2009 Bergeron

Production Notes

Bergeron is the local name for the Roussanne grape in the Savoie region of France. In the Savoie, nestled in the foothills of the French Alps, Bergeron produces wines very different from the Southern Rhône’s Roussannes: lighter-bodied, with more minerality and brighter, lemony acids. At Tablas Creek, we select Roussanne for our Bergeron bottling from the vineyard’s coldest sections of Roussanne vines, pick them earlier while they still have high acids and lower sugars, and ferment them in traditional Savoie style in neutral wood.

The Roussanne grapes used in our Bergeron were grown on our 120-acre certified organic estate vineyard.

The 2009 vintage was our third consecutive drought year, with yields further reduced by April frosts. Berries and clusters were small, with excellent concentration. Ripening over the summer was gradual and our white harvest complete except for a few Roussanne lots at the time of a major rainstorm on October 13th. Crop sizes were 10% smaller than 2008 and 30% lower than usual. The low yields and gradual ripening resulted in wines with an appealing lushness, rich texture and gentle minerality. We picked the Roussanne for our Bergeron from three different blocks on September 2nd, 18th and 26th; the Roussanne for our traditional bottlings was harvested throughout October.

The Roussanne grapes were whole cluster pressed, and fermented using native yeasts in neutral barrels in the traditional Savoie style. The wine was bottled in April 2010.

Tasting Notes

The 2009 Bergeron shows a nose of green apple, mineral, herbs and preserved lemon. In the mouth, it is very mineral and notably saline, quite rich for a Bergeron, almost buttery. The finish shows notes of caramel apple and the wine cries out for shellfish. Drink now or for the next five years.

Reviews

• 89 points:  Wine Advocate (Aug. 2011)
• 89 points:  Wine Spectator (Dec. 2010)
• 90 points:  Tanzer’s IWC (Nov. 2010)

[...more recent Tablas Creek press]

Recipe Suggestions

• Cream of Grilled Asparagus Soup
• Braised Tuna or Swordfish

[...more recipes]

Food Pairings

• Nearly any fresh seafood
• Oysters on the half shell
• Aioli or Pestos
• Linguine with clam sauce
• Shellfish stews

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