Wine Taster’s Choice

Tain L’ Hermitage, France – Within the heartland of Southern France, in the so-called French Alps Rhone Valley region of France, seven generations, dating back to 1808, have built up one of the most magnificent viniculture domains along the lengthy Rhone River of southern France – the Maison M. Chapoutier. In 1990, "the House of Chapoutier" began to be managed by the young and energetic Michel Chapoutier, who is credited with revolutionizing, to be more exact, revitalizing the old-fashioned classic French wines.

Stuart Walton, author of The Complete Guide to Wine, said, "Overshadowed for centuries by Bordeaux and Burgundy, the Rhone Valley is nonetheless the source of formidable spicy, rich reds and intriguing whites from its two distinct areas – the Syrah-dominated north and the mixed culture of the south."

As founder of the OB Montessori Institute of Culinary Service, I had to personally observe the agricultural science of viniculture. Christophe Thomas, the Asian director for the Chapoutier conglomerate of wines paved the way after I met him in a lovely French lunch party at Mandarin Hotel’s Le Cheval Blanc given by Tita Trillo. Of course, the meal was capped by Chapoutier wines: vin blanc "La Bernardine" and vin rouge "La Petite Ruche."

The Boom In Wine Consumption

I have noted the enormous boom in wine consumption that is taking place not only in the English-speaking world but also in Japan. Once the exclusive preserve of the cultural elite even kept cellars of both French and Italian wines. Today, wine is available in supermarkets and wine store chains. Above all customers get wine from Chile, Brazil, Greece and Eastern Europe not only from California and Australia but also from South Africa. These countries’ vineyards raise the basic variety of white grapes (Chardonnay) and the reds (Cabernet Sauvignon partnered with Merlot). It is difficult to raise and to vinify Pinot Noir for red wines. From Australia, Semillon grapes, the source of the rich golden Sauternes and from Germany, the Reisling grapes and finally, the noblest red variety Syrah (Shiraz in Australia) and the fashionable Grenache. The last two are grapes Chapoutier raises in most of their vineyards that cuts cross from the northern Rhone close to the French Alps down to southern Rhone towards the Avignon area where the Rhone River flowed.

Wine consumption was boosted as well with the pioneering work of Dr. Serge Renaud, a nutritionist from Lyon proved that red wine unblocks the cholesterol build up of the arteries of people with coronary heart disease.

A Pilgrimage To The Vineyards Of Shiraz And Grenache

As Christophe suggested, I spent the weekend in the gastronomic and historical city of Lyon, as well as the birthplace of the author of The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Early Monday morning, I took the train to Tain L’Hermitage, the Chapoutier’s headquarters, winery, stockroom and main wine boutique. A few kilometers from Tain, I saw hills and hills of vineyards marked by the giant names of Chapoutier, Jaboulet, Giugal among others. Then, there was Christophe waiting at the peach-colored train station. He drove me past other peach-colored buildings, one of which was an elegant store and office building marked Chapoutier. Around the corner was my hotel, Le Pavillon. Bouquets, flower topiaries shaped like cars, hedges of flowers decorated the spic and span quiet town. Majority of the residents were employees in the wine business or the large chocolate factory of the town.

The Maison M. Chapoutier has spread and diversified within the heartland of the Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Ardeche, Cote-Rotie, Condrieu, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Banyuls, Coteaus d’aox, Tricastin and Roussillon appellations. These geographic names have become part of their wine labels. Chapoutier now owns 80 hectares in Melbourne producing French wine with a fruity long aftertaste using Syrah grape, referred to as Shiraz by Australians.

Wine Tasting

At first, Christophe Thomas demonstrated the art of wine tasting. A gentle swirling action of the hand is sufficient to produce quite a vigorous wave in the glass. Sniff lightly and long with the nose lightly below the rim of the glass. Take a good mouthful of the wine in order to coat all surfaces of the mouth with it. Then, spit the wine in the bucket.

The first wine was Belleruche white, then red from Cotes du Rhone, which are both everyday wines. Next were Les-Mesonniers white and red from Crozes-Hermitage. Les Becasses from Cote Rotie followed which means a bird or carefree girl. Upper grade Condrieu is preferred by the British. Chante Alouette from the Hermitage vineyards was followed by Muscat des Beaumes de Venise, which is light and sweet and often drunk with desserts. De L’Oree or golden is a rare vintage marsanne wine 60 to 70 years old.

This experience prepared me for the daily trips we made to five major plantations from North to South Rhone. Christophe makes these visits weekly if he is not visiting clients in Asia. All our lunches and dinners were always accompanied by appropriate top of the line Chapoutier wines. He was most apologetic though for the sudden downpour of rain we encountered but most specially the hailstorm that snarled the traffic in the highway of Hermitage. This chilled his heart for it could destroy their vintage of 2002.