Barge Tasting in Paris(1)

By 2009-3-4 14:16:40

Wine-tasting on a barge in ParisParis, on a cold december day
It was minus 3°C that morning in Paris and to make matters worse, it began to rain before noon, but it did not impede wine amateurs to flock during the two-day event to this barge anchored on the right bank in the

eastern-side of Paris. Tastings are regularly organized on barges in Paris and this adds a particular dimension to the experience, the old barge, the cobblestones of the pier, the pitching with the passing boats and the dim light of the early night when it's winter. An additional benefit of a barge tastings is that you can usually park your car nearby on the pier which is great when people want to purchase a few cases. This particular tasting was precisely also a private sale, at a time of the year when people re-stock their cellar for their Christmas- and New-Year treats. The organizers had highlighted the shared organic-approach of the participating vintners in the flyer but we all know it takes a bit more to make great wines, call it talent or intuitive choices, and these vigneron have this talent. Most of the vignerons here were apllying the biodynamie to their vineyard management, and incidently, quite a few of their wines had also be downgraded as Table Wine by the fellow vignerons who take the decisions in the Agreement Commissions.
This type of tasting experience fits the ideal scale for a wine tasting event : 15 participating estates, with the vintners in person to answer your questions and listen to what you feel in their wines. That's the type of event where you really can taste all the wines without being forced to do it mechanically. So, I felt I could brave this damp and cold weather and join the party.

Jean-Pierre & Chantal Frick on the leftAfter walking in the blizzard and rain accross the pedestrian bridge from the other side of the Seine (I stepped out of the Quai de la Gare Métro-station), the well-heated barge was welcome. I wrote my name on the book and got a glasss with L'Art d'Etre Naturel printed in red letters on it. Free tasting, You just give 2 Euro for the glass, which is refunded at the end if you don't want to keep the glass.
My initial intention was to begin with the sole Champagne of the event, Champagne Fleury, but was it this cold weather outside or something, I chose to begin with Alsace Domaine Pierre Frick instead. Jean-Pierre & Chantal Frick are there today to pour their wines.
__Pinot Noir 2003. A start with whites seemed wise to me, but Jean-Pierre Frick said that "Blanc sur Rouge, rien ne bouge", a sentence which sounds like a verse and means something like "White after Red, nothing is disturbed". Well, why not, with Alsace reds maybe, but I would'nt begin with a red Côtes du Rhône or Languedoc. The wine : this 2003 has a nice pepper in it, with some tannicity. The wine is carafed. That's a nice beginning. He says that the 2005 is more silky.
__Sylvaner 206. Richness, welcome viscosity in the mouth. Lots of substance too for a Sylvaner. Chantal Frick says that alas many people choose to bypass Sylvaner at tastings. This variety is unfairly considered as a minor variety, maybe because it has been produced with excessive yields in the region. A nice wine for a mere 6,6 Euro.
__Riesling 2003. in 2003 they began to harvest before sept 15 when in 2008 for example they began oct 6. Nice. Balanced wine. 9,4 Euro.
Riesling Grand Cru Steinert 2005. A very different Riesling indeed. A dry wine with a nice freshness and exceptionnal minerality. Chantal says that even though the tasters feel great things in this wine already, it is even better to let it mature a bit more in a cellar to take full advantage of its potential. The soil here is oolitic limestone, with blocks. 13,3 Euro (prices on this page are tax-included).
__Pinot Blanc/Pinot Auxerrois 2005. Vinified without sulphur addition. This wine went through its malolactic fermentation (usually, they manage not to have the malo-ferm done). Soil : limestone/grès. She says I might feel some perly feel on the mouth but the bottle was opened a while ago and there's none. Very nice and interesting mouth. The nose has some very ripe grapes notes, also generous flower notes. 9 gr residual sugar. 8,5 Euro.
Crémant d'Alsace 2002. Sparkling wine from Alsace. Often a good alternative to Champagne. Pinot Blanc & Riesling. 8,45 Euro. Surprising after the Auxerrois 2005, feels too sugary. 13 g residual sugar. The second sip is already better, it is amazing as the previous wine can load the feel of a wine...

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From wineterroirs.com