This week, when I went to the store late in the evening to select my Wine Wednesday pick, I have to say, I found the location I visited to be notably lacking. There were many aisles and/or sections of aisles that were picked over and some bottles were either completely, or almost completely, sold out. I have to be honest, I was left scratching my head, wondering what was going on…….

And then it dawned on me…….Thanksgiving, of course!

With (Canadian) Thanksgiving and the associated long weekend just around the corner, people are clearly heading to the stores and getting stocked up. I’m assuming this pertains to all food and drink categories, but I especially noticed it in the liquor store. After all, you gotta have your wine with your Thanksgiving meal, people! :))

So, all this to say, I was intrigued by the bottles that seemed to be flying off the shelves. The wine I picked was one such wine, with only two bottles left in the entire store at the time of purchase.

I’ve got to say - this is a wine that I may or may not have picked of my own volition. Something about it just probably wouldn’t gave caught my eye. Even though I love the producer. Why, you ask? Well, though I recognize (and love) the producer, I didn’t really understand the label at first. It didn’t read the way I expected it to given the producer is a well-known name in the Burgundy wine scene. Of course, once I got it home and had a chance to do some research, I understood why (more on that below).

Let me state at the outset that I didn’t love this wine. But it does have some good things going for it. Intrigued? Awesome - intrigue is what I like to generate, for both you and myself, with my wine picks…..

That said, let’s get into this week’s pick!

2018 Louis Latour Domaine de Valmoissine Pinot Noir

This week’s wine comes from Provence, France. You’ll soon see that this is a very interesting and unusual wine to be coming from this beautiful sun-drenched ocean-side region of France. Read on to learn everything you need to know about this wine.

What does this wine cost?

$20/bottle.

What in the (wine) world is……Domaine de Valmoissine?

If you’re wine savvy, you might have already guessed that Domaine de Valmoissine is the name of an estate.

Where does this wine come from?

This wine comes from the Var IGP, which is a region in Provence, France.

Why is this wine unique?

This wine is a Pinot Noir, and Pinot Noir is definitely not a grape that is abundantly associated with Provence. Provence is generally thought to be the land of rose wine (though this is certainly not the only style of wine made there!). It is also a very warm climate, and Pinot Noir loves cooler climates - hence, the cognitive dissonance that first occurred for me when I started looking into this wine.

However, one might say that its saving grace is that it is made by one of Burgundy’s largest and most renowned producers, Louis Latour. Because if anyone knows how to make good Pinot Noir, it’s undoubtedly the folks in Burgundy! But the bigger saving grace is actually the site upon which Domaine de Valmoissine, which is owned by Louis Latour, is located.

Previously a monastery, this site is located at 500m above sea level which affords the vineyard plenty of warm sunshine, coupled with cool nights and vast diurnal swings (providing the perfect conditions for Pinot Noir). The soils also contain considerable limestone. All of this, combined with the name behind this wine, definitely makes for a good case for an exceptional value Pinot Noir.

Who makes this wine?

As noted above, this wine is made by the mega-Burgundian giant, Louis Latour. Generally speaking, when you see a wine by Louis Latour, you can be guaranteed a well made wine. This particular domaine and wine is one of Louis Latour’s forays into regions outside of Burgundy, as they seek lower cost options to bring more value-centric, entry level wines to consumers.

A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):

Variety - 100% Pinot Noir

Vine age - 15 years

Soil Type - clay and limestone

Harvest - handpicked and mechanical

Vinification - fermented in open vats; aged in stainless steel for 10-12 months

ABV - 13.5%

Residual Sugar - 2 g/L

My tasting notes:

Made in a decidedly Burgundian style, this wine opens up with a brownish-red appearance and a very thin, almost see-through consistency. The nose is very inviting, with invigorating aromas of red fruit and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is light-bodied and lithe - almost to the point of being slippery. Notes of cherries, red currants, pomegranate and herbs are evident.

Aging potential:

Drink now.

Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:

Pair this wine with charcuterie to get the most out of it. I could see it potentially pairing well with turkey as well, depending on how the sides are seasoned.

Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 85 points

The overall package is elegant and there are some very interesting aspects to this wine. However, the overall presence of the wine is just a little too light in my view, which causes it to feel a bit disjointed. This wine doesn’t have the gravitas I was hoping it would, considering who makes it.

If you’re located in Ontario, you can find this wine at the LCBO under Product #714451.

FINAL VERDICT:

Personally, I think there are other Pinot Noirs that have more to offer at this price point. However, if you are looking for a true entry level foray into French Pinot Noir made in a Burgundian style, this is the wine for you. It’s also a good chance to see what Pinot Noir from Provence tastes like.

If you’ve tried this wine already, or decide to pick it up and try it after reading this post, I’d love to hear from you and hear what you think of it! Please do drop me a line.

Until next time, wishing you love, light and of course - good wine! :)

Cheers!

XOXO

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