Hand Picked Selections’ French Wines
Hand Picked Selections was founded in 1985 by Dan Kravitz, a national importer of wines from France, Spain, Italy, and Argentina. He started his company as a small, home-based business, committed to working with artisan wine growers to source consistently characterful, balanced, and food-friendly wines. Kravitz has built a reputation on wines that are incredible values.
One of the star wine producers in Kravitz’s book is Domaine du Pegau, owned by the Feraud family, which can trace its roots in Chateauneuf du Pape back to 1670. Paul Feraud, who started working in the family business at the age of 14, brought Domaine du Pegau into the modern age when he began to bottle his own wine in 1964. In 1987, Laurence Feraud joined her father and is currently the winemaker at the estate. Domaine du Pegau is ranked among the greatest wineries in the world.
DOMAIN DU PEGAU CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE (Rhone, France)
This is the flagship wine of the estate. This biodynamic wine is made from a blend of 15 grape varietals, mostly Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. The 2018 vintage received 92-95 points from The Wine Advocate: “ … full bodied, but quite approachable, and easy to drink. It is loaded with black cherries and plummy fruit and tinged with licorice. It finishes long and silky.”
DOMAINE DU PEGAU CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE CUVÉE A TEMPO BLANC (Rhone, France)
This is Pegau’s first white prestige bottling. It is a pale gold color with complex aromas of white flowers, white peach, and ripe pear. It is round and expansive on the palate with great freshness and minerality. It has a very long finish. This wine would be an excellent pairing with flavorful shellfish (lobster and scallops), especially prepared with rich cream or truffles.
CHATEAU PEGAU CUVÉE MACLURA COTES DU RHONE (Rhone, France)
Maclura is named for the Maclura orange trees found on the property. This delicious wine has intense aromas of cassis, blackberry, and spice, with soft ripe tannins on the palate and a lingering finish. Enjoy this wine on its own or paired with red meats (grilled, roasted, or charcuterie) or hearty vegetable fare.
COMMANDERIE DE LA BARGEMONE ROSÉ (Provence, France)
Bargemone was founded in the 13th century. In 1250, the Knights Templar built their compound of buildings known as the La Commanderie, and the property was named Bargemone after the Provencal family that owned it for 200 years. La Commanderie produces 90% rosé wine and 10% white. Bargemone is typically a beautiful vivid orange/ pink color, with a nose of strawberry, orange zest, and flowers. It has juicy berry fruit, citrus fruit, and honeysuckle flavors. Always a top-quality rosé.
DOMAINE LES ROCAILLES VIN DE SAVOIE APREMONT (Savoie, France)
Pierre Boniface wines are produced at Les Rocailles, an earthy paradise in the French Alps. Les Rocailles is now one of the biggest and best producers in Savoie. Apremont, its signature wine, is produced with the Jacquère grape. This is a light and delicate wine offering green apple and floral aromas on the nose. It is dry and very refreshing with crystal clear purity. A favorite of the nearby ski resorts.
PENYA COTES CATALANES ROUGE (Languedoc-Roussillon, France)
Cases-de-Pene is a tiny village in the Roussillon region of southern France, just 30 miles north of Spain. This area is known as French Catalonia. Penya is a medium-bodied blend of Carignan, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
Jeb Dunnuck scored this wine 91-92 points and wrote that “it has a beautifully pure bouquet of cassis, ground pepper, violets, and spice. Juicy, medium to full-bodied, rounded, and textured on the palate, it’s going to be another terrific vintage for this wine, as well as a smoking value.” This wine can be enjoyed with everyday foods, including pizza, pasta, and burgers. It is also great with fish.
Included in the Hand Picked Selections are some amazing wines from the winemaker and consultant Jeff Carrel. Carrel was born in Paris in 1969, and at 22 he started studying enology in Montpellier. After graduating, he traveled through France doing various jobs. Today, Carrel vinifies and consults mainly in the Languedoc-Roussillon, but also Priorat, Bordeaux, Beaujolais, and Burgundy. He focuses on the development of numerous wines including Les Darons and Villa des Anges.
LES DARONS (Languedoc, France):
Les Darons is made from 30-year-old Grenache and Carignan grapes, This amazing wine has consistently been a top value as well as high-scoring wine for many years.
The Wine Advocate scored it 89-90 points, writing, “perhaps a touch more concentrated than the ’18, the 2019 Les Darons offers penetration raspberry, and cherry aromas. It is plump and creamy in texture, medium to full bodied, supple, and easy to drink!”
VILLA DES ANGES CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Languedoc-Roussillon, France):
Crafted by Carrel at the Espitalet des Anges domaine in Capestang. Villa des Anges is situated on the ruins of an ancient Roman villa. The wine has great freshness, intensity, and concentration. It is well structured, offering aromas of black cherry with hints of pepper and light spicy coriander notes. Pair this wine with red meats and cheese dishes.
VILLA DES ANGES OLD VINES ROSÉ (Languedoc, France):
Sourced from 35-to-40-year-old vines, this wine offers delicious aromas of blood orange, pomegranate and strawberry, with a little hint of spice and pepper. Another great value year after year.
With many wines taking large price increases, it is wonderful to be able to find reliable brands that are consistently good as well as good values. Thanks to Dan Kravitz for bring together so many of these wines to the United States.
Please drink responsibly!
