Domaines Ott Dinner with winemaker Christophe Renard at Cafe Maxx

Thursday, October 16, 2014 - 07:00 PM

This Event has been read: 3101 times.

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“Anyone who knows his history … must surely know his wines.”
- Attributed to Arnold Toynbee.

 

I know a bit about wine history...and we are trying to rewrite history when it comes to the world's most elaborate wine tastings. 


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This is the benchmark for all Roses from the south of France, so much so that the yachting community uses this brand almost exclusively.  Many of the people that order this wine do not even realize that they have three different estates.  One in Bandol and the other two from the Cotes De Provence, the followers of this winery simply order Domaine Ott and it rarely matters which one we send them as the signature bottle looks almost the same- other than the appellation on the label.

The two rose wines are however fairly different but they are both of excellent quality, so there is usually no issue with which is available. 

Tonight we offer you for the first time in South Florida, the opportunity to try both of these benchmark rose wines at the same time and it should be an eye opening experience as we have the winemaker for this famous rose producer, Christophe Renard in town for this winemaker dinner featuring all of these wines produced at Ott's Domaines including the release of the new red Bandol.

Chef Oliver Saucy will be making a special five course tasting menu to accompany the tasting wines and the fee for this dinner is $115 + tax + gratuity.

 

Domaines Ott Dinner at Cafe Maxx
Thursday, October 16th, 2014
7pm

 

Reception

 

Blue point oysters in sweet chili & caviar mignonette

Smoked salmon crepe with dill chive cream cheese

Double cream brie and sundried fruit crostini

 

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Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV
Price: $42.75    Sale $37.62    Case $437

A blend of probably 2008 vintage 70% for the base wines and then 30% of the reserve wines blended into the cuvee, Jean Baptiste has been the Chef Du Cave for over 20 years, pretty floral nuance and almond , 60% of the production of Cristal is organic but only 70% of the juice is estate in this cuvee, Louis Roederer one of the largest proponents of organic farming in France, Lemon and pear fruit with smooth creamy texture and chalky like mineral notes and that distinct mineral. Finish 45 Excellent

 

First Course

Seared sea scallop over cucumber and strawberry gazpacho

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2013 Les Domaniers Cotes De Provence Rose
Price: $24.75    Sale $21.78    Case $253

All Stainless Steel fermented and aged, a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Cinsault, an easy drinking style of rose, pressed and then 20 minutes for a very short skin contact could be longer at the end of harvest if they do not have enough color, 60% of grapes mass get crushed, only 1st press is used and available in February as due to demand the new vintage must be released  A very fresh and easy drinking rose with light berry fruit strawberry and raspberry highlighted by a slight mineral note and flowers through the finish.  Quite good on the second day.  Finish 35+                Very Good   

 

Second Course

Raspberry, currant and lemon glazed hog snapper over fennel-chive risotto with cardamom scented beurre blanc

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2013 Domaines Ott Cotes De Provence Chteau De Selle
Price: $51.00       Sale $44.88          Case $521

They have 3 vineyards 500 hectares, only 1/3 is in production, so they can’t produce everything because they don't have enough space to vinify at the winery, they do use a big of large oak 2 months, only 36 hectoliters per hectare, so very small yields for a rose the wines are made biodynamically, the blend here is Grenache 35%, Cinasult and Syrah 20% and a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon. A very typical rose from this region with sea shell minerality, a very pretty bouquet floral aromas and light strawberry fruit, lots of Stone in the soils here. A fresh and zesty rose with raspberry and strawberry fruit with a firm hand of acidity and a lovely tongue tingly mineral nuance, a light creamy texture you notice the richness of the minerals through the finish along with that pretty floral nuance from the nose. Finish 40+ Excellent +

 

Third course

Plum and goat cheese stuffed breast of chicken, sundried cherry sauce and smashed new potatoes

 

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2013 Domaines Ott Bandol Chateau Romassan
Price: $51.00       Sale $44.88          Case $521

A blend of Mourvedre 20% minimum but they do 60%, Grenache and Cinsualt is the rest of the blend, the process is exactly the same with this rose as the cotes de Provence. The bouquet here has a bit more mineral and a briny character here with light red berry fruit. They do make a red wine here in 2011 they will be bringing it in, they require 3 months of aging before release of the reds. Lots of chalk in the soils here a more full bodied rose with cherry and plum fruit with a creamy texture on the tongue and a nice hand of that sea shell mineraltiy through the finish. Finish 45+ Most Excellent

 

Fourth Course

Pistachio crusted sea bass with apple, kale and pear slaw roasted root vegetables and white wine sage cream

 

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2011 Domaines Ott Clos Mireille Blanc de Blancs
Price: $49.50       Sale $43.56          Case $505

A blend of Semillon and Rolle, this wine sees a bit of oak cask they are not looking for the spice from the oak just the creamy texture and the, a good amount of fresh tree fruit on the nose, quince and pear with a light floral nuance and a touch of sea salt in the bouquet and a bit of a leesy character, nutty, lemon zest. A serious white with a good hand of chalky mineral nuance and quince, pear and fresh apple fruit very rich and layered with a long mineral laced finish, very creamy texture on the tongue. Finish 45+ Most Excellent

 

Dinner Course

Roasted elk rib eye, corn and spelt flan over juniper scented caramelized onions

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Domaines Château de Selle Rouge Cuvée Comtes de Provence 2010
Price: $

The terroir Situated inland on top of limestone hills, the vineyard enjoys ample exposure to the sun. The soil is composed of 40-50% rock, so the land is dry and, despite the presence of some extremely fertile clay deposits, yields are low.

A blend of Syrah 70% and Cabernet Sauvignon 30%. Tasting notes:  The nose expresses aromas of bilberry and vanilla before moving on to spicy, roasted notes. The full-bodied mouth is rich and fine with blended tannins. The harmony and elegance are long-lasting, with a silky finish.

 

 

Dessert

Tropical carrot cake over pineapple carpaccio

 

The Fee for this event is $115 ++, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

 

A bit about Domaine Ott:
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In 1896, after a tour of France's wine-growing areas, the young agronomist Marcel Ott arrived on the shores of the Mediterranean and finally found the wine area that most inspired him: Provence. In the heart of this famous wine region, one of the oldest in France, there is a long-standing culture of grape cultivation. But at the end of the nineteenth century, when phylloxera had destroyed all the best vine stock, the vineyards had been replanted too quickly, and so the wines they produced had little appeal. With fierce determination, Marcel Ott set about replanting all the estates with quality grape varieties so that the great wines of Provence could flourish again: authentic wines that would be worthy of this thousand-year-old tradition.

With its sleek curves, the emblematic Domaines Ott bottle gives an indication of the quality of their vintages. The three estates of Domaines Ott extend over two different appellations, but they share the same wine-growing culture – and a unique bottle too. It was Provence itself that suggested the iconic shape to René Ott, inspired as he was by the land between the hills and the shores of the sea with its rows and terraces of vines, and the cypress trees shaped like exclamation marks or the shapely trunks of the palm trees. This familiar and time-honoured landscape is what guided René as he carved the design that was to embody his vision. This distinctive bottle was created in the 1930s but has since lost none of its modernity. Today, it gives Domaines Ott its own unique signature. Sleek and delicate, the famous bottle with a star brings back memories of the elegance of the amphoras used to collect wine in ancient times that can still be found all over Provence. It shows off the vintages magnificently and is a shining symbol of the great wines of Provence.

Each Ott estate is cultivated in a way that fully respects nature. The soil is nurtured without using any chemicals or intensive production techniques. The products used to treat the most common vine diseases are made from a naturally-occurring mix of sulphur and Bordeaux mixture (a blend of copper, slaked lime and black soap), as these are the only treatments allowed in organic farming. When the plants become too old, they are replaced so that the quality of the wines remains constant across the three estates. Over the years, each estate has been patiently replanted to create the best possible growing conditions for both espalier and terraced vines. This regular renewal programme allows the vineyards to drain naturally without any run-off, meaning that the soil and its characteristics remain intact and the vines have a good supply of water. It also limits outbreaks of problems such as natural holes appearing in vines or vine stock becoming non-productive. The organic fertilizers are all natural, and the vines are trellised on metal wires. The juice is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then matured in oak barrels. The estates are now among the most famous, the most quality-driven and the most carefully preserved in all Provence.

THE THREE ESTATES OF DOMAINES OTT The austerity of Château de Selle. The exoticism of Clos Mireille. The Grandeur of Château Romassan... Each of the Domaines Ott Estate Wineries, all in the heart of regions worth discovering, is a portrait of colour with a superb landscape, exceptional settings that give soul to their wines.

 

Château de Selle estate since 1912.
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Château de Selle was the first estate acquired by Marcel Ott in 1912. It is located in Tarandeau, near Draguignan, on ground where only olive, lavender and mulberry trees used to grow. Not far from Thoronet Abbey, close to a residence dating back to the eighteenth century that belonged to the counts of Provence, its soil is composed of gypsum, red clay, dolomite and sandstone mixed with gravel and stone, but now produces highly distinguished and elegant wines. Located on the high chalky inland slopes of the area, where it is sheltered from frost, the estate enjoys a microclimate of mild winters, early springs, and warm and dry summers, always with a high level of sunshine. Vines are grown in the same way on both espalier and terraced vineyards. Production is constant, respectful of the environment and well-balanced. The arid climate and minerals in the soil give the vintages an exceptional character that draws out all of their flavours. The average age of the vines at Château de Selle is nineteen. Vintages are made from an accomplished blend of several grape varieties with which half of the estate's 140 hectares are planted: Cabernet Sauvignon lends the wines a complexity, elegance and magnificent strength, Grenache gives them a full-bodied texture, Cinsault adds a delicately rounded touch, while Syrah gives the blends their rich colour.

 

Clos Mireille estate since 1936.
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In the 1930s, Marcel Ott was attracted to a very old property near the coastline and the intense blue of the Mediterranean. Overlooking the sea, Clos Mireille is in Londe les Maures close to Brégançon. With all the patience of an amateur, Ott replanted and consolidated the vineyards, cleverly using the soil enclosed between the spray of the sea and the dry air of the hills further inland, which had previously been home to mulberry and olive trees and umbrella pines. Close to the old construction built by the Benedictines in the eighteenth century, the vines soon started producing exceptional grapes bursting with flavour and nourished by both the sea and the sun. At Clos Mireille, the average age of the vines is sixteen. The soil is composed of shale. Its location by the shores of the Mediterranean at the foot of the hills is unusual, and the character of its wines is even more exceptional in that the clay soil on this ancient rocky outcrop does not contain any limestone. The broad sea-facing facade also gives Clos Mireille wines their inimitable character. The microclimate and the sea spray create the perfect conditions for producing subtle and distinctive wines.

 

Château Romassan estate since 1956.
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Acquired by the Ott family in 1956, it took thirty years of hard work and experience before the old Château Romassan estate was able to produce the great vintages that are characteristic of the Bandol AOL appellation. Entirely replanted with quality grape varieties, the small one- and two-hectare plots were reorganized and levelled to create both espalier and terraced vineyards. Meanwhile, the superb eighteenth-century construction that overlooks the estate was also completely renovated. This estate is located in the west of the Var département, in the heart of the famous winegrowing area of Bandol. Mourvèdre is the estate's major grape variety. Indigenous to this area, it is particularly suited to the arid climate and sparse soil. Its temperamental nature reveals itself in the strength of its blends, which are robust wines that last both in the mouth and in the wine cellar. Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah are also grown in smaller quantities. The vines have an average age of 25 across the 70 hectares that are planted. The vines grow in the estate's distinctive soil, which is composed of limestone, sandstone and marl and sustained by gravel. This unique soil, together with a sun-drenched and particularly dry microclimate, produces elaborate and very powerful wines that are suitable for laying down.