First off, thanks to all of you who were able to make it to Vinfolio's first tasting event of Tales of the Vine last week. We had a super turnout and I loved hearing your feedback on all of the wines we poured. Mark your calendars for our next event, June 12th, where we will be highlighting American Pinot Noir.

Riddle me this...why is it that one day I get all hot and bothered by a particular cuvee and the next week that ardor has cooled to merely a tepid adoration as I become ensnared in the seductive wiles of another? Am I fickle, jaded, clueless, misguided or, perhaps, just neurotic? No, I am just me, just as you are just you. We interpret our wine desires in a myriad of ways - mood, food, time, place, company, weather, etc. That's what makes my column such a treat - I am in the enviable position to point out some of the pulse points of wine temptation that you might normally miss. Once again, today I skip about Europe, with France being my focus.

Loire Valley:

Much of my youth, during the summer months, was spent in the Loire, gorging upon goat cheese, wild game and, my favorite, duck and goose rillettes (moist, shredded, meaty morsels preserved in fat) and matching them with Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon blanc and Cabernet franc. The offerings from Rocher des Violettes (Montlouis) and Domaine de la Chevalerie (Bourgeuil) allowed my gastronomic and oenologic nostalgia free rein. These marvelous wines engender the incredible potential of their inherent terroirs, as well as the tangible energy and passion of their young masters.

Rocher des Violettes (VF 91 & 93):
This is Chenin Blanc at its shiny, happy best. Xavier WEISSKOPF went to school in Chablis and Beaune, trained with Louis Barroul at Saint Cosme and is set to make this 22-acre property the gem of Montlouis. These are substantial, dry Chenin blancs capable of satisfying the most particular of white wine lovers, and will rival the stars of Vouvray, just across the river.

Domaine de la Chevalerie (VF 92):
I admit it...I'm a sucker for Cabernet franc, wherever it comes from, as long as it is good. The trick with this grape is to allow it to express exactly the place it's grown. You do not try to make a Bordeaux-style wine from Cab franc in the Loire. Why would you? The wines from this family estate are meant to be long-lived and the efforts are shared between father (Pierre CASLOT) and his son and daughter (Emmanuel and Stephanie). These wines age magnificently (look for a 1996 to be offered soon) and will engage all of your senses with their incredible layering and texture. A kaleidoscopic experience.

French Miscellany (loads of good stuff here!):

Domaine Arnoux Pere et Fils (VF 93):
Based in Chorey-les-Beaune and with acreage covering both Chorey and Savigny-les-Beaune, this property understands the importance of gently nurturing the vineyards and coaxing the very best fruit through non-interventionist techniques. One sip of the Beaune and you will fall hard - this is what it's all about! Amazing and brutally honest, this wine is a superb intro to what this domaine can offer.

Chateau de Pampelonne (VF 92):
When you are featured as a "poster-child" Provence rose for Conde-Nast and your motto is "After the clouds, the sun," you had better deliver! This property does it in spades - a fantastically bright, crisp, silky, lithe body that has become the expected from French Riviera rose. This award-winning wine graces the lists of many a restaurant in France and will become a staple for your summer entertaining. I fell head-over-heels for it and am thrilled to be introducing you to the next, great thing.

D'Aiguilhe Querre (WA 91):
East of Saint-Emilion - in the Cotes de Castillon appellation - this wine belies its humble birth and takes you on a rollercoaster ride of intense and permanent flavor. Parker, Tanzer, Hachette and Revue du Vin de France have all tapped this wine with the wand of greatness, especially at its price point. A case-buy to be sure, it will also sooth your furrowed brow for a few years to come.

Gros Nore (VF 92):
Along with that lust for Cabernet franc is an unquenchable desire for the thick, tarry, sauvage and black fruit-laden dimensions of Mourvedre. This is the rough-and-tumble cowboy of a wine with just a bit of a soft-heart. The genuine rusticity is loyal to what Mourvedre means in this part of France.

La Vita Italiana:

This trio is one that will be of great interest to all Italo-philes. First we have what we irreverently (but with great reverence) refer to as the "Nun" wine - Monastero Suore Cistercensi 2006 Coenobium (VF 93). Made by the son of GianPiero Bea (of Paolo Bea) from the Lazio property of Cistercian nuns, this is a grand and queerly delightful white. Next is the Paolo Bea 2003 Rosso di Montefalco Riserva (VF 94), which is a 1st Growth of Umbria. This wine demands patience, attention and a desire for the unpredictable. It encompasses the toil and native wildness of the land and is a pledge to listen to the soil and translate responsibly through the fruit. Last is a Nebbiolo - the Ferrando 2003 Carema (VF 93) not of the typical Barolo/Barbaresco descent. Born on the steep slopes near Val d'Aosta, upon a bed of cool climate fruit and rocky minerality, this is a completely different form of Nebbiolo. But it is just as long-lived and intriguing. Luigi Ferrando is a stickler for detail and a master of bringing about complexity, finesse and longevity to his wines. With just the little extra heat of the 2003 vintage, this wine is very distinctive and truly unique.

Repeat Contenders:

As a reminder, we have also included 2 wines that have appeared in past columns: the Chionetti 2005 Dolcetto di Dogliani (VF 91) and the Pelissero 2004 "Long Now" Langhe Rosso (VF 93). One for the lighter fare of the week and the other when you just need to lose yourself in the depths of black and blue fruit darkness.