Introducing BLT's Wine of the Week (No.11)

Les Valseuses
Domaine de l’Oubliée

What better way to welcome in 2013 and the reopening of Bistrot Les Tontons after the holiday closure other than with a fresh sparkling wine!

This week Gérald has selected 'Les Valseuses' as his wine of the week, a delicious dry sparkling rosé produced by Xavier Courrant, an organic winemaker and owner of Domaine de l’Oubliée.

Keeping in the spirit, that is Domaine de l’Oubliée, ‘Les Valseuses’ has been named after Bertrand Blier’s 1974 film whose three principle actors included Gérard Depardieu, Patrick Dewaere & Miou-Miou.

The cabernet franc used to create ‘Les Valseuses’ are harvested by hand and pressed to create a pretty salmon coloured sparkling wine which boasts an abundance of fine bubbles, perfect to toast 2013 to!

Happy New Year !

Bistrot Les Tontons
Place Saint Pierre
49400 Saumur
t: 02 41 59 59 40
e: bistrotlestontons@gmail.com

Bistrot Les Tontons : Gérald's Wine of the Week (No.9)

‘Le Clos’ 2009
AOC Savennières
Château de Plaisance

This week Gérald has selected the elegant, ‘Le Clos’ 2009 (AOC Savennières), produced by the organic & biodynamic wine maker Guy Rochais from Château de Plaisance, as his wine of the week.

Harvested by hand, post pressing the juice is placed into oak barrels of 2 to 5 years old and left for 11 to 12 months, a process which creates a white wine whose perfume is of fruits with an impression of minerals.

Another popular choice at Bistrot Les Tontons, ‘Le Clos’ 2009 is suggested served alongside our supper dish; Brioche de Saint Jacques Risotto Crémeux.

Bistrot Les Tontons
Place Saint Pierre
49400 Saumur
t: 02 41 59 59 40
e: bistrotlestontons@gmail.com

Bistrot Les Tontons : Gérald's Wine of the Week

Bressol 2010 
AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages 
Domaine Singla 

With Christmas celebrations starting to get underway our attentions turn to food & wine to be enjoyed in the company of friends and family. 

For the 1st week of Christmas Gérald has selected the beautifully balanced Bressol 2010, a red wine (mostly Grenach noir) produced by the talented Laurent de Besombes of Domaine Singla. 

Another firm favourite at Bistrot Les Tontons an interesting selection of Laurent’s wines are available at our wine bar, The Wine Shop & Tasting Room in Brighton, UK. 

Harvested by hand, a maceration of 25 days is followed by an oaking in high quality oak barrels (chéne nadalie, chauffe noisette+), a process of which creates a delicious full bodied red wine with hints of licorice, dark in colour and wonderfully aromatic on the nose. 

Bressol 2010 is suggested served alongside Faisan sauce morilles a l'armagnac. 

Bistrot Les Tontons
Place Saint Pierre
49400 Saumur
t: 02 41 59 59 40
e: bistrotlestonton@gmail.com

6ème Salon Mets et Vins de Mazé

Post harvest, winter arriving, one would be right in thinking this is a quieter time for many of the Domaines, au contraire! The wine festival season, winter porte ouvertes are in full swing...

Today Gérald is representing Domaine de la Paleine at the 6ème Salon 'Mets et Vins' de Mazé.

Bonne dégustation !

Bistrot Les Tontons : Gérald's wine of the week

Le Rouge aux Lèvres 2010 

Faugères

Les Amants de la Vigneronne

As the end of November nears so is the colder weather and the demand for ‘winter warmers’, slow cooked/grilled meats with sauces.  With this in mind, Gérald has selected Le Rouge aux Lèvres 2010 as his wine of the week, a sublime full bodied red wine produced by Les Amants de la Vigneronne in Faugères.  

A firm favourite at Bistrot Les Tontons this wine is also referenced in our wine bar, The Wine Shop & Tasting Room in Brighton, UK.

Harvested by hand the two cépages are; Grenache 60% and Syrah 40%.  A lengthy maceration is followed by a further 18 months in oak barrels to create an aromatic full bodied wine, dark in colour and fruity on the nose.

Bistrot Les Tontons

Place Saint Pierre

49400 Saumur

t: 02 41 59 59 40

e: bistrotlestontons@gmail.com

Bistrot Les Tontons : Gérald's wine of the week

l’esprit d’Eloi 2010
Minervois
Château Guéry

This week Gérald’s wine of the week is l’esprit d’Eloi 2010' which comes from Minervois.

Produced by la famille Guéry of Château Guéry, l’esprit d’Eloi is 100% Petit Verdot cépage and oaked for 12 months to create a smooth elegant red with a lovely finish on the oak.

Suggested to accompany rabbit and exotic cuisine, this is also a wine for aging.

Bistrot Les Tontons
Place Saint Pierre
49400 Saumur
t: 02 41 59 59 40
e: bistrotlestontons@gmail.com

'Grapes of the Loire Valley' - Brighton, UK

Last Saturday Gérald was in Brighton at The Wine Shop & Tasting Room hosting a private wine tasting afternoon – ‘Grapes of the Loire Valley’ – a superb wine loving crowd compiling of clients from Ten Green Bottles & Bistrot Les Tontons, as well as past guests from Loire Valley Uncorked & La Bellevue, all of whom spent 2 hours discovering further, the Loire Valley varietals.

The selection of wines to be sampled were from: Domaine de la Paleine (AOC Saumur, AOC Saumur-Puy-Notre-Dame, AOC Saumur-Champigny), Domaine de l’Oubliée (AOC Bourgueil), Aigues Vives (Côt) & La Pente de Chavigny (Sauvignon) produced by Mikaël Bouges located in the Touraine, and the exquisite La Tête dans les Etoiles created by Eric Gastellier, a biodynamic producer located outside of Saumur – here are some of our photos from the afternoon…