Archive for the ‘Tasting notes’ Category
MWG October 2nd tasting: Rioja faceoff
Both wines were carafed and poured back into the bottles about four hours before we got around to them.
Rioja Gran Reserva 2005, Marqués de Murrieta ($39.00, 12259554)
Tempranillo (84%), Garnacha Tintorera (13%) and Mazuelo (aka Carignan, 3%). The grapes are destemmed, crushed and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for ten days with daily pump-overs and punch-downs. Matured 25 months in American oak barrels and 36 months in bottle before release. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: Bergeron-les-vins.
Mocha with cherry, blackberry, dried fruit and sweet spice relegated to the background. Full-bodied, dense and velvety. Dark-fruited with a mineral streak. The tannins are plump, the acidity bright if cloaked, the oak pervasive but not cloying. Chocolaty finish. Lacks focus and dimension, especially depth, next to the Prado Enea. Popular with several of the tasters, some of whom bought bottles. Reasonably priced. (Buy again? Not my style but if it’s yours, go for it!)
Rioja Gran Reserva 2005, Prado Enea, Bodegas Muga ($50.25, 11169670)
Tempranillo (80%), Mazuelo (10%), Graciano (5%) and Garnacha (5%) from vines averaging 35 years old. Manually harvested. Fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts and without temperature control. Matured nine months in new oak barrels and 27 months in “semi-new” American oak barrels and at least 36 months in bottle. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: Vins Balthazard.
A far more intriguing nose: the expected red and black fruit are joined by prominent graphite and animale aromas while spice, floral and smoky vanilla notes add complexity. Rich, concentrated and mouth-filling but not heavy. Acidity gives the ripe-sweet fruit an inner glow. The firm but unaggressive tannins are beginning to resolve. Vigorous chewing reveals real depth of flavour and structure. Oak, spice and leather colour the long, elegant finish. A sumptuous wine that’s just beginning to transition from the primary stage. (Buy again? To revisit in 15 or 20 years.)
“After these wines, you need to floss,” quipped one taster. Not that that stopped him from polishing off both glasses.
(Flight: 6/6)
MWG October 2nd tasting: Comparable Catalonians
Priorat 2010, Salmos, Miguel Torres ($31.25, 10857690)
A blend of Cariñena (aka Carignan, 50%), Garnacha (aka Grenache, 30%) and Syrah (20%). The grapes are macerated for 25 days and fermented for seven to ten days in stainless steel vats at 28ºC. Matured 12 to 14 months in first- and second-fill French oak barrels. 14.5% ABV per the label. Quebec agent: Amphora vins & spiritueux.
Brooding nose. Spice, plum, hints of dried earth and old wood. A medium-bodied if heady easy-drinker. The ripe-bordering-on-juicy fruit (fig and black plum with cherry overtones) is underpinned by firm, sweet tannins and slate. Acidity is of the soft-glow variety. Impeccable balance and good length, with unobtrusive oak adding smoke and spice, including a hint of licorice. Proves that good Priorats don’t have to be tannic monsters or fruit bombs. (Buy again? Sure.)
Montsant 2010, Pinyolet Selección, Compañía de Vinos del Atlántico ($27.95, 12299011)
A pinyolet is a limestone pebble, many of which are found in the vineyard. This 80-20 blend was made with grapes from organically farmed Garnacha and Cariñena vines, 28 to 64 years old and 86 years old respectively. Matured eight months in two-year-old 225-litre French oak barrels. 14.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Vintrinsec.
Crushed raspberry and black currant with some intriguing turned earth and leafmould notes. Smooth and suave in the mouth. Fullish-bodied. The ripe fruit is plump but not jammy or overly sweet, while firm tannins and sleek acidity provide structure and smoky minerals a degree of depth. Surprisingly fresh, despite hints of chocolate and alcohol on the finish. Drink now or in the next three or four years. (Buy again? Sure.)
(Flight: 5/6)
MWG October 2nd tasting: Garnacha v. Grenache
Rioja 2010, Propiedad, Bodega Palacios Remondo ($36.00, 10256131)
100% Garnacha (aka Grenache) from 40- to 90-year-old vines. In previous vintages, the wine has been a blend; the 2010 is the first all-Grenache bottling. The grapes were manually harvested, sorted in the vineyard and again at the cellar and fully destemmed. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts and maceration with regular punch-downs took place in 5,000-litre oak vats and lasted nearly a month. Matured 14 months in French oak barrels, 50% new and 50% second-fill. Unfiltered and unfined. 14.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Les vins Horizon.
New Worldish nose: up-front plum and cherry, spicy notes (black pepper especially) and background vanilla. In the mouth, it’s a middleweight. Bright acidity and smooth tannins supplely structure the ripe-sweet fruit, while a slatey underlay adds depth. The oak-accented finish is heady, even a little flaring. Enjoyable in an uncomplicated – “one-dimensional” quoth one taster – fruit-forward way. Before the bottles were unveiled, another taster (tasting double-blind) who spends a lot of time in San Francisco declared this a Californian. And even I (tasting blind) was convinced it was the Bonny Doon. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Grenache 2012, Central Coast, Clos de Gilroy, Bonny Doon Vineyard ($28.30, 12268557)
Mostly biodynamically farmed Grenache (84%, from the Alta Loma vineyard in Greenfield) with a little Syrah (11.5%, from the Alamo Creek Vineyard near Santa Maria) and Mouvèdre (4.5%, from very old vines in Oakley). Manually harvested and sorted. Mostly destemmed. The varieties were vinified separately. A cold soak of several days was followed by lengthy fermentation (with indigenous yeasts) and maceration in open vats with regular punch-downs. Matured in stainless steel tanks, then blended and bottled. Screwcapped. 14.4% ABV. Quebec agent: Trialto.
Fresh nose of crushed raspberry, white pepper and pastry cream over a subterranean bass line. Tighter and more structured than the Rioja, though also a middleweight. The satiny fruit is lifted by high acidity, framed by sleek tannins and grounded by dark minerals. Finishes cleanly on a heady, herb-scented note. An appealing mix of suave and gruff. Unfortunately, like so many California wines in Quebec, the QPR seems a little off. (Buy again? At $28.30, maybe. If it were $5 cheaper, sure.)
(Flight: 4/6)
MWG October 2nd tasting: Cabernet Francness
Guiberteau makes three red Saumurs, all from Cabernet Franc. For each, the organically farmed grapes are picked by hand, sorted and fully destemmed. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts and maceration take place in concrete vats and last ten to 60 days depending on the vintage and cuvée. Nothing is added during the winemaking process except a minimal amount of sulphur dioxide at bottling.
Saumur 2013, Domaine Guiberteau ($25.15, 10516465)
100% Cabernet Franc from organically farmed vines planted in 1955 and 1957. About three-quarters of the fruit typically comes from Les Arboises and the remainder from Les Motelles. Maturation is in neutral (third- and fourth-fill) barrels for nine to 18 months depending on the vintage. About 10,000 bottles made. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Les vins Alain Bélanger.
A little sweaty and farty at first but then a classic Cabernet Franc nose of red berries, spice (“cardamom” per one taster), dried wood and green pepper. Medium-bodied and dry, young and bright. The fruit is pure, the acidity sweet, the tannins slender and just firm enough. The long finish is marked by mineral and forest floor aromas and hint of black licorice. Refreshing and so easy to drink. The winemaker says this will age five to ten years from vintage, but I’d find its youthful freshness hard to resist. (Buy again? For sure.)
Saumur 2011, Les Motelles, Domaine Guiberteau ($44.00, 12114822)
Planted in 1955, Les Motelles in a 1.4-hectare lieu-dit located in Montreuil-Bellay. The soil is gravelly clay. Guiberteau keeps the yields at an astoundingly low 25 hl/ha. Matured in second-, third- and fourth-fill barrels for at least 18 months. In most years, about 4,000 bottles are made. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Les vins Alain Bélanger.
Ash, red and black currants, dried leaf and slate. Lush and velvety on the surface. Despite the underlying acidity, the wine comes across as a bit lumbering alongside the other two wines in the flight, lacking the domaine’s fleetness and the Arboises’s refinement. The ripe fruit holds no hint of greenness while the tannins are round and plush. The wood is detectable only on the long finish and will be fully integrated in a year or two. The winemaker says this will age more than ten years. (Buy again? A fine wine but I’d pony up the extra $8 and buy the Arboises.)
Saumur 2011, Les Arboises, Domaine Guiberteau ($52.00, 12114857)
Les Arboises is a 1.65-hectare lieu-dit with chalky-clayey soil in Brézé. The vines were planted in 1957. Matured in a mix of new and first- and second-fill barrels. In most years, about 4,000 bottles are made. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Les vins Alain Bélanger.
Beautiful, complex bouquet with all of the above and more, including spice chest and faint toast. Structured and taut, with a velvety texture. The ripe fruit is in perfect balance with the fine, lightly astringent tannins and sleek acidity. A floral note (violet?) chimes in on the long finish. So pure, so fresh, so profound. A gorgeous wine with a decade or two of life ahead of it. If a Pauillac mated with a Vosne-Romanée, their offspring might be something like this. (Buy again? A case if I could afford one.)
(Flight: 3/6)
MWG October 2nd tasting: Chenintensity
Writing up my tasting note on Domaine Guiberteau’s delicious 2013 Saumur Blanc (the domaine bottling) back in September, I noticed that six of the estate’s seven wines were currently available in Quebec. Whence the idea for this and the following flight.
Mentored by Clos Rougeard’s Nady Foucault, 40-something Romain Guiberteau has been making wines from his family’s vines since the late 1990s. The 12-hectare estate, 9.4 hectares of which are planted to vines, comprises parcels in Montreuil-Bellay, Saint-Just-sur-Dive and, above all, Brézé, a legendary climat for white varieties. The vines, about evenly split between Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, range in age from four to 80 years, with most toward the upper end of the range. Guilberteau has been farming organically since 2000 and received AB certification in 2007. The wines are well regarded – Guiberteau is widely viewed as a rising star of Saumur – and are found on the lists of many of France’s top restaurants.
Saumur 2013, Domaine Guiberteau ($23.45, 12370658)
100% Chenin Blanc from organically farmed, five- to 60-year-old vines grown in the estate’s three main vineyards. Manually harvested. Whole-cluster pressed. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in concrete tanks. Spent several months on the lees with no stirring. No additives other than sulphur dioxide. Lightly filtered before bottling. 11.5% or 12% ABV, depending on whom you believe. Quebec agent: Les vins Alain Bélanger.
Complex nose of white flowers, chalk and quartz, mowed meadow, lemon. One taster claimed to detect “wet tweed.” Clean, focused and bracing in the mouth, not extracted or weighty. Acidity is high but not sharp, instead conferring freshness and, in combination with the citrusy fruit and chalky minerals, tension. Long tart finish. An elegant, food-friendly wine. (Buy again? Def.)
Saumur 2012, Clos de Guichaux, Domaine Guiberteau ($30.00, 11461099)
Located in Bizay, near Brézé, the Clos de Guichaux is a monopole, meaning Guiberteau owns the entire vineyard and makes all the wine that comes from it. The chalky clay subsoil is covered only by a thin (30 cm) layer of topsoil. At present, about 1.5 hectares of a total 3 hectares has been planted, entirely to Chenin Blanc from massale cuttings taken from the estate’s best old vines in Brézé. As the cuttings were planted in 2003 and 2004, this is a young vines cuvée. The grapes were manually harvested and whole-cluster pressed. Fermentation was with indigenous yeasts and no chaptilization. Maturation lasted ten months and took place in second- to fourth-fill 600-litre oak barrels. The wine was lightly filtered before bottling. 13.5% ABV. Québec agent: Les vins Alain Bélanger.
People got caught up in exclaiming over “Bazooka gum wrapper” aromas but there was lots going on besides: quince, wool, dried honey, a veritable mine of minerals. In the mouth, it’s richer, minerallier and tighter than the domaine bottling. There’s so much stuffing you almost don’t notice the massive acidity. The fruit tends less to citrus, more to peach and apricot, and is buttressed by an intense minerality. A bitter honey note colours the long finish. A bit monolithic but, then again, this is nowhere near peak. (Buy again? Yes.)
Saumur 2011, Brézé, Domaine Guiberteau ($51.25, 12114831)
Sourced from two small parcels of half-century-old, low-yielding vines in the Brézé vineyard. Manually harvested, whole-cluster pressed, transferred into second- and third-fill 228-litre oak casks for fermentation and maceration on the fine lees for up to 24 months. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Les vins Alain Bélanger.
A strong bacon aroma dominated the yellow fruit (stone and tropical), caramel, honey, chalky earth and oak (as distinct from vanillin, mocha and smoke). On the palate, suave and… bacony! Elegantly structured: the humming acidity, pure fruit, crunchy minerals and elegant wood are exquisitely balanced. That fruit? Yellow apple-ish and less extracted and driving than in the Guichaux but also deeper, more layered. The oak is discreet and integrating nicely. All the elements intertwine persistently on the long finish. Just beautiful though still a youngster. (Buy again? Yes, to cellar for five to ten years.)
Oddly, neither the Bazooka gum in the Guichaux nor the bacon in the Brézé were noticeable when the wines were opened and carafed, about an hour before they were tasted. The Brézé’s bacon began dissipating after 30 minutes in the glass and had disappeared entirely an hour or so later.
(Flight: 2/6)
MWG October 2nd tasting: Moschofilero, still and sparkling
The tasting began with a challenge. As usual, the wines were served double-blind, with the bottles hidden in bags and no information on their provenance provided. For the first flight, the tasters were told only that the two wines had all kinds of connections. Could they deduce what the connections were?
Mantinia 2013, Moschofilero, Domaine Tselepos ($19.00, 11097485)
100% Moschofilero. The grapes are macerated eight hours at 10°C, then pneumatically pressed. Fermentation with selected yeasts and in stainless steel vats is at 12°C and lasts 20 days with regular stirring. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Aromatic nose: citrus and chalk along with white spice and orange blossom aromas that seem to place it midway between a Muscat and a Gewürztraminer. In the mouth, it’s clean and dry with a faint spritzy tingle. The forward fruit (grapefruit and peach) is held in check by bright acidity and threads of pith-like bitterness and saline minerality. A floral note perfumes the finish. More vivacious than deep (not that there’s anything wrong with that), this QPR winner makes a fine aperitif and is also a natural with Ottolenghi-esque vegetable salads and simple seafood dishes flavoured with aromatics like basil and fresh ginger. (Buy again? Yes.)
Arkadia NV, Amalia Brut, Méthode traditionnelle, Domaine Tselepos ($25.35, 11901103)
The world’s first naturally sparkling Moschofilero. The grapes are picked when their sugar is low and acidity high. Made using the traditional method. First fermentation is in stainless steel tanks and lasts 12 months. The wine is then bottled with several grams of rock sugar and closed with a crown cap. The sugar ferments, producing the carbon dioxide gas that gives the wine its sparkle. At the end of this second fermentation, the bottles are hand-riddled, disgorged and closed with cork stoppers. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Discreet nose: subtle fruit, faint minerals (“dried plaster” noted one taster) and hints of mead and yeasty ginger beer. Clean and dry with a fine bead. The fruit is greener and leaner than the still wine’s, tending more to lemon. The minerality is more pronounced and the acidity zingier. The grape’s intrinsic floral and spice aromas emerge mainly on the finish and even then are subdued. Comparisons with its sibling aside, this crisp and refreshing wine is a pleasure to drink. Can hold its own against any similarly priced sparkler on the market. (Buy again? Yes.)
A few tasters guessed that the wines were made by the same producer – no surprise there. One or two hesitatingly ventured that they might be made from the same grapes. A request to identify the country and region of origin elicited numerous replies, Alsace being the most common, but no one guessed Greece. Even after the bottles were unveiled, the connections between the wines qua wine were not particularly obvious, were ones you had to look for to draw. Still, just about everyone around the table enjoyed both wines, said they were surprising and considered them good buys.
(Flight: 1/6)
A civilized red from the Languedoc
While this made a fine pairing for hanger steak with anchovy, garlic and parsley (recipe after the jump), I couldn’t stop thinking of Patricia Wells’ roasted guinea hen stuffed with finely chopped black olives, shallots, thyme, chicken liver and bacon (see Bistro Cooking for the script).
Languedoc 2012, Campredon, Domaine Alain Chabanon ($27.15, 11909586)
Chabanon is reportedly a disciple of Alain Brumont, not that you’d ever guess it from this wine. A blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache (50-30-20 according to some, 60-25-15 according to SAQ.com) from biodynamically and organically farmed vines averaging 23 years old. Manually harvested. Gravity-transferred to stainless steel tanks. Fermentation (with indigenous yeasts) and maceration last five weeks and entail alternating punch-downs and pump-overs. The wine is then pressed in a pneumatic press and matured ten months in stainless steel tanks. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 12% ABV (!) per the label, 13% per SAQ.com. Quebec agent: A.O.C. & Cie Châteaux et Domaines.
Fresh and fragrant nose of dusty plum and blackberry with hints of dried herbs, licorice, game and old wood. Medium-bodied. The impressively pure, ripe-sweet fruit is soon wrapped in a gossamer astringency and bitterness. Supple tannins frame, soft acidity buoys, mineral and black olive flavours haunt. A dry, long and graceful wine that is savoury to its core. (Buy again? Yes.)
A lot of deliciousness for $30
Vino de la tierra de Mallorca 2012, 12 Volts, 4 Kilos vinícola ($29.25, 11852479)
A blend of Callet–Fogoneu (50%), Syrah (30%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) and Merlot (10%) from vineyards in various parts of Majorca. Manually harvested. Macerated and fermented in stainless steel vats – initially at 20°C and rising to 28°C – for 20 days. After malolactic fermentation ended, the wine was transferred to a mix of 3,000-litre foudres (40%) and 225-litre French oak barrels (30% second fill and 30% third fill). 44,000 bottles made. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: Entreprise UVAS.
Beguiling, multifaceted if subdued nose: blackberry, herbes de Provence, sweet spice, dark minerals, sawed wood, leather, kirsch. Smooth and elegant in the mouth. Heady but more medium- than full-bodied. Transitions from sweet-ripe fruity on entry to dry, minerally, old-woody and intriguingly tart on exit, so more savoury than fruit-driven. The silky tannins turn a little astringent on the sustained finish. Not deep but far from superficial, it delivers a lot of deliciousness for $30. (Buy again? Yep.)
The estate’s name refers to the two owners’ start-up stake in the winery (4 million pesetas), the smallness of the sum being explained by the fact that wines were originally made in a low-overhead garage. The wine’s striking label is the work of Gary Baseman.
A near perfect everyday red
IGP Peloponnese 2012, Agiorgitiko, Domaine Tetramythos ($16.15, 12178957)
100% organically farmed Agiorgitiko. The grapes are fully destemmed, then macerated and fermented with indigenous yeasts for 15 days in stainless steel tanks. Matured five months in 5,000-litre barrels. Unfiltered and unfined. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Fresh nose of plum and blackberry with hints of black pepper, clove, old wood and earth. In the mouth, it’s a silky textured middleweight. The supple fruit shows a natural sweetness but zingy acidity and raspy tannins soon kick in while darker flavours and a thread of bitter astringency emerge and last well into the savoury, dry finish. Natural – not industrial – tasting, in contrast to so many inexpensive wines. Not profound but good, clean fun and undoubtedly one of the better reds at the price point. Its food-pairing talent is obvious. Went well with a simple stew of beef, tomatoes and black olives and beat a twice-the-price Chianti Classico as a match for Venetian-style calf’s liver. Would also have worked with just about any Greek dish involving meat (moussaka, souvlaki, braised lamb), not to mention similar fare from all around the Mediterranean. In other words, a near perfect everyday red. Why, then, is it available in so few outlets? (Buy again? Yes.)
Cookin’ Chenin
A couple of years ago, I asked an SAQ wine advisor to recommend the cheapest drinkable white wine for cooking. This was her suggestion and it’s been a staple in my fridge ever since. If I’m not mistaken, the 2014 is just off the boat.
Robertson (Western Cape) 2014, Chenin Blanc, Robertson Winery ($10.55, 10754228)
100% Chenin Blanc from over 30 irrigated vineyards. After (mechanical?) harvesting, the grapes were gently pressed using a pneumatic bag press. Fermentation in temperature-controlled (13°C) stainless steel tanks lasted 18 days. Probably filtered and fined though I’ve not been able to confirm that. Screwcapped. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Univins.
Low-key nose of green grapes, peach, citrus, chalk, honeycomb. Medium-bodied. Clean attack. The slightly waxy texture speaks of a certain level of extract, though this isn’t an exuberantly fruity wine. There’s tangy acidity, a mineral-hinting-at-bitter note and a touch of residual sugar to round the edges. Little depth or length but it’s fresh, affable and easy to drink: think New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc on Valium. A wine almost no one could object to, which is both its strong point and its weak point. (Buy again? As a cooking wine I might sip while working in the kitchen, yes. As a white to pour at a low-budget reception, sure. As something to serve to wine-geek friends, probably not.)
Brett happens 