France is the largest wine producing country in the world. The history of French wine traces back to Roman times. French wine is controlled by the AOC system, Appellation d'Origine Controlee. This system guides as to what grapes are allowed to be grown in each region. The system was created using hundreds of years of growing history and the use of terroir. Terrior is a French wine term that encapsulates all the variables that apply to a wine's tastes…such as soil, climate, and the area the grape is grown.
France is home to many grapes that have now been cloned throughout the world. Not only have France's grapes been replicated, but so have their wine making styles. Even though they are the strongest player in the wine producing world, they now have competition from the new world wine producing countries.
Harmonious, fresh and clean aromas of fresh apple, lemon, orange blossom, white flower. Pure, crisp, silky and fine texture. Ripe fruit flavors and good acidity.
The vines are 40-45 years old of age on average. All of the wines are 100% barrel fermented and 100% M-L fermentation
Excellent with poultry served with a creamy sauce. (The locals enjoy it with Poulet de Bresse / Bresse Chicken).
Saumaize Michelin Pouilly Fusse Premier Cru La Marechaude is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
A beautiful Pouilly-Fuisse from "La Marechaude" parcel that Saumaize-Michelin acquired in 2013. Planted on clay and limestone slopes and hand harvested, this Chardonnay offers fresh and elegant notes of white flowers, crisp, citrus and exotic fruits. Powerful and mineral on the palate with a fantastic balance, finesse and freshness. The exceptional terroir brings minerality and juicy flavors of stone fruits, peach and melon supported by subtle toasty notes.
It is now a Premier Cru.
Jasper Morris - Inside Burgundy 94 Points
Saumaize Michelin Pouilly-Fuisse Pentacrine made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The name Pentacrine is derived from a small marine star-shaped fossil found in some soils on the Vergisson rock - the emblem of the estate. The cuvee is a blend of grapes from five different parcels of the Vergisson rock planted on scratched limestone. It is vinified in large barrels (demi-muids) in order to enhance the freshness of the wine.
Tropical and citrus fruit aromas and mineral character are followed by complex citrus and apple flavors balanced by a refreshing acidity. A deliciously pure and fresh white wine.
Saumaize Michelin Pouilly-Fuisse Ronchevats is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Powerful and warm wine offering quince and sweet fruit aromas. Thick and toasty. Rich and well textured.
Review:
"The 2020 Pouilly-Fuissé Les Ronchevats, which comes from Triassic clay soils, has a slightly more honeyed bouquet and as such, maybe does not quite transfer the terroir as much as the Domaine's other cuvées. The palate is actually better than the nose, quite saline and energetic, very focused with a lovely bitter edge emerging towards the finish. Maybe the aromatics will up their game in bottle? Give it a couple of years.
- Neal Martin" - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (August 2022), 90+ pts
Saumaize-Michelin Macon Vergisson Cru Sur La Roche is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Harmonious, fresh and clean aromas of fresh apple, lemon, orange blossom, white flower. Pure, crisp, silky and fine texture. Ripe fruit flavors and good acidity.
Saumaize-Michelin Macon Vergisson Cru Sur La Roche is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Harmonious, fresh and clean aromas of fresh apple, lemon, orange blossom, white flower. Pure, crisp, silky and fine texture. Ripe fruit flavors and good acidity.
Force Majeure Epinette is made from 79% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot .
Epinette is Force Majeure's Right-bank Bordeaux-inspired blend, and was named after an avenue in Libourne (France) that leads to Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, the home of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Epinette is also the name of a musical instrument akin to a piano, as well as a word for pine tree, which is a fitting nod to their home in Washington state.
The wine itself is a blend of primarily Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, proportions of which change depending on the vintage. The Merlot and Cabernet Franc are grown in lower areas of the vineyard with deep, well-drained soils, much less rocky than the soils of our Rhone varietals.
Review:
The 2018 Epinette is the Merlot-dominated release from this team, and it's 79% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, all from the estate vineyard on Red Mountain. Lots of smoky black cherry and darker currant fruits as well as notes of chocolate, graphite, lead pencil, and chalky minerality emerge from the glass, and this full-bodied beauty is beautifully textured, with a stacked mid-palate, velvety tannins, and a blockbuster finish. It's up with the finest Merlots in the New World and will drink brilliantly for at least a decade, if not longer.
Previously known as Grand Reve, Force Majeure has skyrocketed to the top of the pyramid in Washington State, in no small part due to their talented winemaker, Todd Alexander, who moved from Bryant Family in Napa to Washington State to focus on this estate. While the focus is on their Red Mountain Vineyard, they make a bevy of world-class wines from throughout the Columbia Valley. Anyone doubting the quality coming from Washington State these days owes it to themselves to try these wines.
-Jeb Dunnuck 97 Points
Michelet Petit Chablis is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Golden color. White flowers, fresh, lime and citrus aromas. Pleasant mouthfeel, supple, crisp, fruity flavors.
Machine harvested at full maturity (around Sep. 25th - lasts 12-18 days); pneumatic press; fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for 8-10 days; M.L (2 months after the harvest); aging on the lees until February; racking; fining if necessary; cold stabilization; filtration right before bottling in April.
Ideal as an aperitif, the wine is an excellent companion to seafood.