COVER STORY

Domaine Becquet

A French Winery Accents the Wild West

By Jim Hansen

I invite you to join me on a journey to the colorful County of Calaveras to a wine establishment known as Domaine Becquet. This creation nestled within a meadow and surrounded by the foothills, located just minutes from Valley Springs on Highway 12 welcomes you to enjoy a bit of French hospitality situated in the backyard of the old west.

Domaine Becquet is as its name implies a French fashioned winery that will seduce you with their unique taste and bouquet that is characteristic of a French style wine, yet lending the appurtenances of a fruit that is produced locally. If you have been fortunate to visit France and its wineries then you will certainly be reacquainted with the passion, expression and uniqueness of a Frenchman’s approach to making fine wine.

The Tasting Room is set in a French style-hunting lodge that is commonplace in the land of passion and romance but stands in a stark contrast to what we might expect in a region of gold mining and the ways of the old west. This encounter makes for a pleasant change of scenery while reveling a myriad of possibilities that could emerge when the fruit of the vine grown in the fertile Gold Rush area and the skills of a French Winemaker merge. I can assure you the union is magical.

Domaine Becquet was born out of aspiration, perspiration and determination, becoming a reality for the Frenchman and his wife. The property was purchased in 1989 and they opened their doors to the public in June of 2000.

It is my pleasure to introduce to you the entrepreneurs who have constructed their dream of a French Winery in the America’s, Mr. Jean-Jacques Charles Vitrac and his wonderful wife Roswitha. They have been married for 37 years. Life has been full of love, laughter, joy and growth.

We also know Jean-Jacques as Charles. For those of us who sometimes struggle with the roll of the tongue that is often unavoidable with the French language, this simplification can be a delight. However, if you want to leave a lasting impression on this gentleman of European decent then address him as Baron Becquet de Mille. Anyway you choose you will find him to be gracious and generous with his time and knowledge. Charles comes from a linage of aristocracy and gained his exposure to the wine industry from within his family. They owned vineyards and orchards in the south of France in Vitrac.

Charles educational background is in law and economic affairs. He became a successful journalist working among the International Press in the 1970’s and later went on to become an International Consultant in the diversified field of technology. He had the pleasure of meeting President Richard Nixon on several occasions in the 70’s and is a personal friend of the President of France, Jacques Chirac.

The woman of the lodge Roswitha is charming, warm and friendly and you can frequently find her preparing or serving up the food offered at the winery. When your pallet is searching for something wonderful to compliment the wine you can just meander several yards towards the eatery and discover cheeses, breads, fresh fruit and complete lunches to satisfy the most discriminating pallet. Roswitha makes a point of looking out into the tasting room and seeing the faces as they express their pleasure over the food and wine. This is most gratifying for her as she enjoys people and has made many friends who often return to visit the hospitality of this French Lodge.

Now that you have been introduced to the owners of the establishment, let’s discuss some differences concerning how the French wine making style differs from our American style.

Charles describes French style wines as in general being lower in alcohol than American wines, and quickly points out that a French wine will never surpasses a 12-1/2 % alcohol content. However, other wines in the European community indeed vary. As an example many German wines are from 7 to 8 percent alcohol while Spain’s wines seem to be considerably higher. Another point of difference between American and French wine making is the time that a wine is stored in oak to obtain its flavor. Oak adds bite and has a tendency to mask the flavor of the fruit so the barrel toast that is selected is generally light and the amount of time that the wine is stored in oak is considerably less. That brings us to our next point or distinguishing element of French wine that includes higher fruit flavor or content and the aroma that accompanies the fruit. The final component of difference is that French wines are commonly dinner wines and all are dry, except for dessert wines.

When Charles first set up wine production the first wine he produced was a Sangiovese Dry Rose. A wine style typical of his grandfather from Provence was used. This wine turned out to be a triumphant venture and signaled a great beginning for the new winery.

Now, let’s discover the wines of Domaine Becquet. We will begin with the Rhone Bouquet. This wine features five Rhone variatals that make up this wine. Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignane, and Cinsault. This particular fruit comes from Lodi and makes for a wonderful wine. Chardonnay - This one is made in the French style and is buttery, crisp and mild. Perfect for a fall afternoon. Claret- Sometimes is known as the wine of romance. The English description “Claret” derives from the French word “Clairet” used to distinguish the light style red Bordeaux wines of that period, from the more robust reds of Portugal & Spain. Domaine Becquets Claret contains 80% Merlot and 20 % Cabernet making it a wonderful classic style Bordeaux blend. This particular wine is my favorite and is also the favorite of that famous English agent James Bond.

They also feature two Zinfandels, one in a French style that is fruiter than most. The second Zinfandel is an Old Vine variety, created in the American style, smooth, creamy, rich and more powerful. Muscat- Award Winning! Best Of Class In Region at the State Fair. This wine made in the French tradition and in the style of some sweet wines of Cadilliac and Barsac (Bordeaux) has a sugar content that is six percent clean. It’s vivacious and has the nose of an Asian pear. Port – Lodi fruit - vintage character containing 19 % alcohol. Made with French style brandy (distilled twice). This wine uses petite syrah of vintage character and because two vintage years are used (1990 & 2000) you receive extreme quality. This Port received 81 points out of 100 at the State Fair. A must try!

I hope that you will discover as I have that you don’t need to cross the Atlantic to encounter a great French wine close-up. Just gas up the car, put the top down, place a scarf on your significant others head and depart for the countryside of Calaveras. You might discover that the beauty of autumn and a French wine can do wonders for the soul and perhaps your love life.