Posts Tagged ‘Greece’
Riesling rules
If the photographs of dishes in Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s excellent new Jerusalem: A Cookbook leap out at you, the one of the crazy-good and super-easy Roasted Chicken with Clementines and Arak (adapted recipe follows) may be the long-jump champion. The combo of citrus, fennel (blubs, seeds and spirits) and a hint of sweetness present a wine-pairing challenge that Riesling seems uniquely qualified to meet.
Alsace 2009, Riesling, Grafenreben, Domaine Bott-Geyl ($27.80, 11778037)
100% biodynamically farmed Riesling from the Grafenreben lieu-dit in Zellenberg. The manually harvested whole bunches are gently and slowly pneumatically pressed. The resulting must is allowed to settle for 24 hours. Fermentation with native yeasts begins two or three days later and can last up to six months. When fermentation is complete, the wine is racked off the lees. No chaptalization or fining. 13.5% ABV.
Bone dry. Slight fizz at first. Among the most crystalline Rieslings I’ve encountered. Considerable extract and biting acidity. The ripe fruit is lemony and has a lot of pith. As the wine breathes and warms, it gains green apple and peach notes. The fruit quick-fades on the finish, leaving bitter minerals, a hint of hard caramel and maybe, just maybe, a whiff of petrol.
A fine bottle. The clerk I queried about the wine hadn’t tasted it but thought it would be a step toward off-dry. We should have looked more closely at the label, which bears a useful dry-to-sweet scale rating the wine 1 out of a possible 10. In any event, the flavours and weight worked well with the chicken, though a slightly less dry wine would have made for an even better match.
Considering the oyster
The good people at oenopole recently invited a number of local wine and food bloggers and writers to a workshop, possibly the first in an occasional series focused on pairing wines with a single food. In this case the food was raw oysters, Coville Bays to be precise. Impressively fresh and impeccably shucked, the medium-sized, meaty bivalves were some of the briniest I’ve tasted. Aside from four white wines, all that was on the table were mollusks on half shells, lemon wedges and bread – about as straightforward as it gets.
Bourgogne 2010, Sœur Cadette, Domaine de la Cadette ($18.25, 11460660)
In this vintage though maybe not for long, a négociant wine. 100% organically farmed Chardonnay. Slow-pressed, fermented in stainless steel with natural yeast. Matured 12 months in stainless steel tanks. Lightly filtered before bottling. 12.5% ABV.
Light lemon, chalk and quartz with a lactic note. Fresh and bracing on the palate, the fruit (lemon and green pear and apple) discreet. Taut with a tension between acidity and minerals. Long, clean, appetizingly sour finish. You won’t find a better brisk and minerally Chardonnay at the price.
> Lean and bright on its own, the wine was richer, rounder and fruitier with the oyster. A good match.
VDP des Cyclades 2011, Atlantis, Argyros ($16.65, 11097477)
Assyrtiko (90%), Aidani and Athiri (each 5%) from ungrafted vines. Fermented in stainless steel vats with selected yeasts. 13.0% ABV.
Rainwater on stones, crystal lemon, a hint of herbs. Denser than the Sœur Cadette but much less fruity, the sharp-edged minerals and trenchant acidity here softened by the wine’s weightiness. A saline tang flavours the finish. If possible, even better than the excellent 2010. Unbeatable QPR.
> A superb pairing, a whole greater than the sum of its parts. The wine’s minerality and brininess echoed the bivalves’ while its acidity cut their richness. In contrast to the Sœur, the wine’s flavour was little transformed by the naked oyster, though adding a few drops of lemon juice did bring out the otherwise shy fruitiness.
Champagne, Blanc de Blancs, Brut, Pascal Doquet ($43.25, 11528046)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from the communes of Bassuet and Bassu. Vinified entirely in stainless steel. Matured six months, three of them on the lees. A blend of three vintages. 12.5% ABV.
Faintly floral, candied lemon, chalk, lees. Crisp and delineated yet soft and caressing. The flavours are clean and pure. Dry, the sweetness coming only from the fruit. Leaves on a mineral note. Beautiful and, once again, offering tremendous value.
> If an oyster transformed the Sœur Cadette, here it was the wine that transformed the oyster, amping up its seawater taste (iodine, saltiness, even fishiness). As these were already exceptionally briny oysters, that was perhaps too much of a good thing; I suspect the Champagne would work better with a milder oyster. As before, a squirt of lemon sweetened the wine.
Champagne grand cru 2002, Le Mesnil sur Oger, Brut, Pascal Doquet ($74.00, 11787291)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from the Le Mesnil sur Oger vineyard. Based on the 2002 harvest (65%) with 35% reserve wines from 2001. About a third of the wine is matured in casks, the rest in tanks. 12.5% ABV.
Classic, refined champagne nose of brioche and yellow apple. Light, even ephemeral on the palate yet rich, complex, layered. Soft, fine effervescence. Some fruity sweetness is apparent on the attack; otherwise very dry. A load of minerals on the long finish. So elegant. A complete and beautiful wine comparable to blanc de blancs costing up to half again as much.
> Interacted with the oysters much like the non-vintage did, though a little less forcefully.
A last-minute addition:
Bourgogne 2011, Les Saulniers, Domaine de la Cadette ($47.00/1500ml, oenopole, six bottles/case)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from a single parcel located on a path once used by salt smugglers, whence the name. Sorted on the vine, slow-pressed, fermented with native yeasts in wood and stainless steel vats. Lightly filtered before bottling.
Stony, ashy nose with some lemon/lime zest. Fluid. Dry. Pure. Weightier and rounder than its little sister though still acid-bright. Full of green apple, sweet lemon and mineral flavours. Long, clean finish. Tasty.
> Naked oysters made an acceptable pairing, lemoned oysters a better one.
As the crowd chatted and prepared to leave, the cork was popped on a magnum of the always delicious and refreshing Bisol Prosecco ($19.10/750 ml, 10839168; $40.25/1,500 ml, 11549349). Didn’t take notes but the fact that it didn’t taste like a letdown after such an excellent sequence of whites should tell you all you need to know.
MWG November 9th tasting: report (5/5)
Vacqueyras 2009, Cuvée Azalaïs, Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux ($28.25, 11796420)
70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and Cinsault from 35- to 40-year-old vines, organically farmed but not yet certified as such (the 2010 vintage reportedly will be). Manually harvested. Destemmed. Fermented in concrete vats with native yeasts and daily pumping over. Matured a minimum of six months in large barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 14% ABV.
Plum, garrigue, spice. Fluid and nicely structured, with welcome acidity and fine tannins that linger through the finish. Initial salty plum and fig sweetened and deepened, with leather, minerals and licorice adding savour. Long. An excellent, terroir-driven Vacqueyras, about the best pairing imaginable for a garlic- and herb-scented leg of lamb. (Buy again? Yes.)
Naoussa 2009, Terre et Ciel, Domaine Thymiopoulos ($28.40, 11814368)
This 100% Xinomavro is a blend of organically farmed grapes from three parcels and 40- to 70-year-old vines. Fermented in stainless steel vats with native yeasts. Matured in a mix of Burgundy barrels, 20% new. Bottled unfiltered, unfined and with a small squirt of sulphur dioxide. The estate, which has been in the Thymiopoulos family for generations, used to sell its grapes to Boutari. Now-30-something Apostolo had other ideas: he attended wine school, stopped selling grapes, started making wines under his own name and began converting to biodynamic farming. 14.5% ABV.
We’re not in the Rhône Valley anymore, Toto: marked aromas of V8 juice, black raspberry jam, kirsch and menthol. Rich but not heavy fruit and a velvety mouth-feel. Dry. The initially raspy tannins soften as the wine breathes. Long, black cherry and earthy/slatey finish with spice notes. Not exactly my style but, along with its younger sibling, easily the best Xinomavro I’ve tasted. Will be interesting to see what some bottle age brings. (Buy again? If in the market for an exotically flavoured, fruit-forward but savoury and balanced wine, yes.)
Lirac 2010, La Dame Rousse, Domaine de la Mordorée ($22.00, 11690836)
A 50-50 blend of Grenache and Syrah from 40-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Destemmed and given a long maceration. Fermented for 30 days at 34ºC (93ºF). 14.5% ABV.
Leather, spice, plum and eventually kirsch. Started off well – dry, tannic, structured, ripe – but seemed to take on weight and flatten as it breathed. That heaviness and two-dimensionality together with the alcoholic heat made for a distinctly unrefreshing mouthful. Many people love Mordorée but I’m about ready to give up on it. (Buy again? No.)
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2009, Cuvée Réservée, Domaine du Pégau ($75.00, 11521354)
80% Grenache, 6% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre and 10% other varieties permitted in the appellation. Manually harvested. Fermented with the stems for ten to 14 days with native yeasts and twice daily pumping over. Slowly pressed. Allowed to settle over the winter, then racked into old oak barrels. Blended just before bottling. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 14% ABV.
Horsehair, garrigue, turned earth, hint of tar, savoury meat, black fruit. Rich, dense and very ripe yet quite acidic. Structured though the tannins are fine. Long with a little kirschy heat flaring on the finish. At this point early in its life, lacking cohesion and devoid of charm. Unlike the 1995, which was as approachable and seductive in its youth as it was a year ago, this bordered on galumphing. Obviously a thoroughbred and likely to evolve into something impressive. But Pégau used to be thought of as one of the more “feminine” Châteauneufs, and I have a hard time imagining anyone ever using that descriptor for this wine, even 15 or 20 years down the road. (Buy again? Probably not.)
MWG September 13th tasting: addendum
Santorini 2011, Sigalas ($22.00, 11034302)
100% Assyrtico from vines over 50 years old. The winery’s vineyards are organic but it also buys grapes for some of its wines; whether this is one of them isn’t clear. Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks. 13.7% ABV.
Nose of briny lemon, quartz and chalk with wax and straw in background. Delicately fruity on attack, sweet green apple and pear on the mid-palate, crunchy minerals throughout. Acid surges from the mid-point on, dominating the fruit and turning the finish puckery. Minerals remain and gain a bitter edge. As it warms and breathes it settles into something like I remember other Sigalas Santorinis as being: well made, true to type, but never quite achieving the dazzle of the best. In other words, serve well chilled if opening now. Or stick it in the cellar for a couple of years and see what develops.
This bottle was supposed to have been in the first flight of the September 13th tasting but in my rush to leave home, I grabbed the 2008 Mylos by mistake and left the Sigalas sitting in the fridge.
MWG September 13th tasting: report (1/3)
Mo’ Wine Group members weren’t keen on tasting through the September Cellier releases. What’s more, due to schedule conflicts (vacation travel, work travel, parent-teacher meetings, looming publication deadlines and the like), we couldn’t put together a full house, a first in the group’s nearly seven-year history. I was ready to cancel but one member suggested we gather for a small-scale tasting with food. Enough people were interested, so it happened.
We began with a flight of Assyrtikos from Santorini.
Santorini 2011, Assyrtiko sélectionné, Hatzidakis ($29.75, oenopole, NLA)
Made to the specifications of Paris-based agency Oenos Fruit Pierre Lumière and distributed mainly in France, this blend of selected lots from four vineyards is fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks and aged in used barrels. Bottled unfiltered, unfined and with minimal sulphur dioxide. About 1,500 bottles made. 13.5% ABV.
Electrum to the eye. My first words on tasting this were “crystal palace.” An array of minerals, from chalk to quartz, wrapped around a lemony core, electrified by acidity, sparked by a spritzy, zesty tingle and slow-fading into a long, saline finish. Bone dry and ideally dimensioned. Simply superb and easily the most dazzling Santorini I’ve tasted. (Buy again? Moot but, yes, by the case.)
Santorini 2008, Vieilles vignes, Mylos, Hatzidakis ($35.50 in March 2011, oenopole, NLA)
Sourced from a single vineyard, the highest on the island. The old vines – ungrafted like all Santorini grape vines – average 150 to 300 years old. Half is vinified in stainless steel, the other half in casks. Fermented and aged longer than the Assyrtiko sélectionné but bottled identically. About 2,000 bottles made. 15% ABV.
Clear bronze. Far richer than the Sélectionné, the minerals – here more stony than crystalline – are joined by peach, brine and a hint of burnt rubber. Unctuous, extracted, powerful yet balanced, the alcohol felt but not tasted. Mouth-filling yet maintaining a sense of proportion. A wine to contend with and one that demands to be consumed with food. (Buy again? Yes, though maybe not if the 2009 were around.)
Santorini 2009, Vieilles vignes, Mylos, Hatzidakis ($36.50, oenopole, NLA)
Same technical info as for the 2008. 14.5% ABV.
Pale gold. Appealing nose: quartzy, toasty lemon and marjoram. Bone dry. Crystalline texture and vibrant acidity cushioned by the rich extract. Intermingling lemon pith, white fruit and minerals. Long finish that brings to mind linden tea and rocky seacoasts. Splits the difference between the Sélectionné and the 2008 Mylos. A beautiful geode of a wine. (Buy again? If only I could.)
Santorini 2010, Assyrtiko, Argyros ($21.15, 11639344)
100% Assyrtiko from 50- to 60-year-old vines. Fermented and aged on the lees in stainless steel. 13.2% ABV.
Almost transparent. Lemon bright and fluid though, next to the Hatzidakis wines, it seems less taut and tense than the bottle tasted in June. Long crystalline and briny finish. The best Assyrtiko available at the SAQ. (Buy again? Yes.)
The wines were tasted on their own and then with food. As always, they proved an ideal pairing for oysters on the half shell (ours were garnished with lemon juice, fresh oregano leaves and white pepper). The wines’ minerality and high acidity meant they were unfazed by a tomato and red onion salad with feta. And while arguably too classy for taramosalata, tzatziki and dolmades, the pairing didn’t do them any disfavours. Though we didn’t try it, an intriguing match recommended by oenopole’s Theo Diamantis, who knows a thing or two about Greek wine and food, is the Mylos with lamb.
Return of the world’s most drinkable Xinomavro
(We’ll ignore the wag who says “Well, duh, it’s the world’s only drinkable Xinomavro.”)
Naoussa 2010, Jeunes Vignes de Xinomavro, Domaine Thymiopoulos ($17.05, 11607617)
100% organically farmed Xinomavro from five- to ten-year-old vines. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Bottled unfiltered. 13.5% ABV.
Cherry pie and Swiss chard tart on a slate countertop: that’s the nose. In the mouth, the wine is medium-bodied and supple. The fruit (pomegranate and cherry) is sweet and pure, juicy but not heavy, both brightened and soured by acidity. The tannins are light but pervasive and of the teeth-coating kind. Turns drier, earthier, more savoury and minerally as it heads into the finish.
A joy to drink, a vin plaisir, a quaffer, ideally suited for sweet-spiced Greek fare like tonight’s vegetarian pastitsio (with lentils replacing the traditional ground meat).
There seems to be more around than there was of the 2009. Still, some outlets have nearly sold out and the track record suggests the rest will soon.
Santorini in a glass
Blasted by the sun and wind, the spectacularly beautiful island of Santorini is a remnant of the caldera of a volcano whose catastrophic collapse 35 centuries ago may have brought down the Minoan civilization in distant Crete. The island may also be the Atlantis of legend. The volcanic soil is young and nearly devoid of organic matter. Water in the form of rain is virtually non-existent during the growing season. The wind strips leaves and desiccates everything in its path. As Hugh Johnson has said, this is Europe’s most punishing vineyard. How surprising then that it is also the source of one of Europe’s great white wines.
The traditional vine-growing method, still much in use today, is to train the vines into nests kept low to the ground, which affords a degree of protection from the wind and sun.
Santorini 2010, Assyrtiko, Estate Argyros ($21.15, 11639344)
100% Assyrtiko from 50- to 60-year-old vines. Fermented and aged on the lees in stainless steel.
Quartz dust and lemon with notes of dried herbs and green grape. Medium-bodied and very dry. A tight coil of minerals and tingling acidity rounded by a density of, well, fruit except the wine’s not fruity (matière, the French would say; perhaps “extract” is the best translation). Virtually endless preserved-lemon finish, the alcohol (13.2% ABV) providing lift, not heat. Clean, pure and penetrating. In short, a lip-smacking wine not to be missed, especially at the price. Food pairing? Grilled fish served with lemon wedges and a pitcher of olive oil. Or, one of the best matches ever (better even than Muscadet or Chablis), oysters on the half shell.
The world’s most drinkable Xinomavro
Thirty-something Macedonian winemaker Apostolo Thymiopoulos is a rising star in Greece. Wines like this young vine cuvée – unique, full of character, food-friendly and so pound-backable – make it clear why.
Naoussa 2009, Jeunes vignes de Xinomavro, Domaine Thymiopoulos ($17.90, 11607617)
100% organically farmed Xinomavro from five to ten-year-old vines. Fermented with ambient yeasts. Bottled unfiltered (not that you’d guess from its crystalline clarity). Gem-like in the glass: limpid pale maroon with ruby glints. Beguiling nose of candied cherry, sun-baked stone and earth, garrigue-ish scents of dried oregano. Sits lightly on the palate. Sweet fruit intertwines with savoury herbs and spice (unmistakable cinnamon), is buoyed by bright acid and carried along by astringent tannins that run from start to finish. Fair length. A real treat.
The 100-odd cases of the current allocation went on sale at the SAQ earlier this week, and the bottles are flying off the shelves. If you want some, run – don’t walk – to an outlet near you.
MWG January 12th tasting: report
In reaction to the excesses of the holiday season, the Mo’ Wine Group’s January tasting traditionally focuses on affordable wines. This year was no exception. All bottles but one were purchased at the SAQ, and most are still available.
THE WHITES
Vinho Verde 2009, Loureiro, Quinta do Ameal ($18.30, 11459992)
100% organically farmed Loureiro. Floral and grapey in a Muscat kind of way; chalky, too. Light and fruity in the mouth, the slight residual sugar balanced by high acidity. Faint tingle, though whether from carbon dioxide or acid I can’t say. Minerally finish. (Buy again? Probably not, when the more compelling Deu La Deu is available at about the same price.)
Rueda 2009, Nosis, Buil&Giné ($18.95, 10860928)
100% Verdejo. Muted nose of dried lemon peel, wax and gooseberry. Fairly dense and oily though with enough acid to keep it from feeling heavy. Lemony, quartzy flavours and some residual sugar up front, dries and turns minerally as it progresses through the mouth. Lingers long. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Bourgogne Vézelay 2010, La Châtelaine, Domaine la Cadette ($22.05, 11094621)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay. 80% spends time in vats, 20% in barrels. Lemon, green apple and ashes on the nose. Green apple and oats on the palate. Bright acid. Seems disjointed and turns unpleasantly sour and lactic on the mid-palate. In view of the wine’s previous vintages and the embrace of the 2010 by the city’s more clued-in restaurateurs and wine advisors (it was reportedly the third biggest seller during the holidays at the Jean Talon Market SAQ), ours was probably an off bottle. (Buy again? To see what gives, yes.)
Alto Adige 2010, Kerner, Abbazia di Novacella ($22.95, 11451974)
100% Kerner. Fermented using natural yeasts. Sees only stainless steel. Floral, green grape, spice, quartz dust. Weighty in the mouth. Initial residual sugar. Fruity attack fades by mid-palate. High acid. A bit short and alcoholic (13.9% ABV). (Buy again? Maybe.)
Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh sec 2008, Château Montus ($23.55, 11017625)
100% Petit Courbu from 15-year-old vines. Honeyed pear. Dense, rich, quite dry. Strong acid. Lemon zest on very long finish. Tasty. (Buy again? Yes.)
Saumur 2010, Château Yvonne ($25.55, 10689665)
100% organically farmed Chenin Blanc. Fermented with native yeasts, matured in new barrels, unfiltered and unfined. Quince, quinine, chestnut honey. Medium-bodied and very acidic. Complex but giving the impression that there’s more in store. Long mineral-packed finish. Not as memorably out-there as some earlier vintages but still a fine bottle of Chenin. (Buy again? Yes.)
THE REDS
Burgenland Qualitätswein 2009, Zweigelt, Zantho ($15.90, 10790384)
100% Blauer Zweigelt. Fermented in stainless steel tanks; matured 95% in stainless steel tanks, 5% in used barriques. Farty, candied red fruit, graphite, dried herbs. Rustic, a bit jammy and one-noteish, despite some coffee and slate undertones. Drinkable but not delivering much excitement. (Buy again? Probably not.)
IGP Pays de l’Hérault 2010, Exorde, Clos Mathélisse ($21.30, La QV)
100% organically farmed Cinsault. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Bottled unfiltered and unfined with very little added sulphur. Nearly the entire (very small) production is exported to Switzerland and Canada. A first bottle seemed out of character: Red fruit, herbal, hint of rubber. Light rustic tannins. Bright acid but moody, a bit red-vermouthy, not recognizably the same wine as from earlier bottles. A second bottle showed much better: a gush of bright fruit and raspy tannins, with earthy herbal overtones and a pomegranate-like tang – the proverbial “wine that puts a smile on your face.” Surprisingly, three or four hours after being uncorked, the tail-end of the first bottle had righted itself and was drinking beautifully. Such are the vagaries of natural wines… (Buy again? For sure.)
Menetou-Salon 2010, Domaine Philippe Gilbert ($26.50, 11154988)
100% biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir from 20-year-old vines. Natural winemaking. Bottled unfiltered with minimal sulphur. Exuberant red berries: ça pinote. Light but richening as it breathes. Ripe fruit, bright acid, fine, supple tannins. Good balance and length. A rectilinear but very pure expression of the grape variety. (Buy again? Yes.)
Toro 2009, Crianza, Bodega Viña Bajoz ($13.35, 10856195)
100% Tinta de Toro (aka Tempranillo). Crianzas must be aged for 24 months, with no less than 6 months barrel-aging. Plum, stinky feet, spice, a whiff of alcohol. Rich, ripe, fluid. Raspberry, cocoa, a hint of “high” meat. Some structure. A little alcohol and tannic astringency on the dried herby finish. Good, especially at the price, though not a wine for contemplation. (Buy again? Sure.)
Nemea 2008, Agiorgitiko, Driopi, Domaine Tselepos ($19.75, 10701311)
100% Agiorgitiko from 40-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Fermented in stainless steel vats with selected yeasts. Matured in 40% new oak barrels. Menthol, plum, tobacco. Fresh and juicy in the mouth, with leather and spice deepening the sweet fruit flavours. Good acid, plump tannins and a slatey finish. The ripe, round fruit speaks of a southern wine. (Buy again? Yes, especially when it’s grilling season again.)
Douro 2008, Quinta de la Rosa ($20.30, 00928473)
Traditional port varieties, mainly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz from 20- to 30-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Fermented in small stainless steel vats, then matured in French oak casks for 12 months before being minimally filtered and bottled. Volatile, spicy nose. Rich, vaporous, alcoholic (14.2% ABV). A mass of spicy/herby fruit. Good acid and plump tannins. Long, flowing finish. Intense but also a little plodding. (Buy again? Not sure.)
IGT Maremma Toscana 2009, Sinarra, La Fattoria di Magliano ($21.65, 11191447)
95% Sangiovese, 5% Petit Verdot. Manually harvested. Sees no oak. Bottled unfiltered. Typical Tuscan nose: leather, dust, dried cherry. Rich yet supple and fluid. The drying tannins are also true to the Tuscan type. Balanced, structured, long. Modern but quite enjoyable. (Buy again? Yes.)
Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence 2009, Château Revelette ($18.45, 10259737)
Organically farmed Syrah (55%), Cabernet Sauvignon (34%) and Grenache (11%) from 25-year-old vines. The constituent grape varieties are vinified separately. A fraction of the Grenache and Cabernet are aged in fifth-year barrels. Leather upfront. Spice, black fruit in background. Rich, dense and strucutred but not heavy. Lots of acid. Tarry tannins. Long, savoury, posh. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Fronton 2008, Cuvée Don Quichotte, Domaine Le Roc ($18.80, 10675327)
Négrette (60%) and Syrah (40%). Varieties are vinified separately. The grapes are crushed, as the winemakers feel this enhances the bouquet and softens the tannins. Matured in vats and barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. Wild red and black fruit with floral and animale notes. Dense fruit but fluid and bright. Supple tannins. Hints of licorice and dark chocolate on the longish finish. Perhaps showing less personality than in earlier vintages but still delivering good QPR. (Buy again? Yes.)
Montsant 2007, Vall del Calas, Celler de Capçanes ($22.75, 10858297)
65% Merlot, 30% Garnacha, 5% Tempranillo. All three varieties are vinified separately. Fermented with native yeasts. Spends 13 months with new, one- and two-year French oak barrels. Bottled unfined and lightly filtered. Blackberry and black cherry, pepper and gravel. A silky texture and open structure. Rich, ripe fruit along with some wood and chocolate. Fairly long, inky/minerally finish. Seemed quite young. (Buy again? Maybe.)
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.
Brett happens 