Day Two on the Route du Vin

Mural at Chaumette

Our Missouri Wine Board hosts had planned another busy day for us, packed with activities.  We began with a grand tour and tasting at Chaumette.  Hank shared some fascinating history with us about the name “Chaumette” and the influence of the French immigrants who settled in St. Genevieve.

As we began tasting some of the wines, he used the classic WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust) tasting methodology, but also added some information that I did not know.  First, when we swirl wine in the glass, it is not just to aerate the wine – it is also to coat the sides of the glass, increasing the amount of surface area from which we can detect aromas.  As we sniffed and tasted, Hank asked us to consider these questions:  Does it appeal to your intellect?  Is it multi-dimensional?  Is it multi-layered?  Is it complex?  The other piece of tasting information that especially interested me involved the “reverse whistle”, in which you place some wine in your mouth and then draw air in through your pursed lips. Yes, the air is important, but it also enables a secondary tasting mechanism, called retronasal olfaction, to be reached by moving the aromas up the back of the throat to the olfactory nerve.  The tasting technique enhances the experience and may even be helpful when experiencing some nasal congestion that limits what you can detect directly through the nose.

Wedding Chapel at Chaumette

After a short tasting session (that was to be continued the next morning due to time constraints), we boarded what I would call “heavy duty golf carts” and went off for a tour of the property.  We visited the lovely wedding chapel and then drove through wooded, hilly terrain to the more rustic of the event venues, the Barn at Chaumette. The sweeping views of the valley, vineyards, and pond provide a perfect setting for weddings and parties.

Returning to the tasting room, it was time to depart for nearby Cave Vineyard.  This family owed vineyard and winery was purchased in 1995 and named for the saltpeter cave on the property. The first of the 15 acres of vines were planted between 2003-2009 and are primarily Vignoles, Traminette, Chambourcin and Norton. Our gracious host who is one of the daughters, Laura Oliver, invited us to taste a few wines and, if we liked, to select a glass of wine that we could take to the cave with our box lunches.

The opening to the cave is approximately 100 feet across and 35 feet tall.  The owners do not store any wine inside the Cave because with such a large opening, the temperature changes too much.  While most caves maintain a constant temperature, this one changes with the weather. Very little has been historically recorded about the cave. We do know that in the late 1700’s a Frenchman was mining the Cave for Saltpeter (Potassium Nitrate) and sending it down the river to New Orleans where it was used to make gunpowder.

Chambourcin in Vat at Cave Vineyard

After lunch we were ready for a tour of the winery and recently opened distillery where the family is making whiskey and brandy.The back of the tasting room overlooks the winery and two enormous vats of Chambourcin grapes were in the fermentation process.  Owner and founder, Marty Strussione, led us through the winery and their wine making processes.  We were invited to barrel sample two Chambourcins – a 2015 that was tank aged with the addition of oak chips and the 2017 that was aging in oak barrels. I found the 2015 overly heavy on vanilla tones, but the 2017 was beautifully balanced and should be extraordinary when it is released.  Completing our visit back in the tasting room, I determined that my favorite Strussione wines were the 2017 Vignoles which is a fruit forward white wine with bright citrusy notes and the 2012 Chambourcin, rich and fruity, with soft tannins – the perfect pairing for upcoming fall meals.

The balance of our busy day was spent at Crown Valley. These activities will be described in my third article, as there is so much I want to share with you.

Cheers!

The Cave at Cave Vineyard

Entrance to the Cave