Wine Club - September 2018

“Fruit” Rouge – Domaine Jonc Blanc (2016)

Grape Variety(s): Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauv

Style: Dry Red

Region: Bergerac, France

Winemaker: Isabelle Carles and Franck Pascal

Soil: Limestone, Clay
Age of Vines: 30 yrs

We wrote about Jonc Blanc a few months ago when we shared the white counterpart of this wine. We met Franck Pascal this past January at a wine fair in the south of France. With hundreds of producers there amidst thousands of wines, Franck’s wines stood out above the rest!

This husband-wife duo is about as real as it gets. They reside in the Bergerac region, just to the East of Bordeaux in SW France. The estate gets its name from the place called: Jonc Blanc or “White Rush.” It is a limestone outcrop with very poor soil and little soil. The family culivates the vine according to the principles of Biodynamics - certified by Demeter - and have been vinifiying their wines without inputs for many years! In fact, this red has zero additions, not even sulfur. We see this as a great “bridge” natural wine...very fruit forward and not too challenging, but a wine that is still a natural as it gets.

Rosato Lunella – Torre alle Tolfe (2017)

The blend here is Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merlot and Malbec age for about 18 months in very large oak cask, while the Cabernet Sauvignon only sees stainless steel. Very much a steak wine! Enjoy with the changing weather!

Grape Variety(s): Sangiovese

Style: Rosato (Dry)

Region: Siena, Italy

Winemaker: Sergio lo Jacono

Soil: Sand

Age of Vines: 15 yrs

Dating back to 1316, this beautiful little borgo has not only an important place in winemaking history, but in the history and development of the region in general, due to its strategic location during the ever-lasting fuedal wars between Siena and Florence. Visiting the estate is like stepping back in history, with little changed over the centuries, and with the ancient ‘torre’ still standing proudly over the Villa and other remaining buildings. What has changed is the wine maker, and how the vines are grown. Sergio Lo Jacono took over the wine-making and running of the estate in 2002, and before agreeing and signing a contract with the owners, he insisted that the estate be converted to 100% organic farming. The cellar has also remained the same, except for the fact that the wines are now made with natural yeasts. The cellar is still filled with cement tanks and old botti where this direct=press rosato of Sangiovese is fermented and aged. A lovely aperitif!