Today we’re returning to one of my favorite regions – the Rhône Valley.

Specifically, we’re going to the Southern Rhône to Rasteau, which is located just 15 miles northeast of the far more famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape. I do love CdP – one of the first wines I fell in love with was a CdP – but its neighbors are not to be discounted! Moreover, as a general rule of thumb, one of the best parts of getting to know the neighbors of a more famous region is that, they’re usually a great place to look for wine values, and that is certainly the case here. 

Map courtesy of WineFolly.com

(We’ve also explored previously explored Gigondas and Ventoux, so be sure to check out those posts as well.)

Rasteau is a small medieval village with a lot of history – cobblestone streets, a medieval fort, and the ruins of a castle are all part of the package here. Apparently, the wines of Rasteau were the vins of  choice in the middle ages for the bishops of Vaison-la-Romaine. Later on, in the 18th century, the region became better known for its fortified wines. This continued to be the case until phylloxera came along in 1870 and wiped out all the vineyards here, just as the nasty little buggers did to most of the rest of the vineyards in Europe.

Photo courtesy of Inter Rhône and Teuwen Communications.

Nonetheless, the region replanted and re-established itself. The area was originally part of the Côtes du Rhône AOC when it was established in 1937. However, the village was noted for its quality early on, and in 1966 it earned named village status, appearing as Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau. In 2010, they were elevated to Cru status with their own AOC for their red wines, which means they’re celebrating their 10th anniversary next year. (The Vin Doux Naturel dessert wines of the region were granted AOC status in 1944.)

Much like other areas of the Southern Rhône, we’re talking about GSM blends (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre), accompanied by a few other supporting players. Wines must be made up of a minimum 50% Grenache, and 20% of Syrah and/or Mourvèdre.

Photo courtesy of Inter Rhône and Teuwen Communications.

Also like other parts of the Southern Rhône, the area has a warm, Mediterreanean climate in which these sun-loving grapes can easily ripen. They feel the effects of the Mistral, but the vineyards are generally protected by the fact that they’re arranged in the form of an amphitheater. Southern Rhône is famous for its pudding stones, which are large and round, and you can find these here as well. These most celebrated rocks help with drainage, and also help with temperature control in both hot and cold weather. These tend to located at elevations of 951–1050 feet. Other important soil types in the region include sandy marl (located at 525-951 feet) and terraces of pebble-rich soils (394-525 feet) .

The landscape is made up of gently rolling  hills and valleys. These seem to form form spurs that resemble the tines of a rake, which in French is râteau, and gives the region it’s name.
Here are a few more quick facts:

• There are 57 independent wineries, 25 negotiants, and 3 cooperatives.

• Rasteau is at  656 feet of altitude and looking out towards the Dentelles de Montmirail mountain range.

• The AOC Rasteau offers 96% dry reds and 4% Vin Doux Naturels (sweet) red, white or rosé.

• Vineyards span nearly 3,212 acres around the village, most of which are south-facing.  

Like I said, Rhône wines in general have always been among my favorites and are go-to’s at our house. They’re pretty versatile and work in many different settings. Given the time of year right now, I can’t help but start to think of Thanksgiving, but they’re also great for everyday.

If you know me, you know I actually love leftovers – I kind of see them as a game. I think one of my superpowers is transforming leftovers into something new and different. Well, Thanksgiving is kind of like the Superbowl of leftovers. So, as a way of demonstrating how these wines would work with both Thanksgiving flavors and the everyday table, I paired most of these with wines with leftovers.
Disclosures: most of these wines in this post were provided as media samples – no other compensation was received and all opinions are my own. The page also includes Amazon Associate links, from which I might earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Vineyard and winemaking details are taken from tech sheets provided by Inter Rhone and Teuwen Communications, as well as the producer websites. 

Lavau Rasteau 2015 with Mushroom &  Butternut Squash Arancini 

Average Price: $20 (sample)
Blend: 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah
Alcohol: 13.5%

Winery: The Lavau family’s story in wine is a long and winding road. It began in Saint-Émilion in the 19th century. The next stop was in Tunisia, where René Lavau and his son took a small estate of vines and orange trees, and turned it into the country’s biggest wine producer. René’s grandson, Jean-Guy Lavau, and his wife Anne-Marie returned to France in the 1960s and took charge of a small winemaking cellar in Sablet at the heart of the Rhone Valley. Their sons, Frédéric and Benoît, joined the domaine in the 1990’s, and then took full reigns of the facility in 2000. They invested in modernizing the winery, built a new cellar in Voilès, and invested in vineyards as well. Once updated and modernized, Maison Lavau began to produce its own estate wines from their 445 acres, but they also work with many small, family-run vineyards.

Vineyard & Winemaking Deets:  Grapes are hand harvested from vines that are stony hillsides and east facing, followed by destemming, and elevage in neutral vessel. The juice undergoes a 25-day maceration with twice-daily pump-overs before pressing. After fermentation, the wine is aged for 12 months in barrel, 25% of that in 450L second use oak.
Soil: Pebbles and marl

Tasting Notes: Raspberry liqueur, black cherry, white pepper, red plums, and hints of licorice and light herbs on the nose. On the palate there was a nice balance of plush fruit, flowers, and hints of stony earth. Body and acidity were both straddling the line between medium and medium +, and tannins were medium.

Pairing: Arancini have to be one of the all-time best leftover makeovers. Pretty much anytime I make risotto, I’ll make arancini a few days later. I lay out the basics of how to make them in this post. MMMMMMMMMM! These had fall flavors of mushrooms and butternut squash, and were filled with mozzarella. Since I also had some leftover steak gravy, we had that as a sauce to dip about the crispy rice balls into. For me, risotto is often itself a receptacle for leftover proteins and veggies, so here you have two ideas right away for Thanksgiving leftovers  – risotto one day and arancini another.

They wine worked well with these delicious balls of goodness, but it particularly liked the savory gravy. 



I also recently shared a rosé from Lavau in this post on NibblingGypsy.com.
  

Domaine Mikael Boutin MB Rasteau 2016 with Steak Taco Bowls

Average Price: $20 (sample)
Blend:  60% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Carignan, 10% Cinsault
Alcohol: 14.5%

Winery: Mikael Boutin is a fifth-generation winemaker, who took over the family’s vineyards in 2008, and he released his first bottling in 2011. He has a small production facility that  is roughly the size of a two-car garage, where he has a few large concrete tanks and a basket press. Boutin focuses only on Rasteau and has just under 5 acres of vines scattered across eight parcels of varying exposures and soils. He farms organically and has certified since 2012.

Vineyard & Winemaking Deets: Grapes are harvested by hand. All fermentations are spontaneous with wild yeasts and last 15 to 18 days in concrete tanks, with pump overs once a day. Wines are aged on fine lees for 8 months in concrete tanks. The wine remains unfined and held for 12 months after bottling before release to the market.
Average Vine Age: 40 years
Soil: Limestone-clay with marl and pebbles

Tasting Notes:  Warm black cherries, raspberry candy, warm earth, and spice on the nose. The fruits are more tart on the palate, with notes of savory garrigue, bramble, and a hint of lavender.  The wine was medium+ in body and acidity, and medium + tannins that were round and dusty. The wine was throwing sediment, so I’d recommend decanting or pour carefully as you come to the end of the bottle.

Pairing: We had this wine with steak taco bowls with black beans, rice, leftover veggies, and crisped up tortillas. The wine matched quite well!

Tacos, quesadillas, and taco bowls are another great way to use leftover veggies and proteins. Pick the ones you feel would match best and fill a tortilla or bowl with them, then just add some sour cream, salsa, and/or avocado. 

Domaine de Verquiere 2017 Rasteau with Butternut Squash Alfredo Pasta 

Average Price: $14 (I bought this at K & L for $14.99)
Blend: 70 % Grenache, 30% Syrah
Alcohol:  14%
 
Winery: The Domaine de Verquiere estate has been handed down from father to son for
generations and is currently managed by Romain and Thibaut Chamfort. Each generation has done their part. Their great-grandfather Edmond purchased the buildings and renovated them. He’d sell his wines in large barrels to the region’s best wine merchants. The grandfather Louis gave the estate new life when he began selling the wines in bottles and growing the property. Next, their father Bernard and his wife Genevieve took over, and increased sales through export. Romain and Thibaut Chamfort are continuing to develop the land according to the traditions set out for them, and have set about converting the vineyards to organic principles.

Vineyard & Winemaking Deets: Must is cold soaked before for 3 days, then fermented at a controlled temperature of between 26 and 30°C. Wine goes through 3 ‘delestages’ ́ (a 2-part process, where wine is pumped out of the tank, then pumped back over the cap) during fermentation. The traditional fermentation on skins lasts for 30 days in the vat. Wine is aged in barrels for at least 12 months.
Soil: Clay-limestone with rounded pebbles and a granite base.

Tasting Notes: This was on the earthier end of the Rasteaus we tried, with stones mixed with lots of dark red and black spiced fruits with a hit of pepper. The body was medium+, with firm tannins, and fresh acidity.

I've often purchased the wines of Domaine de Verquiere because I find them to be a good value at the price. This one was no exception.

Pairing: We paired this with pasta topped with leftover veggies and chicken, and this Butternut Squash Alfredo Sauce we’ve been loving from Trader Joe’s. Pasta is no-brainer for transforming leftovers. Cook pasta, add protein, veggies, olive oil, maybe some seasonings, and you’re done. If you feel like you really need a completely new flavor, add sauce.

I’ll give this particular pairing a B, because it was fine, but I think the food wanted a riper, fruitier wine – some of the others here would’ve been fine. The wine would’ve worked better with a more decidedly savory dish. A peppery beef or lamb steak would’ve been great.

The winery also makes the following suggestions: With its more robust nature and earthier character the Rasteau red goes well with strongly flavored game dishes such as wild boar or deer. It is also good with medium-matured cheeses.

Domaine La Font de Notre Dame Rasteau Le Chêne 2016 with Brisket on Cachapas

Suggested Price: $18 (Sample)
Blend: 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, 5% Cinsault
Alcohol: 14.5%

Winery: This is a very old family estate is run by brothers Frédéric and Boris Roux. Their name comes from a pilgrimage stop visited by the Provencal people in the Middle Ages which was supposed to protect them from the plague. The brothers worked for 30 years under their father before taking over the property and founding La Font de Notre Dame in 2016. They  cultivate just under 32 acres in Rasteau on south facing slopes, with clay soils and an abundance of heat-retaining pebbles.

Vineyard & Winemaking Deets: The fruit is hand harvested and traditionally vinified. The maceration is long with pump-overs to extract silky tannins and deep purple color. The wine is aged in vats and 3 to 5 year old barrels.
Average Vine Age: 80 years
Soil: Pebbles and brown marl.

Tasting Notes: I have to be honest –  I didn’t take as careful notes for this wine, because I just kind of got caught up in the enjoyment of it. It was on the riper, more hedonistic end of the wines tried here. It showed lots of warm, ripe, berry sauce notes, white pepper, and baking spice notes.

Pairing: We paired this with leftover brisket from this recent recipe on top of cachapas. You’re probably asking, ‘What’s a cachapa? They’re Venezuelan corn pancakes. They’re usually topped pretty simply with butter and fresh cheese, but I thought why stop there? They’re made pretty easily with a mix, but they’re a lot like corn griddle cakes. A side of cornbread would also be great, or even a little scoop of stuffing. This pairing was kind of an unexpected winner. I was a little worried about the lightly sweet notes from the corn, but it all came together thanks largely to the fact that the wine was one the riper end. 

Chateau du Trignon Rasteau 2015 with Beef Wellington

Suggested Price: $25 (Sample)
Blend: 60% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre
Alcohol: 15%

Winery: Château du Trignon started as a traditional farm in 1896, with mixed agriculture and livestock, owned by the Roux family. (The same Roux family as above.) Over five generations they grew their holdings and converted the farm to vineyards. They sold the land to the Quiot family in 2007 –  Geneviève, Florence, Jérome and Jean Baptiste. The vineyards span several appellations, with 12 acres in Rasteau. Winemaker Jérome Quiot oversees the production, and improvements are underway in the winery.

Vineyard & Winemaking Deets: Grapes are completely de-stemmed, then undergo a 17 to 21 day maceration, followed by a 17 to 21 day fermentation in concrete tanks with indigenous yeast. Wines are aged for 12 months in French oak barrels (1 to 3 years old) foudres and concrete tanks.
Average Vine Age: 30 years
Soil: Red clay and small pebbles, single parcel

Tasting Notes: The wine showed notes on the nose of berries, red plums, white pepper, and garrigue. The palate showed similar notes along with hints of cocoa and spices. It was warm and velvety, combining decadent and savory elements nicely. The wine was at the fuller end of the spectrum of those tasted, with medium+ acid and tannins.

Pairing: I’ve been experimenting with Beef Wellington recently, and this wine with my second attempt. I’ll share more about those experiments soon, but the wine was a really good match with its combination of savory notes and richness.

The winery also recommends game birds, rack of pork, or lamb chops.

I’m always looking for the wine deals; good wines at a good price. It definitely helps to know where to look and Languedoc-Roussillon is definitely one of my go-to regions for wine values.

However, I have to admit that I typically go for the reds and rosés, and usually more Languedoc than Roussillon. So when the French Winophiles decided to explore this region this month, I thought I’d buck my own tendencies and get a white wine from Roussillon. (I recently covered a few other wines from the Languedoc in 2 oz Pours: 16 French Wine Values , as well as a couple I had on a recent trip to Chicago here.)

Languedoc and Roussillon are lumped together as a wine region, but these were once independent regions and are actually pretty different in character. (Actually, now the entire region also falls under the larger department of Occitainie, which also encompasses the Midi-Pyrénées in the South West.) Languedoc’s identity is essentially French, whereas Roussillon has had a lot of Spanish influence. Between the 13th and 17th centuries it was ruled by Majorca and by Aragón, and there is a lot Catalan culture as the region is located on the eastern side of the Pyrenees. Spain’s Cataluña is just on the other side of the mountain range.

That brings up another difference; Languedoc is mostly coastal and flat, whereas Roussillon is pretty mountainous, as you can probably guess. They also have a really sunny climate with an average of 325 days' sunshine a year and frequent winds, according to Jancis and the Oxford Companion. (At the same time, a lot of the Pyrenees remain snow covered throughout the summer.) Despite all that sun, this region was slow to embrace modernization, even temperature control techniques that can really protect the wine against the effects of all that heat. They’re now making up for lost time and pushing ahead.

Roussillon was traditionally really well known for its dessert wines–vins doux naturels–particularly those from Banyuls and Rivesaltes. Like a lot of the rest of Southern France, the reds are dominated by Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre–the S and M must constitute at least 20%. But today we’re talking about the whites. Much like the region, the white grapes are a mix of those you’ll see in Southern France and in Spain: Grenache Blanc, Maccabéo, Tourbat, Marsanne, Roussanne, and Vermentino/Rolle. (The last 3 have to make up 20% of any white blend.)  

THE PAIRING

Today’s wine is the Domaine de Majas Côtes Catalanes Blanc 2016 and this Domaine’s story is an underdog story. They’ve definitely had to roll with punches. Most of the wine in Roussillon is still dominated by co-ops and it can be really hard for the “little guys” to survive on their own. For better or worse, the co-ops often dictate how things are be done and they’ve often lead things astray. They also charge high fees.

This estate was founded by Alain Carrère and his wife Agnès in 1992. His father had also been a grapegrower in the area before him. Alain decided that selling grapes off to the co-ops was no longer an option. He started his own small estate on 2 hectares of land, but soon inherited over 20 more from his father. This was a blessing and a curse, as it was difficult to suddenly have to sell so much more wine, especially on a local level.

He struggled for a long time. Then he struck a deal with a French supermarket chain that offered to buy his entire production. Another double-edged sword. He now had an easy place to sell his wine, but it came with a lot of strings. The supermarket gave strict guidelines on how the wine was to be made and how it should taste–and that was mass market. The wines didn’t have character or a sense of place.

Things got worse. Eventually, the bulk prices the supermarket was paying no longer paid the bills. Alain ultimately met and partnered with another winemaker, Tom Lubbe, who was making organic wines at Domaine Matassa. With Tom’s guidance, the estate was converted to organic agriculture. They also reduced the amount of sulfur used in the cellar and eliminated commercial yeast. They put the emphasis on highlighting the terroirs, which are largely schist, volcanic stone, and limestone. They grow predominantly Carignan, but also Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Syrah, Chenanson, Macabeu, Rolle and Chardonnay. Today’s wine is a blend of Macabeu (Macabeo), Rolle (Vermentino), and Carignan blanc.

While these grapes might seem somewhat unfamiliar, this wine is a utility player. It’s really easy to drink and very approachable. Greg and I picked up notes of peaches, melon, and herbs on the nose. There were more green notes on the palate with green melon, green apple, white peaches, a little kiwi, and lemon with a hint of the rind thrown in. There was also a little bit of cheese rind, which might be coming from the fact that wine spends sometime on it’s lees. There was a little pavement-like stoniness and more green herbs–Greg called it sourgrass, as well as a little parsley. The acidity was medium/medium+ and it had a lovely rounded mouthfeel. This is a good wine to please lovers of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc alike.

This wine could go with any number of things–like I said, it’s a utility player–but I kind of wanted to play with it’s balance of creaminess and fresh flavors. That said, it was also a weeknight and it’s been crazy around here. I thought I’d keep things simple and put a twist on something I’ve made a million times–salmon with a butter sauce (although, I like to extend the butter with olive oil). The best laid plans . . . but we’ll get to that.

I thought I’d give slight nods to the region’s mixed Spanish and French roots. The French part was easy if subtle–I just tossed in some herbs from Southern France. Greg and I developed an appreciation for white asparagus while travelling around Spain. I happened to have a jar of good quality white asparagus on hand. In Spain we’d had asparagus lightly poached in butter and olive oil–perfect. (The liquid in the jar also made an excellent extender for the sauce.)

While I like poached salmon, I also love crispy salmon skin. Often, when I make salmon at home, I sear it on the skin-side first, then poach it in a sauce on the second side. Today this turned out to be my downfall and the skin stuck to the pan. Fine. This also happens with enough frequency that I’ve learned to scrape up the skin when this happens, sear it or broil it separately, then use it as a garnish. On this evening, I did just that: I crumbled it up and tossed it on a hearty salad I made on the side.

Sadly, my troubles were not over. When I went to poach the second side of the salmon, the albumen went so crazy white that you’d think I’d coated it in egg white. It was perfectly cooked inside, but it did not look particularly attractive. Oy vey.

Greg suggested we flake it all up. I figured it couldn’t look less attractive. I also decided to try to gussy it up with some microgreens I happened to have on hand. On top of that, I’d also roasted some lemon slices to pick up the citrus notes and they did help aesthetically. I really like the flavor of the roasted lemons, however, Greg finds the rinds a bit too mouth-puckering.  In the end, it did look better than before we flaked it up, but it was also a little reminiscent of a Fancy Feast commercial.

To avoid these problems, you could just decide to not screw around with the skin, remove it, and poach the whole thing. You could also sear the skin separately from the start, or poach the fish flesh-side down and sear the skin under the broiler. If you get to this point where you feel like you have to flake the salmon up, you could always toss the whole thing with pasta. I’d already made a big salad though, and it had gotten late on me, so we decided just to go with it as it was.

Ah well. It was still delicious and it went as beautifully with the wine as we’d hoped. It picked up creaminess of the sauce, as well as the lemon flavors. The round texture was good match for the salmon and the wine lightened the palate with its freshness.

THE GEEKY DETAILS

From the importer’s website:

Grapes: 45% Macabeu, 45% Rolle, 10% Carignan blanc
Vinification: fermented and aged in concrete on its lees.
Soil: Clay and limestone
Age of Vines: 35
Yields: 38 hl/h

MONEY TALK

WineSearcher.com has the average price on this bottle at $17. I picked it up at Bay Grape for about $15. Given its versatility, this makes a hell of a House Wine.

OTHER POSSIBILITIES

Not going to lie. While this made a beautiful match with this dish, any number of whites would work quite well. And like I said, I think this wine would go wonderfully with many, many things. Go and mix it up. Let us know what works for you.

My recent Cooking to the Wine was created to pair with a lovely Corsican Casa Rossa rosé. It’s a lovely wine and beautifully priced at $12-$14. That got me thinking about all the great French wines we drink under $20. I love good wine, but we’re on a budget, so I’d say that the majority of the wines we drink fall into that price point across the board.

It takes some searching out, but good values are out there. Having a good wine shop and taking advantage of the knowledge of sales people is key and basically your step one. (For those in the Bay area, I’ve included info on where I purchased these wines. Some of these locations also have online stores that will ship as well.) The next step is starting to learn where to find the values. Once you combine that with knowledge of your own personal preferences, you can more confidently start to take advantage of the many great deals you can find online as well.

I thought I’d share a few more recent finds and pairings to illustrate some of the areas–although this is by no means an exhaustive list. They all fall under $20 and all make great House Wines.

(Quick aside: I also recently participated in French #Winophiles discussion on Twitter surrounding French value wines under $20, which was a big inspiration to write this post. You can find links to the rest of the group’s wonderful posts on my last post.)


Crémant

I love bubbles and while I don’t think there is anything quite like Champagne, I’m usually looking for something at a lower price point for everyday. And I fully believe that bubbly deserves a place on the table beyond special occasions. Crémant is a great category to look at for bubbly at a value price point Essentially, Crémants are French sparkling wines made in the traditional method of Champagne, but are from regions other than Champagne.


This rosé version is from M. Bonnamy in the Loire Valley. It’s made up of 100% Cabernet Franc (more info here). It showed lovely bright berries with a hint of smoke and a little bramble. It’s a lovely and a very easy drinker.  It's the perfect thing to drink on a summer day with friends, as I did over cheese and appetizers. 




Alsace

Alsace is one of my favorite regions for white wines and Riesling is one my favorite white grapes. While it might be a region I love, I can’t always find options under $20, although I will often find really good options just over. Even so, there are a few out there under $20 if you look. I recently picked up this version from Kuentz-Bas. It was clean, crisp and refreshing with hints of stone fruits, ginger, and citrus. The wine’s affordability might be the reason I often find it by the glass at restaurants. I picked this one up at Kermit Lynch 's retail store in Berkley.





It paired beautifully with this Asian-inspired Shrimp and Leek  dish based on a recipe from Jonathan Waxman’s A Great American Cook.  I served this dish with its deliciously flavored broth for my mom’s birthday during my parents' recent visit.

Another option when looking for lower priced options in Alsace is to look for varietals that tend to be a little less pricey like Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, and blends under the name ‘Gentil’ (Hugel makes a good one).


Rosé

Rosés are not only great summer drinking, they’re extremely versatile food pairing wines year-round. Provence is perhaps the most well known region for rosé, and they do make beautiful clean, crisp, herb inflected rosés (like the example in this post). However, you can find really beautiful versions from all around the country.  


Tavel in the Southern Rhône is another region that specializes in rosé–it’s the only thing they make. While still completely dry, the wines tend to be more deeply colored and have a little more tannic structure than the wines. I paired this one from Château de Trinquevedel  (which I also picked up at Kermit Lynch) with one of my favorite dishes that I’ve created for 8 & $20: Scallops with Creamy Cheddar Jalapeño Corn. This is also one of Greg’s favorites and I made it for his birthday. For an extra treat, I tossed the scallops in bacon jam, however, I must admit that I think the wine would have paired even better with the original version on recipe, as delicious as it was.



This Font-Mars Clemence Rosé has been another recent favorite. It’s made up of 100% Syrah, so this is another more structured version (more info here). It’s juicy with a rounded mouthfeel with bright berries and hints of pepper and flint. Fun fact, the dinosaurs are on the crest here because fossilized dinosaur eggs on the property. Bought this one at Bay Grape.  


I paired it with what was cobb salad on steroids with roasted carrots, peppers, corn, fresh cherry tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, shredded chicken, avocado, blue cheese, and kale. The wine worked particularly well with the smoky notes in the bacon.




B-Side Burgundy

I’m totally stealing this term from one of my bosses at the wine store.  The A-Side of this joint is the Côte d'Or (divided into the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune) which tends to get all the hype. Those wines are amazing, but big price tags tend to go with the hype.

However, there are other sub-regions to Burgundy and contrary to popular belief, there are deals to be found. The Côte Chalonnaise and the Mâconnais are further south from the prime real estate and have different terroirs, but they have great wines at lower prices that make them good options for everyday. Chablis to the north gets some play and recognition, but it’s another area where you can still find some deals. (Check out this Cooking to the Wine for one option.)  There are also producers making excellent Bourgogne for everyday drinking–it’s worth getting a rec on these from a sales person at a good store.

You can also find good options out of the Hautes-Côtes de Baume and Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. These sub regions lie outside the prime vineyard areas or the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits, but can provide good everyday drinking options. One last category– Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains is another favorite of mine for everyday. These wines are a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay and I find them to be really versatile wines for food pairing. They’re low tannin and have good acidity, but also tend to have a pleasant fruitiness, so they go with a wide range of options. 


For inspiration, here is a Mâcon Villages from Alain Corcia we picked up at K&L in San Francisco and paired with sous vide salmon with mashed potatoes with leeks, and broccolini with Parmesan cream. This Chardonnay (as is the case with many from these categories) was super refreshing and crisp with no oak influence. It’s much leaner than most you’ll find from the U.S., but could still could stand up to the richer elements in the dish.


This recipe for Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Crepes, also worked really well with a Mâcon Villages from Louis Jadot.

And if you’re still not convinced, here is a slew of other “Bargain Burgundies” enjoyed by my tasting group earlier this year (although not all of these are under $20). 


You should also check out this recent Cooking to Wine for Clam and Burrata Pizza paired with an excellent Chablis.


Beaujolais

Building off of B-side Burgundy, we'll move right on down to Beaujolais. Beaujolais is kind of in an odd position–in terms of wine, it is considered to be a part of Burgundy, but it’s within the Rhone, administratively speaking. I think of it as its own thing.

There is also more to this region than light, fruity Beaujolais Nouveau. You can start to find some really great deals if you go up a tier to Villages level, and there are definitely some beautiful wines at good price points if you search out the Beaujolais Crus. There are 10 Crus will appear under its own appellation. They are: Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Cote de Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent, Regnie and Saint-Amour.

This is another set of really versatile food pairing wines. Like I said above of the Bourgogne Passe-Tout-Grains, they have moderate tannins and have good acidity that can go with a wide range of foods. They also tend to have a balance of fruitiness and earthiness, and I’ve found they can often even handle food with a little heat that are otherwise hard to match.

They’re good ones to looks for on a restaurant when you need to pair with multiple dishes because it goes with a lot and they're unlikely to clash too badly with most things. (The same quality makes it a good option for Thanksgiving.) Plus, even with the restaurant markup, they’re usually among the more reasonable options. To top is all off, now is an excellent to search out the Beajo Crus because 2015 was an excellent vintage for the region.

Demonstrating both of these points was this lovely Clos de la Roilette Fleurie 2015. Medium bodied with a blend of velvety red and darker berry flavors accented by pretty floral notes. It was juicy and fruity enough to stand up to spicy sausages. I picked this one up at K&L.  

If you are just looking for something purely gulpable the label on the Domaine Marcel Lapierre Raisins Gaulois kind of says it all. (I think I also picked this one up at K&L. )This is a Vin de France but from Beaujolais. It has notes of dusty strawberries, raspberries and a little watermelon. We had it here with roasted chicken and roasted vegetables and sautéed chard with caramelized onions.




Just for fun, here's one more quicky. This Jean-Michel Dupre Terre Noire Beaujolais Vieilles Vignes made an easy drinking match for mushroom ravioli with crispy sage. Not complicated, just tasty.


Loire

The Loire is an amazing wine area to explore for so many reasons. It’s extremely diverse and they have it all–sparkling wines, crisp whites, lovely reds, dessert wine, rosés. There are a lot of small producers here and sometimes that make specific selections from individual producers difficult. However, there are over 4,000 wineries, so hopefully you’ll be able to find some options near you. (It’s too complex a region into in depth here but WineFolly.com and Loire Valley Wines are both good resources for an overview.) This is another region I often look for on wine lists because they tend to offer good value and versatility.

I love the Cab Francs that come out of the Loire–look for AOC’s like Chinon, Bourgueil and Saumur-Champigny. If you’re only familiar with Cabernet Franc from the New World, the versions from Loire are really different. They tend be more medium bodied, have medium tannins, and usually have lovely herbal notes I really enjoy that tend to go well with savory foods. 



We had this Jean-Maurice Raffault Les Galuches Chinon 2014 with spicy Andouille sausages with roasted romances, pumpkin, onions, and kidney beans. As you can probably tell, sausages are go-to for us for fast weeknight dinners. I don’t think it handled the heat quite as well as the Fleurie above, but it was generally able to straddle the many flavors in this dish quite well. It was a really pretty wine showing bright cherries, herbs, and a mineral edge.



I’m not certain if I bought this at K& L again or via Wine.com, but think I’ve purchased at both in the past.


Southern France: The Rhône, Languedoc-Roussillon, and Provence

These are all admittedly distinct regions with their own characteristics and I’ll give them a little individual play in a moment. However, there does tend to be crossover amongst some the grapes used, even if the focus falls on different varietals in each. I’m a fan of the GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre) blends and variations and you tend to be able to find some great everyday values across all of these regions. Together, these tend to be some of the wines we drink most often.

Admittedly, Southern France should include the South West and I don’t have any here today. That shouldn’t stop you from exploring it though, as that’s also a great region for wine values.
If interested, I did have this 8 & $20 a while back for Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Pomegranate-Mint Bulgur Wheat paired with Madiran, or check out this Cooking to the Wine pairing Lavender-Herb Rib Eye and Grilled Veggies with a Cahors.


Languedoc-Roussillon

Languedoc and Roussillon were once two separate regions that have been lumped together. They still have distinct differences–Languedoc has more in common with the rest of Southern France, whereas Roussillon takes quite a bit of influence from Spanish and Catalan cultures. Together though, they’re responsible for about a quarter of all of France’s vines. It’s definitely a region where you can find a lot of good deals, although there’s quite a bit of bulk wine too.

There’s a lot of experimentation that goes on here as well and you’re likely to find some offbeat varietals. This Cocoriko 2016 from Domaine la Grangette is 100% Picpoul Noir (or Piquepoul) –a fairly rare red grape that’s almost never vinified on its own. It’s grown in pockets in the Languedoc and in the Rhône, where it is one of the grapes permitted Chateauneuf-du-Pape. (Picked it up at Bay Grape.)



 
This wine has notes of bright black cherries and red plums and hints of savory herbs. It’s medium bodied and takes a chill well, which makes it a delightful summer red. It’s also pretty light on tannins, so it makes possible match for heartier fish like salmon and tuna. I served it for my parents on their recent visit and paired it here with sous vide salmon (our favorite way to prepare salmon) topped with white miso butter, served with roasted potatoes and radishes and braised radish greens.

Moving back toward the mainstream and getting back to those GSM’s this Gérard Bertrand Languedoc Syrah/Grenache 2011 worked really well with steak with salsa verde, crispy and roasted cauliflower. I find that the Bertrand wines tend to be a good value. In addition, while it’s a sizable operation, they’re pretty committed to sustainable winemaking with the majority of their vines being grown through organic or biodynamic farming. I also tend to find the wines are pretty widely available. I’ve been able to buy them in many places from K&L, Wine.com, and even BevMo.



This recipe for Lamb Kebabs with Israeli Couscous Salad also happens to be paired with a Gérard Bertrand wine.

These recipes also work well with wines from the region:
Beet Risotto with Herbed Chicken Tenders 
French Onion Soup and Filet Mignon With Onion Sauce  

Provence

Moving to the southeastern corner of France is Provence. You’ll find quite a few of the same grapes as in the Rhône and Languedoc, although Carignan is a bigger player here, and  Mourvèdre takes a star position in Bandol. Vermentino (known here as Rolle) is a key white grape. And of course, they’re famous for their rosés.

Lentils are very typical in the cuisine of Provence and I often have lentil soup on New Year’s Day–it’s a family tradition for good luck. This year I paired this Mas de Gourgonnier Les Baux de Provence 2014 and it made a wonderful match. It’s medium bodied with a mixture of black and red fruits, hints of olive, herbs, garrigue, and light hints of spice.




I could not find the blend for 2014, but the 2015 was 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 15% Carignan. We’ve purchased this one a few times and have found it at K&L and Whole Foods, and it’s imported by Michael Skurnik.
 
This Turkey and Strawberry Salad with Baked Goat Cheese is also paired with a Provençal wine.


Rhône

I’m not going to lie–this probably my favorite red region. It’s divided into North and South, and while I adore the Northern Rhône, today’s deals are from the South. Côtes du Rhône wines are pretty well known as crowd pleasers.

I paired a mustard seared pork chop with wine braised cabbage with this Famille Perrin Côtes du Rhône Rouge Nature 2014, which is made from all organic grapes.




Here's another Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2015  from Domaine de la Guicharde that we enjoyed with Grilled Cheese Steak Sandwiches. This is a great natural wine value with bright, fresh fruits, red plums, light earth notes and hints of spice. 




At the top end of the Southern Rhone are the wines of Vacqueyras, Gigondas, and of course, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, among others. However, there are a lot of appellations that fall in between Côtes du Rhône and these at the top tier. First, there are the Côtes du Rhône Villages, which provides a step up the ladder. In the next rung up from there, the village is able to append its own name to Côtes du Rhône Villages (examples include Sablét and Visan, although there are many.) Then there are a few villages that were able to move up the next step to become their own AOC. Some of these include Rasteau and Vinsobres. Each step on the ladder is a theoretical step up in quality, and they’re many values to be found among them. 

Here’s a Vinsobres Les Cornuds we had on a pizza night. (The sausage and pepper pizza is from one of our local favorites–Leaning Tower of Haddon Hill)  This is another wine from Famille Perrin, who also makes the famed Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape.



One more appellation to know about for today–because there are so many, we can’t possibly get to them all now–is Vaucluse. This is an IGP (formerly VdP) and it’s basically there to allow winemakers to use non-traditional grapes for the region (like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) in addition to the traditional grapes. We recently enjoyed this very nice Kermit Lynch Vaucluse with savory, garlicky Vietnamese take-out noodles. This wine is an interesting collaboration between importer Kermit Lynch and Domaine de Durban from a vineyard the family used for personal consumption and never bothered to have classified–read more about it here, but it ultimately a really good deal. The wine is made up of 55% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Merlot, and 10% Marselan. Purchased this one at the Kermit Lynch store.



Here are a couple more recipes paired with Rhône wines:
Ham Steaks with Peach-Tomato Succotash
Braised Lamb Shanks and Lentil Stew


This 2 oz pours snowballed a bit–I may have gotten a little carried away. However, it goes to show that that there are definitely good deals to be found. We’ve touched on quite a few regions here, and hopefully we’ll dive further into them future. Of course, there are even more regions that provide great values–South West France, Bordeaux (although here's a recipe for lamb paired with a BDX), etc, etc. We’ll hopefully hit on more as time goes on as well.

And I hope this inspires you to go find more French wine deals. Please do share them with us, either in the comments below, or by tagging #sommstable on instagram.




Consider 2 oz Pours our version of Page 6.  Whether through business, friends, or an average night at home, we get to try a lot of wine. Here's where we share little tastes of standout pairing experiences from the many tables we dine at. Please share yours as well!