Wine Picks

Domaine Allimant-Laugner
Crémant d’Alsace Rosé NV
Taylor’s Market $18.99

I picked this pink sparkling wine from Alsace because its attractive copper hue felt like fall.  That fall feeling continued when I popped it open and a cornucopia of harvest smells drifted out of the glass — quince, apple, spice, and especially bread.  Alsace, a region in the northeast corner of France, specializes in white wines made from Riesling, Pinots Gris and Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Muscat and Sylvaner. The only red grape they work with is Pinot Noir, and the Allimant-Laugner family makes this sparkling rosé from that variety. The family’s estate is located in Orschwiller, a medieval village full of half-timbered houses and window boxes bursting with geraniums. The culture of Alsace blends many aspects of both French and German ways of life, and the wines straddle a similar stylistic divide. But the Crémant d’Alsace wines are distinctly French.  Crémant is a name used across France to describe regional sparkling wines that are not Champagne, though they’re made by the same method: a second fermentation and significant time ageing in the bottle.  These two processes create the delicate bubbles and the complex aroma of Champagne, but wines called Crémant don’t command the same prices that Champagne does. That means you can put on a sweater and crack open a bottle or two of Allimant-Laugner for no other reason than to celebrate the newfound chill in the air.

Paul and Frédrik Filliatreau, “La Grande Vignolle”
Saumur-Champigny 2005
58 Degrees $19.99

The village of Champigny, within the Saumur wine district, and its surrounding vineyards sit on a tuffeau plateau just south of the Loire River.  This region is part of the swathe of Kimmeridgian era limestone that extends from southern England to Eastern France and boasts some of the finest wines in the world.  The limestone soil works especially well with high acid grapes, and contributes to the vibrancy and finesse of these wines made from Cabernet Franc. Saumur-Champigny is juicy wine meant for enjoying upon release, rather than for long-term ageing, and they have a refreshing acidity and peppery tannin that make them perfect for early fall drinking.  Domaine Filliatreau, currently run by father and son, is one of the largest and best producers of Saumur-Champigny.  This bottling, La Grande Vignolle, is named for a 13th century cave-like dwelling carved right out of the tuffeau (as depicted on the label). The surrounding vineyards are planted to 40-year-old Cabernet Franc vines that are farmed organically. The Filliatreau family makes delightful, refreshing wines with cherry, strawberry, earth and black pepper notes.  With the changing season, it’s time to find more red wines for the table, and Filliatreau’s “La Grande Vignolle” is a perfect match for the incoming fall produce.  Think about pairing it with grilled pork chops, butternut squash purée, and braised greens.