Archive for the ‘Tasting notes’ Category
Bordeaux blend (ma non troppo)
The remaining sets of Somewhereness 2013 notes will be posted soon. In the meantime, a heads-up on a newly arrived first-timer at the SAQ. There’s not much around and the monopoly is quickly blowing through its stock, so if you’re interested, act soon.
IGT Sicilia 2009, Maldafrica, Azienda Agricola COS ($29.40, 12098228)
Biodynamically farmed Cabernet Sauvignon (45%), Merlot (45%) and Frappato (10%) from vines averaging 16 years old. Fermented at 30ºC in glass-lined concrete tanks with punch-downs and pump-overs. Matured 12 months in tanks and at least six months in the bottle. 13% ABV. Reportedly, only 600 cases are made each year.
Gorgeous, nuanced nose: black currant, dried oregano, sandalwood, hints of red meat, tar and earth. Medium-bodied with a supple, fluid texture, yet also substantial and intense. Vibrant acidity sets the juicy fruit aglow and lightly sours the bitter-edged finish. Fine-grained tannins structure the mid-palate and add terminal grit. Despite the fruit’s inherent sweetness, a savoury wine. Fresh and delicious – if young – now. What will happen in five or ten years? (Buy again? For sure.)
The most un-Bordeaux-like Bordeaux blend I’ve ever encountered? In any case, the kind of pure and racy warm-climate red that should have New World winemakers seriously questioning their modus operandi (looking at you, Napa). Will have to inquire about the origin of the name.
Somewhereness 2013: Hidden Bench
Founded in 2008, Hidden Bench favours a sustainable approach in the vineyard and a non-interventionist approach in the winery, including indigenous yeast fermentations and the avoidance of harsh procedures like pumping. With nearly 50 acres currently in production, it offers something for just about everyone: Riesling, Viognier, Chardonnay, Sémillon, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.
Chardonnay 2011, Estate, Beamsville Bench VQA, Hidden Bench ($39.67, Le Maître de Chai, 6 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay. Manually harvested, whole-cluster pressed. The juice was cold-settled for 24 hours, then racked into French oak barrels (20% new) for spontaneous fermentation and partial malolactic, with weekly stirring of the lees. Selected barrels were blended and lightly filtered before bottling. 13.5% ABV.
Candied lemon, pear and oak spice. Round and full without being plump, thanks in part to the sustained acidity. Less fruity than the nose might lead you to believe. Chalk and lemon linger into a long finish whose scents put me in mind of a hay loft. (Buy again? At the Ontario price of $28.75, sure.)
Pinot Noir 2010, Estate, Beamsville Bench VQA, Hidden Bench ($40.93, Le Maître de Chai, 6 bottles/case)
100% Pinot Noir. Manually harvested. Cold-soaked in small lots for five to eight days, followed by spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and punch-downs of the cap three to four times a day. After alcoholic fermentation, the free-run juice was gravity-drained into barrels while the skins were pressed. Malolactic fermentation took place in the barrels. Unfiltered and unfined. 13.5% ABV.
Fragrant, Burgundian nose of red berries, cherry, beet, spice and even some forest floor. Medium-bodied and supple yet also quite concentrated and intense, with ripe fruit, discreet oak, lacy tannins, refreshing acidity and the requisite depth, breadth and length, not to mention poise and balance. A delight. (Buy again? It’s a bit pricey but yes.)
Pinot Noir 2010, Felseck Vineyard, Beamsville Bench VQA, Hidden Bench ($44.73, Le Maître de Chai, 6 bottles/case)
100% Pinot Noir. Manually harvested. Destemmed. Transferred to five-ton oak fermenters and cold-soaked for eight days, followed by spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and punch-downs of the cap three to four times a day. After alcoholic fermentation, the free-run juice was gravity-drained into barrels while the skins were pressed. Malolactic fermentation took place in the barrels. Unfiltered and unfined. 13.5% ABV.
Compared with the Estate, darker (slate and plum), meatier and richer on the nose. Similarly medium-bodied and full-flavoured but also more minerally and structured. The tannins in particular are tighter and more obvious, bordering on rustic. With certain depth and real length, the wine definitely has presence. Yet, for now at least, it’s less integrated and coherent, less a whole, more a sum of its parts. Maybe what it’s lacking is time. (Buy again? A bottle or two to see how it ages.)
Pinot Noir 2009, Locust Lane Vineyard, Beamsville Bench VQA, Hidden Bench ($55.00 at the winery)
100% Pinot Noir. Manually harvested. Destemmed. Transferred to five-ton oak fermenters and cold-soaked for ten days, followed by spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts and punch-downs of the cap three to four times a day. After alcoholic fermentation, the free-run juice was gravity-drained into barrels while the skins were pressed. Malolactic fermentation took place in the barrels. Unfiltered and unfined. 13.5% ABV.
All kinds of tertiary aromas (leafmould, smoke, game) along with the expected berries, cherry and spice. The driest and most serious of the three Pinots. Supple but sinewy. The concentrated ripe fruit is heady with floral overtones and a bit heavy with oak. Firm tannins and vibrant acidity give structure and shape, a dark mineral vein depth. Underbrush scents the long finish. While I found myself wondering whether the winery is pushing too hard, there’s no denying that this is an impressive effort. Revisit in four or five years and hope the fruit has outlasted the tannins and oak. (Buy again? A bottle to open on Canada’s 150th.)
Terroir Caché 2009, Red Meritage, Beamsville Bench VQA, Hidden Bench ($40.93, Le Maître de Chai, 6 bottles/case)
A blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec. Manually harvested. Destemmed. Cold-soaked for seven to ten days. The varieties were fermented separately (with indigenous yeasts), with regular racking and returning. Macerated on the skins another ten to 14 days after fermentation, then gravity-drained into barrels (a mix of new and old French oak) for 16 months’ malolactic fermentation and maturation. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 13.5% ABV.
Complex, engaging nose: dark fruit, spice, graphite, oak, underbrush bordering on garrigue. Medium- to full-bodied. Fundamentally savoury despite the sweet, ripe fruit that’s beautifully balanced by bright acidity and an airframe structure. Good length with some chocolate and oak chiming in. (Buy again? Yes, especially at the winery/LCBO price of $32.75.)
Somewhereness 2013: Southbrook Vineyards
Located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the peninsula’s sunniest and warmest micro-climate (whence, one assumes, the rare focus on Cabernet Sauvignon), Southbrook Vineyards purchased its first 75 acres of land in 2005 and added another 75 in 2008. The estate has been certified organic and biodynamic since 2008 and uses only indigenous yeasts. The sleek, LEED Gold-certified winery building was designed by Jack Diamond, architect of Montreal’s new symphony hall.
Chardonnay 2012, Triomphe, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($24.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay. The pressed juice of the grapes from the Reimer and Gemmrich vineyard was allowed to cool-settle for 12 hours, then racked into stainless steel tanks for spontaneous fermentation and ageing on the lees. Meanwhile, Southbrook Estate grapes were whole-cluster pressed, cool-settled and racked into French oak barrels for spontaneous fermentation and ageing on the lees. Selected barrels were blended with the stainless steel lot, filtered (but not fined) and bottled. Screwcapped. Vegan-compatible. 12.5% ABV.
Lemon, peach, oak spice. A creamy-textured middleweight in the mouth. The bright fruit (apple and stone) is noticeably sweet, a bit more than necessary to take the edge off the lilting acidity. Solid finish whose freshness is tempered by faint caramel. (Buy again? At the Ontario price of $21.95, maybe.)
Winemaker’s White 2011, Whimsy, Niagara Peninsula VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($34.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
A blend of Chardonnay (58%), Sémillon (27%) and Muscat (15%). Harvested on the same day, the three varieties were combined and pressed. The must was racked into old oak barrels for spontaneous fermentation and maturation. Bottled filtered but unfined. Screwcapped. Vegan-compatible. 13% ABV.
Fragrant nose: preserved lemon, tropical fruit and, a bit incongruously, wool. Fruity (not to excess) and off-dry, the sugar effectively counterbalanced by underlying acidity. The long, browning apple finish gains some citrus pith and a hint of wax. Well made but not really my style. Plus there’s the issue of price: hard to swallow when $35 gets you, say, Huet’s beautiful 2011 Clos du Bourg and a loony in change. (Buy again? Probably not.)
Cabernet Franc 2010, Triomphe, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($24.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
Cabernet Franc (85%) and Merlot (15%). Manually harvested. Destemmed then 50% crushed. Spontaneous fermentation in oak vat with a total maceration time of four weeks, followed by pressing, settling and 12 months in barrels. Selected barrels were blended, filtered (but not fined) and bottled. Vegan-compatible. 13% ABV.
Red and black berries, spice and a green tobacco note. Medium-bodied. The sleek fruit is energized by bright acidity, darkened by graphite and ruffled by fine tannins that give this fundamentally supple wine welcome grain and a velvety astringency. Clean finish with lingering spice. (Buy again? Sure.)
Winemaker’s Red 2007, Whimsy, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($34.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
No tech info found. Going by other vintages, this is probably a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
Evolved, complex, tertiary nose: cassis and black raspberry, underbrush, tobacco and graphite. Medium-bodied, smoothly textured and resolved though not over the hill, with enough acidity to keep the fruit bright and frisky. Round tannins linger into the finish, whose lightly candied fruit intertwines with more savoury flavours. Well made if a little anonymous. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Triomphe, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($24.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
No tech info found. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Vegan-compatible, which probably means it’s unfined. 14.1% ABV.
Candied cassis, sawed wood and spice. Medium-bodied. Ripe and fruity. Tart acidity and gritty tannins provide textural/structural interest. Faint tobacco and vanilla scent the long finish. Straightforward, versatile and fun. (Buy again? Sure.)
Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Whimsy, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($34.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Manually harvested. Destemmed, 50% crushed, fermented with indigenous yeasts in an oak vat (four weeks’ total maceration time), then pressed, settled and racked into mainly French oak barrels (71% new). After 13 months, the barrels were selected, blended, lightly filtered (but not fined) and bottled. Vegan-compatible. 13.3% ABV.
Appealing set of aromas and flavours: dark fruit, spice, crushed stone, tobacco leaf, discreet oak. Medium-bodied. Polished and evolved, with smooth tannins and acidity. Less fruit-driven and more savoury than the Triomphe, with an added layer of minerals and depth. Long, astringent, earth- and herb-inflected finish. The most Bordeaux-like Ontario wine I’ve tasted. (Buy again? Yes.)
Somewhereness 2013: Flat Rock Cellars
Founded in 1999 and located at the top of Twenty Mile Bench, Flat Rock Cellars owns 80 acres of vines. The three core grape varieties are Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The winery is built on several levels to allow gravity flow. Intervention in the wine-making is largely avoided and indigenous yeasts are used for some wines.
Sparkling Brut Reserve 2007, Twenty Mile Bench VQA, Flat Rock Cellars ($35.00, available only at the winery)
Two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay. Whole-cluster pressed, cold settled, fermented in stainless steel tanks. Racked into neutral barrels for six month’s maturation, then blended, filtered and bottled, with secondary fermentation taking place in the bottle. Aged on the lees for three years, then disgored and dosed. Crown-capped. 12% ABV.
Citrus, apple, brioche and chalk. Lightly fruity upfront, turning bone dry as it goes along. Laden with minerals and brilliant acidity. Long, toasty, leesy finish. Good complexity and balance. Lovely. (Buy again? Yes.)
Riesling 2011, Nadja’s Vineyard, Twenty Mile Bench VQA, Flat Rock Cellars ($25.00, Langevins, 12 bottles/case)
100% Riesling from a 2.5-acre vineyard atop a bed of limestone. Manually harvested, whole-cluster pressed, cold-settled and then racked off the lees for fermentation. Fermented at cold temperatures with selected yeasts. 13.5 g/l residual sugar. 11.5% ABV.
The nose – peach and white flowers – doesn’t quite prepare you for the lemonade-ish palate with its tension between tart and sweet against a backdrop of flint and white fruit. Long, juicy finish with lingering sour green apple and lime. Intensely refreshing. (Buy again? At the winery’s $20.15, definitely.)
Chardonnay 2009, Twenty Mile Bench VQA, Flat Rock Cellars ($20.20, 11889474)
A blend of two Chardonnay clones from four different sites and soil types. Manually harvested. Some of the grapes were destemmed, others were kept as whole bunches. After pressing and settling, the must was transferred by gravity feed into barrels (60%) and stainless steel tanks (40%) where it was underwent primary fermentation (with selected yeasts) and full malolactic fermentation with regular lees-stirring. After blending, the wine was bottled unfined. Screwcapped. 12.8% ABV.
Oak, lemon, chalk. A bit leesy and lactic with a sour edge. Smooth texture, the charged acidity notwithstanding. Lemon and sour apple with some honey creeping in the decent finish. Tasty. (Buy again? Sure, especially at the LCBO’s $16.95.)
Chardonnay 2011, The Rusty Shed, Twenty Mile Bench VQA, Flat Rock Cellars ($25.00, Langevins, 12 bottles/case)
A challenging vintage meant the fruit was left on the vine until early October. Manually picked, gently pressed, transferred to barrels for fermentation followed by ten months maturation in French oak barrels (a mix of new and old). Screwcapped. 13% ABV.
Oats, lemon, white fruit, lanolin and a hint of sweet oak. Weightier than the 2009, though by no means heavy. Dry and minerally with grippy acidity and faint overtones of stone fruit, butter and caramel. Clean – the oak is an accent – and long. Polished and appealing. (Buy again? Yes.)
Pinot Noir 2011, Twenty Mile Bench VQA, Flat Rock Cellars ($29.20, Langevins, 12 bottles/case)
The so-called estate bottling. 100% Pinot Noir from seven parcels. Manually picked, pressed, then soaked on the skins with manual punch-downs several times a day to extract color and tannin. Barrel-fermented, mostly with indigenous yeats. Matured in a mix of old and new French oak barrels. Screwcapped. 12.5% ABV.
Pretty nose of cedar, spice and red berries. Ripe fruit, light oak and a slight earthiness. Good acidity and structure. Clean finish with a faint tannic rasp. (Buy again? At the Ontario price of $20, sure.)
Pinot Noir 2011, Gravity, Twenty Mile Bench VQA, Flat Rock Cellars ($34.50, Langevins, 12 bottles/case)
A blend of barrels selected for their deeper, less forward fruit. Aged longer than the estate Pinot Noir; otherwise, the wine-making is identical. Unfined. Screwcapped. 12.5% ABV.
Less primary and more integrated than the regular Pinot. Pure fruit, good acidity, fine tannins, dark minerals and a little more savour and heft. Light oak on the lingering finish. (Buy again? Yes, especially at the winery’s $30.15.)
Somewhereness 2013: Hinterland Wine Company
Hinterland Wine Company is the only Somewhereness winery based entirely in Prince Edward County. Owners Jonas Newman and Vicki Samaras began planting vines near Hillier in 2005 and quickly determined that the soil and climate gave them grapes well suited to sparkling wine production. So they bet the bank on it: to this day, Hinterland remains Ontario’s sole winery whose entire line consists of bubblies. The couple has also begun making wines on the Greek island of Limnos under the Terra Lemnia label.
Whitecap 2012, Method Charmat, Ontario VQA, Hinterland Wine Company ($23.50, La QV/Insolite, 12 bottles/case)
Equal proportions of Riesling and Vidal with a dollop (7%) of Muscat. Made like a Prosecco using the Charmat process. Crowncap. 15 g/l residual sugar. 12% ABV.
Surprisingly Muscaty nose: peach, sweet spice, flowers. Just off-dry with a soft, frothy effervescence, crisp acidity and a sustained finish. The kind of wine you could serve to just about anyone, from your grandmother to your wine-geekiest friend. The winemakers say it’s popular at weddings and it’s easy to see why. (Buy again? A bottle or two for summer sipping on the deck.)
Lacus 2012, Method Charmat, Ontario VQA, Hinterland Wine Company ($23.50, La QV/Insolite, 12 bottles/case)
100% Cabernet Franc. 12% ABV.
Deep rosé colour. Cabernet Franc nose: red berries, turned earth, herbs, leaves and a hint of “red pepper jelly” (quoting one of the couple). Dryish on the palate with faint tannins, spice, chalk (?) and lingering brioche. So odd yet so delicious. The winery says it can go with red meat and it’s substantial enough (which doesn’t mean heavy) that I’d like to give it a try. (Buy again? Yes.)
Jonas was also pouring tastes of the still wine used to make the Lacus. Light bordering on watery yet somehow very present. Dry and pure, a mouthful of pale fruit, grainy minerals and streaming acidity. Refreshing and delicious. If Hinterland ever bottled this, I’d buy it.
Blanc de Blanc 2011, Method Traditional, Prince Edward County VQA, Hinterland Wine Company ($41.00, La QV/Insolite, 12 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay. Was originally intended for Les Étoiles but the quality was so high the winery decided to use it for a one-off blanc de blanc. The base wine was matured in 500-litre oak barrels for eight months and sparkled using the traditional method. 12% ABV.
Intriguing if subtle nose: citrus, brioche and lees with a sour edge (a sign of youth?). Tart and clean on the attack, bright with lemon, crystalline minerals and zingy acidity. Long smoky finish. Perhaps the most Champagne-like of the Hinterland wines I’ve tasted. (Buy again? Yes, especially at the Ontario price of $35.)
Les Étoiles 2010, Method Traditional, Prince Edward County VQA, Hinterland Wine Company ($45.00, La QV/Insolite, 12 bottles/case)
Chardonnay (60%) and Pinot Noir (40%) made using the traditional method. Sixty percent of the crop was lost to spring frosts. The Chardonnay spends a few months in third-fill barrels. The blended wine is bottle-aged on the lees for at least two years before disgorging and dosage, which is done in small batches on an as-needed basis. 12% ABV.
Bit stinky at first though that quickly blew off, leaving a textbook nose of lemon, apple, pear, brioche, chalk and cream. Creamy in the mouth too, with good tension between the rich fruit and bright acidity, some mineral depth and a persistent toasty finish. A serious , well-delineated sparkler – not Champagne but really very good. The star of the portfolio. (Buy again? Yes, especially at the Ontario price of $39.)
Ancestral 2013, Method Ancestral, Ontario VQA, Hinterland Wine Company ($29.00, La QV/Insolite, 12 bottles/case)
100% Gamay Noir. Inspired by the sparkling Gamays (sometimes with a little Poulsard thown in) from Bugey Cerdon. The name refers to the rarely used (outside of Savoie and Gaillac) méthode ancestrale of sparkling wine production, whereby the wine is bottled before fermentation is complete. Fermentation is then allowed to continue in the bottle and the carbon dioxide that is a byproduct creates the effervescence. As the VQA doesn’t allow cloudy wines, the winery recreates the process in tank, then filters the wine before bottling. 8% ABV.
Flirting nose of strawberry and rose. Fruity and lightly effervescent on the palate. Off-dry verging on sweet though with plenty of balancing acidity. Turns drier on the finish as minerals and a hint of earthiness emerge. Candied but fun. Lacks the slatey vein of my favourite Bugey Cerdons but none of their charm. (Buy again? In a drier vintage.)
Somewhereness 2013: 13th Street Winery
Now in its 15th vintage, St. Catharines-based 13th Street Winery makes still and sparkling wines from estate-grown and purchased grapes. Before landing on the Niagara Peninsula, current winemaker Jean-Pierre Colas worked in France and Chile.
Chardonnay 2012, June’s Vineyard, Creek Shores VQA, 13th Street Winery ($24.92, Les vins Alain Bélanger, 12 bottles/case)
100% estate-grown Chardonnay from vines planted in 1999. Manually harvested and sorted, then crushed, destemmed and pressed. Given a short maceration on the skins. Fermented and matured (on the lees for seven months) in stainless steel. Underwent complete malolactic fermentation. Scewcapped. 13.5% ABV.
Textbook Chardonnay nose of lemon, green apple, oats and chalk. Chock-a-block with minerals (this is not a fruit-driven wine), alive with acidity, intense if not particularly deep. A hint of white pepper seasons the finish. It comes as no surprise to learn that Colas used to be the head winemaker for a major Chablis producer. (Buy again? Sure, especially at the Ontario price of $21.95.)
Riesling 2012, June’s Vineyard, Creek Shores VQA, 13th Street Winery ($24.92, Les vins Alain Bélanger, 12 bottles/case)
100% Riesling, specifically the Alsatian clone 49 (all the other Somewhereness Riesling makers use the German Weiss clone). Haven’t found any wine-making info but would be willing to bet it sees only stainless steel. 13 g/l residual sugar. Screwcapped. 11.5% ABV.
A nose that doesn’t scream Riesling: the fruit is more tropical than lemon-limey, the minerals are faint, nary a whiff of petrol is to be found. Smooth and sleek on the palate. Just off-dry. As minerally (more quartz than limestone) as fruity. Decent finish with floral overtones. Fresh and appealing. (Buy again? Yes, especially at the Ontario price of $19.95.)
Gamay Noir 2012, Niagara Peninsula VQA, 13th Street Winery ($24.92, Les vins Alain Bélanger, 12 bottles/case)
100% Gamay from three vineyards: Sandstone, Schwenker and 13th Street. Manually harvested, then crushed and destemmed. The lots were fermented separately in stainless steel vats over 3 weeks, then pressed and transferred to stainless steel tanks for malolactic fermentation, after which the final blend was assembled. Screwcapped. 13.5% ABV.
Red, blue and black berries, slate, a whiff of alcohol and eventually red meat. Rich but not heavy thanks to a firm acid backbone, velvety tannins and general juiciness. Long, pure and tasty. (Buy again? Yes, especially at the Ontario price of $19.95.)
Gamay Noir 2011, Sandstone Reserve, Four Mile Creek VQA, 13th Street Winery ($30.03, Les vins Alain Bélanger, 12 bottles/case)
100% Gamay from “old” vines (planted in 1983). Manually harvested and sorted, crushed and destemmed, then given a cold-soak and fermented in stainless steel vats with regular punch-downs of the cap. Moved to French oak barrels (around 20% new and 20% second fill) for malolactic fermentation and maturation on the lees with a single racking. 13% ABV.
Deeper, darker nose: spice, herbs, red and black fruit. Fuller-bodied than most Gamays. While noticeable, the oak doesn’t overpower the spicy fruit. Compared with the 2011 Niagara Peninsula Gamay, the wine seems structured more by tannins than by acidity. Solid finish. Could almost pass for a Pinot Noir or Cabernet Franc. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Pinot Noir 2012, Essence, Niagara Peninsula VQA, 13th Street Winery ($44.86, Les vins Alain Bélanger, 6 bottles/case)
100% Pinot Noir from older vines in the 13th Street vineyard and younger vines at Fourth Avenue. Also includes some purchased fruit. Each batch was handled separately until final blending.Manually harvested and sorted, then destemmed, crushed and transferred to open-top stainless steel vats for fermentation (with punch-downs) at a relatively cool 25ºC, after which the wine was left to macerate on the skins for 20 days. The wine and lees were transferred to French oak barrels (all second fill except one, which was new) for malolactic fermentation and maturation. Total barrel time: 14 months. Blended, fined and lightly filtered before bottling. 13% ABV.
Elegant Burgundian nose of red berries, spice and undergrowth. Ripe and supple, with gossamer fruit, bright acidity and lacy tannins that turn astringent on finish. A bit short but impressively coherent. Very good. (Buy again? Unfortunately no, due mainly to the high price.)
Somewhereness 2013: Charles Baker
Charles Baker currently makes two wines, both Rieslings and both from purchased grapes. (A red may be in the works.) In absence of a dedicated winery, the wine-making is done at Stratus, where Baker is director of sales. The wines are made only with the post-crushing free-run juice and are fermented and matured in stainless steel. They clearly express a sense of place, being true to both the grape and their origin – not mock German, Alsatian or Austrian but unique, with their own sense of style, their own somewhereness.
Riesling 2011, Picone Vineyard, Twenty-Mile Bench VQA, Charles Baker ($35.25, Rézin, 6 bottles/case)
100% Riesling from 30-year-old vines grown in the Picone vinyeard on Vinemount Ridge. Screwcapped. 20 g/l residual sugar. 11% ABV.
Fresh, clean nose: dusty limestone, lemon/lime, green apple and a floral note. Smooth, even tender in the mouth. Present but not heavy, off-dry but with a tart substructure. Long limestoney finish. Remarkably poised for an adolescent. (Buy again? Yes, despite wishing it was in the $25 to $30 range.)
While the 2011 Picone was the only wine Baker was pouring at Somewhereness 2013, I’m taking advantage of this opportunity to post notes on two more of his wines that I recently enjoyed.
Riesling 2006, Picone Vineyard, Twenty-Mile Bench VQA, Charles Baker
The second vintage of the wine. 100% Reisling from 25-year-old vines grown in the Picone vineyard on Vinemount Ridge. Screwcapped. 25 g/l residual sugar. 11% ABV.
Complex, engaging nose of petrol, spice and citrus. Balanced intensity. Tense but not tight. A shade sweeter than the 2011 on the attack but drier on the finish. The fruit and minerals are fully integrated, inseparable: the product of time. Great length and purity. Transparent in the sense that the grape and terroir come through like light through glass. Saying this is the best New World Riesling I’ve tasted doesn’t do it justice: truly world-class. (Buy again? If only I could.)
Riesling 2012, Ivan Vineyard, Twenty-Mile Bench VQA, Charles Baker ($27.00 at Stratus)
100% Riesling from young vines grown in a 12-acre vineyard planted at the turn of the century. Screwcapped. 13 g/l residual sugar. 11.5% ABV.
Lime, linden, green leaves. Clean, tart, refreshing. Sour apple upfront, limestone more in background. Pure and intense with a lip-smacking finish. (Buy again? Yes.)
Tricked out or treat
Margaux 2009, Château Charmant ($42.25, 00868620)
Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Cabernet Franc (20%). Destemmed. Cold soak is followed by “traditional” vinification: Fermentation with selected yeasts (Davis 522) in concrete vats at 28 to 30ºC for about 21 days. Malolactic fermentation takes place in vats, after which the wine is transferred to oak barrels (25% new, 25% second fill, 50% second or third fill). 13.5% ABV.
Nose dominated by cassis and graphite. Plush and round on the palate. Dense, ripe fruit and a layer of sweet oak cushion the considerable tannic structure and acidity. Still quite primary. Broad and long, not so deep. Well made if modern in style. Probably fine with, say, a leg of lamb but, for now at least, a little heavy and cloying on its own. (Buy again? Probably not.)
IGT Toscana 2011, Guidalberto, Tenuta San Guido ($45.25, 10483384)
Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Merlot (40%). Fermented separately in in stainless steel tanks at 30 to 31ºC. Macerated 15 days. Spends 15 months in oak barrels, French and a few American. Bottle-aged an additional three months. 14% ABV.
Cherry, cassis, some background pencil lead and tobacco-ish herbs and a whack of spicy oak. Medium- to full-bodied. While ripe and radiant, the fruit is admirably restrained. The tannins are firm but sleek, not at all rebarbative. The acidity is fresh and energizing. Surprisingly, oak doesn’t dominate the clean, layered and persistent flavours. This elegant, balanced, beautifully proportioned wine is the best of the several vintages I’ve tasted and the only one potentially deserving of the oft-applied “baby Sassicaia” moniker. (Buy again? Yes.)
Both wines had been carafed for about six hours. On opening, the Guidalberto was reportedly tighter than a drum.
So Tissot
Arbois 2011, Chardonnay, Domaine André et Mireille Tissot ($24.95, 11194701)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from vines more than a quarter of a century old. Manually harvested. Pneumatically pressed. Fermented with native yeasts and matured for 12 months in oak barrels that are kept topped up so the wine doesn’t oxidize. Lightly filtered. A miniscule amount of sulphur dioxide is added at bottling. 13.5% ABV.
Pear, lemon, chalk, faint dried herbs, distant smoke. Intense on the palate, the richness cut by bracing acidty. The wine’s tension, fruit and crystalline minerality are reminiscent of Chablis but the flavours are otherwise: earthier and showing hints of oxidized butter (probably salted), white spice and something vaguely floral like chamomile or fennel pollen. The long, clean finish is tangy in that way that almost requires you to take another sip. Stupendous QPR. (Buy again? Oh, yes.)
MWG October 17th tasting (5/5): New and old style Rioja
Rioja Reserva 2005, Siete Viñas, Barón de Ley ($39.50, 11962627)
An unusual blend of the seven grape varieties, including white, permitted in Rioja: Tempranillo (55%), Garnacha (15%), Graciano (15%), Mazuelo (7%), Viura (7%), Malvasia (2%) and Garnacha Blanca (1%). Manually harvested. The varieties were vinified and matured separately in French and American oak barrels for three years, then blended and aged another 12 months in French oak foudres. 14.5% ABV. The Cellier New Arrivals wine in this flight.
Meat, sawed wood, bright candied fruit, oak and musk. Concentrated and fruit-forward but surprisingly fresh; smooth on the surface but tense and astringent underneath; impressively broad but not what you’d call deep. The fruit seems perfumed (the white varieties speaking?), redolent of spice, flowers, sandalwood, balsam and, of course, oak, with some coffee and graphite joining in on the long finish. Fans of New World wine will enjoy this; traditionalists may too, even as they note that it’s not very Rioja-like. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Rioja Reserva 2001, Viña Tondonia, R. Lopez de Heredia ($42.75, 11667901)
Estate-grown Tempranillo (75%), Garnacha (15%) and Graciano and Mazuelo (10%). Manually harvested. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Matured in estate-made American oak barrels for six years, with twice yearly racking. Fined with egg whites. Bottled unfiltered. 13% ABV.
Lighter and redder than the red-purple Siete Viñas, with a hint of brick at the pale rim. The closed nose – little but anise and sweet spices at first – soon blossoms, with berries, cherry, old wood, leather, underbrush and clay wafting from the glass. In the mouth, the wine is medium-bodied, tart, lean and, despite the mildly astringent tannins, supple. The glowing core of sweet fruit is shrouded in thin, crinkly layers of dried herbs, minerals, old excelsior and leaf mould and, like a cooling ember, fades through the long slatey finish. So civilized, so balanced, so authentic. Continued evolving over the hour or so it was in my glass, indicating it hasn’t peaked yet. (Buy again? With pleasure.)
Brett happens 