MWG June 21st tasting: report (3/4)
Zweigelt 2010, Burgenland, Meinklang ($24.50, La QV)
100% biodynamically farmed Zweigelt. 13% ABV. The winemaker recommends serving this lightly chilled (17ºC/63ºF).
Raspberry and turned earth. Suave with smooth tannins, some muted oak and a Burgundian weight (very similar to the Givry in fact). Round but with good acid; sweet-tasting (ripe fruit) but dry; initially spicy but gaining earthiness as it breathes. Long, clean finish, a common thread in all the Meinklang wines. The best Zweigelt I’ve ever tasted. (Buy again? For sure.)
Fleurie 2010, Les Moriers, Domaine Chignard ($23.50, 11305686)
100% Gamay. Whole cluster fermentation (in stainless steel and cement vats) with vatting for six to eight days before pressing. Aged in neutral foudres for 13 months. For some markets, the wine is bottled unfiltered and unfined with no added sulphur, though the SAQ may require otherwise (as they do with Lapierre’s Morgon). 12.5% ABV.
Raspberry, slate and a whiff of kirsch. Sappy, smooth and dry on the palate, a mouthful of tangy, ripe strawberry. Lighter and less structured than expected – the vines are 40 years old, after all, and the vineyard overlooks Moulin-à-Vent – but wonderfully pure and fresh. (Buy again? When in the mood for a vin plaisir, yes.)
Chinon 2009, Domaine Bernard Baudry ($20.20, 10257571)
100% Cabernet Franc from 30- to 35-year-old vines grown without herbicides or synthetic chemicals. Slow fermentation in cement vats. Aged 12 months in neutral oak vats and barrels. 12.5% ABV.
As usual, a reductive nose that slowly gained red plum, animale and a hint of tobacco leaf. Supple, dark and ripe, with fine tannins, a gravelly substrate and no herbaceousness. Balanced in its brooding manner. (Buy again? Maybe, though the superior Grézeaux bottling is only a few dollars more.)
Givry premier cru 2010, Clos Salomon, Domaine du Clos Salomon (Gardin-Perrotto) ($31.75, 00918086)
100% Pinot Noir from the 40-year-old vines of the fabled 7-ha Côte Chalonnaise vineyard (a monopole because the estate owns the entire clos). Farmed without herbicides or insecticides. Vatted at low temperatures for five days, then fermented with wild yeasts in open vats. Aged 12 months in 25% new French oak barrels. Unracked, unfiltered and unfined. 13% ABV.
Red berries, forest floor, background oak. Medium-bodied and relatively supple with bright, almost biting acidity and sleek tannins. The fruit is ripe and, for now, primary though embellished with a floral overtone. Long. A tasty wine that will only be better in a few years. Excellent QPR. (Buy again? Sure.)
MWG June 21st tasting: report (2/4)
Located on the east shore of the Neusiedler See in eastern Austria (Burgenland), not far from the Hungarian border, the 55-hectare Meinklang estate is run by Werner and Angela Michlits. (The estate’s name is the German word Einklang – unison, harmony – prefixed with the first letter of the owners’ family name.) Not only is the operation organic and biodynamic, it is largely self-sufficient, growing its own grain for its beer and bread, hops for its beer, apples and other fruit for its ciders and juices, beef for weed control, fertilizer, sausages and the horns so important in biodynamic farming, and so on. This is another estate where the wines – all of which are vegan-compatible – are made in the vineyard, not the cellar.
Having tasted several Meinklang wines in earlier vintages, I was sure their purity and personality, their droiture and drinkability would be right up the MWG’s alley. However, I wasn’t expecting the unprecedented reaction that the four wines in the tasting elicited from the members in attendance – discussion during and after the event, tweets and a small flurry of emails and phone calls raving about them. If nothing else, it confirmed my impression that these are exceptionally enjoyable wines very much geared to the natural wine lover’s palate.
Grüner Veltliner 2011, Burgenland, Meinklang ($21.00, 12 bottles/case, La QV)
100% Grüner Veltliner. 11.5% ABV. Screwcapped. The 2010 vintage is currently available at the LCBO for $15.95.
Green pear and apple, grass, white pepper and eventually rosemary. Soft and minerally with underlying lime and acidity galore. Pure fruit. Clean and long. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Hárslevelü 2010, H9, Meinklang ($33.00, 6 bottles/case, La QV, available in September)
100% Hárslevelü from the estate’s Hungarian vineyards. 12.5% ABV if I recall correctly.
Fresh nose with hints of peach, honey and hay. Yellow apple on the palate. The rich texture and touch of residual sugar are cut by brightening acidity. Dancing mineral finish. Less tense and Riesling-like than the 2009 but every bit as delicious. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Grauburgunder 2010, Trocken, “Graupert”, Burgenland, Meinklang ($42.00, 6 bottles/case, La QV, available in September)
100% Grauburgunder (aka Pinot Gris) from vines that, as an experiment, have been left unpruned for several years (in the local dialect, graupert means wild and unkempt), drastically reducing yields. 13% ABV.
Intriguing and complex nose whose aromas included lychee, sweat and “dill pickle chips.” Rich and honeyed but also very dry and bracingly acidic. Turns savoury on the finish. Impressive breadth and depth, not to mention great length. After finishing the tail end he took home with him, one member (a Burgundy native at that) reported, “I’m sold!” (Buy again? Yes.)
MWG June 21st tasting: report (1/4)
IGT Terre di Chieti 2010, Pecorino “Unico”, Tenute Ulisse ($18.80, 11660418)
100% Pecorino from 5- to 10-year old vines. Chilled, destemmed and softly crushed before ferminting and three-months aging in stainless steel. 13% ABV. Vino-lok closure.
Apple and lemon on the nose. Medium-bodied but full of extract. Kept bright by acidity. Savoury lemon intertwines with chalk and quartz. Good, clean finish with a faint bitter note (hazelnut skin?). Fine as a apertif or with simply prepared seafood. (Buy again? Sure.)
Verdicchio di Matelica 2010, Bisci ($20.20, 11660979)
100% Verdicchio. Lightly crushed then pressed to separate the must from the skins. Fermented at a cool 20ºC or less. Aged seven months before bottling. 13% ABV.
Floral bouquet with chalk, grapefruit, melon and eventually jalapeno notes. Rounder and weightier than the Pecorino but also blander (perhaps due to its being served too chilled; the estate recommends 14ºC or higher), which isn’t to say lacking dimension. Clean and bracing with lifting acidity. At this point, not as exciting as the 2009. (Buy again? Yes, especially to lay down for a year or two.)
Rias Baixas 2010, Albariño, Fillaboa ($22.05, 11668129)
100% Albariño from one of the appellation’s top producers. Sees extended lees contact. 13% ABV.
Odd nose that had us wondering whether the bottle wasn’t slightly off: curdled cream against a background of lemon, flowers and coral. Lighter and simpler than its reputation suggests it should be: a savoury, minerally, lemony mouthful with crisp acidity and a saline, slightly alcoholic finish. Not bad but I couldn’t buck the impression that something was missing, that the parts weren’t coalescing into a whole. (Buy again? Maybe to give it another chance.)
Bierzo 2010, Godello, Dominio de Tares ($26.25, 11631852)
100% Godello from 20-year-old vines. Fermented 20 days at 19ºC. No malolactic fermentation. Aged three months in new French oak barrels with daily battonage. Cassein-fined before bottling. 13% ABV.
Complex and evolving nose of yellow fruit, spice and a hint of oak. Ripe-fruity and rich in extract, so conveying an impression of sweetness, yet briskly acidic and actually quite dry. Subtle peach and vanilla give way to a long, spicy finish. Intriguing. (Buy again? Yes!)
MWG tasting with Jean-Paul Daumen
Focused, well-spoken and charming Jean-Paul Daumen, the man in charge of the southern Rhône estate Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, was in town recently for a series of promotional events that included a tasting with the Mo’ Wine Group. And what a tasting it was: an overview of the estate’s red wines that featured a vertical of Châteauneuf-du-Papes the likes of which even Jean-Paul said he has rarely experienced. Many thanks to oenopole for making this happen.
Vieille Julienne was acquired by the Daumen family in 1905, who sold the grapes to négociants until 1960. After trying his hand at various vocations, including that of musician, Jean-Paul returned to the estate in 1990. Unaware of the budding organic and biodyanmic movements, he decided on his own to adopt a natural approach in the vineyard and a non-interventionist approach in the winery. The question “So, for you, a wine is made in the vineyard, not the cellar?” elicited a succinct “Absoluement.”
The estate comprises 10.5 ha of vines – 10 ha of black grapes and 0.5 ha of white – in the northern part of the Châteauneuf region. Most of the vines are old, upwards of 100 years in some cases. All the wines are made in essentially the same way: hand-picking and repeated sorting of grapes; partial destemming; temperature-controlled fermentation with indigenous yeasts; extended maceration; approximately 12 months’ aging in foudres and neutral barrels; no filtering or fining; sulphur added – and then minimally – only just before bottling.
Jean-Paul admits that the wines are, first and foremost, about fruit; that’s what nature and the terroir produce, he says. However, they are far from fruit bombs. Before the event, more than one MWG member expressed apprehension at the prospect of tasting through a baker’s dozen of big, heady wines. Would palates be obliterated as had happened only a week earlier? We needn’t have worried. While big, the wines weren’t bruising and their purity and balance ensured refreshment. They were also remarkably stylish and consistent across the vintages, as the following notes show.
Two La QV cuvées
La QV‘s new season of Wednesday evening apéros, with Cyril pouring glasses of a couple of private imports and Julie serving small dishes featuring local ingredients, is in full swing. This evening’s edition was built around Domaine Ribiera’s 2010 Causse Toujours, tasting better than ever, with a couple other wines of interest sharing the spotlight.
Bourgogne-Aligoté 2010, Domaine Sarnin-Berrux ($25.35, 12 bottles/case, La QV)
100% Aligoté, possibly organically farmed. 11% ABV if I remember correctly.
Nose of citronella, wax and a faint hint of ash. Crystalline lemon and acidity so keen the wine tingles. Very dry. Softens a little on the clean, limestoney finish. Another lip-smacker, just about perfect for a scorcher like today. Stocks are beginning to dwindle; if you want some, act fast.
Beaujolais Villages 2010, Roue libre, Domaine Grain de Sénevé ($24.75, 12 bottles/case, La QV)
Domaine Grain de Sénevé – whose name translates as the wild mustard seed estate – began converting to organic production in 2007; 2010 is its first certified organic vintage. This is the estate’s unsulphured cuvée. 100% organically farmed Gamay. Fermented with native yeasts. Bottled unfiltered and unfined.
Cloudy pale maroon. Savoury and surprising nose of candied raspberry, cinnamon, lily flower, quartz and a hint of fur. Light, fresh and juicy – though remarkably dry – on the palate. Structured more by its pure fruit and bright acidity than by tannins, which are virtually non-existent. Sarsaparilla and slate notes on the lingering finish. Lightly chilled, this tart and refreshing wine is about the only kind of red you’d want to drink with the humidex pushing 40ºC/104ºF.
Santorini in a glass
Blasted by the sun and wind, the spectacularly beautiful island of Santorini is a remnant of the caldera of a volcano whose catastrophic collapse 35 centuries ago may have brought down the Minoan civilization in distant Crete. The island may also be the Atlantis of legend. The volcanic soil is young and nearly devoid of organic matter. Water in the form of rain is virtually non-existent during the growing season. The wind strips leaves and desiccates everything in its path. As Hugh Johnson has said, this is Europe’s most punishing vineyard. How surprising then that it is also the source of one of Europe’s great white wines.
The traditional vine-growing method, still much in use today, is to train the vines into nests kept low to the ground, which affords a degree of protection from the wind and sun.
Santorini 2010, Assyrtiko, Estate Argyros ($21.15, 11639344)
100% Assyrtiko from 50- to 60-year-old vines. Fermented and aged on the lees in stainless steel.
Quartz dust and lemon with notes of dried herbs and green grape. Medium-bodied and very dry. A tight coil of minerals and tingling acidity rounded by a density of, well, fruit except the wine’s not fruity (matière, the French would say; perhaps “extract” is the best translation). Virtually endless preserved-lemon finish, the alcohol (13.2% ABV) providing lift, not heat. Clean, pure and penetrating. In short, a lip-smacking wine not to be missed, especially at the price. Food pairing? Grilled fish served with lemon wedges and a pitcher of olive oil. Or, one of the best matches ever (better even than Muscadet or Chablis), oysters on the half shell.
Delicious Dolcetto
Dolcetto d’Alba 2010, Bric del Salto, Sottimano ($18.70, 10856558)
100% Dolcetto. Fermented with native yeasts. Sees only stainless steel. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 12.5% ABV according to the label (13% according to SAQ.com, perhaps referring to an earlier vintage).
Black cherry, plum, turned earth, mushroom. Medium-bodied with a soft texture and almost Burgundian weight. Fine, velvety tannins. Fluid yet juicy yet dry. Wonderfully pure and delicious fruit. Not much structural depth but considerable depth of flavour. A beguiling sourness and drying astringency mark the finish. A charmer.
Let my Bobal go!
Delighted with Calabuig’s authentic and refreshing Bobal (the closest I’ve come to a house red in a long time), I’ve had my eye on other wines made entirely or partly from this obscure grape variety. Mustiguillo’s blend is the most expensive Bobal-based wine I’ve seen. Does that mean it’s the best?
Vino de la tierra El Terrerazo 2009, Mestis, Bodega Mustiguillo ($19.05, 11412596)
50% Bobal, 30% Tempranillo and 20% Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Aged several months in French oak barrels. 14.5% ABV.
Cassis, plum and black cherry; hints of leather, slate, something green (leaves? bell pepper?) and, like a warning flag, chocolate. Oddly bipolar in the mouth. On one hand, there’s the sprightly native, the Bobal, with its juicy fruit and tart acidity yearning to be free. On the other, there’s the international straightjacket, a layer of cloying oak and a tannic structure that seems imposed, not integrated. Improves some as it breathes (so carafe it already), is better with food than on its own and shows a certain affinity for lamb (recipe after the jump). But this shotgun marriage is still a case of irreconcilable differences, as the milk chocolate and black pepper finish makes only too clear. Unfortunately, the label is the best thing about the wine.
MWG May 24th tasting: report (4/4)
Douro 2008, Batuta, Niepoort ($81.75, 10912071)
A blend of local grape varieties, predominantly Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional, mainly from 60+-year-old vines in the Quinta do Carril and vineyards from 100-year-old vines near Quinta de Nãpoles. Destemmed. Alcoholic fermentation took place in stainless steel vats and wood fermenters, the must being in contact with the skins for about 50 days. The wine was then pressed directly into French oak casks for 21 months’ malolactic fermentation and maturation. 14% ABV.
Complex, nuanced: spice, cedar, black fruit with hints of oak and maple. Full-bodied but no heaviness. Very structured with a formidable yet very fine tannic framework that gives the wine a velour-like texture. Pure and juicy fruit. Long, elegant finish. A flawless, impeccably balanced wine with great aging potential. (Buy again? If price were no object, yes.)
Douro 2008, Redoma, Niepoort ($44.75, 11634375)
A field blend involving Touriga Franco, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amareia and Tinto Cão, among others, from 60- to 120-year-old vines in the Cima Corgo region. Destemmed. Alcoholic fermentation was in stainless steel vats and stone lagares; malolactic fermentation and 20 month’s maturation in French oak casks. 14% ABV.
Initially gorgeous if closed nose of plum and spice, then gaining vanilla and chocolate notes. More straightforward, less deep and precise than the Batuta, the round tannins making for a more earthbound structure. The flavours are less layered, too. The dense fruit is buoyed by vibrant acidity. The oak is a little too present for now. Long, herby/menthol finish. Will benefit from a few years in the cellar. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Douro 2008, Vertente, Niepoort ($24.25, 10371665)
Another complex blend, this time comprising Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Tinta Amareia and Touriga Nacional, from 20-year-old vines in the Quinta de Nápoles vineyard and up to 70-year-old vines in the Pinhão Valley. Stainless steel tanks and lagares were used for alcoholic fermentation; 20% new French oak casks for malolactic fermentation and 18 months’ maturation. 13.5% ABV.
Fresh nose of cassis, turned earth, volatile herbs and subtle oak. At first appears closed yet complex and complete, with good structure, ripe fruit and a fluid texture. Becomes less well-integrated, less deep-seeming as it warms. The long, spicy finish shows a bit of heat. Closer than the other wines to a classic Douro. (Buy again? Yes, for serving uncarafed and at cool room temperature.)
The inclusion of the Redoma in the May 24th Cellier release prompted this mini-horizontal, which unfortunately couldn’t include the fourth Niepoort Douro regularly stocked at the SAQ, the virtually sold-out Dialogo ($15.80, 11605591). The three bottles we did taste shared many qualities: weight, savour, balance, impeccable craftsmanship and a relatively high price, about 20% above similar wines from competing producers.
Brett happens 
MWG May 24th tasting: report (3/4)
with one comment
BenMarco 2009, Mendoza, Dominio del Plata ($18.75, 11602701)
Made by Susana Balbo as “a tribute to the ‘traditional’ Argentinian wine style.” 90% Caberbet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Destemmed before pressing. Temperature-controlled fermentation with pumping over, racking and returning and 20 days’ extended maceration. Matured 11 months, 50% in new French oak barrels and 50% in second-use American oak barrels. 14.5% ABV.
Cherry Blossom (the candy, not the flower) but fresh with mint and cassis. The one-dimensional, oversweet fruit is almost obliterated by char. Look for ’em and you’ll find some sweet oak and ink. Fairly high acid and quite tannic. Predictable finish. Would probably benefit from a grilled steak, not that I intend to find out. (Buy again? No.)
Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Maipe Reserve, Luján de Cuyo, Bodega Chakana ($18.85, 11602883)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines averaging 38 years old. Temperature-controlled fermentation. Aged 12 months in French oak barrels. 14% ABV.
Cassis, smoked sausage and menthol eventually gaining some green bell pepper. Fruity, minerally, oaky but flat: flat flavours, flat acid, flat tannins. Long finish – too long. (Buy again? No.)
LFE 900 2008, Valle de Colchagua, Luis Felipe Edwards ($30.75, 11617874)
36% Petite Sirah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Syrah, 7% Carmenère and 3% Malbec from a single vineyard located at 900 metres altitude. Temperature-controlled fermentation followed by ten days’ maceration. Aged 18 months in new French oak barrels. 14.5% ABV.
Not particularly appealing nose: alcohol, leather, slate, ink, cassis and, eventually, Keds. Ripe, rich and mouth-filling but not a bomb. Sweet but not candied fruit, round verging on gummy tannins, peek-a-boo acidity, oak-spicy finish. (Buy again? If I had to choose one of the four, it’d be this, but no.)
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Elegance, Valle del Maipo, Haras de Pirque ($36.00, 11602891)
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah and 3% Cabernet Franc. The grapes were lightly crushed and cold-macerated for seven days before being fermented using indigenous yeasts with pumping over and racking and returning. Aged 16 months in French oak barrels. 14.8% ABV.
Off-putting nose with everything except fruit dialed to maximum: “paving crew” quipped one taster, “llama tail” another. Dense and exaggerated but, in its perverse way, balanced, the overripe fruit holding its own against the monster tannins and trowel-laid oak. Unrelenting finish. Tamed somewhat as it breathed and quite possibly in need of a few years in the cellar. Still, it’s hard to imagine this ever providing refreshment. And if there’s a more incongruously named wine in the world, I’ve not encountered it. (Buy again? Never.)
The high hopes I had for this flight were dashed. Obviously the wines are made in a style that I – and nearly all the tasters in attendance – don’t appreciate. But does that mean they’re bad wines? In their defence, one of the tasters, a confessed New World fan who also views white wines with suspicion, was in seventh heaven, drained all his glasses and was delighted that he got to take home the tail ends. Also, let it be noted that the wine press is far more positive about the bottles; Haras flaunts 90-point ratings from Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and various guides. (Let it also be noted that most of the wine press goes on junkets paid for by the producers’ associations in these countries.) And, dog knows, the wines sell. Yet, each time I smelled or tasted the Haras, I shuddered; most of the tasters around the table dumped their glasses after a sip or two; and one taster claimed the flight so obliterated his palate that he was unable to taste anything afterwards. Even the wines’ defenders would, I think, have to admit to their lack of refreshment. And for those of us who hold that a wine’s first duty is to be food-friendly and refreshing, that indeed makes them bad.
Written by carswell
May 30, 2012 at 10:58
Posted in Commentary, Tasting notes
Tagged with Argentina, Cellier, Chile, Mo' Wine Group