Buying wines in French Supermarkets

It is well known that Jane and myself tend to make wine runs twice a year to the French supermarkets during their Foire aux Vins. Recently, our wine group has been talking of joining us for the run in March 2011. So what wines might they find and what quality and price. Below is a selection of the last six wines under ten euros that we have drunk in the last month and that were purchased during our last two trips:

Comte de Calayrac, Pecharmant, 2006, Union de Vinicole, Bergerac Le Fleix. €6.07 Auchan. Scored 15/20. This is not an appelation well known in England and not one I buy often either. However, this oaked red Bordeaux blend from next door in Bergerac proved rather a gem. It had good balance and nice earthiness and spice. This is obviously one of those cooperative wines worth looking out for and 2006 seems a pretty good year. I found this to be a joy and good value. An example of our picking something you might not buy in the UK that gives one a pleasant surprise when opening.

Grande Reserve d’Or, Madiran, 2007, Cave de Crouseilles. €4.99 Auchan. Scored 14.5/20. This is an old favourite and I always try to keep some Madiran in the house to have with dishes from the South West of France (Cassoulet, Magret de Canard or Ossau Iraty sheeps cheese from the Pyrenees). This redwine is made from the Tannat grape with some Cabernet Franc. This is another cooperative produced wine and is an example of a more fruity style Madiran that can be drunk young.

Chateau Tour Leognan, Pessac-Leognan, 2007. €9.90 Intermarche. Scored 13.5/20. I love the red wines of the Graves region of Bordeaux and always look to buy some in all price ranges when in France. This is the second label of the well known Graves property Chateaux Carbonnieux and is made from their youngest vines. It is quite typical of wines from this Chateaux but probably needs to be kept a few more years to be at its best but some aeration makes it drinkable now. It is a 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot blend and has good cassis fruit and tannins with a hint of vanilla oak. Perhaps very slightly thin.

Apremont, 2008, Vin de Savoie, Les Adrets. €4.50 Auchan.  Scored 13/20. This is an interesting white wine that many from the UK, unless they have skiied in the area, will never have heard of.  It is made from 100% Jacquere grapes and so is interestingly different from the normal Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio wines.  Relatively subtle and pale, we enjoyed this wine with a raclette (a cheese dish from the area.

Reuilly White, Domaine Bigonneau, 2008. €6.99 Auchan. Scored 12.5/20. The Sauvignon Blanc whites from the Loire Valley, especially Sancerre, Menetou-salon, Quincy and Reuilly, are amongst my favourite white wines. After a hard day at the office they make a great aperitif! This is another small not so known appellation and thus better value than say Sancerre. This is a small family run estate in Brinay where the father and daughter make the wines. I was slightly disappointed in this wine but at the price still represents value for a dry white wine from the Berry.

Roquebrun Languedoc 2009

Combe de Brescou, Saint Chinian, Cave de Roquebrun, 2008. €6.50 Auchan. Scored 12.5/20. For me the Languedoc is the place for value red wines in France and I love the wines of Saint Chinian and this cooperative. This is 60% Syrah (Shiraz), 20% Grenache, 20% Mouvedre which makes it a big wine. For me there is too much tannin so perhaps needs leaving a few years but it is still drinkable now.

So overall a good value bunch of wines with not a dud amonst them. Look out for those good cooperatives and less known appellations when buying wine in France.  Hopefully, this might tempt you along to our group and to join us on our next trip to France.