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CHAMARRE

New World Methods plus Wines from Traditional French Appellations equals high quality, well-priced wines from the best sources in France

by Simone Zarmati Diament

To live to see the day when you could have a Saint Emilion, Médoc, Saint Estephe, Saint Julien and other Grand Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon wines blended with wines from the South of France for $11.99! To think that the Chardonnay comes from Meursault, Pouilly Fuissé, Chablis, Macon… and the south of France, the Pinot from a similar range of Burgundian appellations as well as from the Ardeche and Corsica

As more consumers are buying cheaper and fruitier New World wines and even as the recent wine crisis in France forced small producers from the best appellations to turn their surplus wines into alcohol and cut subsidies to small growers, nobody, not even well-known great negociants, including Jaboulet who made Beaujolais nouveau a household name, have been able to pull it off.

Yet, producers from wine regions throughout France join forces to form OVS, Opera Vins & Spiriteux. With a tremendous sourcing capacity, OVS bottles 9% of the French wine production from almost all the French wine producing regions.

Among OVS’s holding, and rivaling the likes of Yellowtail, Jacob’s Creek and other colorful labels from the New World, the brand that revolutionizes the image of French wine is called Chamarré (Sha-ma-ray): French for 'bursting with color and flavor;' and also the name of a butterfly with bright colors and stripes. In a rarely seen co-op system, the main suppliers are also shareholders, thus ensuring the high quality of the wines through carefully selected grape varietals from the regions that give them their very best expression, and extremely competitive prices (10.99 to $12.99).

Chamarre includes three lines at present: Grande Reserve, a vertical blend of a single grape varietal picked in Frances best producting regions, AOC, a blend of traditional French AOC wines with the most prestigious wines of that same AOC; and Duo Varietal, a blend of two varietals such as Cabernet-Sauvignon -Grenache or Shiraz-Merlot.

Chamarre Grande Réserve Chardonnay Fresh and crisp, with citrus and tropical fruit aromas, slight hints of buttered toast and vanilla and a long mineral finish, this is a marriage of Chardonnay grapes from Meursault, Pouilly Fuissé and other Grand Bourgogne Chardonnay grapes to Chardonnay picked at the foothills of the mountains in the southwest and the southeast of France.

Chamarre Grande Réserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep and velvety, rich with tastes of black and red berries, mint as well as oak, vanilla, butter, toffee, it is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Saint Emilion, Médoc, Saint Estephe, Saint Julien and other Grand Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon grapes with Cabernet Sauvignon picked at the foothills of the mountains in the south of France. Chamarre Grande Reserve Pinot Noir is a marriage of Pinot Noir grapes from Pommard, Nuit Saint Georges and other Grand Bourgogne Pinot Noir grapes and Pinot Noir from the Corsica Island known as the “Isle of Beauty” and Pinot Noir from south of

Chamarré Bordeaux AOC A Bordeaux blend: cabernet sauvignon and merlot, along with some cabernet franc and petit verdot from the best areas of the appellation (i.e. St. Emilion, St. Estephe, St. Julien) added to the generic Bordeaux. The result is a wine with hints of black fruit and pepper, heavy tannins that match up well with grilled meat or poultry. Chamarre Jurancon AOC (dessert) This wine is a blend of the traditional grape varietals of the Jurançon region in southwest France: Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng. A medium sweet wine with tastes of fresh and preserved fruits: pineapple, mango, peach and citrus. Great with rich Asian or Indian dishes, with fruits, blue cheese or deserts.

Chamarré Cabernet Sauvignon-Grenache Duo Varietal Both grape varietals come from Languedoc, in the south of France. Cabernet Sauvignon brings structure and vivacity, Grenache its Mediterranean body and elegance. The final blend is full-bodied, elegant and structured, with deep ripe red berry flavors and hints of spices and liquorice along with some pepper and toasty oak. Pairs well with grilled steak, poultry or lamb.

Chamarre Sauvignon Blanc-Chenin Blanc Duo Varietal Both grape varietals come from the Loire Valley. Sauvignon gives fresh and citrusy flavors; Chenin adds subtle floral aromas. The wine is fresh and generous, with various fruit aromas. Sauvignon brings honeysuckle and citrus flavors; Chenin contributes apricot and intense baked bread. The finish has notes of grapefruit.

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