OK, I’m guilty as accused. I’ve been a bit remiss about posting anything fresh lately, but I’ve got a damned good excuse. I’ve been on the road again, first visiting Italy’s Piemonte, then the Luberon and the Var in the South of France. Hence, today’s missive focuses on three superb destinations for wine tasting – and sleeping amongst the vines.

Cascina Baràc on the outskirts of Alba, was a totally random find, courtesy of hotels.com. Now, more often than not, it’s going to be my new home-away-from-home when I’m visiting Barolo-Barbaresco country, home to the most remarkable vine-covered landscape I’ve yet encountered anywhere. Although less than 10 minutes by car from the Piazzo Duomo, Alba’s epicenter, Bàrac’s beautifully restored century-old farmhouse offers the feel of a remote country hideaway, nestled as it is in a gorgeous natural amphitheater of organically farmed Barbaresco vineyards.  

About half of the property’s 60 acres are dedicated to grape-growing and it isn’t just for show. Tenuta Baràc is a working winery, making besides Barbaresco, a Barolo, a Nebbiolo d’Alba, a Barbera d’Alba, a Nebbiolo Rosato and an Arneis. All  represent terrific value and can be enjoyed on site with dinner or, if you’re so inclined, the outstanding full breakfast included in the price of the room. In short, there’s no need to drink and drive.

But it goes without saying you’ll want to explore the neighborhood.

Aside from the proximity to Alba, the village of Barbaresco is maybe 10 minutes to the east and that’s only if you get stuck behind a tractor. There, in the heart of tiny town near Angelo Gaja’s headquarter compound, the Antica Torre has long been a favorite trattoria of mine, offering the requisite lineup of perfectly executed Piemontese specialties. Back in Alba, there’s no beating La Piola, located on the Piazza Duomo below the three-starred Michelin resto of the same name. Both are owned by the Ceretto wine family and share rock-star chef Enrico Crippa’s culinary vision.

Foodies, take note: Greater Alba has more Michelin stars on a per capita basis than any locale in the world.                

Mas de Puyvert

If Provence appeals to you – If? Really? – you must check out Saint-Pierre de Mejans a short drive to the northwest of Aix-en-Provence in a quiet corner of the Luberon, which is to say Peter Mayle (“A Year In Provence”) country. This was a different kind of find in that I’ve known the wines for some time but have only recently come to be friends with the proprietors, Wendy and Jean-Marc Gobbi, and just this weekend has their 12^th-century chateau begun offering rooms for let. There are four, all uniquely and gorgeously decorated and named for the four estate’s four primary grape varieties: Viognier, Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault.

The majestically landscaped grounds are home to what was a priory in the Middle Ages – its known history goes back as far as 1118, the year referenced on the new rosé bottle label – and somewhat more modern residence the Gobbis call their “farmhouse.” Capable of hosting six to eight people, the Mas de Puyvert offers an expansive living area, a full kitchen, four bedrooms, two baths and a private pool, all just a short stroll from the caveau, where an old-vines red, a white, a rosé and oil made from estate-grown olives are on offer at prices that will tempt you to buy them by the case.

Wendy Heinicken Gobbi

Better still, Wendy is one of us. A Houston-area native, she graduated from Kingwood High School and the University of Texas. After deciding early on that the corporate world wasn’t for her, she headed to France and has lived there for much of her adventuresome adult life, truly grasping what joie d’vivremeans. Husband Jean-Marc is a career educator and the founder of a renowned international school in Aix.

Although the Gobbis don’t offer on-site dining, myriad options abound in the area.  A restaurant they introduced me to in Aix not far from the Cours Mirabou called Le Pigonnet – it’s also a lovely hotel – offers one of the most appealing al fresco dining experiences anywhere. The Provençal cuisine and the ambience are equal parts exceptional. But book well in advance. The tables can be hard to come by once spring has sprung.

Less than an hour and a half to the east, in the heart of the Var and the Côtes-de-Provence AOC, is the Château La Mascaronne, a  150-acre property first brought to prominence by another American, Tom Bove, but now owned by the hotelier/entrepreneur/vigneron Michel Reybier, who made his first huge splash in the wine world around the turn of the century when he purchased Cos d’Estournel in Bordeaux’s St. Èstephe region.

Reybier believes just as strongly in La Mascaronne’s potential because of its spot-on terroir about 20 miles inland from St. Tropez, near the bustling market town of Le Luc. He thinks bottles of its signature rosé could one day become as coveted as those from his Bordeaux chateau, rated a Second Growth property in the legendary Classification of 1855. La Mascaronne’s white, a fresh and lively vermentino-semillon blend, and the fruity red, made from syrah and cabernet, aren’t to be taken lightly, either.

Nathalie Longefay

My renewed interest in the winery, whose wines have been imported to Houston by French Country Wines in Rice Village for many years, stemmed from the news that Reybier had involved Tony Parker in the project. Right, that Tony Parker, who won four NBA championships during his 17 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs while vastly expanded his wine knowledge tasting with his coach, Gregg Popovich, an oenophile of the first rank. Both Parker and Reybier, in turn, hail from Lyon, arguably France’s culinary capital and home to the French pro hoops teams Parker owns.

“We share a passion for wine – but also for sport,” Reybier said. Parker, for his part added, “The plan to move forward on a common project was obvious. I am committed to investing myself alongside him and taking these exceptional wines and champagnes (Reybier has a major presence there as well) to the next level.”

Parker wasn’t on site the day I visited, but an hour spent with La Mascaronne’s super-savvy technical director, Nathalie Longefay, told me the Reybier-Parker partnership is being well-tended-to at an organic level, pardon my pun. Longefay, whose family goes five generations deep in Beaujolais wine country, is a fountain of knowledge. Having previously consulted for Bove – a former Naval officer turned vintner and also the guy who sold Miraval to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in 2012 before taking on a major restoration at La Mascaronne – she knows these rocky, limestone-rich vineyards intimately.

Like St. Pierre de Mejan’s castle, the Bastide on site, restored by Bove before he moved in, is available for renting in its entirety or by the room. It’s got a pool, too. Of course it does. It’s in Provence.

Then there’s La Mascaroone’s ultra-modern sister property, La Réserve Ramatuelle, a five-star destination only an hour away on the Mediterranean shore near St. Tropez, yet a world removed from the coastal hullaballoo. In a word, or three . . . Oh la la! Next time I’m headed that way . . .

 Websites:

* Cascina Bàrac – barac.it

* Château St. Pierre de Mejans/ Mas de Puyvert – saintpierredemejans.com

* Château La Mascaronne – chateau-lamascaronne.com

* La Réserve Ramatuelle – lareserveramatuelle.com

Sippin’ with sporty

Rosé

* 2020 Château La Mascaronne Rosé – Pink perfection, folks. Nothing else to say. This was Reybier’s first vintage as owner and it proved to be an exceptional one. Both fruity and flinty and full of lively minerality, this blend of Cotes-de-Provence cinsault (35 percent), grenache (35), syrah (20) and vermentino is as elegant and expressive as rosé gets. The Tasting Book gave it a 95-point rating. $30 at French Country Wines. (Happily, I’ve got a couple bottles of the 2021 in my possession here in France and it’s a gem, too!)        

  

 Red

* 2020 Domaine Richard Rottiers Moulin-a-Vent – The organically-grown, hand-harvested gamay grapes for this tasty (red fruit and spices), aromatic (violets) Beaujolais Grand Cru, which aged in tuns and barrels for six months before bottling are from nine different plots around the Moulin à Vent AOC. Robert Parker’s Wine Adovocate called it “a benchmark cuvée for the appellation, awarding a score of 93. The widely-traveled Rottiers launched the estate in Romanèche-Thorins in 2007, which had almost five acres of 40- to 80-year-old vines to build upon. In 2012, he became fully organic. $30.99 at wine.com.

H-town Happenings

* La Rioja Alta wine dinner – Truluck’s, Wednesday, May 25. $400. https://trulucks.com/la-rioja-alta-wine-dinner

* Wines from Rioja Experience – The Post Oak Hotel, Thursday, May 26. $199. localwineevents.com

* Five-Course Argentinian dinner paired with SERCA wines – Thursday, May 26, at Serca Wines tasting room. sercawines.com   

* The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase – The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, wrapping up Wine & Food Week – Saturday, June 11. $125. wineandfoodweek.com 

Follow me

* Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy

* Instagram: sportywineguy

* Twitter: @sportywineguy

* Facebook: Dale Robertson

Other folks to follow

* Sandra Crittenden (winelifehouston.com) – Sandra shares her story on aromatic white wines – German rieslings and Alsatian gewurztraminers, to name a couple – that she wrote for Galveston Monthly magazine.  

* Russ Kane (vintagetexas.com) – Russ explains in the ins and outs of Rioja while noting that its signature varietal, tempranillo, has been a huge hit in Texas, too.  

* Jeff Kralik (thedrunkencyclist.com) – Jeff features six wines from Oregon’s Willamette Valley that captured his attention in a recent Zoom tasting conducted by the Willamette Valley Wineries Association (WVWA) to showcase three of the region’s newest AVAs.     

* Jeremy Parzen (dobianchi.com)  – My podcast partner-in-crime contemplates Italian wines’ status in the American market these days.   

* Katrina Rene (thecorkscrewconcierge.com) – Kat gives us the lowdown on her favorite Texas rosés.

 

 

  

Jesse Katz with Mr. October

Astros owner Jim Crane readily admits he isn’t an overly engaged wine drinker personally, but he thought enough of one of his son Jared’s high school chums, Jesse Katz, to put serious money behind Katz’s Aperture wines (aperture-cellars.com), and the bet paid off big for all concerned. Aperture, which Katz launched in 2009, has earned widespread critical acclaim in recent years, so it stood to reason then that the Astros Foundation would eventually stage a charity wine event to showcase the powerful Aperture lineup.

The inaugural auction took place last month at Minute Maid Park with the added attraction of having three baseball Hall-of-Famers, former Astros Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio and “Mr. October,” Yankees legend Reggie Jackson, a good friend of Kane’s and an Astros consultant, sharing the stage with Katz. Collectively, and fittingly, they hit it out of the park, raising a cool $500,000 for the Foundation, whose “pillars,” Crane said, are “youth baseball, childhood cancer, military appreciation, homelessness and domestic violence.”

But Katz, who’s seemingly headed for anybody’s winemaking hall of fame given his career trajectory to date, threw everybody a curve ball. Although he’s best known for a stunning Malbec made under the Devil Proof label (devilproofvineyards.com) and his Aperture Cabernet Sauvignons, he changed up on the Astros’ behalf, conspiring with three top Russian River Valley vineyards to produce three very limited-edition pinot noirs that honored the three Hall-of-Famers. The wines, each made from a different French oak barrel, were aged for 16 months at Aperture’s new winery outside Healdsburg.       

“I have always loved making Pinot Noir,” Katz explained, “and when I was honored with the task of making wine for three Hall-of-Fame baseball players I wanted to get really creative and produce something unique, outside of Aperture’s normal portfolio. Pinot Noir is one of my favorite varieties.”      

Bottles signed by Bagwell, Biggio, Jackson, Crane and his wife Whitney were auctioned off during the festivities, which featured dishes prepared by Danny Thrace, executive chef at Crane’s Potente restaurant across from Minute Maid Park. Note that the wines can still be purchased, however, by contacting wineeventrsvp@astros.com.

“We are thrilled to add another exciting, special event to our Astros Foundation calendar,” Crane said. “We continue to be committed to investing in the Houston community and are very appreciative of our fans and corporate partners for supporting this event. It was an exciting night, and I am confident that our guests had a very special Astros experience. Baggy, Craig and Reggie were a big part of the event and we certainly appreciate their time.”

Katz, now 36, was once the youngest head winemaker in California when he took over at Lancaster Estate after having apprenticed in fabled cellars as diverse as Pétrus and Screaming Eagle. He grew up among the vines – mostly in Europe – when his famous photographer father Andy was on shooting assignments. Yep, that’s the “Aperture” connection.

Another Katz label is The Setting Wines (the settingwines.com). In case you missed it like I did, a six-liter bottle of same, the 2019 Glass Slipper Vineyard Cab – the fruit grows in Coombsville – sold for an all-time record $1 million at the Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s Carnivale Du Vin auction in New Orleans last Nov. 6.

As it happens, Katz will be back in town this week to celebrate the release of his 2019 Soil Series cabs, the first vintage to be produced at the winery, with a meet-and-greet at Potente that also includes a five-year vertical tasting of these Sonoma County gems. Since I’m ensconced in France for the next few weeks, I won’t be there. As we say here, “Tant pis!”

A terible reminder: Life ain’t fair

Mendy’s rose

In recent years, it seems wine folks have become my closest friends and confidents, whether they’re fellow bloggers, producers, wholesalers, merchants or just savvy drinkers with tastes similar to mine. They are my family. So this is a sad, sad time for me. My buddy Garvin Davis, an indispensable member of my Chronicle tasting panel almost from the beginning, lost his lovely wife Mendy suddenly last week. She was only 50. I can’t imagine Garvin’s grief, or that of their two young daughters, as they are forced to carry on without her.

I never got to spend as much time with Mendy as I would have loved – juggling a career as an M.D. Anderson radiologist and raising kids made her life wonderfully complicated – but I will long treasure the special times we spent together, particularly one fabulous Thanksgiving family feast and an intimate performance by creole jazz great Etienne Charles they hosted at their gorgeous home on behalf of Da Camera. Garvin and Mendy also paid a memorable visit to our Alpine retreat one summer, which ended with a lunch at our favorite albergo just over the border in Italy. Special times, those.

Every flower that we plant this spring – and there will be a lot of them – will pay homage to Mendy’s beauty, inside and out. Unlike her eye-surgeon husband, she didn’t intensely dissect wines, but she definitely shared his appreciation for them. It’s heartbreaking to think I won’t ever again be sharing a special bottle with the both of them.   

Sippin’ with Sporty

White

* 2020 Gérard Bertrand Change Sauvignon – Despite the bargain tariff, this bright, lively citrus-flavored aperitif-perfect wine is made from grapes grown in Pays d’Oc vineyards that are either already 100-percent organic or will be in the near future. Few larger producers in the world are as dedicated to biodynamic grape-growing as Bertrand, a former French rugby star whose father was a legendary vigneron in the Languedoc.  A similarly pleasing chardonnay-sauvignon blend also exists in the French market. $15.99 at wines.com

Rosé

* 2020 Chateau De Berne Inspiration Cotes de Provence – There’s a lot going on in this delightful classic Provençal pink from the 1,500-acre Berne estate about 25 inland from St. Tropez, near the village of Lorgues. You’ll taste a lovely mélange of herbs and fresh strawberries on the palate. Wine has been made on the property since the 18^th century. Today, it’s home to a five-star “Relais & Chateaux” hotel, among other amenities. $21.99 at wines.com

Red

* 2019 Turnbull Reserve Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon – I don’t normally tout wines at such a price point, which is well above my daily drinking price range, but this one was too good not to salute. showing what happens when a great vintage conspires with great terroir and great winemaking. You’ll have to pay a lot more to find a Napa cab that checks this many boxes. Five national critics gave it scores of 90 or higher, including a 95 from the Wine Enthusiast, who praised its “rich berry fruit adorned with a touch of molasses, dried herb and oak” and said it’s deliciously built for the long haul.” In other words, plan to lay the bottle, or bottles down, for a few years for maximum enjoyment. $109.99 at wine.com.

H-town Happenings

* A Spanish Fling with the Bierzo wines of Raúl Perez Pereira – Camerata, Tuesday, May 17. www.camerata.com

* Argentinian Chef’s five-course dinner and wine pairing  – Serca Wines Tasting Room, Wednesday, May 18, Thursday, May 19, Thursday, May 26. $235 ($195 for wine club members). http://www.sercawines.com

* Stroll Through Bordeaux Event – Ouisie’s Table, Thursday, May 19. $60 plus tax and gratuity. 713 528-2264.

* La Rioja Alta wine dinner – Truluck’s, Wednesday, May 25. $400. https://trulucks.com/la-rioja-alta-wine-dinner

* Wines from Rioja Experience – The Post Oak Hotel, Thursday, May 26. $199. localwineevents.com

* The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase – The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, wrapping up Wine & Food Week – Saturday, June 11. $125. wineandfoodweek.com 

Follow me

* Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy

* Instagram: sportywineguy

* Twitter: @sportywineguy

* Facebook: Dale Robertson

Other folks to follow

* Sandra Crittenden (winelifehouston.com) – Sandra shares her story on the multi-faceted pinot gris/grigio grape that she wrote for Galveston Monthly magazine.  

* Russ Kane (vintagetexas.com) – Russ checks in with Carl Money’s Pontotoc Vineyard in Mason County, singling out the 2020 Enchanted Rock Albariño for high praise.

* Jeff Kralik (thedrunkencyclist.com) – Jeff’s latest review of wines that have met his approval of late is an especially fun read. 

* Jeremy Parzen (dobianchi.com)  – My podcast partner in crime gives a shout-out to a detour-worthy natural wine shop he recently discovered in Palm Springs. Yes, Palm Springs.

* Katrina Rene (thecorkscrewconcierge.com) – In honor of Mother’s Day, Kat celebrates two respected mother-daughter wine-making teams.    

The Ceretto “Grape” and vineyards

Last week was super special because I visited the southern Rhone valley, which is to say grenache country. This is going to be a super special week because I’m making my first of what’s sure to be multiple treks over the Alps to Italy’s Piemonte, where nebbiolo reigns supreme. Grenache and nebbiolo are my go-to red grapes, folks, and that’s why, in a moment of momentary madness years ago, I decided to build a house that sits halfway between the two regions.

My visits come at a bittersweet juncture, though, because 2021 proved to be a miserable year in both locales. Devastating April frosts took a terrible toll on France’s grape-growers, while pockets of northwest Italy, which had also been badly impacted by unseasonably icy conditions well into the spring, also got hammered by late-summer hailstorms, a one-two punch that dramatically limited yields there as well.

Nonetheless, the few 2021 Rhone wines that I have been able to taste turned out swimmingly, particularly the Soubois Rosé and new white blend made under the same name by my friends at Domaine de Mourchon (domainedemourchon.com).  Its estate fruit fortuitously grows at a high-enough elevation to have survived the worst damage done to vineyards closer to the Rhone’s banks. And the current-release reds from 2019, at least those that I was able to sampled, checked all the boxes, too, showing ripe fruit and great concentration.

Nobody is going so far as to describe 2019 as an historically superb vintage, but there figures to be lots of excellent wines, particularly from the best producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. And 2020 is said to be across-the-board better, softening the blows of 2021 a bit.

How bad was last year in France? Overall, yields were the smallest in 40 years and represented an unprecedented 27-percent decline from the previous vintage. In Burgundy, the drop-off surpassed 50 percent. The Jura lost four-fifths of its fruit. The countrywide financial hit to vintners is said to have been more than $3 billion. In short . . . Zut alors!

But I’m expecting lots of happy talk from my friends in an around Alba regarding the aforementioned newly released Barolos and Barbarescos from 2018 and 2019 respectively, which I’ll be tasting for the first time. Regarding the latter, Cult Wines senior fine wine buyer Andre Marino calls 2019 “a fantastic vintage, with consistent weather and very few worrying climate events. Good yields and great quality meant the domains could work with perfect fruit across the whole appellation. Wines in the glass are deep and energetic with pure ripe fruit but without any of the excess (shown) by some of the recent warm vintages.”

As for the 2018 Barolos, described as classic, elegant and Burgundian in style, Matteo Sardagna Einaudi of Poderi Luigi Einaudi pretty much summed things up by saying, “the grapes were in excellent health in the vineyard thanks to the stable and sunny months of September and October. This allowed us to wait tranquilly for the harvest.”

Roberta

I’m especially looking forward to lunching Thursday at my favorite restaurant in Alba,  La Piola in the Piazza Duomo, with my oldest friend in the Langhe, Roberta Ceretto. A Barolo I’ve already got my sights set on trying is the Ceretto family’s Prapò, described by one critic as having “a fruity nose that tastes of cherry and strawberry, with hints of violet, licorice and nutmeg. In the mouth, the sip is wide and deep, the tannins well marked and the persistent finish still on the fruit and with a balsamic finishing note.”

If I ask nicely, perhaps she’ll bring a bottle for us to sample together. (Big toothy grin imoji here).

This is a good place to note that both the Mourchon family – Walter and Ronnie McKinlay and their daughter Kate – and the Cerettos are both harboring refugees from the Ukrainian catastrophe in their respective wineries’ guest quarters. No surprise this. That’s the kind of people they are.       

Sippin’ with Sporty

White

* 2020 Vermentino di Monteverro Toscana – From the Maremma region of Tuscany, it tastes of white peaches, grapefruit and green apples and you’ll love the expressive minerality. The handpicked grapes were whole-cluster pressed without malolactic fermentation and the wine then spent six months on the lees in stainless steel tanks. $19.97 at winechateau.com

Rosé

* 2020 Gerard Bertrand Gris Blanc – From the Tautavel neighborhood near Perpignan in France’s Pays d’Oc, it has become one of my favorite rosés for its freshness and expressive minerality (never mind its enticing price tag). The very pale pink hue is deceptive. It packs a big flavor punch. $14.99 at wine.com. Widely available in retail in Houston, too.     

Red

* 2018 Watermill Estate Merlot Walla Walla Valley – Walla Walla merlot rivals that from anywhere – really! – and this one is proof of same, offering vibrant plummy and black currant notes. The wine stayed on the skins for more than two weeks, undergoing additional maceration through punch-downs and pump-overs before going into barrels, new and medium toast French and American oak, for 12 to 16 months. It’s also a serious bargain for $30 at watermillwinery.orderport.net

H-town Happenings

* Brenners on the Bayou Wine Fest – Saturday, May 7. $125-$150. www.brennersfest.com

* A Spanish Fling with the Bierzo wines of Raúl Perez Pereira – Camerata, Tuesday, May 17. www.camerata.com

* Stroll Through Bordeaux Event – Ouisie’s Table, Thursday, May 19. $60 plus tax and gratuity. 713 528-2264.

* La Rioja Alta wine dinner – Truluck’s, Wednesday, May 25. $400. https://trulucks.com/la-rioja-alta-wine-dinner

* Wines from Rioja Experience – The Post Oak Hotel, Thursday, May 26. $199. localwineevents.com

* The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase – The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, wrapping up Wine & Food Week – Saturday, June 11. $125. wineandfoodweek.com 

Follow me

* Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy

* Instagram: sportywineguy

* Twitter: @sportywineguy

* Facebook: Dale Robertson

Other folks to follow

* Sandra Crittenden (winelifehouston.com) – Sandra shares her story on the multi-faceted pinot gris grape written for Galveston Monthly magazine.  

* Russ Kane (vintagetexas.com) – Russ reports on the wines of Farmhouse Vineyards in Johnson City.  

* Jeff Kralik (thedrunkencyclist.com) – Jeff reviews an eclectic mix of wines that have excited him of late.

* Jeremy Parzen (dobianchi.com)  – My podcast partner in crime shares his space with Davide Camoni, the laboratory director at Enoconsulting in Villa Pedergnano (Franciacorta) where some of the world’s most famous wines are tested. Camoni explains saccharomyces cerevisiae, which he calls “humankind’s best friend.” Why? You can find out here.  

* Katrina Rene (thecorkscrewconcierge.com) – Kat gets us up to speed on what’s going on in May vis-à-vis Texas’ vibrant wine scene.   

Sitting here staring at the freshly re-snow-capped peaks of France’s Southern Alps, which received a splendid late-April dusting Saturday evening, I still can’t help thinking about my next glass of rosé. I suppose it’s because I’ve been away from humid Houston for only a week. Then again, who said pink wine has to be seasonally specific, never mind geographically correct?

But geography, to be sure, does play a role because it’s impossible to not think about sipping rosé when you’re anywhere in the sunny South of France. This is the epicenter, no two ways about it. Note the photo below. That’s the rosé section in my neighborhood supermarket, which serves a town of about 3,500 people. And those are all French rosés, too. Pink wines from other locales would only provide unnecessary redundancy.

And one learns French rosé’s pecking order by studying the pricing structure of the “house” offerings, sold under Casino’s “Club des Sommeliers” brand. (Casino, by the way, is the store’s name; it’s NOT a gambling joint.) The Bandol is the only one that costs more than $12 a bottle, so the across-the-board value in this lineup is superb. Some sell for less than $5.

My go-to French rosés all come from the following neighborhoods. Look hard enough and you’ll find wines representing all of them in Houston.     

* Bandol – Mourvèdre, a grape that is said to need its head in the sun and its feet in the sea to fully express itself, is the prominent grape from this relatively small but prestigious costal region, where about 4,000 acres are under vine. These rosés tend to be more age-worthy and possess more nuanced layers of flavor. They are also darker in color than the grenache- and syrah-centric pink wines that dominate the rest of Provence.

* Côtes de Provence – It’s the largest of the southern AOCs, with some 50,000 acres under vine and 352 wineries plus 38 cooperatives producing 116 million bottles annually, more than 90 percent of which are rosé. Within the AOC, there are five designated sub-regions (DCGs): Sainte-Victoire in the west below the famed Mont Sainte-Victoire, Fréjus to the west of Cannes, LaLande along the coast just to the east of Toulon and the land-locked Notre Dame des Anges and Pierrefeu in the heart of the Var.  

* Coteaux de Aix-en-Provence – To the north and west of the town of Aix-en-Provence, it’s home to more than 10,000 acres of vineyards, 73 wineries and 12 cooperatives in the gorgeous countryside that Cézanne immortalized with his paintings, many of the aforementioned Mont Sainte-Victoire.

*Coteaux Varois – More than nine out of every 10 bottles from this hilly, calcareous sub-region of Provence are rosés. Twenty-eight communes surrounding the town of Brignoles (once home to the counts of Provence)  plus 11 cooperatives produce about 18 million total bottles of wine annually.  

* Luberon – Named for the mountain ridge that straddles the most evocative part of Provence, it’s perfectly situated between the Côtes du Rhone and the Côtes de Provence. Rosés account for about 40 percent of the wines made with grenache and cinsault the most prominent varietals in the blends.    

* Ventoux – It borders the Luberon to the west and, of course, surrounds the famous wind-whipped peak of the same name, the highest point between the Alps and the Pyrenees and the site of many epic Tour de France battles.  

* Corsica/Ile de Beauté – About 70 percent of the wines produced in Corsica, which may be part of France politically but often look more toward Italy emotionally, are rosés because that’s what the island’s vacationers most want to drink while on holiday. Grenache is widely planted, but two indigenous grapes, niellucciu and sciaccarellu, are moving to the fore in the making of the island’s unique pink wines.  

Kudos

Quilceda Creek, the Snohomish, Wash., winery known for its world-class cabernet sauvignon, recently released its first and – the winery insists – its last white wines for the sole purpose of raising funds for José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen “Chefs for Ukraine” program.

The Horse Heaven Hills Sauvignon Blanc and the Columbia Valley White, both 2020 vintages, sold out in less than hour after being offered to wine club members in a lottery April 20. The sale of the 80 cases (paired two-packs went for $250 each) plus a personal contribution from Quilceda Creek’s president and director of winemaking Paul Golitzin brought in $300,000 to support World Central Kitchen, which has been operating in 12 Ukranian cities and at eight border crossings into Poland since soon after the Russians’ brutal, unprovoked invasion began. It’s also providing produce and dry goods to restaurants around the country to supplement a horribly strained food supply chain.

“José Andrés and the work he’s doing with World Central Kitchen is a true beacon of what can be accomplished for the sake of humanity,” Golitzin said.” Today, the journey that so many displaced Ukrainians face is daunting, with countless individuals and families traveling for days without food. We are humbled to be able to support Chef Andrés and his team who have been working around the clock to serve thousands of meals every day.”

For a “rookie” white winemaker, Golitzin succeeded spectacularly, it would seem. Vinous awarded his white blend 97 points and the sav blanc 95. Nonetheless, he insists they will be one-off offerings only.

Quilceda Creek was founded by Golitzin’s parents, Alex and Jeannette, in 1978 with the first vintage released in 1979. Alex’s inspiration came from his many visits to Napa Valley in his youth. It seems his maternal uncle was a fellow named André Tchelistcheff, arguably the dean of American winemaking. Paul joined forces with his dad as winemaker in 1992.

Sippin’ with Sporty

White

* 2019 McBride Sisters “The Great Escape” Reserve Chardonnay – From the Santa Lucia Highlands not far from Monterey Bay, it’s an elegant under-oaked California chard. The devil you say! A beautiful wine with its superb minerality and a beautiful back story. Re the label, Robin McBride explains: “When I was a baby, my mom drove our bright red Volkswagon bug up the Pacific Coast Highway from LA to a small town called Monterey. This is where I fell in love with vineyards and winemaking.” $49.99 at mcbridesisters.com

Rosé

* 2020 Domaine de Mourchon Loubié – I’ve drunk more of this rosé, from Seguret in the Côtes du Rhone, than any other pink wine. It’s not even close. The Loubié  never disappoints and it’s still under $19 at Spec’s. At the winery, where I’m happily headed this week, it’s under $10. Woo hoo!!!  domainedemourchon.com  

Red

* 2016 Duchman Family Vineyards Aglianico – Speaking of wines that never disappoint, this Tex-Italian gem can hold its own with the best Italy’s Campania has to offer. It ain’t braggin’ if it’s true, right? Chewy tannins and juicy cooked red fruit take center stage. $40 at duchmanwinery.com

 H-town Happenings

* Wine and Cheese pairing workshop, benefiting Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – Thursday, April 28. SERCA Wines Tasting Room. www.sercawines.com

* Sonoma County Wine Fest – Kemah Boardwalk, Kemah. Saturday, April 30. https://sonomawinegrape.org

* Brenners on the Bayou Wine Fest – Saturday, May 7. www.brennersfest.com

Follow me

* Twitter: @sportywineguy

* Instagram: sportywineguy

* Facebook: Dale Robertson

* Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy

Folks to follow

And their recent postings:

* Sandra Crittenden (winelifehouston.com) – Sandra examines the many wines made from the pinot grigio/pinot gris grape.  

* Russ Kane (vintagetexas.com) – Russ suggests a stop at Hye Meadow Winery in the Hill Country, where the 2017 Boooom red blend was made. It’s the wine that won top Texas honors in the 2022 Houston Rodeo Uncorked International Wine Competion.  

* Jeff Kralik (thedrunkencyclist.com) – Jeff offers up the best “random samples” for under $20 that he has tasted recently.

* Jeremy Parzen (dobianchi.com) – My podcast partner in crime brags – justifiably – about his wine list at Roma having earned the Villa Sandi Best Contemporary Wine List Award from the Gambero Rosso, which recently visited Houston for a big trade tasting at Minute Maid Park. But, sadly, Parzen is no longer affiliated with the Italian restaurant in Rice Village.   

* Katrina Rene (thecorkscrewconsierge.com) – In honor of Earth Day, Kat raises a glass to sustainably produced wines from five different regions. 

   

Returning to the tennis beat for 10 days has gotten in the way of my wine blogging. But, having said that, there’s no place I’d rather spectate than at River Oaks Country Club, where Riley Opelka won the Fayez Sarofim & C. U. S. Men’s Clay Court Championship over John Isner in a compelling battle of the biggest men in tennis. So, no I’m not complaining. I had a splendid time.      

Now, however, lacking a lead wine topic, I’m stealing one today straight from the Houston Chronicle, written by Annie Blanks, who covers Texas for the Report for America program working out of the San Antonio Express News, the Chron’s partner Hearst paper. Blanks did an excellent job of summing up what the wine industry has meant for the Hill Country in the 21^st century.

Her most eye-popping fact? In 2011, there were 35 winery permits active in the region. By 2021, there were 254. Spirit production has grown exponentially, too. Five distilleries had active permits in 2011. By 2021, the number had grown to 71. Breweries have increased from five to 49 over the same time frame. More than 1,500 acres are under vine today, compared to 450 a decade ago.  

Banks’ closing quote was given to her by my friend Bob Young, the Bending Branch Estate owner. Asked why things have gone so swimmingly for his property near Comfort, he replied: “The elevation is higher here, the drainage is good and the soil is good for growing grapes. Plus, it’s beautiful.” He is, of course, correct on all counts.

I’ll be catching up with Young and others in the Texas Fine Wine group via a Zoom tasting Thursday night that’s being hosted locally by my buddy and fellow blogger, Russ Kane, a.k.a., the Texas Wine Slinger. Can’t wait.          

Sippin’ with Sporty

White                                                                                       

* 2020 Wander & Ivy Chardonnay California – The concept seems gimmicky, but it works. Each of the stylish glass bottles represents a hearty pour and all the wines, made from organically grown grapes sourced from a variety of locations,  are quite good, although it was the chardonnay that impressed me the most. It’s light, bright  and flavorful, perfect for H-town this time of the year. $63.92 for eight single-serve bottles at wanderandivy.com.

Rosé

* 2020 Saint-Pierre de Mejans Cuvée 1118 – This classic Provençal pink, a complex five-grape blend from the Luberon that was made with the saignee method, had long been one of my favorites before it acquired a Houston connection. Wendy Heineken Gobbi, who grew up in Kingwood, and her husband Jean-Marc purchased the historic property a couple years ago but retained winemaker Brice Doan de Champassak, whose family was the previous owner. The 1118 references the year that historical records first mention the ancient abbey. $19 through aocselections.com

www.aocselections.com 

Red

* 2019 Goldeneye Pinot Noir Anderson Valley – Duckhorn’s Goldeneye lineup never disappoints. The dark fruit expresses itself beautifully. It’s a savory and elegant wine that also offers a good bit of value. The vineyards, first harvested in 1997, are in the heart of the Anderson Valley, prime pinot noir country. The property is flown over annually by the migrating Goldeneye ducks, hence the name. $61 at wine.com goldeneyewinery.com

H-town happenings

* Tango & Malbec – Saturday, April 16, at SERCA Tasting Room, 447 Heights Blvd. $50 club members, $65 non-club members. http://www.sercawines.com

* Chateau Montelena wine dinner – Thursday, April 21, at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, 5061 Westheimer. https://www.delfriscos.com/event/chateau-montelena-wine-dinner/?ref=lwe

* Katy Sip N Stroll – Saturday, April 23, at the ARK by Norris Event Center, supporting the Ballard House. $65-$95. https://www.foodandvinetime.com/events

* Wine and cheese pairing workshop benefiting Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – Thursday, April 28, 5-7 p.m. at SERCA Tasting Room, 447 Heights Blvd. $50 per person minimum contribution. http://www.sercawines.com

* Ashes & Diamonds dinner– Thursday, April 28, at the Rainbow Lodge. $195 plus tax and gratuity. marc.borel@rainbow-lodge.com

Jock shorts

Remember Tony Parker? Of course you do. The French star won four championships as a San Antonio Spur and routine broke the Rockets’ hearts. Now, he’s in the wine business, having partnered with the famed entrepreneur Michel Reybier who launched the tony La Réserve hotel chain and also owns several prestigious wineries, including the classed-grow property Cos d’Estournel in Bordeaux’s St. Éstephe AOC.

It’s Reybier’s recently acquired Provençal winery, Château La Mascaronne, that Parker will be hands-on with. These delightful wines from the Var were first imported to Houston by French Country Wines in Rice Village under the previous owner, the personable American Tom Bové, who had put Miraval on the map before selling that winery to, yes, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

The village of Le Duc, where La Mascaronne occupies about a 100 hectares (60 under vine), is only a couple hours from my place in the Ubaye Valley, so at some point I hope to wander down to catch up with Parker. If he puts up a rim – if? – maybe we’ll shoot some hoops, too.   

Follow me

* Twitter: @sportywineguy

* Instagram: sportywineguy

* Facebook: Dale Robertson

* Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy

Folks to follow

* Sandra Crittenden (winelifehouston.com) – In a piece for Galveston Monthly, Sandra goes deep with the pinot gris grape and its many expressions, both stylish and geographic. 

* Russ Kane (vintagetexas.com) – The Texas Wineslinger features the Texas Heritage Vineyard, owned by Susan and Billy Johnson and located on the Route 290 Wine Trail just east of Fredericksburg.

* Jeff Kralik (thedrunkencyclist.com) – With Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine becoming more horrific by the day, Jeff writes about contemplating deathon Open That Bottle Night. A must read!

* Jeremy Parzen (dobianchi.com) – My podcast partner in crime, now the former wine director for Roma in the village after what appears to have been a contentious parting, recounts his love affair with Vinitaly, which he won’t be attending this year. He also noteed that, on Monday, April 11, on the occasion of the Vinitaly wine trade fair in Verona, the Brunello Consortium, in partnership with the Chianti Classico and Bolgheri consortia, will be holding an auction of large formats and prized vintages to benefit Ukrainian refugees in Italy. The event, “Vini per la Pace” (“Wines for Peace”), will include 30 rare lots.