MWG November 13th tasting: Pinot Noir v. Spätburgunder
Alsace Pinot Noir 2012, Les Jardins, Domaine Léon Boesch ($29.89, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Pinot Noir from a 1.1-hecatre parcel of organically and biodynamically farmed vines averaging 20 years old. Manually harvested. The uncrushed whole clusters are macerated several days at 12°C. Fermented using indigenous yeasts with pumping over at the start, daily punch-downs and no chaptalization or temperature control. After pressing with a pneumatic press, the wine is matured 12 months in neutral barrels with top-ups every two or three weeks and no lees stirring. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Reductive at first, then exuberant red berries, cedar, gingerbread, wood-grilled flank steak and slate. Vibrant and mouth-filling. The tannic structure, bright acidity, depth and length seem positively Burgundian while the juicy freshness is anything but. Fun. (Buy again? Gladly.)
QbA Rheinhessen 2010, Spätburgunder, Holzfass, Battenfeld-Spanier ($33.95, private import, 6 bottles/case)
The up-and-coming 28-hectare estate is located in Hohen-Sülzen near Worms. It has been organic since 1993, began working biodynamically in 2005 and is now a member of La Renaissance des appellations. This 100% Pinot Noir is fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in new 1,200-litre oak barrels. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Less rich and more peppery than the Boesch. Fluid, spicy, dry. The fruit is clean though there’s not lots of it. On the other hand, the streaming acidity, light but resilient tannins, slate and wood substrate and bitter finish give the wine a severe appeal. Among the more impressive German Pinot Noirs I’ve tasted. Would make an interesting ringer in a flight of similarly priced Burgundies. (Buy again? Sure.)
(Flight: 6/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: Beautiful, punches above its weight
Macon–Lugny 2011, Les Crays vers Vaux, Vieilles vignes, Domaine Rijckaert ($34.67, private import, 6 bottles/case)
The estate avoids the use of herbicides and insecticides and limits its use of synthetic chemicals to treatments against mildew and odium. 100% Chardonnay. Manually harvested. Fermented in oak barrels with indigenous yeasts. Matured ten months on the lees with occasional stirring in a mix of oak barrels: 5% new, 10% first- to fourth-fill and 85% fifth- or sixth-fill. No additions, subtractions or untoward manipulation (micro-oxygenation, chilling, heating, etc.) during vinification. Lightly sulphured at bottling. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Closed but nuanced and appealing nose of yellow apple, citron, chalk and flint with hints of oatmeal, wood and ash. Medium- to full-bodied and satin-textured. Dry. The oak is discreet, the fruit faintly tropical, the minerals stony. The sustained acidity is softened and rounded by the wine’s considerable extract. A salted butter note colours the long, delicious finish. Lots of class. A beautiful white Burgundy that punches above its weight. (Buy again? Def.)
(Flight: 5/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: Blanc de Francs
Vin de France 2012, K. Blanc, Ferme de Mont-Benault ($32.32, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Named after the Mont-Benault lieu-dit in Faye d’Anjou, the 6-hectare estate, 4 hectares of which are in production, was created in 2009 and is owned and operated by Stéphane Rocher. Rocher is a neighbour of Richard Leroy, the winegrower featured in the celebrated graphic novel Les ignorants. Organic farming (AB certification), manual harvesting, light racking, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, conservation of the fermentation gases, no fining and minimal sulphuring (only at bottling) are the guiding principles. Most of the wines are designated vin de France, meaning the labels can state neither the vintage nor constituent grape varieties. This 2012 is a still blanc de noirs made from Cabernet Franc with a dollop (10%) of lees-stirred Chenin Blanc. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Complex, one-of-a-kind nose of minerals, wax and faint pickle juice. Equally inscrutable and intriguing in the mouth, with a certain heft and roundness, fruit tending to pear, underpinning acidity, a vein of flinty chalk and a touch of bitterness on the long finish. Can easily see this working with walleye or other freshwater fish. (Buy again? Yes, especially if in the mood for something different.)
(Flight: 4/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: Natural born Alsatians
Alsace Pinot Blanc 2013, Les Pierres Chaudes, Domaine Julien Meyer ($27.43, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Pinot Blanc. (This is not the blend of the 2012 and 2013 vintages labelled 12.13 but the all-2013 bottling.) Manually harvested. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Underwent partial malolactic fermentation. Lightly filtered (fine earth) before bottling. Unfined. No added anything, including sulphur. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
A Pinot Blanc not in the vin plaisir mould, as hinted at by the savoury nose of mushroom and daffodil. The acidic attack notwithstanding, the wine feels hefty and “rainwatery soft,” to quote one of the tasters. Full of ripe fruit (pear and apple mainly), bitter almond and chalk flavours. Broad, smooth finish. (Buy again? Sure, though not without wishing it were a few bucks cheaper.)
Alsace Riesling 1998, Grand cru Moenchberg, Domaine Moritz ($33.35, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Riesling from two Moenchberg parcels – one planted in 1985, the other in 1960 – totalling 14.6 ares (0.36 acres). Farming is, for all intents and purposes, organic but not certified as such. Manually harvested, gently pressed, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in large old oak barrels. Bottled in the fall of 1999. In a typical year, about 1,000 bottles of this wine are made. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Fourteen years old and probably at peak. A noseful of tertiary aromas including petrol, tarragon, caramel and peppermint. Smooth and dry in the mouth with just enough acidity and lots of ripe, soft fruit. Quartz and caramel thread through the very long finish. A good, not great vintage but a lovely, complex wine and an excellent price for a one-and-a-half-decade-old grand cru. (Buy again? Yes, for drinking in the short term.)
(Flight: 3/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: White gold
Vouvray sec 2004, Domaine Lemaire-Fournier ($26.45, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Chenin Blanc. The now-defunct 30-hectare estate was located in Vernou-sur-Brenne, close to Vouvray. In 2004, the estate was in its third year of conversion to organic farming. The wines were made with native yeasts and abjuring enzymes, chaptalization, deacidification, fining, added nutrients, tartric stabilization and sulphur. The estate’s remaining stocks of wine are being liquidated, which explains the reasonable price. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
A whiff of nail polish remover quickly blows off, leaving an evolved, complex nose of honeysuckle, camomile, banana peel, chalk, pear, dried mushroom, caramel and, eventually, buckwheat honey. On first sip you wonder whether it isn’t heading into off-dry territory but, no, the wine is dry albeit rich. The vibrant acidity is smoothed and rounded by the extract. The layers of fruit are set against a backdrop of crunchy minerals and joined by salted caramel on the long finish. Impressed just about everyone around the table. Amazing QPR. (Buy again? Obviously.)
Cour-Cheverny 2007, François 1er, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine des Huards ($32.00, private import, 6 bottles/case)
This is the big brother of Huard’s “Romo” Cour-Cheverny that the MWG tasted in June. 100% Romorantin from organically and biodynamically farmed vines averaging 75 years old. Manually harvested. Two-thirds of the grapes are immediately pressed, one-third are macerated on the skins for 15 hours before pressing. Fermented with indigenous yeasts at between 18 and 20°C. Matured on the lees for five months. Cold-stabilized before bottling in the September following the harvest. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Intriguing nose of Jerusalem artichoke, wax, white flowers, limestone, dried lemon peel, faint honey. Round yet lively in the mouth. The fruit is understated but lacy-textured and multifaceted, buoyed and freshened by Romorantin’s nervous acidity and infused with chalky minerals that last well into the impressively long finish. A delectable, elegant, complete wine deserving of a fine seafood dish (think langoustines). (Buy again? Oh, yes.)
(Flight: 2/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: Sparkle plenty
La QV’s head honcho Cyril Kérébel recently led the Mo’ Wine Group in a tasting of natural wines from La QV’s and Insolite’s portfolios. We kicked things off with a tasty sparkler.
Saumur 2004, Méthode Traditionnelle Brut Non-dosé, Château La Tour Grise ($25.29, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% Chenin Blanc from organically and biodynamically farmed vines averaging a quarter of a century old. Manually harvested. After sorting, the grapes are destemmed and pressed, with the must racked directly into the fermentation vessel. Primary fermentation, with indigenous yeasts, is stopped before all the sugar has been converted to alcohol. The wine is bottled and allowed to referment, producing the carbon dioxide that sparkles the wine. After extended ageing on the lees while stacked on lattes, the bottles are riddled, disgored and topped up but not dosed (a dosed cuvée is also made) and sealed with a cork and cage. Throughout the wine-making process, nothing is added to the wine except a small squirt of sulphur dioxide at bottling. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Browning apple, pear blossom, chalk, yeast and hints of citrus and anise. Dry and medium-bodied with a fine effervescence. The nuanced set of flavours is centred on understated fruit and an array of minerals. A leesy, saline undercurrent adds savour while a faint pithy bitterness shades the long finish. Remarkably fresh for a decade-old wine because the bottles are disgorged and topped up just before they’re shipped. A delicious, aged, natural sparkler for $25 and change. What’s not to like? (Buy again? Yes indeed.)
(Flight: 1/9)
Convincingly international
PGI Pangeon 2013, Assyrtiko/Sauvignon, Ktima Biblia Chora ($22.85, 11901138)
The winery and its 118 acres of vineyards sit on the southern slopes of Mount Pangeon, near Kavala, in eastern Macedonia. This is a 60-40 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Assyrtiko. Manually harvested. Cold-soaked for 12 hours, then pressed and fermented at low temperatures in stianless steel tanks. 13% ABV per SAQ.com, 14.5% per the label (I believe the label). 220,000 bottles made. Quebec agent: Cava Spiliadis (Le Maître de Chai).
Expressive nose in which the characteristic aromas of the component varieties intertwine, the Sauvignon contributing grass, grapefruit, cat pee and limestone, the Assyrtiko peach, lemon, honey, pumice and a hint of sea spray. Intense and vibrant in the mouth – fruity but dry, extracted but a middleweight. Any fat is instantly shredded by sabre-like acidity and buried by rocky minerals. On first sip you wonder whether the wine could use more depth and length; on subsequent sips, you don’t give it a second thought. The alcohol flares a little on the bitter-edged finish, especially as the wine warms, so best drunk nicely chilled. International in style? Yes but convincingly so. Easily the best vintage of this wine I’ve tasted. What to drink it with? Olives and mezze, simply prepared seafood, goat cheese. (Buy again? Sure.)
Salon VIP 2014: Root day at Rézin (7/7)
Monferrato Dolcetto 2010, Bricco della Serra, Bera Vittorio e figli ($36.15, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Known primarily for its Moscato d’Asti, the estate, which has been farming organically since 1964, also makes several still wines. The 100% Dolcetto comes from decade-old vines grown in a one-hectare vineyard. Manually harvested. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts lasts 25 days, maturation on the lees 24 months; both take place in 50-hectolitre lined concrete tanks. No added anything, including, according to Steve, sulphur. Unfiltered and unfined. 13.0% ABV. Quebec agent: Rézin.
Fragrant nose of dried rose, mulberry, black cherry, sandalwood and peppery spice. Vibrant and dynamic from the first sip. The ripe fruit and raspy tannins give the wine a velvety texture while the uncommonly bright acidity keeps it fresh and dark minerals add an appealing earthiness. The finish is mouth-filling and sustained. A wine of remarkable breadth and depth, beyond what one normally associates with this grape. Indeed, you could almost fault it for being atypical – too poised, too dimensional, too accomplished for a Dolcetto. Truly one of the standouts of the event. (Buy again? I did, twice, though at the time I thought the price was $32, already more than any other Dolcetto sold at the SAQ. But even at $36 and change, I don’t regret the purchase – I’ve not been this excited about a Dolcetto since forever.)
Dolcetto is usually thought of as the quintessential weeknight pasta and pizza wine. This, however, deserves finer fare. If you’re going the pasta route, think a sauce built around long-braised lamb. Or follow Steve Beauséjour’s suggestion of roasted fowl, which put me in mind of Patricia Well’s guinea hen stuffed with olives, bacon, shallots and thyme (recipe with an accompanying purée of my own invention after the jump).
And, by the way, though our afternoon at the salon ended with visits to the La QV/Insolite and Ward & associés stands, I appear to have misplaced my tasting notes. Not to worry about the former, however, as the upcoming notes on last week’s MWG tasting will show.
Salon VIP 2014: Root day at Rézin (6/7)
Yarra Valley 2013, Pépé le Pinot, Jamsheed Wines ($39.30, private import, 6 bottles/case)
The winery has two lines: the eponymous premium line and the more affordable Harem Series. Price notwithstanding, this is part of the latter. 100% organically farmed Pinot Noir sourced, in 2013, from the Penbro Vineyard in the Yea Valley district. 45% of the grapes were macerated and fermented (with indigenous yeasts) as whole clusters, the rest as whole berries. Given three days’ cold soak and minimal punching down. Spent 30 days on the skins and eight months on the lees in old French oak barrels. Unfiltered and unfined. Screwcapped. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Rézin.
Wafting, warm-climate nose, the red cherry and berries lifted by spice, grounded by earth and darkened by gamy notes. In the mouth, it’s a supple, savoury middleweight. The fruit is ripe but not heavy, thanks in large part to the refreshing acidity. Background minerals and old wood provide some flavour depth while airframe tannins bestow a modicum of grip, most apparent on the finish. Lightly chilled, this would go well with grilled tuna or cedar-planked salmon. (Buy again? Irrespective of price, yes. But 40 bucks is awfully steep for an easy-drinking Pinot.)
Salon VIP 2014: Root day at Rézin (5/7)
Burgenland 2012, Blaufränkisch, Heideboden, Weingut Pittnauer ($24.50, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Located near the village of Gols, on the northeastern shore of the Neusiedlersee not far from the Hungarian border, the estate is renowned for its St. Laurents and Pinot Noirs. This 100% Blaufränkisch come from biodynamically and organically farmed quarter-century old vines grown in the Heideboden vineyard. Manually harvested. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks at 27°C. Matured 12 months in neutral barrels. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Rézin.
Dark berries, flowers, spice and graphite on the nose. Fresh and lively in the mouth. Supple tannins provide just enough grit while streaming acidity carries the juicy, very dry fruit (mainly cherry) into a clean, minerally finish. Modern in its elegance but classic in its down-to-earthiness. Food-friendly to the max. (Buy again? Sure.)
Brett happens 