Tasting of 5 Off-the-beaten-path Wines from France at the Washington Wine and Cheese Seminar, led by Annette Schiller (May 28, 2024)

Annette Schiller led a tasting of 5 off-the-beaten-path wines from France at the Washington Wine and Cheese Seminar (WWCS) on May 28, 2024.

In addition to putting together the wine tasting, we also had to look after the cheese and the fresh baguette, for which Calvert and Woodley (cheese) and Fresh Baguette (bread) in McLean were the providers.

Invitation

Dear wine friends, 

I would like to invite you to join me next week on Tuesday, May 28th at 7.45 pm at St. Patricks Episcopal Church at 4700 Whitehaven Pky, Washington DC, when I take you on a discovery tour to 5 off-the-beaten-path wine regions in France. France is the country with the most famous wine regions world-wide. Who does not have heard of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône. France is also one of the largest wine producing countries world-wide and there are many other, overlooked, overshadowed, undiscovered wine regions that showcase excellent quality and value with their indigenous grapes and unique wine styles. We will explore wines from 5 French wine regions that don’t get the fame and press coverage but deserve all the recognition in the world.

The Tasting

There were about 60 participants. As usual, Annette, the organizer of the event, provided a 15-minute introduction to the tasting.

The 5 Wines

1. Côte de Toul, Moselle - We start with a rosé wine from the Côte de Toul, part of the Moselle wine region situated west of the Vosges mountains. YES, this is the famous Mosel river that later crosses into Germany and that we all know by the famous German Rieslings. 

2. Jura - Jura is a tiny region sandwiched between the Swiss border and the world-famous French region of Burgundy. It is also France’s trending pioneer in sustainable viticulture and natural wine. 

3. Corsica - We travel to the Mediterranean cost, take a boat in Toulon and visit the island of Corsica, a beautiful island with white-sandy beaches and spectacular mountains in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. This French region is closer to Italy than it is to France. What’s interesting is even with influences from French and Italy, Corsica’s wines have their own sense of individuality. 

4. Cahors - This is Malbec country. Malbec is one of the most popular grapes in the world and often associated with Argentina. BUT: Malbec originates in Cahors, a beautiful region with dramatic landscapes. Cahors is one of the moste underrated wine regions. 

5. Lot et Garonne - Lot-et-Garonne is a vast region in South-West France, where you find the oldest vineyards.in France. We taste a wine from the AOP Bergerac sub-region, which straddles along the southern bank of the Dordogene river, which further to the west forms together with the Garonne river the Gironde estuary where the famous Bordeaux appellations are situated. 

Cheese and Bread

Calvert and Woodley and Fresh Baguette in McLean were the providers of the cheese and the bread.