Wine Focus for June: Your ideas, please!

[Robin Garr]

Well, it seems that rosé was a hit for the May topic, and I hope to get a couple more in myself before the month ends.

Meanwhile, though, the month ends on Sunday, so it's time to start thinking of a topic for June that will just as popular and fun.

Remembering that we need to navigate a fine line with a wine that's interesting enough to inspire conversation and also available worldwide (at the least in the form of a varietal or stylistic doppleganger) and that's reasonably affordable without necessarily having to be super-cheap.

With all that in mind, give us your best: What shall we taste and talk about next month?

[David M. Bueker]

Furmint

[Robin Garr]

Furmint

Furmint? An Altoid that's been hanging around in your pants pocket without a wrapper for weeks, until it picks up a thick coating of lint?

Next, please!

[David M. Bueker]

Do we dare unleash that bastion of the western Loire Valley?

[Robin Garr]

Do we dare unleash that bastion of the western Loire Valley?

Aiyeeeee!

It might give me the impetus to summon a mixed case from Chambers Street, though. (The sad news is that Loire selection here has become crappy in recent years. It used to be decent.)

Any Loire topic is good for me. I doubt if any month passes without my opening two or three from there but, if availability is poor in many US places, I may find myself posting almost alone. I would define western Loire as downstream from Orléans so as to widen the field a bit.

[David M. Bueker]

It was my way of referring to a specific grape without naming it.

[Robin Garr]

It was my way of referring to a specific grape without naming it.

V- V- V- Val- Val- VALDEMORT!

[David M. Bueker]

That's Voldemort!

Back from my birding surveys, Loire is good for me. Don`t forget me Tim!

[Robin Garr]

That's Voldemort!

I'm saying it in French so the 23rd Psalm reference becomes more clear ...

How recently have we done Gamay/Beaujolais? I'm okay with a broader Loire focus.

[Robin Garr]

How recently have we done Gamay/Beaujolais?

Looks like it's one of the usual suspects, done every two years or so:

August 2010
April 2012
July 2014

That seems to suggest that we wait until next summer.

If I'm not missing something in a Google scan, we're overdue for some take on the Loire. Here's what I found ...

Loire Chenin Blanc: April 2008
Loire in General: March 2010
White That Must Not Be Named: July 2011

Any thoughts? Personally, based on local availability (and Mary's and my tastes), I'd love to see something broad that lets us bring in Loire reds as well as whites.

[David M. Bueker]

Nothing wrong with a general "Loire" theme.

[Robin Garr]

Nothing wrong with a general "Loire" theme.

"You say 'Lwahr', I say 'Loyr', let's give the whole thing up"?

Hokay! Barring any well-reasoned and passionately argued objections, let's go fer it. I got your Puzelat Pineau d'Aunis right here ...

I was thinking of going to the Loire for 2 or 3 days in late September. Maybe some fellow travelers can share their insights of must see wine stops

Welcome! Jim Budd over in the UK has a terrific blog and is a mine of information>

http://jimsloire.blogspot.ca/

Chris Kissick, aka the Wine Doctor, is also well versed but one needs a subscription these days .

Thanks Bob, for that and the other info you sent me. I have some favorite wines from the Loire, like producers in Chinon (Joguet, Raffault, Baudry) and Savienniere ( Closel, Baumard etc). I'm trying to determine some of those are friendly visits. But it would also be fun to visit something that I'm not familiar with.
-- Bruce