Domaine de Raissac

Gustave Viennet is a wine-maker of Domaine de Raissac. His Chardonnay Le Parc, wine of the country Languedoc-Roussillon has been placed among the initial brands of the Terra Wine Collection.

Domaine de Raissac has very old wine-making traditions. Six generations of the family work in the Domaine since 1828, growing vines and making wine.

Three types of soil can be found in the vineyards of Raissac. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan grow well on the hill tops with loamy lime soil. Chardonnay and Viognier prefer alluvial soil covered with siliceous tertiary sediments. Gravel terraces are optimal for Grenache and Syrah.

Amongst this fabulous array of terroir, situated on top of the ruins of a Roman villa, lies Château de Raissac

The Viognier - 'Les Cres' is featured on the Enjoying Vigonier website www.enjoyingviognier.com and can be found at http://viognier.co.uk/wines/wine110.html

Jean Viennet from an old family of wine growers and artists has carried foward two passions : wine and painting. In 1975 Jean ended his first period of painting to concentrate solely on the Domaine. He invested in new vinification methods with the use of temperature controlled fermentation vats and hygrometry in the cellars. He also set up the 'Club des Grands Vins de Châteaux du Languedoc'. Later Gustave and Marie Vinnet took a lead role in the Domaine operations and Jean took up painting again, much to Elyette Peyre 's assiduous advice.

In 1996 he exhibited at the Galerie Mercure in Béziers, 1998 Galerie Elyette Peyre, Rue Visconti in Paris, 2001 the Exhibition of draws in Geneva, and later exhibitions in Paris and Bruxelles.

In 2003 & 2004 he completed 'Domaine des Arts' in the Languedoc and in 2005 'Birth of Mermaids', Château de Raissac. Much of his work can be seen on the Domaine website and found in the Béziers art gallaries and of course around the Château.

France's best-kept secret - Vins d'Alsace - Domaine Paul Kubler in touch with nature

ALSACE – DOMAINE PAUL KUBLER

Established in Alsace since 1620, the domaine has seen three generations of passionate winegrowers and is made up of 9ha of vineyards, located around Soultzmattand.

Paul Kubler oversees the estate with his son Philippe, who obtained a Master in Oenology at Bordeaux University and has been an assistant winemaker in Burgundy, Bordeaux and New Zealand.

The wines are produced virtually orgainically, using little or no pesticides in the vineyard.

Alsace Riesling "K" - Domaine Kubler 2007
The wine has rich citrus, white blossom, spice and gun flint aromas. It is very silky in texture with a long finish leaned on a long vibrant mineral persistency. The wine is very clean and fresh and accompanies seafood, Asian cuisine, and smoked or grilled fish very well.

Alsace Pinot Gris "K" 2007 - Domaine Kubler 2007
Bright gold in colour, the wine is powerful and warm with spicy aromas on the nose and warm fruit compotes of lychee and peach. The mouth is full and richly textured with layers of toasted bread and exotic fruit, lingered on a long velvety finish.

Alsace Gewürztraminer "K" 2007 - Domaine Kubler 2007
Intense rose aromas with exotics fruits and redcurrent hints. The wine is very rich on the palate but maintains a long and delicate finish.






All three wines are priced at £12.95 ex VAT

Make that: Pinot for all!

Wine has long been valued for its medicinal benefits - it figures in almost all the remedies recorded by Hippocrates, from a general antiseptic to cooling fevers. The grape has been part of the triumvirate of good throughout the middle ages, and the triumvirate are those benevolent institutions: the church, hospitals, and vineyards.

Wine’s medicinal and financial properties were the reason secular hospitals maintained extensive wine cellars. Again, this was true later in the century when the house of “Zähringer” founded the “Hospital of the poor," in the Zurich region.

In 1443 the chancellor of Burgundy Nicolas Rolin founded the Hospices de Beaune or Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune, a hospital for the poor and needy. A stunning 50metre long courtyard and buldings surrounded by the villages of Pommard, Volnay & Meursault!

The French paradox is the observation that the French suffer a relatively low incidence of coronary heart disease, despite having a diet relatively rich in saturated fats.

Compounds, known as polyphenols, are found in larger amounts in red wine (red wine is fermented with the skins, whereas white wine is fermented after the skins has been removed). There is some evidence that these polyphenols are beneficial, particularly resveratrol.

Dr. Sinclair of Harvard University and others claim that resveratrol is the active molecule responsible for the significant difference in lowering cancer risks and heart disease in other species and that the required amounts are only found in red wine.

Découvertes 2009 Vallée du Rhône

It was the 5 edition of Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône, an amazing event sponsored by InterRhône, which can be thought of as the governing body that oversees all of the Rhône Valley appellations, from north to south.

It was a great exclusive event to network, meet the producers and learn more about the Rhône Valley! We tried many wines, with some showing much promise, delicacy and all the typical Rhône varitetal aromas one would expect... earth, licorice, cherry...

We tried old favourites and unearthed some hidden gems and returned from the trip confident of the producers, their wines and the safe-guard of our long-standing relationships with them.

www.earlewines.com

Cambridge University Wine Tasting

Please click the link below to read the article
http://anotherfoodblog.com/?p=419

The next yearly tasting will be held in October 2009 - Contact sales@earlewines.com for more information.

Earle Wines Blog