Raise a glass to toast France at the Olympics in Rio

As of my writing deadline, France had won two gold medals at the 2016 Summer Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro, and was tied for fifth in the overall medal count with six.

If there was any national team that I wanted to see do well, besides the United States, it was France. Why? Since 2014, France has suffered 17 documented terrorist attacks — stabbings (7), shootings/truck rammings (6), beheading (1) — in which a total of 237 innocent people have died while dining, shopping, watching fireworks, and walking down a street.

France is under siege from ISIS and other terrorist networks — and I don’t think Americans fully understand the import. Imagine a terrorist driving a a huge 10-wheel truck through a crowd of people watching fireworks along a Cape Cod beach.

It’s unimaginable and yet the latter happened in Nice as the French were celebrating Bastille Day on July 14 (84 dead, 308 wounded).

Say what you want about France — socialist leanings, elitist airs — but America’s Revolutionary War victory never would have been achieved without Comte de Rochambeau’s arrival with a fleet of ships and 5,500 troops at Yorktown in October 1781. Since then, despite some diplomatic differences, America and France have stood side-by-side in fighting brutal dictators and tyranny all over the globe. And now they’re united against ISIS.

So what does this have to do about wine?

For the rest of these Olympics, I will be toasting each French victory and drinking French wines in honor of our brethren overseas and victims of terrorism.

Vive La France!

Here are three Domaines Paul Mas wines from the Languedoc region that I’ve tasted recently and highly recommend:

* Cote Mas Sud de France Rosé Aurore 2015, $10.99 — The enticing label — a nattily dressed couple leisurely enjoying a bottle of wine on a quaint hilltop site — is a harbinger of an equally enticing rosé. Fragrant aromas of strawberry and hints of orange put your mind at ease, and the first sip — strawberry, cherry sweetness — trips the relax mode switch. Winemaker Jean-Claude Mas has crafted a “premium” rosé fit for a working class budget. The Languedoc region is special because it gives winemakers the chance to be innovative in blending a host of grape varietals. Mas certainly masters the gentle mix of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah, aging the juice for 40 days on the lees (flavor-inducing yeast deposits) in cement vats. A smooth, dry, expressive rosé with bright and balanced acidity is the result. The color is a beauty too: blush pink with orange hues. It’s a wonderful picnic companion or refreshing dinner starter.

* Chateau Paul Mas Belluguette 2013, $19.99 — Have you seen the explosion in prices of fine wines from France? It’s why value-conscious wine drinkers are turning to the Loire Valley, Rhone Valley, Languedoc and Roussillon regions for discovery. Quality gems abound, just like the Belluguette white blend of Vermentino (Rolle in France), Roussanne, Grenache and Viognier. Rich tropical aromas combine with apple, honey, and lemon flavors. But it’s the smooth, creamy texture that makes your heart skip a beat. The winemaker ferments the juice in oak barrels for one month and then separates 50 percent for malolactic fermentation. The process softens the wine and adds flavor. The juices are then combined and aged in oak barrels for four months. Toasty, vanilla traits emerge harmoniously, enhancing Belluguette layers of palate-pleasing depth and finish. The 2013 vintage I tasted was fresh but the winemaker’s notes say this will last five to eight years with proper cellaring. Go for it.

* Chateau Pal Mas Clos de Müres 2014, $19.99 — The power and elegance of this full-bodied red wine captures the essence of the Languedoc. The backbone is Syrah (80 percent) from 35-year-old vines growing in clay, limestone and fossil-rich soil. The elements are there for a lot of character. Add old vine Grenache and Mourvédre, and the purple-colored blend comes together like Paul Cezanne’s “Still Life with Fruit” masterpiece. Core cherry and blackberry flavors mix with chocolate, coffee, and spicy black pepper components. There’s a subtle earthiness and pipe tobacco haze on the finish. It’s 14.5 percent alcohol and could store well for five to eight years, but I wouldn’t wait that long. It’s too good now to pass up until the 2020 Olympics.