François Chartier introduces his new range of four wines
A column by Karyne Duplessis, La Presse
François Chartier does not tell you what to eat with his wines. He shows you.
Indeed, the labels on the first four of wines in his new range display, in a very straightforward way, the foods that pair well with them.
The goal of the sommelier and author of several books on food and wine pairing was just as straightforward: making a trip to SAQ as simple as possible.
« The first thing people do when they go at SAQ is enquire about what wine to pair with their dinner, François Chartier says. When one looks at my wine labels, it is self-evident in three seconds flat what foods to pair with them. »
Those labels were created by the renowned creative agency, Sid Lee and there is nothing subtle about them: on the red Bordeaux label, one can see a roast turkey, asparagus and mushrooms. On the Pays d’Oc white, a lobster claw and a coconut.
But looking beyond the audacious presentation, the creation of those wines was a lenghty process, according to the sommelier. He selected and assembled cuvées whose aromatic components are found in specific foods.
« These are wines that were created specifically by and for the ultimate food and wine pairings », as he puts it in a nutshell.
But are those wines limited to the foods that appear on their labels? No, of course not, says Chartier. Other suggestions are available on the back label and, he adds, a good trick is to try the same food pairings with other wines of the same appellation. Since those pairings are partly attributable to the varietals used in those wines, the pairing could be just as successful.
« Does that mean my wines are better? No », he adds emphatically. « However, if you do follow my suggestions for food and wine pairing, you might reach nirvana. »
INSIDE THE BOTTLES
The sommelier strived to create wines that would be representative of their appellation: a Fronsac merlot for the Bordeaux region, an oak-aged white from the South of France, a typical Côtes-du-Rhône blend, and a Tuscan sangiovese.
And that’s not the only common thread between the wines in his range: all have a very refreshing acidity devoid of excessive aging in casks.
« I’m tired of 15% wines that taste like overripe fruit and over-saturate the palate after one glass. I wanted to create palatable wines. »
MORE WINES IN THE SPRING
Half of his production, about 78 000 bottles, will go on sale in Québec on Oct. 3. If all goes well, they will eventually be marketed westward, in the States and in France in the fall of 2014.
François Chartier has also created other wines. A Spanish red will be launched next March, and a French rosé will be offered to the public next summer.
TASTING
The white, Pays d’Oc 2012, 18,95$
I can’t wait until lobster season is back to enjoy this wine with the king of crustaceans! The nose is aromatic with a peach dominant. The mouth is rounded, almost hefty and powerful. Here too, peaches and apricots express themselves through a most pleasant acidity. In other words: it’s good! 13%
Fronsac 2010, 19,95$
This merlot is, in my opinion, the best of Chartier’s reds. Born of an exceptional grape harvest in the Bordeaux region, it’s a tasty wine with notes of blackcurrant, earth and bell peppers. Compared to the others, its mouth has more body and length. Nice job! 13,5%
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