Ever Wonder? What is Blanc de Blancs?

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Have you ever seen a bottle of sparkling wine that has “Blanc de Blancs” on the label and wondered what it is?

Well, Blanc de Blancs is a term from the Champagne region in France. It is used to refer to champagne produced entirely from white grapes, most commonly Chardonnay. Other grapes such as Pinot Blanc and Arbane are also permitted to be used, as well as a number of other varieties, but they are less common.

Blanc de Blancs is different from the majority of champagnes that are made with a traditional blend of white and red grapes, usually Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier.

It is also different from Blanc de Noirs champagne, which is produced exclusively from black (noir) grapes such as Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Blanc de Blancs champagnes are typically lighter, drier, and fruitier than Blanc de Noirs while Blanc de Noir wines can be richer with a fuller body.

Blanc de Blancs sparkling wines are produced in two sub-regions of Champagne France - Cote des Blanc and Cote de Sezanne.

Blanc de Blancs sparkling wines are made in the Champagne region of France using the traditional ‘Methode Champenoise’ where the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle.

So, next time you see Blancs de Blancs you’ll know it’s made entirely from white grapes! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon

2020 Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon ($20)

This wine began life in the first vineyard planted by the Bousquet family in 2000, after their arrival from France. In the high desert of Uco Valley in Argentina’s Mendoza region, the site captured the family’s imagination based on its sandy soil (low-fertility sandy soil makes for elegant wines) and its access to water. The grapes for this wine are the last to be harvested, ensuring more richness and body.

The organic grapes were hand-harvested along with careful hand selection of the clusters and grapes. It was cold macerated for 72 to 96 hours. Fermentation was with selected yeast for 12 days along with 20 days of maceration. It then underwent 100% Malolactic Conversion before being aged in French oak for 10 months.

This Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Malbec. It is deep purple in color with big aromas of dark fruits, vanilla and a bit of pepper. On the palate, this wonderful full-bodied dry wine has dark fruit flavors, medium-high tannin and hints of oak. It finishes nicely.

It’s hard to find a Cabernet Sauvignon of this quality at this price. That’s why it’s featured as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Alcohol by Volume: 15%, Acidity: 5.92 g/L/ pH 3.62, Residual Sugar: 2.9 g/L

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Domaine Bousquet (via Creative Palate Communications)

Your Oaked Wine May Have Never Been in an Oak Barrel!

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Oak is used extensively in winemaking during fermentation and aging. It can add flavor compounds – including aromas of vanilla, clove, smoke and coconut.

Oak barrels also allow the slow ingress of oxygen – a process which makes wine taste smoother and less astringent.

Oak barrels also provide a great environment for certain reactions to occur, specifically Malolactic Conversion.

While oak wine barrels are made of French, American and Hungarian oak, they are all expensive. And they only impart flavor to wines during their first two to three uses, after which they are considered ‘neutral.’

So, to get the oak flavors without all the cost, some wines are made with oak chips, oak cubes, oak staves and even oak powder. Using these oak barrel alternatives allows wine makers to use less expensive containers (e.g., Stainless Steel tanks) and still get the desired oak flavors. After the wine has had the necessary time in contact with the chips, cubes, staves or powder, they are physically removed or filtered out and consumers never know the difference.

This may seem ‘wrong’ to many wine purists, but it is allowing winemakers to produce oak flavors in their wines at considerably lower costs. And, studies have been done that show consumers can’t tell the difference. Wine labels don’t tell us the difference, but if oak alternatives are used, and you enjoy the wine, then I’d say the winemaker succeeded! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Gaia Malbec Nouveau

2022 Gaia Malbec Nouveau ($20)

Gaia, the Greek goddess of the earth, has been the Domaine Bousquet family's inspiration since founding their winery in 1997 when they pioneered and cleared virgin land in the high reaches of Tupungato's Gualtallary district.

There are several factors that differentiate Domaine Bousquet’s vineyards and their terroir:

• The near constant breezes from the Andes to the west which help mitigate heat-stress in this desert-like climate, with its huge day/night temperature differentials,

• The sandy soils result in low fertility for desirable vine stress and yet are permeable for good drainage. In addition,

• The prevalence of groundwater, with rainfall averaging a scant 8-inches or less per year, groundwater from Andes snowmelt is vital to irrigate the vines drop-by-drop.

This Gaia Malbec Nouveau from Domaine Bousquet is produced from 100% Malbec. It undergoes Carbonic maceration which is a fermentation process where the whole bunches of grapes are placed into a tank without de-stemming. The atmosphere within the fermentation tank is saturated with carbon dioxide while fermentation begins naturally. Once fermentation begins, the weight of the fermenting grapes crushes the surrounding grapes, releasing juices that are also fermented and macerated for 10 days. The wine then goes through a press to separate it from the grape skins and sediments. Finally, a second yeast fermentation takes place to complete the process.

This Gaia Malbec Nouveau is pale purple in color with aromas of red fruit, boysenberry and bubblegum. On the palate this unique medium bodied dry wine has bright red fruit flavors and medium-low tannin and has a wonderful floral finish.

This is a Limited Edition wine from Domaine Bousquet so you’ll be in for a real treat if you can get your hands on this one! And, at the price it’s a really good value too, making it a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week! Cheers!

14.5% Alcohol by Volume, Acidity 4.95 g/L, pH 3.63, Residual Sugar 0.93 g/L

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Domaine Bousquet (via Creative Palate Communications)

Ever Wonder How Rosé Wine is Made?

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There seems to be a lot of information and some misinformation out there about the production of rosé wine. I'm not sure why this topic is so complicated or confusing. Rosé is quite simple and such a simple pleasure. So, let's take a look at how rosé is made.

Rosé is made from red wine grapes.  But, it's made in the traditional white winemaking process. Hence the confusion.  So, first, realize that all juice from wine grapes, whether from red grapes or white grape, is nearly clear. And, all the color in a finished wine comes from the skin of the grapes, not from the juice.

So, with that in mind, rosé wines are made in one of the following ways:

• Maceration -- This process is the most common method used in the production of rosé wines. The word 'Maceration' literally means to soften by soaking. And in the case of wine production, it means to allow the grape skins to soak in the grape's juice. With red wine, the juice spends a lot of time (days to weeks) soaking with the grape's dark purple skin that gives red wine its deep color.  In the production of white wines, maceration is avoided. But for rosé, the red wine grape skins spend some limited time soaking with the juice, but not to the extent of red wine production. As a matter of fact, the juice gets very little time in contact with the grape skins. Usually a matter of 2 to 24 hours.  Once the winemaker achieves the desired color they are looking for, the juice is separated from the grape skins and allowed to ferment in a separate tank. For rosé, this is typically a stainless steel tank that is chilled in order to maintain the freshness of the juice.

• Saignèe ("San-yay") -- While somewhat similar to maceration, this method allows the grapes to be crushed under their own weight and the 'free run' juice is collected.  Since this juice spends little time in contact with the red grape skins, the resulting color is light pink.  Some argue that this is the highest quality rosé because it is the most pure.  Others consider this just a bi-product of red wine production since the remaining grapes and juice go on to become a more highly concentrated red wine.  Regardless, the rosé juice yielded from this process is separated, fermented in stainless steel tanks and kept at cool temperatures to preserve its freshness.

• Blending -- While this is a process that yields pink wine, it is highly frowned upon and outlawed in France and several other countries.  This method uses mostly white wine that is blended with just a touch of red wine, resulting in a pink wine.  This method is certainly not used in most rosés.

Regardless of the method used, rosés can be dry or sweet. As previously mentioned, one key to finding a dry rosé is the alcohol level. But, rosés can also vary by grape type:

• Dry Rosés -- Below are listed some of the most common dry rosé wine varieties, used alone or in a blend:

  • Grenache, Sangiovese, Syrah, Mouvedre, Carignan, Cinsault, Pinot Noir

• Sweet Rosés -- Like any wine, rosé wine can be made sweet by not fermenting all the natural sugar in the grape juice to alcohol. So, if you are looking for a sweet rosé, these are typical examples:

  • White Zinfandel, White Merlot, Pink Moscato

Always remember with rosé wines that they should be enjoyed young (within two years of its vintage) while they still have their bright fruit flavors and crisp acidity, and they should be served well chilled.

One way or the other, give rosé wines a try. Cheers!