Though this saying is better known as the punchline for a cigarette advertisement, it is also an apt description of France’s Languedoc vineyards which are a genuine bright spot in the future of French viticulture and winemaking.
The “you have come a long way baby” tag, used by Phillip Hiaring in his recent Wines & Vines magazine piece on Fortant de France, is a reference to the fact that the Fortant brand has reached over three million cases in sales in the last 10 years, and it has a high percentage of the French varietal market. It is operated by the Skalli-Fortant de France and owned by the Robert Skalli family, which farms its own grapes on Corsica. The family also owns and operates the St Supery vineyard in Napa Valley. Interestingly, the Skallis were pieds noirs (black feet), French vineyardists who came to Algeria following the devastation of French vines by phylloxera in the 1870s.
The Skalli story begins in the 1930s in Algeria near Oran when Robert Elie Skalli, began planting such South of France varietals such as Carignan, Alicante, Grenache and Cinsault. He also adopted vinification methods suitable for the North African climate. After the Second World War his son, Francis, took over operations and blended wines from the Oran vineyards with those from Mostaganem. He also began the producer-partnership concept with other growers, that is still practised today.
By 1938 Algeria had close to a million acres of vineyards and by the 1950s, France depended heavily on Algerian vineyards for its everyday blended red wines. But the rise of Algerian Islamic fundamentalism brought an end to this relationship and caused the pieds noirs to leave their vineyards and wineries behind and return to Europe.
By the end of 1970s, the Languedoc was experiencing an identity crisis due, in large part, to a wine lake of inferior wine from such varieties as Aramon.
Then the change started. Vineyards were replanted with vines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. But traditional French wine marketing is not by varietal, but by terroir. Varietal labelling would not be authorised under Appellation d’ Origine Controll?e laws so the alternatives was to go with vins de pays d’ oc. Skalli’s job was to convince winegrowers to plant those cultivars currently in demand and to produce clean, sound wines at affordable prices.
Taste Fortant wines and you immediately realise that the goal set by Skalli was achieved.
The 2007 Fortant de France, Sauvignon Blanc, Premi?re Cuv?e Vin de Pays D’Oc abv 12% is part of the Fortant de France range which is available for French restaurants and for export. The other range is Fortant Couleurs Du Sud which is aimed at European hypermarkets, and Fortant Reserve F dedicated to the late Francis Skalli and consists of top quality varietals. The grapes then of this wine were harvested in the Aude, Gard and Herault departments, cool vinified and bottled young to capture maximum freshness and flavour. Pale yellow green in colour. The aromas are grass/gooseberry with some herbal notes and sweet geranium on the nose. They are crisp and light bodied in taste with some mineral and lime on the palate with some more grass and citrus aftertaste. Excellent choice for summer parties, with seafood, green salads and Ch?vre cheese, grilled chicken served at 7°C.
2007 Fortant de France, Syrah Ros?, Premi?re Cuv?e, Vin de Pays D’ Oc abv 12%
Yet another delightful transparent cranberry colour, with a light red cherry, strawberry and bramble bouquet. This wine has a gamey-grape fruit flavour with some caraway seeds and pepper notes. It has a creamy texture with a light to medium body and red raspberry and cherry flavours. It is crisp with a dryish palate. If you visit any Thai noodle bar this is the wine to choose, especially good with grilled or roast poultry and an excellent party wine, served at 8°C.
2007 Fortant de France, Merlot, Premi?re Cuv?e Vin de Pays D’ Oc abv 12% Yet another summer wine, easy drinking and soft. Deep red colour in the glass with purple highlights. The nose is blackberry and tree fruits, with aromatic notes of herbs, all confirmed on the palate. The mouth feel of this Merlot is round and ripe, with rich fruits and gentle tannic structure. It makes an elegant accompaniment, served at 16-18°C, to grilled red meats and hearty poultry baked in the oven with tomato-based sauce.
A final comment on the labels. Art is an important aspect of Fortant’s marketing mix. Look out for these labels at Spectus in Limassol and Nicosia, shelf price at €9.40
