The César grape is a funny one. You know how the memory can play tricks? We think we once had a delicious bottle of César but no record was made of what that bottle was and a subsequent encounter with the grape was underwhelming to say the least.
Turning to 'Wine Grapes' we learn that César is very site-specific, namely the village of Coulange-la-Vineuse in the Yonne Departement.
People fancy that this is the oldest French variety because it was introduced by Julius Ceasar but DNA analysis shows it to be a natural cross between Pinot Noir and Gänsfüsser which puts paid to that. Nonetheless, the fiction persists and the Germans call it Roemer. However, Roemer is slightly different from César so it might have originated somewhere between the Pfalz where Roemer is found and the Yonne.
The principal characteristics of César are red fruit flavours and tannins. It is hardly ever made as a monovarietal and when used at all is added to Pinot Noir in order to beef it up in Irancy and around the Chablis communes of Chitry and Épineuil. It is not authorised for Bourgogne produced in departments other than the Yonne.
Mention of César at Lorenz and Janssen, the Amsterdam temple of Bourgogne, produced gales of laughter. so we were feeling altogether pretty sorry for Cesar.
Then, we don't remember how or when, the name leaped out of a London merchant's winelist. Jackson Nugent of Wimbledon are the agency for Casa Silva and a bottle of César was available from them if we were willing to pay them a call. We're glad we acted promptly because this wine no longer appears on Casa Silva's website and may no longer be produced.
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| The handsome Silva family, producers of Romano in Chile. |
'Wine Grapes' hints that 'it is uncertain if this [Romano] is the same variety [as César].
More work needs to be done, we say, beginning with opening that bottle.
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