Maison Gabriel Meffre’s organic offering: lively, dazzling wines !
Today, Anthony Taylor, Public Relations Director, introduces three of Maison Gabriel Meffre’s organic wines.
The fruit of cooperation with winegrowers
Before it arrives in your glass with its bright bouquet of flavours, wine produced using organic methods requires cooperation at all stages of the process. It is the fruit of painstaking work carried out by producers and négociants. In a previous article, we told the story of Domaine de Longue Toque’s first officially organic vintage.
First of all, the future of the production is played out at microbial level. Winegrowers inject life back into the land, as organic grapes flourish in living soil! At Maison Gabriel Meffre, organic wines have low sulphite content by definition. According to Anthony Taylor,
“There is growing awareness about minimal and responsible use of sulphites in wine production.““
Having less sulphite guarantees a greater sensory experience for consumers and improved working conditions for winegrowers. Lastly, if you were to take a stroll through the estate, you would be able to observe the fauna and flora present in the plots. They are a reflection of the environmentally-friendly growing practices applied.
Tavel “Saint-Valentin”: a unique rosé
This cuvée is made with four different grape varieties: Black Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Carignan. It is a wine from a warm, limestone terroir located in the Gard region.
The Tavel Rosé has a distinctive colour. It has shades of raspberry, salmon and even red cherry, depending on the vintage. This colour is obtained using the ‘saignée’ (or ‘bleeding’) method, which involves macerating the grapes in their juice prior to fermentation. Readour previous article to find out more about rosé wine production.
For Anthony Taylor:
“It’s a full-bodied rosé. The nose is more marked by red fruit than floral notes, due to maceration of the grape skins. There are also notes of fresh bread that come from the fermentation.”
The Tavel “Saint-Valentin” is a well-structured wine, which can be enjoyed in all seasons, for a number of years. “Even after five years, the Tavel “Saint-Valentin” will make a very pleasant companion for your evenings”
Leave grilled meat to a red: the Tavel “Saint-Valentin” offers other paths to you. Its power means it can complement Asian cuisine very well, as well as roast white meats and feathered game. Its presence in the mouth means it pairs well with vegetarian dishes made up of barbecue-grilled vegetables. It also offers the perfect compromise when fish and meat are served at the same table. It will delight your guests!
Did you know?
The wines in Maison Gabriel Meffre’s “signature” range are named after saints. This Tavel rosé is named after the patron saint of lovers, St. Valentine. In the nineteenth century, a rich landowner in the Gard region had relics of St. Valentine brought in to heal winegrowing lands infested by phylloxera. Tavel was among the first appellations recognised by the French National Institute of origin and quality (INAO). It is a 100% rosé appellation, located in the Gard, to the south-west of the Rhône Valley.
The Côtes-du-Rhône “Saint-François” red 2019: bright and fresh
It is the fruit of a blend of grapes from the clayey and sedimentary soils of the Gard, and the limestone soils of the Vaucluse. The Saint-François is a marriage of various terroirs and personalities. It is vinified in vats only, for three to four weeks, and then matured for six months to fully harmonise the various elements.
This wine has a magnificent crimson depth. The Syrah gives it a purplish, almost opaque red robe.
Anthony gives more details:
“The nose bursts out of the glass, with notes of black fruit, prunes, blueberry and blackberry. It has the dazzling character of an organic wine, with flavours that explode in the mouth.”
This summer, enjoy it with your grilled dishes, pork ribs or a chicken roasted with rosemary. For vegetarian dishes, pair it with a pissaladière with plenty of tapenade. It will also go well with a sun-dried tomato focaccia sprinkled with caramelised onions, or a spicy summer ratatouille.
“This wine really holds its own. It has plenty of personality and presence”
emphasizes Anthony Taylor. If you taste it this summer, you will discover a young, lively wine that is full of energy. At the end of the year, the Saint-François will be calmer, gentler and very harmonious.
The Côtes-du-Rhône “Saint-François” white 2019: a delicious wine with plenty of finesse
Fresh and airy, the Côtes-du-Rhône “Saint-François” white offers a subtle balance of Grenache Blanc, Viognier and Clairette. The Grenache gives it weight, the Viognier contributes aromas, and fragrance while the Clairette offers,natural acidity and freshness. Its yellow-green colour is very pale thanks to direct pressing and low-temperature fermentation.
“It is a delicious wine, with a slightly exotic note contributed by the Viognier.”
Anthony Taylor points out that it is a light, very easy to drink wine for aperitifs.
If you serve it with food, we recommend this Côtes-du-Rhône white to accompany crudités or a salade niçoise. It also pairs very well with summer soups with mint or watercress. If you want to serve it with seafood, it will reveal its full potential with most Mediterranean fish, particularly grilled red mullet. For shellfish, it’s an excellent companion to scallops, shrimp and crawfish.
Organic wines currently account for 10% of total production in the Rhône Valley and, at Maison Gabriel Meffre, they represent 6% of production and this is increasing every year. (sup. 700). Sales are driven mainly by the Côtes-du-Rhône red. Maison Gabriel Meffre supports the production of organic wines to meet the demand of consumers that are concerned about the environment, their health and that of winegrowers. Organic production is growing, which is excellent news for our taste buds and biodiversity !
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