Somm Gift Kit 2021: Fabulous French – Twin Cities Wine Education

YAY! You have the 2021 Twin Cities Wine Education Fabulous French Somm Kit!

Three fantastic wines, all from a small stretch of the Rhône River in east-central France, and all COMPLETELY different.

Let’s dive into these three wines and learn more about them!

But first, in case you have no idea who we are, here’s an introduction from us, explaining who we are and what we do:

Let’s learn about your wines!

More links for learning

BARRAUD MACÔN-CHANTIRE, BURGUNDY

Burgundy is one of the most important wine regions in the world, it can be incredibly confusing, and it also produces some of the most expensive wines of the world. However, Burgundy doesn’t need to be confusing or expensive, as long as you know some tricks. One trick is to buy whites from the region of Macôn, and to seek out particularly great producers such as Barraud. A great producer, with a reputation for consistent quality year after year, is far more important to memorize than all the regions and sub-regions of Burgundy. “Producer first” is ALWAYS our suggestion when it comes to Burgundy.

HOPPENOT ‘ORIGINS’ FLEURIE, BEAUJOLAIS

There are three levels of quality in Beaujolais: Nouveau, Beaujolais-Villages, and the Crus of Beaujolais. Fleurie is one of the ten “Crus” and it’s well known for making perfumed, beautiful, elegant, and punchy styles of wine. Try this wine with grilled pork dishes, anything involving eggplant, or a classic Minnesota hot dish. In other words, this is super versatile and delicious!

DARNAUD CROZES-HERMITAGE, NORTHERN RHÔNE VALLEY

We are nuts about Syrah in general, and the best Syrahs of the world arguably come from the Northern Rhône valley. These wines tend to show the meaty/gamy side of the grape, along with the natural ‘smokiness’ that some people confuse with new oak being used in the winemaking, but it’s actually a chemical component of the Syrah grape. This is PERFECT for grilled red meat during the winter season!

And finally…

France is the spiritual and cultural home of wine. If you’re new to European wines, it’s the first one you should dive into for here you’ll find grapes you’re familiar with (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, etc.). Here’s a terrific overview of the wines of France, and keep an eye out for our French wine seminars over at The Wine Workshop.

Thank you! Enjoy your wines!

Jason and Angela Kallsen