Chateau D’Esclans - (or how about Real Men Drink Rosé!)

I have been told that there is more rosé sold on Nantucket, than the rest of Massachusetts combined.  I could not be happier to hear that the residents and visitors of our island “get it.”  Those who know me, know that I am a serious supporter, perhaps fanatic, of properly made rosé. 

But, regardless of how dry, crisp and food-friendly a rosé is, a serious connoisseur would not put it into a fine-wine category.  That is until such a connoisseur is introduced to Chateau D’Esclans.

Chateau D’Esclans is a winery in Provence, France, purchased by Sacha Lichine.  Sacha is the son of Bordeaux legend, Alexis Lichine.  His ties with the Bordeaux region continue with his employment of winemaker, Patrick Leon, who spent over two decades at Château Mouton Rothschild.

Within five minutes of meeting the charismatic Frenchman, he said “There are already enough great red wines in the world.  I want to make great rosé!”  I am not the only one who feels like he has accomplished just that.  As we were sampling the wines, his importer, Paul Chevalier, told me that while Sacha chose to come to Nantucket, he could have been in Las Vegas.  Chateau D’Esclans was the only rosé producer invited by Wine Spectator Magazine to attend their Grand Tour of the 200 Best Wines in the World.  British Airways serves the wines on all of its first-class flights.  And Miami has gone wild over these wines, as they are featured at The Delano and The Fountainbleu, two of South Beach’s finest destinations.

One thing I have always found peculiar is how many comments I’ve heard about the price of rosé.  “I can not believe Domaine Ott is over $40 now.”  And yet, that same person does not flinch spending twice that amount on a coveted Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon.  Although I am a retailer who is always in search of a well-made value, I was like a kid in a candy store anticipating the tasting of a rosé that fetches over $100/bottle.

All four of the rosés produced by Chateau D’Esclans get their richness from a base of Grenache and Rolle, but Sacha proclaimed “We added a touch of Syrah to the Whispering Angel this vintage to distinguish its color from the others.” I simply love this wine. It is fermented in stainless-steel tanks and is everything I know a Provence rosé to be: Fresh, crisp and fruity, yet with a dry, easy finish. Next we moved on to the namesake Chateau D’Eslcans Rosé which is partially fermented in oak barrels and has a much richer finish than the first.  It is a wine that awaits a perfectly executed tuna niçoise.

Then, we got serious.  Why can’t you use terms like 80-year-old vines and 500-liter Burgundy oak barrels when discussing rose? You can. The Les Clans carries its weight in gold with a 91pt rating(WS), but drinks like a soft cloud.  And the crown jewel with the hefty price-tag, Garrus of which only a few barrels are produced drank like a fine Puligny Montrachet.  In fact, in competitive blind tastings out of black glass, professional sommeliers are consistently confusing this wine with a fine, white Burgundy.  Both of these upper-tier rosés have a rich concentration of berry and plum but finish with a buttery softness that demonstrates that Sacha and his winemaker have indeed taken rosé to the next level.

I am optimistic that over time, the rest of our state, as well as the others in our country will see the beauty in these pink wines.  Eric Asimov of The New York Times is one of many authors bringing National attention to the many examples of exquisite rosé wines, not only from Provence, France, but from all over the world. 

Missing Napa!

An employee of mine, who might I add is quite an exceptional wine-o, decided to live in Napa Valley this winter. At first, I was so genuinely happy for him. However, with each passing day, I realize that I am simply green with envy. It's been WAY too long since my last visit. He gave me his address to google and I couldn't help but notice how close he is to Gott's Roadside. OK, now I realize that if I were to spend a winter in Napa, I would return to Nantucket at least 20 lbs heavier! Here is a flashback and a love-letter to my introduction to the Gott Brand several years ago. (Note that Gott's Roadside used to be named Taylor's Automatic Refresher.)

My friends and family were laughing at me when I returned from my first visit to Napa Valley.  Although I shared with them spectacular tales of my winery visits, I could not stop talking about Taylor’s Automatic Refresher.  Right smack on Main Street in St. Helena is this 1940s-style drive-in burger joint.  Here I was, on a mission to sink my teeth into the wine culture of Napa Valley, and returned full of milkshakes and onion rings.

Jump forward eight years or so and I am introduced to Joel Gott wines.  If you have not seen, tasted or heard of this brand yet, don’t worry.  You will soon enough. The wines are exceptional values and truly taking Massachusetts by storm.  I, personally, am always a bit skeptical when presented a new brand from California.  Especially if I hear that they are making multiple red and white wines.  Where is the quality control?  What corporation owns this?  How many billboards did they buy?  Is the Chardonnay just another California Oak Bomb? Not to be cynical, as there are extraordinary wines from California.  And, yes, wineries need to advertise and have nice labels, etc. But, at this price-point, I am a particularly tough judge. 

As I am tasting the Chardonnay and find it to be surprisingly lush and well-balanced yet not oaked at all, I am immediately impressed.  So, who is this Joel Gott anyway? Turns out, he is a Chef.  He makes hamburgers.  He owns this place in Napa called “Taylor’s.” 

I immediately decide that Joel Gott has a tremendous work ethic.  If he cares enough to have the best onion rings, (yes they are the best I’ve ever had) he must have made sure that the bottle with his name on it had good wine inside.  Turns out his wife, Sarah, is the one making sure.

After studying winemaking in college, Sarah Gott took a position as an oenologist at Joseph Phelps winery, where she spent a decade working for this renowned producer of “Insignia.”   She followed that was a stint at Quintessa before creating Joel Gott Wines, along with her husband. She has since nurtured Assistant Winemaker, Alisa Jacobson to take the head position. Sarah is also the consulting winemaker for Clif Family Winery and Blackbird Vineyards, whose Merlot has been decorated with critical acclaim and ratings as high as 98 points. 

Although Joel Gott Wines produce higher-end wines, such as the Gott 5 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($50) and the “Dillian Ranch” Zinfandel ($30), I am particularly impressed with their value wines, which to my definition are wines that retail for under $20.00. 

In addition to the Chardonnay already mentioned, the Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc is another clean, fresh, crisp white that is stainless steel fermented with no oak or malolactic fermentation. What I enjoy about both of these whites is that they don’t lose all complexity, which can be the case for inexpensive, unoaked wines.  There is fruit, lively acidity and interesting finish.
The Joel Gott Cabernet Sauvignon “815” is named for the date of the birth of their daughter.  To keep the cost down, the fruit is sourced from Paso Robles, Mendocino County and Lake County in addition to Napa Valley.  Sourcing from all of these terroirs ensures a diversity of flavors that give the wine more interest. Although it is dark in color, it reaches only a medium-body in weight and is clearly produced as a Cabernet to drink young, which can surely be appreciated in its own right.  Its ripe rich cherry fruits are complimented by just a touch of earthy mocha.

The red wine receiving tremendous buzz, especially in wine-making country, is the Joel Gott Zinfandel.  It has been called “the poor man’s Turley” because it is such a great value.  This Zinfandel is produced with dry-farmed old-vines.  Essentially that means that the vines struggle just enough to produce a rich, concentrated grape.  Using these grapes, then aging them for just the right amount of time in oak creates a wine that is deep, rich, structured and complex.  Certainly a crowd-pleaser for those who love Zinfandel.

It is evident that the Gott family aims to please, and certainly do so by using only the best ingredients and combining them with the best techniques, whether they are making wine…or milkshakes!