Posts Tagged ‘Affordable’
Vini per salumi
Grignolino d’Asti 2014, Grignè, Montalbera ($19.35, 13014372)
100% Grignolino from five- to 25-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Fermented in stainless steel tanks for 15 days, with the seeds removed after four to six days. Undergoes malolactic fermentation. Racked into stainless steel tanks for four months’ maturation. Lightly filtered. Reducing sugar: 7.0 g/l. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Valmonti.
Cedar, “old lady’s rose perfume” (in the words of another taster), tea leaves, sour cherry. Becomes perfumier as it breathes and eventually takes on a honey note. Light- to medium-bodied. The bright acidity and higher-than-usual residual sugar confer a sweet-and-sour edge, “like rose kombucha.” Tannins are slim and only a little raspy. Dark minerals and a sappy green streak tether the floral component. A faint bitterness lingers through the finish. Quite different (more Ruchè- or Larcrima di Morro-like) from other Grignolinos I’ve tried – this one, for example. (Buy again? Probably not, though I’ll gladly check out the 2015 if it’s drier.)
Dogliani 2014, San Luigi, Chionetti ($21.80, 12466001)
See here for background on the producer. 100% Dolcetto from vines averaging around 25 years old and grown in the San Luigi vineyard. Manually harvested. The soft-pressed grapes were macerated and fermented in temperature-controlled (max 29–30°C) tanks with indigenous yeasts and daily pump-overs for seven days. The wine was racked into new tanks for malolactic fermentation and 11 months’ maturation. Saw only stainless steel until bottling. Cold stabilized but unfiltered. Reducing sugar: 1.9 g/l. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Mulberry, morello cherry, animale and sandalwood. A silky middleweight. Fruity but dry and nicely tart. Slightly rustic tannins give it a light, pervasive astringency, the rumbling of minerals a modicum of depth. Finishes faster than I’d like though a bitter almond note lingers. Pure, tasty and easy to down. (Buy again? Yep.)
MWG October 27, 2016, tasting: flight 4 of 7
Mottura mouth
Civitella d’Agliano 2015, Poggio della Costa, Sergio Mottura ($23.50, 10782309)
100% Grechetto from organically farmed 30-year-old vines grown in the Poggio della Costa vineyard. Manually harvested, soft-pressed, cold-settled, fermented with selected yeasts in temperature-controlled (18-20°C) tanks for 20 days. Matured on the lees in tanks for six months. Sees only stainless steel until bottling. Filtered. Screwcapped. Reducing sugar: 1.3 g/l. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Valmonti.
Subtle, wafting nose of minerals (quartz), preserved lemon, straw with some flowers in it, “fennel bulb” (per another taster) and a saline note. Lemony and “chalky” in the mouth, the zingy acidity balanced by the not inconsiderable extract. A faint bitterness marks the long, clean, minerally finish. Simpler than the Orvieto but ultimately more appealing. (Buy again? Yes.)
Orvieto 2015, Tragugnano, Sergio Mottura ($22.40, 11660830)
A blend of organically farmed, well, what? The winemaker says Procanico (aka Trebbiano, 45%), Verdello (25%), Grechetto (20%) and Rupeccio (10%, so obscure it’s not mentioned in Wine Grapes). SAQ.com, the Quebec agent and some online merchants say Grechetto (50%), Procanico (40%) and Sauvignon Blanc (10 %). Whichever variety they are, the grapes come from the estate’s oldest vineyard (35 years old) and are manually harvested, vinified separately and blended and filtered just before bottling. Fermented with selected yeasts and matured on the lees until the spring in stainless steel vats. Reducing sugar: 1.2 g/l. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: Valmonti.
Reductive, “skunky” aromas dissipate leaving fruit (“dried mango”) and floral aromas. Very dry and quite extracted. Rounder and a bit blander than the Poggio della Costa, showing a little less personality, though far from a wallflower. Citrus and minerals run into the long finish, where they’re joined by a hint of Sauvignon Blancy grassiness and that telltale bitterness. (Buy again? Sure.)
MWG October 27, 2016, tasting: flight 2 of 7
Start off?
Montlouis sur Loire, Brut Nature, François Chidaine ($29.35, 11537049)
100% Chenin Blanc from biodynamically farmed vines between 20 and 50 years old. Manually harvested in several passes. The grapes are pneumatically pressed. Alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts takes place in 600-litre demi-muids and can last up to six months. Malolactic fermentation is usually avoided. Sparkled using the traditional method. Undosed. The bottles spend 12 months on lattes. Reducing sugar: 8.2 g/l. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: Le Maître de Chai.
The cork emerges easily and without the expected pop. No foam and only a little fizz are to be seen in the glasses. The nose is complex with notes of sweat, wax, distant fields, citrus and oxidized pear. A sip shows the wine to be barely effervescent and what bubbles there are tiny and tickling. The low level of fizz combines with the extract, smooth acidity and touch of residual sugar to convey an impression of roundness. Quince and pear flavours tinged by browning dominate the palate, while the mineral substrate and a hint of white spice come to the fore on the long finish. Probably a defective bottle but still engaging and delicious. (Buy again? Yes, to see if ours was off or to re-experience it if it wasn’t.)
MWG October 27, 2016, tasting: flight 1 of 7
Daube duty II
Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence 2014, Les Béatines, Domaine des Béates ($20.20, 13027886)
Per the winemaker, Syrah (50%), Grenache Noir (30%) and Carignan (20%) from organically farmed vines (SAQ.com’s percentages are different and probably wrong). The manually harvested grapes are destemmed and given a brief (15-day) maceration on the skins and in stainless steel tanks with regular pump-overs and push-downs. After fermentation with indigenous yeasts, the free-run and press wines are matured separately in stainless steel tanks with regular racking. Reducing sugar: 1.7 g/l. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV (new and improved website!).
Somewhat introverted nose. Coaxing reveals leathery raspberry, sawdust, faint spice, dark minerals. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied and suppler than the Revelette. The ripe fruit is an equal partner with mineral and old wood flavours while gleaming acidity and fine, taut tannins provide an air-frame structure. Turns lightly astringent on the medium finish. A nicely balanced, fruity but dry wine. Dandy with leftover daube but light enough to pair with tuna and other meaty fish if served slightly chilled. The quaffability quotient and QPR are high on this one. (Buy again? Yep.)
Daube duty I
Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence 2014, Château Revelette ($23.30, 10259737)
Syrah (55%), Cabernet Sauvignon (34%) and Grenache (11%) from quarter century-old organically farmed vines. The varieties are vinified separately. Fermented (with indigenous yeasts) in temperature-controlled (25-27°C) concrete tanks. Matured in concrete tanks except for 15% of the Grenache and Cab, which are matured in neutral casks. A tiny amount of sulphur is added at bottling. Reducing sugar: 1.4 g/l. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Rézin.
Fresh nose. Starts out Cabernet-ish (cassis, graphite) but gains blackberry, plum, game, spice, earth and turned leaves. Full bodied, rich textured and quite structured, with sustained acidity, medium but bitey tannins and some mineral depth. Very dry, the ripe-sweet fruit notwithstanding, especially on the long finish, where the tannins’ astringency comes through along with tea, tobacco and nougat notes. Straightforward and enjoyable. Doesn’t have the dimensionality of its bigger brother but, then again, it’s about half the price. Made a fine match for a Provençal beef and mushroom stew scented with orange. (Buy again? Yes.)
Greek winery tour: Papagiannakos (Attica)
[Hover over pics to display captions and credits; click to embiggen.]
Located a 20-minute drive southeast of Athens International Airport, the Papagiannakos Winery sits on the northwestern edge of Porto Rafti in Markopoulo. Shoebox-shaped with a sloping roof and prominent girders that, in profile, look like a giant Π (pi, the first letter of the family name), the current structure was built in the mid-2000s. It is, in a word, gorgeous: clean and modern in design, integrated into the surroundings, eco-friendly and featuring extensive use of local materials, in particular stones. The equipment is state of the art, the compact barrel cellar houses Allier and Nevers oak casks. A glass wall under a large overhang faces south providing ample daylight while, on the north side, a row of clerestory windows runs above the tall stone wall ensuring good airflow and an escape route for warm air. At the far (west) end of the building are found, on the lower level, a large tasting room and, on the upper level, a beautiful, high-ceilinged event space with a sweeping view over the valley to the ridge separating the region from Athens, with the airport’s control tower just visible over the intervening hills. Carefully chosen artwork adorns the walls. In short, it’s a feel good place.
The Papagiannakos family has been growing grapes and making wine in Markopoulo since 1919. In the 1960s, the second generation upgraded the winery and improved the quality of its output. The current, third-generation owner-winemaker, Vassilis, took over in 1992, and almost immediately began the process of bringing the winery into the 21st century.
It may be a conceit but I’ve often found winemakers to resemble the wines they make. In any case, it’s true for Vassilis: classy yet down-to-earth, generous yet reserved, rooted in the past yet forward-looking, attached to a place yet also aware of the world. Speaking about his wines, he rightly said “they don’t shout,” but he could equally have been talking about himself (or his winery’s handsome labels, for that matter).
Papagiannakos has several vineyards, some around the winery and others – including ones under contract – scattered throughout the environs. Though the soil varies from parcel to parcel, it is generally rocky and infertile over a limestone base. The area receives no rain to speak of from May or June through October, so the vines are grown in low bushes; rot isn’t a problem here, in contrast to, say, the Peleponnese, where grape vines are usually trained on wires. The dry, breezy conditions also mean there is no need for insecticides or fungicides. On the other hand, irrigation (drip to conserve water) is a necessity, especially for young vines.
The winery has specialized in Savatiano since its founding. Actually, it was the only grape variety grown at the estate until Vassilis took the helm. He soon began playing with the newly resuscitated Malagousia variety and then red grapes. He also has several experimental plots, one of them Greco di Tufo, the first real vintage of which will be the 2016. “Italian grapes,” I exclaimed, unable to hide the surprise in my voice. With a shrug of the shoulders and a wry smile came the reply: “Well, as the name implies, it’s probably Greek.”
After a tour of the building, we gathered in the event room for a technical tasting with Vassilis and members of his family, including his children, affable, knowledgeable and articulate young adults who will eventually take the reins from their father. You’ll find my tasting notes after the jump.
For details about where we stayed, where and what we ate and what we saw, including some of Papagiannakos’s vineyards, see the Day One report on carswelliana.
INTRODUCTION
♦ PAPAGIANNAKOS (ATTICA)
TSELEPOS (ARCADIA)
MERCOURI (ELIS)
TETRAMYTHOS (ACHAEA)
THYMIOPOULOS (MACEDONIA)
ARGYROS (SANTORINI)
Yes and no
Napa Valley 2014, Propriatary Red, Apriori ($27.65, 12413128)
Cabernet Sauvignon (61%), Malbec (23%), Petite Sirah (10%) and Cabernet Franc (5%). Manually harvested. Fermented in stainless steel tanks for 30 days. Matured in neutral French oak barrels for 11 months. Bottled in July 2015. Reducing sugar: 2.8 g/l. 15% ABV. Quebec agent: Vinifera Séguin et Robillard.
Outgoing nose of sweet, slightly jammy fruit (mainly cassis), sweet spice and menthol. In the mouth, it’s full-bodied, round and soft. The forward ripe fruit and considerable extract are no surprise but it’s not a bomb, due in no small measure to the bright acidity. Fine though gritty tannins texture the mid-palate while notes of cocoa and matcha tea colour the sustained finish. Some vaprous overtoning aside, the alcohol is discreet. For the style, this is unexpectedly balanced and fresh but, then again, other than a grilled hunk of red meat, what could you pair it with? (Buy again? Fans of not-over-the-top California reds should make a beeline. I’ll wave at you from the Old World section.)
USA 2013, Horseshoes & Handgrenades, Mouton Noir Wines (US$18.00 in New Hampshire)
A blend of Syrah (69%), Merlot (19%), Cabernet Sauvignon (9%) and Tempranillo (9%) from various vineyards in southern Oregon and Washington state. Manually harvested. The destemmed grapes were given a short cold soak and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Matured in neutral oak for 10 months. 13.7% ABV.
The nose of chocolate-cherry cookie with hints of meat and plum vinegar set alarm bells ringing. Full-bodied and unnuanced and devolving from the get-go. The fruit – mostly plum and cherry but also showing a vegetal streak – is dominated by chocolate and vanilla. The minerals aim for graphite but end up ash. Low acidity and higher than necessary sugar keep things leaden. The finish is long, much too long. What a fatiguing wine! (Buy again? Life is too short.)
MWG September 8, 2016, tasting: flight 4 of 6
Two Channing Daughters
North Fork of Long Island 2014, Rosso Fresco, Channing Daughters (US$20.00 at the winery)
Always a blend, though the grapes and percentages change from vintage to vintage. The 2014 is 39% Merlot, 21% Dornfelder, 16% Syrah 3% Lagrein, 3% Teroldego and 1% Blaufränkisch. The grapes are hand-picked, destemmed and crushed by foot. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and regular punch-downs. Matured eight months is old oak barrels. Filtered but not fined.
Red berries, graphite and a hint of barnyard. Medium-bodied. Structured more by bright acidity than the supple tannins, the juicy fruit slow fades to old wood and minerals. Overtones of sweet spice and “salted plum” linger into the finish, which seems anchored by a not unpleasant bitterness. Simple but not facile, and really quite drinkable. (Buy again? Yes, especially at the US$14 it goes for in some New York City wine shops.)
The Hamptons 2013, Blaufränkisch, Sylvanus Vineyard, Channing Daughters (US$26.00 at the winery)
A 75-25 blend of Blaufränkisch and Dornfelder from vines planted in 1999. The grapes are picked by hand, destemmed and crushed by foot. Fermented with regular punch-downs. Matured 12 months in old hogsheads, puncheons and barriques made from French and Slovenian oak. Gravity-bottled without fining or filtration. 12% ABV.
“Smells like a permanent” says one taster. “Aubergine” and “rotting leaves” add others. I also get blackberry tea, sawed wood, graphite and eventually spice. In the mouth, it’s richer, rounder and more dimensional than the Rosso Fresco. Bone dry, with sleek acidity and medium if chewy tannins. The fruit has noticeable dark cherry and mineral components, especially iron, like you sometimes get in red meat. A radicchio-like bitter streak appears on the finish. Savoury, even earthy and a bit unsmiling, this would probably be better with food. At C$33.75, the QPR seems a little off compared with its Austrian counterparts. (Buy again? Another bottle to try at the dining table.)
MWG September 8, 2016, tasting: flight 3 of 6
Majorly Muscadet
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 2012, Clisson, Famille Lieubeau ($24.95, 12923021)
100% Melon de Bourgogne from organically farmed vines averaging 30 years old and rooted in granite soil in various parcels in the Clisson commune. Manually harvested. Whole-cluster pressed. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts took place in temperature-controlled (20°C) tanks and lasted three weeks. Matured 24 months in tanks on its lees. Reducing sugar: 1.3 g/l. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: Société Clément.
“Shrimp shells” (per another taster), lemon, apple, limestone and, eventually, peat and “celery salt” notes. Rich and round, dry and tart, subdued but revealing layers of flavour. The pure fruit is dusted with minerals while the credible finish has a saline edge and a faint hint of honey or caramel. Very likeable. (Buy again? Yes.)
Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu 2014, Clos de la Butte, Domaine de l’Aujardière/Éric Chevalier ($19.05, 12886831)
100% Melon de Bourgogne from 50-year-old vines planted in serpentinite, eclogite and quartz in the La Butte lieu-dit. The grapes are pneumatically pressed and the must transffered into glass-lined tanks. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Matured eight to 10 months on the lees with regular stirring. Unracked and unfiltered. Reducing sugar: 1.3 g/l. 11.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Similar nose to the Clisson’s but deeper, the shells more oyster-like and showing a distinct white pepper note. Even smoother and rounder on the palate though equally layered and minerally. Crisp acidity keeps things fresh and lively. Hints of butter and caramel colour the long finish. The most middle-of-the-road of the trio, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Great QPR. (Buy again? Yes.)
Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 2014, Le Breil, Complémen’Terre ($30.25, private import, 12 bottles/case, NLA)
Founded in 2013 in Le Pallet, the winery is owned and operated by Marion Pescheux and Manuel Landron, son of legendary Muscadet producer Jo Landron. The couple works according to the lunar calendar. 100% Melon de Bourgogne from organically farmed vines rooted in orthogneiss and quartz. Manually harvested. After pressing, the juice is clarified by settling and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Matured on the fine lines for eight months. Nothing added except, when deemed necessary, a shot of sulphur (35 mg/l maximum). 12% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Lemon and minerals with hints of butter and eventually pale berries. In the mouth, it’s less rich and more rainwatery than its flightmates. On an equal footing with fired minerals, the subdued fruit is buoyed by soft acidity.. A thread of bitterness spools into the saline finish. Long and elegant if a bit inscrutable. Would love to revisit in a couple of years. (Buy again? If feeling flush, yes.)
MWG September 8, 2016, tasting: flight 2 of 6
World class
Golden Russet Cider 2014, Cuvée Yquelon, The Old Third ($21.00 at the winery)
Made from Golden Russet apples from an orchard near the winery. The fruit is hand picked and sorted. This being a traditional method sparkler, the second fermentation takes place in the bottle. Manually riddled and disgorged. Closed with a cork. 9.5% ABV.
Yeasty nose with some lime and chalk though, surprisingly, only a hint of apple. The effervescence is subdued to the eye, soft and fine in the mouth. Dry and winey, with wafting flavours of underripe pear and “guava” (quoting another taster), ground ginger notes, bright but smooth acidity and a faint tannic bitterness on the sustained finish. Tasting double-blind, several at the table thought this was a wine, not a cider, and it’s easy to see why. (Buy again? Definitely.)
MWG September 8, 2016, tasting: flight 1 of 6
Brett happens 