Posts Tagged ‘Mo’ Wine Group’
MWG May 15th tasting (5/6): Three vintages of Lo Vièlh
Clos du Gravillas’s flagship red is Lo Vièlh (“the old one” in Occitan), a 100% old-vine Carignan that’s a vin de pays because Minervois AOC wines are not permitted to contain more than 40% of the variety. Planted in 1911, the vineyard was slated to be uprooted when the Bojanowskis convinced the owner to sell it to them in 1999.
The three wines in our vertical were essentially made the same way. The organically farmed grapes were manually harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured 12 months in French oak demi-muids. As the winemaker explained in a recent comment, the 2009 Lo Vièlh was showing some brettiness (the 2010 was made into the Côté Obscur), so all the barrels were replaced with new ones for the 2011.
Around 2,800 bottles are produced each vintage.
VDP des Côtes du Brian 2011, Lo Vièlh, Clos du Gravillas ($35.38, private import, 6 bottles/case)
14% ABV. Quebec agent: Plan Vin.
Bordeaux-ish nose, the red and black fruit intermixed with graphite, wood, ash and vanilla scents and eventually joined by spice and undergrowth. Dry, smooth and round but also coming across as somewhat primary and unintegrated, with the oak in particular standing out. The finish is long. At least a few of us found the new style disconcerting and not fully convincing – the wine’s high quality was not in doubt but we didn’t understand why the oak was thought necessary. Now we do. I’ll give my remaining bottle at least a couple of years to digest the oak and knit together. (Buy again? Maybe, though I might be tempted to wait for the 2012, in which, in the winemaker’s words, “the oak is down a notch and the pure carignan fruit can completely shine through.”)
VDP des Côtes du Brian 2008, Lo Vièlh, Clos du Gravillas ($34.07, private import, NLA)
14% ABV. Quebec agent: Plan Vin.
Dark fruit, old wood, hints of elderberry, spice, forest floor, distant barnyard. Medium-bodied, silky and balanced, with fine acidity and a soft but persistent tannic undertow. A faint sourness adds dimension to the fruit, which is covered in thin veils of minerals, old leaves, wood. Long. A lovely wine that’s in a good place now and probably for some years to come. Would make a believer out of all but the most confirmed Carignan skeptics. (Buy again? Done!)
VDP des Côtes du Brian 2004, Lo Vièlh, Clos du Gravillas ($36.60, private import, 6 bottles/case)
14% ABV. Quebec agent: Plan Vin.
Leather, slate, black raspberry, smoke and faint meat. Satiny texture. Not much structure or backbone, though with enough acidity to keep the fire burning. Some wondered whether the bottle was off, others thought it was simply a little past peak but still delicious. (Buy again? A bottle for research purposes.)
MWG May 15th tasting (4/6): Moonstruck
Finding their stone-covered vineyards reminiscent of a moonscape, the owners of Clos du Gravillas have chosen a crescent moon as their logo. It also appears on several of their labels.
VDP des Côtes du Brian 2010, Côté Obscur, Clos du Gravillas ($24.96, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% Carignan from organically farmed 99-year-old vines, the grapes normally used for the estate’s flagship red, Lo Vièlh. In 2010, the wine took much longer to ferment and tasted so different from the usual Lo Vièlh, the owners decided to make it into a different wine named The Dark Side. Manually harvested. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. 3,500 bottles produced. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: Plan Vin.
Appealing nose of dill, spice, raspberry candy and a mass of black fruit. Medium-bodied. Fruity on the surface but with a dark undercurrent. Supple tannins and medium acidity keep things structured and fresh. Minerally and spicy, especially on the kirsch-toned finish. Tasty. (Buy again? Yes.)
VDP des Côtes du Brian 2012, Sous les Cailloux des Grillons, Clos du Gravillas ($22.44, private import, 12 bottles/case)
A blend of organically farmed Syrah (30%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Carignan (10%), Grenache, Counoise and Mourvèdre. Manually harvested. Destemmend then lightly crushed by foot. Traditional but short vinification. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Matured 12 months in stainless steel tanks. 8,000 bottles produced. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Plan Vin.
Odd, stinky nose dominated by leather, animale and oyster shell aromas. Spritzy, as intended by the winemaker. Rich, fluid and quite dry. The fruit is clean, the tannins smooth, the acidity buoyant. The berry and slate flavours linger long. (Buy again? A bottle to see what’s up with the nose.)
VDP des Côtes du Brian 2010, Rendez-vous du Soleil, Clos du Gravillas ($28.23, private import, 12 bottles/case)
Organically farmed Carignon, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah in equal proportions. Manually harvested. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Matured a little over two years, mostly in stainless steel tanks, though the Cab and Syrah spend half the time in old oak barrels. 3,000 bottles produced. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Plan Vin.
Complex nose: leather, slate, candied cherry, mincemeat, hint of burned coffee. Round and dry and very present – a mouthful of spicy, peppery, blackcurranty fruit, sustained, velvety tannins and lowish acidity. The slatey finish has a lingering astringency and bitterness. The kind of generous red the Languedoc is known for. (Buy again? Maybe, though I wish it were $5 cheaper.)
Updated on June 10, 2014, with information provided by the winemaker (see comments).
MWG May 15th tasting (3/6): Dry whites from Clos du Gravillas
Founded in 1996, Clos du Gravillas is run by a husband and wife team (he’s from Kentucky, she’s from Narbonne). Their 8.5 hectares of vines, including a parcel of Carignan planted in 1911 and some old Grenache Blanc and Gris, are located on rocky soils within the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Languedoc and the Minervois AOC. The estate is certified organic.
VDP des Côtes du Brian 2012, Emmenez-moi au bout du Terret, Clos du Gravillas ($26.38, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% organically farmed Terret Gris from 50-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Vinified and matured for nine to 11 months in 500-litre Austrian oak barrels. 2,500 bottles produced. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Plan Vin.
Pungent nose: candied pear and lemon, wax, pastry with a hint of butterscotch and straw. Clean, rainwatery attack then swelling fruit and savour. Minerally and saline, with brisk acidity. Dry despite the ripe fruit. Quartzy finish. Unfortunately, our bottle wasn’t as fresh or pure as the one tasted a couple of weeks earlier at RASPIPAV’s Le printemps dézippé event. The delightful label takes its inspiration from the pun in the wine’s name, a play on Emmenez-moi au bout de la terre (take me to the end of the earth). Suggested food pairings: shellfish, lean fish, lemon chicken. (Buy again? Yes.)
Minervois 2011, L’Inattendu, Clos du Gravillas ($34.18, private import, 6 bottles/case)
A blend of organically farmed old-vine Grenache Blanc and Gris (80%) and Macabeu (aka Macabeo, 20%). Manually harvested. After pressing, the juice is clarified by cold settling. Fermented and matured for nine to 11 months on the lees in 500-litre Austrian oak barrels. 3,000 bottles produced. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: Plan Vin.
Complex nose: initially ash, then quartz, lily flower, white fruit and hints of burnt rubber and roasted poultry juices. In the mouth, multidimensional. Rich yet fluid, soft-textured yet acid-bright and minerally. A touch of honey flavours the lemony, applely fruit. Balanced and surprisingly fresh from start through the long finish. Memorable. As food parings, the winemaker suggests veal paprikash, white fish and cheeses. (Buy again? Done!)
VDP des Côtes du Brian 2012, Mademoiselle Lily, Clos du Gravillas ($25.64, private import, 12 bottles/case)
Organically farmed Viognier, Roussanne and Terret Gris. Manually harvested. Vinified and matured for 11 months in 500-litre Austrian oak barrels. 2,500 bottles produced. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Plan Vin.
Lemon meringue pie, Lemon Pledge, rose, Lifesavers. Aromatic, even floral, in the mouth with a rich texture. While it doesn’t come across as bone dry, it remains fluid and bright, due largely to the crisp acidity. A welcome bitter note marks the finish. A bit bonbon to my palate but popular with several around the table, who said they would serve it as an aperitif or summer sipper. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Updated on June 10, 2014, with information provided by the winemaker.
MWG May 15th tasting (2/6): A trio of Bandol rosés
The rosé situation at the SAQ has vastly improved in recent years. For the longest time, you couldn’t find a single Bandol rosé at the monopoly. Currently it stocks six. We tasted three of the most interesting.
Bandol rosé 2012, Château de Pibarnon ($31.50, 10275091)
Mourvèdre (85%) and Cinsault (35%). Manually harvested. Part of the Mourvèdre is bled from the red wine vats and part is directly pressed. All the Cinsault is directly pressed. The juices are blended before fermentation, which is long (25 to 30 days) and takes place in temperature-controlled (22°C) stainless steel tanks. Matured in stainless steel tanks for six months. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Réserve & Sélection.
Complex and evolving nose: nectarine and garrigue, hints of fennel seed, background earth. Rich bordering on fleshy but also balanced and well delineated. Crunchy minerals and acidity structure the ripe if very dry fruit, while bitter and spicy notes add savour. A faint, almost tannic astringency marks the long finish. Impressive. Needs a year or two to come together but there’s absolutely no doubt it will. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Bandol rosé 2013, Domaine du Gros’Noré ($30.75, 11416837)
Mourvèdre (50%), Cinsault (35%) and Grenache (15%) from vines averaging 30 years old. The grapes are directly pressed, with 40% given a light maceration. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Lovely if subdued nose of dusty strawberry, chalky minerals and raw sugar. Clean, refreshing and balanced, the fruit (red berries, cherry and finally apricot) and minerals lifted by acidity and coloured by herbes de Provence and faint spice. Long finish. This elegant wine is accessible now but may be even better in 12 months. (Buy again? Yes.)
Bandol rosé 2012, Domaine de Souviou ($24.50, 12200798)
Mourvèdre (40%), Cinsault (35%) and Grenache (25%). The grapes are manually harvested and sorted, then chilled to 14°C, lightly crushed and directly pressed. After cold settling, the juice is fermented in temperature-controlled (18°C) stainless steel tanks for 15 days. Malolactic fermentation is blocked and the wine is matured in staineless steel tanks. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Robert Peides.
By far the palest of the three and not just in colour. Reticent nose, mainly minerals with a hint of peach. The fruit (stone fruit, grapefruit) is light, the minerals rainwatery and the finish clean, with a lingering savoury tingle that may be due to acidity as much as carbon dioxide. Actually, quite white wine-like – not that there’s anything wrong with that. (Buy again? Sure.)
MWG May 15th tasting (1/6): Pink of course
Corse Calvi rosé 2013, Fiumeseccu, Domaine Alzipratu ($22.80, private import, NLA)
A blend of saignée and directly pressed juice, mostly Sciacarello though a little Nielluccio may also have made its way into the mix. If memory serves, this is 13% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Effusive nose of pink grapefruit, nectarine, garrigue, cat pee and cotton candy. Clean, citrusy and peachy on the palate. The gush of ripe fruit is carried on a stream of acidity to a dry, savoury finish with a saline snap and a quartz aftertaste. While I thought it was true to form and therefore excellent, especially for the price, most around the table – including several longtime fans – were unconvinced. One taster in particular, who’d bought a case with a party in view, expressed disappointment and regret. Note, however, that she opened one of her bottles the following weekend and totally revised her opinion, declaring the wine classic and delicious (top sommeliers around town agree with that assessment). A QPR winner. (Buy again? Done!)
Patrimonio rosé 2012, Domaine d’E Croce, Yves Leccia ($24.80, 11900821)
100% Nielluccio. Manually harvested. Made from the same juice used for the estate’s red wines but bled off (saignée) after 12 hours’ maturation. Cold-settled for 12 hours, then fined. Fermented in stainless steel tanks at 18°C for 15 to 20 days. Malolactic fermentation is prevented. Matured six months in stainless steel tanks. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Le Maître de Chai.
Compared with the Alzipratu, smoother, sweeter, rounder and grapier – redolent of peach, strawberry and watermelon with maquis overtones. Weightier too, though kept from heaviness by glowing acidity and a faint carbon dioxide tingle. The rainwater minerality turns saline on the long finish. Not light and refreshing enough to be a first choice for sipping on the deck or balcony. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something to serve with your aïoli monstre… (Buy again? Sure.)
MWG April 17th tasting (6/6): On and off
IGT Sicilia 2011, Plumbago, Planeta ($22.20, 11724776)
100% Nero d’Avola from vineyards in west-central Sicily. The grapes are destemmed, lightly crushed and transferred to stainless steel vats for 14 days’ fermentation at 25°C with regular pump-overs. The wine is then racked into stainless steel tanks for malolactic fermentation before being moved into third- and fourth-fill oak barrels for eight months’ maturation. 13.5% ABV.
Tertiary, leathery and dried herbal along with the expected blackberry, dried cherry and chocolate cake. Smooth and juicy on the surface but with something dark, angular and faintly acrid and metallic underneath. A Bizarro World version of the charmer tasted a couple of weeks earlier. One intrepid taster reports that he bought and drank a bottle the weekend after the tasting and found it quite different from the wine we tasted and quite in line with my description of the earlier bottle. (Buy again? Based on two out of three bottles, yes.)
IGT Sicilia 2010, Nero di Lupo, COS ($27.25, 12135084)
Biodynamically farmed Nero d’Avola from 18-year-old vines grown in southeast Sicily. Temperature-controlled fermentation (30-33°C) with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats. Aged in barrels for 18 to 24 months. Bottled unfiltered. 12% ABV.
Nuanced, savoury, wafting nose of sour cherry, plum, fired mineral and herbs. Fluid and supple – closer in texture and weight to the preceding flight’s Savigny than to the other Neros in this flight. The dark, dusty fruit is sweet at its core and carried on soft tannins and taut acidity. Earth and licorice notes colour the finish. As always, an elegant wine, though this bottle left us wondering whether the 2010 lacks some of the depth and presence of earlier vintages. (Buy again? Maybe.)
IGT Sicilia 2010, Sàgana, Cusumano ($30.00, 11292580)
100% Nero d’Avola from the Sàgana vineyard near Butera in south-central Sicily. The vines average 18 years old. Manually harvested. Destemmed. Fermented on the skins at 28-30°C in stainless steel tanks for ten to 15 days. Transferred to used 20-hectolitre barrels for malolactic fermentation and 12 month’s maturation. 14% ABV.
Blackberry and plum, dark minerals, carob and faint hints of dried mint and tobacco. The densest, biggest-boned and most structured of the three, with a trickle more than a stream of acidity and round tannins that dry on the finish. The fruit is sun-drenched but not jammy. Broad and long but not what you’d call deep. On the up side, it’s impeccably made and shows admirable restraint for a wine that could have been a fruit bomb. On the down side, it doesn’t have a strong sense of place and isn’t exciting or memorable. Might be interesting to revisit in four or five years. (Buy again? Probably not.)
The Sàgana was the last-minute replacement for a corked-to-high-heaven IGT Sicilia 2008, NeroBaronj, Gulfi ($41.25, 12152757) that’s no longer available without a trip to the burbs. In other words, of the 14 wines in the original tasting, five were off. So it goes.
MWG April 17th tasting (5/6): Pinot Noir and Pinot Nero
Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er cru 2010, Les Hauts Jarrons, Domaine de Bellène ($57.25, 12239262)
The estate is the former Domaine Nicolas Potel, now renamed but still run by Potel; the estate wines are labelled Domaine de Bellène, the négociant wines Maison Roche de Bellène. 100% organically and biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir from 50-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Vinified without additives other than sulphur dioxide. Around 40% of the grapes are destemmed. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts and at temperatures up to 32°C takes place in stainless steel tanks and old oak foudres and lasts between 15 and 25 days. The must is subsequently pressed in a vertical press, with the wine being gravity-fed into first- to third-fill oak barrels for maturation lasting a little more than a year. Unfiltered. 13.5% ABV.
Bizarre nose of smoked meat and the expected red berries, eventually gaining spicy, cedary and ferny notes. In the mouth, primary and closed. Finely structured, with sinewy tannins and fresh acidity. The silky fruit is lean, ripe and clean, the oak discreet. Minerals come out on the finish. A balanced wine with real presence but one that moved no one around the table. That was especially disappointing as the staff at the Laurier SAQ had raved about the wine, declaring it one of the best $60 red Burgs they’d tasted in ages. By coincidence, two staff members happened to be around when this was poured and both said it smelled nothing like the wine they’d tried. So, was our bottle off? (Buy again? Not without tasting another bottle first.)
Alto Adige 2010, Pinot Nero, Ludwig, Elena Walch ($36.50, 12142567)
100% Pinot Noir. Macerated at low temperatures for 48 hours. Part of the must is fermented in Slovenian oak vats, the rest in stainless steel tanks. When malolactic fermentation is completed, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels for 16 months’ maturation. 13% ABV.
Outgoing, unnuanced nose: red berries, dill, spice and oak. Smooth though, compared with the silky Hauts Jarrons, the texture verges on velvety. The fruit is rich, ripe and not particularly deep, the acidity soft, the tannins round. Sweet oak crescendos into the finish, where it’s joined by spice box flavours and a lingering astringency. Popular with some around the table but I found the oak distracting and cloying. Better in a year or two when it has digested the wood? (Buy again? Unlikely.)
MWG April 17th tasting (4/6): The Greek, the Beauj’ and the Funky
Naoussa 2012, Jeunes vignes de Xinomavro, Domaine Thymiopoulos ($18.70, 12212220)
100% biodynamically farmed Xinomavro from ten-year-old vines. Manually harvested. 80% destemmed, 20% whole cluster pressed. Very gentle pressing. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and no pump-overs. Macerated about one week, then matured nine months in stainless steel tanks. Bottled unfiltered. 13.5% ABV.
A bit stinky on opening, as sometimes happens with this wine. That quickly blew off, leaving a charming nose of slate, candied red berries and spice. Denser than some earlier vintages but still fresh and supple, the fruit pure, the acidity bright and the tannins light and just a little raspy. Dried herbs, spice and minerals add savour. Finishes clean and tangy. Yet another winner from Thymiopoulos. (Buy again? In multiples.)
Morgon 2012, Marcel Lapierre ($30.50, Rézin, NLA)
This was the “nature” bottling available through the private import channel, not the filtered and more heavily sulphured SAQ bottling. 100% organically farmed Gamay from 60-year-old vines. Manually harvested late in the season. Whole-cluster fermentation with indigenous yeasts at low temperatures lasts ten to 20 days. Matured nine months on the fine lees in old Burgundy oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered, unfined and with minimal sulphur. 12.5% ABV.
Cherry, stones, vine sap and faint spice. Silky fruit, bright acidity, supple tannins and that Lapierre trick of being both etherial and intense. Slow-fade finish with lingering scents of minerals, berries and flowers. Classic and delicious. I’m guessing this will peak in two to three years. (Buy again? Yes.)
Vino da tavola 2011, Rosso frizzante, Sottobosco, Ca’ de Noci ($24.00, Ward & associés, NLA)
A blend of organically farmed Lambrusco Grasparossa (30%), Lambrusco di Montericco (30%), Malbo Gentile (20%) and Sgavetta (20%) from ten-year-old vines. Manually harvested. The grapes are macerated for around ten days on their skins and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Refermentation in the bottle (to produce the sparkle) is also natural. Unfiltered and unfined. 11% ABV.
Popped and poured. The wildly funky nose elicited all kinds of reactions, including the descriptor fetid. The miasma lifted some as the wine breathed, allowing hints of slate and red and black fruit to emerge. (A taster who had previously encountered the wine said ours was an unusually stinky bottle.) In the mouth, it’s bone dry, tart and astringent. The light fizz adds a mild creaminess that polishes, if only a little, the coarse texture. Surprisingly mouth-filling fruit and earthy flavours last well into the finish. Despite everything, good enough to make you think a cleaner bottle might have a genuine rustic appeal. (Buy again? With my fingers crossed.)
The common thread in this flight was wines that would work with charcuterie. Our cured meats came in the form of duck prosciutto and pork and duck rillettes from Pork Futures and a gifted dry sausage whose provenance I don’t recall. While all three wines proved up to the task, I found the Naoussa best with the prosciutto, the Morgon best with the fatty, mild rillettes and the Sottobosco best with the prosciutto and the dark flavoured sausage.
MWG April 17th tasting (3/6): Dry and not so dry
Alto Adige 2012, Gewürztraminer, Kastelaz, Elena Walch ($40.25, 12142559)
100% Gewürztraminer from the steep Kastelaz vineyard, which has been devoted to the variety for generations. Manually harvested in two passes. The destemmed grapes are crushed, cold-macerated for six hours and pressed. The resulting juice is refrigerated and clarified by sedimentation. Fermentation, with selected yeasts, takes place at 18°C. The wine is kept on the lees for several months. 6.6 g/l residual sugar, 14.5% ABV.
Aromatic nose of rose and, yes, spice, not to mention juniper, orange blossom and a whiff of alcohol. Quite extracted but fresh and unheavy due to the bright acidity and relatively low residual sugar. The flavours echo the aromas and are joined by a hint of gin and tonic. Good depth and a lasting if heady finish. I’m not normally a fan of northern Italian Gewurzes but this is excellent, a wine that would make a good ringer in a flight of Alsatian grand crus. (Buy again? Yes.)
Alsace 2012, Gewürztraminer, Vignoble d’E, Domaine Ostertag ($31.75, 00870493)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Gewürztraminer from several parcels located around the winery in the commune of Epfig (whence the Vignoble d’E moniker). As the wine is always made in a moelleux style, the grapes are picked late in the season. Manually harvested. Whole-cluster pressed and vinified in stainless steel tanks. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. 50 g/l residual sugar, 12% ABV.
Textbook Gewurz nose dominated by floral and lychee aromas. In the mouth, the wine is pristine, dense but still fluid, fruity but not too, quite sweet and rather long. Lovely in its slightly cloying but not caricatural way. (Buy again? If looking for a fruit-forward, luscious and definitely not dry Gewürztraminer, yes.)
After tasting the wines on their own, we tried them with a fine stinky Muenster from Yannick, which the Walch handled with aplomb and which redeemed the Ostertag.
MWG April 17th tasting (2/6): Good and grand
Alsace 2012, Riesling, Vignoble d’E, Domaine Ostertag ($25.25, 11459984)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Riesling from 15-odd parcels located around the winery in the commune of Epfig (whence the Vignoble d’E moniker). The manually harvested whole clusters are pressed in a pneumatic press. The long fermentation with indigenous yeasts and maturation on the lees take place in stainless steel tanks, the entire process lasting just under 12 months. 5.5 g/l residual sugar, 13% ABV.
A decidedly grapey nose with dried fern, lemon-lime and lactic notes. So sleek, so fruity and so dry. Alive with acidity. Floral overtones perfume the palate while minerals stay in the background until the finish, where granite and faintly saline chalk outlast the fruit. Lovely now and capable of ageing at least another five years. (Buy again? Gladly.)
Alsace 2010, Riesling, Grand cru Muenchberg, Domaine Ostertag ($49.00, 00739821)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Riesling from Ostertag’s 1.6 hecatres of the 17-hectare grand cru Muenchberg vineyard. The manually harvested whole clusters are pressed in a pneumatic press. The long fermentation with indigenous yeasts and maturation on the lees take place in stainless steel tanks, the entire process lasting just under 12 months. 8 g/l residual sugar, 14% ABV.
Complex, elegant and deep nose of minerals, candied lemon and pit fruit with floral and petrol notes. Not so much mouth-filling as mouth-inhabiting: richly textured, firmly structured and tightly focused yet somehow also ethereal. Layer upon layer of minerals and fruit are carried on a gushing stream of acidity that slow-fades into a nearly endless, slightly salty-sweet finish. Young and somewhat closed, though chewing the wine reveals its potential. Already spellbinding, this will only improve over the next decade or two. (Buy again? If I can lay my hands on another bottle, absolutely.)
Brett happens 