Philippe Jambon
Blanc 2015 / 18

Chardonnay
Beaujolais, France

It’s a late Monday morning in early December here in Los Angeles, and though my weather app told me it would rain today, I’ve seemed to have missed it. I’m looking directly west, fluffed grey clouds are already parting and the relentless LA blue yellow light is taking precedence. Sitting at my dining table, still covered with a discarded three-quarters eaten cheese and charcuterie board, a giant tin of Spanish tuna that I jokingly called a magnum at least ten times the other day (sorry Andy), glistening potato chip crumbs, and a bowl of hardening by the second basmati rice in a turquoise Heath ceramic—remnants of a festive Saturday evening with friends. A magnum of (mostly) drunk red Loire wine in addition for effect; this is perhaps the best setting to sit here and ponder Philippe Jambon’s Blanc, a wine most of my French friends find too volatile (”needs at least 10 years”). I guess...?  We have different palates in different cities. Maybe that’s a thread for another time.

This past summer, feeling a specific kind of ennui one feels only after returning to Los Angeles post a few weeks immersed in the ease of European infrastructures, I was in a bit of a cellar raid mood that fueled a few specific benders. It was Griffin’s going away party, and fuck it, I said, lets drink this Jambon Blanc NV at Taix, of all places. I ordered the Roast Chicken, in some kind of brown gravy sauce, french fries were on the table, fried calamari, too. I’m still thinking about this “pairing.” Yes, there is volatile acidity in this wine, but it is also rich and luscious with citrus notes and the “remembrance of sugar,” as Jambon likes to say himself is clearly there. And least we forget, that classic Play-Doh / early morning donut / fresh yeast thing that I really only find in Philippe’s wines is there too, all component parts in concert with the VA. Though, honestly, have you had that Karnage Pinot? That makes even Guichard seem tame. Anyways, all of this is to say that one doesn’t see this wine around too often, and it’s usually dealt in some kind of back alley, aren’t we cooler than the rest kind of way. But here it is, a blend of long macerated whole bunch Beaujolais Chardonnay juice from 2015, and direct press juice from 2018 on the Canta site, now.

Just a couple of bottles ... one per customer, please.

750 ml

$59