Posts Tagged ‘Beaujolais’
Raisins gaulois
This was released today and has already disappeared from several Montreal outlets. No mises de côté allowed, so if you want some, drop by your favourite outlet on your way to work tomorrow morning. You have been warned.
Vin de France 2011, Raisins Gaulois, Domaine Marcel Lapierre ($17.65, 11459976)
In vintages before 2009, a Vin de pays de Gaules but now a generic Vin de France following a decision by Beaujolais authorities to eliminate the former designation. Nevertheless, most of the grapes used for this wine come from the Morgon AOC. 100% organically farmed young-vine Gamay. Semi-carbonic maceration (with no added sulphur) lasting around five days. Fermented with native yeasts. Aged two months in vats. Bottled unfiltered but with a squirt of sulphur dioxide. 12% ABV. The wine is also packaged in 5L and 10L bag-in-boxes, not that we ever see them here in Quebec. Conventional wisdom is to serve this lightly chilled but I found it more faceted and nuanced at room temperature (about 23ºC/74ºF this evening).
Exuberant, gumdroppy nose of red berries and peony with a ferrous note. Light, fleet and fresh in the mouth, the fruit sweet and juicy, the tannins soft and supple. High-toned rose flashes on the back of the palate before giving way to a tangy, mineral-edged finish. Pure and delightful, a celebration not so much of terroir as of Gamay. Way too easy to down, the very definition of a vin de soif.
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.)
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.
January 13th MWG tasting: report
FLIGHT 1: FOUR TABLE WINES FROM LES VENTS D’ANGE
Cuvée Valérie 2009, Vignoble Les Vents d’Ange ($15, Sublime Vins et Spiritueux)
100% Kay Gray. Floral, citrusy nose, extroverted in a Sauvignon Blanc kind of way. Bright and clean on the palate, with an acidic bite on the finish. Refreshing. (Buy again? Yes.)
Cuvée Catherine 2009, Vignoble Les Vents d’Ange ($15.50, Sublime Vins et Spiritueux)
50% Kay Gray, 50% Prairie Star. More restrained nose: hints of white flowers, spice and musk grapes. Rounder and smoother on the palate than the Valérie, a fact due not only to the less acidic Prairie Star but also to the higher residual sugar. White fruit with a suggestion of something green (fennel? bok choy?). Soft, buttery, minerally finish. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Cuvée Marie-Rose 2008, Vignoble Les Vents d’Ange ($13, Sublime Vins et Spiritueux)
And now for something completely different. 100% Montreal Blues (aka St. Theresa and Flambeau), a Concord-type black table grape. Candied apple, sour plum, a hint of foxiness and an oxidized note, a little like a rancio Banyuls. Intensely fruity yet surprisingly, even shockingly dry. Acidic, clean but abrupt finish. (Buy again? Doubtful.)
Cuvée Alexandria 2008, Vignoble Les Vents d’Ange ($15.50, Sublime Vins et Spiritueux)
70% Montreal Blues, 30% St. Croix. Oak chips added during fermentation. Spice and candied raspberry with subtle wood. Medium-bodied, brightly acidic. Straightforward fruit flavours, a suggestion of oak, a bit more than a suggestion of residual sugar. Light, raspy tannins and a tingly finish. (Buy again? Probably not.)
A relatively new arrival on the Quebec winemaking scene (first vintage was 2006), Vignoble Les Vents d’Ange is located in St-Joseph-du-Lac just east of Oka. In deference to the climate, the winery works exclusively with hardy hybrid cultivars developed by Wisconsin grape breeder Elmer Swenson. I first encountered the wines in November at the Quebec wine and cheese expo, where I found their straightforwardness and lack of pretension refreshing. This time around, the dry whites were exactly as I remembered them (my two sets of tasting notes use many of the same descriptors) while the rosé and red didn’t show nearly as well; this may have something to do with the fact that our bottles were uncorked only minutes before serving while the bottles at the expo had been open for a while.
FLIGHT 2: THREE AFFORDABLE AUSTRIAN RIESLINGS
Riesling Federspiel Terrassen 2009, Domäne Wachau ($18.35, 11034775)
Lime with a hint of lanolin. Clean, pure and intense: heading into racy territory. Biting finish somewhat rounded by residual sugar. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Riesling Kamptal Trocken 2009, Domaene Gobelsburg ($18.35, 10790309)
Minerals. Slight tingle, almost a fizz. Bracing acidity balanced by pure if lean fruit. Came across as very dry when chilled. Long, fieldstone finish. (Buy again. Yes.)
Riesling Kamptal 2008, Steinhaus, Weingut Rabl ($20.95, 10790341)
Stony with an initial spice-box note (curry?). Smoother, slightly sweeter and a little more complex than the other two. Acidic finish. (Buy again? Maybe.)
All three wines, especially the Wachau and Rabl, seemed to gain weight and sweetness as they warmed in the glass. Few of us thought this was a good thing; keep the bottles in the fridge or ice bucket when not pouring.
FLIGHT 3: TWO BOTTLINGS OF LAPIERRE’S 2009 MORGON
Morgon 2009, Domaine Marcel Lapierre ($26.80, 11305344)
The “SAQ” bottling: lightly sulphured and filtered. 100% organically farmed Gamay. Slightly clearer and more limpid. Pure fruit. Showing a bit harsher with a little less depth and character. Not as complete though still lovely. Tasting blind, three of the 12 people present chose this as the “Nature.” (Buy again? Moot. September’s initial release of 1,800 bottles sold out in six hours; a recent, less hyped restocking vanished almost as fast, though a few stragglers remain in St-Jean de Matha and other remote outlets.)
Morgon 2009, “Nature,” Domaine Marcel Lapierre ($27.55, Rézin–NLA)
The winemaker’s regular bottling: unfiltered and unsulphured. 100% organically farmed Gamay. A little cloudier. More complex nose: minerals, peony, spice and a bit of funk. More faceted and serious. Longer too. Acid, fruit and light tannins in perfect balance. Pure, lovely, caressing. Nine of the 12 tasters identified this as the “Nature.” (Buy again? If only I could.)
The late lamented Marcel provides some background in a short video made during his visit to Quebec last spring.
The differences between the two bottlings became increasingly apparent as the wines breathed. When I returned to my glasses after the tasting was over (about two hours after the bottles were opened), the SAQ bottling had lost presence and gained harshness while the “Nature” bottling was still chugging sweetly along.
FLIGHT 4: TWO ORGANIC SYRAH-GRENACHE BLENDS
Côtes du Vivarais 2007, Domaine Gallety ($23.70, 00918615)
Earlier vintages have been a 50-50 blend of biodynamically farmed Syrah and Grenache; I assume the 2007 is too. Slightly candied nose initially marked by alcohol (15.9%!) and volatile acidity; the latter eventually blew off, leaving plum, red meat and beef jerky. An intense mouthful of spicy baked fruit and tannins. Long, hot, garrigue-scented finish. Dry but somewhat port-like, the heat only partially balanced by the fruit. May improve with time though it will never become refreshing. (Buy again? Nope.)
Coteaux du Languedoc 2007, Cuvée 5 920 km, Terrenum ($23.25, Réserve et Sélection)
Organically farmed Syrah (65%) and Grenache (35%). Aged five months in new French oak casks. 1,800 bottles made. An altogether earthier nose than the Gallety’s: garrigue, black raspberry and a whiff of barnyard. Very dry, less tannic, somewhat lighter-bodied, with livelier acid: overall more digeste. Plum and spice flavours gain a faint bitter tarriness on the nicely sustained finish. (Buy again? Yes.)
Côtes du Vivarais is a relatively new (created in 1999) and obscure appellation that straddles the Ardèche river and, at one point, touches the west bank of the Rhône. Kermit Lynch, among others, claim the Gallety estate is the missing link between the northern and southern Rhône regions. Terrenum is a négociant operation run by Montrealer Simon Thibaudeau.
FLIGHT 5: FOUR FIVE SUB-SUPERTUSCANS
Toscana IGT 2008, Maremma, Mongrana, Querciabella ($19.90, 11192183)
Organically farmed Sangiovese (50%), Merlot (25%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (25%); a fraction of the wine sees three months in casks. The 2008 is the fourth vintage. Cassis and pencil lead, gaining a candied note and a hint of volatility as it breathed. Medium-bodied. Fluid. Structured, the tannins drying on the finish, but not particularly deep. Fruit sweeter and spicier than in the same house’s Chiantis. Good if a little one-dimensional and anonymous. (Buy again? Eh.)
Bolgheri 2007, Villa Donoratico, Argentiera ($27.25, 10845074)
Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Cabernet Franc (25%) and Merlot (10%); aged 12 months in new and one-year French oak barrels. Freshly ground beef, green pepper, cassis and ash. Smooth, round. Tannins seem fruit-cloaked, in the background. Oak a little too present for now. Good structure and length. Decent enough but lacking charm. (Buy again? No.)
Bolgheri 2008, Le Serre Nuove, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia ($59, 10223574)
The second wine of Ornellaia. Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Cabernet Franc (9%) and Petit Verdot (6%). Aged 18 months in a mix of new and year-old oak casks. Nose dominated by sweet oak (vanilla, toast, chocolate), albeit very classy oak; Bordeauxish cassis, graphite and cedar are also present, though you have to look for them. Far too oaky on first taste. With time, the wood receded slightly and you could see the makings of an elegant, structured and balanced wine. Obviously needs another five years or so to mature. That said, I’m left wondering whether it will ever taste Italian. (Buy again? No.)
Maremma Toscana IGT 2005, Sesà, I Vigneti di Poggio Foco ($39.50, 10538728)
Organically farmed Merlot (50%), Cabernet Franc (30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) with the remainder made up of other, unspecified grape varieties. Spent 18 months in new French oak barrels. Lovely fresh nose of cassis and graphite yet more Langhe- than Bordeaux-like. Smooth and fluid texture. More medium- than full-bodied. Tobacco and cedar – but oddly little oak – scent the fruit. Good structure and acidity. Ripe tannins turn a little drying on the long finish. Many tasters’ wine of the night. (Buy again? Sure.)
Bolgheri Superiore 2007, Sapaio, Podere Sapaio ($47.50, 10860805)
Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Merlot (30%) with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Spent 18 months in oak casks. Complex and engaging nose: black cherry, red meat, ink, slate, wood, fresh-turned earth, grass/herbs, hint of kirsch (14.5%). Rich and dense, big and muscular but not galumphing. Sweet fruit on entry with a swelling bitter undercurrent. Velvety tannins, showing some astringency on finish. As the wine breathed, the oak became more apparent. Long, liqueurish (Chambord?) finish. A sun-drenched Cabernet, bordering on New Worldish yet retaining its Italian accent. Will likely improve over the next five to eight years. Made a credible pairing for a grilled rib eye sliced and drizzled with garlic- and rosemary-infused olive oil. (Buy again? Not my style but recommendable all the same.)
Popular with SAQ wine advisors and local critics, the Sapaio has a reputation for punching above its weight. I’d originally planned to include it in the tasting but inadvertently left it at home, leading to its last-minute replacement by Le Serre Nuove.
FLIGHT 6: A KAY GRAY ICE WINE
Cuvée Blanche 2008, Vin de glace, Vignobles Les Vents d’Ange ($35/375 ml, Sublime Vins et Spiritueux)
100% Kay Gray. Apple butter and honey nose with a hint of spice and vanilla. Sweet but not saccharine. Acidic enough to avoid syrupiness. Not particularly complex flavour profile. Long, honeyed finish with a cheesy note. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Chez La QV
Newly ensconced in an office cum salon de dégustation on Beaubien just east of St-Laurent, La QV hosted a tasting last week at which it and three other up-and-coming agencies presented a number of their wines, all available on a private-import basis. I’ve linked to the websites of the agencies that have them; for the other agencies’ contact info, see the Raspipav site. The prices are for individuals (restaurants pay slightly less) and include sales taxes.
Mâcon-Villages 2007, Domaine Rijckaert ($23.50, 12 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay. Chalk and quartz, oats and a lactic note. Rich and smooth with a long, acid-tingly finish. Not particularly deep but flavourful and pure. Good QPR.
Côtes du Rhône 2009, Le Petit Piolas, Domaine la Fourmente ($17.50, 12 bottles/case)
75% Grenache, 25% Syrah, organically farmed. Winey/grapey nose: red fruit with hints of garrigue and milk chocolate. Medium-bodied, supple. Pure fruit and spice flavours, soft tannins. A CDR in the Beaujolais mould. Great everyday wine; if I owned a restaurant, this would be on its wine list.
Côteaux d’Aix en Provence 2006, Les Béatines, Domaine des Béates ($21, 12 bottles/case)
Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan, organically farmed. Lovely nose redolent of plum, spice and kirsch, gaining inky, mineral and tea notes with time in the glass. Suave and savoury, a core of sweet fruit wrapped in fine tannins. Shows some heat on the finish (14%).
Coteaux du Languedoc 2008, La Vista, Domaine Ribiera ($26.50, 6 bottles/case)
2/3 Grenache, 1/3 Carignan, organically farmed, indigenous yeasts. Dark fruit with notes of leather, violet and animale. Medium-bodied. Pure fuit. Round tannins. Long, bitter-edged finish. A bit austere but very appealing. The Carignan seems dominant, the wine coming across a little like a lighter version of Rouge Gorge’s eponymous cuvée. My red of the evening.
MON CAVISTE, CÖTÉ VIGNES
VDP des Côteaux de Peyrac 2008, Tersande blanc, Domaine des Homs ($20.98, 12 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay, organically farmed. Quartz and spice with hints of lemon and dried herbs. Unctuous but kept from heaviness by strong acid. Clean. Flavour tending toward preserved lemon but avoiding tropical fruit. Long, dry finish.
VDP des Côteaux de Payrac 2008, Tersande rosé, Domaine des Homs ($20.53, 12 bottles/case)
A saignée method rosé made from organically farmed Grenache. Appealing nose of spice and strawberry. Fruitiness kept in check by acid and dryness. Minerally finish. Goes down easily. Lovely in its simple, unpretentious way.
Bourgogne 2007, Domaine Paul Pernot (around $30, 6 bottles/case)
100% Pinot Noir. Sees only old wood. Light, pinoty nose: red berries with forest floor and spice notes and the faintest hint of brown sugar. Light and fluid on the palate. Structured not much more than a Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent. Bright acid and fair length. Very dry. Not a lot there but what there is is very nice indeed.
Côtes du Marmandais 2006, Terra, Clos Cavenac ($23.33, 12 bottles/case)
30% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 13% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Fer Servadou and 7% Abouriou, biodynamically farmed. Complex nose with a leafy freshness: pure fruit, leather, freshly turned sod, hints of tar, cedar and animal. Medium-bodied. Round, smooth attack. Fruity mid-palate with mineral/earth undertones and mild tannins. Long, astringent finish. Bordeauxish but not a carbon copy. Enjoyable.
Mon Caviste also poured Clos Cavenac‘s 2007 Arradim ($22.58, 12 bottles/case), a blend of 70% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and 10% Malbec. After considerable discussion, we decided the bottle was ever so slightly corked. Unfortunate because you could tell that the wine, with its soft tannins, velvety texture and pure fruit, had the makings of a easy-drinking winner.
Costières de Nîmes 2007, Cuvée Perrières, Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss ($28.29, 12 bottles/case)
Carignan (c. 40%), Grenache, Syrah and Mouvèdre, biodynamically farmed. Fresh, perfumy nose of plum, spice and fresh herbs. Sleek and elegant, structured as much by acid as by tannins. Kaleidoscopic flavour profile, with the Carignan’s earthiness and dry tannins coming out on the austere finish. A winner.
SUBLIME VINS & SPIRITUEUX
Touraine rosé 2009, Chant du Bois, Alain et Philippe Sallé ($19.95, 6 or 12 bottles/case)
100% Grolleau, farmed without chemicals or fertilizers. Natural yeasts. Peach, minerals and spice. Dry, minerally attack. Bright acid and light cherry fruit. Licorice-scented finish. Gains earthy notes with aeration. Tasty.
Touraine 2008, Sauvignon, Alain et Philippe Sallé ($20.50, 6 or 12 bottles/case)
100% Sauvignon Blanc, farmed without chemicals or fertilizers. Natural yeasts. Lime, gooseberry and minerals. Light, minerally with a fruity undercurrent and a rainwatery finish. Good though I prefer my SBs sharper and more focused.
Montello e Colli Asolani 2007, Chardonnay, Villa di Maser ($24.95, 6 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay, farmed “eco-compatibly.” Lemon with a smoky/woody note. Light yet powerful, dry yet showing a sweet fruitiness. Flavours hard to pin down. Fruit fast-fades on the finish while bitterness lingers. Unusual, intriguing and quite different from a bottle tasted a couple of days later (tasting note to come).
Burgenland 2007, Impérial Weiss, Schloss Halbturn ($46.25, 6 bottles/case)
55% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% cask-aged Chardonnay. Green apple, boxwood, oats and a woody/oaky note. Rich and deep with acidity keeping it all fluid and balanced. Chalk and grapefruit pith linger though the long finish. Impressive, elegant and, yes, even a little imperious. My white of the evening.
LES SÉLECTIONS SOLY-LEBLANC
Côtes de Castillon rosé 2009, Château de Chainchon ($17.50, 12 bottles/case)
100% Cabernet Franc. Outgoing nose of strawberry and straw with earthy notes. Very dry and savoury. Fruity attack but mostly about minerals and tannins. Streaky acid. 13.5% alcohol and you can feel it. Unusual and interesting. More a food wine than a summer sipper.
Beaujolais-Villages 2009, Domaine de Sermezy ($19, 12 bottles/case)
Sappy raspberry and cherry, a bit simple. Supple, fruity and pure enough but not showing much depth, follow-through or personality. Vin de soif.
Saint-Joseph 2006, Jean-Luc Chaléat, Cave Saint-Désirat ($32.20, 6 bottles/case)
100% Syrah, made in lined concrete vats. Classic Syrah nose: black raspberry, smoke, tar, violets and animale with a bit of barnyard too. Pure fruit, fine tannins, good balance, silky texture, fair length. Not exactly thrilling but honest and certainly drinkable.
Saint-Joseph 2007, Septentrio, Cave Saint-Désirat ($37.45, 6 bottles/case)
100% Syrah given time in new oak casks. Classic Syrah nose again but more international, with chocolate, vanilla and smoke aromas added to the mix. Denser, more structured and more polished than the JLC, but with the oak now dominating. Good acid yet is there sufficient fruit to outlast the oak and tannins? Would be interesting to revisit in a year or two.
Marcel Lapierre n’est plus
Marcel Lapierre, a leading figure in the natural wine movement, passed away on Sunday.
In September, his 2009 Morgon generated the kind of local buzz usually reserved for pricey cult wines; the SAQ sold its entire shipment of 1,800 bottles in less than a day. Pouring and discussing his 2008s at the natural Beaujolais event last spring, he was affable, down-to-earth, knowledgeable, articulate and seemingly indefatigable. And his wines, even the humble vin de France, were pure and beautiful. RIP.
Natural winemaking pioneer and Beaujolais producer, Marcel Lapierre passes away (Cork’d)
I love Marcel Lapierre (Facebook)
Three TéléRézin videos made during Lapierre’s recent visit to Montreal:
September 30th MWG tasting: report
Most of the wines in this tasting came from the September 30th Cellier release, though not the first flight (the release was whiteless) and not the Pauillac. Prices are in Canadian dollars and include 13% sales tax.
FLIGHT 1
Grüner Veltliner 2009, Kamptal, Domæne Gobelsburg ($15.30, 10790317)
Chalk, sand and white grapefruit peel with whiffs of white pepper. Clean and bright. Zesty, even tingly attack. Good balance between acidity and substance. Fast-fade finish. (Buy again? Yes.)
Grüner Veltliner 2009, Terrassen, Federspiel, Domäne Wachau ($19.50, 10769420)
Lemon peel (a bit candied), wet quartz and a not unpleasant hint of soap or vinyl. Richer than the Gobelsburg and, initially, a bit flatter. Gained dimension as it breathed. Long, with an acid bite on the finish. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Grüner Veltliner 2009, Kamptaler Terrassen, Bründlmayer ($21.25, 10707069)
Still rounder and smoother. The acidity is there but more like a slow-moving underground river than a gurgling surface stream. Rainwatery at first but becoming white-fruity and layered over the course of an hour. Long. (Buy again? Sure.)
Grüner Veltliner 1999, Schenkenbichl, Jurtschitsch ($38 in 2002)
Richer looking: golden (in contrast to the other wines’ silver) and oilier. Complex nose dominated by honey, quince, mineral and subtle white pepper aromas. Off-dry and unctuous but enlivened by acidity. Initially shallow-seeming – I wondered whether it wasn’t a little over the hill – but gaining presence, amplitude and depth through the end of the tasting (nearly three hours). Very long. While Jancis Robinson notes that, with time in the bottle, GV “can start to taste positively Burgundian,” in this case I’d say the French analogue is more a late-harvest Pinot Gris or a sec-tendre Chenin Blanc. Not everyone was a fan but I found it gorgeous. (Buy again? Wish I could.)
FLIGHT 2
Morgon 2009, La Voûte Saint-Vincent, Louis-Claude Desvignes ($19.45, 11299415)
Red berries, vine sap, spice and hints of alcohol and, quoting another taster, “night soil.” Noticeable tannins, bright acid, lots of stuffing, somewhat muted fruit. A little introverted and disjointed though improving with time in the glass. (Buy again? Maybe a bottle or two to revisit in a couple of years.)
Moulin-à-Vent 2009, Domaine des Vignes du Tremblay, Paul Janin et Fils ($19.90, 11305141)
Red berries and vine sap, a little footy. Smoother, rounder, suaver than the Morgon but with a similar concentration and richness. Inky finish. Shut down as it breathed. (Buy again? Sure – a bottle or two to revisit in a couple of years.)
Chénas 2009, Vieilles vignes, Hubert Lapierre ($19.90, 11299239)
Appealing nose of red fruit, graphite and dried wood. Rich and balanced, structured with fruit-cloaked tannins. Kirschy finish. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Côte-de-Brouilly 2009, Cuvée Les Griottes, Château Thivin ($21, 11305088)
The least expressive nose of the bunch: cherry, spice and funk. Rich and fruity on the palate. Silkier, brighter and somehow purer than the others but also less tannic and deep. Good length. Probably not an ager. (Buy again? Sure.)
FLIGHT 3
Buzet 2006, La Tuque de Gueyze, Les Vignerons de Buzet ($16.80, 11305563)
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Dusty cassis, green pepper and a whiff of alcohol. Cedary and plummy on the palate, fluid and balanced but lacking depth – a bit one-dimensional in fact. Still, not bad for a sub-$17 Bordeaux clone. (Buy again? Probably not, when $3-5 more can get you a genuinely appealing Bordeaux blend.)
Don Reca 2007, Valle del Cachapoal, Viña La Rosa ($21.75, 11305619)
Merlot (52%), Cabernet Sauvignon (25%), Syrah (18%) and Carmenère (5%). Screaming green pepper along with green tobacco, earth and ink. Big, tannic, coarse. Green pepper and cassis flavours dominate with rubber droning in the background. Sawdusty finish. Unevolving even after vigorous aeration. How could anyone (looking at you, Wine Advocate) award this clunker 90+ points? (Buy again? Nope.)
Lagone 2007, IGT Toscana, Aia Vecchia ($20.45, 11305635)
Merlot (60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) and Cabernet Franc (5%). Cassis syrup and sandalwood. Suaver than the Don Reca though initially quite tannic and a little disjointed. Smoothed out with exposure to air, showing good balance and length. Well made and true to type but also anonymous, with little sense of place. (Buy again? If looking for a $20 internationalized Bordeaux blend, maybe.)
Finca Libertad 2006, Mendoza, Bodega Benegas ($24.95, 11305934)
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Spent 18 months in new French oak casks. Smokey, peppery, meaty nose: grilled sausage, pimentón, raw beef with hints of cassis and mint. Mouth-filling but not heavy, fruit-forward but not fatiguing. Tannins and oak kept in check. Velvety texture. Long, fragrant finish. Cries out for a charcoal-grilled steak. (Buy again? If charcoal-grilling steaks, maybe.)
FLIGHT 4
Capaia 2007, Philadelphia (Western Cape), Capaia Estate ($33.25, 11307825)
Cabernet Sauvignon (37%), Merlot (26%), Petit Verdot (18%) and Cabernet Franc (19%). Spent 15 months in new French oak barriques. Leather, cassis, ink and menthol. A wine of considerable heft, though nimble and fluid. Structuring tannins and acid are clad in fleshy fruit. Long savoury finish. (Buy again? Maybe, if in the mood for a New World Bordeaux blend.)
Sophia 2007, Gimblett Gravels Vineyard, Hawkes Bay, Craggy Range Winery ($58, 11305491)
Merlot (81%), Cabernet Franc (10%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7%) and Malbec (2%). Spent 18 months in 50% new French oak casks. Pomegranate juice, vanilla and chocolate with hints of humus and ground coffee. The proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove: a mass of tannins wrapped in a mass of pure fruit. Big but poised and finely balanced. Plush, layered and long. Needs at least a couple more years in the bottle. Internationally styled but with undeniable class: would make a excellent ringer in a flight of new wave St-Émilions and Pomerols. (Buy again? Probably not, but then I’m not a Merlot fan.)
Don Melchor 1995, Valle del Maipo, Concha y Toro ($87.95, 10755941)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 12 months in French oak casks. To the eye, nose and palate, obviously an aged wine. Pale rimmed, muted red-brown. Tertiary aromas and flavours: leather, sweat, dried wood, aged tobacco, old tomato plants, compost, earth (you have to dig to find the core of sweet fruit). Tannins fully resolved, the tightly wound velvet of youth now an unfurling skein of silk. Our bottle was uncorked two hours before the flight and decanted just before serving. As the wine only improved in the glass, decanting earlier might have been advisable. Interesting and impressive in its way, but not a wine that knocked anyone’s socks off. Probably done a disservice by being served after so many vibrant young wines and just before a fine old Bordeaux. Alone in the spotlight, it would likely show better. (Buy again? Not at that price.)
Pauillac 1994, Château Pontet-Canet ($33 in 1996)
Cabernet Sauvignon (63%), Merlot (32%) and Cabernet Franc (5%). Some fading at the rim but very little bricking. Complex only-in-Médoc bouquet that doesn’t need to yell to get your attention: cigar box, graphite, cassis, plum, tar, smoke, a hint of caramel. Austere but graceful and lithe, the tannins mostly resolved. In contrast to the preceding wines, the fruit is lean, dry, less dominating, more a unifying element in a spectrum of savoury flavours. The fruit fades on the long finish as cedar and minerals intertwine over a faint tannic astringency. Not particularly deep yet a wine that doesn’t reveal itself fully with the first sip or even – to judge by how it evolved in the few minutes after opening – the first glass. This is in a good place now and probably won’t get better; drink up in the next two or three years. (Buy again? Sure would if I didn’t already have a few bottles stashed away.)
Brett happens 