Posts Tagged ‘Natural wine’
MWG November 13th tasting: Pinot Noir v. Spätburgunder
Alsace Pinot Noir 2012, Les Jardins, Domaine Léon Boesch ($29.89, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Pinot Noir from a 1.1-hecatre parcel of organically and biodynamically farmed vines averaging 20 years old. Manually harvested. The uncrushed whole clusters are macerated several days at 12°C. Fermented using indigenous yeasts with pumping over at the start, daily punch-downs and no chaptalization or temperature control. After pressing with a pneumatic press, the wine is matured 12 months in neutral barrels with top-ups every two or three weeks and no lees stirring. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Reductive at first, then exuberant red berries, cedar, gingerbread, wood-grilled flank steak and slate. Vibrant and mouth-filling. The tannic structure, bright acidity, depth and length seem positively Burgundian while the juicy freshness is anything but. Fun. (Buy again? Gladly.)
QbA Rheinhessen 2010, Spätburgunder, Holzfass, Battenfeld-Spanier ($33.95, private import, 6 bottles/case)
The up-and-coming 28-hectare estate is located in Hohen-Sülzen near Worms. It has been organic since 1993, began working biodynamically in 2005 and is now a member of La Renaissance des appellations. This 100% Pinot Noir is fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in new 1,200-litre oak barrels. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Less rich and more peppery than the Boesch. Fluid, spicy, dry. The fruit is clean though there’s not lots of it. On the other hand, the streaming acidity, light but resilient tannins, slate and wood substrate and bitter finish give the wine a severe appeal. Among the more impressive German Pinot Noirs I’ve tasted. Would make an interesting ringer in a flight of similarly priced Burgundies. (Buy again? Sure.)
(Flight: 6/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: Blanc de Francs
Vin de France 2012, K. Blanc, Ferme de Mont-Benault ($32.32, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Named after the Mont-Benault lieu-dit in Faye d’Anjou, the 6-hectare estate, 4 hectares of which are in production, was created in 2009 and is owned and operated by Stéphane Rocher. Rocher is a neighbour of Richard Leroy, the winegrower featured in the celebrated graphic novel Les ignorants. Organic farming (AB certification), manual harvesting, light racking, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, conservation of the fermentation gases, no fining and minimal sulphuring (only at bottling) are the guiding principles. Most of the wines are designated vin de France, meaning the labels can state neither the vintage nor constituent grape varieties. This 2012 is a still blanc de noirs made from Cabernet Franc with a dollop (10%) of lees-stirred Chenin Blanc. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Complex, one-of-a-kind nose of minerals, wax and faint pickle juice. Equally inscrutable and intriguing in the mouth, with a certain heft and roundness, fruit tending to pear, underpinning acidity, a vein of flinty chalk and a touch of bitterness on the long finish. Can easily see this working with walleye or other freshwater fish. (Buy again? Yes, especially if in the mood for something different.)
(Flight: 4/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: Natural born Alsatians
Alsace Pinot Blanc 2013, Les Pierres Chaudes, Domaine Julien Meyer ($27.43, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Pinot Blanc. (This is not the blend of the 2012 and 2013 vintages labelled 12.13 but the all-2013 bottling.) Manually harvested. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Underwent partial malolactic fermentation. Lightly filtered (fine earth) before bottling. Unfined. No added anything, including sulphur. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
A Pinot Blanc not in the vin plaisir mould, as hinted at by the savoury nose of mushroom and daffodil. The acidic attack notwithstanding, the wine feels hefty and “rainwatery soft,” to quote one of the tasters. Full of ripe fruit (pear and apple mainly), bitter almond and chalk flavours. Broad, smooth finish. (Buy again? Sure, though not without wishing it were a few bucks cheaper.)
Alsace Riesling 1998, Grand cru Moenchberg, Domaine Moritz ($33.35, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Riesling from two Moenchberg parcels – one planted in 1985, the other in 1960 – totalling 14.6 ares (0.36 acres). Farming is, for all intents and purposes, organic but not certified as such. Manually harvested, gently pressed, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in large old oak barrels. Bottled in the fall of 1999. In a typical year, about 1,000 bottles of this wine are made. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Fourteen years old and probably at peak. A noseful of tertiary aromas including petrol, tarragon, caramel and peppermint. Smooth and dry in the mouth with just enough acidity and lots of ripe, soft fruit. Quartz and caramel thread through the very long finish. A good, not great vintage but a lovely, complex wine and an excellent price for a one-and-a-half-decade-old grand cru. (Buy again? Yes, for drinking in the short term.)
(Flight: 3/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: White gold
Vouvray sec 2004, Domaine Lemaire-Fournier ($26.45, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Chenin Blanc. The now-defunct 30-hectare estate was located in Vernou-sur-Brenne, close to Vouvray. In 2004, the estate was in its third year of conversion to organic farming. The wines were made with native yeasts and abjuring enzymes, chaptalization, deacidification, fining, added nutrients, tartric stabilization and sulphur. The estate’s remaining stocks of wine are being liquidated, which explains the reasonable price. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
A whiff of nail polish remover quickly blows off, leaving an evolved, complex nose of honeysuckle, camomile, banana peel, chalk, pear, dried mushroom, caramel and, eventually, buckwheat honey. On first sip you wonder whether it isn’t heading into off-dry territory but, no, the wine is dry albeit rich. The vibrant acidity is smoothed and rounded by the extract. The layers of fruit are set against a backdrop of crunchy minerals and joined by salted caramel on the long finish. Impressed just about everyone around the table. Amazing QPR. (Buy again? Obviously.)
Cour-Cheverny 2007, François 1er, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine des Huards ($32.00, private import, 6 bottles/case)
This is the big brother of Huard’s “Romo” Cour-Cheverny that the MWG tasted in June. 100% Romorantin from organically and biodynamically farmed vines averaging 75 years old. Manually harvested. Two-thirds of the grapes are immediately pressed, one-third are macerated on the skins for 15 hours before pressing. Fermented with indigenous yeasts at between 18 and 20°C. Matured on the lees for five months. Cold-stabilized before bottling in the September following the harvest. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Intriguing nose of Jerusalem artichoke, wax, white flowers, limestone, dried lemon peel, faint honey. Round yet lively in the mouth. The fruit is understated but lacy-textured and multifaceted, buoyed and freshened by Romorantin’s nervous acidity and infused with chalky minerals that last well into the impressively long finish. A delectable, elegant, complete wine deserving of a fine seafood dish (think langoustines). (Buy again? Oh, yes.)
(Flight: 2/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: Sparkle plenty
La QV’s head honcho Cyril Kérébel recently led the Mo’ Wine Group in a tasting of natural wines from La QV’s and Insolite’s portfolios. We kicked things off with a tasty sparkler.
Saumur 2004, Méthode Traditionnelle Brut Non-dosé, Château La Tour Grise ($25.29, private import, 12 bottles/case)
100% Chenin Blanc from organically and biodynamically farmed vines averaging a quarter of a century old. Manually harvested. After sorting, the grapes are destemmed and pressed, with the must racked directly into the fermentation vessel. Primary fermentation, with indigenous yeasts, is stopped before all the sugar has been converted to alcohol. The wine is bottled and allowed to referment, producing the carbon dioxide that sparkles the wine. After extended ageing on the lees while stacked on lattes, the bottles are riddled, disgored and topped up but not dosed (a dosed cuvée is also made) and sealed with a cork and cage. Throughout the wine-making process, nothing is added to the wine except a small squirt of sulphur dioxide at bottling. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Browning apple, pear blossom, chalk, yeast and hints of citrus and anise. Dry and medium-bodied with a fine effervescence. The nuanced set of flavours is centred on understated fruit and an array of minerals. A leesy, saline undercurrent adds savour while a faint pithy bitterness shades the long finish. Remarkably fresh for a decade-old wine because the bottles are disgorged and topped up just before they’re shipped. A delicious, aged, natural sparkler for $25 and change. What’s not to like? (Buy again? Yes indeed.)
(Flight: 1/9)
Salon VIP 2014: Xinomavro Nature
Still at the oenopole booth, we next tasted one of the standouts at this year’s salon.
Naoussa 2013, Xinomavro Nature, Thymiopoulos Vineyards ($62.75/1500 ml, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% biodynamically farmed Xinomavro. The manually harvested grapes are destemmed, fermented with indigenous yeasts and macerated 18 days in stainless steel tanks and large barrels. Maturation lasts six months and takes place in 500- to 600-litre barrels. Bottled unfiltered, unfined and with no added sulphur. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
An intriguing mix of fresh and stewed red fruit, oyster bed and distant garrigue. Medium-bodied but mouth-filling, juicy but dry. The tart acidity, lithe tannins and dusty minerals work like a foil for the vibrant, glowing fruit. There’s a real energy here that just lights up your palate. Not remarkably long but lip-smacking while it lasts. The thought of drinking this with grilled stuff – meat, sausages and vegetables – had our mouths watering. (Buy again? Yes, yes, yes.)
Thymiopoulos’s Jeunes vignes de xinomavro bottling has become a stealth hit at the SAQ and the Terre et Ciel bottling has knocked the socks off more than one drinker, including critics. This Xinomavro Nature confirms that he’s redefining notions of what the grape can achieve.
Unfortunately, the 750 ml bottles are sold out and only a few magnums remain. Here’s hoping for a second shipment!
Salon VIP 2014: Domaine du Possible
A friend and I spent yesterday afternoon at the Salon des vins d’importation privée, the private import expo run by RASPIPAV. Over the next few days, I’ll be posting sketchy notes on some of the highlights. Our first stop was at the oenopole booth, specifically to taste the four newly arrived wines from the wryly named Domaine du Possible, which can be rendered in English several ways, including the realm of possibility.
Forty-something Loïc Roure, the owner-winemaker, set up shop in the Côtes du Roussillon in 2003 and has since assembled 10.5 hectares of parcels in Latour-de-France, Lansac and Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes. The wines are made in Lansac’s old winegrowers’ cooperative, which facilities Roure shares with Édouard Laffitte of Domaine Le Bout du Monde.
Roure farms organically and is a non-interventionist in the cellar. The grapes are picked by hand, brought to the winery and cooled, usually overnight. The reds are typically made using semi or full carbonic maceration. All fermentations are spontaneous, using only indigenous yeasts. Punch-downs are rare and pump-overs non-existent while racking is occasional. That plus reasonable extraction and low alcohol levels, little or no sulphur, no filtering or fining, a prizing of acidity and an avoidance of strong tannins equal fresh and juicy wines that are remarkably drinkable.
Roure was supposed to visit the city for the salon but went AWOL. Fortunately, four of his seven wines didn’t.
Côtes du Roussillon 2012, Cours Toujours, Domaine du Possible ($32.00, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Mostly Macabeu with a little Grenache Gris. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Wafting nose of star fruit, quince, quartz, straw and ash. More appley in the mouth. Ripe-sweet on the attack but drying with a long, sourish, saline finish. A lovely mix of crystalline minerality and fruit. (Buy again? Def.)
Côtes du Roussillon 2013, Charivari, Domaine du Possible ($30.50/750 ml, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Côtes du Roussillon 2013, Charivari, Domaine du Possible ($63.75/1500 ml, private import, 3 bottles/case)
100% Carignan from vines between 35 and 110 years old. Undergoes carbonic maceration. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
The nose is a basket of red fruit along with some reductive aromas (the bottle had just been opened). A smooth and juicy mouthful of sweet and sour fruit, supple tannins and tangy acidity. So easy to drink. (Buy again? Yes.)
Côtes du Roussillon 2013, Tout bu or not tout bu, Domaine du Possible ($28.70, private import, 6 bottles/case)
About three-quarters Grenache and one-quarter Mourvèdre. Made from purchased organically farmed grapes. Some of the grapes are placed in vats and trod by foot. Whole bunches are then added and the vats are closed, resulting in a kind of semi-carbonic maceration. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Deeper, darker nose of plum and slate. Less exuberantly fruity in the mouth. Mild tannins, glowing acidity, underpinning dark minerals. (Buy again? Yes.)
Côtes du Roussillon 2013, C’est pas la mer à boire, Domaine du Possible ($37.50, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Grenache (c. 75%), Carignan (c. 20%) and Syrah (c. 5%). Some of the grapes are placed in vats and trod by foot. Whole bunches are then added and the vats are closed, resulting in a kind of semi-carbonic maceration. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Faintly bretty nose that segued into roasted cherries and plum and graphite. A fluent, smile-inducing blend of pure, bright fruit and crunchy minerals. Irresistible. (Buy again? The price is steep for a vin plaisir – damn you, high euro – but yes.)
MWG September 11th tasting: Barolo di culto
Barolo 2010, Paiagallo, Giovanni Canonica ($71.00, private import, NLA*)
100% organically farmed Nebbiolo from a 1.5-hectare plot in the Paiagallo vineyard, located on the hillside above the town of Barolo. Other producers use grapes from the vineyard in their blends but Canonica is the only one who makes them into a single-vineyard bottling. The grapes are manually harvested, destemmed, macerated and fermented (with indigenous yeasts and without temperature control) for 30 to 40 days in fibreglass tanks, then pressed in a vertical hand press. The resulting wine is transferred into large Slavonian oak botti for maturation. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. No sulphur is added during the winemaking and a tiny amount at bottling. 14.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Glou.
Restrained yet complex nose: red berries, gingerbread and granite dust with some rose and tar in the background. Medium-bodied but mouth-filling. Impressively pure fruit (cherry), bright acidity, firm but fine tannins. Long, intense finish with not a hint of heat. Young and primary but already dimensional and clearly full of potential. This beautiful, earthy yet suave wine has become a cult object among NYC and Boston geeks and it’s easy to see why. For a Barolo of such quality, the price is more than reasonable. (Buy again? A case if I could.)
*In Quebec, there’s a waiting list to get on the allocation list.
(Flight: 9/9)
MWG September 11th tasting: Primitivo sofisticato
IGT Puglia 2011, Amphora, Cristiano Guttarolo ($41.00, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Guttarolo is based in Gioia del Colle in Bari province in Puglia, the heel of the Italian boot. 100% Primitivo from 0.6-hectare plot of organically farmed vines in the third decade of their existence. After partial destemming, the hand-picked grapes are placed in 500-litre terracotta amphorae for six months’ fermentation – both alcoholic (with indigenous yeasts) and malolactic – and maceration on the skins. The wine is then transferred to stainless steel tanks for an additional eight months’ maturation and then to bottles for a further 12 month’s refining. No added sulphur. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Glou.
Surprisingly, almost shockingly pale – the lightest looking red of the evening. Deep and engaging bouquet: sweet-and-sour plum, dried earth, spice and meat. A faint carbon dioxide tickle accompanies the first sip. The fruit is remarkably pure and light, glowing with acidity, sweet at its core yet somehow also earthy. Round, lightly drying tannins, a mineral vein and a long caressing finish complete the picture. An elegant Primitivo? Yep. Just beautiful. (Buy again? Done!)
(Flight: 8/9)
MWG September 11th tasting: Natural natural vertical vertical
Jean-Yves Péron has been making wines since 2004 using fruit from very old vines, some of them pre-phylloxera, on two hectares of terraced, high-altitude vineyards in Chevaline, near Albertville. After studying oenology in Bordeaux, he trained with natural winemakers Thierry Allemand and Jean-Louis Grippat in the Rhône valley and Bruno Schueller in Alsace. Organic farming, indigenous yeasts, non-interventionist winemaking, avoidance of filtering and fining and the use of little or no sulphur make his natural wines of the first rank.
Péron’s top red, Côté Pelée, is a 100% Mondeuse Noire from ancient vines growing in schist and slate soils. One week’s carbonic maceration is followed by ten days’ to three weeks’ fermentation, depending on the vintage, and one year’s barrel aging. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Glou. When the three wines were last available in Quebec (c. 2012), they retailed for about $45 a bottle.
Vin de pays d’Allobrogie 2006, Côte Pelée, Jean-Yves Péron (private import, NLA)
Engaging bouquet of spice chest, slate, earthy mushroom and dried cherry. In the mouth, it’s a satin-textured welterweight with light tannins, light but tart acidity and a dark, mineral underlay. Long, juicy, pure. At its peak? Hard to say. But also hard to resist at this point in its life. (Buy again? Yes.)
Vin de pays d’Allobrogie 2007, Côte Pelée, Jean-Yves Péron (private import, NLA)
Intense tomato and leather/wood/smoke, then developing an umami-rich aroma not unlike beef chop suey. The fruit – plum mostly – seems a little stewed. Smooth and round. In fact, it’s slightly heavier and considerably less structured and acidic than its older and younger siblings, though plenty of acidity and structure remain. Sustained finish. Delicious but flatter, the least interesting of the three. (Buy again? Not in preference to the other two, especially the 2008.)
Vin de pays d’Allobrogie 2008, Côte Pelée, Jean-Yves Péron (private import, NLA)
Deep, dark, minerally nose with whiffs of leather, almond and cherry. Medium-bodied, closed and tight. A mouthful of rich sweet-and-sour fruit, grounding slate, shining acidity and fine, sleek tannins. The satin-and-velvet texture lasts well into the long finish. A complete wine, a thoroughbred with several glorious years ahead of it. (Buy again? Yes, please.)
(Flight: 6/9)
Brett happens 