Monday, March 23, 2015

Boisset Collection Shines At Toledo Exchange Youth Scholarship Wine Tasting

The Toledo Exchange Club Youth Scholarship benefit wine tasting made was held for the third time last week. It’s marked by good times, good wines and a good cause.
This year’s event returned to the Historic Oliver House in Toledo. The historic lobby’s unique circular layout makes it an ideal venue for this tasting. The event was organized by tasting team member The Cabinator. No way we would miss this tasting!
Highlighting the benefit were the wines of the Boisset Collection, courtesy of Wine Trends. Jean-Claude Boisset was born in Burgundy and continued his parents’ wine tradition. He developed the Boisset US business and today Jean-Claude and his sister Nathalie have united the old and new worlds of wine with wineries in both France and California.
Featured wines included:
  • 2012 Fortant Chardonnay, Languedoc, France
  • 2013 DeLoach Pinot Noir, California
  • 2011 Bonpas Cotes du Rhone, France
  • 2012 Buena Vista Founders Red Blend “The Count,” Sonoma
  • 2012 Raymond Family Classic Cabernet Sauvignon, California
  • Batasiolo Moscato, Italy
The lineup was solid throughout. For many years, Languedoc has been known for the volume of wine produced, and not necessarily the quality. That is all changing. The Fortant is a solid Chardonnay with notes of tropical fruit.
For tasting team member Glorious T, DeLoach her “go to” Pinot Noir. DeLoach has many tiers of Pinot, but this is a tasty example of California Pinot that is balanced with great strawberry and and red fruit flavors.
Cotes du Rhone is one of our favorite wines. The blend of Syrah and Grenache (and in this case Mourvedre too) is easy drinking and goes with a variety of dishes. It is warm and powerful with black fruit and a touch of spice.
A special treat was the Bonpas Luberon. This is a white blend of Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette and Vermentino that wasn’t on the tasting list – but Wine Trends special guest Miana DeGardeyn shared a taste. This is a deliciously fresh white with good acidity and peachy flavors. My favorite white of the night.
One of the top reds of the evening was the 2012 Buena Vista Founder’s Red, “The Count.” We were looking forward to tasting this since Buena Vista’s Sheriff, a Petite Sirah blend, is one of our favorites. The Count is a Zinfandel blend that includes Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Carignane.
The wine honors the innovative founder of the Buena Vista Winery and the blend does him proud. In addition to luscious fruit, there are threads of mocha, cinnamon and vanilla. A top pick!
Raymond Vineyards is known for delivering excellent Cabernet Sauvignon at a variety of price points. Whether you are tasting the R Collection or their premium Generations lines, you are getting great value. The Family Classic Cabernet blends grapes from Napa Valley, Sonoma and Lake County It also includes small amounts of Merlot and Petit Verdot to round out the mix.
It has blackberry and currant flavors. It’s an example of a fruit forward, ready to drink California Cab.
For a final treat, Miana shared the 2012 Raymond Napa Valley Reserve Merlot. This was the top red of the evening. It’s robust and structured without being overly tannic. It has flavor notes of currant and plum and a sophistication that leaves simpler Merlot in the dust.
For one evening, France, California and Toledo, Ohio, united to help some very deserving students. Cheers!

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