We had not seen Vicenzo and Valerie since last year, before we moved to Sao Paulo, so there was a lot to catch up on when we finally met them last week. Dinner at their home is always an agreeable affair - not only for the great company and marvellous food and wine but also the array of languages being spoken: They speak to each other and to their kids in Italian and French, to Baby Koala's older brother in German and English, to Emilio in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese (smatterings of which I'm proud to say I can now understand), to Baby Koala in baby Italian and to me in English. I love it.
We drank Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Mas Saint-Louis (2010). A blend of predominantly Grenache grape mixed with Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre/Picpoul, it paired really well with our main course of sautéed beef served on a delightful bed of rocket dressed with vinaigrette, mixed with Parmesan shavings. Emilio is not a big fan of french wine, believing that they are more often than not, too acidic and overpriced, especially when compared to spanish wines. This wine which tasted fruity, balanced and soft and retailing at c.Euro18 thus proved to be an exception with him.
Wiki tells me that "Châteauneuf-du-Pape" in English means "new castle of the pope" and came to be when the papacy relocated to the South East of France to Avignon, near the River Rhône in the 14th century (here is a simplified wine map for France). It is also the first Appellation Contrôlée established in France, in 1932. Under the current rules of the appellate, the medieval village is allowed to use 18 types of grapes however the most popular grape is Grenache. It is uncommon though to find Châteauneuf-du-Pape made from 100% Grenache because it has high alcohol content and lacks complexity. For this reason, producers tend to blend them with other grapes such as Syrah, Clairette and Mourvedre.
Interestingly, the wine produced from this region (predominantly red), is said to taste less acidic because of the presence of 'galets' or stones in the terrain which releases the Mediterranean heat stored during the day into the vines at night, thus hastening the ripening process. This is in contrast to grapes from cool climates which tend to ripen slower and are typically harvested with higher acid content and lower sugar level.
Interestingly, the wine produced from this region (predominantly red), is said to taste less acidic because of the presence of 'galets' or stones in the terrain which releases the Mediterranean heat stored during the day into the vines at night, thus hastening the ripening process. This is in contrast to grapes from cool climates which tend to ripen slower and are typically harvested with higher acid content and lower sugar level.
I could not find much information in English about the bodega or domain of Mas Saint Louis (owned by the Geniest Family since 1909). There are some nuggets from this site which is dedicated to all things related to Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
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