GOOD FRENCH WINES UNDER 12 DOLLARS: WHITES

Good French wines under 12 dollars in Chicago? Part 3: White wines
  . The best of them are quite expensive. But, once again, some regions offer a limited but interesting panel of attractive and original choices that can match the challenges of elaborate cooking and dining. I have to confess that white wines are rarely my first choice when I eat in a restaurant. At home, as you know Stéphane, most of the time I even drink red wine with fish. But when I am invited in a restaurant that is well-known for its ‘’cuisine de la mer’’ (sea food), I do not hesitate to order a good Bourgogne, like a Meursault (my favorite) or a Puligny-Montrachet to accompany a white fish with a cream or butter-based sauce. However, my preferences go to other types of white wines: Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé, Reuilly, Menetou-Salon and Quincy, five Sauvignons from the Eastern Loire area, in the center of France. They are very good with smoked salmon, chicken with morels in a light cream sauce or with a dry goat cheese. Condrieu a very fragrant Viognier-based wine from the Northern Côtes du Rhône that goes very well with ris de veau en vol-au-vent aux champignons (sweetbreads with a mushroom sauce in puff-pastry shells) or filet de sandre (a very delicate fish) in a creamy sauce. Riesling from Alsace, the natural choice with a choucroute alsacienne. Cassis from Provence that is so perfect with Bouillabaisse. Savenières, a very delicate and complex wine from Anjou. Problem is: Except for the Sancerre, you do not find too many of these wines in the average American wine shop, and when you do find them, well, they are more expensive than 12 dollars a bottle. As a matter of fact, to be completely honest, most very good white wines from France, especially from Burgundy, are to pricey for my limited budget. That might partially explain why I do not drink white wines more often and why I think that your chances of finding exciting reds under 12 dollars are better than to find really great whites in the same price range. But when I am in Paris, one of my greatest little pleasures is to meet with members of my family or friends at ‘’Au Sauvignon’’, a wine bistrot rue des Saints-Pères in the 7th arrondissement to drink a few glasses of Reuilly or Sancerre while eating some of their delicious ‘’tartines’’ of pain Poilâne with some Cantal Cheese or rillettes. A a general rule, white wines are the result of fermenting the juice of the grapes, after it has been pressed, without the skin. You will find white wines in almost every region of France, except Brittany, Normandy and the North, but including Lorraine, with the little-known Côtes de Toul and Moselle. It is impossible here to do a very complete ‘’Tour de France des vins blancs’’. I will limit myself to 9 major areas of production.  

The better-known white wines are produced in the following regions: 
Alsace This zone of production, in 110 villages and townships, not too far from the German border, is constituted of hills dominated by the Vosges Mountains that are the French equivalent of the Black Forest on the other side of the Rhine River that separates the 2 countries. Except for a minuscule production of Pinot Noir, all the wines produced in that region are whites. And in order to be allowed to carry the Alsace appellation they must be made from one of the official 12 ‘’cépages alsaciens ’’ (alsatian grapes). The 8 most celebrated ones are: Gewurtztraminer, Riesling, Tokay-Pinot gris, Pinot blanc, Muscat, Sylvaner, Auxerrois blanc, and Chasselas blanc. The Pinot d’Alsace is often a blend of Pinot blanc and Auxerrois blanc. And the Edelzwicker, not often found in the U.S. is a blend of several Alsatian varietals that, to me, does not justify writing long letters home about it. Alsatian wines are not made to age very long. Most of them are drunk young when they are still fresh and fruity. They are generally dry. But some delicious and very expensive ‘’late harvest’’ Gewurtztraminer and Riesling, that are not produced every year, can have a higher sugar content, under very strictly enforced rules of vinification, and can age well for a couple of years. The only decent Alsace that you will find for less than 12 dollars in Chicago is the Pinot Blanc. But very recently I have found at Armanetti’s on Lincoln 4 Alsace wines, including a Riesling and a Gewurtztraminer, produced by Willm, and imported by monsieur Touton for 11.99 dollars.  

Bourgogne (Burgundy) This area goes from Chablis in the North to the Côte Chalonnaise and the Mâconnais to the South. In between you find the most famous ‘’stars’’ of the white Burgundies called Meursault, Puligny-Monrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Batard-Montrachet, and in a less grandiose but nevertheless very satisfying style, Saint-Aubin and Saint-Romain, in the Côtes de Beaune area. The Pouilly-Fuissé and Saint-Véran are also good wines from the Maconnais. And the Rully in the Côte Chalonnaise is well balanced and very pleasant. It is sometimes possible to find a Saint-Véran under 12 dollars. In Burgundy the Chardonnay is king. But you also find the lesser-known Aligoté grape in the Bourgogne Aligoté, a wine traditionally used in the making of the famous ‘’KIR’’ apéritif, a mix of that wine with crème de cassis. Your best bets under 12 dollars are the Mâcon-Villages, that are always white wines. Personally I do not mind drinking a glass of refreshing Mâcon-Lugny (one of the villages) as an apéritif.  


Loire Valley.
It is comprised of 4 distinctive production areas:

1. The Nantes area. This zone is close to the Atlantic ocean to the West. There you will find Muscadet and Muscadet de Sèvres-et-Maine. These two dry but fruity wines are made from a single grape called Melon de Bourgogne, better known as Muscadet. The other dry wine from that area is the Gros-Plant du pays Nantais, made from a grape called Folle Blanche, or Gros-Plant. Several good Muscadets can be purchased for less than 12 dollars. Prefer those from Sevres et Maine vinified ‘’sur lies’’ (on lees)  
2. Anjou and the Saumurois. In Anjou the two major traditional grapes are the Chenin blanc and the Pineau de la Loire. They are used in the making of wines defined as ‘’moelleux” (soft, mellow and semi-sweet), that provide a very satisfying balance of fruit and acidity. Some of them are able to age very well for several years. Best examples are the luscious Côteaux du Layon, Quarts-de-Chaume, and Savennières (especially the spectacular Roches aux Moines and Coulée-de-Serrant). But, recently, the planting of some Chardonnay and Sauvignon has allowed wine producers of this area to offer dryer very pleasant and more simple whites to be drunk young. In the Saumurois, better known for its reds and sparkling wines, the very refreshing Côteaux de Saumur, made exclusively from Chenin also offers a nice balance of fruit and acidity. But this wine is, to the best of my knowledge, not exported to the U.S.  

3. Touraine. This area is better known for its reds and rosés, like Chinon and Bougueil. But it also produces some very decent white dry Touraine AOC, made essentially from Sauvignon grapes. The Chenin blanc is the base of mellower wines, but sometimes on the dry side, like Vouvray (both still and sparkling), and Montlouis. But the most original wine of this area is the Cour-Cheverny made from a unique grape that you find only in this small zone of production: Romorantin. It generates very aromatic, floral and mineral wines whose special, almost pungent, bouquet is quite unmatched by other French whites . You may find a couple of these wines under 12 dollars.  

4. Berry and the Eastern part of the Loire Valley A few miles Northeast of Bourges, in Center France, you will find three wonderful wine-growing areas: Sancerre, Pouilly- sur-Loire, and Menetou-Salon. There Sauvignon blanc and Sauvignon blanc “fumé” are prevalent. The wines from these three districts, marvelous dry treasures of harmony between acidity, fruit, and spice, are delicious companions for all kind of fish preparations in light sauces, especially trout, pike, crawfish, sandre, and salmon. They go well with several veal and chicken light stews. They are also a natural with the wonderful goat cheeses from the same area, like the ‘’crottin de Chavignol’’. Unfortunately, you will find none of these under 12 dollars. Northwest of Bourges you have two of my favorite French white wines: Reuilly and Quincy, both produced from Sauvignon blanc. Once again they offer a great balance of fruit and dryness.  

Bordelais (Bordeaux area) The two most famous white Bordeaux are Sauternes, and its neighbor Barsac, golden-colored wines that are vinified from grapes left on the vines after the normal harvesting time. These grapes are, under certain climatic conditions, allowed to develop a ‘’noble rot’’, called ‘’pourriture noble’’. This process let them get rid of a large part of the water contained in their juice to obtain a high level of sugar concentration. This implies various harvesting times since you have to inspect each bunch of grapes to make sure it has reached the proper level of hyper-maturity and sugar content. The 3 major grapes used in Sauternes are, like it is also the case in the whole Bordeaux area of production, the Sémillon (70 to 80 %), the Sauvignon Blanc (20 to 30%) and the Muscadelle. These very seductive, practically sweet wines like the famous Château d’Yquem or Rieussec, are perfect companions to foie gras, roquefort cheese, and elaborate desserts. They are also very expensive. Other very good and less expensive white ‘’dessert’’ wines from the same area are the Ste- Croix-du- Mont and Loupiac. Unfortunately they are way more expensive than 12 dollars. But you can find good dry and well-balanced white wines that are much more affordable in the Entre-Deux-Mers area, a district located between the two rivers of Garonne and Dordogne. The Sauvignon Blanc is the main grape there. Many are sold under 12 dollars. The best dry white wines from the Bordeaux area are, for my taste, those from the Graves area. I particularly like the wines carrying the specific appellation of Pessac-Léognan, that are capable of aging a few years to attain their top level of aromatic power. But some of the most renowned wines from this district like the Château Carbonnieux, Château Haut-Brion, Château la Louvière, or Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, are very, very, expensive.  

The Southwest. This large geographic area offers a limited panel of affordable possibilities in the price range that we are considering, since the most interesting wines of that region are, for my taste, the reds. The main grapes used there are the Sémillon, the Muscadelle, the Sauvignon Blanc, the Colombard, the Chenin Blanc, and the Petit Manseng. The most interesting areas of production are: Gaillac Wines made from, among several grapes, some original regional ones like the Mauzac, the Ondenc, and l’en-de-lel (meaning ‘’far from the eye” in the regional patois). It is relatively rare to find white Gaillac in the U.S. Jurançon. 2 types of wines there: The ‘’vin moelleux’’, made from Gros and Petit Manseng, is a very sexy golden-colored wine with very complex spicy and exotic notes that is perfect with foie gras. They can age gracefully for several years. But the main production from that area is a very fine dry white wine, with a particular pale and slightly greenish yellow color, that delivers a very complex and aromatic bouquet. Very good with the tasty sheep-milk cheeses from the nearby Ossau Valley. Good luck but I doubt that you will find anyone under 12 dollars. Pacherenc-du-Vic-Bilh. This zone is almost part of the Madiran. This area also produces both ‘’moelleux’’ and dry whites, made from several types of grapes: Sauvignon and Sémillon like in Bordeaux and local ‘’cépages’’ like Manseng, and Arrufiac. Once again these wines are at the same time very rich, fat, aromatic, but subtle. But I doubt unfortunately that you will find any of them in your average wine shop. And if you find one or two, they will probably retail for more than 12 dollars. Côtes de Saint-Mont. One of the major producers of this VDQS is Les Producteurs Plaimont. Another very nice dry but slightly aromatic little regional wine that you can sometimes find in Chicago for less than 12 dollars. If you find one do not hesitate to try it. It is very pleasant but not too complex. Bergerac Sec. When drunk young they the wines from Bergerac have some elegant flowery aromas and develop touches of citrus fruit. When vinified and aged in wooden barrels, they can produce interesting exotic fruit aromas. Can be found under 12 dollars. Montbazillac. Another well-known vin moelleux appreciated as a dessert wine. I do not like it. Montravel. Very pleasant, and even sometimes elegant, dry and moelleux wines. A few can be found in the U.S under 12 dollars. 

  Côtes de Gascogne. These vins de pays can be made of Sauvignon, Colombard, Petit Manseng, or Ugni Blanc. Some can be floral and aromatic. Most of them are simple refreshing wines. You usually find them in Chicago for less than 7 or 8 dollars. All levels of dryness. I was not particularly impressed by the few that I tried but they were quite drinkable.

Languedoc-Roussillon
This wide area is better known for its reds and rosés than for its whites. I will therefore limit my selection of whites to 2 areas: Costières de Nimes. The whites, made from Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Marsanne, and Roussanne grapes, are not only as seductive as their red and rosés cousins, but also offer a very attractice price-quality ratio. They are very good with Mediterannean fish and shellfish dishes. You can find a few of them under 12 dollars in Chicago. Côteaux du Languedoc. This appellation covers a very wide area from Nimes to Narbonne, The wines, made from Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Bourboulenc, come from 168 villages or townships, the majority of them in the département of Hérault, 5 from Aude, and 19 from the Gard. That means that the terroir characteristics of these wines vary from one area to the other depending on various factors: Proximity of the vineyards to the sea, winds, types of soil, etc. Two specific appellations of whites must be mentioned: The Picpoul de Pinet, in the départment of Hérault, that can be very aromatic with tones of citrus fruit, and La Clape, in the département of Aude, a very pale but aromatic and spicy wine that can prove very elegant at times.You may find some decent Picpoul de Pinet under 12 dollars 


 Provence-Côte d’Azur Côtes de Provence Most of them come from the département du Var. They are usually golden in color and rather soft and floral in taste. The rare bottles that you will locate in the U.S. will be over 12 dollars. Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Very few of these wines are vinified in white. They are made from Grenache Blanc, Rolle, and Bourboulenc, and are very delicate and perfect complement to the ‘’aixoise’’ version of the bourride. You might, if you are lucky, find a couple of these wines in the U.S but they will retail for more than 12 dollars. Cassis This beautiful AOC, one of my favorite whites from the South of France, is the ideal wine to accompany a bouillabaisse or a bourride. But you will not find it under 12 dollars. Bellet Another beauty from a microscopic vineyard on the hills above Nice, this very aromatic wine is made from Chardonnay and Rolle. It is rather expensive and I never found a bottle in the U.S, or for that matter in Paris.  

Côtes du Rhône It is in the Northern part of this very prolific zone of production between Valence and Vienne that are produced 2 suave and classy white Rhônes: The famous Condrieu made exclusively from the very fragrant Viognier grape, and the dry but aromatic and mellow Hermitage and Crôzes-Hermitage blancs, made from Roussanne and Marsanne. These wines are the natural choice to drink with the delicate dishes prepared with local river fish. They are expensive. In the Southern part (south of Montélimar), the production of whites is limited but some white Côtes du Rône-Villages, again made from Marsanne and Roussanne, can be very good with grilled fish and veal. You can find a few under 12 dollars.The production of white Châteauneuf-Du-Pape (Grenache Blanc, Roussette, Marsanne etc.)is very limited; Therefore these wines are expensive. But their rich and floral bouquets mary very well with fish preparations in elaborate sauces.  

Jura and Savoie In these two mountainous areas some delicious and very special white wines are produced. In the Jura, between Burgundy and Switzerland, the Chardonnay and the very original local Savagnin are the two main grapes. The very aromatic white Arbois, that quite often is very yellow or amber-colored is sometimes called vin jaune, a wine that often has a special sherry-like taste resulting from a sort of pre-oxydation. The vignerons from the Côtes du Jura vinify vin blanc, vin jaune and ‘’vin de paille’’ (straw wine), a sweet wine made from grapes that have been dried on straw mats. But the star of the region is the spectacular and expensive Château-Chalon, a vin jaune that offers the rare peculiarity that it is sold six years and three months after harvest time. Unfortunately, practically all Jura wines sold in the U.S are priced above 12 dollars. In Savoie, between Geneva and the Alps, the two regional appellations are Vin de Savoie (made from Jacquère and Roussanne grapes) and Rousette de Savoie (made from Altesse). But some sub-regions like Crepy (from Chasselas) and Seyssel are also recognized AOC. White Savoie wines must be drunk in their youth and are good with poultry and fish dish and of course with the local cheeses. A specific Savoie wine, the crisp and refreshing Apremont, is sometimes found in Chicago for around 12 dollars. It goes well with ‘’swiss-type’’ cheeses.  

Now, here are a few suggestions of regional French white wines priced under 12 dollars: 

From Alsace: Pinot Blanc 2006 from Lorentz. Refreshing and simple it can go well with many dishes based on poultry and fish. 9.99 dollars at Treasure Islands and at Sam’s Pinot d’Alsace 2005 from Domaine Bott-Geyl . Hand harvested. light body. Simple but has a nice floral bouquet. Good with chicken dishes and with cold roasted turkey breast. 9.99 dollars at Randolph Wine Cellars  

From Burgundy: Saint Véran, from Mathieu Brulle 2005 Versatile and light . 11.99 dollars at Randolph Wine Cellars Macon-Lugny, ‘’Les Charmes’’ from Caves de Lugny. 2005 100% chardonnay. Good balance of fruit and acidity. Light color but some character and a touch of spice. Very pleasant as an apéritif. Very good with goat cheeses. 9.99 dollars at Binny’s. Macon-Villages from Domaine Chêne 2005 Well-made with some complexity. 10.99 dolars at Cellar Rat  

From the Loire Valley:  
Muscadet de Sévres et Maine de Pierre de la Grange . 2005 Good vinification on the lees from hand-picked grapes. This very good Muscadet is perfect with oysters and clams as well as with fish and chips. But it can also be a very refreshing aperitif on a warm summer day. 9.99 dollars at Binny’s. 11.99 dollars at Cellar Rat Muscadet de Sèvres et Maine sur lies, La Bourdinière 2005 Very refreshing with a trace of citrus fruit. 8.99 dollars at Binny’s Vouvray, Château Moncontour 2004 This 100% chenin blanc is a delicate dry wine with a good blance of fruit and acidity. Perfect with any poultry or fish dish in a delicate sauce. 10.99 dollars at Binny’s Tourraine, Domaine Frissant 2005 A crisp but with very pleasant light fruit sauvignon blanc. Good with tuna-fish or turkey sandwich... or with a mixed salad 9.99 dollars at Binny’s . Also at Cellars Rat for the same price. Tourraine, Clos Les Pillotières 2005 Another very pleasant and simple Sauvignon Blanc from the Val de Loire. 10.99 dollars at Randolph Wine Cellars. Cour-Cheverny by François Cazin 2004 This very unique dry wine is made from 100% romorantin, a hand harvested grape specific to this tiny area. A slightly acidic and mineral wine with some nutty and dried fruit notes it can develop with age some smoky orangy flavors. Good be good with smoked salmon. 11.79 dollars at Wine Discount Center 

  From the Bordeaux area:  
Chateau Bonnet. Entre-deux- Mers 2005 Not as good as its red counterpart is. This well balanced blend of 50% Sauvignon, 40% Sémillon and 10% Muscadelle is a safe bet that can be a good pair for chicken and turkey dishes. But it is in no way spectacular and is a bit ''court en bouche'', ( no finish) 9.99 dollars at Binny’s . Also at Sam’s.  

From the SouthWest: Domaine de Gouyat. Bergerac Sec. 2006 A dry but mellow wine with some good fruit. The red we tried a few months back was good. 9.99 at Cellar Rat Les Vignes Retrouvées. Côtes de Saint Mont. From Plaimont. 2005. A nicely aromatic but dry charmer. Hand harvested. 9.99 dollars at Sam’s Château Calabre. Montravel. 2005. A good blend from 60% Sauvignon blanc and 40% Sémillon, it has a good nose and shows some elegance in a slightly floral bouquet. Could be nice with a mixed salad of avocado and crab. 7.99 dollars at Binny’s Domaine de Mirail. Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne. 2005 This very good dry but aromatic wine made from 100% Colombard grapes was awardeed a gold medal at the Paris Competition in 2006. 11.99 dollars at Randolph Wine Cellars Domaine des Cassagnoles. Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne. 2006. Made from the Gros Manseng grape Light but pleasant. A perfect wine for a picnic. 7.99 dollars at Binny’s 

  From Languedoc-Roussillon:  
Château de Campuget Tradition . Costières de Nimes. 2005 Always a safe bet. This slightly greenish-yellow colored wine is very well made from a blend of 60% Roussanne, 30% Grenache blanc and 20% Marsanne. 9.99 dollars at Sam’s Château Grange de Rouquette . Vin de pays d’Oc. from Vignobles Boudinaud. 2005. A very pleasant dry and aromatic blend of Viognier and Marsanne from the Gard . Imported by Bobby Kacher 8.99 dollars at Binny’s. Picpoul de Pinet . Hughes Beaulieu. 2005 Dry but very floral and fruity with notes of apples and peaches. Good with oysters, shellfish and grilled fish. 7.89 dollars at Wine Discount Center

From Côtes du Rhône : Domaine de la Bécassonne Côtes du Rhône blanc.2005 Delightful and aromatic. Very good price-quality ratio. 9.99 dollars at Binny’s Domaine de la Solitude. Côtes du Rhône Blanc. 2005 Another very good wine for the money. Perfect with Provençal vegetable dishes and with seafood terrines. 10.99 dollars at Binny’s A ta santé, Stéphane. Four weeks from now, we will drink together some delicious Languedoc wines in Pompignan, near my native little town of Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort . See you there.

GOOD FRENCH WINES UNDER 12 DOLLARS: Rosés

Good French wines under 12 dollars in Chicago? Part 2: Rosé wines.
Perfect companions to summer meals and picnics. They should be taken seriously. 

 Last week we had our first real spring week-end with lots of sunshine and temperatures in the upper seventies. It was a perfect time to practice for summer food preparation, get some good charcuterie, roasted red peppers marinated in olive oil and garlic, broil a couple of lamb shops seasoned with thyme, and serve them with some couscous and a touch of harissa, my favorite Tunisian hot pepper condiment. And what should we drink with all these sunny Mediterranean delights? A good rosé wine from either Provence, Languedoc, or the Southwest, of course... But first, before giving you a list of a few interesting rosés under 12 dollars, I need to debunk 2 false ideas about rosé wines. 1. Rosé wines are mediocre wines for non-serious oenophiles? This perception is totally wrong. I remember that until the sixties and even early seventies in Paris and Northern France, rosé wines were considered by many people as poorly made cheap stuff that uneducated tourists would drink in small restaurants in Southern France during their summer vacation. And it is true that in those days you could easily get a nasty headache after drinking some cheap and hastily vinified rosés from Provence sold in low-class restaurants. After all, even in those days, it was not that easy and certainly not cheap to locate a great bottle of Bandol rosé from Domaines OTT or Domaine TEMPIER. Besides, relatively few wine drinkers from the North knew about these two great wine growers. And you would not get the slightest symptom of an upcoming migraine while enjoying these beautiful salmon-colored nectars. One of my most enjoyable wine-drinking memories is a luncheon in the garden of Olivier Ott at his house near Antibes, on the French Riviera, trying his best rosés during the course of the meal. And Stéphane, when your mother and I used to have leisurely-paced lunches at the outside terrace of Le Cintra restaurant, in Aix-en-Provence during the summer of 1962, we had fallen in love with 2 lovely locally produced rosés: The Château La Coste ‘’Rosé d’une nuit’’, a very fragrant Côteaux d’Aix AOC, and the rare and marvelous Château Simone, from the nearby microscopic Palette AOC. Believe me, these wines were extremely well made and as enjoyable as a well-known Bordeaux. In fact, since that time, the serious French producers of rosés have considerably improved their vinification processes and some of these rosés, that can be the result of an expert assembly of 3 or more ‘’cépages’’ (grapes), can reach levels of complexity and structure found, until recently, only in good reds. When we moved to Chicago from Paris, in January 1970, I had a hard time finding any decent rosé in restaurants as well as in wine shops. For most Chicagoans, rosé spelled Mateus, an atrocious Portuguese product, or perhaps Rosé d’Anjou, from the Loire Valley, that most of the time was almost too sweet to be drunk with food. It took me 3 years to find a good Côteaux d’Aix rosé, the Château de Fonscolombes, a wine that unfortunately entirely disappeared from the shelves of Chicago wine retail stores. Nowadays rosés are back in favor in France and have become increasingly popular in the U.S over the last two years. In Chicago it is almost trendy to offer rosé as an apéritif (before dinner drink) and to order it in restaurants during the summer. And I am sure that in California, where some very decent rosés are now produced by serious winemakers specializing in Rhône or Provence-styled wines like Bonny Doon or Preston, rosés are the perfect companion to barbecues. I visited SAM’S wines, the largest wine retailer in the Chicago area, last week and was surprised by the very large amount of French rosé wines that were promoted there.

I counted no less than 6 rosés from the sole Costières de Nimes and Vins de pays du Gard areas (Mourgues du Grès, Chateau Guiot, Mas Carlot, Domaine de Gournier, Mas des Bressades, Chateau Grande Cassagne). I also found rosés from Bergerac, Bordeaux, Gascogne, Minervois, Côtes du Rhône, Bandol,Baux-de –Provence. But surprisingly enough not a single Côteaux d’Aix en Provence or even Côtes de Provence. 2. Rosés are made from a mix of red and white grapes or wines. Wrong again... 95% of the time. Rosé (meaning ‘’pink’’) wines are made almost exclusively from red grapes. Their color, whose intensity can vary greatly from a very pale or slightly greyish pink to a slightly orangy salmon, and even to darker almost cherry-hued tones, is directly connected to the type of grape(s) used and above all to the duration of direct contact between the skin and the juice of the grape during the very early stages of maceration in a tank, once the grapes have been crushed after being destemmed, just after harvesting. The maceration period can last a couple of hours, a whole night (like in the case of so called ‘’rosé d’une nuit’’ wines), or a few days, up to two weeks. Some winemakers, in the Côtes de Provence area for example, prefer a very pale pink wine and use the ‘’saignée’’ (bleeding) method that consists in transferring some of the pink juice out of the maceration tank into another fermentation tank after a very short period, separating it from its grape skins. It is then vinified like a white wine. In other cases the cellar master leaves the grape skins separate from the juice and rise up at the top of the tank where they coalesce in what is called the ‘’cap’’. To obtain a darker pink color, this cap is plunged a few times again in the juice. That juice will then be drained (or bled) through a valve at the bottom of the tank and fermented either in barrels or in another tank. The rest of the juice will stay and ferment in the original tank to become red wine. The wine maker will check the color of the juice several times until it reaches the hue he wants to obtain. Some of the best rosés are produced through this ‘’saignée’’ process. But many producers in Provence and in Languedoc do not ‘’bleed’’ and, in order to obtain very delicate pale wines they press the grapes rapidly, after crushing them, in the fermentation tank thus avoiding a regular maceration process involving the skins.  

The Champagne rosé, on the other hand, is the result of a blend of red and white grapes. And recently some producers of rosés in the South of France have been adding some white grapes to the red ones. Most French rosés are dry, with various levels of fruit. 

The main grapes used in Provence, where around 50% of the French rosés are produced, are Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault and Tibouren. These ‘’cépages’’ are also used in the rosés from the Costières de Nimes, Côteaux du Languedoc, along with some Carignan. But in Bandol Mourvèdre and in a lesser way Cinsault are the main grapes. In the Southern Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Lubéron, Côtes du Ventoux and Côteaux du Tricastin, you will find many dry but fragrant and slightly spicy rosés made from Grenache, Syrah and Mouvèdre. The Côtes du Lubéron are particularly seductive. On the right bank of the Rhône river, Tavel is one of the most celebrated vineyards of France and the only one that that produce nothing but rosé wines. It has a very floral and fruity bouquet but is dry and is perfect with a stew of rabbit or some pâtés. Farther South, the wine growers of Minervois have considerably improved the quality of their rosés over the last 6 years and you can drink some very flavorful, spicy and strong rosés made from syrah and mourvèdre. If you travel a little farther West and Southwest, several areas produce good rosés, very aromatic and often sold at very attractive prices: Gaillac, Côtes de Saint-Mont, Côtes du Frontonnais, Côtes du Marmandais, Rosés de Béarn. They use a very wide panel of red grapes: Tannat, Cot, Malbec, Cabernet-sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet franc,Négrette, and even Gamay in a few cases.

A little farther North towards Bordeaux, enjoy Bergerac rosé, made from cabernet, merlot and cabernet franc. This wine is a little more complex but it remains easy to drink In the Bordeaux region per se you will find a few rosés, quite dark in color, made essentially from cabernet-sauvignon and/or Melot. Some of them can be very good with salmon or grilled fish. Further north, the Loire Valley offers nowadays some interesting rosés, especially in the Anjou and Touraine areas. The Cabernet d’Anjou is very charming but quite sweet. The Touraine offers some very fruity and fragrant rosés made from gamay grapes that are dryer. To the East, practically at the center of France, in the département of Cher, the Sancerre Rosé, made from Pinot noir, if you are lucky enough to find it and if you can afford it, is one of the most excitingly subtle and fragrant rosés that you will find anywhere. Burgundy produces very few rosés. One exception is the very elegant Rosé de Marsannay made from Pinot noir. But you rarely find it in Chicago. In the Beaujolais and Maconnais areas there are a couple of of wine growers that vinify Gamay grapes in rosé.

What to eat with rosé wines? Almost anything but steaks and creamy cheeses made from cow’s milk.
  A few dishes that go well with rosés: Mediterranean grilled vegetables (red peppers marinated in olive oil and garlic is a good example) Grilled lamb brochettes (skewers) Aioli (boiled cod fish or lamb with cooked vegetables served with a garlic mayonaise) Grilled sausages Grilled and marinated salmon Grilled snapper Calamari Grilled or cold shrimps Brandade Charcuterie such as pâtés, hams, dry salami, rillettes, terrines, etc. Prosciutto and melon Goat cheese Salade niçoise Cold leg of lamb with ratatouille Veal dishes, but not in heavy or creamy sauces Olives Pizza Pasta with olive oil, tomatoes, capers, and garlic Roasted or cold chicken, rabbit, and turkey Greek food (for example: see my recipe of Greek chicken legs on this blog) And generally all Asian, Mexican, and North-African, and Middle-Eastern foods, especially spicy. Rosé wines should be drunk young, 1 to 2 years after bottling, and served chilled (around 45 degrees Farenheit), but never ice-cold.

Now, here are a few suggestions of decent French rosés under 12 dollars: From the Costières de Nimes and Vins de Pays du Gard : 
 
Domaine de Gournier rosé. Vin de pays des Cévennes. 2005 A nice and very well balanced blend of merlot (35%) syrah (25%) and grenache (20%), with some mourvèdre and carignan, it has a beautiful color and a strong nose and bouquet of ripe red berries. It is as enjoyable as the red and can remind you of a Provence rosé. 8.99 dollars at Sam’s Wine
Château Mourgues du Grès. Fleur d’églantine. Costières de Nîmes 2005. Vinfied by saignée this is a seductive blend of syrah, grenache and carignan that is full of cherry, raspberry, and red currant aromas. Very long finish for a rosé. Delicious with exotic foods or grilled fish. 9.99 dollars at Binny’s Château Mourgues du Grès. Les galets rosés. Costières de Nîmes 2006. Same grower. But this one has a a little more syrah that provides body and spice and is fine to drink with a nice barbecued lamb chop or a steak of tuna. 10.99 dollars at Binny’s Domaine de la Petite Cassagne. Costières de Nîmes 2006. Another fine import from Bobby Kacher offering a very good quality-price ratio. This very fragrant rosé is the perfect companion to a good salade niçoise or to a dish of provençal pasta. 7.99 dollars at Binny's Mas des Bressades. Costières de Nîmes. 2006. Another very well vinified, aromatic but complex enough rosé made by the same woman, Nathalie Blanc-Marès, who makes the very pleasant rosé Vin de pays d’Oc Mas Carlot (8.99 dollars at Sam’s). Bressades is great with barbecued chicken, or grilled fish. 9.99 dollars at Sam’s Domaine de Figueirasse. Gris de Gris. Vin de pays des Sables du Golfe de Lion. 2006 This unusual very pale rosé wine is the result of a very short maceration of Grenache gris and Cinsault. It is produced in an area of the Gard practically on the Mediterranean Sea, half way between Sète in the département of Hérault and Les Saintes Maries de la Mer in the beautiful Camargue. A good balance of acidity and fruit (notes of berries and melon) it is very refreshing and should be drunk nicely chilled. Good with grilled snapper or a mixed mediterranean salad. 8.99 dollars at Sam’s.

From Corbières:

Domaine Sainte-Eulalie. Corbières rosé. 2006 This dark colored beauty is a blend of Cinsault and Syrah. It has a rich and lasting aroma of wild cherries and strawberry as well as a very pleasant fruity bouquet that is a mix of aplles and peaches. Great with grilled sausages and lamb kebabs. 8.69 dollars at Wine Discount Center

From Minervois: Château du Donjon, Cuvée tradition. Minervois. 2006 This very well made, dry but with a nice amount of fruit, rosé is an harmonious blend of 50% grenache, 40% syrah and 10% cinsault. Perfect with a salade niçoise or a melon & prosciutto. 10.99 dollars at Binny’s Domaine Massamier La Mignarde, Cuvée des Oliviers. Vin de pays des côteaux de Peyriac. 2005. From a 300 year old family-owned estate in the Minervois area, comes this dry but very aromatic pale rosé. Offering a strong but delicate bouquet with strong cherry and red berries aromas, it is the result of a delicious blend of 80% cinsault, 10% syrah, and 10% carignan. It is perfect with delicate grilled fish or sauteed scallops. 9.99 dollars at Binny’s  

From the Southern Côtes du Rhône Domaine de la Solitude. Côtes du Rhône. 2005. Made in the département du Gard, on the right bank of the Rhône river, this very satisfying blend of syrah, grenache and mourvèdre is made by the Lançon family, that produces under the same label the famous Châteauneuf du Pape. This rosé is rather intense with a good but balance concentration of fruit. Great with lamb and ratatouille. 10.99 dollars at Binny’s.
Other good choices in that area: Domaine Les Aphillantes. Côtes du Rhône. 2005 7.99 dollars at Binny’s Le Pavillon du Château Beauchêne. Côtes du Rhône. 2006 9.99 dollars at Randolph Wine Cellars And, as always, the reliable Ferme Julien rosé, a dry but freshly aromatic Côtes du Ventoux, from Perrin, sold at Trader Joe’s for 5.99 dollars  

From Provence: Unfortunately, I am sorry to report that I did not find a single rosé from that important area of production under 12 dollars in the Chicago area.  

From the Southwest: Producteurs de Plaimont : Vignes Retrouvées, Côtes de Saint Mont. 2005. A delicious rosé from the Département du Gers, the paradise of foie gras and Armagnac. Very aromatic with a very attractive floral nose. Difficult to find in its rosé form in the Chicago marketplace right now. 9.99 dollars at Binny’s not too long ago. Domaine de Gouyat. Bergerac Rosé. 2006 A very pleasant experience.This blend of 50% cabernet-sauvignon, 20% cabernet franc, 15% merlot, and 15% malbec, the traditional red grapes of the Bordeaux area (the city of Cyrano is only 60 miles from there...) provides structure, strong bouquet, and a bit of complexity, qualities usually not often associated to rosés.Good enough to be drunk with a cold leg of lamb and its aioli. 8.99 dollars at Sam’s. Château Haut-Sarthes. Bergerac rosé. 2006 This aromatic blend of Cabernet-Sauvignon, cabernet franc and Merlot, providing a good balance of fruit and acidity should be available mid-May at a few Chicago retailers (Wine Discount Center?) according to its regional importer Fine vines. Price should be under 12 dollars. Château Bellevue-La Mongie. Bordeaux rosé. 2005 This rosé made of 100% merlot grapes looks in fact more like a clairet (a little darker than a rosé) and is the result of a slightly longer maceration than for a rosé. It has been subjected to a partial saignée (bleeding). It has a light body but is well balanced and offers notes of strawberries, cherries, and spices. Good companion for barbecued chicken, and sausages. 8.99 at Binny’s Château Bonnet. Bordeaux rosé. 2005 This is a seductive and very fragrant rosé blend of 50% cabernet franc, 25%, cabernet sauvignon and 25% merlot. In spite of notes of berries and peaches, it has enough structure and character to be drunk with with grilled fish and also light veal or chicken stews.Produced by André Lurton vineyards. 10.99 dollars at Sam’s

From the Beaujolais area: Château des Correaux. Corail Rosé. 2005. This is a very aromatic (notes of black currant) but dry wine made from Gamay noir grapes. Good with frog legs or chicken fricassee. 7.99 dollars at Sam’s Enjoy the summer... and see you in 2 months in my dear département du Gard.

GOOD FRENCH WINES UNDER 12 DOLLARS.First part: REDS

Good French wines under 12 dollars? Mais oui... c'est trouvable.  

Yes, Stéphane, I found a few in Chicago. But it is a time-consuming and challenging task to locate wines, especially from lesser-known areas of production, that are really satisfying. 

And when you find one that you like, do not be surprised if the simple and immediate pleasure you get from its consumption derives more from “terroir” qualities, balanced blend of grapes, and honesty in vinification, than from classic complexity and long finish. These wines are for immediate drinking enjoyment, not too keep in your cellar. Also, do not expect to find any exciting Bourgogne or Bordeaux, or a big name on the label, in this price range. About 10 or 15 years ago, the interest for lesser-known, and relatively low-priced, French wines from other production areas than the classic Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace, Champagne, Côtes du Rhône and Beaujolais, expanded tremendously in Chicago. So every importer, distributor, and retailer (the 3 pillars of the reigning ‘’three tier’’ system in wine selling) of our region would sell dozens of wines from various ‘’zones de production’’ bearing an AOC (Appellation d’origine Contrôlée) label. But most people did not know anything about these wines and, in my opinion, an adequate campaign of information on these newcomers should have been launched at the time by the various private or semi-public organizations and importers that were supposed to promote and sell them. But it did not happen, and as a result many of these French regional wines were progressively removed from the listings of Midwest-based importers and distributors. Even earlier, until the mid eighties I was sometimes very happy to find and enjoy a few decent VDQS (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure) especially from the Languedoc, that sold under 4 dollars. And until the early nineties I had no problem buying very flavorful, correctly vinified and aged regional wines for less than 10 dollars a bottle. They would come from areas such as : - Corbières, Minervois, Fitou, Saint-Chinian, Costières de Nimes, Côtes de Thongue, Pic Saint-Loup, Faugères, Côtes du Roussillon, from Languedoc-Roussillon. - Côteaux du Tricastin, Côtes du Ventoux, Côtes du Lubéron, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Vaqueiras, Valréas, Lirac, Beaumes-de-Venise, from the Rhône Valley. - Côteaux Varois, Côteaux des Baux, Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, and even some decent Côtes de Provence rosés, Vins gris des Sables, from Provence-Côte d’Azur. - Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil, Chinon, Saumur, Quincy, Vouvray, Muscadet, from the Loire Valley, Anjou, Saumurois, Touraine, and the region of Nantes. - Côtes de Bergerac, Cahors, Côtes de Duras, Buzet, Pécharmant, Gaillac, Côtes du Marmandais, Côtes de Saint-Mont, and sometimes Côtes du Frontonnais, so dear to the people from Toulouse, Madiran and Irouléguy, from the Southwest - Some decent ‘’Premiers Crus du Beaujolais’’, like a Côtes de Brouilly, a Chiroubles, or a Morgon, from a few small wine growers could also be found in that price range. - And, if I was in a lucky day, I could secure a good bottle of Bordeaux for under 10 bucks. I am not talking about a Pauillac, a Saint-Estèphe, a Graves, or a Margaux, but a very enjoyable Côtes de Castillon, Côtes de Francs, Côtes de Bourg, Côtes de Blaye, or even a very drinkable Bordeaux Supérieur or Premières Côtes de Bordeaux. - Same situation with a small Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc from a reputable grower from Alsace, or a Côte de Nuits-Villages from Bourgogne. In 2007, if you browse through the aisles of large good retailers like BINNY’S or SAM’S, that have very large selections of French wines, you will still be able to locate a few interesting Minervois, Corbières, Fitou, Côtes du Ventoux, Côtes du Lubéron, Costières de Nimes, Vins de Pays du Languedoc, Côtes du Rhône, Vins de pays de Gascogne, some Muscadet, Anjou and Vouvray, or even some good rosés from Languedoc, and 8 to 12 small Bordeaux , for less than 12 dollars. But, alas, you will have a hard time to find a decent Chinon, Bourgueil, Saumur, Quincy, Pouilly-fumé, Reuilly, Sancerre, Côteaux du Layon, or Valençay, for less than 18 to 22 dollars, just to mention, as an example, a few wines from the Loire Valley, Touraine, and Anjou areas. And if you try to locate some good red wines from the Southwest, that generally offer a very good price-quality ratio for less than 12 dollars... tough luck. Most of those I like, except for a few isolated bottles of Côtes de Saint-Mont (blanc), Cahors, Bergerac, Gaillac, Madiran, and Irouléguy, found in a couple of stores, SAM’S and Binny’s among them, are less and less often seen on the shelves of most wine stores. I am refering to wines like the Côtes de Bergerac, Côtes de Duras (after a long search I finally found one at Armanetti’s on Lincoln), Côtes de Saint-Mont (red), Côtes du Marmandais, Buzet, Pécharmant, Côtes du Frontonnais, Jurançon, etc. I mentioned these interesting wines in the case where you would be lucky enough to find some at one of your wine merchants in Silicon Valley. Let me know. And so far after 37 years of wine-drinking in Chicago, I still have to locate a single bottle of my favorite little-known wine that is produced in the very tiny vineyards of the Palette AOC, the unique Château-Simone, whose nose is subtly redolent of pine and thyme, from Meyreuil, near Aix en Provence. It is expensive, but if one of your future business trips to France brings you to the Aix-en-Provence area, go visit this vineyard, and drink a bottle of that very charming wine in a good provençal restaurant nearby like the ‘’Le Relais Sainte Victoire’’. You will never forget it. The small Bordeaux that you will find under 12 dollars will be very young and vinified to be drunk early. Most of them however will be perfectly drinkable. But quite often they will probably be lacking any density, real bouquet, or specific character. Do not expect complex structure, melted tannins, or any substantial finish in these. Just enjoy them the way they are, and keep in mind their face value before judging them too severely. I also tried very hard (I visited 22 wine stores, shops, and wine departments of fancy food and department stores in the Chicago area over the last three weeks in the process of researching this piece) to locate wines from Auvergne, like the the delicious Saint-Pourçain, that is so good with a good Cantal cheese, or from the Center of France, like a Menetou-Salon (that I love), a Reuilly or a Quincy that are perfect companions to a good chèvre. I was able to spot only one Mennetou-Salon, white, in the same very small but great wine shop in Geneva, 40 miles West of Chicago, (see below for address) and one Reuilly at Binny’s or Sam’s. But no Saint-Pourçain. Note dated June 9, 2007: Since I wrote these lines, I spotted several unusual and very good regional French wines, like a Reuilly rouge, and a great Menetou-Salon white at a great shop, The Bottle Shop, in Wilmette, that has one of the most interesting selection of such wines in the Chicago area. Many were offered at attractive prices, but few of them of course were under 12 dollars. Address farther down. The deliciously white wines of the Savoie and Bugey areas (Bugey, Seyssel, Crépy, Roussette, Ripaille, Apremont, Les Abymes), or from the Jura (Arbois or Côtes du Jura) are very difficult to find, although I located a few Apremont at the stores mentioned later, and in 2007 most of them are well a bit above our price limit. It is very disapointing to find out that only these wines that most retailers and their customers can easily recognize will sell and therefore be retained by importers and distributors in the Midwest. I can think of four reasons for this progressive disappearance of these wines from lesser-known producing areas of France from the Chicago landscape (in the New York City area you still find plenty of them for the time being and yourself might find some of them too in the Bay area): 1. The major importers might not want to take risks anymore in bringing wines from small unknown producers because they require a larger effort and investment in time and money to search, market, promote and advertise. Quite often these wines do not sell fast, and most retailers are very reluctant to buy them because they do not know much about them and they are convincing themselves that their customer base will not buy them. These kind of wines cannot be the subject of long term contracts with their producers and importers. Besides, the production of some of these small wine growers is too small and the point of export and expedition could be too far away, making the logistics of exporting small numbers of cases to the U.S. too cumbersome and expensive. Also the labels of these producers bear the name of the area of production of the wine (village, region, or ‘’departement’’), or of the AOC of the wine, that are often unknown to the American drinker, rather than the name of the grape(s) used to make it, which is what many consumers in the U.S. prefer to find on a label nowadays. 2. The new wine consumers, especially the younger generation, prefer wines that are easy to drink, ‘’fruit-forward”, non-tannic, and based on one or two varietals that they can easily identify. Therefore they prefer a sauvignon blanc, a chardonnay, a merlot, a cabernet, a shiraz or a pinot noir, etc. from countries like Spain, Chile, Argentina, Italy, New-Zealand and Australia and of course the U.S., to an unknown wine named after an area of France that they completely ignored could exist. Besides a large percentage of these “contemporary” new wine drinkers is not even interested in getting a minimum of education in wine. The word ”terroir”, that is so important to understand and appreciate these smaller regional AOC’s does not concern them at all. 3. The euro-dollar exchange rate is not helping French exporters of low-priced wines. But, to be fair, this handicap has the same negative impact on wine exporters from Spain and Italy. And these 2 countries have, nevertheless, expanded significantly their own shares of the U.S. marketplace over the last three years. 4. Until very recently, the French regional producers did not make a sufficient effort to promote their wines in the U.S. and lost large shares of this increasingly competitive market in the under 15 dollars ‘’ table wine’’ category. The growers from Spain, for example, improved their productivity and that allowed them to produce good wines that they sell at cheaper prices that their French neighbors from the North. And the Italians seem to have found the adequate budgets to launch promotion campaigns in key cities of the United States.
 
In your search for lesser known French regional wines, your best chance might be with smaller wine shops that are still interested in locating unusual wines from small producers in some of the regions I mentioned above. They work closely with limporters such as Wine Adventures in Iowa (http://www.wineadventures.com/), Louis Dressner Selections (http://www.louisdressner.com/), Monsieur Touton in New York, Robert Kacher Selections (http://www.robertkacherselections.com/) in Washington, DC., Hand Picked Selections in Warrenton, VA; Kermit Lynch in Berkeley, CA, http://www.kermitlynch.com/ ), or Julienne Importing Co, H2vino, Fine Wines and Chicago Wine Merchants in the Chicago area, just to name a few. These importers are still ready to take the risk of bringing in exciting little wines from lesser-known production areas, especially from Languedoc, the Southern Côtes du Rône area, Bordeaux and the Southwest. Often these importers offer attractive prices to small shops and restaurants to promote a new lesser–known French wine, eventhough some of them, especiallly the newcomers, are perfectly aware that they will not sell them in large quantities and that some of these wines will generate limited profit margins. But they are willing to attract the attention of knowledgeable connoisseurs or in creating ‘’new vocations’’, that later might materialize in decent shares of local markets. Some of these interesting wine shops and retail stores in the Chicago area that offer unusual but well-made regional French wines, and sometimes let you try some of them on their premises, are: RANDOLPH WINE CELLARS 1415 W. Randolph, Chicago, IL Tel: 312-942-1212. They have also a very attractive bar-degustation room. HOWARD’S WINE CELLAR 1244 W. Belmont Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657 Tel: 773-248-3766 FINE WINE BROKERS 4621 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL Tel: 773-989-8166 WINE DISCOUNT CENTER 1826 N. Elton Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622 Tel: 773-489-3454 (but they have two other locations) THE WINE SELLER, 227 South Third Street in Geneva, IL tel: 630-232-2130 KENSINGTON’S 465 East Illinois Street, Chicago IL Tel: 312-836-7850 (specialized in Internet sales and auctions) They will move to a new addres on Michigan Avenue at the end of June 07. ARMANETTI'S 3530 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago Tel: 773-529-0288 THE BOTTLE SHOP 1138 Central Avenue Wilmette, IL Tel: 847-256-7777 CELLAR RAT 1811 W. North Avenue, Chicago, IL Tel: 773-489-2728 It should also be noted that the chain of good quality and organic food WHOLE FOODS has recently started to expand its selection of regional French wines. And as I said earlier, TRADER JOE'S , which benefits from its own importing branch, Plum Ridge, but also sells French wine from other importers and distributors, has a small but adequate selection of French wines. But very few out of the ordinary for the time being. - I also would like to mention that when you are looking for a specific wine, you can locate it, compare prices and find retail stores all over in the U.S. where it is sold at: http://www.wineaccess.com/ or at http://www.winezap.com/ 
 
Now, here are a few suggestions of French wines sold under 12.00 dollars a bottle in the Chicago area that I think are worth a try.  

This first part deals with red wines exclusively. In a second part, later on, I will provide you with a shorter list of suggested white and rosé wines.  

FIRST PART: RED WINES  

From Languedoc-Roussillon: 

Château d’Or et de Gueules, CuvéeTradition. Costières de Nîmes. 2003. It is a very intense, aromatic, lightly spicy red wine that is unfiltered. This winery is only 9 years old and is owned by a woman who was able to establish an international reputation for this blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre very rapidly. Perfect with a roasted leg of lamb. Found in several stores in the U.S. for around 11 dollars (at Sam’s). Imported by Robert Kacher Selections. Mas Carlot, Cuvée ‘’Les Enfants Terribles’’. Costières de Nîmes. 2005. Another Costières de Nîmes that offer a very seductive blend of mourvèdre and syrah (50-50). Strong black currant overtones. Very soft tannins. Great at around 10 dollars at Howard’s Cellar and Wine Discount Center. This wine grower also offers two very attractive Vin de Pays d’OC under the Mas Carlot Label: One with 80% cabernet and 20% syrah. The other is a Cuvée Tradition with a blend of syrah and grenache: Very round and supple with good fruit. I enjoyed these 2 wines a lot. At Binny’s and other stores for around 7.00 dollars. Imported by Robert Kacher selections. Domaine de Gournier, Merlot. Vin de pays des Cévennes. 2004. A real discovery. This very dense, deep-colored, and with a strong blackberry aroma, 100 % merlot wine comes from stock that are clones from the famous Chateau-Petrus in Saint-Emilion. The grapes are hand-harvested. This wine offers a tremendous value for the money. I loved it with a ratatouille and lamb brochettes. 7.99 dollars at Sam’s. Imported by Robert Kacher. Château d’Oupia. Minervois. 2004. The vineyards of the Minervois AOC are located in the départements of Aude and Hérault. The charming little town of Minerve, between Béziers and Carcassonne, is an historical site of a fierce battle in the early part of the 13th century, between the ‘’Cathares’’ heretics that defended their fortress besieged by 7,000 soldiers of the king of France which were trying to eradicate them. This high quality, powerful but smooth blend of 60% carignan, 30% syrah, and 10% grenache, redolent of ripe dark berries, is produced by a respected ‘’vigneron’’, Monsieur André Iché, in a beautiful 13th century castle. (8.99 dollars at Binny’s) He also makes a very complex and aromatic vin de pays de l’Hérault, ‘’Les Hérétiques’’ that is a well-balanced blend of carignan grapes. It sells for 7.99 dollars at Sam’s. Imported by Louis Dressner. Domaine de la Tour Boisée. Minervois. 2005 Another pleasant, easy to drink with a grilled piece of meat or some spicy food, blend of grenache, carignan, and some cinsault. Nice fruit with a touch of licorice. Good quality-price ratio. 7.99 dollars at Wine Discount Center. Imported by Wine Adventures
Domaine de Nizas. Carignan Vieilles Vignes. Vin de pays de Caux (Hérault). 2004. This relatively recent winery is owned since 1998 by John Goelet, an American who was the co-founder of Clos du Val in California. It is made of 100% carignan grapes. Good balance of fruit (small red berries and black currant tones), aromatic herbs (thyme), and acidity. To be drunk now with a lamb or beef stew. This estate also produces a good Côteaux du Languedoc. 9.99 dollars at Randolph wine Cellars. Château Mattes-Sabran, Clos Redon. Corbières. 2004. This vineyard is located at the extreme Eastern end of the Corbières, in the sub-region of Sigean, near the Mediterranean Sea, in the Aude department. This 100% sirah wine, could easily pass for a Côtes du Rhône. It ha a very good nose, and develops a raspberry- blackberry secondary taste. Very fine balance of tannins and acidity. Great with grilled meat on the barbecue. 11.99 dollars at Binny’s. Imported by Julienne, H2Vino and others. Domaine Gautier. Fitou, 2004 Fitou is the oldest of all the red AOC from Languedoc- Roussillon. Part of the small growing area is close to the Mediterranean Sea. Carignan is the main grape here, blended with grenache and mouvèdre. The wine is aged in oak barrels. A bit earthy with a good balance of fruit and acidity. Good with grilled meat. 10.99 dollars at Randolph Wine Cellars and 9.99 at Sam’s. Imported by H2Vino. Notre-Dame de la Gardie. Côtes de Cabardès, 2004 This appellation is located just North of Carcassonne and West of the Minervois area. They are slightly different from the other Languedoc-Roussillon wines because they are subjected to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. So the merlot and cabernet-sauvignon grapes are grown there as well as the more Mediterranean classics like syrah and grenache. This wine is precisely an aromatic blend of merlot and cabernet franc. It has a lot of strength and character but is mellow with some pleasant black currant notes. 9.99 dollars at Randolph wine Cellars. Imported by Wine adventures. 

  From the Southern part of the Côtes du Rhône: 

Domaine Paul Autard . Côtes du Rhône 2005. 
This vineyard is interesting because it is very close to the Chateauneuf-du Pape’s. And this wine offers for much less money some of the complexity, body, and spicy long finish of its celebrated neighbor. 60% grenache. 20% syrah. 10% muscardin. 10% Counor. The vineyard never receive any chemical treatment and the grapes are hand-harvested. Great price too: 9.99 dollars at Wine Discount Center. 11.99 at Randolph Wine Cellars. Domaine de Coudoulet 2004. Syrah. From one of the most famous wine grower of the Côtes du Rhône comes this powerful and very seductive 100% syrah that is one of the best bargains around at 7.99 dollars at Randolph Wine Cellars. Valréas ‘’Cuvée Prestige’’ 2004, from the Vignerons de l’Enclave des Papes in Valréas, in the département of Vaucluse. This is a very balanced Côtes du Rhône Villages made from an harmonious blend of grenache and syrah. Very warm and supple with a touch of pepper. Great with lamb. A bargain at 5,99 dollars at Trader Joe's. La Vieille Ferme, Côtes du Ventoux 2005 This very fragrant wine, offering a lightly peppery finish, is very consistent in quality, year after year. It’s almost always a safe bet . Its is a blend of grenache, syrah, carignan and a bit of cinsault. It is made by the very professional Côtes du Rhône producer PERRIN, that also sells a very good PERRIN Côtes du Rhône Reserve for about 8,80 dollars at Trader Joe's You will find la Vieille Ferme in many wine stores and supermarkets for various prices between 7.00 and 9.00 dollars La Vieille Ferme also sells a very pleasant, dry but with good fruit level, Côtes du Ventoux Rosé. Perfect for summer picnics and barbecues. They also produce a good Côtes du Lubéron blanc 2005. But here is a tip: I strongly suspect that La Ferme Julien 2005, a Côtes du Ventoux also offered in red, white and rosé, that sells at Trader Joe's for 5.99 dollars is probably the same wine under a ’’private label’’ arrangement. And it is very good. Domaine de la Citadelle, Côtes du Lubéron 2005 A very pleasant wine, round and with a nice balance of fruit and acidity, that you can drink with practically everything. 9.99 dollars at Wine Discount Center. Imported by Wine Adventures. 

From the Bordeaux area:

Château Fage. Graves de Vayres 2004. This modest and little-known appellation has nothing to do with the great Graves that we all love, south of Bordeaux. It is a small producing area on the left bank of the Dordogne river, right across Libourne. Dark colored with rich tannins that still need to soften a bit, this interesting wine needs to breathe a bit to reveal subtle aromas. Good with a steak-frites. 9.99 dollars at Randolph Wine Cellars. Imported by Monsieur Touton. La Grange-Clinet . Premières Côtes de Bordeaux 2004. 60% merlot, 28% cabernet sauvignon, 12% cabernet franc. To me, it is a perfect profile for an easy to drink, supple and quite pleasant Bordeaux, ideal for Sunday’s lunch. A bargain at 10.99 dollars at Whole foods. Imported by Nicolas. Château Peyredoulle. Premières Côtes de Blaye, 2004. 80% merlot 20% cabernet. Unpretentious but very pleasant. Good terroir character, though. 10.99 dollars at Whole Foods. Imported by Julienne Importing Co. Château du Buisson. Bordeaux 2005. A very nice unpretentious Bordeaux (a blend of 82% merlot, 11% cabernet franc and 7% cabernet sauvignon) assembled by a well-known Bordeaux ‘’négociant’’ (wine merchant) GINESTET. Very soft tannins, nice blackberry notes, and a bit of oak. But it lacks, of course for that price, complexity. Good with roasted chicken. 5.99 dollars at Trader Joe's. This Bordeaux is in fact better than their other, normally nice, cheap Bordeaux, Chateau Nénine 2004, (6.99 dollars). This wine comes from a well-established estate but its 2004 vintage lacks structure and character. Wait for the 2005 to be available. It should be a better vintage. Château de Balan, Bordeaux 2004. Another fine little ‘’Bordeaux ordinaire’’. It obtained a gold medal at the Grand Concours des Vins à Mâcon in 2005. It is a well vinified red with supple tannins and a good balance of cab and merlot. But once again like many other 2004 that I tested, it is a little thin with a short finish. Fine with a cheese platter. 6.99 dollars at Binny’s (3 or 4 months ago) Imported by Union Beverage in Chicago, Château Prignac, Medoc 2004, This light-body wine had a nice nose, is gently structured, and a pleasant, though very subdued, bouquet . It was correctly vinified and bottled, and I enjoyed it even though it was a bit thin. But, when I decided at dinner-time to finish the bottle that I had started to drink over lunch, most of it’s original bouquet and strength had all but faded away. Found for 9.00 dollars at the Wine Seller, in Geneva, Illinois But I spotted a bottle of the 2005 at Armanetti’s on Lincoln Avenue for 11.99 dollars It should be better than the 2004 that I tasted. And on April 12 I found the same Prignac 2005 for 7.99 dollars at Sam's Wine. Imported by Monsieur Touton  

From the Southwest:

Château Bois de Lamothe. Côtes de Duras. 2005 I love the Côtes de Duras wines and this was a nice and enjoyable surprise. This wine is not as spectacular as a Domaine des Allegrets, or a Grand Mayne, for example, but it offered many of the expected characteristics of the vineyards of this area located East of Bordeaux, half way between Bergerac and Marmande. This zone of production is in fact better known for its exciting whites based on sauvignon. The reds, nicely tannic and often aged in oak barrels, are most of the time based on cabernet-sauvignon, cabernet franc, and merlot. This wine, dark-cherry colored, with probably a good percentage of cabernet-sauvignon in it, had a subtle spicy bouquet, some fruit, and a nice finish. I tried it with a ‘’veau Marengo’’ and it was a perfect companion to this dish but it should be good with a confit duck breast. 9.99 dollars at Armanetti’s on Lincoln Avenue. Imported by Monsieur Touton. Château Haut Monplaisir. Cahors. 2004. This great dark and powerful wine (The Britts call it ‘’Black wine’’) of the Lot Valley has being doing a strong come-back the
last 5 years after a long period of ups and downs and misfortunes. The worst was a terrible frost in 1956 that destroyed practically 99% of the vineyards of the Cahors appellation. Several bad years had also a negative impact of this AOC. Three main grapes here: The Auxerrois usually up to 70%, also known as Cot, or Malbec. The Tannat, typical of the Southwest, and the Merlot. This wine needs to be either young, when it still benefits from fruit and strong aromas, or after several years in the cellar when at full maturity it develops very seductive spicy bouquets. Its a perfect elegant companion for hearty venison dishes, mushrooms, rustic dishes with truffles. 12.99 dollars at Sam’s. (I know it's a dollar more that my price limit....) Clos La Coutale 2004 (1.00 dollar more) is also very drinkable.

From Anjou:  

Château de la Roulerie. Anjou. 2005. A very nice and easy to drink 100% cabernet franc, with a good fruit concentration. To be served cool with a picnic, a or some charcuterie and light cheese. 10.99 dollars at Whole Foods. Imported by Julienne Importing. 


From Provence:

Domaine de Régusse. Vin de pays des Alpes de Haute- Provence. 2005. A real delightful curiosity. This light and fruity, but dry, pinot noir comes from an area of production, on the right bank of the Durance river, country of the writer Jean Giono near Manosque, that is better known for a small AOC called Côteaux de Pierrevert. It would accompany a provençal chicken very well. 8.99 dollars at Binny’s. Imported by J&D Selections, at Winchester, VA. http://thepour.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/french-you-can-afford-and-enjoy/?scp=1&sq=french%20wine&st=cse

That’s it for now, Stéphane. I will let you know, in a few weeks, when my list of whites and rosés is ready. A ta santé.

Low priced French Wines in US?

Hi Papa, That was a great synopsis of winter bistro cooking! I remember Astier quite well and recall there being no more comforting place to go on the evening of Sept. 11 2001. Another great thing about bistro's in Paris is the low cost french wines available that are virtually unknown outside of France. I know you have mentioned in the past that there are a lot of good low priced french wines available in the US and I'm intrigued if you can provide an insights on where and what to buy in the US at low pricepoints. I'm interested in wines that display more complexity than American wines for everyday drinnking. Looking forward to hearing about some of your hidden gems! Love Stephane

POT-AU-FEU and POULE AU POT, TWO GREAT FRENCH ‘’COMFORT FOOD’’ BISTRO DISHES... AMONG MANY OTHERS.

Hey, Stéphane, you lucky Californian, do you know that while you were on business in sunny Barcelona the outside temperature dropped several times below 0 (F) in Chicago. The perfect kind of weather to stay home and to prepare a slow-cooked dish for dinner. That’s why I fixed some ‘’cuisses de canard braisées aux échalottes’’ (braised duck legs in shallots and white wine), unfortunately not as tender as they should have been, some very tasty ‘’veau marengo’’ and ‘’ fricassée de poulet aux capres et aux olives’’ (chicken braised in tomatoes, capers, olives and white wine). I just wanted to imagine for a couple of hours that I was in one of my favorite Parisian bistrots (or bistros) with some good friends enjoying the winter sport that I prefer: Preparing and eating good food and drinking good wine. While my duck legs were simmering in my brand-new ‘’cocotte Le Creuset’’, I was drinking a glass of that Tempranillo from Gundlach-Bundschu, perfect with duck legs, that you brought at Christmas from California , and it helped me to reflect about your last question regarding ‘’winter French bistro dishes’’. So as usual I started making lists in my head. Here are the results of my thoughts on that important matter When I fly back to Paris, as soon as I am boarding the Air France airport bus to the city, my first thought is about what I want to eat for my first French lunch (or dinner depending on the time of my arrival downtown Paris) and where I want to go to eat that first ‘’ welcome back’’ treat to myself. And invariably, especially during the winter season, my first choice is a traditional bistro where I will be sure to find the kind of French “comfort food” dishes that I like so much, rather than a fancy starred establishment.  

I usually want my first winter meal in Paris to include any of the following typical ‘’bistrot’’ or ‘’brasserie’’ dishes:

“Choucroute garnie à l’alsacienne” (an Alsatian specialty consisting of seasoned slowly cooked sauerkraut in Alsatian white wine (preferably Riesling) with various types of sausage, cured meats and hams, and served with boiled potatoes) ‘’Lapin à la moutarde’’ (a rabbit stew in a mustardy cream sauce served with fresh pasta) ‘’ Veau Marengo’’ (another slowly cooked stew of veal, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and sometimes green olives in a white wine sauce, generally served with buttered fettuccini or rice). I cooked this dish for you the last time you came to Chicago by yourself in January. ‘’ Daube de boeuf Provençale’’ (a very fragrant stew of marinated beef braised in red wine with herbs, onions, garlic, carrots, bacon, and olives and flavored with brandy and orange zest served with young small potatoes or pasta). Some people cook it with added mushrooms and tomatoes. And it is always better the next few days when reheated. ‘’Boeuf Bouguignon’’ (a beef stew slowly cooked in red Burgundy wine) ‘’Cassoulet’’ either from Castelnaudary or from Toulouse (a very rich and hearty casserole of white beans with duck confit if it is the Castelnaudary formula, or lamb if it is prepared in the Toulouse fashion, pork shoulder, pork sausages, garlic sausage, pork rind, garlic crumb, onions, garlic, herbs, cloves, sometimes tomatoes (if from Toulouse). This dish is normally cooked and presented in a ”cassole”, an earthenware crock that gave its name to the dish. I prefer the Castelnaudary version. ‘’Petit salé aux lentilles’’ (salt pork baked with lentils) ‘’Gigot d’agneau de 7 heures’’ (very slowly braised leg of lamb, supposedly for 7 hours, with carrots and tomatoes) ‘’Cuisses de canard confit aux pommes sarladaises’’ (roasted duck confit legs served with sliced potatoes sautéed in duck fat with garlic) ‘’Coq au vin’’ (a very old recipe from Burgundy- rooster, or a roasting chicken, marinated in pinot noir red wine with onions, carrots, celery, pepper, garlic and herbs and cooked with mushrooms and bacon) ‘’Epaule d’agneau aux flageolets’’ (roasted lamb shoulder with flageolet beans) or .. a good ‘’Moroccan Tagine’’, and why not a "Vietnamese lunch’’ including ‘’nems’’ (very small crunchy egg rolls served with lettuce and fresh mint leaves that you dip into a nioc-mam-based sauce) and lemongrass chicken. As you can see there is not much seafood in that list. I eat fish only when I am invited in a fancy seafood restaurant, never in a bistrot. And as you know I do not like shellfish, like mussels (even though they are very commonly served in Parisian bistros in a fragrant ‘’marinière’’ broth), or oysters and clams that are more popular in brasseries than in bistrots. The only fish-based bistro dish that I like is ‘’Brandade de morue’’ (salt cod gently cooked in milk then pureed with olive oil, sometimes with young potatoes, and optionally with a touch of garlic) .It is delicious as an appetizer when served with garlic toasts. Brandade is one of the few food specialties that was created in my native town of Nîmes. And, only occasionally, I do not mind ordering when they are very well prepared, once again as an appetizer, ‘’Harengs marinés pommes à l’huile’’ (herrings marinated in onions, carrots, spices and white wine, served with lukewarm sliced young potatoes in an oil dressing). As far as appetizers are concerned, some of my favorites first courses would be: ‘’Terrine de canard aux pistaches’’ (duck country terrine with pistachios) ‘’Terrine de lapin aux noisettes’’ (rabbit terrine with hazelnuts), ‘’Saucisson chaud en croûte’’,(warm pork sausage baked in a crust of pastry dough) ‘’Poireaux vinaigrette’’ (leeks served lukewarm with a mustardy vinaigrette sauce) ‘’Poêlée de girolles ou de cèpes aux échalottes ’’ (chanterelle or porcini mushrooms sautéed with shallots) And my super-favorite: ‘’Aligot’’, a very rich, smooth but very filling dish from the area of Aveyron in Auvergne, made of melted fresh Tomme (cheese) d’Auvergne mixed with mashed potatoes, cream, butter and garlic. The meal should end with a very good “plateau de fromages’’ (cheese tray) including necessarily some of my favorites: Camembert, Cantal, Roquefort, Tomme de Savoie, and Banon. For desserts, I would choose either a ‘’Tarte Tatin’’ (caramelized pear Tart), or a ‘’Sorbet au cassis’’ (black currant sorbet).

There are many bistrots in Paris that serve several variations of these dishes.

I cannot guarantee that the following places are still as good as they were the last time I was there, in some case a few years back, but nevertheless here are a few suggestions: For tasty terrines I would go to: LA BICHE AU BOIS 45 avenue Ledru-Rollin, in the 12th arrondissement (near Gare de Lyon) or CHEZ LA VIEILLE also known as ‘’ADRIENNE’’, 1 rue Bailleul, in the 1th. But ASTIER, 44 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud in the 11th, has also some very flavorful terrines. (but see my precautionary comments about this restaurant farther down) For ‘’Aligot’’ I would go without any hesitation to the great l’AMBASSADE d’AUVERGNE, 22 Rue du Grenier Saint-Lazarre, in the 3rd, or at l’AUBERGE AVEYRONNAISE, 40 rue Lamé, in the 12th. If you do not mind a slightly weird decor and ambiance, try CHANTAIRELLE 17, rue Laplace, in the 5th for other authentic and very tasty specialties from Auvergne. For a ‘’Lapin à la moutarde’’, I would choose MONSIEUR LAPIN, 11 rue Raymond Losserand, in the 15th, a restaurant whose decor and specialties are entirely devoted to the rabbit , or ASTIER. For a good ‘’Gigot d’agneau de 7 heures’’, you could try the quaint LE SQUARE TROUSSEAU 1 rue Antoine Vollon, in the 12th, but it has been one of WADJA’s best specialties for years, 10 Rue de la Grande Chaumière, in the 6th. There are many places in Paris where you can eat a decent ‘’Cassoulet’’. Try LA TABLE d’AUDE, 8 rue de Vaugirard in the 6th, or D’CHEZ EUX 2 Avenue de Lowendal, in the 7th, or IL ETAIT UNE FOIS DANS LE SUD-OUEST 8 rue Gustave Flaubert, in the 17th. For a traditional ‘’Coq au Vin’’ in a delightful retro decor try ‘’AU MOULIN A VENT’’, 20 Rue des Fossés Saint-Bernard, in the 5th. La BICHE AU BOIS also has a very decent one For ‘’Cuisses de canard confit avec pommes sarladaises’’ The best, but most expensive choice would be the ‘’Michelin-starred’’ AU TROU GASCON 40, rue Taine, in the 12th. But you can find some very edible and cheaper versions at LA FONTAINE de MARS, 129 Rue Saint-Dominique, in the 7the (same precautionary comments as for Astier) or at L’AMBASSADE DU SUD-OUEST, 46 Avenue de la Bourdonnais, in the 7th. I also remember a very pleasant confit at ‘’LES VIGNES DU PANTHEON’’, rue des Fossés Saint-Jaques, in the 5th. A good ‘’Epaule d’agneau’’ can sometimes be found at a very good bistro owned by a Basque chef, LE TROQUET, 21 Rue François Bonvin, in the 15th. Some of these dishes are also very good when they are on the menu at LE BUISSON ARDENT, 25 Rue Jussieu, in the 5th and sometimes at THOUMIEUX, 79 Rue Saint-Dominique in the 7th, a very charming and old-fashioned place. For an authentic ‘’Choucroute garnie à l’Alsacienne’’, as well as other Alsatian specialties and great wines, my all-time favorite is l’ALSACO, 10 Rue Condorcet, in the 9th. The owner's behavior is sometimes unpredictable, but he has the best sources in Alsace for good quality products and wines. The best ‘’ Plateau de fromages’’ included in a prix fixe menu is at ASTIER.

• You may be surprised that I mention ASTIER quite often, but for many years it was my favorite address in Paris for “comfort food”. You may also remember that on September 11, 2001, when you finally landed on your American Airlines flight from San Francisco, I called you on your cell phone to make sure that you were all right and to let you know that my flight from Paris to Hanover, Germany, where I should have been that night, was canceled. Since your business dinner with your contacts in Paris was also canceled, we found ourselves by chance in Paris at the same time that day. We were both exhausted, physically and emotionally by the traveling and the horror of the news of the day. So I suggested to have dinner at ASTIER to try to lift our spirits and relax a bit. It had been a terrible day but I am a bit ashamed to admit that it was a memorable meal. But unfortunately ASTIER was acquired by new owners in 2006 and what I read leads me to believe that the place is not as spectacular and convivial that it had been for so many years.

Finally, if the idea of eating a non-French meal in Paris does not turn you off, go for a Moroccan ‘’Couscous Royal ’’ or a good ‘’Tagine with candied lemon’’ at ESSAOUIRA, 135 Rue du Ranelagh in the 16th, and for a nice vietnamese lunch at LE PALANQUIN, Rue Princesse, in the 6th or at LE BAMBOU, 70 rue Baudricourt, in the 13th.

Now, let’s talk about two really typical French rustic dishes that are the perfect comfort food on a wintry night: Poule au Pot and Pot au Feu

 They are in fact cousins having a common link: Meat and vegetables in a broth that you let simmer in a “pot” on the “fire” (feu) for a relatively long time.

1. POULE AU POT (Chicken in the Pot).
 
As you know I am not much of a royalist but this dish always reminds me of my only favorite French king, HENRY IV (1553-1610), nicknamed ‘’ Le bon roi Henri’’ or ‘’ Le Vert Galant’’ (since he was not only a bon vivant who love good food and good wines but also an attractive and sensual fellow who was quite successful with beautiful young ladies) . Before becoming King of France in 1589, he was called Henri roi de Navarre since he was from the French Southwest area of BEARN, that includes the ‘’Pays Basque’’, a region that was at the time part of a pretty large kingdom on both sides (Spanish and French) of the Pyrénées mountains. It is also a region that keeps beautiful and colorful culinary traditions.
I like HENRI IV for several reasons: He was the only king who was very close to the French people and always tried to better their living conditions, especially the peasants and the underprivileged. He was the only protestant (Huguenot) king we ever had and did a lot to preserve the rights of the ‘’Calvinists’’ to practice their religion in those troubled and violent times of religious wars. But unfortunately he was forced to abjure his religion and become a catholic to save civil peace in France and later was assassinated by a fanatic catholic. His two most famous quotes are: ‘’ Paris is well worth one mass’’ to explain why he decided to abjure the protestant religion; and ‘’ My wish, if God let me live long enough, is that that every French ploughman (peasant using a plough) in my kingdom, even the poorest, can put a chicken in the pot every Sunday.’’
Some people still think that the ‘’poule au pot ‘’ originated in the Béarn area. Perhaps; But in any cases ‘’la Poule au Pot’’ is not a recipe created by Henri IV.

• In fact this dish has a long tradition in France that goes back to the end of the Middle-ages period. In those days people used heavy cauldrons that they put directly on open fire, either in the fireplace or outside in the farm yard. They would put everything and anything they could find in terms of vegetables and meats in a large amount of water in the cauldron and let the whole mix simmer for a long time. So, at the beginning, the pot-au-feu had more or less the same formula as the poule au pot.

There are multiple ways to prepare this dish. Here is a simple one.
 
It is very difficult nowadays to find an older hen that normally should constitute the main component according to the traditional French recipes. So most cooks use a roasting chicken instead. Some French people, as well as the few restaurants cooks who still propose this dish on their menus, stuff the chicken with a mixture of ground or finely diced Bayonne ham, bread crumbs soaked in a little milk, minced onion and garlic, chopped chicken liver, 1 beaten egg, chopped parsley and a couple of spices like nutmeg. But most cooks just simply use the whole chicken without any stuffing. In the basic recipe, which is the way your mom prepares her own delicious but simple version, first you fill a large cooking pot or kettle with about 6 quarts of cold water. Add the chicken with its legs tied up (trussed if the cavity of the chicken is stuffed, but your mom does not stuff her chicken), One or two large peeled onions studded with one clove, one finely sliced large leek with some of the green portion remaining, thoroughly cleaned and rinsed, 1 large sliced peeled carrot, about ten sprigs of parsley roughly chopped, 10 black peppercorns and 5 peeled whole cloves of garlic. Add one bay leaf and three teaspoons of dry thyme. Most people also add a stalk or rib of celery but your mother does not since I do not like celery.
You want to bring the whole thing to a boil and then reduce the flame so that it gently simmers, uncovered, for one hour. Then you add 5 to 6 leeks cut to an 8 inch length, cleaned, trimmed, cross-split vertically in the green portion and tied in a bundle with a piece of string, 4 medium turnips, peeled and quartered, 8 carrots peeled, trimmed and quartered crosswise, 1 Tb of coarse salt and some freshly ground pepper from the mill. You let the whole thing continue to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the chicken. Make sure that there is always enough water in the pot to cover the ingredients and that it simmers gently but never boils.
Serve and carve the chicken in a large ceramic plate, surrounded by the vegetables. The meat sometimes literally falls from the bone but the pieces should remain firm but moist and tender. The broth can be reduced separately in a smaller pot and served in a separate bowl or tureen.
At home we eat steamed cous-cous along with the vegetables and the poule au pot, but most people eat small peeled young boiled potatoes, either cooked in the broth with the chicken for 20 minutes at the end of the cooking cycle, or boiled separately. Some people serve this dish with noodles cooked for 5 or 6 minutes in the broth. Make sure that a small bowl or cup of coarse salt or even better ‘’ fleur de sel’’, from Camargue or Brittany, is placed on the table so that the guests can put a little bit of it on the side of their plate.

• I would recommend drinking either a MERCUREY (red burgundy from the Côte Chalonaise area), a red SANCERRE (from Central France) or a COTES DE CASTILLON (red Bordeaux).

In Paris, only a handful of restaurants still serve this dish. The most celebrated one since the early thirties is LA POULE AU POT, 9 Rue Vauvilliers, in the 1st , in the old ‘’Les Halles’’ district, where many late-nighters still eat after a show, a concert, or a gallery opening. The original owner, the famous Madame Suzanne Perniquet sold the restaurant in the early fifties, but subsequent new proprietors kept her famous recipe alive on their menu. The decor and ambiance are quite nice.  

2. POT-AU-FEU (Pot in the Fire)

This is another dish that has been in existence in various forms, probably since the end of the 18th century during the revolution. But its real origins are similar to those of the poule au pot, the iron cauldron in which peasants boiled various pieces of meats and vegetables that they added, day after day, in more or less the same broth..
Some French food historians think that it was the “king of chefs”, Marie-Antoine Carême, (1784-1833) who published the first recipe for what is now known as Pot-au-feu a few years after the revolution when an emerging French ‘’middle-class’’ started to cook more elaborate meals at home. Carême is recognized as the chef who changed the French cuisine at the begining of the 19th century, created what could be called nowadays the concept of ‘’Haute cuisine’’ and codified its principles. In any cases he is believed to have written the first real French cookbook.
Modern French chefs, over the last 35 years have developed a tendency to create all kinds of variations of ‘’pot-au-feu’’, the most popular being ‘’pot-au-feu de la mer’’ (seafood pot-au-feu) and ‘’pot-au-feu de cochon’’ (pot-au-feu of pig meat). One of the most celebrated and influential chefs of the new generation that came into the spotlight in the early seventies and invented what would be called "La Nouvelle Cuisine’’ was Michel Guérard. He became famous with his concept of ‘’cuisine minçeur’’ (cooking method allowing you to stay fit and trim while eating very well) in his famous restaurant of LES PRES d’EUGENIE in Eugénie-Les-Bains in Southwest France, near the Spanish border. But before that he had made a name for himself in a small bistrot that he had launched in 1965 in Asnières sur Seine, an obscure suburb of Paris. He called that place, where he created the bases of a new lighter approach to traditional ‘’cuisine ménagère’’, LE POT AU FEU.
It was perhaps in memory of his parents who, during World War II, were butchers in Normandy, and explained why Guérard’s first love was meat. LE POT AU FEU, after two difficult first years of operation, became one of the most acclaimed and fashionable restaurants of the Paris area and was rewarded 2 stars by Michelin in 1970. Another big star of the new French cooking school, Joël Robuchon, created a famous ‘’ Pot-au-feu aux 5 viandes’’ (5 meats pot-au-feu) that incorporated beef, veal, lamb, chicken and duck.

The ultimate pot-au-feu ?
 
But the most celebrated and imitated pot-au-feu was derived from a set of guidelines from an ‘’imaginary” gastronome, DODIN-BOUFFANT, born from the litterary creativity of a Swiss author from Geneva, Marcel Rouff who, in 1924 wrote a book, “LA VIE ET LA PASSION DE DODIN-BOUFFANT”. This book describes the life and the food creativity of this man who never existed but might have been inspired by CURNONSKY, the famous gastronome and food critic who was a personal friend of Rouff. This pot-au-feu was served in ”quatre services” (four courses) and included sausage, beef, veal shank, fowl, and foie gras. Several well-known Parisian chefs from the late sixties and early seventies created adaptations of this famous dish and used their own creativity and special techniques to modernize it. Among them were RAYMOND OLIVER , who was the super-chef of LE GRAND VEFOUR for 36 years, and JACQUES MANIERE, who launched the techniques of “La Cuisine Vapeur” (Cooking with steam) in the late seventies early eighties. MANIERE, when I lived in Paris from 1963 to 1970, was the chef of two marvelous restaurants in the 5th arrondissement that I loved: AU PACTOLE and later a place called precisely....DODIN-BOUFFANT.
More recently in late 2005 and early 2006, the chef of the restaurant of the famous HOTEL MEURICE, one of the most refined and luxurious hotels in Paris that has a magnificent dining-room and a great young chef Yannick Alleno, re-created what he called “ Le Grand Pot-au-feu DODIN- BOUFFANT”. It was a very audacious and filling affair served first in four and later in five courses for at least two persons, that the restaurant had on the menu at a cost of 150 euros per person. If you went there with a companion and ordered adequate good Burgundy wines, the total cost for two might be over 550 euros ($715) Another well-known 19th century “gastronome”, BRILLAT-SAVARIN , to whom Rouff dedicated his book on Dodin-Bouffant, had also a recipe for the perfect Pot-au-feu. And it inspired many chefs of the 20th century.

What about a more traditional pot-au-feu?
 
Many restaurants in different French regions use all kinds of different pieces and cuts from various animals, and sometimes mix them together. I have nothing against well-known regional variations like the ‘’potée’’ from either Lorraine or Auvergne where various pork-based ingredients are more prevalent than beef, and where the main vegetable is cabbage, since they can be as comforting and flavorful. In fact there are hundreds of recipes and formulas to produce a pot-au-feu. But I will limit myself to the traditional old-fashioned approach: The all-beef pot-au-feu...
Now, if you are a French person living in the U.S. and wishing to reproduce the same kind of flavor from the same kind of beef cuts that you were used to in France when preparing a traditional pot-au-feu, you will face a major obstacle as soon as you enter the butcher shop. As you know, the French cut their beef carcasses in a very different way than American meatpackers do over here. Besides how are you going to translate in American the equivalent of the traditional French pieces that you need for a pot-au-feu? Assuming of course that you know a real butcher who cuts his own pieces of beef and that you do not have to rely solely on the meat department of a supermarket, where everything is prepackaged and where the choices are limited to steaks, ground beef, roasts, and perhaps beef stew. So let me tell you what cuts are used in France and what are their approximate American equivalents. I had to research that question recently for a very specific reason. I was at KIKI’s BISTRO in Chicago, like every Friday for lunch, and a few tables away from mine, there was a high school French teacher who was eating pot-au-feu with around 10 of her students. Obviously, she did not know howto define in French the different pieces of beef that were in their plates, so she asked the waiter. He came to see me for help and I went to her table to explain that I knew the translation of two of the pieces but that I had to do some research in my books at home after talking to the chef to know exactly what kind of American cuts he was using. I e-mailed her my reply along with a recipe in English the following day.

In France most restaurants would use three different cuts of beef to make a pot-au-feu. The most popular pieces would probably be

Pointe de culotte = Rump pot roast (many think that this piece is as essential a component as the ribs or Paleron or macreuse = Shoulder or Chuck pot roast Plat de côtes (sometimes called plates côtes) = Short ribs (fat trimmed) Gîte à la noix = Bottom Round But some other cooks s would also use : Milieu de poitrine = Brisket and possibly Tranche Grasse = Sirloin tip A piece of boned beef shank is also a good option. Most cooks would also add a few pieces of oxtail, sometimes to replace the ribs, and, of course, several small marrow bones, that you want to keep in some cheesecloth while cooking so that the marrow does not dissolve into the broth. The essential rule is to have 3 different types of meat, one with some fat in it, one with some bones and tendons producing some gelatin, and a leaner and more meaty cut. You will tie the ribs and and the pot roast with some string.
You will use two sets of vegetables and herbs: One that will cook in the broth with the bones and the first part of the meat: Onions (studded with cloves), leeks, carrots, celery ribs, possibly parsnips, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns. The other one that you will add several hours later and that you will eat with the meat: carrots, leeks, turnips.

• Since there are lots of different options depending on the types of meats and the number of servings to prepare the pot-au-feu, I will not give you a specific recipe here. You can find some good ones on the following sites: http://frenchfood.about.com/ that offers both a traditional and a simplified version of the dish http://www.epicurious.com/ http://www.foodnetwork.com/ And of course you can always count on “Mastering the art of French Cooking” by Julia Child. And " French Regional Cooking" by Ann Willan provides also a very good recipe.
• And just for the fun of it read the "pot shots" chapter in the very interesting and funny book by a well-known food critic , Jeffrey Steingarten: "It must have been something I ate".

But be prepared to spend at least 2 hours of preparation and 3 to 4 hours of simmering. In fact many cooks start the day before it is supposed to be served since the real pot-au-feu is cooked in 3 different stages. This dish is normally served in two courses. First you eat the broth that has bean degreased and reduced. Then you eat the meats with the vegetables and put some of the warm marrrow on pieces of toast. Make sure that you have the proper accompanying condiments: 3 different types of French mustard including Dijon and Moutarde de Meaux. Some good quality coarse salt, like sel de Guérande for example. Horseradish, cornichons (French pickled gherkins), and small pickled white onions.

Some red wines that you may want to drink with your pot-au-feu:


A red Saumur-Champigny, a Moulin à Vent (from the Beaujolais), a red Côtes de Duras, or in more robust tone a good Saint-Emilion. But a red Chassagne-Montrachet or a Santenay (both from Burgundy) would also fit the bill quite nicely.

And if you are in PARIS in the heart of winter, here a few addresses to eat a traditional pot-au-feu:
 
CHEZ LA VIEILLE (Adrienne) 1 rue Bailleul, in the 1st LA TOUR DE MONTLHERY (CHEZ DENISE) 5 rue des Prouvaires, in the 1st LE QUINCY 28 avenue Ledru-Rollin, in the 12th RESTAURANT DE LA TOUR 6 Rue Desaix, in the 7th.
But in no way should you go to LE ROI DU POT AU FEU, for some 30 years the Parisian reference, that nowadays is just a ‘’tourist trap’’. Bon Appétit...