Celebration of Spring Virginie Bourgue A WAC Wine Club Tasting March 14, 2013

Look at the boughs, How white they are, It’s snowing flowers! Scoffing at the rain, The sun dries The weepy willow. And the sky reflects In the violets Its pure colors… The fly opens its wings And the dragonfly With the golden pupils, And the wasp-like corset, Unfolding its silky wings, Has resumed its flight. The water happily babbles, The tiny fish wriggles It’s Springtime again! By Théophile Gautier

Jansz Tasmania vineyard lies in the Tamar Valley in the heart of the Pipers River region in north eastern Tasmania. With a mantle of red basalt soils and a cool climate moderated by the proximity of Bass Strait, the Jansz Tasmania vineyards are ideal for allowing grapes to ripen slowly and develop the lingering acidity essential to produce a premium sparkling wine. Jansz was Tasmania’s first sparkling wine to be made according to the traditional méthode champenoise and, as the only Tasmanian specialist solely devoted to the art of sparkling winemaking, Jansz Tasmania has since come to describe the technique used in creating each of their definitive wines as Méthode Tasmanoise. Jansz Brut NV

Jansz Brut Non Vintage  Batches kept separate to maximize blending options  Methode Champenoise  Blend: 52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir  RS: 9 g/L  Tasting notes: lifted nose displaying honeysuckle and citrus notes from Tasmanian Chardonnay. The time on the lees contributes aromas of nougat and roasted nuts, whilst Pinot Noir shows delicate strawberry.  Reviews: 94 pt by James Haliday in 2012; 92 pt by Nick Stock in 2012

Montlouis-sur-Loire Cuvée Rémus 2010 Owner: Jacky Blot Domaine de la Taille aux Loups

100% Chenin

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups  100% Chenin  50 to 80 years old vines  Soil: limestone bedrock, limestone, clay and silica topsoil  Yield: 1.5 tons per acre  Fermentation in barrels: 25% new, 25% one wine, 25% 2 wine and 25% 3 wines  Tasting notes: the nose showcases a nice balance with aromas of stone fruits, exotic fruits, quince and bees wax. In the mouth, it reveals a bright acidity, a sharp and deep minerality layered with fruity notes.  Reviews: 17/20 (Bettane et Desseauve)

Lullaby 2011 Lullaby Rosé Columbia Valley Vineyard: Alder Ridge Winemaker: Virginie Bourgue

Lullaby Rosé  100% Grenache  15 years old vines  Soil: sandyloam  Yield: 2.5 tons per acre  Fermentation in barrels: 100% neutral French oak  Tasting notes: it has floral and fruity aromas of cherry, red currant, raspberry and citrus. As you sip it, you will enjoy these same aromas captured in a round and creamy texture that lingers.  Reviews: 86 Wine Enthusiast, Bronze Medal Dallas Morning Wine Competition

Mongeard-Mugneret – Nuits St-Georges

 Area under production: 62 to 69 acres  Soil: argilocalacareus from Middle Jurassic  100% Pinot Noir  45 years old vines in average  Harvest manually  100% de-stemming  Aging in 30 to 40% new oak barrels

Mongeard-Mugneret – Nuits St- Georges  Tasting notes: Wines under the "Nuits" appellation are the most robust, full-bodied and strong in tannins of all Côtes-de-Nuits wines. They are usually ready to drink about 4 or 5 years after being bottled and will age perfectly for about ten years. They are full and firm, with a deep intense color. Their aromas are rich and complex, suggestive of cherries, blackcurrants, animal pelts and truffles. Their high tannin content provides them with a very firm structure, and the harmonious interplay between the tannins and the inherently rounded nature of these wines makes them full-bodied and solid.

Domaine Brunel  Chateauneuf-du-Pape  Les Cailloux 2009

Domaine Brunel – Les Cailloux  Area under production: 17.3 ha  Soil: loam, limestone covered by cobblestone  70% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10 % Syrah and other varieties  60 years old vines in average  Harvest manually  70% de-stemming  Aging: Grenache in enamel coated vats; Mourvedre and Syrah in 1 to 3 years; oak barrels for 15 to 20 months  60,000 bottles produced