Gallucio Tasting, with their French winemaker
What if you took a French born and trained winemaker and put him in charge of a typically American winery in a small American town? Would he produce wines in the French style? Is there really a difference in national styles? These seem like a good theoretical questions, the kind that oenophiles might enjoy batting around. Interestingly, the questions need not be theoretical. And you needn’t be an oenophile.
With a French winemaker in Cutchogue, the questions are of interest to East End wine consumers. He is Bernard Cannac, born in southwestern France, educated in winemaking at the University of Bordeaux, and now in charge of producing wines at the Gallucio Family Wineries.
I recently spent part of a day with Mr. Cannac and with Anita LeGault, the marketing director at Gallucio. While he speaks with a strong French accent, his thinking transcends boundaries. His focus is quality, and whether that involves might we may loosely call a typically American taste, or requires adhering to traditional French methods, is secondary to the quality of the finished product. And, of course, that is way it should be.
An interesting part of my visit consisted of tasting some currently available wines, and then sampling from barrels and vats what will be future vintages of the same label. I was particularly interested in Cru George Allaire, one of the mainstay reds of the winery. The vintage presently being sold—the 2000 Meritage—consists of 70% merlot, 20% cabernet sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc. These are the grapes typically combined in Bordeaux wines. The proportions are probably closest to a Pomerol or St. Emilion, although I believe the percentage of merlot is somewhat higher in the Gallucio. This seems appropriate for the North Fork, where merlot grows so well.
The color is a deep ruby and the aroma is redolent of black cherry and plum-like fruits with traces of dried herbs. It is medium bodied and supple. The taste is quite smooth, and to my palate suggestive of plum qualities of a merlot. This wine is not meant to be a blockbuster, but rather a consumer-friendly, cleanly made, silky, easy to drink red. Some additional bottle aging might add more of the richness and texture I would like to see.
The wine sells for $26 a bottle at the winery or online. A barrel sampling of the 2001 vintage had great promise. I found a satisfying depth and layering of tastes, qualities I seek in this type of blend. I look forward to the release of this wine some time next year. The winery also produces a fine chardonnay under the Cru George Allaire label. I found it full-bodied and balanced, with honeyed pear and floral scents and a soft oak tone on the palate. The 2000 vintage, which earned an impressive 90-point rating from Wine Spectator, sells for $21. I’d also recommend the 2000 Point House chardonnay. Citrus overtones in the aroma, decent acidity, and a crisp, clean taste make it a good bet for casual drinking. I also like the price of $11 a bottle.
I hope to visit Gallucio now and then to report of the progress of the wines soon to be bottled. It will be interesting to see how they develop from barrel to bottle.
