Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/637107
76 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016 pare this wine to is some Greek varieties. Assyrtiko does the same thing texturally and they both have a volcanic soil with limestone underneath." The wine Brian was referring to was the candied-cranberry and fresh nutmeg–like 2013 Feudo di Mezzo Eruzione 1614 Nerello Mascalese from Planeta. Also from Planeta (which, by the way, isn't just the one winery started by the Planeta family in the 1600s—it's an entire collection of Sicilian wineries) was Buonivini Estate's 2010 Santa Cecilia Nero d'Avola. Noto's white calcare - ous soil—between that of Champagne and Sher ry's albariza—gives the Nero d'Avola a naturally lower pH. "Soil is a wonderful thing for accentuating acid," says Brian. I thought so too, as this wine showed bright yet somehow also mellow Luxardo Maraschino cherries and a really interesting honey mustard finish. Christopher Patrick Lavine, Advanced Sommelier, Cer tified Wine Educator and Regional Manager for Broadbent Selections, was there to make the case for the climate's influence, par ticularly in the Touraine of the Loire Valley. Lavine tells us that what makes the "Garden of France" unique from that of a terroir perspective is how directly the variety of grape grown is determined by the climate, especially in Touraine, as it is "at the cusp of two different climates. In the west you have the later-ripening varieties and in the east, the earlier." Proof of this is in the Touraine's diverse assor tment of grape varieties, from Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc to Cabernet Franc, Cot, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pineau d'Aunis and Gamay. This is the Loire though, so naturally Christopher shared with us was a very pretty 2014 Sauvignon Blanc from Domaine de la Renaudie. Christopher said, "I find that the wines here in Chenonceaux, on the left bank of the Cher, are very high-quality, similar in style to areas like Sancerre, but they tend to have a little bit of riper character than Sancerre in sunnier vintages. I also find that these wines tend to have lower alcohol, smaller yields and are over all higher-quality wines for better prices and immediate consumption. The focus here is on freshness. Sancerre tends to be a little more brooding." The second wine Christopher presented was the Domaine François Cartier 2013 Cuvée Gamay, which I found to be a daintier expression of Gamay. This is likely because this particular Gamay does not go through carbonic maceration and the result is a crisper, crunchier cherry and raspberry, as opposed to what might otherwise be found, for instance, in a bubble gum–like Beaujolais. It also helps that this Gamay comes from some of the flinty clay and limestone soils of Touraine's Cher Valley. All this travel through Europe was making me feel a little homesick, so I was grateful when winemaker and co-proprietor, Daniel J. Daou, of DAOU Vineyards and Winery in Paso Robles, California spoke up. Living as a sommelier in Los Angeles, it's no surprise that I've actually been to DAOU and crumbled the chalky calcareous soil of the Adelaida District in my own hands. It'd be no surprise either then to say that I had already tasted the incredibly balanced DAOU Estate "Soul of a Lion" Cabernet Sauvignon, in this case, the 2012, which I have affectionately termed the "Every Man's California Cult Cab," simply because you don't have to sell your Prius to buy a bottle. Honestly, I don't understand how Daniel or his brother George make any money on this stuff, as the care given to DAOU winemaking is limitless: From select - ing a higher pedigree of Cabernet clones, to using 100% new French oak barrels that are specially customized for DAOU. (I know what you're thinking— this is a piece on terroir but you're talking about cooperage, ya dummy!) Daniel explains, "The barrel that I created is aged longer than most barrels, for five years. I do this because our wine is already so phenolically rich, I really don't want to add more tannins." He expanded, "We have the same soil as St-Emilion but with Napa tem - peratures. These conditions are very ideal for growing Cab Sauv. The phenolics we're getting on this mountain are some of the highest in the world. The first 18 inches is clay and rest is pure limestone. These soils are so severely depleted of potassium we don't have to acidify any of our wines. I'm very keen on not having to add any tartaric acid to our wines."