Author: Christy

Causse Marines – A Very Nice 3-Pack

A NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: I adored these wines… and this is a good reminder that I need to look them up all these years in the future. I still have this sweet memory of meeting vigneron Virginie at a tasting and talking about the sparkling Mauzac. She said they loved it, but it was “old people wine.” That was close to 15 years ago, so I guess I could say I was an old soul. But now… I’m just… old people. (I joke a bit, I’m really not that old. But I’m definitely not young!)

Long time, no blog. But lots of Twitter. Oh, those were the days. You can still follow me at Follow me @franklywines where you can get exxtremely up-to-the minute musings on life as a wine retailer. I probably won’t blog about the fun that is running from an off-site distributor tasting to pick up a pre-schooler while trying to wipe the purple stains from my teeth. But I will tweet about it. Because that’s exactly what Twitter is for!

A NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: Oh Twitter, RIP. How I loved you back in the day. It’s hard to image now, but Wine Twitter (before we knew to call it Wine Twitter) was a fun, kind, even charming place to hang out. Joe Dressner was the closest we came to a villian, and to call him that would be in correct. He was more like the Socrates of the platform -keeping us all honest and challenging our beliefs. This was also the time of #reallylongpunnyhashtagsjustforfun. Lyle Fass was the king of this. You can still follow me at @christy.frank.wine or over at IG’s Threads, but I rarely play on those platforms. I’m still on IG as myself and as Copake Wine Works, just because it’s so darn easy. Or for kicks, do some deep scrolling on my old Twitter a.k.ka. X account to see what it was like back in the day.

But in the hopes of getting this blog rolling again, I’ll do one of my quickie cut-and-paste jobs from the web site. I could feel guilty about these cut-and-pasties, but I’m a big believe in frequency and repetition. I know most of you aren’t reading this blog…and the newsletter…and the tweets…and the facebook page…oh wait, there’s no facebook page….yet. So I’ll just keep posting the same things in multiple places in the hopes that most people catch everything at least once.

So…in the name of frequency and repetition, here we go…again…

Domaine de Causse Marines – Tres Cool, Tres Tasty

I will admit it. For a long time I had a thing against the wines of Causse Marines. The label was just a little too cheekily cute, the name was almost certainly a pun that was far beyond my less-then-beginner French, and the bottles kept appearing on the menu and shelves of every new hip wine bar and shop. In other words, I was convinced these wines were far too cool to be any good. Well, shame on me. Because when I finally got around to actually trying these wines, poured for me by one of the owners, I was completely smitten.

Causse Marines is the domaine of Virginie Maignien and Patrice Lescarret, two charming young vignerons. They’re doing their little part to preserve obscure local grapes like Mauzac, Duras, Braucol, and Loin-de-l’oeil. Their wines fall firmly into the “natural wine” category, with nothing added (except the very minimal amount of SO2 needed to keep the wines from getting all funky), nothing taken away. The vines are tended biodynamically with no pesticides, fungicides or artificial fertilizers. All this adds up to vibrant, unique, highly-drinkable…and yes…very cool wines.

3-Pack includes:

Domaine de Causse Marines Les Grielles Blanc 2008: This could be the perfect spring/summer wine. It’s a blend of the not-so-well-known grapes Muscadel, Loin-de-l’oeil, and Mauzac. The Muscadel adds a bit of a floral touch, but the overall taste is crisp, clean and delicious – sort of like springtime in a bottle.

Domaine de Causse Marines Peyrouzelles Rouge 2008: You’ve probably never heard of Duras or Braucol (also known as Fer Savadou.) These are the local red grapes of Gaillac which on their own, make for lighter, spicy, aromatic reds. This one has touch of Syrah in the blend, which plumps it up just a bit. It’s an easy drinking wine which is especially nice with a bit of a chill.

Causse Marines Preambulles Vin Mousseaux Brut 2009: A petillant natural made from 100% Mauzac. The funkiest of the bunch with a bit of a bruisey green apple, but it finishes crisp and clean. Think of it as a grape-based beer alternative. Or just think of it as good!

Price: $50

Go Go Montbourgeau!

A NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: Yup, we were making a Negroni. Sbagliato. And were probably going to put prosecco in it since we were going to be featuring it during a prosecco tasting. That all may sound very familiar read from the vantage point of 2024. But look at the date this was originally published. 2011. Yeah, we were just that ahead of our time.

Wine geeks love wines from the Jura. This doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Well, it doesn’t come as a surprise to a certain sect of the world’s wine geeks …the Juranistas, to coin a phrase that really shouldn’t be coined. I’m one of those Jura-loving wine geeks and Frankly Wines stocks more wines from this region than my accountant considers fiscally responsible. So anytime an article appears touting the joys of these obscure, unique wines, I do a little happy dance.

I did a big happy dance following Eric Asimov’s most recent Jura post. This one specifically mentioned Domaine Montbourgeau, which is located in the sub-region of L’Etoile. This estate, overseen by Nicole Deriaux, is one of my favorite. I’ll even admit to a girl crush on Nicole and her wines, of which I stock quite a few, including her “starter” Chardonnay. This Chardonnay – which has nothing in common with big, buttery, Cali-style Chardonnay, beyond the name – is my gateway drug to the Jura. I price it aggressively, at $19.99, a price at which many people are willing to take a chance. It has the twangy, earthy, funkiness so typical of the Jura, balanced by an elegant minerality and a bit of roundness that softens it up a bit. ‘Accessible ’ is probably not the right word – this is not a wine everyone will like – but if you’re looking to try a white from the Jura, made in the classic style, this is a good place to start.

Montbourgeau L’Etoile 2008 (L’Etoile, Jura, France): Pair it with some comte cheese, or with a creamy sauce, possibly involving mushrooms, and you could just find yourself turning in to a Jura-loving wine geek. And if that happens…don’t worry, I can help you get your fix. Price $19.99   

Musar-fest Spring 2011: USA Left Swimming in Serge Hochar’s Wake

Originally published on March 3, 2011.

Serge Hochar, the man for whom the word legendary is not simply marketing blah blah blah, recently made his annual drive across the US marketplace. During these visits, he hosts wine dinners and holds court at various tastings in various cities. These events usually involve mind-blowing verticals of Chateau Musar’s reds and whites. For a peek behind-the-scenes of one of the NY tastings (and for some background on the Chateau, which I just can’t bear to write. yet. again.) check out David Flaherty’s post at Grapes and Grains.

While the wines themselves are stunning (and the amount of history in the glass is incredible – this time around, Rouge ’00, ’98, ’93, ’83, ’74, ’64, Blanc ’03, ’93, ’80, ’75), the real star of the show is Serge himself. He rarely talks about specifics of the wine. Routine questions about blends, vintage conditions, or flavor profiles are springboards for discussions of philosophy, family, history. To sit in the company of someone so passionate about his work, listening to him tell his stories while drinking in wines that trace the history of your life and beyond – it’s a pretty heady experience. People walk in as fans, or merely curious and leave as disciples. It’s amazing to watch.

In addition to the trade tastings and the dinners, there are also informal lunches, late night bar-nights, and the occasional even later-night margarita. Fans half his age – even a third of his age – find it difficult to keep up. (I tried this time around, and failed miserably, sleeping through a late-night Musar-fest at Anfora in order to preserve myself for a lunch the following day.)

And this was just New York. Prior to arriving, Serge had been in San Francisco, Texas, Denver, Aspen, Boston, and possibly a few other cities. This year, unlike years before, you could follow the great wave of Musar through the Twitter wine community. There was someone spellbound by the reds in California. Then someone in Texas, stunned by their first experience with the whites. Serge quotes tweeted from Boston. One of my own customers stumbling on a tasting in Aspen.

By the time Serge made it to his late-night date with Anfora, the Twitter feeds were swimming in Musar. It was as if the US wine community was at one big, continent-wide week-long wine tasting. A little nuts, a little exhausting, and a testament to one man’s larger-than-life-(and-the-internet) passion.

GIFT IDEAS #6, #6.1, #6.2…etc: For Those Who Choose Wine Based on the Label

Many people do it.  You may even do it.  As a professional buyer, I try very, very hard not to do it.  But it’s true.  A cool label or bottle is more likely to get a second look.  And a really ugly label?  Let’s just say I have a few bottles on the shelf that require me to explain, “The labels horrific but the wine is great.”

But it is possible to have it both ways – great wine in a really cool package. While lining up bottles for some newsletter pictures, I realized my sweet/fortified shelf is home to some of the coolest bottles in the store. (Yes, for the eagle eyes out there, I realize the vin jaune is neither sweet nor fortified).

Perhaps it’s because they need all the help they can get to overcome the stigma of being sweet/fortified wines.  Or maybe it’s just because these particular wines tend to continue using the original bottle shapes from back in the day.  And this wines do go way way back in the day.  They’re some of the oldest, most storied wines you can buy.

But they’re not something that most wine drinker will buy for themselves.

Not because they won’t like them – when we open any of these wines at the store, most people are usually surprised at how enjoyable they are. It’s probably because they’re usually sitting on some out of the way shelf. Or because they seem like something only old people drink, while sitting in their library in front of a fire place. Or because we’re trained to never express an admiration for anything sweet.

Whatever…

They’re a great indulgence if you’re getting a gift for someone or looking for something to give yourself.  They’re quite stable and after being opened and will last anywhere from several days to forever.  They taste good. 

And the bottles are really, really cool!

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Photo details:

I’ve been asked how what filter I’m using for these photos.  It’s your basic iPhone photo with the Magazine filter from the CameraBag app.  And it you’re wondering what it’s in the background – it’s corks.  Lots and lots of corks.

The View from the Weeds

Originally published on December 17, 2010.

These are weeds.

And I am totally in them.

If you haven’t heard the phrase before, it’s diner/bar lingo for “really really busy.”  Presumably because as you peer out from behind the bar, at the heaps of customers standing in front of you, that you can’t keep up with, it looks something like peering out of field of weeds.  Or something like that.

In any case, it’s the last two weeks of the year and I’m firmly in the weeds.  But that’s a good thing.  If it’s December in a wine store, you want weeds.  Lots and lots of weeds.Photo Credit: 

Courtney Emery’s Flickr stream under license from Creative Commons.

GIFT IDEAS #4 & #5: Safe and Not-So-Safe 3-Packs

You know you want to give wine – because you know they like wine. But you don’t know exactly what they like. We put this 3-Pack together with that very common request in mind. Three proven favorites: a not-at-all over the-top Hunter Valley Shiraz, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and a bottle of Champagne. What’s not to like?

SAFETY SAMPLER 3-PACK*
Keith Tulloch Kester Shiraz 2003 (Hunter Valley, Australia)
Alana Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (Marlborough, NZ)
Duc De Romet Champagne (Champagne, France)

Price: $75

Or…..

Let’s say, this time around,,,

You know they like wine – and you know they’re a bit adventurous. So we put together a 3-Pack featuring wines made from obscure grapes grown in obscure places. A red, white, and sparkling. Nothing too funky, but unless they’re Jura fanatics or roam the heights of the Italian Alps, chances are good they’ll be discovering something new.

NOT-SO-SAFE SAMPLER 3-PACK

Jacques Puffeney Poulsard M 2007 (Arbois, Jura, France)
Grosjean Muscat Petit Grain 2009 (Vallee d’Aoste, Italy)
Domaine de Montbourgeau Cremant NV (Jura, France)

Price: $72

*Don’t worry, we won’t mention “safety pack” on the actual gift pack itself. You giftees will officially be getting a “Holiday Sampler 3-Pack”

Holiday Gift Idea #3: Musar 2-Pack

Originally published on December 10, 2010.

A NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: Look at that price! Fourtheen years later, the a single bottle would cost $90 (which is still not a bad deal, given what these wines are!

This may not come as a surprise, but Frankly Wines is a little obsessed with Chateau Musar, the Lebanese wines with a back story that’s the stuff of legends.  Winery and vineyards located in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. Founded in the 1930’s, with wine produced in nearly every harvest despite battles waged among the vines. Cellars that served as bomb shelters in the 80’s. Certain vintages that taste of gunpowder.

What I really like about Chateau Musar is that it tastes like nothing so much as itself. When describing wine to customers, I’ll often compare regions and grapes, like some wino-version of a Hollywood pitch (it’s like a Beaujolais on steroids with a little bit of Shiraz-spice thrown in.) But with Chateau Musar, there are no comparisons. It’s a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Cinsault and a few other grapes. It’s a constantly evolving mix of exotic spices, stunningly vibrant fruit, earthy, gamey, meatiness. It lasts practically forever and is a classic example of a wine that you want to keep tasting as it changes. You want to grow old together.

And that’s just the reds! The whites are just as fascinating – maybe even more so. Made from the Merwah and Obaideh grapes, the wine reminds me a bit of traditional aged white Rioja. Well, not exactly, but it’s in that realm of wines done in a slightly oxidized style. It’s nutty, with notes of caramelized nuts, dried fruits, a bit of honey (but not at all sweet) and exotic church spices. (I can hear you ask, “church spices?” Think incense, the scent of midnight mass, exotic, heady spices.)

If the reds last practically forever, the whites last even longer. They’re best served near room temperature and Serge Hochar, the legendary figurehead of Chateau Musar, insists they’re served after the reds. I certainly can’t disagree.

And that’s just the reds! The whites are just as fascinating – maybe even more so. Made from the Merwah and Obaideh grapes, the wine reminds me a bit of traditional aged white Rioja. Well, not exactly, but it’s in that realm of wines done in a slightly oxidized style. It’s nutty, with notes of caramelized nuts, dried fruits, a bit of honey (but not at all sweet) and exotic church spices. (I can hear you ask, “church spices?” Think incense, the scent of midnight mass, exotic, heady spices.) If the reds last practically forever, the whites last even longer. They’re best served near room temperature and Serge Hochar, the legendary figurehead of Chateau Musar, insists they’re served after the reds. I certainly can’t disagree.

Chateau Musar Rouge 2001: A very classic Musar, with trademark red fruits, spice, tea leaves, and funk are all nicely in balance. It’s drinking nicely now but has the bones to age for a very, very, very long time.

Chateau Musar Blanc 2001: Just a baby, as far as Musar whites go. At this young age, it really is closest to a white Rioja – tightly wound, racy acidity, some citrus, a bit of a waxy texture, exotic spices just starting to reveal themselves. Keep it for about, oh, 50 years and it will really start to show its stuff.

Price: $90

Holiday Gift Idea #2: Lopez Love 3-Pack

Originally published on December 10, 2010.

Not a holiday goes by that I can’t find a reason to mention Lopez de Heredia.  If this is the first you’re noticing…we’ll you’re really not paying attention!  But if I learned anything in my corporate marketing days, it’s all about repeat exposure so….here we go again!

I’ll keep this post short and sweet – just a list of the wines in the 3-Pack.  But just go to the web site to learn more.  Or read this old post.  Or this one.  Or this one.  Or even this one.

Or to get someone else’s perspective, check out the Anchor Wine blog for a recap on a recent visit (and some spectacular photos.)

3-Pack includes:

Lopez de Heredia Bosconia 2002 (Red)
Lopez de Heredia Gravonia Blanco 2000 (White)
Lopez de Heredia Rosado 2000 (Rose)

Price: $80 

Holiday Gift Idea #1: Chardonnay-Hater’s 3-Pack

Originally published on December 8, 2010.

A NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: This was a fabulous pack back then. And it would still be a fabulous pack today. Maybe it’s time to get another I Hate Chardonnay Pack happening.

Everybody loves to hate Chardonnay. But there’s a lot more variety to the grape than most people expect. Give the hater in your life this cheeky 3-Pack of Chardonnay-based wines that taste nothing like the typical “Chardonnay.”

3-Pack includes:

Philippe Chavy Bourgogne Blanc 2008 (Burgundy, France): Many people don’t realize that white Burgundy is made from Chardonnay. But it is – and it’s generally considered the mack daddy of Chardonnay expression. Other regions around the world strive for the balance of elegance, richness, nuttiness, minerality and subtle fruit that is good white Burgundy (a.k.a. Chardonnay)

Chateau de Beru Chablis 2007 (Burgundy, France): This is miles away from the big, buttery Chardonnay bombs that the haters love to hate. From the cool, northerly part of France, it’s all minerally and razor-edged – like green apples, shimmery oyster shells, and chalky stones

Michel Gahier Arbois “Les Crets” 2006 (Arbois, Jura, France): This doesn’t taste like any other Chardonnay you’ve ever had – unless you’re already a fan of this obscure region near France’s board with Switzerland. It’s made in the Jura’s traditional, purposely oxidized style, which gives it a nutty, twangy, slight sherry note. Sound scary? It’s stunning with cream and mushroom–based dishes.

Price: $69

Thanksgiving Day Suggestion #10: For Those Who are Feeling a Little Extravagant

Originally posted November 21, 2010.

A NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: I completely forgot this existed. But oh my, was it good. It’s time for the Jura to make a come back! Or… given that the Jura never went away, it’s time for me to refocus on that region and make an effort to sell more of it.

Jacques Puffeney Vin de Paille 2003 375ml (Arbois, Jura, France)
This stuff is so good, you’ll want to beat your head against a wall and rip off your arms. You’ll want to counter the intense pleasure with some serious pain…hence the arm ripping and head banging. It’s made from the same Savagnin grape as the Jura’s more famous Vin Jaune. But in this version, those grapes are laid out on mats to dry (or maybe just in boxes.) This concentrates the sugars, resulting in a sweet wine that brings to mind sweet and savory notes of walnuts, brown sugar, maple syrup, and some sort of spice. If that sounds rich, it is – but that richness is balanced by a sneaky spine of acidity that prevents even a hint of anything cloying. Yes, it’s expensive. But it’s delicious and tastes like absolutely nothing other than Vin de Paille. If you’re feeling spendy, it’s well worth a few bruises and an arm or two. Seriously.

Price: $77.99