Posts Tagged ‘Private imports’
A bouquet of affordable red Bordeaux (left-bank edition)
More notes from the under-$30 Bordeaux event. Arranged in order of increasing price. It wasn’t always clear whether the quoted private import prices were for restaurants or individuals, so check with the agency concerned before submitting your order.
Côtes de Bourg 2007, Château Bujan ($18.60, 862086)
75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. Attractive nose of sweet cassis and graphite with floral and oak notes. Supple entry, pure fruit, subtle oak, raspy tannins, bright acid and a little astringency on the finish. Seems lighter than the 2005 and 2006 but no less appealing.
Bordeaux 2007, Marquis de Bordeaux ($20.85, 6 bottles/case, Raisonnance Inc.)
65% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fresh nose of plum and cassis. Smooth and fluid attack. Good fruit and acid on the mid-palate though a bit oaky. Tannic finish. Not bad.
Bordeaux Supérieur 2005, Pavillon Rouge ($20.85, 6 bottles/case, Raisonnance Inc.)
Definitely not Château Margaux’s similarly named second wine. Blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Candied cassis and raspberry with tobacco scents. Pure and straightforward, more about fruit than structure. Herbs and tobacco scent the long finish. This would make a good bistro wine. A winner.
Bordeaux Supérieur 2007, Hyppos, Château Majoureau ($22.60, 6 bottles/case, Plan Vin)
About 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Spent 12 months in French and American oak barrels, a fraction of which were new. Red fruit and spice with oak hints. Smooth and silky, with pure, sweet fruit. Supple tannins, lingering finish. Vin plaisir. If I ran a restaurant, this would be on its wine list.
Graves 2001, Château d’Ardennes ($23.90, 869933)
Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Cabernet Franc and less Petit Verdot. Cassis and raspberry with floral and subtle oak notes. Fresh and smooth, more medium- than full-bodied. Round on the mid-palate, showing pure fruit and a minerally undertow. Fine tannins and a credible finish. Elegant and enjoyable.
Pessac-Léognan 2005, Château de Cruzeau ($24.95, 113381)
Slightly more than half Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and a homoeopathic shot of Cabernet Franc making up the balance. Spent 12 months in barrels, about a third of which were new. Fresh, cedary nose dominated by cassis. Smooth and elegant albeit a little austere. Velvety tannins wrapped around a core of sweet fruit. Ashy minerals on the finish. Good but a little anonymous, like one of those B-movie heroes whose looks you can admire but whose name you can’t remember.
Pessac-Léognan 2005, Château de Rochemorin ($27.95, 743005)
About 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. Spent 12 months in barrels, about a third of which were new. Dark fruit and oak with hints of cedar and wet earth. Tight and very dry. Muted fruit, unmuted oak. Long astringent finish. The potential’s there but this needs time.
Côtes de Bourg 2006, Château Falfas ($28.58, 6 bottles/case, Raissonance Inc.)
Biodynamically farmed Merlot (55%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Cabernet Franc (10%) and Malbec (5%). Spicy red fruit with a hint of oak. Supple and smooth, lively acid, sweet fruit, silky tannins and a caressing finish. Overall impression of freshness and elegance. A winner.
Saint-Estèphe 2007, Château La Croix ($29.30, 00048561)
About half Cabernet Sauvignon and a third Merlot, the balance made up by Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Textbook nose: cassis, cedar, tobacco, graphite, hint of oak. Plush fruit structured by fine, tight tannins and not masked by oak. Long finish. A decent $30 Médoc that will be even better in a year or three.
Pessac-Léognan 2006, L’Abeille de Fieuzal, Château de Fieuzal ($36.25, 10924338)
About 2/3 Merlot and 1/3 Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Cabernet Franc. Beautiful nose: cassis, red plums, spice, tobacco, gravel, vanilla. Equally beautiful on the palate. Rich, ripe fruit and subtle oak structured by firm acid and tannins. Long but also broad and even deep. I’m not usually a fan of second wines but this is a winner.
A bouquet of affordable white Bordeaux
Quick takes on seven whites tasted at the recent (mostly) under-$30 Bordeaux event. As a group, less numerous and less interesting (i.e. more commercial) than the reds I tasted, notes on which will follow.
Bordeaux 2008, Sauvignon, Château Reynon ($22.85, 11170486)
Pungent nose dominated by Sauvignon Blanc (Sémillon forms only 15% of the blend): boxwood, grapefruit zest, quartz. Smooth entry, fruity mid-palate, zesty finish. Not deep but fresh and racy. Your classic white Bordeaux.
Entre-Deux-Mers 2009, Château Bonnet ($16.70, 83709)
50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Sémillon, 10% Muscadelle. Clean Sauvignon Blanc nose. Fruity but dry. Good acid. Fast-fade finish. Not particularly polished.
Pessac-Léognan 2007, Château Cruzeau ($23.50, 225201)
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Spent ten months in 35% new oak barrels. White grapefruit, minerals and ash. Fresh and balanced, chalky more than fruity, good length. Tasty.
Pessac-Léognan 2007. Château de Rochemorin ($24.95, 743013)
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Spent ten months in 35% new oak barrels. Elegant nose: lime and limestone. Minerally attack, fruity mid-palate, sourish finish. Clean and pure. Appetizing.
Premières Côtes de Blaye 2008, Château Bertinerie ($15.30, 00707190)
100% Sauvignon Blanc. White citrus, gooseberry. Lighter than others. Good acid and length. Sourish finish. Simple, restrained but with a certain elegance.
Premières Côtes de Blaye 2007, Château Haut Bertinerie ($24.95, 11095130)
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Spent several months in new oak barrels. A tracery of minerals butressed by fruit. Oak is very sotto voce. Good acid and length. Clean, balanced, elegant.
Sauternes 2006, Château Partarrieu ($43.50, Francs-Vins)
Crème brûlée and orange water nose. Smooth, creamy attack. Fluid, not overly sweet. Complex set of flavours ranging from subtle apricot to pronounced botrytis. Light but persistent finish. Very pleasant.
Chez La QV
Newly ensconced in an office cum salon de dégustation on Beaubien just east of St-Laurent, La QV hosted a tasting last week at which it and three other up-and-coming agencies presented a number of their wines, all available on a private-import basis. I’ve linked to the websites of the agencies that have them; for the other agencies’ contact info, see the Raspipav site. The prices are for individuals (restaurants pay slightly less) and include sales taxes.
Mâcon-Villages 2007, Domaine Rijckaert ($23.50, 12 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay. Chalk and quartz, oats and a lactic note. Rich and smooth with a long, acid-tingly finish. Not particularly deep but flavourful and pure. Good QPR.
Côtes du Rhône 2009, Le Petit Piolas, Domaine la Fourmente ($17.50, 12 bottles/case)
75% Grenache, 25% Syrah, organically farmed. Winey/grapey nose: red fruit with hints of garrigue and milk chocolate. Medium-bodied, supple. Pure fruit and spice flavours, soft tannins. A CDR in the Beaujolais mould. Great everyday wine; if I owned a restaurant, this would be on its wine list.
Côteaux d’Aix en Provence 2006, Les Béatines, Domaine des Béates ($21, 12 bottles/case)
Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan, organically farmed. Lovely nose redolent of plum, spice and kirsch, gaining inky, mineral and tea notes with time in the glass. Suave and savoury, a core of sweet fruit wrapped in fine tannins. Shows some heat on the finish (14%).
Coteaux du Languedoc 2008, La Vista, Domaine Ribiera ($26.50, 6 bottles/case)
2/3 Grenache, 1/3 Carignan, organically farmed, indigenous yeasts. Dark fruit with notes of leather, violet and animale. Medium-bodied. Pure fuit. Round tannins. Long, bitter-edged finish. A bit austere but very appealing. The Carignan seems dominant, the wine coming across a little like a lighter version of Rouge Gorge’s eponymous cuvée. My red of the evening.
MON CAVISTE, CÖTÉ VIGNES
VDP des Côteaux de Peyrac 2008, Tersande blanc, Domaine des Homs ($20.98, 12 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay, organically farmed. Quartz and spice with hints of lemon and dried herbs. Unctuous but kept from heaviness by strong acid. Clean. Flavour tending toward preserved lemon but avoiding tropical fruit. Long, dry finish.
VDP des Côteaux de Payrac 2008, Tersande rosé, Domaine des Homs ($20.53, 12 bottles/case)
A saignée method rosé made from organically farmed Grenache. Appealing nose of spice and strawberry. Fruitiness kept in check by acid and dryness. Minerally finish. Goes down easily. Lovely in its simple, unpretentious way.
Bourgogne 2007, Domaine Paul Pernot (around $30, 6 bottles/case)
100% Pinot Noir. Sees only old wood. Light, pinoty nose: red berries with forest floor and spice notes and the faintest hint of brown sugar. Light and fluid on the palate. Structured not much more than a Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent. Bright acid and fair length. Very dry. Not a lot there but what there is is very nice indeed.
Côtes du Marmandais 2006, Terra, Clos Cavenac ($23.33, 12 bottles/case)
30% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 13% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Fer Servadou and 7% Abouriou, biodynamically farmed. Complex nose with a leafy freshness: pure fruit, leather, freshly turned sod, hints of tar, cedar and animal. Medium-bodied. Round, smooth attack. Fruity mid-palate with mineral/earth undertones and mild tannins. Long, astringent finish. Bordeauxish but not a carbon copy. Enjoyable.
Mon Caviste also poured Clos Cavenac‘s 2007 Arradim ($22.58, 12 bottles/case), a blend of 70% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and 10% Malbec. After considerable discussion, we decided the bottle was ever so slightly corked. Unfortunate because you could tell that the wine, with its soft tannins, velvety texture and pure fruit, had the makings of a easy-drinking winner.
Costières de Nîmes 2007, Cuvée Perrières, Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss ($28.29, 12 bottles/case)
Carignan (c. 40%), Grenache, Syrah and Mouvèdre, biodynamically farmed. Fresh, perfumy nose of plum, spice and fresh herbs. Sleek and elegant, structured as much by acid as by tannins. Kaleidoscopic flavour profile, with the Carignan’s earthiness and dry tannins coming out on the austere finish. A winner.
SUBLIME VINS & SPIRITUEUX
Touraine rosé 2009, Chant du Bois, Alain et Philippe Sallé ($19.95, 6 or 12 bottles/case)
100% Grolleau, farmed without chemicals or fertilizers. Natural yeasts. Peach, minerals and spice. Dry, minerally attack. Bright acid and light cherry fruit. Licorice-scented finish. Gains earthy notes with aeration. Tasty.
Touraine 2008, Sauvignon, Alain et Philippe Sallé ($20.50, 6 or 12 bottles/case)
100% Sauvignon Blanc, farmed without chemicals or fertilizers. Natural yeasts. Lime, gooseberry and minerals. Light, minerally with a fruity undercurrent and a rainwatery finish. Good though I prefer my SBs sharper and more focused.
Montello e Colli Asolani 2007, Chardonnay, Villa di Maser ($24.95, 6 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay, farmed “eco-compatibly.” Lemon with a smoky/woody note. Light yet powerful, dry yet showing a sweet fruitiness. Flavours hard to pin down. Fruit fast-fades on the finish while bitterness lingers. Unusual, intriguing and quite different from a bottle tasted a couple of days later (tasting note to come).
Burgenland 2007, Impérial Weiss, Schloss Halbturn ($46.25, 6 bottles/case)
55% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% cask-aged Chardonnay. Green apple, boxwood, oats and a woody/oaky note. Rich and deep with acidity keeping it all fluid and balanced. Chalk and grapefruit pith linger though the long finish. Impressive, elegant and, yes, even a little imperious. My white of the evening.
LES SÉLECTIONS SOLY-LEBLANC
Côtes de Castillon rosé 2009, Château de Chainchon ($17.50, 12 bottles/case)
100% Cabernet Franc. Outgoing nose of strawberry and straw with earthy notes. Very dry and savoury. Fruity attack but mostly about minerals and tannins. Streaky acid. 13.5% alcohol and you can feel it. Unusual and interesting. More a food wine than a summer sipper.
Beaujolais-Villages 2009, Domaine de Sermezy ($19, 12 bottles/case)
Sappy raspberry and cherry, a bit simple. Supple, fruity and pure enough but not showing much depth, follow-through or personality. Vin de soif.
Saint-Joseph 2006, Jean-Luc Chaléat, Cave Saint-Désirat ($32.20, 6 bottles/case)
100% Syrah, made in lined concrete vats. Classic Syrah nose: black raspberry, smoke, tar, violets and animale with a bit of barnyard too. Pure fruit, fine tannins, good balance, silky texture, fair length. Not exactly thrilling but honest and certainly drinkable.
Saint-Joseph 2007, Septentrio, Cave Saint-Désirat ($37.45, 6 bottles/case)
100% Syrah given time in new oak casks. Classic Syrah nose again but more international, with chocolate, vanilla and smoke aromas added to the mix. Denser, more structured and more polished than the JLC, but with the oak now dominating. Good acid yet is there sufficient fruit to outlast the oak and tannins? Would be interesting to revisit in a year or two.
Mark your calendar
The dates for this year’s private import wine expo, the Salon des vins d’importation privée, have been announced: November 14 and 15 in Montreal and November 17 in Quebec City. Details to be posted on www.raspipav.com.
Brett happens 