Wine Focus for August: What's your pleasure?

[Robin Garr]

Summe Sippers? Too broad? Muscadet? Been there, done that? What would you all like?

Has there ever been a wine focus on the regional wines of Southern France? Excluding the major regions like Bordeaux and Rhone, but focusing on the south west, Languedoc, Roussillon, Provence, etc? There is lots of interesting stuff to be found in those parts that could make for interesting discussion.

[Robin Garr]

Has there ever been a wine focus on the regional wines of Southern France? Excluding the major regions like Bordeaux and Rhone, but focusing on the south west, Languedoc, Roussillon, Provence, etc? There is lots of interesting stuff to be found in those parts that could make for interesting discussion.

Joy, without looking it up, we've done this over the long haul, but I'm a fan of Languedoc-Roussillon and would be happy to do them again any time. My only concern, given that some people drink seasonally, might be that chillable whites could get more excitement in August's heat than these sometimes rustic reds. (I don't know why I'm saying this, though, since I drink reds year-round. )

As my friend Charles would say...."Spanish whites are coming out of the woodwork. I reckon they are among the most interesting things happening in the world of wine at the moment". Plus maybe Italy and Portugal in my opinion?

+1 re what Bob said...and perhaps add Greek whites to the mix as well

[Robin Garr]

+1 re what Bob said...and perhaps add Greek whites to the mix as well

Whites from the Mediterranean? (Plus Portugal, where they are at pains to point out that Portugal is an Atlantic nation, not Mediterranean. )

Yeah, that will work. Costs will generally not break the bank either!

[Robin Garr]

Okay, "Whites from the Med ... Plus" sounds good! Focus on Spain, but we'll go all the way around, Southern Coastal France, Italy, the coastal Balkans, Greece, Turkey (coastal Med preferred) Lebanon, Israel, even North Africa, and on through Gibraltar to Atlantic-facing Portugal.

This will give us a lot of Grenache Blanc, I guess, some Viognier, and tons of indigenous white varieties.

Is everyone good with this?

We will expect a TN on something Algerian boss .

Time to put another Albarino in the lineup.

...and Alvarinho!!

[David M. Bueker]

Turns out I own not a single white wine that fits the theme, but have fun.

[Robin Garr]

Turns out I own not a single white wine that fits the theme, but have fun.

Are you in lockdown mode from buying in general, David, or just not enchanted with the topic? In general, the whites of this region aren't my faves, but I can think of quite a few outliers that I'm willing to check.

[David M. Bueker]

Money going into the fall mailer season (which now starts in early July). That and the fact that no matter how many times I have tried, I have never had a white from the focus area that made think anything other than "meh."

It's ok though.

Mediterranean whites have made big advances in last two decades or so. A good topic.

Indeed Tim so should be an interesting month.

Has there ever been a wine focus on the regional wines of Southern France? Excluding the major regions like Bordeaux and Rhone, but focusing on the south west, Languedoc, Roussillon, Provence, etc? There is lots of interesting stuff to be found in those parts that could make for interesting discussion.

Joy, without looking it up, we've done this over the long haul, but I'm a fan of Languedoc-Roussillon and would be happy to do them again any time. My only concern, given that some people drink seasonally, might be that chillable whites could get more excitement in August's heat than these sometimes rustic reds. (I don't know why I'm saying this, though, since I drink reds year-round. )

I wasn't implying that we do only red wines from this region, but all wines - there are a great number of whites and roses to be found there as well. Leaving it open to any type wine from this region might encourage more participation, rather than limiting it to whites.

[Robin Garr]

I wasn't implying that we do only red wines from this region, but all wines - there are a great number of whites and roses to be found there as well. Leaving it open to any type wine from this region might encourage more participation, rather than limiting it to whites.

I hear you, Joy, and thanks!

As it turns out, if we move toward "Whites of the Med, Plus," we'll incorporate Languedoc/Roussillon/Southwest whites into the conversation. That'll give us the entree right off. Then I'm very much down with the idea of coming back for a look at Languedoc reds (or reds, whites and pinks) during the fall.