Volatize This! 5 French Wines to Crush the Winter Blues (All Under $20)

It’s January kids. It’s cold, it’s brrrr-ful and let’s face it, it’s a trifle bit depressing. Now I’m not a winter-hater, I actually quite like a healthy dose of cold. Polar Vortex? Not so much, but I’ve always loved the seasons and the change each brings  throughout the year. The quiet and cold solemn days that winter boasts are good for the brain. These days lend themselves to clearing out the mind and readying oneself for a New Year and all that may bring. But honestly, when I’m not waxing poetic about it, January can be tough. It can be especially tough with little ones running around on the verge of daily cabin-fever frenzies, not to mention myself.

Enter the Languedoc- a perfect winter remedy. Now I’m not saying that alcohol is the answer but I am saying that infusing a little bit of Southern French vino into your life at this time of year can’t hurt. I often like to sip rosé and dream of lazy afternoons overlooking the Meditteranean from some fabulous terrace when this side of the pond suffers from a smudgy gray day, with seemingly nothing much in focus. These long winter days can roll right into each other creating a sort of blur-like effect. A good, inexpensive Languedoc wine goes a long way toward refocusing these foggy days.

5 FRENCH WINES TO CRUSH THE WINTER BLUES $20:

1. Domaine Rimbert St. Chinian Travers de Marceau Organic  $15 RED
I’d like to have a perpetually flowing tap of this little beauty in my kitchen. Brought to us by one of my favorite importers, Jenny and Francois, I love its blueberry notes infused with a bit of leather and stones. This is wine is exactly why the Languedoc rocks my world.

2. NV Paul de Coste Brut Rosé,  $16 ROSÉ SPARKLER
One of the best bottles of pink bubbles I have had, hands down. Inexpensive, marshy and herbalicious. You can taste the wild garrigue (herbs) floating through the air. Pop this one open on a cold winter’s sunset and imagine yourself seaside. The link is for a non-rosé, this one is a bit tough to find but it’s all over NYC wine lists.

3. ’10 Hecht and Bannier Minervois  $19 RED
A juicy and yet still mineral red bursting with dark red fruits, licorice and mint. A very well-balanced and hearty red.

4. ’11 Ermitage du Pic St. Loup Tour de Pierres  $14 RED
Terroir at its best. Kermit Lynch, pioneer importer, bring this beauty in to the States. An unreal deal for a great earthy, herbal bottle of wonder. Kermit knows what’s up. If you love wine and adventure and haven’t read his book, download this sucker today.

5. ’12 H.B. Picpoul de Pinet, $7 WHITE
You’ve seen this green bottle everywhere, well- it’s good and it’s $7. Enough said. Not just for summertime sipping, this racy and minerally white may be called the Sprite of the South of France but it’s drinkable and delivers decent complexity for the price. An old standby.

Most of you may be familiar with the Languedoc region of Southern France but for those of you that are not, it is magic. I don’t mean just the country itself, although its natural and wild-like beauty is surely something to behold- but this region is churning out some seriously good juice at crazy low prices (forgive me if I sound like Crazy Eddie).

The Languedoc-Rousillon produces a bevy of deliciously marshy, wildly herbaceous (in the good garrigue-kind of way as opposed to the unripe vegetal-kind of way), spicy and licorice-tinged, fragrant and floral wines that are relatively very inexpensive.  They’re a little saucy too, maybe it’s their close proximity to Spain that gives them a bit of a kick. I am absolutely gaga for these wines. They pair fantastically with lots of dishes and especially anything that is Mediterranean-influenced. On a cold winter day, sip a good Corbieres and cozy up to a plate rustic vegetable panade (like this one from Alice Waters) and voilà- winter blues crushed.

A helpful and detailed map of the region to get your bearings, by Benoit France:

TIP: Look for small growers in these regions. If you can’t nail down my favorites, ask your local wine merchant which producers he or she favors. If you trust your wine shop, you really can’t go wrong with a wine from this region. Vive Le Languedoc!

Cin Cin and Enjoy.

Illustration by John S. Dykes

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