We got the band back together last week, which is to say my Chronicle panel convened for a too-long-in-coming reunion. But this was real work like in the good old days, not an excuse to have a party. We blind-tasted our way through 36 wines and the stars of the show follow, scored as always on my 20-point scale — a maximum of 10 for quality (average score from the panelists) and 10 for value, which I assign.

2022 Kirkland Cotes de Provence Rose

Score: 19.1 (9.1 for quality, 10 for value)

From the http://costcowineblog.com: “Nice strawberry, peach flavors with a little orange creamsicle twisted in. Light to medium in body. Crisp and refreshing; just what you want in rosé, and pairs nice with warm weather, but can go with about anything.”

From our tasters, eight of whom scored it at least a 9 with a high score of 9.5: “Fresh, with a touch of salinity. A dry classic rose.”

From me: It’s grenache/cinsault-centric (two-thirds of the blend) with syrah, carignan, tibouren, vermentino and ugni blanc playing strong supporting roles. Offers off-the-charts value in this bottle, folks

$7.99 at Costco

2021 J. Lohr South Ridge Syrah Paso Robles

19.1 (9.1 for quality, 10 for value)

From the winemaker: “Deeply colored with vibrant purple and magenta hues. Varietal aromas of black cherry and fresh blueberry are accented by black tea, bergamot, and lilac. The juicy and spicy structure of this northern Rhône cultivar is lengthened and lifted by the inclusion of grenache, mourvèdre, roussanne, and viognier.”

From our tasters, six of whom gave it at least a 9 with a high score of 9.5: “Floral nose. Ripe fruit on the palate. Chewy tannins. Delicious.”

From me: Another screaming steal at this price. Fifteen bucks? Are you kidding me?

$15 at http://jlohr.com

2022 Rouge-Bleu Dentelle Mediteranée Blanc

Score: 19 (9 for quality, 10 for value)

From the winemaker: “Named after our local mountain chain, Dentelle is a fruit driven, ready to drink wine which will charm wine connoisseurs and novices alike by its elegance and approachability.”

From our tasters, six of whom gave it at least a 9 with a high score of 9.5: “Floral and fruity. Apple and spice notes.”

From me: Rouge-Bleu, in the Sainte-Cecille AOC on the Rhone Valley floor, proved an excellent stop on my recent South of France wine tour. This bargain gem is a kitchen-sink blend of vermentino, marsanne, clairette blanc, roussanne, viognier, grenache gris, bourboulenc, grenache blanc, gros manseng, chenin blanc, muscat petits grains, carignan blanc and picpoul.

$20 at French Country Wines in Houston

2020 Greenwing Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley

19 (9 for quality, 10 for value)

From the winemaker: “This vivacious cabernet sauvignon displays enticing aromas of black cherry, ripe strawberry, loamy earth and a hint of desert sage. The bright red berry layers are echoed on the lively palate, with supple tannins and juicy acidity framing the generous fruit and carrying the wine to a long, graceful finish.” 

From our tasters, seven of whom gave it at least a 9 with a high score of 9.2: “Ripe dark fruit, pronounced tannins. Spicy!”

From me: The Columbia Valley is located between the 46th and 47th parallels, the same as Bordeaux (and Burgundy). Winemaker Brian Rudin couldn’t have asked for better cabernet terroir than he’s got in the wilds of Eastern Washington.

$33.99 at http://wine.com

2019 Canvasback Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain

18.6 (9.1 for quality, 9.5 for value)

From the winemaker: “This lush and alluring cabernet begins with aromas of ripe strawberry, grenadine and Bing cherry that leap from the glass, followed by notes of sarsaparilla, root spices, black licorice cinnamon and star anise. On the palate it is both luxurious and energetic, with plush tannins and ripe red berry flavors balanced by enlivening energy and sophisticated hints of cigar wrapper, granitic minerality and sweet baking spices.

From our tasters, six of whom gave it at least a 9 with a high score of 9.4: “Lively nose and palate. Casis and dark berry flavors.”

From James Suckling, who awarded at score of 92: “Aromas of grated nutmeg, black and red currants and wild herbs. Full-bodied with firm tannins. Fresh acidity and ripe fruit create a pleasant dynamic on the palate. Well balanced.”

From me: Like it’s Duckhorn brethren Greenwing, it’s named for a duck. It’s also made by Rudin, who clearly has a great grasp of his great terroir.

$36.99 at http://wine.com

2019 Decoy Limited Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

18.6 (9.1 for quality, 9.5 for value)

From the winemaker: “This alluring pinot noir offers vibrant aromas of red cherry and raspberry, as well as hints of savory spices and forest floor. On the palate, silky smooth tannins and refined notes of toasted French oak accentuate the lush flavors, while carrying the wine to an elegant red berry and spice finish.”

From our tasters, five of whom gave it at least a 9 with a high score of 9.5: “Full-bodied, well-balanced. Should be age-worthy.”

From the Wine Enthusiast, which scored it a 90: “Working with vineyards from Green Valley, Russian River Valley and the Petaluma Gap, this wine is juicy, delicate and citrus-driven in style, laced with strawberry, pomegranate and grapefruit tones. The tannins build on the midpalate as a toasted oak accent provides lushness to the finish.”

From me: Pinots at this price point don’t get much better. But the California Decoy from the 2021 vintage didn’t do badly either, earning five scores of 9 or higher, and it’s five bucks cheaper.

$30 at http://decoywines.com

2019 Cuvaison Small Lot Arcilla Merlot Napa Valley

18.3 (9.3 quality, 9 value)

From the winemaker: “Our 2019 Merlot Arcilla is a powerhouse style of Merlot, rife with black cherry, sandalwood, coffee, and cocoa nib notes. On the palate the wine is expansive and rewards with cherry and blackberry fruit, silky tannins, and an earthy, spicy finish that is both savory and inviting. Emblematic of a cool vintage, this merlot, rooted in Arcilla clay soils, shows the richness and elegance of merlot perfectly matched to its terroir.

From our tasters, seven of whom gave it at least a 9 with a high score of 9.4: “Round and ripe with blackberries and mint flavors front and center.”

From me: Pay attention to the “small lot” designation. Fewer than nine cases were made so it won’t be available for long.

$70 at http://cuvaison.com

2019 Emeritus Pinot Noir Pinot Hill East

18.2 (9.2 for quality, 9 for value)

From the winemaker: “Like Pinot Hill itself, this wine seems to exist on that borderline between cool coastal fog and wind and the fleeting warmth of the sun. The influence of the Pacific is echoed in the mélange of sweet and savory flavors, with aromas of ocean air and dried strawberries mingling with notions of sesame oil and sunflowers. The tannins are taut like a bowstring, providing a flexible quality that adds energy to the rich red berry flavors as they glide to a bright, soaring finish. This is a fabulous food wine that should be served just a touch warmer than cellar temperature.”

From our tasters, eight of whom gave it at least a 9 with a high score of 9.4: “Rich, ripe and savory . . . Complex.”

From me: All four Emeritus pinots in the tasting — Hallberg Ranch, Pinot Hill and Pinot Hill West were the others — scored extremely well, but the East proved best. In case you’re wondering, Pinot Hill is in the Sebastopol Hills southwest of the town of Sebastopol, the coolest sub-region of the Russian River Valley.

$78 at http://emeritusvineyards.com

2022 Fiddlehead Cellars La Pressa Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Los Osos District

18.1 (9 for quality, 9 for value)

From the winemaker: “Sauvignon Blanc yearns to be wild, but has such extraordinary style when it is tamed. With our over 30 years of refinement, we know this sweet spot of warmer days and cool evenings nurtures balance in our wines. I am excited to return to this historic old vine source that I worked with 25 years ago, and to bring this Old World Varietal back to its graceful expression.”

From our tasters, eight of whom gave it at least a 9 with a high score of 9.3: “Bright and lively with expressive minerality and acidity.”

From me: Fiddlehead Cellars’ Kathy Joseph, a Santa Barbara County wine-making pioneer, describes her oak-barrel-aged sauvignon blanc style as being “textural.” What it isn’t is “green.” (Which is to say New Zealand sav blanc.) Fans of the movie “Sideways” will recall Joseph conversing with Paul Giamati’s Miles character about the Fiddlehead Cellars’ Sauvignon Blanc. She tells him it spent 12 months in oak. He replies, “This is good. Little hints of cloves.”

$36 at http://fiddleheadcellars.com

2019 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley

18 (9 for quality, 9 for value)

From the winemaker: “This is an elegant wine with earthy aromas of cassis, plum, black cherry, vanilla, oak, chocolate and a slight cola note. In the glass there are lush flavors of cherry, cassis, blackberry and chocolate. The 2019 is a structured wine with firm tannins and a chewy finish that evolves with each sip. While fruit forward upon release, this wine will reward those with the patience to lay down a few bottles.”

From our tasters, seven of whom gave it at least a 9 with a high score of 9.3: “Yummy blackberries.”

From James Suckling, who awarded a score of 91: “Aromas of blueberries, blackberries and crushed sage. Full-bodied with silky tannins. Lean and focused on the palate with solid depth. Dry finish. Drink now.”

From me: Jordan remains a reference-standard cab for me. After 13 years working in the winery’s cellar, Maggie Kruse made her winemaking debut with this vintage and she nailed it.

$60 at http://jordanwinery.com

H-town Happenings

Tutti Quanti Italian Market wine tasting: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 27. Free. http://eventbrite.com

Tasting Thursdays at Cueva in Marriott Marquis Houston: 6:30-7:30 p.m. every Thursday. $40. http://eventbrite.com

Sparkling wine tasting with mini-brunch bites: Noon Sunday, July 9, at We Olive & Wine Bar. $35-$140. http://eventbrite.com

Truly Greek, Truly Unique Wine Tasting: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13 at JMP Wines Tasting Room. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts.   

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

Twitter: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My podcast partner in crime writes: “From my colleague Nicola Perullo at the Slow Food University of Gastronomic Sciences in Piedmont to leading sommelier and author Pascaline Lepeltier in New York City, wine thinkers across the world are trying to forge a new language — a new dialectic — to describe the tasting experience. If ever the twain were to meet, I doubt they would agree on much — except for one thing: the hegemony of the 20th-century tasting note (and score) must be disrupted for Westerners to continue to evolve as tasters . . .”

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra writes: “I was very excited to visit the Asolo DOCG Prosecco region at the end of May on a press trip as it is an Italian area that I have not previously traveled through. Asolo is located in the Province of Treviso at the foot of Monte Grappa in the high hills to the west of the Piave River with views of the Dolomites. The grapes are grown in 17 communes surrounding the town of Asolo . . .”

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger writes: “About a week ago, Austin-based Denise Clarke and her Texas Fine Wine wineries had another of their quarterly Talk and Taste sessions on Zoom. This one was “Summer Sippers” and offered wine suggestions for quenching our summertime thirst. And, it couldn’t have come at a better time as in Houston we are moving into the 100-102 F range and in the hill country temperatures are blazing at 105-107 F… It’s bloody hot all over the state, if you ask me. Check out these four “Summer Sippers”, a quench from Texas Fine Wine . . .”

Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

The DC writes: “I am out of town again this week, first in San Diego as a wine judge for the Critics Challenge and then to Austin for another basketball tournament. As I usually do when I am out of town, I revisit a Sundays Are For Sebastian, our fourteen-year-old soon-to-be sophomore in high school(!). This one comes from four years ago when he was ten . . .”

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat writes: “And just Iike that – it’s June. School is out. Thank God! And I swear it seems that EVERYONE is on vacay! I definitely need to join them. If you’re headed out to Texas Wine Country, there are plenty of fun events. In fact, I need to give a special shoutout to Texas wineries. Their wines performed amazingly well as last month’s 2023 TEXSOM International Wine Awards, taking home 168 awards. Texas wine continues to shine . . .”

Truth to tell, tours aren’t my thing. When it comes to travel, I tend to be a lone ranger, setting my own schedule as I go. But my recent Gourmet Tours (http://gourmettours.biz) adventure in the South of France with my buddy Pablo Valqui and a lovely mix of new and old friends changed my thinking. By the end of our nine days together, having tasted our way through Provence, the Languedoc and the Rhone Valley with urban detours to Marseille and Nice in the mix, too, we felt like a team. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

In fact, I will do it again next spring, exploring my other co-favorite wine region, Italy’s Piemonte. Save the dates: May 22-June 2. We’ll fly into Turin and out of Milan with time set aside to tour both great cities. My favorite wineries (Ceretto, Oddero, Bruno Rocca and Marchesi di Gresy, to name a few) are certain to be in the mix, as will visits to several Michelin-starred restaurants and other fascinating places. Fact: Alba’s eateries have more etoiles on a per-capita basis than any town in the world. So watch this space. Details to come!

But, before moving forward, permit me to look backward for a moment. Here’s a list with links to the must-visit wineries and restaurants we experienced in France. I’d happily return to every one of them again and again.

Wineries

Chateau La Mascaronne (Var): Owned in part by basketball Hall-of-Famer Tony Parker, the property sits in a gorgeous natural amphitheater a short drive inland from St. Tropez. (www.chateau-lamascaronne.com) These superb wines are sold in Houston at French Country Wines (www.frenchcountrywines.com).

St. Pierre de Mejans (Luberon): Houston-area native Wendy Gobbi and her husband took over this property a couple years ago and have turned it into both a prime tasting venue and a luxury auberge, housed in a small chateau that dates to the 12th century. (http://saintpierredemejans.com). The wines can be purchased here through http://aocselections.com)

L’Hospitalet (La Clape): Unfortunately, it’s only Gérard Bertrand’s entry-level Languedoc wines are easily found on Houston shelves, but searching for the high-end offerings will be well worth your time. The Clos d’Ora GSM from the Minervois should sell for $250 because it’s absolutely that good. (http://gerard-bertrand.shop)

Chateau de Luc (Corbieres): This was the find of the trip and all credit to to Pablo for that. He picked it. The Fabre’s wine-making family goes back 14 generations and the current twin sisters who are the public face of the place, Jeanne and Clemence (pictured below), were equal parts delightful and super wine savvy. I learned more about the Languedoc’s star-crossed wine-making history in an hour with Jeanne than I knew before I arrived. And the wines should soon be in the Texas market. A family member has relocated to Austin. (www.famillefabre.com)

Domaine Rouge-Bleu (Saint Cecille): Thomas Bertrand (pictured below), who learned the wine business on the sale’s side while living in the UK, and his winemaker wife Caroline Jones, who hails from Australia, are doing great things using non-interventionist farming methods on their Rhone Valley floor terroir. http://rouge-bleu.com Their offerings can also be found in Houston at French Country Wines.

Chêne Bleu (Ventoux/Vaucluse): The gorgeously restored property, built on the bones of medieval monastery that later became a renowned glass-blowing factory, is also set in a natural amphitheater in the hills near Crestet to the east of Mont Ventoux. New Yorker Nicole Rolet, who presides over the operation, is a force of nature. The biodynamically made wines have re-defined the possible for this often-overlooked AOC, and there’s a luxurious villa for rent on site. (http://chenebleu.com)

Domaine de Mourchon (Seguret): I’ve known Walter McKinlay and his wife Ronnie for more than 20 years and have made frequent pilgrimages to the Mourchon tasting room, so it was a special treat to visit with new friends. McKinlay’s daughter Kate capably presides over the winery these days. Note that the hilltop villa on the property is now available for rental. With spectacular views of Mont Ventoux and the Baronies range to the north, I can’t imagine a finer wedding venue . . . Well, let’s call it a tie with Chêne Bleu’s.

Domaine de Cabasse (Seguret/Sablet/Gigondas): I knew it only as a hotel before our visit, but the grenache-centric wines (white and red) are excellent, very well-priced and can be found on the shelf at Spec’s. Owner Benoit Baudry is a charming raconteur, too.

Restaurants

Each gets a hearty two-thumbs-way-up recommendation from me. They range in style from super casual (Cambuse du Sanier) to tres elegante (L’Oustelet). I can’t personally vouch for three other stops the group made because I had a different itinerary those days, but everybody said they were excellent, too, with La Ferme Marine on the coast in Marseillan (www.lafermemarine.fr) receiving especially high marks. I’m proud to say we batted 1.000 on both food and wine.

Le Pigonnet (Aix-en-Provence): Elegant, refined and creative dining in the most stylish of settings. The spacious outdoor garden is even more gorgeous, but rain threatened, dang it. www.hotelpigonnet.com

Domaine du Lac (Le Luc): Wonderful patio with vineyard views. Hearty portions and happy servers. www.hoteldomainedulac.com

1860 Le Palais (Marseille center): Excellent terrace with city views, with an excellent bakery attached. Very close to the Old Port. 1860lepalais.fr

Les Bain Bars (Marseille seashore): Hipster heaven with a fine view of the sea and the islands just off the coast. lesbainsmarseille.com

Refuge de la Cure (Ubaye Valley): Chef Hubert Longeron proved to be a huge hit cooking in my kitchen. His charming, remote gîte wasn’t yet open, so he came to us instead. maljassetgite.fr

L’Art de Vivre at L’Hospitalet (le Clappe): Checked all the fine-dining boxes. www.restaurant–art–de–vivre.com

Fontfroide Abbey Restaurant (near Narbonne): Relaxed dining in a lovely setting adjacent to the famous abbey. Super-friendly servers. www.fontfroide.com

Cambuse du Saunier (Gruisson): A lively crab shack adjacent to the salt beds with a postcard view of the lagoon. www.lesalindegruissan.fr

Restaurant des Fines Roches (Chateauneuf-du-Pape): Another great terrace with vineyard views. chateaufinesroches.com

L’Oustolet (Gigondas): A place I’ve dined at numerous times, it owns a well-deserved Michelin star. www.loustalet-gigondas.com

Le Mesclun (Seguret): Set in the heart of Seguret, one of France’s most beautiful villages, with vineyard and sunset views. www.lemesclun.com

Le Panier (Nice): A cozy bistro with a family feel and an urban vibe. www.restaurantlepanier.com

Sippin’ with Sporty

No touts for you today — I’ve been trying to give my liver a rest — but a bunch of them will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead. On Monday night, I’m hosting a Porta’Vino reunion of my tasting panel that served me and the Houston Chronicle so well for so many years. Same folks, same format, which is to say some 40 wines will be sampled blind, then scored on a 20-point scale taking into account both quality and value. It’s a fail-safe process. Recommendations coming!

H-town Happenings

Classy Cork Room Old World wines tasting: 6-8 p.m. Saturday, June 17 at Classy Cork Room. $65. 832-534-1900 or http://contacttheclassycork.com

Duckhorn wine dinner: 7 p.m. Friday, June 23, at the Oceanaire Seafood Room. $175. http://eventbrite.com

Marchesi Antinori wine dinners: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22, through, Saturday, June 24 at Potente. $275 plus tax and gratuity. http://eventbrite.com

Six-year vertical tasting (2014-19) of SERCA Gran Corte: 4 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at SERCA Wines Tasting Room. $80 ($64 for club members). http://eventbrite.com

Tutti Quanti Italian Market wine tasting: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 27. Free. http://eventbrite.com

Sparkling wine tasting with mini-brunch bites: Noon Sunday, July 9, at We Olive & Wine Bar. $35-$140. http://eventbrite.com

The Sports Page

Raising a glass to . . . the Nuggets and the Knights.

First-time champions in the NBA and NHL respectively, they gave us a break from the same ol’ same ol’ this season. Amazingly, though, there are still 10 NBA franchises and 11 in the NHL never to have claimed a title. The corresponding numbers for the NFL and MLB are 9 and 6 respectively.

Pouring one out for . . . Bob Hyde

The longtime Oilers/Titans PR man, who passed away recently after a long battle with cancer, was the very definition of an old-school good guy. I met him for the first time when he was interning with the Oilers in 1977, my second year covering the team. From that summer on, we never exchanged a cross word, no easy feat given the dynamics of what’s so often a tense relationship. RIP, Bob.

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts.   

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

Twitter: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My podcast partner in crime talks about testing AI’s capabilities with his Slow Food University students. He also bids a not-fond farewell to Silvio Berlusconi, the clownish, corrupt former Italian prime minister who died recently.

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra reports on her recent whirlwind tour of Prosecco country.

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger veers out of his lane a bit to talk about Georgia wines. As in Georgia the state, not the former Soviet republic.

Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

The DC provides a crash course in Uruguay’s wine landscape.

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat suggests the perfect wine pairings for a range of summer activities.

Twenty years ago this summer, on a diabolically hot day in France’s Midi, I would stumble upon a ramshackle building south of Narbonne that had been repurposed as a winery/tasting room. Well, I think it was a winery, too, but I was only interested in the tasting part.

I had driven down from a dreadful place, essentially a failed amusement park in the middle of nowhere that Tour de France organizers had inexplicably deemed worthy of hosting a crucial individual time trial, with only one thing on my mind: a cooling breeze off the Mediterranean. And Narbonne Plage was only minutes ahead. But a  Dégustation sign with an arrow pointing off to the right turned my head. The beach could wait. A short detour was very much in order.

The place was called L’Hospitalet and the interior was, curiously, mostly decorated with rugby action photos. Lots and lots of them. Fortunately, the bloke behind the bar spoke perfect English — it turned out he was an Irishman — and had a ready explanation for me. The owner was both an aspiring winemaker and, it seemed, the former captain of the French national rugby team.

His name? Gérard Bertrand.

As a sports writer and a wine maven, although not yet an official wine journalist, that combination intrigued me. Better still, the wines I tried were excellent, something that, back in the day, wasn’t a certainty when one tasted in the Languedoc, which for much of the 20th-century had been known for mostly producing plonk.

At any rate, I vowed to return one day, especially after how wonderfully charming I found Narbonne Plage. For a day or two, I thought seriously about buying a condo there but quickly came to my senses. Did I really need to own a second property in France? Uh, no. So that was the last I thought of L’Hospitalet and its rugby-playing proprietor for a very long time.

Cut to February of 2019 and the weekend I retired from the Houston Chronicle. I was visiting another beach town, Miami Beach, attending a party at the Versace Mansion hosted by . . . Gérard Bertrand. There, I got to finally meet the man himself, and he was impressive in every way possible. Late in the evening, he even rapped with a band that he’d flown in from France. Yeah, rapped. Learning that my wife and I had a permanent residence in France, his team invited me to visit the Bertrand headquarters in the Languedoc for a full-scale tour and immersive experience.

So, on another brutally hot July afternoon in the South of France — as I sped through the Southern Rhone Valley, my Peugeot told me was 114 degrees outside — I again found myself heading for Narbonne Plage. But this time there was much fancier sign pointing toward a splendidly restored building that had been transformed into a luxury inn with a top-drawer restaurant.

“Merde,” I said. “That’s the same place. I’m back!”

And I’ll return again next week, leading a group of very nice people on a wine tour through Provence, the Southern Rhone and Bertrand’s neck of the woods in the Languedoc, where he has built a wine empire upon a foundation that his father Georges, one of the region’s most respected and forward-thinking grape-growers, laid decades ago.

Gérard worked his first harvest with his dad in 1975, when he was 10, and they spent a dozen good years together in vineyards when he wasn’t honing his world-class rugby skills. After his father died tragically in an accident in 1987, he made the decision to keep the family’s Villemajou estate and, five years later, he launched his own company, soon purchasing the Cigalus Estate, Château Laville Bertrou and the Aigle Estate. L’Hospitalet had become his in 2002, not long before my serendipitous visit.

Today, Château la Sauvageonne, Château la Soujeole, Clos d’Ora, Clos du Temple, Château les Karantes, Château Aigues-Vives, Cap Insula, Château des Deux Rocs, Château de Tarailhan and the Estagnère Estate are all his, too. His entry-level Cote des Roses wines and the Gris Blanc rose are widely available in Houston — Spec’s and Kroger are where I find them — and around France. I buy the same bottles in my town’s Casino supermarket.

The Clos du Temple may be the world’s most expensive rosé at $250. Bertrand’s flagship, the Clos d’Ora, a blend of syrah and carignan from very old vines and mourvedre and grenache from turn-of-the-21st-centry plantings in the hills of La Viviniere, sells for close to $300. Like the Clos du Temple, it’s worth every penny. But the wines mentioned in the previous paragraph go for under $15.

One day, every bottle with Bertrand’s name on it — and that’s a whole lot of bottles — will be biodynamic. He became a true believer in same after starting with Cigalus in 2002. He’s got three children. He’s determined to do what he can to keep the planet liveable for their kids and grandkids.

I’m delighted my crew is going to experience firsthand what I accidently stumbled upon years ago. And I’m delighted to be returning myself to again experience what Bertrand calls l’art de vivre. I do believe the man has figured that out. Did I mention that he also hosts a world-class jazz/pop festival at L’Hospitalet every July?

Anyway, I’ll be hyper-focused on my tour over the next couple of weeks — it begins Thursday in Aix-en-Provence before wrapping up in Nice June 4 — so I’ll be off the blogging grid until after I return to Houston in mid-June. However, I’ll be posting like a crazy person on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as we visit many of my favorite wineries, starting in the Var Friday at La Mascaronne, owned in part by the new Hall-of-Fame hoopster turned vigneron Tony Parker.

Unfortunately, Parker won’t be on-site today. I would have loved to quiz him about Victor Wembanyama, presumably the next great French hoopster who will surely come to torture the Rockets, too. Damn lottery!

Sippin’ with Sporty

Bubbles

Faiv Blancs de Blancs

From the winemaker: “Dry and fruit forward but has a definite acidity to cleanse the palate. Elegant and smooth. Pair with pasta with creamy or truffle sauces and fish.”

From me: It’s not everyday that you see Arneis bubbles. A friend who loves traveling to Northern Italy gifted me a bottle here in France and damned it wasn’t being sold in Houston at Tuttili, too. Wonderfully refreshing minerality and citrus notes in this Marchisio Family Organic Estate sparkler from Castellinaldo d’Alba, about 25 miles southeast of Turin.

$28 at Tuttili

Red

2019 Chateau Pas De Rauzan Bordeaux Supérieur

From the winemaker: “A pretty garnet colour, it’s dark and intense. Beautiful aromas of small red fruits on the nose. The expressive and supple palate is embellished with crunchy red fruits.”

From the Wine Enthusiast: “Packed with fruit, this is going to be a generous wine. Certainly its tannins are very present, but the weight of the ripe berry fruits will come to dominate. There is a juicy crisp aftertaste.”

From me: It’s a merlot-centric (70 percent) wine that’s truly a superior Bordeaux Superieur at a super price. The winery, with 80 hectares of vines, has been in the Fourestey family since 1890.

$11.57 at Spec’s

H-town Happenings

Il Palazzo wine dinner with co-owner Lorenzo Pitirra — 7 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at Roma. 713 664-7581.

Nine and Wine — National Wine Day: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at Riverhouse Houston. $30 http://eventbrite.com

Tolaini Tuscan Wine Dinner with Lia Tolaini-Banville: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at the Rainbow Lodge. $165 plus tax and gratuity. https://www.rainbow-lodge.com/tolaini-wine-dinner

Woodlands Wine & Food Week: Monday, June 5, through Sunday, June 11. http://www.wineandfoodweek.com

The Sports Page

Pouring one out for . . . Jim Brown

Truth to tell, I hated him as a kid because of how he ran over, under, around and through my beloved Baltimore Colts in the 1964 NFL Championship Game, pounding out 114 yards in a 27-0 Browns romp, after which I stayed in a funk for a week. But he forever defined what a running back should be. Although the NFL season was only 12 games long for his first four years, he averaged 1,368 yards over his nine seasons and 104.3 per game. He led the NFL in rushing eight times and claimed three MVP trophies before walking away while still in his prime, which goes a long way toward explaining how he lived to the ripe old age of 87. After a second career as an action-movie hero — Remember the Dirty Dozen? — he became a vocal and widely respected advocate for social justice.

One of my sports-writing idols, Shirley Povich, composed one of the epic sentences in sports-writing history after Brown had shredded the still lily-white Washington Redskins in 1960: “Jim Brown, born ineligible to play for the Redskins, integrated their end zone three times yesterday.” Ironically, it would be Bobby Mitchell, Browns’ backup in Cleveland, who became Washington’s first Black player in 1962.

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts.   

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

Twitter: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My podcast partner in crime reports on the catastrophic, “unprecedented” rains and flooding in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, which have forced tens of thousands to abandon their homes and killed at least nine people.

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra shares her latest story for Galveston Monthly, featuring wines she tasted recently in Paso Robles.

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger shares his thoughts on, and personal history with, Gary Gilstrap’s Texas Hills Vineyards, whose wines are made, he says, in a lean Italian style.”

Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

The Drunken Cyclist and a group of Houston wine pros recently tasted 53 “true” American rosés, which is to say rosés made from grapes grown specifically for making pink wines. You’ll find their conclusions in two posts. He swears this is the largest such sampling in the whole USA.

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat provides a rundown of Texas wine happenings in the merry month of May.

I spent some quality time last weekend one of my favorite expats, Wendy Heinicken Gobbi, who a good while ago traded in life in the American corporate world for a grand adventure in France. Today, Wendy and her husband Jean-Marc, reside near Aix-en-Provence, where he founded and still presides over the acclaimed International Bilingual School, with students from 75 countries. She used to work there, too, but it seems running a winery — the Gobbis bought St. Pierre de Mejans near Loumarin in the Luberon in 2021 — that’s also a luxury boutique hotel and, now, a popular wedding venue is a fulltime job in its own right.

“So Jean-Marc fired me,” Wendy jokes.

A second property near the 12th-century chateau (shown above) that houses all of the above has recently been added to their holdings, giving them another 10 rooms to let in the not-too-distant future. I should also mention that Jean-Marc bought Aix’s professional team handball club last year. Alas, this hasn’t been a great first season and he recently fired his coach, which is what sports team owners do, right?

I told Wendy she might be in line to take over as general manager, but she demurred, saying, “I think I have the right job” overseeing St. Pierre de Mejans, which is expanding its vineyards and wine offerings. Recent additions include two new sparklers, one made from only clairette and the other a mostly cinsault pink blend.

At the winery, all sell for under 18 euros a bottle. In Houston, you can buy the 2021 “1118” Cotes du Luberon white blend and rosé for $22 and the 2019 “Vielles Vignes” Rouge for $33 at http://aoc.selections.com. The “1118”? That’s said to be the year the original castle was completed.

Wendy, who grew up in Kingwood before attending the University of Texas, was briefly back in Houston recently, lunching at Tony’s with her importer, Douglas Skopp of Dionysus Imports, and dining at Ruggles Black with her extended family, some 15 folks total. Both chef-owners, Kate McLean and Bruce Molzan respectively, tasted her wines and hopefully will add them to their lists.

Far be it from me to nag, though.

Parlez-vous Bordeaux?

The Alliance Francaise and http://thetexaswineschool.com are partnering up again for a wine seminar/tasting, this one featuring wines from Bordeaux presented by my great friend and Master somm Guy Stout, who will present 10 of his favorites — two whites and a mix of Right and Left Bank reds — from the famed region in Southwest France from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 23.

The price is $75. Don’t wait to register. The Wine School’s owner, Liz Palmer, has currently capped the class at 45 people. At our last tasting — I say “our” because I’m president of the Alliance’s board of directors — we had way more tasters show up than we expected. Suffice it to say we have refined the registration process. The address is 427 Lovett Blvd., two blocks east of Montrose.

Lots of wine (and food) in The Woodlands

The predictable expansive program for http://wineandfoodweek.com June 5-11 in The Woodlands will rock as usual, co-founder Constance McDerby promises, and be assured that Constance always delivers. This year’s theme is “Wine + Food = Art” with McDerby explaining: “Wine and food are like art because they express the culture, imagination and passion of the people who create them.”

In addition, Texas Monthly food writer Patricia Sharpe, whose tenure with the magazine spans almost five decades, will be a most deserving honoree. Tickets for all the fun stuff — there’s way too much to recount in detail here — can be purchased at the website.

Sippin’ with Sporty

White

2021 The Paring Sauvignon Blanc

From the winemaker: “Few Sauvignon Blanc wines this youthful can also boast this level of complexity. The nose is deliciously exotic, with lemon, melon and white peach soaring out of the glass. The wine’s laser beam of acidity refreshes and cleanses the palate, while its decadent texture demands another mouthwatering sip.

“From me: “What he said! Kudos to Matt Dees. This is the best sauvignon blanc I’ve tasted this year, and I’ve tasted a few.”

Red

2018 The Paring Red Blend

From the winemaker: “This Cabernet-inspired blend displays classic notes of cassis, tobacco and chocolate. Focused fruit and shapely tannins shine as hallmarks of what we’ve come to expect from the sandy soils and slightly cooler climate of the winery’s outstanding vineyard sites.

From Jeb Dunnuck: “It’s a medium to full-bodied, ripe, rounded, nicely concentrated blend with lots of ripe currant and blackberry fruits (plus) an herbal kick in its tobacco, earth, and ripe herb aromas and flavors. Ideal for drinking over the coming 5-7 years or more.”

From me: The Paring wines represent an intriguing counterpart to their better known siblings, JONATA and the Hilt, having been made with grapes primarily from vineyard blocks in Santa Ynez Valley, Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley, Dees says, “that are either too young or don’t fit into the vintage style (of the aforementioned). The Paring is a cut of each estate. The Paring puts pedigree first, and then lets imagination take over.” Surprisingly given the neighborhood, it’s a Bordeaux-style blend with cabernet sauvignon making up 50 percent. Like the white, it’s a superb effort at this price point.

$25.99 at http://wine.com

H-town Happenings

Wagyu and Wine Night: 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at R-C Ranch. $125. http://eventbrite.com

Wine Tasting Class — World of Whites: 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at Crust Pizza Co. $5 http://eventbrite.com

Texas Wine Night: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18, at JMP Wines Tasting Room, Humble. http://eventbrite.com

Nine and Wine — National Wine Day: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at Riverhouse Houston. $30 http://eventbrite.com

Tolaini Tuscan Wine Dinner with Lia Tolaini-Banville: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at the Rainbow Lodge. $165 plus tax and gratuity. https://www.rainbow-lodge.com/tolaini-wine-dinner

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts. I’m hoping a new one will drop next week.   

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

Twitter: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My podcast partner in crime has been on the road again — isn’t he always? — and raves about recent memorable meal at the famed Ballato’s on East Houston St. But he’ll be back in H-town for a Chianti Consorzio tasting he’s conducting Wednesday.

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra shares her latest story for Galveston Monthly, featuring wines she tasted recently in Paso Robles. She gets around, too.

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger focuses on the Bingham Family Vineyards Trebbiano, tasted on a visit to the winery in Hye.

Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

Jeff gives us the lowdown on the best samples (right, freebies) he has tasted through recently.

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat provides a rundown of Texas wine happenings in the merry month of May.

As much as I love kicking back in the French Alps for a few months every year, it comes with a price, and no small measure of regret, because it means missing lots of cool wine folks passing through Houston. We’re a front-burner destination for pretty much everybody these days with so many brilliant sommeliers, first-rate restaurant wine lists and deep-pocketed collectors.

It was a group of the latter that brought Cyril and Blakesley Chappellet to our neck of the woods a few weeks ago and, fortunately, I was still in town to have lunch with them at Tony’s, which sells both the Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. That evening, they would host a dinner at Bludorn for their local wine club members, more of whom, they swear, live in our neighborhood than almost anywhere else. Further proof that we H-towners have exquisite taste.

After the confining horrors of COVID-19, the Chappellets, shown above of course, are making it a point to get out to see their people firsthand as frequently as possible. And they’ve got plenty to celebrate, having recently become the first American winery to be represented globally in Châine des Rôtisseurs restaurants. This is a very big deal, folks, and it’s much deserved. Just one man’s opinion here, but I believe their Pritchard Hill Cab is consistently America’s finest red wine, a grand cru in every sense.

And Pritchard Hill (replete with lavender fields, as seen above) represents the best-of-the-best mountain terroir. Consider the Chappellet’s neighbors up on those fabled slopes east of Oakville: Brand. Bryant Family. Colgin Cellars. Continuum. Dalla Valle. Ovid. That’s a seriously chichi/chin-chin neighborhood, although, ironically, it’s not an official AVA — nor will it likely ever be — because of Donn Chappellet. Cyril’s visionary late father, who bought his first vineyard property there in 1968, trademarked the Pritchard Hill name in 1971. Only Chappellet can use it on a bottle.

Were an AVA created, Donn once explained, “dozens of wineries could put Pritchard Hill on the label, and destroy the valuable name.”

Blakesley refers to their neck of the woods as “a lieu-dit,” which is how the French describe a unique geographic area. With 100-plus acres, consisting of 48 distinct blocks at 800 to 1,000 feet above sea level, the Chappellet’s have more land under vine than anyone else. Hence, they can make more wine than their “cult” brethren, which keeps their prices manageable for us non-gadzillionaire collectors.

The 2019 Signature Cabernet goes for an eminently reasonable 90 bucks at http://wine.com. OK, the same vintage of the Pritchard Hill Cab (shown above) is $300, but that still represents value given that all the major critics scored it from 94 to 99 points and a comparable bottle of Colgin, if it could be had, would sell for $700+.

The Chappellets are cutting-edge vintners in numerous ways. Aside from having one of the most visually stunning winery buildings — the Ed Moses-designed structure (pictured below) mirrors the shape of an ancient pyramid — they are now able to offset their entire PG&E bill by using solar power, and their their grapes have been all organically grown since 2012. The water used for irrigation is runoff from rainstorms, of which they have had plenty lately.

This is a good thing. Far and away the most striking bit of news Cyril revealed during our conversation was that he spends about 70 percent of his waking hours these days focusing on finding solutions to the monstrous fire issues Pritchard Hill and the rest of Napa and Sonoma now confront almost annually. He now has a full-time fire chief on his winery staff, and he owns his own fire truck. In August of 2020, when hundreds of lightning strikes during violent thunderstorms ignited out-of-control infernos across the Vacas, the Chappellets narrowly averted catastrophic damage.

“It’s the single important issue we’re facing,” he said. “Everything we’ve built could be gone in 24 hours.”

Considering how much they’ve built, and how much good they do at every level in California’s wine community, that’s a horrifying thought.

Breaking news

The new Sonoma Wine & Cheese in the Stomping Grounds complex on W. 34th St. in Garden Oaks opens to the public at 2 p.m. Tuesday. (Yep, I wish I could be there.) It again gives Farah Cauley three locations, joining the original on Richmond Ave. in the Upper Kirby District and the suburban destination in Katy. In effect, it replaces Cauley’s lovely spot on Studemont in the Heights that closed last summer.

The Stomping Grounds will be home to a variety of food- and beverage-centric businesses and also offers an 8,000-square-foot greensward where all manner of fun things will be taking place.

H-town Happenings

Central Coast and Paso Robles wine dinner: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at Atkins House. $85 http://eventbrite.com

Derby Wine Fest: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at Brenner’s on the Bayou. $150. http://eventbrite.com

Central Coast and Paso Robles wine dinner: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at Atkins House. $85 http://eventbrite.com

Derby Wine Fest: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at Brenner’s on the Bayou. $150. http://eventbrite.com

Mother’s Day Charcuterie Workshop and Wine Tasting: 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 13, at JMP Wines Tasting Room, Humble. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Cesari Italian Wine Tasting: 4 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at Memorial Wine Cellar. $50. http://eventbrite.com

Mother’s Day Rose Tasting: 1 p.m. Sunday, May 14, at We Olive & Wine Bar. $35. http://eventbrite.com

Wagyu and Wine Night: 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at R-C Ranch. $125. http://eventbrite.com

Texas Wine Night: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18, at JMP Wines Tasting Room, Humble. http://eventbrite.com

Nine and Wine — National Wine Day: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at Riverhouse Houston. $30 http://eventbrite.com

Tolaini Tuscan Wine Dinner with Lia Tolaini-Banville: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at the Rainbow Lodge. $165 plus tax and gratuity. https://www.rainbow-lodge.com/tolaini-wine-dinner

The Sports Page

Raising a glass to . . . Nick Caserio

The Texans’ much-maligned general manager, previously best known for his mumbo-jumbo press conference non-answers, had himself one helluva draft, didn’t he? Only three picks into the first round, Casserio had already snared both a for-real quarterback in Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and a defensive game-changer in Will Anderson. Better still, Anderson played linebacker at Alabama, just like his new coach, DeMeco Ryans, did back in the day. Further, both were the second picks by the Texans in drafts with first-year head coaches (Anderson, though, went third to Ryans’ 33rd overall). Karma out the wazoo here.

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts   

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

Twitter: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My podcast partner in crime gives us the lowdown on the Valpolicella tasting he’s hosting for the “Famiglie Storiche” association (Historic Families of Amarone) at the Hotel Za Za on Main St. Wednesday, May 3. Be there or be square. Being in France, I guess I’m stuck with square this time, dammit.

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra shares the comprehensive piece she wrote about Italian pinot grigios for Galveston Monthly.

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger touts Fall Creek Vineyards’ 2021 Lescalo Rosé, a low-alcohol (9.8 percent) springtime sipper.

Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

Jeff shares some bad news: ACORN, one of his favorite California wineries, is closing its doors, although owners Betsy and Bill Nachbaur will continue to farm their Alegria Vineyard with its 111 different varietals.

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat extolls the virtues of the excellent primitivos from Manduria, in Italy’s Puglia region.