By Diana Rice

Xavier Flouret la Victoire 2006
Available at Grand Wine & Liquor
Retail price: $19.99

Victoire . . . Within Reach

Most wine drinkers agree that Bordeaux is the preeminent French wine region (Burgundy enthusiasts, please forgive me). At the high end there are Château Lafite, Margaux and Cheval Blanc, which epitomize the region's power and prestige. Yet their superstar status makes them seem completely out of reach. We ought not let the cachet of Bordeaux be offputting.

The good news is that Bordeaux is also France's largest wine-producing region and offers intriguing wines at all price levels. For example, Xavier Flouret la Victoire 2006, a Premières Côtes de Blaye from Château Haut-Meneau, offers immediate appeal with an easy and elegant style. The wine has a deep, rich garnet color, and the nose telegraphs a host of well-delineated aromas, including dried cherries, vanilla, cloves and cinnamon. The effect is pure, clean and marvelous. Bordeaux's longstanding blending tradition enhances and protects its wines by allowing individual producers the freedom to adjust their blends according to their own particular vines and microclimate. La Victoire, at 60 percent merlot and 40 percent cabernet, finds the right balance between the supple merlot and the more structured cabernet. The result is a beautifully proportioned, medium-bodied Bordeaux with smooth tannins. Credit should always be given to the winemaker (Jacques-Henri Bravard) for showing restraint and knowing when to back off and let the vineyard and grape characteristics take center stage.

With all its elegance and rich mouthfeel, La Victoire gives the impression of an expensive wine; however, at $20 a bottle, it puts victory within reach.

La Victoire 2006 requires no cellaring and should be served with cheese, especially sheep's milk or Alpine cheeses, and lamb or venison flavored with rosemary.

By Diana Rice

Clos du Mont-Olivet, 2007
Available at Mt. Kisco Wines & Spirits
Approximate retail price: $40

Rhône 101

The Rhône Valley, located in southeastern France, produces numerous wines under various Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) designations and is one of France’s largest wine-producing regions. The northern Rhône, famous for its high-quality, brooding reds made almost entirely from the Syrah grape, generally commands higher prices. But the southern Rhône, where blending different grapes is the norm (13 different varieties are permitted), has long been considered the go-to region for value wines—less expensive and ready to enjoy. The labels on Rhône wines are easy to interpret, since they stick to the basics: the producer, the vintage and the area name. Unlike Bordeaux and Burgundy, there is no official classification, or “Cru” system, to memorize or worry about; you will not see terms like “Grand Cru” on Rhône wines.

2007 Clos du Mont-Olivet

A Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the 2007 Clos du Mont-Olivet (from the southern Rhône) is as refined and well crafted as a spectacular stained glass window in a countryside church. Visually we are treated to shades of ruby and violet framed in a watery pink edge around the glass. On the nose, what the old school would call “bouquet” and the newer generation, “aromatics,” the Clos du Mont-Olivet shows off black raspberries, charcoal, mineral and rose petals. I was tempted to dab a drop or two behind my ears.

It is silky on the palate, with a pleasing acidity just to make sure you take notice. And take notice you will, especially if you’re a fan of Rhône wines and the bright cherry liquor essence that some, including this one, are able to achieve.

The southern Rhône is best known for loads of sun and rocky, heat-absorbing soil. Ah, but this is the dilemma. It’s wonderful news for flavor development but presents a challenge for the winemaker, who must prevent overripe fruit from throwing the wine off balance. The Sabon family, owners and winemakers at Clos du Mont-Olivet for generations, have finessed this challenge to create elegant and harmonious wines.

Clos du Mont-Olivet will pair beautifully with pot-au-feu as well as other slow-cooked meat and game dishes.

Fortunately for wine lovers, 2007 was a showstopper of a vintage in the Rhône, which means that in general ’07 Rhônes will be excellent.

By Diana Rice

Parigot & Richard Crémant Rosé Brut
Available at Wine Geeks Armonk; to order, call 914-273-WINE (9463).
Approximate retail price: $25

Holiday entertaining should be sparkling, colorful and fun from first sip to midnight mistletoe. Parigot produces a charming sparkling rosé that can aptly accompany you for an entire evening of festivities, from canapés to chocolate cake. The wine is a pink salmon color with soft bubbles imparting a youthful mousseux-like quality. Although the flavors are dry (brut) they suggest fresh fruit with hints of spice. Slightly underripe strawberry and tart apple flavors mingle with clove and lemon zest to give this sparkler its own personality. If you imagine a classic French champagne as a beautiful and confident woman, then the Parigot crémant rosé is instantly recognizable as her pretty and flirtatious younger sister. At less than half the price of comparable champagnes, crémants are a versatile alternative. Made from 100 percent pinot noir, this rosé draws its delicate hue from only a few hours of contact with the pinot’s red skins. Afterward the rosé is put through the labor-intensive methode champenoise—considered the superior process to ensure the highest quality of sparkling wines. In other words, the Parigot crémant rosé is produced as if it were champagne, but it uses pinot noir from Burgundy instead of grapes grown in Champagne itself.

Note: Serve crémants in flutes rather than the old-fashioned champagne glasses, which are flatter.