Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Wines of Tenuta Torciano in the Chianti Region in Italy: Tasting at the American Wine Society (John Marshall Chapter, Chair: Douglas Beakes), led by Tommaso Saltarelli (March 2024)




Tenuta Torciani, a wine producer based in the Chianti region in Italy, presented its wines at the March 2024 meeting of the of the John Marshall Chapter of the American Wine Society. Tommaso Saltarelli led the tasting. 

The John Marshall Chapter meets at Pearmund Cellars in Virginia. Douglas Beakes is the Chapter Chair.

Tenuta Torciani uses an unusual sales concept to sell its wines by only selling directly to the consumer. Thus, you will not find Tenuta Torciani wines at retail stores nor at restaurants or wine bars. 

80% of the production goes to the US market.

Tenuta Torciani

It was founded in 1720 by Bartolomeo Giachi, who left Florence to move to San Gimignano in the locality of Ulignano, settling in a property which included land with a very high wine vocation. Including the strategic importance of the territory, he erected the first walls here close to the Via Francigena ; the place where to lay the first stone was baptized by him "Tenuta Torciano" since it is located on the lands bathed by the ancient torrent "Borro di Torciano" .

Tenuta Torciano develops also thanks to its proximity to the Magione di Torre, the La Scala hospital and the Cistercian monks' monastery. Its wines, chianti and vernaccia, together with the appreciated hospitality, made so that the company became known throughout the region for the production and sale of wine and oil.

The 13 Generations and the Company Today

The production is is handed down from father to son for 13 generations and, still today, is all made in Tuscany . The company counts more of 125 employees, working in wineries, wine bars, shops, hotels and warehouses with offices in America.

The development of the last few years has is concentrated on foreign markets: 80% of sales are recorded in the North America area, where is rented our company of Northbrook, owner of over 42 licenses for the distribution of wine to private consumers in the US.

Next, 5% of sales in Brazil, 2% in Asian countries - in particular South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong - 2% in Europe and 1% in the Middle East .

In Tuscany our wines and oils of the highest quality are born and is here are the vineyards and olive groves of the Estate , which cover many hectares of land; Although still a small number compared to the cultivations of the great wine giants - such as Marchesi Antinori and Marchesi Frescobaldi - but which certainly distinguishes a production focused on the qualitative aspect of the product.

Wine searcher/ Tenuat Torciano

Tenuta Torciano Winery is located in Tuscany, close to the famous medieval village of San Gimignano. It produces a range of both red and white wines, covering many well-known Tuscan denominations.

The list includes a Vernaccia di San Gimignano white wine, as well as the classic red Chianti and Chianti Classico (normale and riserva) offerings. Other wines include a Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino; Rosso and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano; wines from Bolgheri; and several other Tuscan blends.

At the pinnacle is a collection of Super Tuscans: Bartolomeo, Cavaliere and Baldassarre; all three are Sangiovese-based. The luxury Gioiello collection, meanwhile, features very distinctive leather labels.

Owners the Giachi family have been involved in wine production since 1720, when Bartolomeo Giachi moved to the area from Florence. In 2020 Pierluigi Giachi and his family celebrated the 300th anniversary of the business.

Forbes (2017) Artisans Of Business: A Look At The Tuscan Way Of Winemaking

...To kick off the series, I had the pleasure of meeting Pierluigi Giachi, the owner of Tenuta Torciano Winery, at his home in San Gimignano, Italy. The winery was founded in 1720 and has been in the Giachi family for 15 generations. Since he took over the business, Giachi has taken the company from producing 5,000 bottles of wine per year with five employees to producing more than 700,000 bottles of wine per year with 50 employees. He grew the business by taking a leap into a direct-to-consumer business model. An American businessman encouraged him to cut out the middleman and ship his product to the consumer the fastest way possible. Thirty years ago, it was a quite a risk. This was before the Internet made such business models easier to navigate. But Giachi took the plunge and became the first winemaker in Italy to sell wine directly to the consumer. That decision helped him grow the business while still staying true to the traditions and quality of the past. Giachi shares his business philosophy, offers insight into how he balances tradition with new technology and explains how the Tuscan way of life is embedded into his business.

Family is at the heart of the Tenuta Torciano Winery and it’s one of the reasons that the business is so successful. There are approximately 25 immediate family members who are employed by the winery and Giachi works in tandem with his wife (Luciana) and son (Emanuele). “Were it not for my relatives 15 generations ago taking it upon themselves to create this legacy, we would not be where we are today,” says Giachi. “It’s the fact that this winery is engrained in my family’s blood that drives my passion and desire to share our magical property and products with the world.”

However, a lot has changed since the winery opened 300 years ago. Giachi now has access to machinery and supplies that aid in the production of winemaking like streamlining the fermentation process. But he has not lost sight of the value and quality of traditional winemaking. In fact, the overall methodology of the winery is still the same as it was when it first opened, notes Giachi. For instance, they still carefully pick each grape by hand and make sure the grapes have ample time to ferment in the cellar. “The ancient art is still deeply rooted in the same historic process,” he says.

Those traditions help the winery blend luxury with an artisanal product that you can only find in Tuscany. Its products embody exclusivity, originality and excellence. They can create handmade wine labels to suit any occasion and offer guests the opportunity to truly experience Tuscany through a variety of activities, such as a traditional truffle hunt, horseback riding through the countryside or a stroll through the vineyards. The idea is to help guests breathe in Tuscany and enjoy the views, tastes, sounds and smells. “Our love and passion for wine—truly experiencing wine and focusing on the moment in which it’s enjoyed—is what really sets us apart,” says Giachi.

Meeting at Pearmund Cellars in Virginia


Tasting with Tommaso Saltarelli









The Wines

Amerigo

We had a discussion about the Amerigo wine. I quote from the producer's web site: The Amerigo wine are transported from Italy in tanks, and bottled at the Bellavini winery in Ukiah, California. This is an effort to be more environmentally sustainable. By transporting the wine in bulk, and to not ship glass, boxes or corks, the carbon emission rate is much reduced. The larger volume in the tanks also means that the quality of the wine remains intact, and aromas and flavors are just as fresh as when the day it left Tuscany. 

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Announcement: 2024 Tours by ombiasy (Annette Schiller) - Loire Valley, German Classic, Rhône

Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024)

Summary: Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Württemberg) by ombiasy WineTours

Summary: From Lyon to Paris - Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours (July 02 - 13, 2023)

Summary: Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours - 12 Days: May 28 - June 08, 2023

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

The 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens 

Maison Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Cellar Master Jean Christoph - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

Massive Tasting of Bordeaux 1982 - the Vintage that made Robert Parker a Star, USA/ France

Kékfrankos - Blaufränkisch - Lemberger: A Grape’s Immigration Story From Central Europe To The US West Coast - Seminar at the 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA led by Annette Schiller

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle? - Tasting at the American Wine Society (NoVa Chapter) led by Annette Schiller 

The New German Wine Law of 2021 - Tasting at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), presented by Annette Schiller  

Christian Schiller: Re-elected to the Board of the "Weinfeder", the Association of German Wine Journalists

20 Best Washington DC (USA) Alcohol Blogs + Websites (December 31, 2023): #3 schiller-wine by Christian Schiller 

2024 Annual Meeting of the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, a 45 Years Old Wine Brotherhood in the Famous Wine Village Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany, with Annette Schiller, Founding Member, and Christian Schiller

German Wine Society (Capital Chapter) Membership Meeting 2024: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany

Masterclass - The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference March 2024

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Masterclass Exploring the Pinot Grapes of Germany: Red, Grey and White - Tasting at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), led by Annette Schiller (March 2024)





Invitation

Please plan to join the German Wine Society on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 7:00 pm for a presentation on the Pinot grapes of Germany, and tasting of nine wines to illustrate the varieties using these grapes, by our own Annette Schiller, who has brought some of these wines back from Germany just for us.  This is our first in-person event of 2024.  Registrations for this event are due by Tuesday, March 19, 2024, and the price is $45 for GWS members, $52 for non-members.  Please be aware that, due to limited supply of the wines, we have a maximum cap of 40 for attendance at this event.  Reserve early to avoid disappointment!

The 13 wine-growing regions are spread across Germany like a picture. Only in these different regions can the different grape varieties find what they need: the right soils and sheltered locations facing the sun.

 

Germany has been known in the U.S. mostly for its delicious Rieslings. Yes, Riesling is the #1 grape produced in Germany and Germany is also the #1 producer of Riesling world-wide (40% of the global Riesling production is in Germany). However, because of Germany’s very different wine regions ranging from 48.5° latitude to 51° latitude, the Pinot grapes also discovered perfect growing conditions and feel very comfortable in Germany. The monks from Burgundy brought Pinot grapes to Germany as early as the 12th century (and this origin is reflected in the “Burgunder” part of each grape’s German name). Today Germany is the #1 producer of Pinot-Blanc (Weissburgunder), #2 producer of Pinot-Gris (Grauburgunder), and #3 producer of Pinot-Noir (Spätburgunder) world-wide.

 

We will take you on a discovery tour through 7 different wine regions (including at least one that is normally impossible to find in the U.S.) and taste 3 Pinot Noir, 3 Pinot Gris, and 3 Pinot Blanc wines.  

 

Exploring the Pinot Grapes of Germany: Red, Grey and White - Tasting at the German Wine Society

 













President's Report
 
Carl Willner, President of the GWS, Washington DC Chapter: On the evening of March 23, 2024, at Klaus Teuter’s apartment building clubroom in Van Ness, Washington, DC, the GWS Capital Chapter held its first in-person event of 2024, the tasting of nine wines made from the Pinot grapes of Germany (three each of Grauburgunder, Weissburgunder, and Spätburgunder).  We had 40 persons registered to attend the event, and 38 of them attended...
 
The event went very well, and Annette was pleased to be able to make use of the speaker and mic, since she and other speakers have sometimes had difficulty being heard over the guests having their own discussions at our events.  As usual, Annette was well prepared with detailed slides covering all of her nine wines, the places from which they come and the growers, and good background information on the grapes.   There were a number of questions throughout the evening, to which Annette provided well-informed answers.   There did not appear to be any consensus on which of the three Grauburgunders was best, with all three being favored by some, but among the Weissburgunders, the most popular appeared to be the Weingut Wittman from Rheinhessen (one of the least expensive wines) while the Weingut Schloss Proschwitz from Sachsen was also quite good (and would be very hard or impossible to get here without help from the Schillers on their travels), and among the Spätburgunders, the final choice, the Weingut Schnaitmann from Württemberg (which was the most expensive, and overall appeared to be the favorite for the evening).... 
 
I was particularly pleased to have the GWS doing this Pinots presentation now, since I have been doing a fair amount of research into German wine growing statistics in updating information for our new National website (soon to go public), and have been impressed by how much growth there has been in Pinots since the 1990s in Germany.   Indeed, the three Pinots/Burgunders we discussed together now slightly surpass plantings of Riesling in Germany, and have all grown significantly even as various other varietals have declined.   We did not even have any GGs from these three grapes, holding down costs of the event, but what we had was still quite enjoyable.  Annette explained that each region has its own rules on which grapes can be used for GGs, but a number of them do allow GGs to be made from one or more of the various Pinots....

Congratulations to the Schillers, and to all others who helped, on this very successful tasting!

9 Pinots

The Grauburgunders

 

2021 Pinot Gris, Asselheim, Weingut Gaul, Rheinhessen

 

2021 Grauburgunder, Schweigen, Weingut Jülg, Pfalz

 

2017 Grauburgunder, Reserve, Weingut Hunn, Baden

 

The Weissburgunders

2020 Weissburgunder, Weingut Wittmann, Rheinhessen

 

2021 Weissburgunder, Weingut Dönnhoff, Nahe

                         

2022 Weissburgunder, Kloster Heilig Kreuz, 1.Lage Weingut Schloss Proschwitz, Sachsen

The Spätburgunders

 

2020 Pinot Noir, Weingut Kloster Eberbach, Rheingau

 

2020 Spätburgunder, Simonroth, Weingut Schnaitmann, Württemberg

2018 Blauer Spätburgunder, Weingut Ziereisen, Baden

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Announcement: 2024 Tours by ombiasy (Annette Schiller) - Loire Valley, German Classic, Rhône

Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024)

Summary: Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Württemberg) by ombiasy WineTours

Summary: From Lyon to Paris - Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours (July 02 - 13, 2023)

Summary: Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours - 12 Days: May 28 - June 08, 2023

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

The 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens 

Maison Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Cellar Master Jean Christoph - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

Massive Tasting of Bordeaux 1982 - the Vintage that made Robert Parker a Star, USA/ France

Kékfrankos - Blaufränkisch - Lemberger: A Grape’s Immigration Story From Central Europe To The US West Coast - Seminar at the 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA led by Annette Schiller

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle? - Tasting at the American Wine Society (NoVa Chapter) led by Annette Schiller 

The New German Wine Law of 2021 - Tasting at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), presented by Annette Schiller  

Christian Schiller: Re-elected to the Board of the "Weinfeder", the Association of German Wine Journalists

20 Best Washington DC (USA) Alcohol Blogs + Websites (December 31, 2023): #3 schiller-wine by Christian Schiller 

2024 Annual Meeting of the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, a 45 Years Old Wine Brotherhood in the Famous Wine Village Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany, with Annette Schiller, Founding Member, and Christian Schiller

German Wine Society (Capital Chapter) Membership Meeting 2024: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany

Masterclass - The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference March 2024

 


 

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

                

 

                 

 


Monday, March 25, 2024

Germany: 55 Wine Producers now have more than 10,000 Followers on @instagram (March 2024)

Pictures: In the Top-10: Weingut Dr. Loosen. See: Tasting at Weingut Dr. Loosen in Bernkastel-Kues, Middle Mosel, with Ernie Loosen- Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential Riesling

Steffen Schindler(Deutsches Weininstitute): 55 German wine producers now have more than 10,000 followers on @instagram!
 
The newcomers are @meyernaekel, @weingutgroehl, @sophie_christmann, @gut_hermannsberg, @augustkesseler and @bischoeflicheweinguetertrier. 
 
Congratulations!
 
The biggest increases came from @andiluff (+10,900), @dreifreundewein (+5,900), @dorowoerner (+4,600) and @weingutgroehl (+3,380). 
 
Well done!
 
Here are #1 to #52, and don't forget: this list is completely UNOFFICIAL! If you know any other producer/brand who should be on this list, please let me know!
 
Steffen Schindler
 
German Wine Producers with more than 10,000 Followers on Instagram
 
01. @luisasweinkost 101,000
02. @dreifreundeweine 59,600
03. @juliane.eller 53,100
04. @kellerdalsheim 36,400
05. @andiluft 35,600
06. @dreissigacker 34,300
07. @dr.loosen 33,300
08. @van_volxem 33,100
09. @weingut_markusmolitor 32,000
10. @the_hunting_wine_girl 28,700
11. @weingut_robert_weil 28,700
12. @kuehlingandbattenfeld 28,800
13. @weinguthammelundcie 26,800
14. @wine.huntress.shosanna 22,800
15. @weingutmarkusschneider 21,900
16. @weingutknodttrossen 21,800
17. @schlossjohannisberg 21,700
18. @weingut_korrell 20,800
19. @young_poets_good_wine 20,400
20. @weingut.wittmann 19.800
21. @buerklinwolf 19,400
22. @weingut.doenhoff 18,600
23. @von.winning 18,600
24. @doro.woerner 17,400
25. @weingut_nik_weis 16,900
26. @trendwine_company 16,700
27. @weingutphilippkuhn 16,300
28. @juliaschittlerofficial 16,200
29. @matthiasknebel 15,800
30. @weingut.am.stein 14,800
31. @spreitzer_weingut 13,900
32. @weingut.kaufmann 13,700
33. @weingut_weber 13,600
34. @ritzling (Karl Haidle) 13,500
35. @sabrina_becker_weine 13,400
36. @tinapfaffmann 13,100
36. @weingut_egonmueller_scharzhof 13,100
38. @weingut_mussler 12,700
39. @karthaeuserhof 11,800
40. @weedenborn 11,600
41. @schloss_wackerbarth 11,400
42. @blacktowerwine 11,300
43. @robertweiljunior 11,200
44. @sekthaus_raumland 11,100
45. @bluenunwines 10,900
46. @drvonbassermannjordan 10,800
47. @reichsratvonbuhl 10,700
47. @meyernaekel 10,700
49. @baederweingut 10,500
50. @wgmayschoss 10,400
50. @weingutgroehl 10,400
52. @sophie_christmann 10,100
52. @gut_hermannsberg 10,100
52. @augustkesseler 10,100
52. @bischoeflicheweinguetertrier 10,100

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Announcement: 2024 Tours by ombiasy (Annette Schiller) - Loire Valley, German Classic, Rhône

Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024)

Announcement: A Journey through the Loire Valley - Tasting at the Washington Wine and Cheese Seminar, Washington DC, led by Annette Schiller, Tuesday, March 26 at 7.45 pm

Summary: Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Württemberg) by ombiasy WineTours

Summary: From Lyon to Paris - Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours (July 02 - 13, 2023)

Summary: Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours - 12 Days: May 28 - June 08, 2023

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

The 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens 

Maison Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Cellar Master Jean Christoph - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

Massive Tasting of Bordeaux 1982 - the Vintage that made Robert Parker a Star, USA/ France

Kékfrankos - Blaufränkisch - Lemberger: A Grape’s Immigration Story From Central Europe To The US West Coast - Seminar at the 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA led by Annette Schiller

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle? - Tasting at the American Wine Society (NoVa Chapter) led by Annette Schiller 

The New German Wine Law of 2021 - Tasting at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), presented by Annette Schiller  

Christian Schiller: Re-elected to the Board of the "Weinfeder", the Association of German Wine Journalists

20 Best Washington DC (USA) Alcohol Blogs + Websites (December 31, 2023): #3 schiller-wine by Christian Schiller 

2024 Annual Meeting of the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, a 45 Years Old Wine Brotherhood in the Famous Wine Village Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany, with Annette Schiller, Founding Member, and Christian Schiller

German Wine Society (Capital Chapter) Membership Meeting 2024: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany

Masterclass - The Wines of Germany: Presentation by Annette Schiller at the German Embassy in Washington DC/ Consular Conference March 2024

 

Sunday, March 24, 2024

The Loire Valley: Not only a Paradise for Castle Buffs and Wine Enthusiasts, but also .... for Cheese Lovers



Pictures: Moon - Monks - Michelin: Overnight stay and 1-star Michelin Dinner at the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, with Chef Thibaut Ruggeri (February 2024)

The Loire Valley is not only a paradise for castle buffs and wine enthusiasts, but also .... for cheese lovers.

On the 2024 Loire Valley by ombiasy WineTours in June 2024, we will indeed spend lots of time visiting castles and wineries. Towards the end of the tour, when we are for 2 nights in Sancerre, we will also devote some time to cheese, more specifically, to the iconic Crottin de Chavignol goat cheese.

In France, cheese is made everywere. As for the Loire valley, the western part towards the coast, cow milk cheese rules, while in the eastern part of the Loire Valley goat cheese dominates. 

In fact, it is the various kinds of goat cheese that people think of when it comes to cheese in the Loire valley. We will focus on one of them, the Crottin de Chavignol, when we spend 2 nights in Sancerre, a stone's throw awy from Chavignol, and visit a winemaker in Chavignol as well as have a cheese-centered lunch in Chavignol at a well-known cheese producer, Romain Dubois in Chavignol. Fromagerie Romain Dubois is a leading producer of Crottin de Chavignal, with 2 outlets, one in Saint-Satur and one in Chavignol. In Chavignol, in additon to the cheese store, Romain Dubois has a wine and cheese bar, where we will have lunch and taste Romain Dubois' Crottin de Chavignol at different stages of ripeness.

See: Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024)

France is Home of some of the most beleoved Cheeses in the World 

How can you be expected to rule a country that has over 200 kinds of cheese?” – Charles de Gaulle

Any country with 300 kinds of cheese cannot die” – Winston Churchill

A meal without cheese is a beautiful girl that lacks an eye” – Brillat-Savarin (who shares the name of a French cheese as well)

Stickymangorice.com: To say that the French nation loves cheese is an understatement. France is the home to some of the most beloved cheeses in the world, and their names are legendary – Rochefort, Brie, Camembert, Comté. While opinion differs about how many varieties of cheese there are in France, there are at least 400 (with some estimates ranging to over 1000)!

French cheese differs greatly depending on the region in which it is produced, the source of the milk, the history of the region, and local traditions. Many French cheeses have attained the certification known as AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée), guaranteeing authenticity for the origin and production of a cheese (in the same way that champagne is only produced in the Champagne region).

While in the western part of the Loire Valley, cow milk cheese rules, in the eastern part of the Loire Valley goat cheese dominates.



Cow Milk Cheese in the Western Part of the Loire Valley - the Pays de la Loire

Stickymangorice.com: Stretching from the Atlantic coast, through to the lower part of the Loire Valley, Pays de la Loire is known for its grand châteaux, its Breton culture of the Brittany Peninsula, and fine Loire Valley wines. Cows milk cheeses are the specialty here.

Tomme de Chouans cheese comes from the Vendee department, a soft and chewy cow’s milk cheese. It is known for its stripey yellow rind and mild taste. Another popular cow’s milk cheese familiar to many is Port Salut, with an orange rind, semi-soft texture, and creamy and mild taste. Curé Nantais is a supple and sticky cheese with a characteristic smoky flavour, and is commonly eaten with fruit. One of the more unique cheeses of the region is Embruns aux Algues, a 1-month aged cheese mixed with seaweed, giving a strong and salty taste.

Goat Milk Cheese in the Eastern Part of the Loire Valley - Centr-Val de Loire

Stickymangorice.com: Centre-Val de Loire is the region just south of Paris, a region of wide open green spaces that follows its main river, the Loire. It is best known for its spectacular Loire Valley châteaux, home to French kings, queens, and nobility for centuries. The region is best known for its goat cheese, and 6 varieties have attained AOC status.

The unpasteurized soft goat cheese Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine is perhaps the most well-known cheese of the region. The cheese is shaped as a log, with a distinctive grey mould rind, rolled in ash, traditionally with a length of straw running through its centre. Another unpasteurized goats cheese local to the region is Selles-sur-Cher, a wheel of soft cheese with a strong taste and a blue-grey rind. Another goat cheese is Valençay, which is formed in distinctive pyramid shapes. Some cows’ milk cheeses are produced here too, such as Olivet Cendré, a soft cheese with delicate and salty taste, and a grey ash-coloured rind.




Goat's Cheeses of the Loire Valley

streetdirectory.com: The Loire Valley offers goat's cheese lovers a paradise. It is a perfect location for a holiday meandering beside the Loire River, visiting famous historic chateaux, cheese producers and caves for wine tasting and even staying in a boutique chateau hotel if you chose. This region is justly called the Garden of France, and is sprinkled with amazing Renaissance castles open to the public and an abundance of fine wines and cheeses. Chateau du Guerinet near Blois is a perfect base for a cheese lover's Loire Valley holiday.The Loire Valley is the starting point in the history of goat's-milk cheese in France. In the 8th Century, the Saracens of Arab descent were repelled at Poitiers. When they were expelled from France they left behind their goats and the recipes for making incredible cheese from goats milk.

The quaint villages on either side of the Loire River produce goat's cheeses of different sizes and shapes. There are six AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlee) cheeses: Sainte-Maure de Touraine, Selles-sur-Cher, Valencay, Pouligny-Saint-Pierre, Chabichou du Poitou and Crottin de Chavignol. There are currently 42 French cheeses with AOC status. An AOC label indicates quality and guarantees that a product has been made within a specified region of France following established methods of production.

Valencay cheese looks like a small black pyramid. It is purported that the shape of the cheese was originally a perfect pyramid. But when Napoleon returned from a disastrous campaign in Egypt he stopped at Valencay Castle, the cheese reminded him of the Egyptian pyramids and in a furry he chopped of the top of the cheese with his sword. The Valencay goat's cheese has a rind of natural mould, covered with salted powdered charcoal and goes nicely with a glass of Quincy, Reuilly or Sancerre.

Sainte-Maure de Touraine is a blue-grey mould covered long truncated log of goat's cheese. The cheese is mature, balanced, round with salt, sourness and an aroma of walnut. This cheese is produced all year long and is nicely complimented by a glass of Chinon or Vouvray.

Selles-sur-Cher also has a rind of natural mould covered with powdered and salted charcoal. The pate is hard at first, then moist, heavy and clay-like as it blends and melts in the mouth. The taste is slightly sour and salty with a touch of sweetness. A glass of Sancerre or Pouilly Fume accompanies this cheese beautifully.

Pouligny-Saint-Pierre nicknamed the Eiffel Tower or Pyramid because if its shape. The rind is of natural mould. The pate is a soft moist white and crumbly. The taste is at first sour and salty followed by sweetness. This cheese goes wonderfully with a glass of Reuilly or Sancerre.

Chabichou du Poitou has a thin rind of white, yellow or blue mould and a delicate slightly sweet flavour. Pouilly Fume and Sancerre wines go nicely with this cheese.

Crottin de Chavignol known as Chavignol is hard black and knobbly on the surface, and the taste is a balance of sourness, sweetness and a little salt to be enjoyed with a glass of Sancerre de Chavignol. 



Cheese and "Affinage"

charlottepuckett.com:  “Affinage”, the curing and maturing of cheese is a very import part of cheesemaking.  It is a delicate process and requires an excellent knowledge of cheese and a constant attentiveness.  It is a tedious and ritualised procedure – washing, flipping, brushing, patting, spritzing – in cool, damp conditions, that allows the cheese to take on its own special texture and flavour.  In general, the ageing happens on the farm, dairy or factory where it is made and the cheese, when delivered to the cheesemonger is ready to be consumed.
 
David Rosengarten (Forbes): .... but the key one has to do with the French concept of the affineur, or the "raiser" of the cheese…a concept in very short supply in the U.S.

In France, in the cheese world, les vedettes…the rock stars…are not usually the actual dairy farmers, and cheese producers…(though good French gourmands are aware of them, too).

No. The real stars are the ones who receive the cheese from producers, then hold it in their shops, downstairs in the cave, until the cheeses are just á point (perfectly ready to eat). The cheeses may hold in that window of perfection for as little as a day, sometimes a few days. A great affineur knows exactly when to sell it to you…will not sell it too early, will not sell it too late.

But there's more than mere timing involved. A great affineur truly "raises" his or her cheeses as if they were children. Some days, if the cheeses are too moist, they must be dried with a towel; some days, if they're too dry, they must be moistened. Most days they need to be turned, or shifted in the cellar; some of them need a wash on a regular basis with strong alcohol to develop a certain flavor in the rind. There is no specific list of what the affineur must do in his her or cave; are there any rules for parents? Affinage, and parenting, are creative activities!

LOIRE VALLEY: Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024 
 
Annette Schiller: What comes to your mind when you hear ‘Loire Valley’? Of course images of glorious Châteaux pop up in your mind. Yes that is true and we will visit some iconic château and dig deep into France’s history. However, during this wine tour we also discover a magnificent, but often overlooked French wine region and one of the most exciting best kept secrets of excellent, high quality wines at very reasonable prices. The Loire Valley wine region is a vast area and consists of several distinct wine regions, each with its own characteristic grapes, appellations, and wine style. We take you on a journey from the Atlantic Ocean to the Auvergne mountains to explore this unique region. We learn to appreciate “Sancerre”, "Pouilly-Fumé", “Vouvray", “Chinon”, as well as many other not so familiar appellations.

See: Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024) 










  
   

 
Postings on Schiller-wine Related to the Upcoming 2024 Loire Trip by ombiasy WineTours
 
This is the 15th in a series of postings on Schiller-wine related to the 2024 Loire Valley Trip by ombiasy WineTours in June.
 
A Journey Through The Loire Valley - Seminar at the 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA led by Annette Schiller

Plateau des Fruits de Mer and a Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie at Historic Brasserie Cigale in Nantes, Loire Valley, France (February 2024)
 
Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024)
 
Salons des Vins - all with a Focus on Natural, Organic, Biodynamic and Low-intervention Producers in the Loire Valley and elsewhere in France and Europe - in February in Angers and Samour, Loire Valley, France (February 2024)
 
 
Announcement: "The Wines of the Loire Valley" presented by Annette Schiller at the American Wine Society/ Northern Virginia Chapter on March 8, 2024
 
Visiting Natural Wine Producer Liv Vincendeau - Domäne Vincendeau in Rochefort sur Loire/ Anjou (February 2024) 
 
 
 
Moon - Monks - Michelin: Overnight stay and 1-star Michelin Dinner at the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, with Chef Thibaut Ruggeri (February 2024)
 
Fine de Claire, #3 Oysters from Cancale, the Oyster Capital of Brittany, and a 2022 Domaine Henry Pellé, Menetou-Salon, Saugnon-Blanc in Tours, Loire Valley, France (February 2024)
 
At Château de Pray, a Loire Château from the 12th Century and a Michelin Star: Overnight Stay and High-end Dinner in an Historic Setting (February 2024)
 
A Journey through the Loire Valley - Tasting at the American Wine Society (Northern Virginia Chapter), led by Annette Schiller (March 2024)
 
Château de Chambord - Not only a Famous Loire Palace, but also an AOC Cheverny Wine Producer
 
 
Dinner at Au P'tit Goûter - a Friendly Little Bistro right in the Middle of Chavignol, Sancerre, Loire Valley - with Front-of-the-house Jérémy, Chef Jérôme Germain and Tuscany (February 2024)