For all of us who take pride in our Wine Century Club membership, bragging that we’ve tasted at least 100 different varietal wines, here’s something to think about: Regulatory authorities have approved almost 400 grape varieties on wines made in the U.S.
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From Aglianico to Zweigelt, the U.S.-approved list covers not only the familiar grapes from Cabernet Sauvignon to Zinfandel, but it also covers rarities like Black Pearl and Feher Szagos, which I have not only never tasted but, I somewhat shame-facedly confess, have never even heard of.
And even at that, our 398-variety roster falls far short of all the grapes grown in the world, too. The tasty Southern Italian wine grape Coda di Volpe (“Tail of the Wolf”), for example, was only approved for use in the States last month, which is way too long for us to have had to wait.
Want to see the complete list of approved grapes? You can check out Subpart J—American Grape Variety Names, §4.91 List of approved names in the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s Electronic Code of Federal Regulations by clicking here.
On Reserve: A Wine Law Blog.
“Using a grape variety on an American wine label is not mandatory,” blogger/lawyer Lindsey A. Zahn pointed out in her often fascinating “On Reserve: A Wine Law Blog. “… but many winemakers choose to do so for several reasons, such as perception of quality to the consumer. Using or naming the variety on the wine label may also convey a better story about what is in the bottle.
“There are a number of federal regulations that govern grape varieties, ranging from the percentage of grapes that must be used in a wine to what specific varieties can be used on an American wine label,” Zahn went on. To read the full report, click “The Importance of Grape Varieties on American Wine Labels.” I found it fascinating.
You might want to bookmark On Reserve, too. I’m not a lawyer, and to be honest, some of the posts are a little too law-geeky for me. But others are just right. They’re always well written, and worth checking out.
For today’s tasting, I resumed my quest for Loire Valley wines that I had begun in our last edition, and found a really fine, although somewhat pricey, 100 percent Pinot Noir Rosé from Sancerre, a Loire region much better known for its dry, minerally Sauvignon Blanc-based whites. You’ll find my tasting notes on Domaine André Neveu 2015 Sancerrre le Grand Fricambault Rosé below.
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Today’s Tasting Report
Domaine André Neveu 2015 Sancerrre le Grand Fricambault Rosé ($22.99)
This is a clear, pale salmon color wine, a pretty rosé. Delicate red-berry fruit aromas, fresh, subtle raspberries and strawberries, lead into a flavor of fresh and tart red berries, very dry, snappy acidity and a fresh, minerally “rainwater” quality in a crisp flavor that adds a touch of meyer lemon as it lasts and lasts. Made from 100% Pinot Noir at a rational 12.5% alcohol, it’s a very good rosé and a versatile food wine. U.S. importer: Wines of France Inc., Mountainside, N.J. (May 18, 2016)
FOOD MATCH: The winery suggests serving it as an aperitif and with salads, cold cuts and grilled meats. I like dry rosé with moderately spicy Asian fare. It was excellent with a Thai-style green curry with green beans, tofu and fresh garden cilantro.
WHEN TO DRINK: Like any good quality wine, this will hold for a few years, but I love rosé when it’s young and fresh. This 2015 has not yet reached its first birthday, and I like that.
VALUE: A retail price over $20 might slow some of us down, and Wine-Searcher.com calculates the average U.S. retail at $21, so I paid a couple of dollars over the line. It’s a very good rosé, though, and I don’t regret forking over the bucks for one bottle.
WEB LINK
The back-label QR code directs you to Andre Neveu’s English-language home page For information about the rosé, click the pale-pink bottle on the left.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for André Neveu Sancerrre le Grand Fricambault Rosé on Wine-Searcher.com. Sadly, this rosé is made in limited production, so it may not be easy to find. Check this longer list to browse all the wines produced by Domaine André Neveu.
The winery also offers links to distributors around the world at this link.
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