TN: 2009 Domaine Jean Vullien Vin de Savoie Montmélian

WINE TALK
1
  • 2009 Domaine Jean Vullien Vin de Savoie Montmélian - France, Savoie, Vin de Savoie (11/23/2010)
    This just rocks for the price and is a great example of why I like to use my everyday buys to try different things. Sure, I could get some large production Sauv Blanc, but… come on.

The nose is pear and peppermint with some hightoned floral notes. The palate follows through, more on the pear than the peppermint. The mouthfeel is surprisingly full with a nice texture and finish. Will this age? Is it complex? Come on, it’s $12. I’m inclined to stuff some bottles in the cellar and see what they do in 3-5 years, but even if I don’t, it’s a fun wine that tastes good and is different. This is yet another example of why I shop in the European aisles of wine shops… Shipped 6000 miles and through 3 tiers of distribution, and I get something cool for a ten dollar bill plus some change.

Oh and you all got the grape variety as Jacquere, right?

Posted from CellarTracker

2

Hey, Rick. I actually love this stuff (the 2008 was good as well). It was actually my summer quaffer, but my daughter loves it as well, so every time I pick up a couple of bottles, then go poking around for some, they seem to be gone. Pretty impressive flavor and minerality (particularly the 08, and I think I may have had o7 as well) for $10-12.

3

Yeah, I think this is now on my shortlist of everyday whites. Just lovely stuff. It’s wines like this (red and white) that really make it hard for me to try domestic wines where this price level just doesn’t produce interesting wines as far as I can tell. Under $20 I can grab a mixed case pretty easily in the Euro section of Dan’s store or any well stocked store… I just don’t see as much from domestic producers in the same range. Some, esp from Sineann etc, but it’s a harder range for US producers from what I can tell.

4

Domestics in this price range are pretty much all mass produced. Reds are almost universally overoaked, and there are few whites that have a chance. The only ones I can think of are perhaps riesling, mostly actually from Washington state, but I haven’t really sampled this category. Too bad someone can’t do a good dry chenin. or some other off the track variety. (L’Ecole does one, but it’s off dry, and doesn’t have the minerality of even the less expensive french wines).

5

Jacquere from the Savoie is one of my favorite finds. Like Muscadet, great balanced white at prices to make many other regions look silly. Garagiste often has some good stuff from there.

6

Any other producers to look for Cris?

7

I’ve had a several bottles from both of these producers and enjoyed them a lot.

Jean Masson
René et Béatrice Bernard

8

Rick and John,
Sorry for the bother and potential shill, but as I represent this locally, this is a wine that I too believe in greatly and went long on, as there weren’t many cases brought into the US by Jeff Welburn Selection. This dates back to loving the Boniface Apremont brought in by Dan Kravitz that I used to represent years ago which we once sold lots of.

Just so you know, there is still some available to your favorite retailer, as we’ve 10 boxes left. JWS is out and we’ll get their 2010 sometime in April 2011.
Scott
ITB