[Cornell Wine] Cornell Wine This Week

[Michael Beard]

CORNELL WINE COMPANY
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  June 30 – Wines for Your Cookout

(Note:  Cornell Wine Company will be closed July 1-5)

July 7 – Cabernet Sauvignon

July 14 - French Wines for Bastille Day

July 21 – Mediterranean Wines

July 28 German & Austrian Wines


FRIDAY, June 23rd, 4:30 - 7:00pm

Wines of the Loire Valley

If the weather gods (as seen on TV!) are right, Friday’s weather  
should be ideal for sampling the lovely white wines of France’s Loire  
Valley.  In our tasting we will include a red and a rosé for those of  
you who always need a “red fix”.
1. MUSCADET is 100% MELON DE BOURGOGNE and is made in the NANTAIS at  
the western end of the Loire River.  Here the vine growing is  
influenced by the weather coming off the Atlantic Ocean.   
Unfortunately for the region, much “industrial strength” wine is made  
that has no charm and can take the enamel off your teeth.  However  
there are many very good Muscadets - - the quintessential “oyster  
wines”.  Because of the bad wines from the area, the good ones are  
still available at modest cost.  The just arrived 2005 CUVÉE HERMINE  
d’OR from DOMAINE des DORICES is very good Muscadet, and is the  
reserve blend from this estate.  Bring on the oysters! - $12.00

2. Moving east to ANJOU and the appellation of SAVENNIÈRES where  
CHENIN BLANC is king.  These are the greatest dry CHENIN BLANCS in  
the world, and when you taste a fine SAVENNIÈRES, you wonder “Is this  
the same grape as some of those California Chenin Blancs?”   However,  
these wines can be difficult to understand in their youth, and many  
need 5+ years to show their stuff.  In Jacqueline Friedrich’s A Wine  
and Food Guide to the Loire Valley, she says of SAVENNIÈRES, “It is,  
I think, the most cerebral wine in the world…A wine of discovery, of  
reflection, Savennières is not for the uninitiated”.  However,  
CHÂTEAU de CHAMBOUREAU 2002 CUVÉE “AVANT” is a modern, more forward  
style wine, already showing good fruit and complexity, and is a  
relative bargain - $22.00

3. Heading further east along the Loire, the river turns south at  
Orléans to the heart of the SANCERROIS.  Just before you reach Nevers  
you find Sancerre on the west bank and Pouilly on the east bank.    
Despite what the Kiwis might say, this is the home of the best  
Sauvignon Blancs in the world (and I love Kiwi SBs!).  2002 was a  
fantastic vintage in the Loire whereas 2003 was too hot to produce  
classic wines.  2004 is back to normal, and most of the wines show  
that classic racy minerality of a true Sancerre.  The DOMAINE CÉDRICK  
BARDIN 2004 is a modestly-priced, classic SANCERRE from 2004 - $18.00

4. With the forecast glorious summer weather it is obviously time for  
a rosé.  The MONMOUSSEAU 2005 ROSÉ d’ANJOU is not bone-dry, but is a  
classic summer wine.  A blend of CABERNET FRANC and GROLLEAU, it  
offers a very aromatic nose, a beautiful color (onion skin), and a  
touch of minerals on the finish  - $8.00

5. We now move back west to TOURAINE to sample our red wine which is  
from CHINON.  The village is to the south of the Loire and is on a  
tributary, the Vienne, in the western part of Touraine.  This is the  
home of CABERNET FRANC (up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon is allowed).   
Forget the Cabernet Francs out of California or Walla Walla which  
tend to be Cabernet Sauvignon wannabes, Chinon displays all the  
complexities of the grape.   The MARC BRÉDIF 2003 CHINON is typical  
of the hot vintage showing a lot of forward fruit.  The wine was aged  
in neutral oak, so does not show any noticeable vanillans - $15.75

TRY THESE FIVE WINES FOR $10.00

This week we offer a cheaper EXTRA POUR!

We put this wine in the “extra” column as it has a touch of  
sweetness.  The CHÂTEAU MONCONTOUR 2004 VOUVRAY DEMI-SEC is a lovely  
off-dry CHENIN BLANC.  It offers aromas of wild flowers and white  
peaches.  In the mouth it is soft and tastes of peaches, but all this  
is balanced by lively acidity.  With this upcoming hot weekend, drink  
this on the deck, or accompany it with goat cheese or a fruit tart -  
$14.00

TRY THIS WINE FOR $2.00/Taste or $3.00/4 ounces

FRIDAY SPECIAL – BUY THREE OR MORE LOIRE WINES (tasting wines or  
other in-stock Loire wines) AND GET A 10% DISCOUNT.


  SATURDAY, June 24th

 From NOON – 5:00 PM we will have a couple of wines open for FREE  
TASTING.  If the weather stays hot as promised, we’ll open a white  
and a rosé…or maybe a red!

Looking forward to seeing you all,

Cheers,

Mick
Cornell Wine Company
14740 NW Cornell Road, #90
Portland, 97229-5400
(503) 531-3981
mick at cornellwine.com
www.cornellwine.com
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