Great Saumur

[Scoop]

It was my better half's b'day last night, so we went out to celebrate at a pretty fab restaurant. The surprise: a reasonable, well-chosen, food-friendly wine list.

With the choice of apps (a smoked salmon "roll", filled with a rich salmon mousse, dappled with salmon roe, and some delicious oysters with chives and a delicate dash of fresh mandarin orange) and entrees (venison loin in a beet reduction sauce, and wild striped bass on pureed fresh peas and a red wine reduction), we needed a versatile wine with some stuffing.

On the list I found a Loire producer I like, Hureau. The wine: the 1999 Saumur Blanc, a dry, powerful expression of Chenin Blanc, rodolent of honey baked apples and pears on both nose and palate, with good acidity, medium body and a long finish. It carried and enhanced the entire meal, including the venison. Even with one of the dessert choices -- a poached pear "tatin" (that wasn't too sweet) -- it worked nicely, picking up on the pear quality in the palate.

And this was no SW (13% alc.)

The moral of the story: Loire Chenin Blancs, ranging from bone dry (Savennieres) to dessert wines (Bonnezeaux), are among the worlds most versatile and food-friendly wines. Try one.

Cheers,

Scoop