Château Fouquet Cabernet Franc

“…pretty ripe by the standards of this bottling, coming in at 13.5 percent with the low yields of the vintage, but the wine is quite classically balanced. The nose is focused and absolutely superb, wafting from the glass in a fine blend of sweet dark berries, black cherries, cigar wrapper, dark soil tones, a touch of espresso and a lovely topnote of menthol. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and nicely structured, with ripe, buried tannins, a sappy core, lovely balance and grip and a long, youthfully complex finish. This is excellent and truly deserves to be bottled with a natural cork!” – John Gilman, View From the Cellar, , Issue #77

100% Cabernet Franc, Fouquet is made with destemmed fruit fermented in stainless steel with natural yeasts in stainless steel tanks with temperature control, though with a longer maceration typically compared to the other wines. It too is steel-tank-aged (they do age a portion in oak for a different bottling which currently is not imported to the US) and bottled with a gentle filtration. It is the most structured of Filliatreau’s wines.

Paul Filliatreau bought 6.5 hectares in the lieu-dit of Château Fouquet in the village of Brézé, 10 kilometers east of Saumur and only 100 meters outside of the Saumur-Champigny appellation. Parts of it had been abandoned, and Paul began replanting with massale cuttings from Chinon vigneron Charles Joguet’s Clos du Chêne Vert vineyard. When son Frédrik joined his father in running the estate, he suggested an experiment of converting Fouquet to organic farming, which was completed in 1998; the next step was to convert to biodynamics, for which it will be certified in the 2017 vintage. Fouquet was also the first Filliatreau parcel to be ploughed by horse and to be harvested exclusively by hand.

Emile Beyer ‘Tradition’ Pinot Gris

Wine Enthusiast 90 – “Ripe pear has a note of Darjeeling leaves on the nose of this wine. Pear also plays first fiddle on the palate with notes of freshness, ripeness, and measured roundness. The wine is dry, vivid and juicy.”~AK

There is a sense of breezy clarity on the nose of this wine, reminiscent of wet pebble and pear. The palate continues with this straight-laced freshness but adds mellow, ripe pear fruit notes, resulting in a harmonious, perfectly dry and balanced wine.

“The “tradition” bottling is meant to be fresh and consumed young, and to express the true varietal character of the grapes of Alsace. The harvested grapes are pressed slowly and gently, and the juices allowed to settle before a cool and long fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Aging continues in the tank on the lees for several months.”

“Typically lower in acidity. Pinot Gris often presents itself as a succulent and fruity wine when tasted alone. It pairs extremely well with rich foods such as liver pate, foie gras and rich sauces. Also with spicy dishes where the sugar and lower acidity are balanced harmoniously. Pinot Gris represents less than 20% of the plantings of Alsace but is highly prized for its great depth of flavor and ability to complement a wide range of cuisines.”~Winery Notes