Posts Tagged ‘Burgundy’
Quick takes
Spent some quality time with the Beaubien SAQ Sélection outlet’s wine-tasting station on the weekend. With the possible exception of the Gevrey, all are worth acquiring (though you might want to wait for next weekend’s rumoured $5-off-each-$50-spent sale).
Crozes-Hermitage 2009, Domaine Combier ($31, 11154980)
(saq.com lists this as the 2007 but the wine I tasted and the bottle I bought were indeed the 2009.)
100% organically farmed, manually harvested Syrah from three parcels. Completely destemmed. Spent 25 days in stainless steel fermentation vats, 12 months in newish oak barrels. 12.5% ABV.
Gorgeous nose of ripe red fruit, sandalwood, gingerbread spice. Shows young on the palate, the sweet fruit balanced by bright acid and light, tingly tannins. Flavours turn darker on the finish. Fleet and fluid yet somehow very present. Syrah may come deeper than this but not much purer, fresher or more engaging.
Gevrey-Chambertin 2007, Domaine Perrot-Minot ($65, 10919045)
100% organically farmed Pinot Noir. Matured in oak barrels, 25% new, 37.5% one-year and 37.5% two-year. Unfiltered and unfined. 13.5% ABV.
Red berries, funk, leafmould and a hint of oak. Silky texture. Very dry. Seems structured more by acidity than tannins until you chew the wine. Light weight tending to ephemeral but surprisingly long. Needs time?
Margaux 2004, Château Labégorce ($42.75, 10546841)
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Fermented in concrete vats, matured 12-15 months in 35% new oak barrels. 12.5% ABV.
Cassis, blackberry, graphite and a little oak: will eventually develop a classic Margaux fragrance. Suave and structured, the tannins fine but still astringent. Medium-bodied, showing some depth, good balance and length. Enjoyable now but even better in a few years. Traditionally styled – quite the welcome change from some of its modern, New Worldish compatriots. These days, $40 for a Bordeaux of cru classé quality spells great QPR.
Maremma Toscana IGT 2009, Sinarra, La Fattoria di Magliano ($21.65, 11191447)
Partially destemmed Sangiovese (95%) and Petit Verdot (5%). Fermented in stainless steel. The must and skins are heated slightly after fermentation. Matured in concrete butts. Unfiltered. 13% ABV.
Lovely nose: candied black raspberries and a freshness evocative of mint or spring leaves. Sweet fruit, good acid. Fluid. Drying tannins linger. Vanilla note on finish. Overall impression of freshness. Modern but in a nice way. Drink now.
Priorat 2004, Clos de l’Obac, Costers del Siurana ($73, 10781808)
About one-third each Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon with some Syrah, Merlot and Carignan. Dry-farmed. Insecticide-free. 14.5% ABV.
Complex nose: dark fruit, leather, slate, kirsch. Full-bodied but not hot. Suave and balanced, the power held in reserve, the smooth surface belying the rigid structure and impenetrable depth. Showed some well-integrated oak as it warmed. Great aging potential. Imposing and impressive.
October 21st MWG tasting: report
Notes from one of the most enjoyable Mo’ Wine Group tastings in recent memory. All wines except two are available at the SAQ; the exceptions are private imports that can be ordered from the linked-to agents. Prices are in Canadian dollars and include sales taxes.
FLIGHT 1: FOUR $25 CHARDONNAYS
Chablis 2009, Terroirs de Chablis, Patrick Piuze ($24.65, 11180334)
Made on a négociant basis using native yeasts by 30-something Patrick Piuze, who hails from St-Lambert. Textbook Chablis nose: gunflint, oats, hints of butter and lemon zest. Mild on entry but fast gaining intensity. Pure and minerally, crystalline even. Long, biting finish. Mouth-watering: as fine a Chablis as you’ll find at the price. (Buy again? Impérativement.)
Montello e Colli Asolani 2007, Chardonnay, Villa di Maser ($24.95, 6 bottles/case, Sublime Vins & Spiritueux)
Gold-hued, in contrast to the silver of the other wines in the flight. Smelling a little candied and oxidized: browning yellow apple with pineapple hints. Rounder and denser than the other wines, though nicely balanced. Mild flavoured: straw and minerals more than fruit. Vaporous finish. Seemed to retreat into its shell with exposure to air. Different from – less angular and stony than – the bottle tasted two days earlier, but equally intriguing. (Buy again? Sure, another bottle or two.)
Rully 2008, Les Saint-Jacques, A. & P. de Villaine ($26.60, 10339041)
Introverted, elusive nose: chalk, white flowers and a hint of lanolin. Rich and flavourful (green apple and minerals) with an acidic undertow. Limestoney finish. Impeccable though a little more personality wouldn’t be unwelcome. (Buy again? Maybe but not while the Terroirs de Chablis and Les Clous are available.)
Bourgogne 2008, Les Clous, A. & P. de Villaine ($24.35, 00872168)
Lemon zest and chalk. Medium-bodied, the components better integrated than the Rully’s. Flavours more minerally than fruity, the long, bitter-edged finish more felt than tasted. A lovely, appetizing wine that several of us preferred to the Rully. (Buy again? Sure.)
FLIGHT 2: TWO GAUBY WHITES
VDP des Côtes Catalanes 2004, Le Soula (Gérard Gauby et associés) ($50.75, 10933365)
35% Grenache Blanc and Gris, 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Marsanne, Roussane, Macabeu and Chenin, all organically farmed. Native yeasts. Bronze cast to the eye. Wonderfully complex nose: caramelized pear, rocks, herbs, dried pineapple, ash, nutmeg. Smooth, rich and round but with an acid undercurrent. Considerable depth and great length. Probably at its peak or maybe even just past it. The MWG member who took the tail-end of the bottle home with him reports that the wine was still singing 24 hours later. Only a few bottles left in the system. (Buy again? If the budget allows.)
VDP des Côtes Catalanes 2007, Vieilles vignes, Domaine Gauby ($49.50, 11225184)
40% Macabeu, 30% Grenache Blanc, 15% Chardonnay, 10% Grenache Gris and 5% Carignan Blanc. Native yeasts. Lighter and more golden. Complex but hard-to-pin-down nose that evolved all evening: mineral oil, garrigue, ash, resin, white fruit, acacia blossom, maybe even some caramel… Rich, almost viscous texture kept from heaviness by an acidic backbone and austere minerality. Broad, deep and layered, turning quartzy on the persistent finish. A superb bottle that, with Rouge Gorge’s Macabéo, shares the honour of being the best Languedoc-Roussillon white I’ve tasted. (Buy again? Will make the budget allow.)
FLIGHT 3: THREE MONDEUSES AND A CLUNKER RINGER
Vin de Savoie 2007, Mondeuse Arbin, Domaine Louis Magnin ($24.20, 10783272)
Black cherry, stones, hint of barnyard. Clean, lean and polished. Sour cherry fruit with a sweet core, fine tannins, bright acidity and a long finish. Wonderfully pure and fresh, as befits its alpine origins. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Vin de Savoie 2007, Mondeuse, Domaine des Rocailles ($14.95, 11194357)
Ash, cherry jam, humus and a whiff of caramel. Light-bodied. Flavours as minerally as fruity. Light, raspy tannins, tickly acid. Bit of astringency on the finish. Could use more oomph but still a good buy at $15, more interesting than many Beaujolais costing several dollars more. (Buy again? Sure.)
Vin de Savoie 2007, Mondeuse, Le Pied de la Barme, Domaine Saint-Germain ($21.85, 10884735)
Fruity, sappy nose with spice and floral notes, not unlike a Beaujolais but with a blood note. A fluid, tasty mouthful of cherry fruit and minerals. A tad funkier than the Magnin. Lively acidity, fine tannins and a long finish. Savoury and elegant. (Buy again? Sure.)
Valle d’Aosta 2007, Mille Pendii, Chambave, Podere Castorani ($25.25, 10780418)
100% Petit Rouge, a variety that Hugh Johnson claims “tastes suspiciously like Mondeuse.” Spice, raspberry and oak with hints of plastic and old sweat. Over-concentrated and tarted up with oak (caramel, vanilla, chocolate). Velvety instead of silky, leaden instead of sprightly, gummy instead of pure. Finish lasts long, far too long. What by any rights should be a light-bodied easy drinker is here a juiced-up wannabe super wine. All flash and no substance. (Buy again? Ha!)
FLIGHT 4: AN ELEGANT SYRAH WITH A QUEBEC CONNECTION
Coteaux du Languedoc 2006, Cuvée Prestige 5 921 km, Terrenum ($38.00, 6 bottles/case, Réserve et Sélection)
100% Syrah from low-yielding old vines in Montpeyroux. Spent nine months in new French oak barrels. Total production: 960 bottles. Made on a négociant basis by Montrealer Simon Thibaudeau. Beautiful, complex bouquet: leather, black and red berries, animale and garrigue, gaining a mineral earthiness and hints of iodine and blood with exposure to air. Smooth and plush on the palate but with a solid tannic frame. More medium- than full-bodied. Fluid, fresh and finely flavoured. The oak is an element, not overpowering; indeed, all the elements are in balance. Long finish. Delicious if a little introverted for now, not peaking for another three or four years and probably able to age another five or maybe even ten years beyond that. (Buy again? Yes.)
FLIGHT 5: THREE TELEGRAPHIC REDS
Gigondas 2007, Les Racines, Domaine Les Pallières ($35.25, 11288409)
80% Grenache Noir, 15% co-planted Syrah and Cinsault, 5% Clairette. Spent ten months in vats, 7-9 months in foudres. Since 1998, the domaine has been owned by Berkeley-based wine merchant Kermit Lynch and the Bruniers, who also own Vieux Télégraphe and who look after the wine-making here. Cookie dough, plum and spice; gains marzipan notes as it breathes. Mouth-filling sweet and savoury fruit. Silky texture despite a tannic underpinning. A bit hot (15.4% ABV) on the long finish, which, as one taster pointed out, has something Banyuls or Maury about it. The MWG member who took the tail-end home with him reports that the wine had fallen apart the next day. (Buy again? Probably not.)
Gigondas 2007, Terrasse du Diable, Domaine Les Pallières ($35.00, 00725937)
90% Grenache Noir, 5% Mourvèdre and 5% Clairette. Spent ten months in vats, 12 months in foudres. Complex and evolving nose: tarry plums, garrigue, baked earth and wood. Supple, smooth and fruity on entry but giving way to a rich mid-palate marked by coursing acid and firm tannins that last through the long, kirsch- and herb-scented finish. Big but balanced. (Buy again? Sure, though 15.2% ABV does give one pause.)
Châteauneuf du Pape 2007, La Crau, Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe ($75.25, 11268897)
65% Grenache Noir, 15% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, 5% Clairette and others. Spent ten months in vats, 12 months in foudres. Beautiful nose: heady, brooding with scents of terra cotta, kirsch, crushed rocks, dark fruit, black olives, sweet spice. An elegant mouthful of similar flavours, rich and full-bodied yet not heavy, structured by ripe, round tannins, balanced by acidity. Sweet and savoury intertwine on the seemingly endless finish. Surprisingly accessible for so young a Vieux Télégraphe but also capable of aging for at least a couple of decades. (Buy again? Santa, be good to me!)
Chablis 2009, Terroirs de Chablis, Patrick Piuze ($24.65, 11180334)
Textbook Chablis nose: gunflint, oats, hints of butter and lemon zest. Mild on entry but fast gaining intensity. Pure and minerally, even crystalline. Long, biting finish. Mouth-watering: as good a Chablis as you can get at the price. (Buy again? Mais oui.)
Montello e Colli Asolani 2007, Chardonnay, Villa di Maser ($24.95, Sublime Vins & Spiritueux)
Gold-hued, in contrast to the silver of the other wines in the flight. Smelling a little candied and oxidized: browning yellow apple with pineapple hints. Rounder and denser than the other wines, though nicely balanced. Mild flavoured: straw and minerals more than fruit. Vaporous finish. Seemed to retreat into its shell with exposure to air. Different from – less angular and stony than – the bottle tasted two days’ earlier, but equally intriguing. (Buy again? Yeah, another bottle.)
Rully 2008, Les St-Jacques, A. & P. de Villaine ($26.60, 10339041)
Introverted, elusive: chalk, white flowers and a hint of lanolin. Rich and flavourful (green apple and minerals) with an acidic undertow. Limestoney finish. Impeccable though a little more personality wouldn’t be unwelcome. (Buy again? Not while the Terroirs de Chablis and Les Clous are available.)
Bourgogne 2008, Les Clous, A. & P. de Villaine ($24.35, 00872168)
Lemon zest and chalk. Medium-bodied, the components better integrated than the Rully’s. Flavours more minerally than fruity, the long, bitter-edged finish more felt than tasted. A lovely, appetizing wine that several of us preferred to the Rully. (Buy again? Sure.)
VDP des Côtes Catalanes 2004, Le Soula (Gérard Gauby et associés) ($50.75, 10933365)
Bronze cast to the eye. Extremely complex nose: caramelized pear, rocks, herbs, dried pineapple, ash, nutmeg. Smooth, rich and round but with an acid undercurrent. Considerable depth and great length. Probably at its peak or maybe even just past it. The MWG member who took the tail-end of the bottle home with him reports that the wine was still singing 24 hours later. (Buy again? If the budget allows.)
VDP des Côtes Catalanes 2007, Vieilles vignes, Domaine Gauby ($49.50, 11225184)
Lighter and more golden. Complex but hard-to-pin-down nose that evolved all evening: mineral oil, garrigue, ash, resin, white fruit, acacia blossom, maybe even some caramel… Rich texture kept fresh by animating acidity. Great breadth and depth. Layers of flavour. Long, increasingly quartzy finish. A superb bottle that shares with the Rouge Gorge Macabéo the honour of being the best Midi whites I’ve tasted. (Buy again? Will make the budget allow.)
Vin de Savoie 2007, Mondeuse Arbin, Domaine Louis Magnin ($24.20, 10783272)
Black cherry, stones, hint of barnyard. Clean, lean and polished. Black cherry with a sweet core, fine tannins, bright acidity and long finish. Wonderfully pure and fresh, as befits its alpine origins. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Vin de Savoie 2007, Mondeuse, Domaine des Rocailles ($14.95, 11194357)
Ash, cherry jam, humus and a whiff of caramel. Light-bodied. Flavours as minerally as fruity. Light but raspy tannins, tickly acid. Bit of astringency on the finish. Could use more oomph but still a good buy at $15, more interesting than many Beaujolais costing several dollars more. (Buy again? Sure.)
Vin de Savoie 2007, Mondeuse, Le Pied de la Barme, Domaine Saint-Germain ($21.85, 10884735)
Fruity, sappy nose with spice and floral notes, not unlike a Beaujolais but with a blood note. A fluid, tasty mouthful of cherry fruit and minerals. A little funkier than the Magnin. Animating acidity, fine tannins and a long finish. Savoury and elegant. (Buy again? Sure.)
Valle d’Aoste 2007, Mille Pendii, Chambave, Podere Castorani ($25.25, 10780418)
Spice, raspberry and oak with hints of plastic and old sweat. Over-concentrated and heavily tarted up with oak (caramel, vanilla, chocolate). Velvety instead of silky, leaden instead of lively, gummy instead of pure. Finish lasts long, far too long. What by any rights should be a light-bodied easy drinker is here juiced up into a wannabe super wine. All flash and no substance. (Buy again? Ha!)
Coteaux du Languedoc 2006, Cuvée Prestige 5 921 km, Terrenum ($38.00, Réserve et Sélecton)
100% Syrah from low-yielding old vines in Montpeyroux. Spends nine months in new French oak barrels. Made on a négociant basis by Montrealer Simon Thibaudeau. Beautiful, complex nose: leather, black and red berries, animale and garrigue. Gains a mineral earthiness and hints of iodine and blood as it breathes. Smooth and plush on the palate but with a solid tannic frame, more medium- than full-bodied. Fluid, fresh and finely flavoured. The oak is an element, not overpowering; indeed, all the elements are in balance. Long finish. Delicious if a little introverted now, not peaking for another three or four years and probably able to age another five or maybe even ten years beyond that. (Buy again? Yes.)
Gigondas 2007, Les Racines, Domaine Les Pallières ($35.25, 11288409)
80% Grenache Noir, 15% co-planted Syrah and Cinsault, 5% Clairette. Spends ten months in vats, 7–9 months in foudres. Cookie dough, plum and spice; gains marzipan notes as it breathes. Mouth-filling sweet and savoury fruit. Silky texture despite a tannic underpinning. A bit hot (15.4% ABV) on a long finish that, as one taster pointed out, has something of a Banyuls or Maury about it. The MWG member who took the tail-end home with him reports that the wine had fallen apart the next day. (Buy again? Probably not.)
Gigondas 2007, Terrasse du Diable, Domaine Les Pallières ($35.00, 00725937)
90% Grenache Noir, 5% Mourvèdre and 5% Clairette. Spends ten months in vats, 12 months in foudres. Complex and evolving nose: tarry plums, garrigue, baked earth and wood. Supple, smooth and fruity on entry but giving way to a rich mid-palate marked by coursing acid and firm tannins that last through the long, kirsch- and herb-scented finish. Big but balanced. (Buy again? Sure, though 15.2% ABV does give one pause.)
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2007, La Crau, Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe ($75.25, 11268897)
65% Grenache Noir, 15% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, 5% Clairette and others. Spends ten months in vats, 12 months in foudres. Beautiful nose: heady, brooding with scents of terra cotta, kirsch, crushed rocks, dark fruit, black olives, sweet spice. An elegant mouthful of similar flavours, rich and full-bodied yet not heavy, structured by ripe, round tannins, balanced by acidity. Sweet and savoury intertwine on the seemingly endless finish. Surprisingly accessible for so young a Vieux Télégraphe but also capable of aging for at least a couple of decades. (Buy again? Santa, be good to me!)
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.
My life as a high-roller
Updated October 24, 2010. See note below.
Tastes of two wines served double-blind at SAQ outlets. The first bottle had been open for about 18 hours, the second for about five. I didn’t take notes, so this is from memory.
Wine 1 was unmistakably Sauvignon Blanc, the nose all gooseberries, grapefruit and grass on wet stones. But from where? There was a roundness and weight that seemed New Worldish, yet it wasn’t caricatured like New Zealand SBs so often are: no one would accuse this of tasting like Fresca. On the other hand, the creamy texture, hints of oak, mineral- and acid-dominating fruit didn’t exactly scream, oh, Sancerre. Still, the wine had presence: a lithe muscularity, great follow-through and, despite the flashiness, undeniable class. It drew me back, made me want to spend more time with it. Waiting for the bottle to be unveiled, I studied the store’s Loire section, looking for candidates. Not many. It couldn’t be that $20 Chard-heavy Cheverny, could it? That would qualify as the bargain of the century. Had I looked instead in the locked display case, I might have guessed right: Blanc Fumé de Pouilly 2007 2006*, Silex, Didier Dagueneau ($95.00, 1151947). Dagueneau’s next-to-last vintage before his untimely death in an ultralight plane accident. It would be interesting to track the wine’s evolution over the next decade or so, but his wines have become cult objects and have prices to match (though the tax-inclusive C$95 is a relative bargain; there are lots of stores in the States where it’s running over US$100 before taxes).
Wine 2 was more red than purple but far from light. A gorgeous nose: red berries and forest floor, a touch of sweet oak and a spice chest that put me in mind of a Quintarelli Valpolicella. A sip ruled out the Italian connection. Likely Pinot Noir. Possibly French. Yet, again, so rich and dense – the texture more velvet than silk, the fruit so ripe, the tannins so cushioned – you had to wonder whether it wasn’t some damn-the-expense New World bottling. Nope: Bonnes-Mares grand cru 2006, Fougeray de Beauclair ($165.25, 10926608). Impressive and even accessible now (if the store hadn’t been about to close, I’d have spent another five minutes with my nose stuck in the glass) but still a baby.
*UPDATE: As at least one SAQ wine advisor has discovered, the labels on some of the bottles of the Silex currently sold at the SAQ give the vintage as 2007 but all the corks have 2006 printed on them (as the bottles don’t have capsules, it’s easy to check). In this case, the cork trumps the label: the estate has confirmed that the SAQ’s current “2007s” are in fact mislabelled 2006s. See this discussion on La Paulée En Ligne for details. As of Sunday, October 24, the SAQ’s website still listed the wine as the 2007.
oenopole at the SAQ
Quick takes on eight bottles brought in by oenopole and available at the SAQ. Prices – several of which were recently cut due to exchange rate fluctuations – are in Canadian dollars and include 13% sales tax.
Mantinia 2009, Moschofilero, Domaine Tselepos ($19.55 [was $19.95], 11097485)
Flowers, minerals and white grapefruit. Bright and clean. More about the front of the mouth than the finish (something I’d say about all three of the Greek whites). Slight carbon dioxide prickle. Dry, bitter-tinged finish. Very enjoyable.
Vin de pays de Markopoulo 2009, Savatiano, Domaine Papagiannakos ($15.85, 11097451)
Lemon, soap and minerals. Subtler than expected in the mouth. Peach/pear notes, bright but not glaring acidity, a rounding hint of residual sugar and, again, a bitter-tinged finish. Great QPR.
Vin de pays des Cyclades 2009, Atlantis, Domaine Argyros ($15.95 [was $16.75], 11097477)
Minerals above all with whiffs of sour butter, dried herbs, preserved lemon, charcoal/smoke. Quartzy and a bit zesty. Clean, acidic and savoury but not a lot of fruit. Excellent aperitif or as an accompaniment to raw shellfish, grilled fish, pikilia platter, etc. This has proved to be a big hit at the SAQ; a third shipment will be arriving this fall.
Bourgogne Vézelay 2008, La Châtelaine, Domaine la Cadette ($19.75, 11094621)
True to form and more affordable than ever. Nose of lemon, chalk and sour milk with hints of green hay. A pure, clean and bright mouthful of oats and minerals with flavours building to a caramel-scented finish. Very long. If there’s a better Chardonnay at the price, I’m not aware of it. The 2009 should be showing up soon.
Crémant d’Alsace 2007, Brut, Domaine Barmès Bucher ($21.55 [was $22.35], 10985851)
Yeasty, floral nose. Fruity (oxidizing yellow apples?) on the palate with fine teasing bubbles. Initial hint of residual sugar gives way to a dryish, bitterish finish.
Alsace 2007, Riesling Herrenweg, Domaine Barmès Bucher ($29.70, 11153117)
If one can talk about QPR in a $30 wine, this Herrenweg has it. Serious and structured, long and wonderfully pure. Bursting with stone, lemon and petrol. Very dry. Zesty acidity and a hint of spritz. Classic and complete. Almost sold out.
Côtes du Rhône 2007, Lieu-dit Clavin, Domaine de la Vieille Julienne ($25.70, 10919133)
The best vintage of this wine I’ve drunk. Still in the massive, even monolithic, fruit-dominated style (at least in its youth) but in no way galumphing. Heady bouquet of spicy plum and choco-cherry with notes of sawdust, sweat, red meat, ink earth. Tannins tight but fine. Long. Almost sold out, though a small new shipment will reportedly arrive soon along with the 2008.
Rasteau 2006, Domaine Gourt de Mautens (now $62.25 [was $70.50], 11217774)
Dark plum and spice over earth and wood. 15.5% but elegant: smooth, rich and long albeit not particularly deep (depth may come with time). Fruit-forward but savoury too. A Châteauneuf in everything but name.
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