties, and Caponata, a purchased Italian tomato, pepper, onion, and eggplant salad. The wine was dark and round yet it didn’t overwhelm the chicken, perhaps because it was fried. It was a good accompaniment to the fruity eggplant salad. I was sorry that I didn’t have any fruit-juice candy. The wine was a no-go with pistachio nougat candy.

The first cheese pairing was with a German Emmenthaler (Swiss) Cheese. The wine retained its acidity and flavor, tasting of tobacco and black cherries. Then I tried a goat’s milk cheese called Poitou Charente from central western France. The wine was round and relatively powerful.

Final verdict. I was happy with this wine and would buy it again, especially if I could get it at a better price but there are so many Loire Valley wines to taste, not to mention the other wine regions of France.

If you are hankering for some fine French wine and food, you should consider the Loire Valley region of central France. You may even find a bargain, and really I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a red Sancerre wine based on the Pinot Noir grape coming from the eastern part of the Loire Valley.

The Loire is France’s longest river. Of the eleven French wine-growing regions the Loire Valley ranks third in total vineyard acreage. It is subdivided into four regions going from west to east: Nantais, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine, and Central Vineyards, the home of the wine reviewed below. This region’s major white grape is Sauvignon Blanc and major red grape is Pinot Noir.

Sancerre is a medieval hilltop town home to fewer than two thousand residents. The town’s name is synonymous with a white wine. The town may have hosted a temple dedicated to Julius Caesar. Sancerre is proud to have pushed back the British twice during the Hundred Years’ War and to have been a regional command center for the French Resistance in World War II. Sights to see include the Sixteenth Century bell tower Belfry of St. Jean, the Tour des Fiefs, the remains of a feudal chateau built at the end of the Fourteenth Century, and the wine exposition house dating from the Fourteenth to Sixteenth Centuries. You’ll enjoy the medieval streets and fine food and wine.

Before reviewing the Loire wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Salade de Perdreau Roti (Roasted Partridge Salad). For your second course savor Pot au Feu de Canette (Duckling Stew). And as dessert indulge yourself with Crepe au Grand Marnier (Grand Marnier Crepe).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Fournier Sancerre Rouge 2003 12.5% alcohol about $24

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Red Sancerre is made exclusively from Pinot Noir. These wines are rarely seen in our market because a large portion of them are enjoyed locally. In the Loire, red wines require a warm, consistent growing season to obtain ripeness. In 2003, with the European-wide heatwave, Fournier was able to achieve just that. The wine exhibits classic Pinot aromas and flavors of cheery, underbrush and beetroot. The producer recommends serving this wine, lightly chilled, with bouillabaisse. And now for my review.

My first meal consisted of beef stew and potatoes with a Tunisian hot pepper sauce and Moroccan spiced carrots. The wine was earthy and somewhat powerful tasting of black cherries and tobacco. This Pinot Noir had no trouble dealing with the meat’s spicy sauce.

The second meal was an Atlantic salmon marinated in a commercial Italian-style grill sauce. The fish was accompanied by potatoes roasted in chicken fat. The wine was round and earthy, and relatively long. There was some aftertaste.

The final pairing involved a purchased barbecued chicken breast, once again potatoes roasted in chicken fat, and caponata, Italian style eggplant with tomatoes, garlic, and olives. Quite surprisingly the wine was plummy. The combination was excellent, bringing out the fruit in the wine.

Something happened and I did not get to taste this wine with cheese. As you may be aware, I am not usually all that happy with wine and cheese pairings. Anyway, my apologies and at least for the time being I plan to go back to wine and cheese tastings.

Final verdict. I think that the wine was overpriced. To my way of thinking a wine priced in the mid-twenties it should have been excellent more than once out of three tastings. I definitely won’t buy it again just to try the wine and cheese pairings. And it is simply impossible to get authentic Bouillabaisse this far from Marseille.

If you are in the market for fine French wine and food, why don’t you consider the up and coming wine region of southwestern France? You may even find a bargain. I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local red wine based on the indigenous Negrette and the international Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes.

Among France’s eleven wine-growing regions the South-west ranks sixth in acreage. Surprisingly enough this is the first wine that we have reviewed from this region. The most famous alcoholic beverage produced in this beautiful region is Armagnac that many prefer to Cognac. Parts of this region neighbor Bordeaux so don’t be surprised that some of the local wines are quite good, and yet more moderately priced than many of its world-famous neighbor’s offerings.

If you are visiting southwestern France, and you really should, make sure to stop by the village of Bergerac that was not the home of the famous Cyrano de Bergerac who actually lived in Paris in the first half of the Seventeenth Century. The town is beautiful. Market days are Wednesday and Saturday. You can take a guided walking tour of the old city and cruise the Dordogne River from Easter to October. The Cloitre des Recollets was a convent and now hosts a wine business. Go a few miles south to the Chateau de Monbazillac. Their sweet wine is famous but fairly expensive.

Before reviewing the southwestern wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are some suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Foie Gras Frais avec Myrtille (Fresh Duck Liver in a Berry Sauce). For your second course savor Piperade Basquaise au Jambon (Eggs, Tomatos, Green Peppers, Onions, and Ham). And for dessert indulge yourself with Gateau Basque (Lemon Shortbread, Baker’s Cream, and Tart Cherry Jam.)

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed La Foret Royale 2004 13% about $13.50 (Appelation Fronton Controle)

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. La Foret is a blend of the indigenous Negrette (45%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), and Syrah (25%). The wine goes through fruit-enhancing and tannin-mellowing micro-oxygenation and acid-softening malolactic fermentation. The resulting wine is full of flavors and aromas, including raspberry, blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, licorice, and a hint of tar. Serve it with grilled steaks, backribs, or gourmet sausages. And now for the review.

My first meal consisted of commercially prepared beef spare ribs, spicy Moroccan carrots, and potatoes roasted in chicken fat. The meat was seasoned with Tunisian Harissa, a very spicy hot-pepper sauce. This was a great combination. The tannins melted in my mouth. I tasted black cherries, chocolate, and a lot of tobacco. The wine was robust and mouth filling. It held up both to the fat and the strong spices.

The next meal included meatballs with harissa, rice, and green beans. This wine was round and moderately long. The chocolate and tobacco tastes were fairly powerful.

The final meal was a commercially prepared barbecued chicken with a paprika-covered shin and store bought potato salad. The wine was a good antidote to the fat. Once again the chocolate taste was predominant.

The first cheese pairing was with an Emmenthaler (Swiss Cheese). The wine handled the pairing nicely. It was quite round and strong. On the other hand I barely tasted the cheese. And a goat’s milk cheese really denatured this wine.

Final verdict. This wine is a winner. I expect to come back to southwestern France for more wines.