2009 Chapoutier’s “Belleruche”
Purchasing French wine can be not only intimidating, but also extremely confusing.
Quality of vintage (year of release) can vary drastically from year to year in Burgundy, while age is very important in Bordeaux, as you will be be sorely disappointed if you open one up when it is too young.
But the Rhône (roan) River Valley located in the south of France might just be the perfect place to start your journey.
Although widely considered less prestigious than Bordeaux or Burgundy, the Rhône produces delicious wine whose rusticity expresses the heart and soul of French winemaking.
No baby to the industry, M. Chapoutier is regarded as one of the best producers in the Rhône owning vineyards in all of its major viticulture areas and has a history of winemaking dating back to 1808.
You might recognize Chapoutier’s labels in wine stores because they will be the only ones with Braille, or seeing impaired friendly text on them. This is in dedication to a blind member of a family that originally owned one of Chapoutiers most prized vineyards.
Also of note is their vineyards commitment to sustainably, the wines of Chapoutier are all produced using the biodynamic method.
This practice encourages natural methods of farming and vinification with respect for soil and plant sustainability and recognizes the farm as its own individual and evolving entity.
Essentially, the grapes are grown and the wine is made with as little unnatural interference as possible.
Chapoutier’s most well known wines are red, but its passion for creating food friendly elegant white wines is also notable.
One of their most affordable and widely available whites is the “Belleruche” White Côtes-Du-Rhône. (CDR).
The term Côtes-Du-Rhône (coat-doo-roan) literally meaning hills or slopes of the Rhône, refers to both red and white wines made by the blending of grapes native to the Southern part of the Rhône River Valley.
The 2009 vintage of Chapoutier’s “Belleruche” CDR is a quality French white with a modest sale price of $10.99.
It is a blend of Grenache Blanc (gren- osh-blonk), Clairette (clair-ett), and Bourboulenc (burr-boo-lonk).
The wine has a pale straw yellow color, with scents of citrus fruits and honey on the nose. The smell also entices you with verve of intense minerality, something I have grown to love and expect from French white wine.
The flavor is clean and full showcasing bright citrus and minerals. Exceptional acidity is most definitely felt in the mouth making the wine an excellent pairing with seafood and rich creamy cheeses such as chevre, or goat cheese. The acidity is so lively it is almost effervescent or bubbly on the tongue.
The taste is followed by tart and lasting acidity with a finish of medium length bearing hints of lemons and limes.
Satisfying and easily drinkable, the wine went quite well with the Creole Sausage and Shrimp Stew my own Sweetie and I had prepared for dinner. Still I found myself longing for a dollop of rich creamy goat cheese to heighten the already tasty pairing.
I rate the wine at 83 points out of 100, which is just about in line with its cost.
With proprietary or producer name being the single most important factor in determining the quality of wine, M. Chapoutier is a name that can always be trusted in the Rhône River Valley of southern France.
Some other well-known Rhône producers are E. Guigal, Paul Jaboulet Aîné, and Jean Louis Chave. Picking up a good French white wine at your local wine shop doesn’t have to be a nerve-racking experience.
If you fear trying to pronounce Sauternes and Graves in Bordeaux remember the s’s are silent. And if you’re perturbed by the gargantuan price of Grand Cru Chablis, perhaps journey south to try the wines of the “unsung hero” of French wine known as the Rhône. It will be impossible to miss the wines of Chapoutier, even if you’re blind.
