Wine and Yoga: A Perfect Pairing

Wine and Yoga a perfect pairing!

Yes they are and last week I participated in a virtual wine and yoga class hosted by Morgan Perry founder of Vino Vinyasa with wines from Famille Quiot in the Rhone Valley. We were joined by Florence Quiot the 13th generation at the helm. Yes, it was 2 am her time, and I thank her for staying up so late to chat with us.

This class was a reminder for me how much I enjoy yoga and how relaxing it is for the mind, body and soul. Add a glass of wine to that and life is good.

Morgan led us through about 40 minutes of yoga while educating us on the wines from the Quiot Family. That is multi-tasking at its best, as I could only concentrate on the yoga poses and balance, let alone trying to hold a conversation.

The Famille Quiot has been making wine in the Rhone Valley since 1748. Today they produce wines from the Rhone Valley and Provence. The wines are fruit-forward, balanced, exciting and easy-drinking with class, just what is needed as we head into the winter pandemic months.

Two of the wines were from Chateauneuf-du-Pape Domaine Du Vieux Lazaret which is the vineyard that began their story in 1748 with 8 hectares and today is more than 100 hectares.

2018 Domaine Du Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf-du-Pape White Rhone SRP $44.99 - A blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne. This is a really nice winter white wine. Beautiful floral aromas with a hint of pineapple and pear lead to a palate full of stone fruit and ripe pineapple. The Roussanne that is aged in oak then blended into the wine really adds to the weight of the wine. Perfect to warm you up on a cold winter evening.

2017 Domaine Du Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf-du-Pape Red SRP $37.99 - A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Carignan, Counoise, Terret Noir, Picoup, Muscardin, Picardin, Bourboulenc, Clairette and Roussanne from 38 parcels in Chateauneuf grown in 3 major soil types. Full of juicy red fruit, vanilla, mouth-drying tannins, raspberry and black licorice spice on the finish. This wine is a nice elegant wine that will pair with many of your winter roasts.

2018 Chateau du Trignon Cotes-du-Rhone Rhone Rouge SRP $18.99 - A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre (GSM) from 160 acres throughout six villages and Cotes du Rhone (Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Rasteau, Sablet, Plan de Dieu and Beaumes de Venise.) Fresh raspberries and strawberries with some cocoa and dark chocolate and a finish of black pepper. A nice everyday wine to wind down with.

The Wines of Northern Rhone

If you like the Syrah, welcome to it's birthplace, the Northern Rhone region of France.

There are 5 main areas that produce Syrah each with it's own characteristics defining them.

• Cote Rote - Northern most region. Produces only red wines. Growers can ferment the Syrah with Viognier.  Soil consists of shist, limestone which produce elegant and soft wines. In the northern part of the appellation the soil is clay. It is these terriors that contribute to the wine that is produced.
• Hermitage - This regions produces both red and white wines. Here the Syrah can be blended with up to 15% Marsanne or Roussanne. For the white wines, Marsanne is usually the primary grape.  The soil is very complex.
• Cornas - 100% Syrah produced here with no blending of the grapes.  The soil structure is granite. 

The above three appellations produce the Syrah used in Rhone AOC wines

• Crozes Hermitage - completely different from the Hermitage region.  It's location is flat.  Here it is more about the fruit than the soil.  They produce Syrah wines with good acidity and are easy going wines.
• Saint Joseph - This is a name not associated with a village or city.  The soil here is granite and the vineyards receive the morning sun, but it seems to disappear in the afternoon.  The wines from here tend to have tight tannins but is a fresh wines.

Condrieu is the main appellation in the Rhone that produces Viognier.

For more detailed information please view the video below produced by the Guild of Sommeliers.

Northern Rhône from guildsomm on Vimeo.