One of the perks of being a wine blogger are the invites to wine tastings closed to the riff-raff, er, general public. It’s even better when the tasting accompanies a meal at a swank restaurant. So when we were asked to meet Skalli Family Wine Americas winemaker Laurent Sauvage at a lunch and tasting at the Harvest in Cambridge, one of our favorite restaurants, we readily accepted. Monsieur Sauvage was touring the states promoting the import company’s portfolio of wine brands from the South of France, which were recently introduced to the U.S. market.

So there’s the dirty little VinoDuo secret…we’re schnorers (if you don’t know that classic Yiddish word, look it up.  It will come in handy to describe many people you’ll meet in your life.) Free food, free wine…we’re there.  But we can’t be bought!  Following is our objective assessment, warts and all, of the Skalli Family Wine Americas offerings.  

Must Buys
•    Robert Skalli Chardonnay 2005 (Sud de France)            $17
•    Clos Poggiale AOC Corse 2004                                     $30
•    Chateauneuf du Pape, Maison Bouachon 2005               $40



Whites
Fortant Chardonnay 2006 (Languedoc)     $8
A good value for Skalli’s entry-level brand, the Chard was light straw in color, immature on the palate; a bit green. Lisa found it crisp, light, and a little minerally; closer to a Sauvignon Blanc.  
    
Clos Poggiale 2005 (Corsica)                    $24
We discovered a new grape with this wine—Vermentino, which is found all around the Mediterranean region. Lisa was fooled by the "fabulous nose,” expecting a full-bodied charmer. But there was no payoff on the palate. Dull and uninteresting.  Gary noted a perfumed, floral nose. The palate was "food friendly” with honeydew and mineral but not worth the price.

BUY  Robert Skalli Chardonnay 2005 (Sud de France)        $17
The namesake brand is clearly superior to the other labels. Lisa pronounced it "marvelous!” and Gary concurred. Light pineapple scent on the nose, with vanilla and a hint of oak on the palate. Nicely balanced and elegant, it went particularly well with the Harvest’s chilled lobster. At $17, this goes on our “must buy” list.


Reds
Fortant Merlot 2006           $8
We picked up blackberry on the nose, deep black fruits on the palate, a full, silky mid-palate and dry finish. The wine had us until the finish—our American bias made us shy away from a puckery mouth at the end.

Fortant Cabernet Sauvignon         $8
Black current on the nose with typical Cab notes. As for the taste, just ok; maybe a great burger wine.

Skalli Pinot Noir 2006         $17
Spicy blueberry notes on the note. Good black fruit flavors, with a hint of anise and spice. Gary noted a touch of vanilla too. We found it a bit green—not a buy.

Skalli Cabernet Sauvignon 2005          $17
Powerful nose packed with fruit. We picked up flavors of blueberry and pepper. Thin, with a dry finish. Gary thought it had more promise than delivery.

BUY   Clos Poggiale AOC Corse 2004          $30
A terrific blend of Syrah (45%) and Sangiovese (or Nielluccio.) Gary wrote a big YES at the top of his tasting sheet. Made in the style of a Super Tuscan, it offered blackberry on the nose with good spice and luscious fruit on the palate. Silky, with a tremendous finish. We can't wait to buy it for our cellar, or just drink it up now!

Cotes du Rhone Maison Bouachon 2066        $17
A GSM (Grenache 60%; Syrah 30%; Mourvedre 10%) with a great mix of fruit and spice. Big fruit, some mineral, and some bite on the tannins. Lisa said it was jammy and marvelous; Gary passed.

BUY    Chateauneuf du Pape, Maison Bouachon 2005      $40
Gary found this wine a real winner. Plenty of concentrated fruit. Great with a juicy steak and a good value for a Chateauneuf, particularly given the sad state of the dollar against the Euro.