"french wine" news and stories

The South of France -- or Sud de France, as it's also referred to, in French -- produces a wide variety of wines, from zippy Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier to dark, luscious red-wine blends combining Grenache, Syrah and Carignan grapes. And their prices will wow you, as they did us when we recently tasted through a sampling of this region, which includes Languedoc-Roussillon along the Mediterranean coast. Here are nine wines worth trying now.

Château de Jau 2009 Jaja de Jau Sauvignon Blanc, Roussilon ($10)
Grapefruit is the overwhelming fruit in this Sauvignon Blanc, which is just as zesty as its New Zealand counterparts. A crisp mouth feel and lengthy finish combined with a backbone of minerals contribute to a fresh wine.

Domaine St. Roch 2007 Fitou ($15)
50% Grenache, 50% Carignan (Old Vines, dating back 50-70 years)
Toasty vanilla is evident on the nose and that flavor carries through to the finish, which is slightly tannic and evolves into a soft, long completion. Cherries and blackberries brighten on the palate.

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• More wine news, this time from France: it's now legal for winemakers to flavor their wines using wood chips.

Yesterday's San Diego Union Tribune featured an article about several new offerings from French winemakers who are taking aim at the low-end wine market in the U.S. XL Wines' Jet Lag comes in 8.8 ounce screw-top bottles that look like shampoo or cologne and are meant to fit in a carry-on bag. Sounds pretty close to a hip flask. According to the article, other XL offerings include bottles with no names, only clock faces and times of day on the labels. Then there's Los 3 Bandidos, a Pancho Villa-inspired French wine with advertising mired in bullet holes and tales of Mexican revolutionaries. Most are expected to sell for $8-$10.

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