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Frounzie Wines, Paris (2026)

05/10/2024

As Chile, Argentina has a big latitudinal range (24°S-38°S), and diverse topography, meaning that the climate varies.
The country is protected by the Andes meaning generally warm to hot contintental climate dry, and made even drier by drying winds such as the Zonda.

2 important factors grape growing in Argentina:
Altitude : increasing diurnal range (the Northern Province of Salta lies around 3000m8) elongating the growing season, and leading to high solar radiation (=high tannins and anthocyanin°. The highest vineyard are found North and in Casablanca (Uco at around 1500 m) and the lowest are located in the Southern Patagonia.
Rivers : Except on El Nino years, Argentina is quite arid and most regions suffer from drought, hence the vineyards are planted next to rivers (like the Mendoza and tributaries) allowing for irrigation (also provided by snowmelt from the Andes. This also means, than in general Argentinian soils are alluvial, rich and diverse leading to diverse flavor profiles.

The main player in Argentina is the famous Malbec, representing about 20% of all surface planted, expressing itself differently according to microclimates and soils.
Bonarda follows, creating mostly high yielding, fruity easy drinking wines in the warmer areas of San Juan and Mendoza – However, on older vines Bonarda shows quite some promise in Maipu and Luyan de Cuyo.
International varieties such as Cabernet, Syrah and Tempranillo also have an important role, whether as blends or increasingly single varietals.

Finally, Argentina also produced some whites,: Pedro Gimenez, for the cheapest, most neutral and domestically consumed.
Torrontès is the most distinctive one but produces different qualities of wines –
As its early ripening, it doesn’t do its best in the warmest sites of la Rioja or San Juan resulting in heavy and slightly bitter wines, but has built quite a reputation in high altitude- yield controlled vineyards (Cafayate, in Salta, or Uco in Mendoza) providing fresh fruity and floral whites.

Which region would you like to explore next ?

04/10/2024

Have you ever had ?
Wines from Castilla Y Leon

The spanish region has 4 main DOs: Bierzo, Toro and Rueda and to the east famous Ribera del Duero.
There is also a small production of GI wines: VT Castilla y Léon.

All 4 regions enjoy a warm continental climate, and benefit from fairly high diurnal ranges as they lie between 500 m (Bierzo) and 1000m (Ribeira del Duero) of altitude. From west to east the climate is increasingly warm and dry, meaning that irrigation might be largely required before the growing season from Toro to Ribera del Duero, especially as soils are quite sandy, hence free-draining.
Spring and autumn frosts are also often an issue for grape growing: meaning that mid-late budding varieties are a key to success.
Yield and vigor control are often key for quality: therefore very old bush vines may be found everywhere, especially in Toro (ungrafted) and Ribera Del Duero.

Soils and aspect vary from a region to another, and even within the regions. E.G: Bierzo enjoy flat fertile silt plains for higher volumes, but also poor slaty-slopes for their highest quality wines.

Style and quality vary across and within the DO’s, but here is the gist of it:
You’ll find easy drinking fruity good reds and or more extracted, slightly oaky very good ones in Bierzo and Toro. Main difference ? Mencia, its main player, has a red fruit and sometimes floral profiles where Tinta de Toro in Toro has riper dark fruit aromas.
Rueda will provide you with good fruity whites with a slight bitter finish, mainly from Verdejo, a drought resistant white varietal providing medium-medium + acid wines, with green- stone fruit aromas and hints of vegetal – Fan of Sauvignon? Rueda can provide too !

Last but not least, you’ve all heard from Ribera Del Duero- here Tempranillo is the gamemaker, though Cab Sauv, Merlot, Garnacha might come in to bring balance. Other key player ? Oak and time, most RDD are made in a Crianza style (e.G 2 years of ageing, with at least 6 months in oak barrels)

Are you salivating yet ?

03/10/2024

What’s the difference between Valpolicella DOC and Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG ?

What do they have in common?
The grapes are produced in the same geographical area benefitting from a cool continental climate. The topographies vary between flat fertile plains, and poorer soils on slopes in the Classico, historic heart of the region, soils vary from clay, limestone to volcanic in the freshest areas, to sandy and gravel in the warmer plains,
Both wines have to be a blend, dominated by the Corvina/Corvinone variety(for freshness, and pronounced red fruit and floral aromas), some of Rondinella for body, and a touch of other indigenous varietals (e.G Molinara).

Where do they differ ? Completely different styles and quality of wine!

The wines of Valpolicella DOC are usually easy drinking, fruity, with pale to medium colour, low tannins and fresh primary aromas. Fresh grapes are fermented at low temperatures (20-25°), and macerated for only a week to preserve the youthful and fresh character of the wines. For complexity, some Valpolicellas might be aged up to 8 months in old oak barrels or stainless steel tanks in order to avoid unwanted oak aromas.

Taking advantage of Corvina’s thick skins, and trying to compensate for difficulties of consistent ripening, winemakers created a different method: the Amarone.
Healthy grapes are picked earlier (11% abv) to retain acidity (and avoiding autumn rains) and dried for 100-120 days inside. This concentrates sugar, flavor, anthocyanins and tannins because of water evaporation (1/3 of the weight). Those grapes are then fermented at high temperatures (25-28°) with about 20 days maceration. Result : a concentrated wine with high acid, alcohol and tannins, and concentrated red fruit and floral aromas. The drying process also creates some glycerol for a round full body.. Final touch: a 2 year minimum ageing, in large or small oak casks, topped up, or not contributing to garnet color, the integration of tannins, and the development spice and oaky aromas, and sometimes oxidative notes

02/10/2024

Have you ever had ?
Barbaresco DOCG

Originating from Italy’s Piemonte the Barbaresco DOCG benefits from its moderate continental climate, with a relatively dry growing season. Altitude, and aspect also play a key role – the vineyard lies around 200m of altitude, allowing for cooling influences from higher diurnal range, and also better sun interception to help in ripening softer tannins in grapes.
Soils are there fairly diverse: from the famous clay-limestone, to sand-silt, and calcareous marns bringing different levels of structure, lightness and minerality.
Typical threats to grape growing: thunder and hail storms reducing yields, but also fogs and autumn rain making fungal disease a big issue for it’s flagship, late budding grape. Hence, vigour, yield and canopy management is key, making the simple Guyot the most effective tool for efficient (and partially mechanized) vineyard management.

Barbaresco only allows for Nebbiolo resulting in wines with surprinsingly pale colour, but high tannins, high acidity, high level of alcohol and a full ageworthy body.
Typical primary flavour profile: red fruit, dried herbs and floral notes. In order to soften tannins, and make an ageworthy, complex wine typical wine making in Barbaresco often includes blending from different vineyard of the DOCG, though Menzione Geografiche Aggiuntive (MGA, an additional mention similar to the idea of Premier Cru in Burgundy) has encouraged more and more single vineyard and single village winemaking.
Maceration periods, shorter than before, of about a month promote color and tannin extraction. The wines then have then to be matured for a minimum of 2 years and 2 montth, including 18 month in oak vessels (old or new, big or small, french or slavonian or combined as the winemakers sees fit) contributing to garnet colour, and to promote softening of the tannins, the development and integration of complex secondary (vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, smoke) and tertiary notes (leather, to***co, tar).

Wines to definitely add to your premium-wine to drink list !

01/10/2024

Have you ever had? A wine from Oregon

Oregon is located at roughly the same latitude as France Mediterranean coast – However, due to the Pacific’s heavy influence, climate there is mostly cool-to moderate mediterranean, with high rainfall during the year, but low during the growing season. Free-draining volcanic and loess soils for water retention are then key for wine production. Another effect from this low rainfall organic, and biodynamic are very much possible and in style there.
Mountains play a very important role in Oregon’s fairly diverse climates; Coastal ranges playing as a barrier from cool pacific breezes, providing a rainshadow effect, or when there are the lowest funneling cool air deeper into valley floors (e.g Van Duzer Corridor, in the Willamette Valley). To the East the Cascades provide such a protective effect that you’ll find a continental, warm and arid climate suitable fuller bodied-wines, like Walla-Walla AVA. Of course, altitude and aspect play a key role for ripe and defined fruit, with still a balance of freshness.

In general, Oregon is made up of small wineries, focused on quality and premium production. Of course you’ve heard of Oregon Pinot Noirs, elegant with light touches of new oak, especially developed by Burgundy’s Joseph Drouhin in the late 1980’s, but Oregon’s cool climate is also very suitable to the production of Pinot Gris (the second most planted varietal) both in the Grigio Italian style, and the fuller bodied, sometimes off dry, Alsatian style.
Chardonnay is slowly starting to overtake Pinot Gris, with a fresh, not overripe, and slightly reductive style.
And to the south and East: Cab Sauv, Syrah and even Tempranillo’s are starting to make their mark.

Any recommendation for my next tasting of Oregon’s treasures ?

24/09/2024

🇬🇧 French version in the comments

Have you ever had?

Soave is located in Italy’s biggest wine producing region : Veneto, hence benefiting from a warm moderately continental climate, with moderate rainfall. Veneto in general Influenced by altitude, and plains (with very fertile soils), cooling breezes from the Lake Garda, and fogs from the Adige river (meaning high fungal pressure), and thus, the region as a whole produces everything from cheap to premium, depending on the vineyards location. Soave, is no exception : the DOC spreads on two separate parts: north on foothills, with limestome/clay soils and cool volcanic rocks that help retaining acidity, and vines that still might be trained as Pergolas and handpicked and south, next to the Adige where the flat plains, with alluvial, sandy soils, trellised and mechanized allow for higher volume production.

Wines have to be made from at least 70 % of Garganega, with up to 30% of Chardonnay and Verddichio (Trebbiano di Soave), (other varieties being allowed up to 5%). The resulting wines are fruity, high in acidity, with medium alcohol, medium body and medium intensity of citrus, green fruit, white pepper, or stone fruit for the ripest. The best example might have spicy aromas of oak, and a fuller body due to lees ageing, and age developing honey and almond aromas.

There are three levels of DOC : Soave DOC, Soave Classico, DOC and Soave Classico Superiore DOCG. Here are the main differences:
Site selection: Soave comes from the flat plains (80% of the production), Soave Classico and Superiore from hillier, fresher, less fertile sites.
Controlled yields : (105, 98, 70 ha/hl).
Ageing requirement : Soave can be released as early as December, while Classico has to wait until February and Superiore September.

Finally, on the hilliest site, with the best quality of fruit, rich, floral, ageworthy, sweet Recioto di Soave might be produced from grapes dried inside for 100 -120 days.

23/09/2024

🇬🇧 French version in the comments!
Have you ever had? McLaren Vale wines

Located in the Adelaide region of Australia, McLaren Vale benefits from a warm to hot climate, cooled by sea breezes and cool air currents from the Adelaide Hills.
Also bringing freshness, altitude : vineyards are planted on mainly flat land, at altitudes ranging from 50m to 350m above sea level, hence a diversity of microclimates. Soils are also quite diverse, but generally combining drainage, and invaluable water retention (as rain fall mainly during the winter) All those factors together make up a very versatile region producing general high volume as well as super premium wines.

But here is the gist of it:
While full bodied- Chardonnays and Sémillons had their heyday in the 1970s, today red varieties (90%) are primarily planted: Shiraz (what an amazing surprise!), Cabernet Sauvignon, and Grenache. Generally, the red wines are powerful, tannic, and high in alcohol, with ripe fruit aromas, that can be overly jammy!
Syrah remains the main acort, but there is increasing interest for the wines from very old bush vines of Grenache (naturally yield controlled), which thrive particularly well on clay (for water retention) and sandy soils (for drainage), with fruit coming from higher, cooler regions for balance!

This Grenache is an excellent example of the type, featuring lovely juicy red fruit with a hint of spice. Moderately tannic but fresh on the palate, just confected enough! A must-try for any Grenache-hater looking to change their minds!

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