Sunday, August 21, 2011

Mad about Madeleine

        A recent guest vintner at the Corkscrew’s “Uncorked” series was Damien Georis.  Although he is the winemaker for Georis Winery, Damien also has been creating his own wines since 2005 under the Madeleine label.  
 The story behind the name is charming.   As Damien tells it,
“Madeleine was born in Belgium on March 6, 1911. Daughter of a wine merchant, she grew up developing her palate. Her whole life, she collected bottles that she would share with friends.
Among them were my parents, and as a boy I had my first sip. In 2005, the first vintage of Madeleine was produced, a tribute to her life and in gratitude for her inspiration.” 

Pouring four wines, Damien and his friend Joni were the perfect hosts for the event.  They are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about this venture. 
The first wine was the 2010 Pinot Blanc.  Damien said he made this wine in “Italian” style, with crisp, lemony flavors and a bit of minerality.  The grapes came from Greenfield and at $18 a bottle, it was a good value.
The reds followed, with the Cab Franc coming out as the favorite.  With a lovely balance of fruit and a smooth start and finish, we were asking for just a “little bit more.” 
The Syrah, while only six months old, was of special interest due to the fact that it was organic and had no added sulfites.  According to Joni, this is a trend with young winemakers and we are going to see more wines bottled this way.  The wine should breathe for an hour before consumption…this is the hard part.   The wine did have a unique taste that was fresh to the palate.        
Maddie, the last wine we tasted, was a Cab and Syrah blend.  At just $ 12 a bottle, it was a big seller. Luckily, there was plenty for all. 
If you are interested in purchasing Madeleine wines go to the website http://www.madeleinewine.com/index.htm.
  
 You may just find yourself mad about Madeleine too.


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