An evening with Olivier Guyot (1/6)
In town in late January on his way to the Gaspé peninsula for a week of snowmobiling, Côtes-de-Nuits winemaker Olivier Guyot made time for a tasting – his second – with the Mo’ Wine Group. Many thanks to oenopole for making this happen.
Initially mentored by the late Denis Mortet, Guyot farms organically and biodynamically but hasn’t bothered with certifications, preferring to call his approach traditional. The vineyards are worked with a horse. The grapes are harvested manually, rigorously sorted and, for the reds, partially destemmed. All wines are made using the same non-interventionist approach: fermentation with indigenous yeasts in open wood vats; gravity flow into untoasted oak barrels, a portion of which are new for the higher-end cuvées; and maturation ranging from 11 to 18 months depending on the cuvée and the vintage. In stark contrast to many Burgundy estates, racking is avoided and chaptalization is kept to a minimum. Sulphur is used sparingly. Ditto filtering and fining, if at all.
Having now tasted through two sets of bottles from a range of vintages, I think it must be the house style to make wines that are accessible at most or all stages of their development. If there’s a downside to the wines, it’s that the prices are a little higher than ideal; then again, that’s true for most Burgundies. Also, the wines are popular with restaurateurs – quite possibly due to the accessibility factor as well as their inherent quality – so they tend to sell out fast. Indeed, of the wines we tasted, only the Marsannay blanc and 2010 Chambolle-Musigny “Vieilles Vignes” remain available for purchase, though the 2010 Marsannay “Les Favières” is slated to show up at the SAQ in a few weeks.
When asked about recent vintages, Guyot (whose contrarian take on 2008 and 2009 has proved spot on) said 2010 produced classic if not marathon wines, 2011 was uneven but, when good, very good and 2012 was exceptional, though yields were low, allocations will be tiny and prices will be high. His advice: either start saving now or stock up on more affordable earlier vintages.
Aligoté 2011, Domaine Olivier Guyot ($24.50, oenopole, 12 bottles/case)
100% Aligoté from 70-year-old vines. 12% ABV.
Clean nose: minerals, apple, fresh straw, dusty lemon. Light but fruity and quite complex for an Aligoté. The piquant acidity comes out on the long, minerally finish. A fresh and refreshing Aligoté that ranks with the best. Drink young. (Buy again? Done!)
Marsannay blanc 2010, Domaine Olivier Guyot ($46.25, oenopole, 6 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay from 70-year-old vines. Aged in a mix of new and used barrels. Olivier says this ages well, gaining an oily texture and nutty overtones with the years. 12% ABV.
Light tropical fruit (mango?), chalk, dried lemon peel and a lingering note of freshly mown field. Light to medium-bodied yet possessed of a real presence and a certain richness. The fruit is fully ripe but the wine borders on bone dry. Great minerality and good acidity. Pure and savoury, with a hint of spice on the finish. Delicious. Classic. (Buy again? If only it were a little less expensive… but a bottle or two quand même).
Sausage love, 2014 edition
Forget those overpriced Valentine meals prepared by bored chefs and served by jaded waiters in stuffy restaurants. On February 14, sausage lovers, wine lovers and just plain lovers will be heading to Nouveau Palais for a hit of Pork Futures goodness (sweet or spicy sausage sandwiches with fries and coleslaw or sauerkraut) and glass after drinkable glass of — what else? — San Valentino wines poured by oenopole.
The fourth annual Valentine’s Sausage Party
“Because nothing says love like sausage…”
Friday, February 14, 2014
17:30 to midnight (or until they run out)
Nouveau Palais
281 Bernard St. West, Montreal
Striking gold at Orange Rouge
The parallels were eerie. Dinner at a new-to-me restaurant. Spotting a vintageless Langhe Nebbiolo on the short wine list. Inquiring whether it might be the just-arrived Produttori del Barbaresco bottling and being met with incomprehension from the server, who offers to fetch a bottle and see. A eureka moment when the bottle is brought to the table. And a revelation when the wine is drunk with the food.
It first happened in March of 2012 at the now-defunct Jane. And it happened again the other night at Orange Rouge.
At a tasting a little more than a year ago, the Produttori’s general manager Aldo Vacca mentioned that after the “light” 2010s and “extremely ripe” 2011s, the low-yielding 2012 vintage was “ideal.” So I was stoked when I saw that the cooperative’s 2012 Langhe Nebbiolo had shown up at the SAQ ($23.70, 11383617). I’d reserved a couple of bottles but hadn’t tasted it.
Meanwhile back at Orange Rouge, we were having a hard time deciding what to order. Among the big dishes, both the roast duck and the three-ways arctic char beckoned. But discovering the wine clinched it: we were going for the quacker. “Be aware the duck requires about 30 minutes to prepare,” the server said. “You might want to order a few small dishes to eat while you wait.”
That we did, along with a 750 ml bottle of Ferran Adrià’s Estrella Damm Inedit ($8.30 at the SAQ, 11276336). The sriracha peanuts came in a small bowl and were crunchy-caramelized, mildly salty/spicy/sweet and compulsively edible. The popcorn shrimp, well breaded and deep-fried to a crispy brown, tasted of the sea and, if they didn’t exactly pop, they definitely snapped. A salad of fresh mint sprigs in a light, savoury, subtly spiced vinaigrette was delicious on its own and a quantum leap better with the garnish of crumbled fresh goat cheese. The beer more than held its own with everything: softly fragrant and effervescent, clean and light enough to refresh the palate and, with its delicate white spice and orange peel notes, complex enough to play off the spices in the food. In other contexts it has left me unconvinced, but here it was ideal.
Just after the wine was opened and poured, the duck made a spectacular entrance: a bed of stir-fried (?) napa cabbage, ringed by thin, overlapping slices of duck breast, crowned with mahogany-skinned thighs, wings and drumsticks and bed-headed with a shock of julienned carrot and zucchini. On a separate platter came a fan of largish half-moon steamed buns, a soy-based dipping sauce and cilantro leaves. The duck’s breast and extremities may have been cooked separately, as each was done to moist, rosy perfection; the pieces we savoured on their own, the breast slices with the buns. The cabbage, which required time and some digging to get at, had no wok hai but duck juice mojo in spades. The dish was a lot for three people, easily enough for four or, with an added side or two, six; still, there was never a question of our not polishing it off. It was, in a word, glorious, the best duck any of us has encountered in a restaurant or maybe anywhere. And it puts the “Peking” duck at places like Mon Nan and Cristal Chinois to shame.
The only side we ordered was a small dish of burned eggplant, the silken flesh garnished with bonito shavings and plated with a smear of mild green chile sauce. Delectable.
The Langhe proved an absolute delight, fully deserving of its advance billing. Redolent of cherry and blackberry with hints of tar, rose and anise, despite being served in small Duralex tumblers. Supple and fluid yet intensely flavoured at its core, the acidity illuminating, the tannins ripe and rasping, the sweet fruit lilting over a ground bass of slate, wood and earth. Delicious on its own, it sang with the duck and did bel canto duets with the eggplant. In short, a wine to buy by the case.
Stuffed to the gills, we could find room only for a small bowl of house-made orange ice cream served with three spoons. Smooth and silky, not very sweet and haunted more than flavoured by the citrus, it had a soft peppery kick from a scattering of slivered candied ginger.
The damage? With one bottle of beer and two bottles of the Langhe (the resto’s markup on alcohol appears to be the standard 110%, alas), $250 for three or $85 a person, including taxes but before tip. The food alone came to less than $50 per. A bit pricey compared with other Chinatown eateries, perhaps. Then again, other Chinatown eateries aren’t really comparable.
The Langhe’s distribution appears to be spotty. Some stores are currently showing inventories approaching and even exceeding 100 bottles. Others have received only a fraction of that number and are quickly blowing through their stock. A second shipment is slated to arrive in a month or so. Still, to be on the safe side, you should act fast. You simply will not find a more beguling Old World red at the regular price. And if you reserve your bottles now and pick them up on Valentine’s Day weekend, you’ll get 10% off (if part of a total purchase of $100 or more), which has to make this the QPR winner of the year.
Failing that, put together a party of food and wine lovers and make a beeline for Orange Rouge.
Hats off to Hatzidakis
A native of Crete who worked for Boutari, Haridimos Hatzidakis founded his eponymous estate in 1996, starting with vines owned by his wife’s family. The vineyards surrounding the canava are certified organic, a rare occurrence on the island, and the vines are trained into the traditional basket or nest shape, which offers some protection from the wind and sun and helps conserve precious moisture. Like all vines on phylloxera-free Santorini, they are ungrafted.
Santorini 2012, Assyrtiko, Domaine Hatzidakis ($23.55, 11901171)
100% Assyrtiko. No maceration. After clarification, the must is fermented at 18ºC with indigenous yeasts. Matured on the lees for 40 days. Aged in stainless steal tanks. Lightly filtered and dosed with sulphur dioxide before bottling. 52,000 bottles made. 13.5% ABV. This is the estate’s entry-level bottling. For the glorious higher-end cuvées, keep an eye on oenopole‘s website.
Chalk and quartz sand, lemon peel, a faint herby/resinous note and eventually some peach. Quite weighty in the mouth yet fluid, like rainwater. Austere but intense: the extract — stuffing more than fruit — holds the coursing acidity in check, then fades, leaving a long-lingering matrix of minerals, lemon pith, powdered honey and sea salt. Carafe this 20 minutes before serving and don’t make the mistake of drinking it overly chilled. Great as an aperitif with olives, a natural with grilled fish and a knockout with oysters on the half shell. (Buy again? Try and stop me.)
MWG January 16th tasting (8/8): Pheasants under glass
Kartli 2011, Tavkveri, Pheasant’s Tears ($28.50, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
100% organically farmed Tavkveri, which Cyril described as being a Georgian analogue to Gamay. 12.5% ABV.
Sweet-smelling nose, the red fruit sprinkled with maple sugar and joined by notes of spice, ink and wood. Smooth and supple in the mouth, with just enough tannin to lend the wine a velours-like texture. The red cherry-like fruit has a definite tang. Fun. (Buy again? Making a point of it.)
Kakheti 2011, Saperavi, Pheasant’s Tears ($29.75, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
100% organically farmed Saperavi, another red-fleshed grape. 12.5% ABV.
Surprising nose of oysters, slate, spice and a whiff of barnyard. Approachable if tense tannins and sustained acidity give this middleweight good structure. The silky fruit takes on an earthy edge that lingers through the long finish. There’s not a lot of depth here but a really interesting surface. Seems a shade lighter than the 2010 tasted last spring. (Buy again? Yes.)
MWG January 16th tasting (7/8): Bella Stella
Rosso di Montalcino 2009, Stella di Campalto ($51.75, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
The 13.5-hectare Podere S. Giuseppe estate with its 5.5 hectares of vineyards has been certified organic since 1996 and using biodynamic methods since 2002. It makes only two wines (this Rosso and a pricey Brunello), a grappa and olive oil. The grapes for this 100% Sangiovese Grosso were manually harvested, destemmed, transferred into old wooden vats (the winery uses a gravity system) and fermented with indigenous yeasts. The resulting wine was matured 21 months in 225- and 900-litre barrels and nine months in the bottle. Small amounts of sulphur may have been added throughout the wine-making process. 14% ABV.
Wafting Sangiovese nose: terracotta, dried herbs (including tobacco), cherry, a hint of anisette. Medium-bodied and satiny. The fruit is sweet, the acidity bright, the tannins fine and supple. An faint iron note emerges on the long, savory finish. Lean bordering on austere but admirably pure, and the alcohol in no way stands out. While a couple of tasters dismissed it as “crantini,” the only thing holding me back is the price. (Buy again? Thinking about it.)
MWG January 16th tasting (6/8): Beau, bon, pas cher
IGP de l’Aude 2011, Kézako?, Domaine Mâmârutá ($23.50, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
Run by 30-something Marc Castan, the 13-hectare estate, which is located in La Palme near the Mediterranean coast, is converting to organic and leans biodynamic. This cuvée is almost entirely Carignan with a dollop of Syrah. Manually harvested, fermented with native yeasts, unfiltered, unfined. Minimal added sulphur. 13.5% ABV. The name means “what’s this?” in Occitain.
Plum, spice and evanescent barnyard. Pure, fluid and refreshing. Rich but not heavy, in no small part due to the vibrant acidity. Supple tannins and good length. The quaffability quotient is almost as high as for Castan’s Coupe Soif tasted in October. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Minervois 2011, Viti vini bibi, Benjamin Taillandier ($25.00, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
Thirty-something Taillandier founded his eponymous estate in 2007. This blend is made from organically farmed Grenache (60%) Cinsault (20%) and Carignan (20%). Manually harvested, indigenous yeasts, unfiltered, unfined, with a minimal amount of sulphur added only at bottling. Vegan-compatible. 14% ABV.
Plum, spice, shoe leather, a whiff of animale. Full-bodied and smooth, with soft, juicy fruit, lowish acidity, a tannic substructure and a long slatey finish. Very popular with some around the table though I found it a bit overshadowed by the Kézako’s vibrancy. (Buy again? Sure.)
MWG January 16th tasting (5/8): Biodynamic duo
Bourgueil 2012, Diptyque dernier cri, Domaine de la Chevalerie ($22.25, La QV, 12 bottles/case)
The 38-hectare organic and biodynamic estate is located in Restigné. Each year, it makes a special cuvée for immediate drinking, dubbed Diptyque dernier cri in 2012. Like all Chevalerie wines, this is a 100% manually harvested Cabernet Franc. Fully destemmed and handled gently (no pumping). Temperature-controlled fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Matured in large neutral barrels. Unfiltered. Minimal added sulphur. 12.5% ABV.
Barnyard giving way to pepper, blackberry, slate. On the lighter side of medium-bodied. Dry but full of ripe fruit (sweet at its core), raspy but not astringent tannins and refreshing acidity. Pure and tasty, an easy-drinking vin plaisir. Serve lightly chilled. (Buy again? Yep.)
Vin de Sologne 2010, Élément-Terre, Julien Courtois ($31.75, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
100% Gamay teinturier de Chaudenay, a red-fleshed grape once common in the Loire. The estate is run according to organic and biodynamic principles. Wine-making is non-interventionist. Matured in large oak foudres for ten to 12 months. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 12.5% ABV. As of the 2011 vintage, the cuvée’s name is changing to Éléments.
Spicy/cedary nose of cherry, leather and eventually a hint of bacon. In the mouth, it’s an odd mix of juicy fresh cherry and old leather. Medium-bodied and supple yet somehow chewy, with light rustic tannins. There’s a candied edge to the fruit, especially on the flavourful finish, yet the wine is dry. As one taster pointed out, it’s actually quite Piedmontese in style. (Buy again? It’s a little pricey but sure.)
MWG January 16th tasting (4/8): A white red orange
Saar 2010, Orange, Weigut Orea ($24.00, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
100% organically farmed Pinot Noir vinified like a white – a blanc de noirs, in other words – which , if I understand correctly, the winemaker, Hervé Bar, considers an orange wine of sorts, not that I know how that works with a red grape. Spontaneous fermentation. Hands-off approach to the wine-making, including no chaptalization, fining or filtering and no or minimal added sulphur. 11.5% ABV. The estate has reportedly ceased making wine, Bar having followed his wife back to his native Bordeaux.
Colour somewhere between an orange wine and a rosé. People toyed with bouquet descriptors like lemon cookies and lime zest before one of them pegged it: flat champagne. The wine has a silky, caressing texture. The sweet-ripe fruit (apple, mango, mangosteen) is brightened by acidity and dried by a faint hint of tannins. There’s a certain depth and good length. Emminently quaffable, far more so than other still white Pinot Noirs you might name. Popular with many of the assembled tasters. (Buy again? Yes.)
The estate’s Rieslings are well regarded and its Chardonnay has been compared to Chablis.
MWG January 16th tasting (3/8): Rkatsiteli à l’orange
According to some estimates, Rkatsiteli is, by acreage, the third most planted vinifera grape in the world. It’s also one of the oldest. Most is grown in the countries of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc, though it also has a toehold in North America, most famously in New York’s Finger Lakes region, where Dr. Konstantin Frank’s version has developed a minor cult following. The Frank Rkatsiteli is made in a modern, clean-as-a-whistle style, in sharp contrast to the three qvevri-fermented orange wines in this flight.
Kakheti 2011, Rkatsiteli, Pheasant’s Tears ($28.50, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
100% organically farmed Rkatsiteli. 12.5% ABV.
Yellow apple, oxidized pear, hints of spice, honeycomb, roasted poultry juices. Light yet intense and flavourful, with noticeable acidity and tannins. Long. Ultimately fruity and fresh, especially in comparison to the other two wines. (Buy again? Yes.)
Kakheti 2011, Rkatsiteli, Teleda ($30.50, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
100% organically farmed Rkatsiteli. 13.5% ABV. For background on the winery, which was founded in 2010, see here.
Oxidized butter, dried yellow fruit, dried herbs, dried flowers, hazelnut skins, whiff of sourness. Very dry and mouth-filling. Lots of flavour, including brown pear skin and apricot. There’s a core of vibrant fruit, acid galore and lingering faint tannins. The finish has a heady, almost volatile edge. A favourite of several around the table. (Buy again? Yes.)
Kakheti 2010, Rkatsiteli, Alaverdi ($40.00, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
Founded in the sixth century of the common era, the Alaverdi monastery has been making wine since at least the 11th century. The grapes for this 100% Rkatsiteli come from 40-year-old organically farmed vines. Unfiltered and unfined, with minimal added sulphur. 13% ABV.
Deep bronze as opposed to the other wines’ amber. Powerful, wild nose with notes of house paint and plaster along with more conventional apricot, minerals and herbs. Rich bordering on dense though in no way heavy. Structured by firm tannins and gleaming acidity. Very long. Fascinating. Needs food – something you might say about all the Georgians. (Buy again? Another bottle.)
Brett happens 