Archive for the ‘Tasting notes’ Category
Just thinking about it makes my mouth water
Mâcon-Verzé 2010, Nicolas Maillet ($22.95, 11634691)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from 45-year-old vines. Nine-month temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel and using native yeasts. Followed by malolactic fermentation and maturation in neutral barrels. Bottled in mid-July of last year.
Lovely, outgoing nose: light candied lemon, pear, chalk and a delicate, almost floral turpentine note. A dazzling balance of fruit, minerals and electrifying acidity. Not incredibly deep but so intense you hardly notice. A hint of brininess adds tang to the clean finish. Remarkably pure and delicious.
This is reportedly part of today’s Cellier release though you’ll find no mention of it in the magazine or the Cellier section of SAQ.com.
MWG May 11th tasting: report (5/5)
Except for the Crozes, all the wines in this flight came from the May 10th Cellier release.
Crozes-Hermitage 2010, Domaine Combier ($30.75, 11154890)
100% organically farmed Syrah from three vineyards. Destemmed and fermented for 25 days in temperature-contolled stainless steel tanks with pumping over in the morning and evening. Matured 12 months in recent vintage oak barrels.
Leafy red berries with floral, menthol and animale notes. Bright and juicy but far from being a fruit bomb. Fluid texture, tingly tannins, background spice and oak. Long, clean finish. Pure and, at 12.5% ABV, digeste (“While the literal translation of digeste would be ‘digestible,’ in this case it implies that a wine has an ‘airy’ quality to it, that it’s built along freshness, lightness.” –Bill Zacharkiw). I could drink this every week. (Buy again? For sure.)
Shiraz 2010, The Riebke, Barossa Valley, Teusner Wines ($26.00, 11621081)
100% old-vine Shiraz. After fermentation, the wine is matured 12 months in used French and American oak hogsheads.
Sweet plum, blackberry and dark spice (licorice?). The decent acidity, chewy tannins and dollop of oak notwithstanding, this wine is all about fruit: pure and supple but also very sweet (6.6 g/l of residual sugar) and over-concentrated. Plush texture and fair length with some high-toned kirsch chiming in on the finish (the 14.5% ABV speaking?). One-note and unrefreshing. That said, what it does, it does well. You either like the style or you don’t. I don’t. (Buy again? No.)
Syrah 2007, Terrunyo, Valle del Cachapoal, Concha y Toro ($30.25, 11625680)
88% Syrah, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon. Spent 15 months in French oak barrels (60% new, 40% second or third vintage). 14% ABV.
Earthy nose showing some red and black fruit (“high-bush cranberry” according to a New Brunswick native), smoke and an odd peanut brittle note. Rich, dense, structured, layered and very dry. The ripe fruit is only one in a complex of savoury flavours. The oak is kept in check. Charry, leathery finish. A passably interesting wine, though probably not one I’d identify as a Syrah in a double-blind tasting. (Buy again? Doubtful.)
Shiraz 2007, Heathcote, Greenstone Vineyard ($33.50, 11601768)
100% Shiraz from the Mornington Peninsula. Fermentation followed by two weeks’ maceration with occasional punching-down and 20 months’ maturation in 20% new French barriques.
Smoky plum, volatile herbs and slate waft from the glass. Richly flavoured, the fruit joined by mineral, wood, spice and maybe even violet. Supple, almost lean texture. Structured by fine tannins, enlivened by just enough acidity. Lingering finish. All that and 13.5% ABV, too. The most elegant Shiraz I’ve encountered. (Buy again? Quite possibly.)
MWG May 11th tasting: report (4/5)
Mukuzani 2009, United Stars, Koncho & Co. ($15.10, 10791491)
As far as I know, this and the Teliani Valley – neither of which are from the Cellier release – are the first Georgian wines ever sold at the SAQ. Both are made from Saperavi, a native teinturier (red-fleshed) grape. This Mukuzani is fermented with selected yeasts and matured three years in Caucasian oak.
Cherry, blackberry, slate, hickory smoke. Medium-bodied but round. Ripe, velvety fruit is balanced by firm tannins and good acidity. Fair length with a whiff of tobacco smoke on the finish. Simple but unpretentious and enjoyable, not to mention delivering considerable bang for the buck. (Buy again? Yes.)
Saperavi 2008, Teliani Valley ($15.90, 11607545)
Made from grapes grown in the Kakheti region. Aged one year, three months of which were spent in oak barrels.
Spicy, leather, slate/iron, hint of boiled cabbage. Ripe but not overly sweet fruit (cassis, black cherry) nicely brightened by acidity and structured by tight tannins. Balanced and fairly long. A tad more complex and affable than the United Stars. This is selling out fast; if you want some, don’t dawdle. (Buy again? Yes.)
Malbec 2009, Remolinos Vineyard, Agrelo, Mendoza, Decero ($21.95, 11625743)
100% Malbec. Destemmed before fermentation in stainless steel. Macerated for a little more than two weeks, then basket-pressed. Ninety percent goes into 30% new French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation, the remainder being kept in stainless tanks “to preserve the delicate violet aromatics.”
Sweet plum and spice with an iodine/briny note. Full-bodied but not heavy. Very spicy on the palate. Tight tannins, sweet fruit and no depth. (Buy again? No.)
Malbec 2007, Terroir Selection, Mendoza, Alta Vista ($26.90, 11602621)
100% Malbec from four vineyards. Destemmed and placed in small epoxy-lined concrete vats. Macerated 5-8 days, followed by alcoholic fermentation with frequent pumping over, followed by extended maceration at 28ºC (82ºF). Aged in small French oak barrels for 12 months.
Spice, red and black fruit, char, slate. Velvety texture. All about fruit, the high extraction necessary to hide the high alcohol (15% according to the SAQ, 15.5% according to the winemaker). Pudgy tannins. Enough acidity to keep it from galumphing but not to make it refreshing. (Buy again? No.)
MWG May 11th tasting: report (3/5)
Sierra Foothills 2010, Vin Gris d’Amador, Terre Rouge ($22.10, 11629710)
Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, though neither the estate’s website nor the wine’s Quebec rep say in what proportions. This is a saignée method rose, meaning the juice is “bled” from the red wine tanks. Matured in used French oak barrels, like the estate’s white wines.
Dark red-orange-pink. Caramel, dried herbs, spice, nectarine, crab apple. Heavy, cloyingly sweet fruit, insufficient acidity and little depth. Several people around the table were drop-jawed at Phaneuf’s rave (“Sec, minéral, à la fois délicat et persistant et doté d’un très bel équilibre d’ensemble. Bravo !“). (Buy again? Nope.)
Tavel 2011, La Dame Rousse, Domaine de la Mordorée ($24.80, 11629664)
Perhaps the biggest name in the appellation. Grenache (60%), Cinsault (10%), Mourvèdre (10%), Syrah (10%), Bourboulenc (5%) and Clairette (5%) from 40-year-old vines. Cold-macerated for 48 hours before pressing.
Deep pink bordering on light red. Classic Tavel nose of peach/nectarine, strawberry and garrigue. Dense, winey texture. Dry. The fruit sits heavily on the palate. One-dimensional and unrefreshing. Hot finish (14.5% ABV). (Buy again? For Tavel lovers only, i.e. not for me.)
Coteaux du Languedoc 2011, Prestige, Château Puech-Haut ($19.35, 11629891)
Grenache and Cinsault, fermented and matured in stainless steel. Packaged in a frosted bottle with an embossed seal and glass stopper; a few liked the look, others declared it tacky.
Very pale, almost white. Light nectarine and minerals on the nose. More flavourful than expected, with light, pure fruit and refreshing acidity. Alcohol flares a little on the finish. The best of the bunch, which is not saying much. (Buy again? Probably not.)
Bandol 2010, Mas de la Rouvière ($23.10, 11657403)
The estate has been converting to organic farming since 2006. Mourvèdre (40%), Grenache (30%) and Cinsault (30%). Fermented at controlled temperatures for around 30 days.
Intriguing nose of nectarine with herbal (celery, green pepper) notes. Ripe but not heavy fruit. Some minerality. Fair acidity. Falls flat on the finish. Drinkable is about the best you can say for it. (Buy again? No.)
To go by these four Cellier picks, the SAQ is maintaining its dismal track record with rosés. It doesn’t have to be this way. There are fine pink wines being made in France, Spain and even California, but the only way Quebecers can buy them is on a private import basis. Speaking of which…
Corse Calvi 2011, Fiumeseccu rosé, Domaine Alzipratu ($22.05, 12 btls/case, oenopole)
A blend of saignée and directly pressed juice, mostly Sciacarello though a little Nielluccio may also have made its way into the mix.
Tried this at the April Pork Futures event and immediately knew it would be one of the best rosés – if not the best – that I’ll taste this year. It’s true to the house style: light, refreshing, food- and terrace-friendly, with notes of pink grapefruit and nectarine, a whiff of garrigue and vibrant acidity. The 2011 also struck me as the most minerally Fiumeseccu to date.
MWG May 11th tasting: report (2/5)
Aconcagua 2010, Signos de Origen, Casablanca Valley, Emiliana Organic Vineyards ($22.25, 11639037)
A blend of organically farmed Chardonnay (65%), Viognier (20%), Marsanne (11%) and Roussanne (4%) aged in French oak barrels for 10 months.
Mango and pineapple custard. Clean, sweet fruit with a round-bordering-on-heavy texture only partly relieved by the underlying acidity. Long but not hot, despite the high alcohol (14.9%). Not much else going on. Unobjectionable but a bit blowsy and cloying. (Buy again? No.)
Chardonnay 2008, Red Claw, Mornington Peninsula, Yabby Lake ($35.25, 11640492)
Whole bunch-pressed Chardonnay fermented in French oak and aged on its lees for ten months. Mornington Peninsula is a cool-climate region about 50 km southwest of Melbourne in Australia’s Victoria state. The Yabby Lake winery is moving toward organic farming methods.
Faint tropical fruit cocktail with some minerals and a sour note. Clean and relatively complex, the flavours tending to lemon and minerals. Winey and a tad alcoholic (14%) but with a freshening acidity. Long, tangy finish. (Buy again? Not when I can get a 1er cru Chablis for the same price.)
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2009, Prestige, Simon Alexandre ($30.50, 11600888)
A recent arrival not from the Cellier release. Made by Domaine de la Présidente, not that you’ll find any mention of it on their website. A blend of Grenache Blanc (50%), Clairette (20%), Roussanne (20%) and Bourboulenc (10%) from 25-year-old vines. Destemmed and cold macerated before being given a long, cool fermentation. I’d originally sampled this from a bottle that had been open for several hours and found it a tasty and even classy southern Rhône white that delivered good QPR, hence my decision to include it in a tasting.
Perfumy, spicy nose with cut apple, sour mash and even medicinal scents. On the palate, heavy, alcoholic (14%), chalky and not very flavourful, the shy fruit candied. “A wine that even its mother couldn’t love.” And yet after a half-hour in the glass, it had transformed into what I remembered: white flowers, yellow fruit and minerals on the elegant nose; supple, if unctuous, and nicely balanced on the palate with a long, elegant finish. The taster who took the tail end home with him reports that the wine was even better the next day. (Buy again? Yes.)
MWG May 11th tasting: report (1/5)
The first of five sets of tasting notes on 17 wines, 13 of which were from the May 10th Cellier release.
Riesling 2010, Frankland River, Alkoomi ($19.65, 11034151)
Named after the waterway that flows through it, Frankland River is a relatively cool-climate subregion of Western Australia, about 350 km south-southeast of Perth and 80 km inland from the Indian Ocean.
Lime blossom, chalk and a hint of petrol. Dry and fruity with crisp acidity and a lime-scented finish. Not very deep but clean, refreshing and, at 11.8% ABV, quite pound-backable. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Riesling 2010, Eden Valley, Mesh (Grosset-Hill Smith) ($29.30, 11075930)
A recent joint venture by two leading winemakers. Located in South Australia, Eden Valley is a cooler region to the east-southeast of the better-known Barossa Velley. Its Reislings are said to improve with bottle age. This vegan-friendly wine clocks in at 12.5% ABV.
Lemon-lime and quartz, eventually gaining a bath powder note. Exceedingly dry. Pure, acidic and minerally but not otherwise noticeably flavourful. Long, citrus-pithy finish. (Buy again? Not at that price.)
MWG April Jura tastings: report (6/6)
The Jura counterpart to Pineau des Charentes and Floc de Gascogne, Macvin du Jura is a vin de liqueur, a sweet and powerful blend of two-thirds grape juice and one-third Marc du Jura (pomace brandy) that is aged up to 30 months in casks. Macvin comes in white, pink and red varieties (usually the first) and, despite having been around since at least the 14th century, was granted its own AOC only in 1991. Locals serve it chilled as an aperitif, with desserts or after dinner mixed with marc (usually one part Macvin to two parts marc).
Macvin du Jura, Jean Bourdy ($47.00, 3 btls/case, La QV)
A rare rosé Macvin. Strawberry, fruit cake and dried spice (caraway, clove, cinnamon). Sweetness balanced by acidity and spice. Lingers long. Excellent. (Buy again? Yes.)
Macvin Rouge, Pinot Noir, André et Mireille Tissot ($39.25, 6 btls/case, Les Vins Alain Bélanger)
Deep red. Candied cherry on steroids, spice and an undernote of dried blood. Dense, fruity sweetness lifted by acid and alcohol. Marathon finish. Fascinating. (Buy again? Yes.)
Stéphane Tissot suggests chocolate as a pairing for his red Macvin. At the tastings, it was successfully served with squares of Valrhona Guanaja bittersweet chocolate. Further research conducted a few days later found it an unbeatable match with a selection of exquisite chocolate, hazlenut, pistachio and raspberry pastries from Olivier Potier.
MWG April Jura tastings: report (5/6)
Vin jaune? After conventional and malolactic fermentation, Savagnin is transferred to old Burgundy barrels that are only partially filled. The barrels are stored in a well-ventilated “cellar” (which may, in fact, be above ground) subject to temperature fluctuations. A yeasty veil forms, protecting and flavouring the wine. After six years, the wine is racked and bottled in clavelins, squat 620-ml bottles (620 ml said to be the amount left from a litre of wine after six years in a barrel, the rest being lost to evaporation). The vin jaune selection process is rigorous and wine that doesn’t make the grade is often sold as plain Savagnin or blended with Chardonnay.
Vin jaune is made throughout the Jura, though many consider the small, jaune-only appellation of Château-Chalon (after the village of the same name) to be the source of the best.
Arbois 2003, Vin Jaune, Rolet Père et Fils ($57.25, 00880872)
Fresh, complex, pure: nuts, silage, maple sap and caramel. Intense attack. Very present but somehow fleet, largely due to the acidity. Light layers of flavour. Turns milder on the long, nutty finish. Classic. (Buy again? Yes.)
Arbois 2004, Vin Jaune, André et Mireille Tissot ($69.50, 10322581)
Lifting nose of nuts, corn, cheese and a hint of caramel. Complex and deep with a minerally substrate and light, fluid texture. Exquisite balance. Long, faintly sour but remarkably fresh finish. Delicious now but capable of aging for decades. One of the best vin jaunes ever sold at the SAQ. (Buy again? Absolutely.)
Château-Chalon 2004, Jean Bourdy (a tail-end graciously provided by La QV)
Relatively closed nose of oxidized apples, nuts, minerals and a whiff of corn silage. Light on the palate yet intensely flavoured. Enduring, nut-scented finish. Lovely. (Buy again? Moot but yes.)
Château-Chalon 1990, Domaine Baud (a c. 1998 importation valise from the cellar)
Based in Le Vernois, a kilometre or so southwest of Château-Chalon, the Baud family has been making wine for eight generations. In Quebec, the estate is represented by Anthocyane.
A not very jaune-like bouquet: relatively little in the way of oxidative aromas yet showing a marked umami scent that one taster likened to shiitake mushrooms. Fluid and delicate on the palate, the fine layers of flavour – including a touch of curry – underpinned by an equally fine acidity. Very dry. A caramel note chimes in on the savoury finish. Fully mature. Just lovely. (Buy again? Moot but yes.)
MWG April Jura tastings: report (4/6)
Savagnin, the Jura’s flagship grape, is thought to be identical to the Traminer variety (and Alsace’s Gewurztraminer may be a musqué mutation). It’s the only grape used to make vin jaune. Regular Savagnin has traditionally been vinified like vin jaune: aged in barrels and not topped up (“non ouillé“), creating a head space that allows the wine to oxidize and be covered by a veil of flor-like yeast, both of which give it a nutty/corny flavour. Some estates have begun making a new breed of Savagnin wines that are not allowed to oxidize, which preserves their fresh grapey character; these are often labelled fleur, though Stéphane Tissot calls his Traminer. Unoxidized Savagnin should be served chilled; oxidized Savagnin, like vin jaune, is best served at something closer to cool room temperature.
Arbois 2008, Savagnin, La Cave de la Reine Jeanne ($27.55, 10783871)
Spends 24 months in barrels with no topping up. Oxidized nose with notes of hazelnut and curry powder. Round texture with a good balance between fruit and acid. Nuttiness, some spice and a little honey. Dry. Persistent, tangy finish. (Buy again? Sure.)
Côtes du Jura 2009, Fleur de Savagnin, Domaine Labet ($28.90, 10783248)
Muted nose of lemon and minerals. Lemony acid, stone fruit and spice burst across the palate. Crystalline texture. Racy and long. (Buy again? Yes.)
Arbois 2007, Savagnin, Jacques Tissot ($29.05, 11460686)
Classic oxidized nose: corn, yellow fruit, slight nuttiness. Faintly honeyed fruit and high acidity play against a mineral backdrop. Yellow apple, straw and hazelnut finish. A fine, even elegant wine, perfectly representative of the non-ouillé style, though mild-mannered and lacking the last bit of éclat to make it a truly memorable bottle. (Buy again? Sure.)
Côtes du Jura 2006, Savagnin, Les Sarres, Domaine Rijckaert ($32.15, 6 btls/case, La QV)
Hailing from Flemish Belgium, Jean Rijckaert makes wine in the Jura and in Burgundy’s Mâcon.
Fresh nose dominated by yellow fruit aromas (pineapple, lemon). Vibrant fruit and acidity, rounded by a honey note, mark the palate. Pink grapefruit and mineral flavours mark the long finish. (Buy again? Yes.)
Côtes du Jura 2008, Fleur de Savagnin, Julien Labet ($34.25, 6 btls/case, oenopole)
Not particularly expressive nose: stone fruit and a briny note. Full on the palate, the rich fruit cut by bright acidity. Flavours include lemon, spice and “rice.” Strong finish. (Buy again? Yes.)
Côtes du Jura 2007, Domaine Jean Macle (c. $36 @ Chambers Street Wines)
Another legendary Jura producer, the reclusive Jean Macle is known above all for his Château-Chalon. He also makes crémant and this white Côtes du Jura.
85% Chardonnay, 15% non-ouillé Savagnin. Yellow apple and marzipan. Fine layers of flavour, of which oxidation is only one. Silky texture. Fruit and acid in perfect balance. Long. One of those wines that haunted me for days after tasting it. (Buy again? If only I could…)
Côtes du Jura 2008, Grand Élevage, Domaine Rijckaert ($45.00, 6 btls/case, La QV)
Classy nose of lemon, spice, beeswax, dried apple. Rich, dense but fluid. Structured by fruit and acid. Bracing, pure, lush, present. One of the most impressive wines of either tasting. (Buy again? Def.)
MWG April Jura tastings: report (3/6)
Having arrived from Burgundy in the Middle Ages, Chardonnay (also known locally as Melon d’Arbois and Gamay Blanc) is the now most widely planted grape variety in the Jura, occupying nearly half the vineyard. It’s made in a range of styles, from light to rich and from fresh to oxidized. The increasing popularity of Chardonnay-based crémants, which can be successfully made from underripe grapes, has had the effect of improving the quality of the region’s still Chardonnays in recent years.
Arbois 2009, Chardonnay, La Cave de la Reine Jeanne ($20.20, 11575723)
Founded in 1997 by Stéphane and Bénédicte Tissot, this négociant firm is named after the magnificent, gothic-arched cellar in which its wines are stored. The wines have become more accomplished over the years.
Grapefruit nose with clover and beeswax scents. Smooth, balanced and elegant on the palate, the flavours evoking lemon, oxidized apple and a faint nuttiness. Lingers long. (Buy again? Sure.)
L’Étoile 2008, Chardonnay, Nos Vendanges, Rolet Père et Fils ($21.70, 11194605)
Candied yellow fruit and sesame. Ripe fruit on the palate. While you wouldn’t call this bone dry, it’s still fresh, lively and balanced. Clean finish. Not remarkably complex but enjoyable enough. (Buy again? Sure.)
Arbois-Pupillin 2010, Jurassique, Domaine de la Renardière ($22.15, 11472628)
Jean-Michel and Laurence Petit created this estate in 1990. Their wines, especially their whites, are notable for their vibrant fruitiness, somewhat in the mould of Stéphane Tissot’s. Prices are reasonable across the board.
Classic nose of yellow fruit (a bit candied), corn silage and sour cream. Richly textured. Vivacious ripe fruit. The racy acidity is rounded by a touch of residual sugar. Long, browned apple finish with a faint nutty caramel note. (Buy again? Absolutely.)
Côtes du Jura 2006, Chardonnay, Jean Bourdy ($28.00, 6 btls/case, La QV)
Pear, peach, browning apple. Medium-bodied and very dry. Bright acid. Broad and long, with an oxidative note on the finish. Classic and age-worthy. (Buy again? Yes.)
Arbois 2009, Chardonnay, Jacques Puffeney ($28.69, 12 btls/case, Vini-Vins)
Straightforward nose: straw, oats, apple. Clean and flavourful: lemon and light nuts. Medium-bodied with lively acidity. Long, quartzy finish. Becomes more complex, deeper and quite elegant as it breathes. A complete and classy wine. At a recent Pied de Cochon Sugar Shack dinner, this worked beautifully with a wide range of appetizers, including such challenging dishes as a lobster and smoked meat soufflée-omelet. (Buy again? Yes, yes, yes.)
Côtes du Jura 2008, Fleur de Marne, La Bardette, Domaine Labet ($37.50, 6 btls/case, oenopole)
Sweat, oxidizing yellow apple, quartz underlay, gaining a smoked ham note. Rich and mouth-filling. The ripe fruit tends to peach. Long, minerally finish. Multi-dimensional and impressively poised. Would make an interesting ringer in a Meursault tasting. (Buy again? Done!)
Côtes du Jura 2006, Chadonnay, En Chalasse – Nature, Julien Labet ($37.50, 6 btls/case, oenopole)
Organically farmed, native yeasts, unsulphured, unfiltered. Cloudy to the eye. Intriguing nose: roast-pork jus, lemon, oats and light oak. Rich. Minerally/chalky flavours combine with lemon and oats. Coursing acidity. A vibrant wine that lost some of its appeal as it warmed and became more fruit- and alcohol-driven. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Brett happens 