In praise of Domaine Grisard

We first wrote about Domaine Grisard exactly 2 years ago in February 2010, Since then there have been several mentions in this Blog, all good.

These were mainly in connection with Persan, a Savoyard variety rescued by the Grisards and now to be found either as a 100% varietal or in blends by other producers.

The Grisards did not stop at Persan though. For a relatively small producer they also make varietal Malvoisie, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Roussette (both straight and aged in Acacia wood), Jacquère, Mondeuse and the rare Mondeuse Blanche which is no relation to red Mondeuse. There are also blends and they run a 'Pépinière' (vine nursery).

Here is the list of their vines in the Pépinière;

Plantation Conservatoire 2004

Abondance Noire
Etraire de la Dhuy (Inra)
Corbesse ou Chatus
Hiboux Rouge ou Noir (Inra)
Humagne
Jurançon Noir ou Gonni
Persan
Montruchon
Rouge de Maurienne
Servénèze de Voreppe
Tréfort (Geusche noire)

Bia gris
Blanc des RosesPinot Noir Gris Blanc sur le même plant
Pinot gris

Blanc de Maurienne = Rèze
Gouin (blanc 2eme)
Cacaboué
Hiboux Blanc (Inra)
Maclon ou Fusette = St Pierre Doré
Melon de Bourgogne
Mondeuse blanche
Petite Arvine
Piolac
Servanin (Inra)
Verdesse (Inra )

The story of how the pépinière was established is in itself interesting;

UNE LONGUE TRADITION FAMILIALE

Né en 1813, Joseph Marie aménage en 1863 les bâtiments que l’on peut voir encore aujourd'hui. A cette époque, il cultivait la vigne et élevait les vers à soie. Vers 1890, le Phylloxera détruit les ceps des vignes. Son fils Antoine les remplace aussitôt par des plants greffés sur place. C’est à la suite de cet événement que les pépinières de plants de vigne ont fait leur apparition sur l’exploitation . Aujourd'hui encore, nous poursuivons la double activité de viticulteur et de pépiniériste viticole.

As well as the varieties mentioned above they are researching the following;

Cépages Rouges

Noir de Conflans

Bellochin

Crussin

Vert Rouge

Gros janin

Cépages Blancs

Pointu de Vimines

Blanc Verdan : 2me époque Tarentaise

Doucette (Brides les Bains)

Rougine

(Watch this space...)

They are obviously becoming celebrated locally at least with recent representation in Savoyard supermarkets.

Domaine Grisard is the concern of Jean-Pierre Grisard but there is a Michel Grisard and a Philippe Grisard who also produce wine in Fréterive, near Albertville, Savoie. Our Grisard describes himself on every bottle as Vigneron Indpendant depuis quatre générations.

On a recent holiday in the alps not far from Fréterive we decided to order a mixed case of some of the more basic Domaine Grisard wines as well as a couple of more expensive ones.

Jacquere Vielles Vignes 4.10

Roussette 2009 6.50

Roussette Acacia 2009 8.50

Rose Mondeuse 2010 4.70

Gamay 2010 5.00

Pinot Noir 2010 5.00

Mondeuse 2010 5.20

Malvoisie 11.00

4 x Persan 44.00

All the wines were pure, light and delicate. Some were intense, Some better than others of course. As well as the Persan which lived up to its reputation, we especially enjoyed the Rosé de Mondeuse

which turned out an unexpected triumph and the Malvoisie which was perfect.

The Gamay was too light if that is possible, veering towards the neutral. All the wines were 12% except the Jacquère which was 11.5%.

In the local Spar supermarket we were delighted to find almost all these wines (except Persan, understandably) - even the Grisard Mondeuse Blanche.

We had baulked at a price of over E. 18 for this but in the event the rarity of this grape and our curiosity got the better of us and we duly went for it. Sadly, this like the Gamay was light to neutral.

These wines from the supermarket sported different labels for 'marketing' reasons no doubt.

The Roussette aged in acacia barrels was much more interesting.

There was a woody note all right but also a hint of resin. The use of acacia wood is not unknown but in the case of these ultra clean and pure wines it adds an aromatic element. Fascinating.

Jacquère and Altesse are indigenous Savoyard grape varieties. Roussette is the same as Altesse but nothing to do with the Roussane of the Rhone region despite Roussette being a synonym for Roussanne there. Bergeron, as in Chignin Bergeron is Roussanne however. Confusing.

Getting representation in supermarkets in the region is hopefully going to be the start of recognition for these wines. They are currently available in very few places in France but quite well represented in the low countries, the Dutch and Belgians having always been canny about wine.

A model of its kind

We never cease to be astounded by the Pinot Noir explosion which was triggered by an inexplicably influential scene in that otherwise unremarkable film 'Sideways.' Perhaps the elevation of Pinot Noir to a pantheon previously consisting only of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot was waiting to happen. Since then, Pinot Gris or Grigio seems to have arrived in that company without any particular catalyst so maybe there is hope for others?

Peter May's book "Pinotage: behind the legend" was a title on Kindle we couldn't resist. Mr. May also wrote a book (bonkbuster?) on Merlot called something like "Marylin Merlot" which we don't feel the need to download. Otherwise, there can't be many works devoted to the history and promotion of a single variety.

"Pinotage: behind the legend" hasn't had the effect of 'Sideways' so far but is a way it is a model for what potentially could be a genre. There are some other grape varieties which could tell a story - our favourite Ramisco (in that case a tear-jerker), the Torrontes of Argentina (a mystery tale), some of the more outlandish hybrids (humour). Even Pinot Grigio/Grauburgunder has a chequered history (see Johann Seger Ruhland).

May slightly over-eggs the "legend" of Pinotage but it is still an interesting story and this book has everything you would ever want to know about the variety. We guarantee after reading this study you will go out and buy a bottle of Pinotage.

A satisfied customer

Great to see you both the other week. Thanks for making the trek down. Xxxx (with a lot of help from Yyyy) and I have just finished – with considerable pleasure – our tour through the very nice case of western Swiss wine that you kindly bought for us. We thought we’d give you an unscientific review of the case.

As the first customer of the day at 09.30 the wine-seller was most surprised to find a mono-linguistic Anglo man brandishing a list of Geneva and Valais’s finest wine. Having gathered the case, he did, however, compliment me on my exemplarily taste which I obviously claimed as my own and “just something I whipped-up before breakfast”.

Highlights were definitely the wonderful, honey-fuelled, white Domaine des Curiades 2007 which reminded Xxxx and me of the best of Slovenian whites

(try Sutor, Edi Simcic) which I highly recommend as they beat far more expensive French imposters hands-down; the Phillippe Darioli 2008 was also excellent and great with the sea bass we had with it.

The suitably named Domaine du Paradis 2007 is a knock-out,

full-bodied red that somehow gets better the 2nd day (yes, we managed to re-cork a bottle or two). The other fantastic red was the Domaine des Freres Phillippoz

which is very alcoholic but somehow very light, complex and spicy. A bit like a very good Shiraz.

The only bottle we thought was disappointing was the Denis Mercier 2008 which was pretty forgettable. There was also one bottle that they didn’t have (forget which one) so I replaced it with an excellent champagne that you must try – Jose Michel –

which at 34 CHF in Geneva is about the same as a bottle of Evian at the Kempinski. It was an excellent substitute and – in our collective view – hands down beat Pommery, Veuve and Moet (not that we drink that much of any of the above).

If you’re wandering about the other 7 bottles. They were all great; so good in fact that I didn’t get around to writing anything so amusing was the conversation they lubricated.

Parking for Greeks only

In these days of economic gloom, it's always interesting to see a queue so proceeding along Old Compton St. we joined a throng of mainly young-ish people outside (and inside) a shop called Gerry's who claim to be

the UK's largest selection of spirits and liqueurs. Over the years, our store in the centre of London's vibrant Soho has become famous for being something of an Aladdin's Cave of rare, weird and wonderful examples of the distiller's art.

So spirits were what everyone was queuing for just before Christmas. We joined them and clocked a Peruvian Cabernet Sauvignon at over £17 on the way in. They definitely have an eclectic selection. The original Gerry must have been Greek because ancient sign (difficult to determine whether BC or AD) offers free parking if you are Greek.

A flying visit to Genova

It's not as if we hadn't been to Genova before but thanks to our insider-guide we penetrated the mediaeval city - Europe's largest - for the first time. Here we encountered, also for the first time the magnificent Duomo S. Lorenzo (above) and the Chiesa Gesu with its two massive Rubens paintings. All this is testament to Genova's historical importance which placed it on a level with the greatest cities in the world; a claim not finally relinquished even today with a surviving shipbuilding and refitting industry outstripping anything in the UK.

Verdi was as much an honorary Genovese as he was a Parisian, spending winters here for many years and writing the quintessential Genovese opera, Simon Boccanegra. The main characters names, Boccanegra, Fieschi, Adorno, Grimaldi are to be found on streets, piazzas, palazzos and so forth at every turn in the centre.

Our visit to the Teatro Carlo Felice was the usual mixture of disappointments (mainly to do with the production as so often in Italy) but otherwise life went on as previously with a fantastic headline the day we were in town

(for which Berlusconi had subsequently to apologize apparently) and excellent gastronomic opportunities.

Our Genova insider pointed us in the direction of one of the loveliest and most interesting restaurants it is possible to imagine; a combination of restaurant, library, bookshop and wine store - "Nouvelle Vague" just a stone's throw from S. Lorenzo. Despite being in a cellar this is a warm and welcoming place where you can spend time browsing books

as well as eating and drinking. We ploughed through the white wines by the glass with pleasure even if in doing so we discovered that Pigato is only a synonym for Vermentino (another variety hits the dust). Nonetheless the Pigato/Vermentinos were outstanding as were once again an Incrocio Manzoni and a Satrico which e were led to believe was a grape variety but is actually a blend from Lazio of some very familiar customers.

The following morning after a visit to the council chamber where the famous scene in 'Simon Boccanegra' takes place and a whip around a Van Gogh and Gaughin exhibition in the same building we just had time for an even shorter tour of the Mercato Orientale, one of the finest food markets in Italy.Earlier in our lightening visit, we had enjoyed a glass of Rossese which is indeed a native variety of Liguria. A lovely refreshing and fruity wine in the direction of Gamay/Beaujolais. We intended to buy a bottle at the airport. There was indeed one on offer but only in the collection of Ligurian speciality foods at an unbelievable rip-off price of over E.17. In fact the Duty Fee shop at Cristoforo Colombo airport it otherwise rather good. We found a Malvasia Nera there as well as a sparkling Riesling Italico (Welschriesling) from Oltrepo Pavese (rather good) and a nice sparkling Bonarda from the same area - all reasonably priced.

Trawling London

So impressed have we been recently with what is to be found in Berlin and other European cities that we needed to remind ourselves that London is still a leader in the range and depth of its wine imports even if we sometimes grouse about the narrow spectrum of wine types available here.

In recent days we have found the following gems to be bought from wine merchants and others here;

1. An otherwise totally unknown grape variety from the Veneto, unmentioned in the Oxford Companion to wine - Recantina. This from a wine-bar in Wellington St., Covent Garden called Notes.

Notes is interesting because as well as being a Cafe selling wine and appetizing-looking small dishes "fur die kleine Hunger" as the Germans say, it sells Music and Cinema DVDs in the basement. They have another branch near the London Coliseum.

2. Next up, from a surviving branch of Oddbins of all places, a Spanish white made from the Verdil grape found only in the Valencia region.

Verdil is also absent from reference books.

3. Next, mirabili dictu a Pugnitello from a producer totally other than the San Felice winery which was said to have re-discovered this ancient Tuscan grape variety and to have revived it together with the University of Siena. This winery, Roccapesta claims simply to have found a clump of Pugnitello in a corner of the vineyard and has made a whopping great 15% wine with it. This is available from Handfords.

You will seach in vain for Pugnitello in the Oxford Companion to wine.

4. From Lea and Sandeman, a rarity indeed - a dry Brachetto. Having determined that Brachetto is not the same thing as Braquet in the tiny Appellation of Bellet, we are more than ever keen to try this as the more usual amabile version of Brachetto is hardly something to drink more than once.

5. From a previous trawl, an update on the Graciano we bought from Highbury Vintners a couple of months ago. This bottle was reasonably priced (under £11), not over-alcoholic at 13.5% and absolutely delicious. Quite the best 100% Graciano we have tasted although Marks and Spencer's version runs it a close second.

Both Brachetto and Graciano have entries in Jancis Robinson's masterpiece of course but are difficult to find even so.

Everyday Wines Ltd

The Wokingham Wine Festival was smaller scale than usual due to the absence through illness of Nick Dobson who is based in Wokingham and whom we have thanked many a time for championing the wines of Switzerland and Austria among others and latterly Israel and Portugal too. We hope Nick is fully recovered.

For us a standout exhibitor was a new company called Everyday Wines Ltd. Their wines were imaginatively chosen with many from Corsica. As well as being eclectic and diverse, they have a clear mission to do what their name suggests - supply us with everyday wines.

In pursuit of this aim they have priced the majority of their wines at the single cost of £5.50. Why everyone else has a separate price for every wine we will never know. We have often wondered what is the point of separating bottles by a few pennies. We appreciate that each bottle may have cost the retailer a different amount but there is surely an advantage to be had in telling the customer that they can have x different wines all for one price. They may make a little more or a little less on some bottles but a blanket amount helps to demystify the proceedings and focuses attention on the product rather than the price. At least we think so.

We only took away two bottles from Everyday wines. The first will be nameless only because it was unexceptional. No doubt a good buy at £5.50 but everyday in nature as well as in name.

The second bottle however was a real find; a Muscat Sec from the Cote de Thongue called "Les Larmes d'Alexandra" which was restrained, low in alcohol and more refined than many a Muscat Sec from Alsace.
Very probably there are other treasures to be had at Everyday Wines. We will give them a try as soon as we have somewhere to put them!

www.everyday-wines.co.uk