After gathering all kinds of interesting names and addresses to visit, what did I do on my first full day by the Loire? I did what I love best: wandering around the back streets and countryside d'Amboise. I ate a solitary lunch in the sun at a little cafe and took a wine tour with an amusing little Gamay that was the color of many an Italian rosato. Then afterwards another virtual tour with a glass or two of white wine.
The white wine in question was of course a chenin blanc (2006), and the name of the estate was Domaine Vincent Careme, Vouvray, "Le Peu Morier." Vouvray is very close to Amboise. It was recommended to me by a wine merchant named Philippe Croix at his shop Millesime on rue Nationale in Amboise. In my fractured French (which always ended up being Italian) I told him I wanted something to take back to the hotel for the afternoon. Something typical and of this particular area that he would recommend. Something not completely dry, since it was as an aperitif, or really a mid-afternoon tipple.
Although the wine was a tad warmer than ideal, it grew on us as we rolled it round our mouths and savored its limestone minerality and anise notes. Its not-dry, not-semi-sec RS slightly masked the acidity and allowed the spice and herbal notes to come forth. At a local price of 13.50E retail it is clearly meant to be a wine of standing. Its gentle fruit and underlying structure convinced me.
The back label proclaims, in French and English, the use of no pesticides, etc., and that the wine is made naturally. It felt "natural" afterwards -- no baneful effects at all, just a renewed spring in my step.
I'm now sitting on the terrace. But I'm virtual too.
Domaine Mesliand Touraine-Amboise La Besaudiere 2006
This was the very pleasant Cot (Malbec), Cabernet Franc and Gamay wine we had at dinner last night. Though young it threw quite a sediment -- looked like tea leaves in the glass and I theatened to read Ken's fortune. As in so many instances, this wine from down the road wouldn't turn many heads in New York or Chicago, but it did pair well with the local cuisine. Very drinkable, and low enough in alcohol (12.5%) that you could drink a number of glasses before really feeling the room tilt.
No doubt tonight there will be another virtual wine tour. Then, tomorrow, one or two real ones. But there's one thing I demand on vacation, hich has never been much of a feature of my life (till fairly recently anyway): unstructured time.
Otherwise known as loafing. Dolce far niente. Like when I fell asleep at the hotel's grassy-edged pool this afternoon and woke up beet red. Now it feels like a vacation.
Wine shop in Amboise with a large selection of regional labels:
Millésime
Philippe Croix
54 rue Nationale
37400 Amboise
Tel : +33(4)2.47.23.09.16
Wow, it's so rare I feel "natural" after having half a bottle of wine. What a treat that bottle is!
Posted by: Lisa Qiu | July 18, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Maybe I've acquired a higher tolerance for feeling unnatural than you have.
Posted by: Strappo | July 18, 2008 at 01:16 PM
If you love Italy, wine, culture and food come to Umbria!We go on excursions to small family owned wineries where we walk through vineyards, learn about winemaking and taste interesting native wines.
Please look at our website
www.sagrantinoexcursions.com
Salute,
Posted by: sagrantino | October 29, 2008 at 01:40 PM