WTN: Rahsaan and his family in Normandy

Yesterday we had the great pleasure of a visit from Rahsaan and his family. We feel that we know the people with whom we have discussed wine over many years but it is always a big plus to meet them and as expected they proved to be stimulating and entertaining company. I think that everyone enjoyed themselves.





I tried to produce some interesting wines to go with lunch served outdoors and here are my notes on them –

With a zakouski (starter) in the form of a spicy tomato based pizza,

2013 Domaine de Torraccia Vin de Corse Porto Vecchio Christian Imbert & fils, Lecci, 20137 Porto-Vecc - France, Corsica, Vin de Corse Porto Vecchio (6/24/2017)
Searching for a wine to pair with a spicy and peppery tomato pizza starter, I chose this unusual Corsican white made from Vermentinu. I can recycle most of my post of about a year ago. Medium+plus bodied and quite mouth filling, it shows more spice than fruit, which is of a dark complexion, but there is some tangy acidity, earthy minerals and slightly musty old book bitterness which add interest. It is Mediterranean in character, but not the gracious Med of, say, Ravello, but more the harsh Med of Calabria. Not an everyday white but good occasionally.



With turbot in a beurre blanc sauce,

1996 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières-Coulée de Serrant (6/24/2017)
In my limited experience, Coulée de Serrant is an uneven performer but this bottle of 1996 arguably justified the wine's reputation of being the summit of dry white Chenin. Opened five hours in advance and served not very cool, it showed quite deep colour, an expressive nose and medium+ body. The aromas and flavours were complex and seamless and included white and exotic fruit, honey, wax, discreet minerals and, though not bone dry, it was balanced by a long backbone of lively saline acidity. The whole thing exuded class. Excellent.



With assorted cheeses followed by a strawberry based dessert (visible in a pic above),

2008 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Demi-Sec - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (6/24/2017)
This accompanied assorted cheeses. IMO it was hardly less delicious than the preceding Coulée de Serrant. Slightly sweeter, rounder and fuller in body with a marked mango component and not quite so seamless given its relative youth, it otherwise showed quite similar flavours and aromas of white fruit, honey, wax, discreet minerals and a long backbone of lively saline acidity. Very good.

PS: This bottle of demi-sec was labelled Perruches for the Belgian market.

Posted from CellarTracker

[David M. Bueker]

Lovely!

I have been lucky enough to dine with Rahsaan three times in two countries. Have not met his family, but would love to.

Apart from yourself Tim, Rahsaan is one chap I would love to meet!

When are you getting over to France, Bob?

In my early days using the site, I met a good few other users of the site, most of whom no longer post here. They included Robin himself, Jim Dove, Steve Plotnicki, John Trombley, Yixin, Jean Fisch........, all of whom were splendid company and the last became a regular wine companion while I was still living in Belgium.

I was about to add Robert Helms but on reflection I remember that I had already met him in London at the excellent La Vigneronne and indeed I think that it was he who pointed me in the direction of WLDG.

I would love to meet more WLDGers but my chances of getting Stateside or to Canada when living on a largely sterling denominated pension are rather slim.

Just as I was about to post my own notes!

Thanks so much to Tim for the hospitality and especially to Germaine for the delicious dishes. There was indeed a lot of enjoyment all around the table.

Tim was very critical of the Torraccia, which is his right as the man who purchased it. But for me, after a drive through the countryside and a wine-thirsty palate, it was a delightfully fresh, crisp and slightly-bitter (in a good way) drop to begin the festivities. Although I agree that it was not something for everyday and probably would not be something I would buy for home.

The Joly was amazing and quite a treat. The savory notes from the terroir plus age were balanced by a structure that was still juicy plus filigreed with finesse. I don't have enough experience to know what will happen with more age but for my tastes this was just lovely and on the afternoon it was in a perfect place.

At first, I found it difficult for the Foreau to follow, it was so much younger and risked seeming crude. But with time it opened (or my palate adjusted) and I began to appreciate it for the very fine drink that it was.

Good times.

To more WLDG offlines!

Nice notes.
What does Perruches mean?
Always nice to see other WLDGers, and Rahsaan is a great guy, and his family nice too (well Gesche, when I saw son he was pre-verbal I think- it's been too long)

What does Perruches mean?

Good question. I have discovered that there is a Domaine des Perruches at Vouvray and a Cuvée des Perruches at Domaine des Aubuisières in addition to this one at Foreau, so named for the Belgian market.

It seems that Les Perruches refers to a place in the Vouvray appellation with flinty clay soil. BTW it also is the name of a sort of parrot.

I recall its being explained to me that "demi-sec" is a turn-off for the Belgians (a bit pejorative as if half-measures, half good...). Foreau's Perruches is apparently the same wine as bottled under the description "demi-sec" for the French and other markets.

Foreau's demi sec/Perruches is one of my favourite wines in many vintages, always showing complex flavours and bracing and moreish acidity to balance the slight sweetness.

Rahsaan's and Gesche's son Nicholas is definitely in the verbal stage nowadays and in two languages to boot .