Back in the day, most Bordeaux wines weren’t all that expensive, which was a good thing because I loved the wines of Bordeaux and I wasn’t making all that much money. But, in 1985, a bottle of 1982 Margaux, a First Growth 100-point Robert Parker tout, could be had at Spec’s for $60. I was still paying under $40 for lesser Classed Growth futures through the memorable 2000 vintage.
Once Bordeaux prices went crazy, though, I wandered off to other regions, such as the Southern Rhone Valley, looking for better value. I probably didn’t buy 10 bottles of Bordeaux over the first two decades of the 21st century. I wasn’t alone, either. Arguably, no region had become more passé because, by and large, quality hadn’t kept up with the exponentially rising costs.
However, a Frenchman turned Houstonian has made it his mission to change that. Jean-François Bonneté, who moved here in 2011 and, with his wife Natalie, eventually launched an import business called BCI, then became vintners themselves. Their lineup of Liberation of Paris wines — the name pays tribute to a memorable chapter in his family’s history, which we’ll get to in a moment — has been available in Houston for several years and offers excellent value, with prices ranging from just under $12 to just over $20. But Bonneté has recently gone a step further in the bargain department with a new pink, a red and a white that carry the family name on the label and sell for $9.95, cash price, at Spec’s.
Impossible, you say? Nope. And, yep, they’re damned satisfying. The full-flavored non-vintage designated red, made from biodynamically-farmed cabernet sauvignon grapes grown in and around the Bordeaux AOC (that’s why it’s a Vin de France) has in fact become a go-to pour at Chez Robertson, pairing splendidly as it does with red sauce pasta dishes, pizza, burgers and cheese/charcuterie platters. It’s not a wine that requires a lot of deep thinking or geeky analysis. It may or may not age all that well, but who cares? I’m not planning to lay any down.
As for the Liberation of Paris story, the label became Bonneté’s way of paying tribute to an American GI who had befriended his father as a young boy not long after the D-Day landing, giving him comfort — and some chewing gum — on the side of the road as the soldier and his fellow troops were making their way to Paris. Joel Bonneté, now in his 80s, has loved the U.S. since that chance encounter and had always encouraged Jean-François to embrace this country. He has, and Houston’s budget-conscious wine-lovers are the better for it. You’ll find the Bonneté wines in some 40 Spec’s stores today.
Spoke too soon
In my last missive in this space, I reported that the South of France wine tour I’m co-leading with Pablo Valqui in late May/early June was sold out. Well, it’s not. We still have two spots left, it seems. Go to http://gourmettours.biz for all the details tasting our way through Provence, the Southern Rhone Valley and the Languedoc . We’re going to have a spectacularly good time, I promise!
Sippin’ with Sporty
2020 Rizzi Dolcetto d’Alba
This is one of the best dolcettos I’ve come across in a good while, and it’s widely available at Spec’s stores around town. Rizzi’s estate fruit grows in Treiso near Barbaresco, an area well-suited for the varietal despite nebbiolo’s being the big dog in the neighborhood. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures for eight days with malolactic fermentation following for a month, then aging in tanks for six months. A ruby-purple in color, it’s both floral and spicy with surprising nuance. $23.99 at Spec’s
Kings of Prohibition Shiraz
This bold and tasty non-vintage Australian shiraz has much in common with the Bonneté cab, offering satisfaction way above its price point and pairing with all the same comfort foods, from burgers to pizza to spicy pastas. It’s to be enjoyed, not analyzed. $12.99 at http://wine.com
2019 Goldeneye Ten Degrees Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
Dan and Margaret Duckhorn founded Goldeneye in Anderson Valley in 1996, thinking they’d secured some of the best pinot noir terroir in the world. They were right. The Ten Degrees is a blend from the very best lots of the Confluence, Gowan Creek and The Narrows Vineyards. Following a nearly perfect growing season and harvest, fermentation took place using a mixture of whole cluster destemmed fruit with both native and inoculated ferments, all punched down twice daily in small three-ton open top tanks for an average of 14 days. Aging in French oak lasted 16 months. $130 at http://goldeneyewinery.com
Pop-Up Wine Night with Serca Wines: 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12. http://sercawines.com $35. http://eventbright.com
JMP Wine Night Featuring Orin Swift Wines: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19. JMP Wines Tasting Room, Humble. http://jmpwines.com $70. http://eventbrite.com
Champion Wine Garden Presented by Frost Bank at NRG Carruth Plaza: Seminar reservations. $55. http://eventbrite.com
The Sports Page
Raising a glass to . . . Damar Hamilin
And here’s hoping he’ll play football again. Should he? That’s another question. But we learned from his frightening on-field cardiac arrest what a fine young man Damar is, and he deserves the chance to resume chasing his dreams. I’ll be pulling hard for the Bills to win the Super Bowl for him. That would be a very cool story.
Pouring one out for . . . Lovie Smith
Look, Lovie did a lousy job of coaching this season, even if he’s not a lousy coach. He should have gotten fired. Hell, he should have wanted to get fired. But Smith’s departure won’t fix anything that’s wrong with the terminally screwed-up Texans, arguably top to bottom North America’s worst sports franchise.
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Others to follow
Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com): On Martin Luther King day, Jan. 23, my podcast partner in crime and his wife Tracie will be participating in a protest against the “Neo-Confederate” Memorial in Orange, where Tracie grew up and much of her family still lives. He writes: “We will be there from 1-3 p.m. Please join us to show solidarity for the Black community.” If you have questions, contact him at jparzen@gmail.com Nothing else to say but . . . Bravo, Parzens!
Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com): Sandra suggests 10 pinot noirs you need to try now, sharing an inciteful piece she wrote for Galveston magazine.
Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com): The Texas Wineslinger reviews his most popular blogs of 2022.
Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com): Jeff writes about the best wines he has tasted of late that weren’t sent to him as free samples. Which is to say, by and large he actually PAID for them. Novel concept . . . (smiley face emoji here).
Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com): Kat weighs in on five wine trends she’s looking forward to in 2023.
The Sporty Wine Guy 