The format for this review is going to be different, we typically give our attention to one wine, but the Le Grand Verre 2020 is not about one individual bottle of wine. Instead, the name translates to “the big glass” and is a hand-picked line of single-serve bottles of boutique, small-batch French Estate wines.
The individual bottles are reminiscent of large test tubes and hold 6.3 ounces of wine. A regular wine pour is 5 ounces, so it is a generous pour. The bottle is made from double glass and is said to be unbreakable. There is a screw cap on top.
What sets the Le Grand Verre 2020 apart from other single-serve and alternative container wines is the estate wines. In addition, they have a growing selection of wineries and wines to choose from, and they make a conscious effort to feature female winemakers and organic wines.
I found out about this project from a Zoom wine tasting where I was sent 4 bottles to taste along with the winemakers. There is a link to Le Grand Verre in the first paragraph for details on all the wines they have available and a 4 bottle selection list for $29.99. I am going to write short tasting notes on each of the four wines.
Le Grand Verre 2020 Tasting Notes
The first is an organic Chardonnay from Domaine Caylus, located in the Pays d’Herault region of the southern Languedoc. This is an unoaked Chardonnay that is full-flavored and creamy on the mid-palate. The flavors are fresh and balanced. This Chardonnay has some good weight to the palate; when I first tried it, I thought there might be some oak seasoning, but there is no oak, just excellent structure, and acidity.
Next is a Rosé, again by Domaine Caylus. This Rosé is 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache, and the winemaker is female. I usually don’t mention if the winemaker is male or female because the main thing that matters is if the winemaker is good at the job. With Domaine Caylus, she is excellent.
The color is a watermelon pink, and the nose is red berries, melon, a slap of minerality, and lightly floral. This is a dry, lean Rosé, balanced and focused. While this is a lean wine, there are good fruit flavors on the mid-palate. The acidity will have you reaching for another sip.
The third wine is a Rosé from the Bandol region, which is a sub-region of Provence. Again, Chateau Val d’Arenc produces the wine. The blend is 80% Mourvédre, 10% Grenache, and 10% Cinsault. This is a very floral Rosé and is very pink. Again this is a lean and balanced Rosé, French wines prize balance, but it is still a tasty fruit-forward wine.
The fourth wine in the Le Grand Verre 2020 series is the Chateau Peyredon Cru Bordeaux Red. A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot from the Haut-Medoc in Bordeaux. This is a 2019 vintage, so it is a drink-it-now wine, but this is a single-serving wine.
This Red blend is from a Classified Cru Estate and vineyard. The color is an opaque black cherry red, the nose is ripe berries, spice, vanilla, with a floral edge. This is a well-balanced wine with ripe fruit and chewy tannins. This is a delicious wine; maybe a single serving will not do.
The Summary
- The Le Grand Verre 2020 wines are unique. These are wines that you would typically find in high-end boutique wine shops.
- The 6.3-ounce bottles are a good pour; if all you want or need is one glass, this will do the trick.
- The bottles are non-breakable and will fit into a purse or an ice bucket at a party, and will stand about to some hard handling.
- I like box wine and the various other single-use containers, but they usually are filled with value-priced wine. I like value-priced wine and write about them regularly, but the Le Grand Verre 2020 gives you an experience that the others can not match.
