Wine & Spirits

Item Description

Domaine Sainte Cécile du Parc was started by Stéphane Mouton and Christine Mouton Bertoli in 2005. They moved to the Languedoc in southwestern France in 2003 after living in Tuscany for several years. The previous owner of the property had sold his grapes to the cooperative winery in Pézenas, but Stéphane and Christine wanted to make their own wine. Along with Jérme Debrun, the estate manager, they first undertook a complete examination of the property and vines, keeping the best and planting new where needed, and created a new winery, which saw its first production in 2011. Domaine Sainte Cécile du Parc is currently in conversion to organic grape production, and the 2013 vintage will carry organic certification.

First Vine is the first U.S. importer of Domaine Sainte Cécile du Parc wines. Notes Frivoles is a rosé made from equal parts Grenche, Cabernet Franc, and Carignan and carries the appellation Pays d'Hérault and a further appellation of Pays de Caux, which is more geographically specific to the area around Pézenas. In France, Carignan is generally blended into red wines, since it's an intense (and intensely colored) grape. Using it in rosé gives a slightly deeper dark fruit note to the wine, despite the light color in the final product. Cabernet Franc in red wines has a distinct, somewhat vegetal character that is softened by not leaving the juice on the skin for long in making the rosé. (Most rosés are made from red wine grapes -- since the color is in the skin, longer contact time between the juice and skin gives the wine more color.) What emerges instead is light fruit flavor and a fresh aroma. Grenache, the workhorse red grape of the region, contributes a little earthy flavor. Try it with nearly any food! First Vine specializes in unique wines from independent producers and grower-owned cooperatives; in most cases these producers haven't exported to the U.S. before. This DC-based company is a favorite of Alliances throughout the U.S., and the group's owner, Tom Natan, has visited Portland and shares his knowledge of wine with local members here, as Oregon is one of the states to which he ships.

Item Special Note

This item class is not available for online bidding and is available only to local bidders. To place an absentee bid (if you are not planning to attend the event) call 503.223.8388 or email info@afportland.org. Should an absentee or proxy bidder be the winner, he/she will make arrangements to pickup tangible items at the Alliance, the week following the event. Shipping is not an option for this item.