Archive for the ‘Tasting notes’ Category
Oak and ashes
Touraine 2013, Cuvée Cendrillon, Domaine de la Garrelière ($23.45, 10211397)
A blend of Sauvignon Blanc (80%) and Chardonnay (20%) from biodynamically farmed vines averaging 25 years old. The grape varieties are vinified separately. After gentle pressing, the must is allowed to clarify by settling. Fermentation – full alcoholic with indigenous yeasts and partial malolactic – takes place in stainless steel tanks and lasts two months. A third of the wine by volume is aged in old 500-litre oak barrels. Blending is done one month before bottling. Fined with bentonite and filtered through a 0.65 membrane. The cuvée’s name, French for Cinderella, refers to the winegrower’s practice of spraying the vines with a preparation of crystallized ashes made from burned vine clippings. Reducing sugar: 2.3 g/l. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: Le Marchand de Vin.
Ashy minerals, peach, honeysuckle, “fennel” and faint, dusty potpourri. Fresh and briny on the palate with subtle citrus flavours. The combo of Chardonnay and relatively mild acidity give the wine a round and satiny texture. A touch of bitterness colours the minerally finish. “Clean and precise,” as another taster pointed out. (Buy again? Yes.)
Bourgogne 2013, Chardonnay, Caves Ropiteau Frères ($22.40, 11293953)
100% Chardonnay from vineyards across Burgundy (purchased grapes?). Fermented in stainless steel (with industrial yeasts?). Matured in barrels for six months. (Filtered? Fined?) Reducing sugar: 2.3 g/l. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Le Marchand de Vin.
Apple and pear, hints of oats and white flowers and an unmissable shot of oak. Medium-bodied. The fruit is rich but not tropical and there’s enough acidity to keep it from being flabby. A hint of sweetness marks the smooth attack but the wine finishes dry. Faint minerals and not-so-faint caramel are noticeable from the mid-palate on. Fair length. To my oak-sensitive palate, a bit cloying. Give it a year in the cellar to digest the wood? (Buy again? If you aren’t allergic to oak, sure.)
MWG February 26th tasting: flight 3 of 7
White, dry and aromatic
Penedès 2014, Extrem, Raventos i Blanc ($32.75, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% biodynamically farmed Xarel·lo from vines planted in 1965 and 1970. The grapes are manually harvested. The winery is gravity fed and dry ice is used to cool the fruit and prevent oxidation. After slow pressing, the chilled must is clarified by settling and fermented with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation is prevented, it appears. Matured on the lees. Not stabilized, filtered or fined before bottling with a minimum of sulphur dioxide. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: Le Marchand de Vin.
A nose that starts out smelling of citrus (lemon, lime) and gooseberry then segues into floral (“acacia blossom,” “jasmine” said other tasters) and quartz aromas. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied, dry and full of green apple, flint and snappy acid. The long, briny, mouth-watering finish ends on a white pepper note. Tasting this double-blind, I guessed it was an elegant, understated Sancerre. A wine that makes it easy to see why Xarel·lo is one of the preferred cava grapes. (Buy again? Yes.)
IGP des Côtes Catalanes 2014, Les Calcinaires, Domaine Gauby ($27.90, 12415289)
A blend of Muscat (50%), Chardonnay (30%) and Macabeu (20%) from organically farmed vines between 15 and 50 years old. The manually harvested grapes are directly pressed. The must is chilled, clarified and fermented, mainly in barrels, with indigenous yeasts and no additives. Matured on the fine lees in lined concrete tanks for around eight months. Unfiltered and unfined. Reducing sugar: 1.5 g/l. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Le Marchand de Vin.
Changing nose that, along the way, hits pickled peach, sweat, musk and white minerals. In the mouth, the wine is rich yet fresh, intense yet fleet and so fruity you’d swear the winemaker left some residual sugar in it. There’s a real tension between the mineral austerity and wild aromatics, while the otherwise mild acidity lends an almost vinegary tang to the long, stony finish. Trippy but unsettled for now; probably better in a year or two. (Buy again? A bottle or two for the cellar.)
MWG February 26th tasting: flight 2 of 7
California Sparklin’
In late February, Simon Thibaudeau, now with Le Marchand de Vin, led the group in an enjoyable overview of the agency’s portfolio. The wines were served double-blind to everyone but Simon. As is our wont, we started with a sparkler.
Anderson Valley 2007, Brut, L’Ermitage, Roederer Estate ($68.25, 11682810)
A Chadonnay (52%) and Pinot Noir (48%) from estate-grown grapes, this tête de cuvée is made only in exceptional years and only from free-run and first-press juice. Vinified using the traditional method. Dosage is done with reserve wine from the 2004 and 2005 vintages that was aged five years in French oak casks; the dosage accounts for 4% of the final wine. Reducing sugar: 13 g/l. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: Le Marchand de Vin.
Yeasty, champagne-like nose of sour lemon, stone fruit, browning apple, “white miso” (as per another taster) and a whiff a sea spray. Richly textured and mouth-filling. The ripe fruit comes with a touch of honey though the wine is quite dry. A fine, persistent effervescence combines with the bright acidity to give the wine a welcome bit of bite, while a sourish undercurrent adds intrigue. Broad and very long. Drinking double-blind, I first thought this was Californian but finally guessed it was a very ripe champagne. In hindsight, the solar fruit and downplayed minerality should have tipped me that it wasn’t – though qualitatively, it’s on a champagne level. That said, as with so many California wines, the price seems high in comparison to its European counterparts. (Buy again? Setting aside QPR considerations, yes.)
MWG February 26th tasting: flight 1 of 7
Bargain Agioritiko
IGP Peleponese 2013, Agiorgitiko, Pathos, Tsantali ($12.00, 12698531)
As for the Pathos white, technical info is short on the ground. 100% Agiorgitiko given a short maceration on the skins and short maturation on the lees. Reducing sugar: 2.1 g/l. 12.8% ABV. Quebec agent: Amphora.
Plum and black cherry, a bit jammy, with light spice and what comes across as a hint of oak. Develops musky marzipan notes as it breathes. Medium-bodied. The ripe fruit up front is backed by darker mineral and earth flavours and a faint swirl of caramel. The acidity is fleet, the tannins slim but springy. Remarkably dry from the mid-palate on, an impression only reinforced by the light astringency that comes to the fore as the fruit fades. Lingering cherry pit and ash. Not deep or complex and certainly not enthralling but clean, sound and drinkable – no excuses need be made. Is there a better SAQ red at the price? (Buy again? Yes.)
Like the white, was $11.35 until the SAQ’s latest round of price hikes. In this case, that works out to a nearly 6% increase.
Bargain Moschofilero
IGP Peleponese 2014, Moschofilero, Pathos, Tsantali ($12.00, 12700354)
Technical information is hard to come by for this wine; the producer provides no details on its website and the agency doesn’t even list it on theirs. Are the grapes purchased or estate-grown? Organically farmed? Is the wine fermented with native yeasts? Allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation? Filtered and fined? Your guess is as good as mine. Pathos (παθος), Greek for passion, is the name of this new and apparently Quebec-only line. A drawing of Aristotle adorns the front label. 100% Moschofilero. Short maceration on the skins. Short maturation on the lees. Sees only stainless steel until bottling. Reducing sugar: 2.0 g/l. 12.8% ABV. Quebec agent: Amphora.
A bit musky and honeyed on the nose, with faint lemon and grapefruit aromas. In the mouth, it’s smooth, clean and very dry with a somewhat honeyed texture. The mild flavours tend to apple, pear, citrus and eventually peach, all infused with chalky minerals and buoyed by soft acidity. A light astringent sourness adds interest to the fair, butter-afternoted finish. Not a ton of personality (see Tselepos, among others, for that) but enjoyable enough and very drinkable. Despite the SAQ’s recent price hike (was $11.35 until a week or two ago), the QPR is high on this one. (Buy again? Yes.)
Bargain Bierzo
Bierzo 2014, Viernes, Bodegas Godelia ($16.45, 12751451)
100% Mencía from vines between 12 and 21 years old in various plots. Manually harvested. The grapes are kept at 10ºC while processed at the winery and gently destemmed. Fermentation in temperature-controlled (25ºC) stainless steel tanks with push-downs and pump-overs lasts 12 to 15 days. Malolactic fermentation and four months’ maturation on selected lees also take place in tanks. 13.5% ABV. Screwcapped. Quebec agent: Vinicolor.
Attractive, earthy nose dominated by cherry, cassis, sandalwood and slate. Medium-bodied. The flavours echo the nose. Starts out ripe-sweet but dries as it goes along. Light tannins add some grit and outlast the fruit. Licorice, black pepper and a dash of salt colour the mildly astringent finish, while tobacco lingers on. Quite intense from start to finish though lacking some of the depth and follow-through of more expensive Bierzos; on the other hand, it’s not overambitious like so many of those wines are. Savoury and a bit rustic, true to the grape and the terroir, this punches above its weight and delivers good bang for the buck. (Buy again? Sure.)
No, it’s not natural or even organic and is probably made with selected yeasts and manipulated who knows how. But in contrast to many wines in its price bracket, it doesn’t taste industrial or like a headache generator.
Zýmè vs. Quintarelli
Before founding Zýmè in 1999, winemaker Celestino Gaspari worked with Giuseppe Quintarelli for many years, eventually becoming his son-in-law.
Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2011, Zýmè ($39.50, 11587151)
Typically 40% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 15% Rondinella and 5% Oseleta from vines rooted in limestone and clay. The grapes are manually harvested and immediately pressed. Initial alcoholic fermentation takes place in non-temperature-controlled vats. In January, the wine is racked onto the lees of the estate’s Amarone (the process is called ripasso in Italian). A second alcoholic fermentation lasting about two weeks then takes place. The fermented wine is racked into large Slavonian oak barrels and matured for around three years followed by another six months in the bottle. Residual sugar: 6 g/l. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: L’Enoteca.
Complex nose of red fruit (especially cherry), smoky minerals, dried mint, “praline,” “candied orange,” sandalwood and cocoa. Medium-bodied but heady and thewy: a balanced mouthful of rich fruit, fluent acidity and tannins that tasters described as “wiry” and “fibrous.” Darker undercurrents add depth, while the initially astringent weave unravels beguilingly on the long, spicy finish. Delicious. (Buy again? Yes.)
Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2007, Giuseppe Quintarelli ($90.25, 12332782)
Typically 55% Corvina and Corvinone, 30% Rondinella and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Croatina and Sangiovese from uncertified but organically farmed vines averaging 30 years old and rooted in limestone and basalt. The grapes are manually harvested and immediately pressed. After three to four days’ maceration, primary alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts takes place. In February, the wine is racked onto the lees from the estate’s Amarone. A second alcoholic fermentation then takes place. When fermentation is complete, the wine is racked into large Slavonian oak barrels and matured for seven years. 15% ABV. Quebec agent: L’Enoteca.
Inexhaustible bouquet of morello cherry, plum, chocolate-covered raisins and espresso beans, “piri piri chicken,” smoke from burning leaves, spices and more. So complex and complete: broad, deep and long. The beautiful fruit – sweet but not too – is structured by fine, velvety tannins and fresh acidity, underscored by minerals and earth, heightened by spice and kirsch (amazingly, the alcohol is otherwise unapparent). The finish is an endless caress. A great vintage of this wine that, as so often, is in a class by itself. (Buy again? For a special occasion and during a 10% off sale, yes.)
MWG February 11th tasting: flight 6 of 6
Amphora vs. cask (Baga round)
Vinho Tinto 2014, Baga, Post-Quercus, Filipa Pato ($22.09/500 ml, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Baga from old, organically farmed vines (the same source for the grapes that go into the red Nossa Calcáro). Fermented (with indigenous yeasts) and matured in buried 300-litre terracotta amphorae. 11% ABV. Quebec agent: Importations du Moine.
Rich nose of red fruit with definite terracotta notes. Equally rich on the palate though medium-bodied and soft-textured. The tannins are fine but sharp-edged, the acidity bright. Cherry, plum and mineral flavours last well into the long finish. Nothing profound but very drinkable and quite unlike any other Portuguese red I’ve tasted. (Buy again? Yes.)
Bairrada 2013, Baga, Nossa Calcáro, Filipa Pato ($47.48, private import, 6 b/c)
100% Baga from old, organically farmed vines rooted in chalky subsoil with some sony clay. The stems are left on 20% of the grapes. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in open-topped oak vats. Matured in 500-litre French oak barrels (30% new). 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Importations du Moine.
Corked! What came across as reductive funk on opening had morphed into full-blown taint by the time we poured our glasses two hours later. A pity, as you could tell this is a thoroughbred of a wine, one whose price is probably justified.
MWG February 11th tasting: flight 5 of 6
Gamay vs. Mondeuse
IGP Isère 2014, Frères Giac’, Domaine Giachino ($25.38, private import, 6 bottles/case)
A blend of Gamay (80%) and Trousseau (20%) – some sites claim Syrah and/or Persan are part of the mix in 2014 – from organically farmed vines. Manually harvested. The whole clusters are macerated and fermented (with indigenous yeasts) for 10 to 20 days with daily pump-overs. The grapes are then pressed. The wine is matured in tanks. No additives other than a squirt of sulphur dioxide at bottling. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: Importations du Moine.
Red and black berries, a ferrous note and bacony whiffs of smoke make for a nose with lots of appeal. In the mouth, it’s definitely a Gamay and definitely not a Beaujolais: dark strawberry and raspberry fruit, supple tannins, bright acidity and a surprising density and roundness for an alpine wine. The long finish is fruity, dry and nicely astringent. Your prototypical, thirst-quenching, chuggable vin de soif. (Buy again? Yep.)
Savoie 2014, Mondeuse, Domaine Giachino ($30.86, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Mondeuse Noire from organically farmed vines around 30 years old and rooted in clayey limestone soil. Manually harvested. The whole clusters are macerated and fermented (with indigenous yeasts) for 10 to 20 days with daily pump-overs. The grapes are then pressed and the wine is transferred to 600-litre oak barrels for maturation on the lees. No additives other than a squirt of sulphur dioxide at bottling. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: Importations du Moine.
Attractive nose of red berries (“candied cherry” to quote another taster) with floral and peppery notes. Medium-bodied. Elegant and balanced yet also possessed of an appealing rusticity. The sweet-tart, fresh and mouth-filling fruit, spice overtones and mineral undertones last though the long, clean finish, which fine-grained tannins and a current of sleek acidity turn a “bit puckery.” Eminently drinkable, like all the wines from this estate I must say. Probably even better in a year or two (the brothers Giachino claim the wine can age up to 10 years). (Buy again? Gladly.)
MWG February 11th tasting: flight 4 of 6
Descombes fils vs. Thévenet fils
Kewin “Kéké” Descombes is the son of renowned winemaker Georges Descombes and half-brother of Damien Coquelet. He made his first wine under his own name in 2013, when he was 21. His approach is similar to his father’s (organic farming, semi-carbonic maceration, indigenous yeasts, minimal or no sulphur). The wines appear to be popular in Japan. The three we tasted are currently sold out in Quebec though a second shipment is expected this spring.
Son of Jean-Paul Thévenet, one of the “Gang of Four” winemakers who spearheaded the natural Beaujolais movement, young Charly Thévenet worked at his father’s and Marcel Lapierre’s wineries before acquiring a parcel of old Gamy vines in Régnié. His first vintage was the 2007.
Beaujolais Villages 2014, Cuvée Kéké, Kewin Descombes ($25.00, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% Gamay from organically farmed vines grown in sandy soil in a 1.2-hectare vineyard in the commune of Corcelles. Fermentation lasted 15 days. 11.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Deux caves.
Textbook Beaujo nose: red berries, vine sap, earth, hints of game and iodine. Clean and quite dry. Light-bodied and not particularly deep – true to type, wot? – but wonderfully pure. The ripe fruit is laced with slate and stems. Fluent acidity keeps things fresh and adds a tang to the finish that calls you back for another sip. (Buy again? Sure.)
Morgon 2014, Jeunes Vignes, Kewin Descombes ($27.75, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% Gamay from organically farmed vines. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Deux caves.
Funky nose (the wine should have been carafed) of barnyard and burnt match but also red berries, peony and umami. Denser and fruitier than the Kéké. Very clean and dry with a stemmy structure, nipping acidity and a long granitic finish. Good now and probably even better in a year or three. For many around the table, the sweet spot in the KD line-up. (Buy again? Yes.)
Morgon 2013, Vieilles Vignes, Kewin Descombes ($36.00, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% Gamay from organically farmed vines. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Deux caves.
Closed and darker nose of red and black berries and slate with violet and kirsch overtones and a hint of caramel. Weighty and somewhat monolithic in the mouth. The components – including firm tannins – are all there but only just beginning to integrate. Struggling to find a descriptor of the flavour, I ended up with sukiyaki – a reference to the wine’s meatiness and umaminess. As broad, deep and long as it is inscrutable, this divided the table, with some calling it over-ambitious and others feeling it needs time. I’m in the latter camp, as I found the wine stylistically similar to the Morgons of Descombes père, which often require five or more years to coalesce and uncoil. (Buy again? A bottle or two for the cellar.)
Régnié 2014, Grain et Granit, Charly Thévenet ($35.00, private import, 6 bottles/case, NLA)
100% Gamay from 80-year-old biodynamically farmed vines grown in a 3 ha vineyard with granite soil. The grapes are manually harvested as late as possible and aggressively sorted, the idea being to have very ripe and impeccably clean fruit. The clusters are fermented whole with indigenous yeasts. The wine is matured on its lees in neutral Burgundy barrels. No filtering or fining. Use of sulphur dioxide is kept to a minimum. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Deux caves.
Gorgeous wafting nose of wild strawberries, foliage, slate and peony. Medium-bodied. Pure, bright fruit and a little sap, silky tannins, fresh acidity and a fine mineral backbone. Earthy depth and a hint of herbaceousness are there if you force yourself to stop obsessing over the fruit and look for them. Long, balanced and abuzz with energy. (Buy again? Done!)
MWG February 11th tasting: flight 3 of 6
Brett happens 