Posts Tagged ‘oenopole’
Sausage love, 2015 edition
Forget those overpriced Valentine meals prepared by bored chefs and served by jaded waiters in stuffy restaurants. On February 14, sausage lovers, wine lovers and just plain lovers will be heading to Nouveau Palais for a hit of Pork Futures goodness (herb sausage sandwiches with a choice of sides and toppings) and glass after drinkable glass of — what else? — San Valentino and other wines poured by oenopole.
The fifth annual Valentine’s Sausage Party
“Because nothing says love like sausage…”
Saturday, February 14, 2015
17:30 to midnight (or until they run out)
Nouveau Palais
281 Bernard St. West, Montreal
MWG January 8th tasting: A pair of Cab-based blends from Provence
IGP Principauté d’Orange 2012, Daumen ($17.90, 12244547)
For background on the estate, see here. This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Grenache (30%), Merlot (15%), Syrah (15%) and Carignan, Cinsault and Mourvèdre (5%) from organically and biodynamically farmed vines in Daumen’s own vineyards in the Méreuilles and Clavin lieux-dits. The Syrah vines are 20 years old, the others 40 to 60 years old. Manually harvested. Destemmed. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled vats. Matured about 12 months, half in lined concrete vats and half in 50-hectolitre oak foudres. Bottled unfiltered, unfined and with only a little added sulphur. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Expressive nose: red and black fruit and jam, incense, spice chest and hints of green pepper and violet. Full-bodied but fresh and fluid. The ripe fruit and dark minerals are structured by glowing acidity and firm, round tannins that come to the fore on the long, warm, black pepper-scented finish. Pure, balanced, even elegant. Outstanding QPR. (Buy again? Done!)
VDP du Var 2010, Les Auréliens, Domaine de Triennes ($20.60, 00892521)
Founded in 1989, the estate is a joint project of Jacques Seysses (Domaine Dujac), Aubert de Villaine (Domaine de la Romanée-Conti) and a Paris-based friend. Les Auréliens red is a 50-50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from organically farmed vines. Vinified on a lot-by-lot basis. Fermentation and maceration last 12 to 25 days for most lots and up to 35 days for exceptional lots, with the Cab receiving daily pump-overs and the Syrah getting daily punch-downs. Matured 12 months in used oak barrels sourced from Domaine Dujac. Lightly fined but unfiltered. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Séguin & Robillard.
Plum, raspberry and cassis with whiffs of herbes de Provence, leather and aged red meat. An appealingly round middleweight in the mouth, less dense and structured than the Daumen but far from flaccid. The tannins are supple, the acidity lambent. Transitions from ripe-sweet and fruity to dry and savoury on the long finish. Very enjoyable. (Buy again? Yes.)
(Flight: 5/8)
Bordel De Noël workshop (6/6)
Alsace Gewürztraminer 2011, Rosenberg, Domaine Barmès Buecher ($32.25, 11655774)
100% Gewürztraminer from organically and biodynamically farmed vines grown in the Rosenberg vineyard. Manually harvested. Gently pressed. The must is allowed to settle and clarify for 12 hours, then fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in stainless steel tanks. Lightly sulphured on first racking and at bottling. Lightly filtered at bottling. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
An echt Gewürz nose of lychee, honeysuckle and rose with white spice overtones. Off-dry, richly fruited and unctuous, saved from heaviness by just enough acidity. The long, clean finish shows none of the bitterness or heat often found in wines made from this grape. Probably best viewed as a dessert wine to pair with a not-too-sugary cake, mincemeat pastry or – be still, my beating heart – mirabelle plum and almond tart. Might also work with cheese, raw-milk Munster being a prime candidate. Too sweet to accompany most savoury dishes, I’d guess, though foie gras au torchon could be just the ticket. (Buy again? Sure.)
Bordel de Noël workshop (5/6)
Champagne, Extra Brut, Blanc de blancs, Les vignes de Montguex, Jacques Lassaigne ($59.00, 12061311)
Planted to Chardonnay and a little Pinot Noir, the approximately five-hectare estate is located in Montgeux, a chalky hill in the southernmost part of the appellation. A small quantity of grapes is also purchased. All the grapes are organically farmed and the wine-making is as natural as possible. Disgorgement is performed monthly. This cuvée is always a blend of 100% Chardonnay wines from two successive vintages and several parcels. Manually harvested. Sulphur is added only as the grapes come into the winery. Each parcel is vinified separately. 15% is matured in cask. Riddling is mechanical, disgorging manual. No or minimal dosage. Unfiltered and unfined. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Pale electrum with a fine, streaming bead. Pleasing nose of lemon, apple, minerals, yeast and a whiff of yogurt. Dry, dimensional and appealingly austere, with clean fruit and chalky minerals in equipoise. The tingly effervescence provides lift, the crisp acidity cut. Finishes on a long, savoury, faintly saline note. Such a tonic wine. In its style and at its price point, you won’t find better at the SAQ or maybe anywhere. (Buy again? Yes.)
Emmanuel Lassaigne, Jacques’s son and the current winemaker, describes this as an aperitif wine, a role it plays supremely well. That said, it proved a delightful palate cleanser after the meal. It also makes a killer accompaniment for sushi.
Bordel de Noël workshop (4/6)
IGT Terre Siciliane 2013, SP68, Arianna Occhipinti ($55.75/1.5 L, 12429470)
A 50-50 blend of organically farmed Nero d’Avola and Frappato from vines averaging 11 years old. Manually harvested. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and macerated 30 days on the skins with daily pump-overs and punch-downs. Matured six months on the lees in tanks and two months in the bottle. Sees only stainless steel until bottling. Bottled unfiltered, unfined and with minimal sulphur dioxide. 12.5% ABV. Also available in 750 ml bottles ($28.45, 11811765). Quebec agent: oenopole.
Delightful nose: candied rose petal, plum, cherry and basalt dust. A supple middleweight in the mouth. The ripe and juicy fruit – so not heavy or sweet – is framed by lacy tannins and tanged with a mineral sourness. The long finish shows some tannic astringency and exits on a white pepper and anise note. A shade lighter than the 2012 perhaps but, as ever, one of the most drinkable reds on the planet. One of the most food-friendly too, as demonstrated by its compatibility with all the foods on the plate. Along with the Canarelli rosé, my turkey dinner pick of the evening. (Buy again? Automatically.)
Côtes du Rhône 2012, Lieu-dit Clavin, Domaine de la Vieille Julienne ($28.75, 10919133)
Organically farmed Grenache (80%), Syrah (10%), Mourvèdre (5%) and Cinsault (5%). Manually harvested and partially destemmed. Temperature-controlled maceration and fermentation with indigenous yeasts lasted 20 days. Matured 12 months in 50-hectolitre foudres. Unfiltered and unfined. Sulphur was added – and then minimally – only just before bottling. 14.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
A nose both exuberant and savoury: dusty plum, spice, turned earth, slate, dried herbs. Rich and dense with satiny, ripe, remarkably pure fruit. Tannic but not harshly so. Any sweetness is checked by the vibrant acidity. Bitter, earth and fired mineral flavours mark the long, full finish. Fundamentally dry and – that word again – savoury. Too intense for unadorned turkey and in no way synergistic with the Brussels sprouts, this really needs food that’s darker and more substantial: grilled lamb, say, or a beef daube. (Buy again? Absolutely, just not for Thanksgiving dinner.)
And that roasted turkey that even us turkey haters loved? Cooked using what some refer to as the blast-furnace method, which is nicely explained by chef Marek’s co-blogger here.
Bordel de Noël workshop (3/6)
Corse Figari 2013, Rosé, Clos Canarelli ($35.75, 11917666)
Based in Figari, the southernmost wine-growing region in Corsica and the sunniest in France, Yves Canarelli today has 28 hectares of vineyards in production and makes his wines in a new gravity-fed facility. This rosé is a blend of Sciaccarellu (50%), Niellucciu (30%) and Grenache (20%) from organically and biodynamically farmed vines planted in 1997. Manually harvested. The whole clusters are directly pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts. The wine is then transferred to stainless steel tanks for partial (50%) malolactic fermentation. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Musky dried raspberry, peach, sun-baked granite, spice and distant maquis carried on a sea breeze. In the mouth, it’s more minerally than fruity, tensely balanced between acidity and extract: an ethereal presence that’s haunted by flavours and aromas, including a faint floral note somewhere between orange and jasmine. An appetizing bitterness tinges the long finish. A gastronomic wine par excellence and yet another confirmation that Corsica has become the source of some of the world’s best rosés. One of my two favourites with the turkey, this also worked with most of the trimmings, though it was less successful than the whites with the Brussels sprouts and, like most of the other wines, wilted before the cranberry relish. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Bordel de Noël workshop (2/6)
Bourgogne Vézelay 2012, La Piècette, Domaine de la Cadette ($27.15, 11589691)
See the delightful Wine Terroirs blog for background on and pictures of the estate and many of its wines, though not the Piècette. 100% organically farmed Chardonnay from several parcels. The hand-picked whole clusters are pressed and the must is transferred to stainless steel tanks and new oak barrels (two-thirds to one-third for the 2010; not sure about the 2012) for six months’ alcoholic and malolactic fermentation (no added yeasts or bacteria). Unfiltered. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Powdered quartz and lemon, some green apple and a floral note. Fruity but dry. Fresh and just tense enough, with a clean attack, smooth mid-palate and lingering faint bitterness. The oak is so discreet as to almost be unnoticeable. Complex and elegant, showing more than a little of the rectitude and integrity that makes good Chablis so appealing. Worked with nearly everything on the plate except the cranberry relish, which proved more than the wine could handle. (Buy again? Yes.)
Côtes du Jura 2012, Fleur de Savagnin, Domaine Labet ($35.25, 10783248)
Like a few other Jura winemakers, the Labets use the “fleur” (flower) moniker to designate unoxidized wines. 100% Savagnin from organically farmed vines averaging 25 years old in several parcels, including the celebrated En Chalasse vineyard. After pressing, the must is allowed to clarify by settling for 24 hours. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in large, neutral oak barrels. Matured in newer 228-litre oak barrels that are topped up weekly. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Fragrant nose of Meyer lemon, apple/pear, wax candles and hints of almonds and porcini. The richness of extract doesn’t interfere with the wine’s fluidity, due largely to the grape’s inherent acidity, here present if not as trenchant as in some earlier vintages. The sharp strata of fruit and minerals are softened by a gossamer scrim of creamy oak. Finishes long and clean. Very impressive. In a tasting full of delicious wines, this was the most popular with the assembled tasters. Perhaps not surprisingly, it was also the most versatile in terms of food pairing, handling everything from smoked salmon to turkey to cranberry relish with aplomb and positively singing with the roasted Brussels sprouts. (Buy again? Imperatively.)
Bordel de Noël workshop (1/6)
In the run-up to the holidays, the good and generous folks at oenopole held another of their theme wine-and-food tastings for sommeliers, journalists and bloggers. The seasonally appropriate theme for this event was wines for a traditional Christmas dinner – and not just any Christmas dinner but one prepared by Foodlab chef Michelle Marek. In sending out the invitations, partner Theo Diamantis promised that Michelle’s bird would make believers out of even the biggest turkey skeptics (a group that includes me) and he was right. I’ll post a description of Michelle’s dead-simple recipe/technique in a day or three.
But back to oenopole world headquarters, where we got the ball rolling with a newly arrived sparkler.
Champagne, Brut, Blanc de blancs, Horizon, Pascal Doquet ($48.50, 11528046)
After taking over the helm of the 8.7-hectare family estate, Doquet began selling wines under his own name in 2004. The grapes for this 100% Chardonnay come from organically farmed vines planted in the 1970s. After manual harvesting, the grapes are pneumatically pressed and transferred to either stainless steel or enamel-lined steel tanks. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation are with indigenous yeasts and bacteria respectively. Matured four to five months on the lees before natural clarification and blending (the blend usually consists of two vintages and ours may well have been two-thirds 2011 and and one-third 2010). Lightly filtered before bottling, which usually takes place in late April or early May. Aged around three years in the bottle. Dosage (7 g according to some sources) is with sugar and concentrated grape must but no liqueur. Bottles are shipped six to 12 months after disgorging. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Complex, delicate nose of lemon peel, lees, yeast, chalk, quartz, candied orange and a yogurt-like lactic note. Softly but deliciously present in the mouth. Fine, caressing bubbles lift the ripe fruit and lighten the round texture. Any residual sugar is held in check by shining acidity, meaning this is at the dryish end of the scale. Lingering minerals mark the long, sourish finish. Not remarkably deep – more an aperitif than a food wine, I’d say – but what it does it does very well. Undoubtedly one of the best under-$50 Champagnes to be found at the SAQ. (Buy again? Sure.)
MWG November 24th tasting: Perfectly Pinot
Côtes-de-Nuits Villages 2012, Viola odorata, Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand ($76.75, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Each of the estate’s unsulphured cuvées is named after a different wildflower found growing in the vineyards. The grapes for this 100% Pinot Noir come from sustainably farmed 70- to 85-year-old vines grown in three parcels. Manually harvested. The whole clusters are vatted under carbon dioxide for two weeks’ maceration and fermentation (with indigenous yeasts and occasional punch-downs), followed by a quick, gentle pressing, The must is transferred by gravity into large barrels for 48 hours’ settling and then into French oak barrels (80% new) for malolactic fermentation and maturation (18 months in all). Bottled unfiltered and unfined using gravity and compressed air (no pumping). No added sulphur. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
The kind of fragrant nose that makes Pinot Noir lovers swoon: red berries, forest floor, ferns, cola, beet, turned earth, slate, ash and a hint of iodide. A sip shows the wine to be a medium-bodied, silky textured, expansive mouthful of ripe fruit with firm yet lacy tannins and glowing acidity, all grounded in earth and minerals and slow-fading in a long, woody (not oaky) finish. Am not sure how it pulls off the trick of being both rustic and elegant but it does. Carafe an hour or longer if serving now or cellar for another five or ten years. (Buy again? If you can afford it, go for it!)
Vosne-Romanée 2011, Les Jachées, Domaine Bizot ($179.00, 11381953)
The 3.5-hectare estate produces a total 900 cases of wines a year. 100% Pinot Noir from sustainably farmed 80-plus-year-old vines grown in the Les Jachées vineyard. Manually harvested. The whole clusters are vatted, fermented with indigenous yeasts for 14 to 20 days and gently pressed. The must is transferred to new oak barrels for 15 to 20 months’ maturation. Unpumped, unracked, unfiltered and unfined, with not added sulphur. Manually bottled, barrel by barrel (the label specifies which barrel the wine came from). 11.5% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
More assertive but equally textbook nose redolent of spice, cherry, wood, cedar, turned earth, beet: ça pinote, as they say around here. Richer, rounder and deeper, too. Structured though not at the expense of fluidity. Silky fruit unfurls over fine velvety tannins and sleek acidity. Layers of minerals and wood hint at unplumbable depths. Gains a liqueurish note on the seemingly endless finish. Dry but so ripe and pure you don’t notice. In a word, spellbinding. Remarkably accessible for such a primary wine, which isn’t to say it shouldn’t be cellared for a decade. (Buy again? If you can afford it, go for it!)
An interesting flight for several reasons. First, it was arguably the most memorable of the tasting. Also, both wines come from the Côtes-de-Nuits and are made with grapes from old vines. Both estates have similar farming and winemaking practices. And lastly, Claire Naudin and Jean-Yves Bizot were once an item and remain good friends.
(Flight: 3/5)
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!
Brett happens 