Posts Tagged ‘Loire’
MWG November 9th tasting: report (1/5)
A tasting that featured several new arrivals, including a few wines from the November 8th Cellier release. We began with a pair of top Muscadets.
Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine 2010, Fief du Breil, Domaine de la Louvetrie (Domaines Landron) ($24.75, Rézin)
100% biodynamically farmed Melon de Bourgogne from 40-year-old vines growing in quartz and orthogneiss soil. Pneumatically pressed. The must undergoes cold débourbage (clarification by racking the must after allowing suspended particles to settle out) before three weeks’ fermentation in concrete vats with native yeasts. The wine is then chilled and lightly sulphured to prevent malolactic fermentation and aged on the lees with regular stirring for 14 to 24 months, depending on the vintage. Another squirt of sulphur dioxide is added on bottling.
Lemon and chalk over faint gunflint and iodine. Rich in extract but fresh, vibrant and very dry. Fruity until the keen acidity swells and sea stones roll in. Long, tingly finish. Dazzling in its understated way. A thoroughbred that will only improve with a few years in the cellar. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine 2010, Expression de Granit, Domaine de l’Écu ($20.70, 10282873)
100% biodynamically farmed Melon de Bourgogne from 45- to 55-year-old vines grown in granitic soil. Pneumatically pressed. No débourbage. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled (15–17ºC) vats. Aged on the lees. 12% ABV.
Sweet apple fruit and blossom along with the expected mineral and seaside aromas. More buxom – rounder, fruitier, richer – than usual and than the 2010 Fief du Breil. Simple, green apply and restrained until chewed, then a matrix of lemon and minerals laser-etched with acid. Pure, bracing, mouth-filling and long. (Buy again? Yes, to stash away for five or ten years.)
MWG October 2nd tasting: report (1/2)
Most members of the Mo’ Wine Group are intrigued by so-called natural wines and many are fans, so we were delighted when Glou’s Jack Jacob recently joined us to lead a tasting of private imports from two of the most radically natural winemakers around.
What is a natural wine? According to the Association des vins naturels, the basic principles of natural wine-making are organic or biodynamic farming (not necessarily certified as such), manual harvesting, fermentation with native yeasts and the avoidance both of harsh physical procedures (reverse osmosis, cross-flow filtration, flash pasteurization, thermovinification) and of additives, including sugar (an exception is made for small amounts of sulphur dioxide added as a stabilizer at bottling). As a definition, that works for me, though I’d also add that many natural winemakers say their wines are made in the vineyard more than in the cellar, which leads them to adopt a non-interventionist approach and to largely or completely avoid filtering and fining.
The upsides of natural wines include their individuality and a juicy tartness that, in the best examples, seems very close to the fruit and terroir. Many also have a rustic appeal – a sense of not taking themselves too seriously – that their more polished and manipulated counterparts lack. Downsides include greater bottle-to-bottle variability, the ever-present possibility of reductive notes on opening (which is why as a rule it’s a good idea to carafe natural wines an hour or two before drinking), the need to store the bottles at cool temperatures (ideally 14ºC/57ºF or less) and, for some drinkers and some wines, their cloudy appearance and funky bouquets.
Anyway, back to our tasting, which begin in the Loire.
Hailing from Brittany, Olivier Lemasson entered the wine world as a caviste (retail wine seller). After encountering natural wines, he headed for Morgon, where he trained under pioneering winemaker Marcel Lapierre, first picking grapes, then tending the vines and working in the cellar. He eventually ended up as a winemaker in the Touraine and, with Domaine du Moulin‘s Hervé Villemade, founded Les Vins Contés as a négociant business. Four years later, Villemade split, leaving the business to Lemasson.
Lemasson gets his fruit from three hectares of vines that he tends and from local and not so local growers, whose grapes he and his team harvest and bring back to his cellar. All the grapes are organic and the wines will soon be certified as such.
After harvesting, the whole bunches are placed in large wood vats and allowed to undergo carbonic maceration with no cap-punching or pumping-over. Maceration lasts between ten and 30 days, depending on the wine. The wines are unfiltered and unsulphured.
Finding his wines refused AOC status due to their atypicité, Lemasson decided to embrace the Vin de pays (now Vin de France) denomination, which gives him the freedom to make wines as he sees fit.
For a nicely illustrated report on a recent visit to Lemasson’s operation, see the Wine Terroirs blog.
Vin de France 2011, Bois sans soif, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($26.55, Glou)
A 50-50 blend of Menu Pineau and Romorantin from 20- to 60-year-old vines. 12% ABV.
Closed nose: chalk, straw and lees. Crunchy pear and apple fruit with a lemonade-like acidity. Long, lemony rainwater finish. A vin de soif if ever there were one. (Buy again? It’s a bit pricey for what it delivers but sure.)
Cour-Cheverny 2011, Les Rosiers, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($26.55, Glou, NLA)
100% Romorantin from 40-year-old vines. Matured 12 months in old oak barrels. 12% ABV.
Soft-spoken nose of honey, wax and apple. A bit cidery at first but blossoming into a richly flavoured mouthful of apple, lemon and chalk. Intense acidity. Long, crystalline finish with a hint of hazelnut. Intriguing and delicious. A standout. (Buy again? Would if it weren’t sold out.)
Vin de France 2011, Coup de brosse, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($22.00, Glou)
2011 is the first vintage of this wine, which is the fruit of a partnership between Lemasson, Glou’s Martin Labelle and Jérôme Dupras. Gamay (90%) and Pinot Noir (10%). 11.8% ABV.
Green bell pepper and chile, horsehair and earth wrapped around a core of raspberry. On the lighter side of medium-bodied. Juicy and acidic. The fruit starts sweet but sours and gains a slatey/earthy edge. Tart finish. (Buy again? Sure.)
Vin de France 2011, Le P’tit Rouquin, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($20.58, Glou, NLA)
Gamay from 20- to 60-year-old vines. 11.5% ABV.
Black cherry with notes of red meat, earth, slate, bell pepper and eventually a floral perfume. Light-bodied. As minerally as it is fruity. Bright acidity. Not a lot of depth but refreshing, i.e. another vin de soif. (Buy again? If in the mood for a light pound-backer, sure.)
Vin de France 2011, Gama-Sutra, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($27.40, Glou)
Gamay from ungrafted 100-year-old vines. 13% ABV.
Ashy, horsehair, slate/graphite, “clay and mud,” “tout le Fesitval de St-Tite dans un verre,” eventually red berries. Soft, fruity and sweet-tart on the palate. Faint tannins give astringency as much as structure. Peppery finish. Moreish. Several tasters’ wine of the flight if not the night. (Buy again? Yes.)
Vin de France 2011, Cheville de Fer, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($26.55, Glou),
Côt (Loire’s name for Malbec) from 50- to 100-year-old vines. Matured 12 months in old oak barrels. 12% ABV.
Sour plum on horseback: that’s the nose. Rich and smooth in the mouth, though no heavier than medium-weight. Light but noticeable tannins, enlivening acidity. Chewy cherry, earth and minerals with a sweet spice note chiming in on the finish. Fun. (Buy again? Yep.)
MWG September 13th tasting: report (2/3)
Clau de Nell, a relatively young estate in the Anjou region of the Loire Valley, was acquired in the early naughts by Anne-Claude Leflaive from high-profile Domaine Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet. The estate is now organic and biodynamic. The new regime’s first wines sold were from the 2009 vintage. Only three reds are made, though some Chenin Blanc has reportedly been planted. The vineyards are worked by horse. Harvesting is manual and the fruit is sorted on a grape-by-grape basis. A manual press is used. Fermentations are natural (indigenous yeasts and no temperature control). The wines are barrel aged for 18 to 24 months before being bottled (with miniscule doses of sulphur dioxide). Nearly the entire production is exported.
In Quebec, the wines are sold exclusively at the two SAQ Signature outlets, and at this point, five or six weeks after their release, only the Quebec City store still has all three. Note, however, that Signature will deliver purchases to any Quebec address free of charge.
VDP de la Loire 2010, Grolleau, Clau de Nell ($33.00, 11818203)
100% Grolleau. Considered an inferior grape by local authorities, Grolleau is not permitted in Anjou AOC wines (except rosés), which is why this is classified as a vin de pays. 13.5% ABV.
To the nose and palate, obviously different from the two Cabernets. Blackberry leaf and cassis morphing into blueberry pie and gaining a rose note. Smooth and velvety texture. Simple but pure and fruity with brightening acidity, tannins well in the background and a scent of black pepper on the finish. An affable, quaffable bumpkin, probably my favourite of the trio. (Buy again? Yes.)
Anjou 2010, Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon, Clau de Nell ($32.00, 11818182)
A 50–50 blend of the two Cabernets. 13.5% ABV.
Red fruit, graphite, green bell pepper, spice and eventually ash. After a rocky start, it smoothed out. Supple and round though with a more delineated, Bordeaux-like structure that allowed several tasters to peg it as the Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Despite the green streak, the fruit is ripe and pure, buoyed by just enough acidity and grounded by the mineral/earthy substrate. Long finish. In short, a fine example of a Loire Cabernet blend that will only benefit from a few years in the cellar. (Buy again? Possibly.)
Anjou 2010, Cabernet Franc, Clau de Nell ($32.00, 11818174)
100% Cabernet Franc. 13.5% ABV.
Red cherry, green pepper, ash and hints of tobacco and violet. Medium-bodied yet the spicy fruit has a real density, with chewy tannins and refreshing acidity carrying it into the slate and green tobacco finish. Lingering impression of fluidity and opulence, not unlike a good Burgundy. Modern and polished but not overwrought. This, too, is a good candidate for medium-term aging. (Buy again? Yes.)
The wines were double-decanted about an hour before serving. We tasted them on their own and then with a couple of dry sausages and killer mustard from Le comptoir charcuteries et vins and excellent sliceable rillettes from Gourmet Laurier of all places. Not surprisingly, the charcuterie worked best with the Grolleau; something like a medium to medium-rare lamb roast or, in a couple of years, a guinea hen roasted on a bed of potatoes would be a more worthy pairing for the Cabernets.
My dinner with wapiti
wapiti and I bought a bottle of the Movia last spring intending to drink it together but only got around to opening it at a recent dinner also attended by the other half of Pork Futures.
Cour-Cheverny 2001, Domaine des Huards (around $16 at the SAQ when purchased in c. 2003)
100% biodynamically farmed Romorantin. Lightly pressed, then racked. Fermented at 18 to 20ºC (64 to 68ºF) in stainless steel, then racked and left to mature on the lees for six months.
Pale straw gold with a green cast. Lemon and wax on the nose, with a faint oxidative note and a Riesling-like hint of kerosene. Richly textured, bone dry, with coursing acidity. Flavour reminiscent of lemon pith and oxidized sour apple on a chalky substrate. A hint of powdered ginger creeps in on the long, bitter-tinged finish. Seemed a little flat on opening, then blossomed for about half an hour before slowly losing its edge; in other words, considerably less vibrant than the bottle opened in 2007 and probably a little past peak, though still fascinating, even memorable. An excellent aperitif but not a successful match for bruschetta topped with a savoury zucchini “jam.”
The SAQ currently carries two other wines from this winemaker (here and here) but hasn’t stocked the Cour-Cheverny for several years. Hard to understand why. These days, as far as I know, the only way to get a Romorantin or Romorantin blend in Quebec is through the private import channel.
Brda 2002, Veliko Rdeče, Movia ($39.00, 11213757)
A blend dominated by Merlot with some Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon (the 2004 is 70-20-10) from organically farmed vines an average 35 years old. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in large tanks with natural yeasts obtained from the same pre-harvested grapes. Macerated three to four weeks until the end of fermentation, when the pomace cap settles and clears the wine. Transferred to French oak barriques for malolactic fermentation and six years’ aging on the lees with no racking. Sulphur is avoided until bottling, when a squirt of sulphur dioxide is added for stabilization. 13% ABV.
Opaque/hazy dark maroon, lighter at the rim but with very little bricking. Complex nose of cassis, spicy plum, iron, sawed wood, hints of kelp and smoke. Rich, broad, deep on the palate. Fruity but not to excess, the ripe sweetness showing mainly on the mid-palate. Soft, velvety texture. The tannins are very nearly resolved. Long finish with a spicy note. Very smooth and drinkable. Went supremely well with a 1.3 kg dry-aged prime rib grilled over very high heat.
Astoundingly, there’s some of this left at the SAQ. A well-made, fully mature, ten-year-old, world-class red for under $40. What’s not to like?
MWG August 16th tasting: report (2/5)
Next up, a flight of characterful organic/biodynamic Loire whites.
Fiefs Vendéens 2010, Les Clous, Domaine Saint-Nicolas ($19.50, 11688787)
Biodynamically farmed Chardonnay (45%), Chenin Blanc (45%) and Grolleau Gris (10%). Aged eight months, 80% in tank and 20% in oak barrels. 12.5% ABV.
Honey, apricot, pear, cardamom and a faint oxidative note. Fairly light-bodied despite the dense texture. More minerally than fruity on the attack. Turns lemony about halfway through, when the acidity also kicks in. Dry, quartzy finish. The bottle at the tasting seemed simpler – but no less likeable – than other bottles I’ve had of this. (Buy again? Yes.)
Touraine 2010, Cendrillon, Domaine de la Garrelière ($21.30, 10211397)
The estate’s website provides no information other than a picture of the label. A blend of biodynamically farmed Sauvignon Blanc (80%) and Chenin Blanc (20%); some retailers claim the junior partner isn’t Chenin Blanc but Chardonnay. A small fraction of the wine is reportedly barrel-aged; again, it’s not clear what percentage or which grape variety (my guess is the Chenin). The cuvée’s name, French for Cinderella, refers to the winegrower’s practice of spraying the vines with a preparation of crystallized ashes made from burned vine clippings. 14% ABV.
Strong ash (!), faint lemon, pine needles. Dry and pure. The density of fruit is cut by firm acidity. Flavours tend to minerals and herbs, which turn bitter on the long finish. Leaves an overriding impression of austerity, which has its own appeal. (Buy again? Yes.)
Saumur 2010, Clos de Guichaux, Domaine Guiberteau ($24.25, 11461099)
100% Chenin Blanc from vines planted in 2003. Only sulphur, copper and plant-based decoctions are used in the vineyard; no sugar, commercial yeasts, enzymes or stabilizers are used in the winery. Lightly filtered after fermentation, then transferred to second, third and fourth vintage barrels for ten months’ aging on lees. Bottled with a minimum of sulphur dioxide. 13.5% ABV.
Spice, pear, quartz. Substantial and mouth-filling. Honeyed yellow stone fruit with an oxidative note and an acidic undertow. Long. Burnished and beautiful, the least eccentric wine of the flight. (Buy again? Yes.)
Savennières 2009, Les Vieux Clos, Nicolas Joly ($39.25, 10985878)
100% biodynamically farmed Chenin Blanc from 20-year-old vines in four parcels. Non-interventionist approach in the cellar involving long fermentation with native yeasts and aging in old oak barrels. 15% ABV.
Complex, faintly oxidized nose of silage, dried peach, dried herbs and alcohol (which isn’t to say it smelled hot). Structured, massive and somewhat monolithic but balanced in its big-boned way. Not fruity though there’s tons of extract, acidity and minerals. Long, saline, licorice-tinged finish. A wine to contend with. Revisit in five, ten, maybe 15 years (if drinking now, carafe up to 24 hours in advance). (Buy again? If in the mood for a powerhouse, yes.)
Wednesday evening apéro at La QV
For the last couple of summers, La QV’s Wednesday evening apéros have made midweeks something to look forward to. The most recent iteration – the last until mid-September – featured smoked Sockeye salmon and a vibrant Vouvray sec.
Vouvray 2010, Sec, Domaine François Pinon ($25.00, La QV)
100% Chenin Blanc (the estate has been converting to organic agriculture since 2003 and expected to certified organic in 2011). Fermented with native yeasts and minimal intervention. Filtered before bottling in order to minimize the use of sulphur. 13% ABV.
Pale gold with a green cast. Complex nose of grass, honey, spice, wax and a whack of minerals. Medium-bodied and totally dry, with a slightly waxy texture. A mouthful of pure, clean fruit and quartzy chalk charged by citrusy acidity (not surprising to read that Riesling is Pinon’s favourite non-Loire grape). Admirably broad and long. Made a fine pairing for salad of diced smoked salmon, watercress and sliced new potatoes garnished with lemony crème fraîche. Unfortunately, La QV appears to be sold out though bottles are sure to be found on the wine lists of the many local restaurants that snapped up cases. The 2010 “Silex Noir” Vouvray, a demi-sec and reportedly the cuvée that Pinon most enjoys drinking, is still available on a private import basis ($25.50, 6 bottles/case).
Nice gneiss
Am taking a short break from Prince Edward County to give me more time to hunt for technical information on the wines. In the meantime…
Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine 2009, Expression d’Orthogneiss, Domaine de l’Écu ($20.40, 10919141)
100% biodynamically farmed Melon de Bourgogne (aka Muscadet) grown in a vineyard with a thin, gravelly top soil and an orthogneiss subsoil. Fermented with indigenous yeasts at 15–17ºC (59–63ºF). The winery uses gravity, not pumps, to move the must and wine. 12% ABV.
If wines were paintings, this would be a watercolour. One of the most minerally noses ever: quartz and chalk along with dried lemon. Richer and smoother than usual – surely the vintage speaking – but still subtle and nuanced, possessed of ample acidity and perfect balance. Starts off tasting of green apple- and lemon-flavoured rainwater, turns drier, quartzier and even a little bitter-herbal with a hint of paraffin lingering through the long finish. Beautiful Muscadet. The cork is long, usually a sign that a wine is ageable, and this one certainly is (the estate’s recommended drinking window is 2014–2017).
Though I didn’t take notes, I recently tasted the same producer’s 2010 Expression de Gneiss ($19.95, 10919150). Classic Muscadet, less weighty than the 2009 Orthogneiss (millésime oblige) yet every bit as pure and balanced: a tracery of minerals draped over waxy fruit and lit from within by glowing acidity. While the SAQ may spurn Muscadet’s other leading lights (most notably Domaine Luneau-Papin and Domaine de la Pépière), having regular access to Domaine de l’Écu’s three top cuvées is no small consolation.
See also The Rodney Dangerfield of Wines.
Barn owl and salmon
Looking for a wine to pour with Indian-style salmon brochettes (recipe follows), I popped the cork on this. It worked.
Coteaux du Loir 2010, L’Effraie, Domaine Bellivière ($27.45, 11495467)
Effraie is French for barn owl. 100% biodynamically farmed Chenin Blanc from vines under 50 years old. Fermented with native yeasts and aged 12 months in second-, third- and fourth-use barrels. Depending on the year, the wine can range from dry to demi-sec. 12.5% ABV according to the label (13.5% according to SAQ.com, though that may refer to an earlier vintage).
Complex, if subtle, and constantly evolving nose: yellow apple, melon rind, summer savoury, chalk, preserved lemon and honeycomb. Off-dry (sec-tendre according to the winemaker), the sugar softening the acidity and augmenting the somewhat viscous texture. Mild white and yellow fruit dissolves dryly into minerals, ash and a light citric tang. A faint aftertaste – more a fresh, mint-like sensation – haunts the mouth for minutes after a sip. A natural with white fish or scallops in lemon cream (the estate suggests tartare preparations), this also goes well with not-too-spicy Asian fare like the dish you’ll find after the jump.
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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.)
MWG May 24th tasting: report (2/4)
Chablis Premier cru Montmain 2009, Domaine de Bois d’Yver ($31.00, 11635108)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from 30-year-old vines. Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks using native yeasts. Undergoes full malolactic fermentation. Aged in stainless steel.
Discreet nose of lemon and quartz with hints of flowers, butter and oats. Pure and balanced on the palate, the flavours rainwatery/minerally and lightly fruity (lemon with a bit of pith). Bright acid is blunted by the winey texture, an artifact of this hot vintage. Long, faintly astringent finish. An elegant if, for now, reticent Chablis that will only benefit from another year or two’s aging. Am looking forward to tasting the estate’s wines from the less atypical 2010 vintage. (Buy again? Yes.)
Vouvray sec 2010, Vincent Carême ($24.40, 11633612)
100% organically farmed Chenin Blanc from vines averaging 45 years in age. Fermented in neutral oak barrels using native yeasts. Undergoes partial malolactic fermentation.
Tropical blossoms, red apple and mangosteen give way to honeycomb. On the palate, lemon, clover honey and noticeable residual sugar. Quite rich, though there’s also lots of acid to cut the fat. Very long. Became a bit cloying and honeycomb-dominated as it warmed. Needs time? (Buy again? Maybe.)
Chenin Blanc 2010, Reserve, Stellenbosch, De Morgenzon ($25.25, 11631895)
100% Chenin Blanc from 40-year-old vines. Throughout the growing season, Baroque music is piped into the vineyard around the clock <rolls eyes>. Fermented in French oak barrels using native yeasts. Aged on the lees for eight months before being racked, lightly filtered and bottled.
Closed nose of minerals gaining floral, spice and eventually ash and wax notes. Rich and honeyed on the palate, with lots of minerals and eventually lemon. Dry on the attack though a hint of residual sugar – and oak – emerge on the mid-palate. The strong acidity is somewhat masked by the rich fruit. Good length. One of the better South African Chenins I’ve encountered. (Buy again? Probably not, given the superiority of more affordable Loire Chenins.)
Semillon 2011, Luján de Cuyo, Mendel ($21.70, 11634818)
100% Sémillon from 70-year-old vines. Fermented and aged in French oak barrels.
Smells dry somehow: little fruit but some flowers, quartz and a hint of very ripe cheese. Weighty but not very fruity in the mouth. Lots of minerals, though. Bitterness kicks in on the mid-palate along with some honey and a coconut husk note. Long, dry, puckery finish. Not a wine to love but civilized, balanced and true to the variety all the same. (Buy again? Only if in the market for a Sémillon.)
Brett happens 