Posts Tagged ‘biodynamic’
MWG November 13th tasting: Confounding expectations
I’d normally serve a Côtes du Rhône before a Châteauneuf but Cyril suggested otherwise. He was right to do so.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2011, Les Vieilles Vignes, Domaine de Villeneuve ($59.00, 11884913)
A blend of Grenache (70%), Mourvèdre (16%), Syrah (8%), Cinsault (4%) and Clairette (2%) from organically and biodynamically farmed vines up to 90 years old. The varieties are vinified separately. The grapes are manually harvested and gravity fed into the underground winery, where they are left whole, crushed and/or destemmed as the winemaker sees fit and transferred to ceramic-lined concrete vats (80 hl for fermentation, 60 hl for maturation). Maceration and fermentation (with indigenous yeasts) last 20 to 40 days depending on the variety. The cap is punched down and rack-and-return and pump-overs are used when deemed necessary. The must is then pressed with a pneumatic press; the press juice is separately matured and may be added to the free run juice at a later stage. Maturation on the lees lasts 18 to 20 months, with no more than 20% of the wine being matured in a mix of new to third-fill oak barrels. 14.5% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Scents of raspberry, plum, Asian spice, cedar and graphite waft from the glass. In the mouth, it’s a middleweight with an almost Burgundian texture and fluidity though the savoury flavours – garrigue, black olives, sun-radiated fruit – are clearly Provençal. Bright acidity and lacy tannins add structure and lingering well into the long, perfumed finish. The alcohol is remarkably unapparent. The estate’s website says their goal is to make fine, delicate wines. Well, mission accomplished. This is one of the most civilized Châteauneufs I’ve tasted. Surprisingly accessible now, balanced enough to age for a decade, I’d guess. (Buy again? For a special meal, sure.)
Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages Visan 2011, Grains sauvages, Domaine La Fourmente ($38.08, private import, 6 bottles/case)
In 2014, the estate changed its name and is now known as Domaine Dieulefit. This 100% Grenache comes from low-yielding, organically farmed vines between 45 and 70 years old. The grapes are manually harvested, given a long maceration, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured on the lees, all in lined concrete tanks. No added sulphur. 14.5% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Reductive nose (Brussels sprouts?!) gives way to dried plum and tamari with earthy dried herb and spice notes. Mouth-filling, dense and velvety. The rich, ripe fruit (red berries, pomegranate) has a peppery kick. Etching acidity and fine tannins provide sufficient structure, while dark minerals emerge on the bitter-edged, faintly flaring finish. A wine with lots of there there. (Buy again? Sure, though not without wishing it were $5 cheaper.)
(Flight: 8/9)
MWG November 11th tasting: Gamay or not Gamay
St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil 2013, L’Hurluberlu, Sébastien David ($24.00, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Cabernet Franc. Manually harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts. Vinified Beaujolais style – using carbonic maceration – and given a very short maturation in tanks, with bottling occurring early in the new year following harvest. Unfiltered. No added sulphur. 11% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Ferny, slatey, plummy, red-berried nose that eventually gave up some whiffs of jalapeño. Pure, clean fruit, bright but not harsh acidity and soft tannins that turn a little raspy on the tangy finish. “Surprising depth for such a light wine,” noted one taster. “Like health juice,” said another. Served lightly chilled or even cooler, this is irresistibly drinkable. (Buy again? A bit pricey for such an easy-drinker but yes, in multiples.)
Côtes du Forez 2013, La Volcanique, Cave Verdier-Logel ($21.06, private import, 12 bottles/case)
Based in Marcilly-le-Châtel, the certified organic 17-hectare estate grows Gamay and a little Pinot Gris and Viognier. This cuvée is 100% Gamay from old vines rooted in basalt soil. Manually harvested. Macerated 15 days at around 19°C. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Lightly filtered (earth filters) before bottling. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Lovely nose: cedar, plum, dark minerals and papier d’arménie. Supple, dry and medium-bodied. The combination of rocky minerals, lean fruit, trenchant acidity, light but sinewy tannins and earthy finish give the wine a rustic appeal that its Beaujo counterparts lack. Seems to cry out for some charcuterie (the winemaker also suggests pot au feu and rabbit stew). Understandably a hit with many around the table. (Buy again? For sure.)
The estate first impinged on my consciousness at the Salon des vins d’importation privée, where I tasted the Vin de France 2012, Les FMR, Gamay, Cave Verdier-Logel ($19.00, La QV/Insolte, 12 bottles/case). This one-off 100% Gamay cuvée was made from sustainably farmed Côteaux Lyonnais grapes that neighbouring winegrowers donated to the estate to replace the crop it lost to hail (in French, FMR sounds like éphémère, ephemeral). Though I didn’t taste the wines side by side, this struck me as a slightly lighter version of the Volcanique and, at under $20, definitely worth buying.
Chiroubles 2013, Damien Coquelet ($32.25, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Now in his mid-20s, Coquelet is the stepson of renowned natural Beaujolais producer Georges Descombes. He began working in the family’s vineyards and cellars when he was five and has been making his own wines since 2007. Besides this cuvée, he produces an old-vine Chiroubles, a Morgon, a Beaujolais-Villages and the wildly popular, semi-nouveau Fou du Beaujo. This 100% Gamay is made from organically farmed, manually harvested grapes. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Depending on the vintage, no or minimal sulphur is used. Coquelet typically bottles his cru wines a year before his stepfather, which makes them fruitier and juicier. 11.5% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Classic Chiroubles: perfumy, supple, silky and bright but, like the other 2013 Beaujolais I’ve tried, a little on the light side – or so it seemed coming on the heels of the other two wines in this flight. That said, the mix of tart red berries, vine sap, graphite, black pepper and hints of flowers and animale is magnetic. (Buy again? Sure.)
(Flight: 7/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: Pinot Noir v. Spätburgunder
Alsace Pinot Noir 2012, Les Jardins, Domaine Léon Boesch ($29.89, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Pinot Noir from a 1.1-hecatre parcel of organically and biodynamically farmed vines averaging 20 years old. Manually harvested. The uncrushed whole clusters are macerated several days at 12°C. Fermented using indigenous yeasts with pumping over at the start, daily punch-downs and no chaptalization or temperature control. After pressing with a pneumatic press, the wine is matured 12 months in neutral barrels with top-ups every two or three weeks and no lees stirring. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Reductive at first, then exuberant red berries, cedar, gingerbread, wood-grilled flank steak and slate. Vibrant and mouth-filling. The tannic structure, bright acidity, depth and length seem positively Burgundian while the juicy freshness is anything but. Fun. (Buy again? Gladly.)
QbA Rheinhessen 2010, Spätburgunder, Holzfass, Battenfeld-Spanier ($33.95, private import, 6 bottles/case)
The up-and-coming 28-hectare estate is located in Hohen-Sülzen near Worms. It has been organic since 1993, began working biodynamically in 2005 and is now a member of La Renaissance des appellations. This 100% Pinot Noir is fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in new 1,200-litre oak barrels. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Less rich and more peppery than the Boesch. Fluid, spicy, dry. The fruit is clean though there’s not lots of it. On the other hand, the streaming acidity, light but resilient tannins, slate and wood substrate and bitter finish give the wine a severe appeal. Among the more impressive German Pinot Noirs I’ve tasted. Would make an interesting ringer in a flight of similarly priced Burgundies. (Buy again? Sure.)
(Flight: 6/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: Natural born Alsatians
Alsace Pinot Blanc 2013, Les Pierres Chaudes, Domaine Julien Meyer ($27.43, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Pinot Blanc. (This is not the blend of the 2012 and 2013 vintages labelled 12.13 but the all-2013 bottling.) Manually harvested. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Underwent partial malolactic fermentation. Lightly filtered (fine earth) before bottling. Unfined. No added anything, including sulphur. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
A Pinot Blanc not in the vin plaisir mould, as hinted at by the savoury nose of mushroom and daffodil. The acidic attack notwithstanding, the wine feels hefty and “rainwatery soft,” to quote one of the tasters. Full of ripe fruit (pear and apple mainly), bitter almond and chalk flavours. Broad, smooth finish. (Buy again? Sure, though not without wishing it were a few bucks cheaper.)
Alsace Riesling 1998, Grand cru Moenchberg, Domaine Moritz ($33.35, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Riesling from two Moenchberg parcels – one planted in 1985, the other in 1960 – totalling 14.6 ares (0.36 acres). Farming is, for all intents and purposes, organic but not certified as such. Manually harvested, gently pressed, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in large old oak barrels. Bottled in the fall of 1999. In a typical year, about 1,000 bottles of this wine are made. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Fourteen years old and probably at peak. A noseful of tertiary aromas including petrol, tarragon, caramel and peppermint. Smooth and dry in the mouth with just enough acidity and lots of ripe, soft fruit. Quartz and caramel thread through the very long finish. A good, not great vintage but a lovely, complex wine and an excellent price for a one-and-a-half-decade-old grand cru. (Buy again? Yes, for drinking in the short term.)
(Flight: 3/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: White gold
Vouvray sec 2004, Domaine Lemaire-Fournier ($26.45, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Chenin Blanc. The now-defunct 30-hectare estate was located in Vernou-sur-Brenne, close to Vouvray. In 2004, the estate was in its third year of conversion to organic farming. The wines were made with native yeasts and abjuring enzymes, chaptalization, deacidification, fining, added nutrients, tartric stabilization and sulphur. The estate’s remaining stocks of wine are being liquidated, which explains the reasonable price. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
A whiff of nail polish remover quickly blows off, leaving an evolved, complex nose of honeysuckle, camomile, banana peel, chalk, pear, dried mushroom, caramel and, eventually, buckwheat honey. On first sip you wonder whether it isn’t heading into off-dry territory but, no, the wine is dry albeit rich. The vibrant acidity is smoothed and rounded by the extract. The layers of fruit are set against a backdrop of crunchy minerals and joined by salted caramel on the long finish. Impressed just about everyone around the table. Amazing QPR. (Buy again? Obviously.)
Cour-Cheverny 2007, François 1er, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine des Huards ($32.00, private import, 6 bottles/case)
This is the big brother of Huard’s “Romo” Cour-Cheverny that the MWG tasted in June. 100% Romorantin from organically and biodynamically farmed vines averaging 75 years old. Manually harvested. Two-thirds of the grapes are immediately pressed, one-third are macerated on the skins for 15 hours before pressing. Fermented with indigenous yeasts at between 18 and 20°C. Matured on the lees for five months. Cold-stabilized before bottling in the September following the harvest. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Intriguing nose of Jerusalem artichoke, wax, white flowers, limestone, dried lemon peel, faint honey. Round yet lively in the mouth. The fruit is understated but lacy-textured and multifaceted, buoyed and freshened by Romorantin’s nervous acidity and infused with chalky minerals that last well into the impressively long finish. A delectable, elegant, complete wine deserving of a fine seafood dish (think langoustines). (Buy again? Oh, yes.)
(Flight: 2/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: Sparkle plenty
La QV’s head honcho Cyril Kérébel recently led the Mo’ Wine Group in a tasting of natural wines from La QV’s and Insolite’s portfolios. We kicked things off with a tasty sparkler.
Saumur 2004, Méthode Traditionnelle Brut Non-dosé, Château La Tour Grise ($25.29, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% Chenin Blanc from organically and biodynamically farmed vines averaging a quarter of a century old. Manually harvested. After sorting, the grapes are destemmed and pressed, with the must racked directly into the fermentation vessel. Primary fermentation, with indigenous yeasts, is stopped before all the sugar has been converted to alcohol. The wine is bottled and allowed to referment, producing the carbon dioxide that sparkles the wine. After extended ageing on the lees while stacked on lattes, the bottles are riddled, disgored and topped up but not dosed (a dosed cuvée is also made) and sealed with a cork and cage. Throughout the wine-making process, nothing is added to the wine except a small squirt of sulphur dioxide at bottling. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Browning apple, pear blossom, chalk, yeast and hints of citrus and anise. Dry and medium-bodied with a fine effervescence. The nuanced set of flavours is centred on understated fruit and an array of minerals. A leesy, saline undercurrent adds savour while a faint pithy bitterness shades the long finish. Remarkably fresh for a decade-old wine because the bottles are disgorged and topped up just before they’re shipped. A delicious, aged, natural sparkler for $25 and change. What’s not to like? (Buy again? Yes indeed.)
(Flight: 1/9)
Salon VIP 2014: Root day at Rézin (5/7)
Burgenland 2012, Blaufränkisch, Heideboden, Weingut Pittnauer ($24.50, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Located near the village of Gols, on the northeastern shore of the Neusiedlersee not far from the Hungarian border, the estate is renowned for its St. Laurents and Pinot Noirs. This 100% Blaufränkisch come from biodynamically and organically farmed quarter-century old vines grown in the Heideboden vineyard. Manually harvested. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks at 27°C. Matured 12 months in neutral barrels. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Rézin.
Dark berries, flowers, spice and graphite on the nose. Fresh and lively in the mouth. Supple tannins provide just enough grit while streaming acidity carries the juicy, very dry fruit (mainly cherry) into a clean, minerally finish. Modern in its elegance but classic in its down-to-earthiness. Food-friendly to the max. (Buy again? Sure.)
Salon VIP 2014: Weingut Wieninger
Abutting Vienna (the city centre is clearly visible from some of the vineyards), Weingut Wieninger comprises 45 hectares on both sides of the Danube. On the outskirts of the city proper, between the houses and the forest (the Vienna Woods of story and song), are the Nussberg (also spelled Nußberg) vineyards, southerly exposed and gently sloping, where the soil consists of weathered, shell-rich limestone (25 to 65%), loam, clay and sand over solid limestone and where the breezes and temperature modifying effects of the river create near-ideal growing conditions. On the other bank are the Bisamberg vineyards, where the soil is light sandy loess over solid limestone.
The affable Fritz Wieninger was at the Vinealis stand, pouring five of his currently available wines. As a group they seemed more immediately accessible and food-friendly than some of their compatriots, less stern and austere and less demanding of cellar time – well-made wines you’d be happy to drink while sitting in the estate’s wine tavern (Heuriger) or digging into dinner at home.
Chardonnay Classic 2013, Weingut Wieninger ($26.65, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay from 15- to 30-year-old biodynamically farmed vines, nearly all of which are in the Bisamberg vineyards. Manually harvested and sorted. Gently destemmed. Macerated for about three hours, then pressed pneumatically. The must was transferred to stainless steel tanks (85%) and large neutral oak barrels (15%) for alcoholic fermentation. Malolactic fermentation was prevented in the tanks and allowed in the barrels; occasional lees-stirring took place in the tanks and barrels. After five months, the wines were blended and bottled. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Vinealis.
Lemon with just a hint of yellow fruit. On the nose and in the mouth shows a steely, Riesling-like quality. Clean, crisp, minerally and dry. The farthest thing from blowsy, a fresh and tonic take on Chardonnay. (Buy again? At $22, it’d be killer. At $26.65, sure.)
Riesling 2013, Wiener Berge, Weingut Wieninger ($26.35, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% Riesling from several converting-to-biodynamic Bisamberg vineyards (hail wiped out the usual Nussberg crop). Manually harvested. Manually and machine sorted. A short maceration was followed by pressing. The must was transferred to stainless steel tanks for fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Matured on the lees for a few months, then blended and bottled. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Vinealis.
Clean and fresh. Bracing acidity lights up the lemon-lime and minerals. If you look for it, you can find a hint of residual sugar but the alcohol is nowhere apparent. Finishes dry and stony. Very drinkable. (Buy again? At $22, it’d be killer. At $26.35, sure.)
Grüner Veltliner 2013, Wiener Berge, Weingut Wieninger ($26.35, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% Grüner Veltliner from biodynamically farmed vines, most of which are in the Bisamberg vineyards (a small proportion are in the Nussberg vineyards). Manually harvested. Mechanically sorted. A short maceration was followed by pressing. The must was clarified and transferred to stainless steel tanks for fermentation at low temperatures. Matured on the lees for a few months, then blended and bottled. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Vinealis.
Grass, white pepper, quartz and a hint of lime. Shows some citrus on the palate but is more about minerals and crisp acidity. Ends clean and fresh. A classic, easy-drinking GV. (Buy again? Sure, tho’ another four bucks will get you the all singing, all dancing Nussberg.)
Grüner Veltliner 2013, Nussberg, Weingut Wieninger ($30.50, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Grüner Veltliner from vines in the Nussberg vineyards. Manually harvested and sorted. The grapes were lightly crushed, left to macerate on the skins a few hours and then pressed. The must was transferred to stainless steel tanks for fermentation at low temperatures. Matured on the lees for a month or two longer than the Wiener Berge cuvée, then blended and bottled. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: Vinealis.
Everything found in the Wiener Berge GV and then some. Still primary but already complex and dimensional. Powerful and intense but, unlike some high-end GVs, remarkably balanced and alluring in its youth. A wine it’d be fun to buy a case of and track the evolution over the next six years. (Buy again? Yes.)
Gemischter Satz 2012, Nussberg, Alte Reben, Weingut Wieninger ($44.50, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Similar to what Deitz does in Alsace, this is a field blend of nine grape varieties – Weissburgunder, Neuburger, Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner, Sylvaner, Zierfandler, Rotgipfler, Traminer and Riesling – from biodynamically farmed 50-year-old vines co-planted in Nussberg’s Ulm vineyard. Manually harvested and sorted. After three hours’ maceration, the grapes were pneumatically pressed. The must was transferred to stainless steel tanks for low-temperature fermentation and maturation on the fine lees. Bottled nearly one year after harvest. 14.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Vinealis.
Fragrant, complex nose: wisps of medicinal honey, flowers, citrus, yellow fruit and a subtle minerality. In the mouth, it’s hefty (but not heavy), layered, broad and dry. A stream of acidity keeps everything vibrant. A hint of bitterness colours the long finish. Not the dog’s breakfast I was fearing. On the contrary, an appealing, complex wine with a certain precision and tension. (Buy again? Yes.)
Next stop: Rézin.
Salon VIP 2014: Xinomavro Nature
Still at the oenopole booth, we next tasted one of the standouts at this year’s salon.
Naoussa 2013, Xinomavro Nature, Thymiopoulos Vineyards ($62.75/1500 ml, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% biodynamically farmed Xinomavro. The manually harvested grapes are destemmed, fermented with indigenous yeasts and macerated 18 days in stainless steel tanks and large barrels. Maturation lasts six months and takes place in 500- to 600-litre barrels. Bottled unfiltered, unfined and with no added sulphur. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
An intriguing mix of fresh and stewed red fruit, oyster bed and distant garrigue. Medium-bodied but mouth-filling, juicy but dry. The tart acidity, lithe tannins and dusty minerals work like a foil for the vibrant, glowing fruit. There’s a real energy here that just lights up your palate. Not remarkably long but lip-smacking while it lasts. The thought of drinking this with grilled stuff – meat, sausages and vegetables – had our mouths watering. (Buy again? Yes, yes, yes.)
Thymiopoulos’s Jeunes vignes de xinomavro bottling has become a stealth hit at the SAQ and the Terre et Ciel bottling has knocked the socks off more than one drinker, including critics. This Xinomavro Nature confirms that he’s redefining notions of what the grape can achieve.
Unfortunately, the 750 ml bottles are sold out and only a few magnums remain. Here’s hoping for a second shipment!
MWG October 2nd tasting: Garnacha v. Grenache
Rioja 2010, Propiedad, Bodega Palacios Remondo ($36.00, 10256131)
100% Garnacha (aka Grenache) from 40- to 90-year-old vines. In previous vintages, the wine has been a blend; the 2010 is the first all-Grenache bottling. The grapes were manually harvested, sorted in the vineyard and again at the cellar and fully destemmed. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts and maceration with regular punch-downs took place in 5,000-litre oak vats and lasted nearly a month. Matured 14 months in French oak barrels, 50% new and 50% second-fill. Unfiltered and unfined. 14.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Les vins Horizon.
New Worldish nose: up-front plum and cherry, spicy notes (black pepper especially) and background vanilla. In the mouth, it’s a middleweight. Bright acidity and smooth tannins supplely structure the ripe-sweet fruit, while a slatey underlay adds depth. The oak-accented finish is heady, even a little flaring. Enjoyable in an uncomplicated – “one-dimensional” quoth one taster – fruit-forward way. Before the bottles were unveiled, another taster (tasting double-blind) who spends a lot of time in San Francisco declared this a Californian. And even I (tasting blind) was convinced it was the Bonny Doon. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Grenache 2012, Central Coast, Clos de Gilroy, Bonny Doon Vineyard ($28.30, 12268557)
Mostly biodynamically farmed Grenache (84%, from the Alta Loma vineyard in Greenfield) with a little Syrah (11.5%, from the Alamo Creek Vineyard near Santa Maria) and Mouvèdre (4.5%, from very old vines in Oakley). Manually harvested and sorted. Mostly destemmed. The varieties were vinified separately. A cold soak of several days was followed by lengthy fermentation (with indigenous yeasts) and maceration in open vats with regular punch-downs. Matured in stainless steel tanks, then blended and bottled. Screwcapped. 14.4% ABV. Quebec agent: Trialto.
Fresh nose of crushed raspberry, white pepper and pastry cream over a subterranean bass line. Tighter and more structured than the Rioja, though also a middleweight. The satiny fruit is lifted by high acidity, framed by sleek tannins and grounded by dark minerals. Finishes cleanly on a heady, herb-scented note. An appealing mix of suave and gruff. Unfortunately, like so many California wines in Quebec, the QPR seems a little off. (Buy again? At $28.30, maybe. If it were $5 cheaper, sure.)
(Flight: 4/6)
Brett happens 