Posts Tagged ‘Natural wine’
Gauby’s 2008 Vieilles Vignes blanc
Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes 2008, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Gauby ($44.50, 11225184)
A blend of organically farmed, low-yield Macabeu (40%), Grenache Blanc (30%), Chardonnay (15%), Grenache Gris (10%) and Carignan Blanc (5%) from 50- to 100-year-old vines, except the Chardonnay, which is from 30-year-old vines. Direct pressed, low-temperature settling. Fermented with no additions, including of yeast. Aged seven to eight months on the fine lees, 65% in barrels and 35% in vats. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 12.5% ABV (according to the label; SAQ.com says 13.5%, though that may be for a different vintage).
Served at the October 2010 MWG tasting, the 2007 had everybody swooning. Served at the October 2011 MWG tasting, the 2008 (no published notes, alas) seemed less swoon-worthy. Yet a bottle of the 2008 opened at Raza two or three weeks ago held the three of us in thrall from the first sip. What a difference nine months makes? Proof that there are no great wines, only great bottles? Or that context is everything? Your guess is as good as mine.
Anyway, the nose of the June bottle was an appealing mix of under-ripe pineapple, Meyer lemon and rainwater. On the palate, a nuanced and layered mouthful of crystalline minerals, delicate fruit (pear, quince) and soft but penetrating acidity. Beautifully balanced, with everything in place, and possessed of a long, elegant finish.
That it was able to serve as a deluxe aperitif and accompany dishes as varied and challenging as scallop ceviche with hibiscus gélée, a citrusy salad with slices of rare, chile-accented duck breast, and an empanada filled with pulled pork, apple compote and foie gras shows just how versatile a wine it is.
Wines like this and Rouge Gorge’s all-Macabeu cuvée argue strongly that the Côtes catalanes region is the source of some of France’s finest whites these days. As such, the Vieilles Vignes is hardly overpriced. Unfortunately, ours was one of the last bottles available in the centre city, though there’s still some to be found in far-flung outlets. Worth seeking out.
Gauby’s 2010 Les Calcinaires rouge
Côtes du Roussillon Villages 2010, Les Calcinaires, Domaine Gauby ($24.50, 11222186)
Organically farmed, 10- to 20-year old Syrah (50%), Mourvèdre (25%), Grenache Noir (15%) and Carignan (10%). Destemmed. Macerated two to four weeks. Traditional, non-interventionist fermentation using ambient yeasts. Aged ten months in vats (80%) and barrels (20%). Bottled unfiltered and unfined. Relatively small production of 5,000 bottles. 12.5% ABV (!) according to SAQ.com (don’t have the bottle to check what the label says).
Smelling primary at this stage: plum, spice, leather, slate. Smooth with velvety tannins. Quite extracted yet fluid. Lush fruit (black cherry) and some bittersweet chocolate, sleek acidity and a long drying finish. Not particularly deep but pure, savoury and delicious. A food-friendly wine that paired well with several nuevo latino dishes at the outstanding, newly BYOB Raza.
This summer’s La Niña
Minervois 2010, La Nine, Domaine Jean Baptiste Sénat ($20.90, 11659960)
Organically farmed Grenache (40%), Carignan (30%), Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Syrah (10%each) from vines 60, 100, 25, 50 and 10 years old respectively. Partially detstemmed, then vatted and fermented for 12 days using native yeasts. Aged ten months in old oak barrels and stainless steel vats. Unfiltered, unfined and minimally sulphured. 14% ABV.
Heady nose of roasted plums, sun-baked stones, garrigue and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied and quite dry. Velvet-textured yet fluid with supple tannins and astoundingly pure, ripe fruit. Turns savoury on the finish, leaving a peristant tingle (whether from tannins, acidity or alcohol I can’t tell) and faint aftertaste of raspberry liqueur. Some of Sénat’s other wines, notably Le Bois des Merveilles, are overambitious – too big, heavy and unrefreshing – but this vibrant quaffer is a charmer and a close to perfect pairing for herb-rubbed and grilled beef, lamb or pork.
Gauby’s 2010 Les Calcinaires blanc
VDP des Côtes Catalanes 2010, Les Calcinaires, Domaine Gauby ($25.15, 11463060)
The estate is certified organic. 50% Muscat from 15 to 50-year-old vines, 30% Chardonnay from 20-year-old vines and 20% Macabeu from 30 to 50-year-old vines. Fermented with native yeasts. Aged eight months on the lees. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 13% ABV.
Sour apple, limestone, pine resin. Rainwater entry quickly expands to apple, pithy lemon and a soft grapiness (the Muscat speaking?) given focus by the acidity. As the fruit fades, the minerals surge and are joined by a sour-bitter note that lingers through the finish and sets you up for another sip. Less complex and profound than the Vieilles Vignes but a delight to drink. Made an excellent pairing for the Catalonian recipe you’ll find after the jump.
Raisins gaulois
This was released today and has already disappeared from several Montreal outlets. No mises de côté allowed, so if you want some, drop by your favourite outlet on your way to work tomorrow morning. You have been warned.
Vin de France 2011, Raisins Gaulois, Domaine Marcel Lapierre ($17.65, 11459976)
In vintages before 2009, a Vin de pays de Gaules but now a generic Vin de France following a decision by Beaujolais authorities to eliminate the former designation. Nevertheless, most of the grapes used for this wine come from the Morgon AOC. 100% organically farmed young-vine Gamay. Semi-carbonic maceration (with no added sulphur) lasting around five days. Fermented with native yeasts. Aged two months in vats. Bottled unfiltered but with a squirt of sulphur dioxide. 12% ABV. The wine is also packaged in 5L and 10L bag-in-boxes, not that we ever see them here in Quebec. Conventional wisdom is to serve this lightly chilled but I found it more faceted and nuanced at room temperature (about 23ºC/74ºF this evening).
Exuberant, gumdroppy nose of red berries and peony with a ferrous note. Light, fleet and fresh in the mouth, the fruit sweet and juicy, the tannins soft and supple. High-toned rose flashes on the back of the palate before giving way to a tangy, mineral-edged finish. Pure and delightful, a celebration not so much of terroir as of Gamay. Way too easy to down, the very definition of a vin de soif.
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 June 21st tasting: report (2/4)
Located on the east shore of the Neusiedler See in eastern Austria (Burgenland), not far from the Hungarian border, the 55-hectare Meinklang estate is run by Werner and Angela Michlits. (The estate’s name is the German word Einklang – unison, harmony – prefixed with the first letter of the owners’ family name.) Not only is the operation organic and biodynamic, it is largely self-sufficient, growing its own grain for its beer and bread, hops for its beer, apples and other fruit for its ciders and juices, beef for weed control, fertilizer, sausages and the horns so important in biodynamic farming, and so on. This is another estate where the wines – all of which are vegan-compatible – are made in the vineyard, not the cellar.
Having tasted several Meinklang wines in earlier vintages, I was sure their purity and personality, their droiture and drinkability would be right up the MWG’s alley. However, I wasn’t expecting the unprecedented reaction that the four wines in the tasting elicited from the members in attendance – discussion during and after the event, tweets and a small flurry of emails and phone calls raving about them. If nothing else, it confirmed my impression that these are exceptionally enjoyable wines very much geared to the natural wine lover’s palate.
Grüner Veltliner 2011, Burgenland, Meinklang ($21.00, 12 bottles/case, La QV)
100% Grüner Veltliner. 11.5% ABV. Screwcapped. The 2010 vintage is currently available at the LCBO for $15.95.
Green pear and apple, grass, white pepper and eventually rosemary. Soft and minerally with underlying lime and acidity galore. Pure fruit. Clean and long. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Hárslevelü 2010, H9, Meinklang ($33.00, 6 bottles/case, La QV, available in September)
100% Hárslevelü from the estate’s Hungarian vineyards. 12.5% ABV if I recall correctly.
Fresh nose with hints of peach, honey and hay. Yellow apple on the palate. The rich texture and touch of residual sugar are cut by brightening acidity. Dancing mineral finish. Less tense and Riesling-like than the 2009 but every bit as delicious. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Grauburgunder 2010, Trocken, “Graupert”, Burgenland, Meinklang ($42.00, 6 bottles/case, La QV, available in September)
100% Grauburgunder (aka Pinot Gris) from vines that, as an experiment, have been left unpruned for several years (in the local dialect, graupert means wild and unkempt), drastically reducing yields. 13% ABV.
Intriguing and complex nose whose aromas included lychee, sweat and “dill pickle chips.” Rich and honeyed but also very dry and bracingly acidic. Turns savoury on the finish. Impressive breadth and depth, not to mention great length. After finishing the tail end he took home with him, one member (a Burgundy native at that) reported, “I’m sold!” (Buy again? Yes.)
MWG May 24th tasting: report (interlude)
MWG member wapiti generously shared with the group a Pork Futures smoked pork tongue. After considering various pairing options, we settled on the following bottle.
Grignolino d’Asti 2010, Cascina ’Tavijn ($20.05, oenopole but NLA)
100% Grignolino. Hazy pale red. Sour cherry nose with horsehair and mineral notes. A bit spritzy on opening. More minerally than fruity. More astringent than obviously tannic. Keen acidity. Lingering bitter cherry, cherry stems and grape pips. Hard to imagine a better match for the thinly sliced, lightly smoked tongue. (Buy again? Definitely.)
MWG April Jura tastings: report (3/6)
Having arrived from Burgundy in the Middle Ages, Chardonnay (also known locally as Melon d’Arbois and Gamay Blanc) is the now most widely planted grape variety in the Jura, occupying nearly half the vineyard. It’s made in a range of styles, from light to rich and from fresh to oxidized. The increasing popularity of Chardonnay-based crémants, which can be successfully made from underripe grapes, has had the effect of improving the quality of the region’s still Chardonnays in recent years.
Arbois 2009, Chardonnay, La Cave de la Reine Jeanne ($20.20, 11575723)
Founded in 1997 by Stéphane and Bénédicte Tissot, this négociant firm is named after the magnificent, gothic-arched cellar in which its wines are stored. The wines have become more accomplished over the years.
Grapefruit nose with clover and beeswax scents. Smooth, balanced and elegant on the palate, the flavours evoking lemon, oxidized apple and a faint nuttiness. Lingers long. (Buy again? Sure.)
L’Étoile 2008, Chardonnay, Nos Vendanges, Rolet Père et Fils ($21.70, 11194605)
Candied yellow fruit and sesame. Ripe fruit on the palate. While you wouldn’t call this bone dry, it’s still fresh, lively and balanced. Clean finish. Not remarkably complex but enjoyable enough. (Buy again? Sure.)
Arbois-Pupillin 2010, Jurassique, Domaine de la Renardière ($22.15, 11472628)
Jean-Michel and Laurence Petit created this estate in 1990. Their wines, especially their whites, are notable for their vibrant fruitiness, somewhat in the mould of Stéphane Tissot’s. Prices are reasonable across the board.
Classic nose of yellow fruit (a bit candied), corn silage and sour cream. Richly textured. Vivacious ripe fruit. The racy acidity is rounded by a touch of residual sugar. Long, browned apple finish with a faint nutty caramel note. (Buy again? Absolutely.)
Côtes du Jura 2006, Chardonnay, Jean Bourdy ($28.00, 6 btls/case, La QV)
Pear, peach, browning apple. Medium-bodied and very dry. Bright acid. Broad and long, with an oxidative note on the finish. Classic and age-worthy. (Buy again? Yes.)
Arbois 2009, Chardonnay, Jacques Puffeney ($28.69, 12 btls/case, Vini-Vins)
Straightforward nose: straw, oats, apple. Clean and flavourful: lemon and light nuts. Medium-bodied with lively acidity. Long, quartzy finish. Becomes more complex, deeper and quite elegant as it breathes. A complete and classy wine. At a recent Pied de Cochon Sugar Shack dinner, this worked beautifully with a wide range of appetizers, including such challenging dishes as a lobster and smoked meat soufflée-omelet. (Buy again? Yes, yes, yes.)
Côtes du Jura 2008, Fleur de Marne, La Bardette, Domaine Labet ($37.50, 6 btls/case, oenopole)
Sweat, oxidizing yellow apple, quartz underlay, gaining a smoked ham note. Rich and mouth-filling. The ripe fruit tends to peach. Long, minerally finish. Multi-dimensional and impressively poised. Would make an interesting ringer in a Meursault tasting. (Buy again? Done!)
Côtes du Jura 2006, Chadonnay, En Chalasse – Nature, Julien Labet ($37.50, 6 btls/case, oenopole)
Organically farmed, native yeasts, unsulphured, unfiltered. Cloudy to the eye. Intriguing nose: roast-pork jus, lemon, oats and light oak. Rich. Minerally/chalky flavours combine with lemon and oats. Coursing acidity. A vibrant wine that lost some of its appeal as it warmed and became more fruit- and alcohol-driven. (Buy again? Maybe.)
A quartet of naturals
Among the many attractions of SAT’s Foodlab is the short, constantly changing selection of natural wines, most of them available by the glass. (Among the few downsides of SAT’s Foodlab is the stemware: heavy and small, meaning the glasses are filled nearly to the brim and allow no room for the wine’s bouquet to develop.) We ordered four to accompany this week’s excellent Russian Easter menu, the high points of which were a clear borscht, a coulibiac of halibut and salmon and the dessert, a slice of dry, cardamom-perfumed cake and a slice of a pressed cheese obelisk garnished with candied fruit and almonds.
Bourgogne Aligoté 2010, François Mikulski (c. $25, Vini-Vins)
100% Aligoté from two Meursault parcels planted in 1929 and 1948. Initially muted (possibly the fault of the glasses). The nose’s white peach, quartz and hint of lemon are joined by green fruit (gooseberry?) in the mouth. Acid-bright but not sharp; indeed, it sits softly on the palate. Finishes on a faintly lactic, ashy, leafy note. Not profound but wonderfully drinkable.
Burgenland 2009, Blauburgunder, Meinklang ($25.30, La QV)
100% biodynamically farmed Blauburgunder (aka Pinot Noir). Extroverted nose: berries, beet, cola, earth and smoke. Medium-bodied (13%) and intensely flavoured, the ripe fruit sharing the stage with spices, slate and dried wood. Fluid texture. Light, firm tannins turn astringent on the finish. A vibrant Pinot Noir, not at all Burgundian yet very true to the grape. A winner.
Cour-Cheverny 2009, La Porte Dorée, Domaine Philippe Tessier (c. $28, Vini-Vins)
100% Romorantin from 40- to 90-year-old vines; 85% is aged ten months in demi-muids and barriques. Dry but lightly honeyed. Round, supple and fluid. Acid blossoms on the deliciously sourish finish. Minerals galore and a preserved lemon aftertaste. Pure, clean, long. A beauty.
Colli Piacentini 2010, Dinavolino, Azienda Agricola Denavolo ($27.04, Primavin)
Hazy bronze to the eye. Wafting nose of honey-candied yellow fruit, spice and a whiff of musk (not knowing anything about the wine, I wrote “Malvasian,” so it’s true to type). Quite intense on the attack – fruity, grapey, semi-sweet – it downshifts radically on the mid-palate, fading and drying to rainwater and minerals with a hint of tannins. Intriguing.
Quebec agent Primavin provides the following information on the wine, which is penned by the owner-winemaker, Giulio Armani, who is also the winemaker at La Stoppa:
Located at 500 m high, the vineyard DENAVOLO, named after the mountain upper the cellar and the locality where the vineyard is planted, spreads over 3 hectares in the Colli Piacentini area.
The vines are grown on limestone soil, the climate is hot and dry, but at this altitude, the temperature fluctuations between night and day are more than 10°C, explaining that freshness and minerality in the wines.
We only use local grapes : 25% Malvasia di Aromatica Candia, 25% Ortrugo, 25% Marsanne grapes and another not identified yet.
DINAVOLO and DINAVOLINO are produced as if they were red wines, the grapes are de-stemmed, crushed and then stay several months in skin maceration to release in the wine all the aromatic and phenolic components which are in the skin. The wines present a beautiful orange colour, a mineral and lightly flowerish nose, the mouth is well-structured with tannins and a good length.
The main difference between both cuvée comes from the location of the grapes in the vineyard. To produce DINAVOLINO, I selected grapes only located in the downer part of the hill, those grapes keep more acidity and the wine produced is completely different, freshner, younger and more aromatic.
Brett happens 