The French region of Gascony is famous for two things, foie gras and D'Artagnan, the Fourth Musketeer. I submit that a third item should be added –- great, cheap wine.
The Tariquet (available at Central Market for about $10) is just another in a long line of terrific $10 wines from Gascony. These wines are made with grapes that are little known, like ugni blanc, or have bad reputations, like French colombard. But in the hands of a variety of Gascon winemakers, they become clean, crisp and refreshing, with a bit more fruit than other French white wines. The Tariquet has a lemony, floral aroma and a touch of lemon flavor, without any unpleasant minerality. This is cheap wine the way it should be. Serve it chilled on its own, or with seafood or something like chicken Caesar salad.
Wine notes
• I don’t usually plug retailers, but World Market is holding one of the best wine sales I’ve seen in a long time. Many of the wines in the $10 Hall of Fame are on sale, including the Solaz, and many excellent $15 wines, like the Avalon cabernet sauvignon, are on sale for about $10.
• David Lett, the father of the Oregon wine business, died last week at the age of 69. Lett was the first man to plant pinot noir in the state, which is why it is now one of the world’s leading pinot producers. Lett was always a treat to interview, and the fact that he did for Oregon what Robert Mondavi did for California never seemed to impress him very much. Equally as important, he was always trying to figure out how to make his wine better.
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