Posts Tagged ‘Under 13 percent’
MWG December 14th tasting (2/4): Champagne Agrapart
Agrapart & Fils is a small Champgne house founded in 1894 by Arthur Agrapart and expanded to its current 10 hectares by his grandson Pierre in the 1950s and ’60s. Since the mid-1980s, it has been run by brothers Pascal and Fabrice. From its founding, it has made only grower Champagnes, entitling it to the Récoltant-Manipulant (R.M.) designation.
Agrapart is based in Avize. Its vineyards comprise 50 parcels, most of them in the grand cru villages of Avize, Oger, Cramant and Oiry in the heart of the Côte des Blancs. Some of the vines are more than 65 years old, with the average age being around 40 years.
The house considers itself terroir-driven. Farming and wine-making practices lean toward natural – pesticides and herbicides are avoided, the vineyards are worked manually, “homemade” compost and some homeopathic treatments are applied, the wines are fermented with the yeasts found on their skins, chaptalization is rare – though no effort has been made to obtain organic or biodynamic certification. All wine-making is done on a parcel-by-parcel basis. When barrels are used, they’re old 600-litre demi-muids. All wines complete malolactic fermentation and are bottled unfiltered, unfined and with 50 mg of sulphur dioxide. Disgorging takes place 60 days before release.
Champagne grand cru, L’Avizoise, Agrapart ($105.00, 11820320)
According to Agrapart’s website, this is a vintage wine, though our bottle bore no vintage indication. 100% Chardonnay from 55-year-old vines planted in clay-richer soil at the bottom of the Avize hillside. Aged on the lees for five years with manual stirring; aged exclusively in oak barrels. Stoppered pre- and post-disgorging with cork. Dosage is limited to 4 g of sugar per litre. 12% ABV.
Oxidized apple, a bit candied, and brioche, with lemon and almond notes. Dry, light yet complex, the fruit complemented by an umami streak. Vibrantly acidic. Minerally, maybe the most of the five. Hint of caramel on the very long finish. Clean, pure, multidimensional. Impressive. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Champagne, Extra Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Terroir, Agrapart ($59.75, 11552450)
100% Chardonnay from younger vines in grand cru vineyards. A blend of two vintages, part of the older of which is aged in barrels. Aged on the lees for four years, with manual stirring. Dosage is limited to 5 g of sugar per litre. 12% ABV.
Initially straightforward nose of toasted brioche, oxidized apple and chalk gained complexity in the glass. Layered and substantial in the mouth, yet also fleet and light. Less dry than the Avizoise. Fine balance between fruit and mineral, acidity and extract. Long. (Buy again? Sure.)
Champagne grand cru, Brut, Vénus, Agrapart ($146.50, 11797191)
Once again, though Agrapart’s website indicates this is a vintage cuvée, no vintage designation was to be found on our bottle. Chardonnay from a 0.35-hecatre vineyard in Avize planted in 1959; since 2000, the chalky soil has been worked only by Vénus, a white Boulonnais mare who lends her name to the cuvée. Aged on the lees for five years with manual stirring; matured exclusively in oak barrels. Stoppered pre- and post-disgorging with cork. No dosage. 12% ABV.
The freshest nose of all: crystals, chalk, yellow fruit, eventually candied lemon, lees and just-washed hair. Fine, caressing effervescence. Richer and broader than the others, more fruit-forward too, though it’s not as if minerals are lacking. There’s lots of acidity as well but it’s wrapped in extract. Long finish with browning apple, chalk and faint honey notes. A complete wine. With no vintage information, it’s hard to know, but I suspect this is primary and will gain depth and complexity with time in the cellar. (Buy again? If looking for a special occasion Champagne to age for five to ten years, yes.)
Champagne 2005, Extra Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Minéral, Agrapart ($80.25, 11860276)
Old-vine Chardonnay from very chalky Avize and Cramant vineyards. Aged on the lees for five years with manual stirring; half is matured in oak barrels. Dosage is limited to 4 g of sugar per litre. 12% ABV.
Alluring nose: lemon, bread dough, peach pie. Bigger, soft, persistent bubbles. The richest, smoothest and, surprisingly, least minerally, though there’s some chalk on the long finish. Balanced and suave if not what I was expecting: tasted a couple a years ago, the Minéral from the hellishly hot 2003 vintage was a dazzling mouthful of minerals, far less ripe-seeming than the 2005. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Champagne grand cru 2007, Blanc de Blancs, Expérience, Agrapart ($210.00, 11820338)
A new cuvée from Agrapart; the 2007 is the first release. A 50–50 blend of Minéral and Avizoise. Native yeasts are used for both first and second fermentations. Stoppered pre- and post-disgorging with cork. No dosage. 12% ABV.
Complex bouquet, more savoury than fruity: pork jerky, lees, sour cream, hints of ash and smoke. Light, soft effervescence. Clean, pure, dry and very long. Substantial but also poised and precise, with an interplay – between sweet and savoury, between fruit and mineral, between extract and acidity, between weight and finesse, between surface appeal and undertowing depth – that borders on spellbinding. Would love to taste it again in five or ten years. (Buy again? In a fantasy world, maybe, though if plunking for a luxury Champagne, I might be more tempted by a Winston Churchill, Krug or Selosse.)
It’s always interesting to taste through a Champagne house’s current line (or most of it). As a group, these wines seemed less diverse than the Pol Roger line tasted through in December of 2011. The overall level was high and everybody enjoyed all the wines. That said, several tasters – myself included – felt the Avizoise and Expérience stood out.
Considering the oyster
The good people at oenopole recently invited a number of local wine and food bloggers and writers to a workshop, possibly the first in an occasional series focused on pairing wines with a single food. In this case the food was raw oysters, Coville Bays to be precise. Impressively fresh and impeccably shucked, the medium-sized, meaty bivalves were some of the briniest I’ve tasted. Aside from four white wines, all that was on the table were mollusks on half shells, lemon wedges and bread – about as straightforward as it gets.
Bourgogne 2010, Sœur Cadette, Domaine de la Cadette ($18.25, 11460660)
In this vintage though maybe not for long, a négociant wine. 100% organically farmed Chardonnay. Slow-pressed, fermented in stainless steel with natural yeast. Matured 12 months in stainless steel tanks. Lightly filtered before bottling. 12.5% ABV.
Light lemon, chalk and quartz with a lactic note. Fresh and bracing on the palate, the fruit (lemon and green pear and apple) discreet. Taut with a tension between acidity and minerals. Long, clean, appetizingly sour finish. You won’t find a better brisk and minerally Chardonnay at the price.
> Lean and bright on its own, the wine was richer, rounder and fruitier with the oyster. A good match.
VDP des Cyclades 2011, Atlantis, Argyros ($16.65, 11097477)
Assyrtiko (90%), Aidani and Athiri (each 5%) from ungrafted vines. Fermented in stainless steel vats with selected yeasts. 13.0% ABV.
Rainwater on stones, crystal lemon, a hint of herbs. Denser than the Sœur Cadette but much less fruity, the sharp-edged minerals and trenchant acidity here softened by the wine’s weightiness. A saline tang flavours the finish. If possible, even better than the excellent 2010. Unbeatable QPR.
> A superb pairing, a whole greater than the sum of its parts. The wine’s minerality and brininess echoed the bivalves’ while its acidity cut their richness. In contrast to the Sœur, the wine’s flavour was little transformed by the naked oyster, though adding a few drops of lemon juice did bring out the otherwise shy fruitiness.
Champagne, Blanc de Blancs, Brut, Pascal Doquet ($43.25, 11528046)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from the communes of Bassuet and Bassu. Vinified entirely in stainless steel. Matured six months, three of them on the lees. A blend of three vintages. 12.5% ABV.
Faintly floral, candied lemon, chalk, lees. Crisp and delineated yet soft and caressing. The flavours are clean and pure. Dry, the sweetness coming only from the fruit. Leaves on a mineral note. Beautiful and, once again, offering tremendous value.
> If an oyster transformed the Sœur Cadette, here it was the wine that transformed the oyster, amping up its seawater taste (iodine, saltiness, even fishiness). As these were already exceptionally briny oysters, that was perhaps too much of a good thing; I suspect the Champagne would work better with a milder oyster. As before, a squirt of lemon sweetened the wine.
Champagne grand cru 2002, Le Mesnil sur Oger, Brut, Pascal Doquet ($74.00, 11787291)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from the Le Mesnil sur Oger vineyard. Based on the 2002 harvest (65%) with 35% reserve wines from 2001. About a third of the wine is matured in casks, the rest in tanks. 12.5% ABV.
Classic, refined champagne nose of brioche and yellow apple. Light, even ephemeral on the palate yet rich, complex, layered. Soft, fine effervescence. Some fruity sweetness is apparent on the attack; otherwise very dry. A load of minerals on the long finish. So elegant. A complete and beautiful wine comparable to blanc de blancs costing up to half again as much.
> Interacted with the oysters much like the non-vintage did, though a little less forcefully.
A last-minute addition:
Bourgogne 2011, Les Saulniers, Domaine de la Cadette ($47.00/1500ml, oenopole, six bottles/case)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from a single parcel located on a path once used by salt smugglers, whence the name. Sorted on the vine, slow-pressed, fermented with native yeasts in wood and stainless steel vats. Lightly filtered before bottling.
Stony, ashy nose with some lemon/lime zest. Fluid. Dry. Pure. Weightier and rounder than its little sister though still acid-bright. Full of green apple, sweet lemon and mineral flavours. Long, clean finish. Tasty.
> Naked oysters made an acceptable pairing, lemoned oysters a better one.
As the crowd chatted and prepared to leave, the cork was popped on a magnum of the always delicious and refreshing Bisol Prosecco ($19.10/750 ml, 10839168; $40.25/1,500 ml, 11549349). Didn’t take notes but the fact that it didn’t taste like a letdown after such an excellent sequence of whites should tell you all you need to know.
MWG November 22nd tasting (3/5): A case study of terroir
While not part of the pioneering “Gang of Four” natural Beaujolais producers (Marcel Lapierre, Guy Breton, Jean-Paul Thévenet and Jean Foillard), Jean-Paul Brun has been making natural-leaning wines for a long time (his first vintage was 1977). Based in Charnay, in the southern Beaujolais, he also owns several cru vineyards in the north. He farms organically, harvests manually, ferments using the yeasts on the grapes’ skins and, preferring naturally lower alcohol levels, doesn’t chaptalize.
His other wine-making practices are more Burgundian than modern-day Beaujolaisian. Many Beaujolais producers favour carbonic maceration of whole clusters. But at Terres Dorées, the grapes are table-sorted, destemmed, placed in open vats and stomped. The resulting juice is macerated for three to four weeks, then transferred to concrete and/or oak vats, all depending on the cru and vintage. The wines are very lightly filtered and sulphured before bottling.
Though Brun’s wines have featured in several Mo’ Wine Group tastings, we’d never had the opportunity to taste side-by-side the three crus carried by the SAQ in the same vintage (Brun also produces a Fleurie that I’ve never seen on the monopoly’s shelves). As the wines are, for all intents and purposes, made identically, any discernible differences should be attributable to terroir. The idea behind this flight was to see what those differences would be.
Morgon 2010, Terres Dorées, Jean-Paul Brun ($19.85, 11589746)
100% Gamay from low-yielding old vines planted in very poor granitic and sandy soil in the Grand Cras section of the appellation, south of the Côte de Py. 12% ABV.
Effusively scented nose dominated by lightly candied cherry and slate. Rich and fluid. The ripe fruit is brightened by tangy acidity and deepened by faintly bitter minerals. The overriding impression is one of purity and freshness. Lovely and accessible, though like the other crus, capable of improving with some time in the cellar. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Côte de Brouilly 2010, Terres Dorées, Jean-Paul Brun ($19.25, 10520237)
100% Gamay from 50-year-old vines planted in blue granitic scree in the Petite Roche and Croix Desseigne sections of the appellation. 12% ABV.
Plummier, with a sappy, ferrous note. In the mouth, similar to – though more fruit-driven than – the Morgon, with the same mineral substrate. Silky texture, crisp acidity, good length. Enjoyable today but probably even better in two or three years. (Buy again? Yes.)
Moulin-à-Vent 2010, Terres Dorées, Jean-Paul Brun ($22.05, 10837331)
100% Gamay from low-yielding old vines planted in granitic soil in the Tour du Bief section of the appellation. 12% ABV.
Dark, inky, elegant nose: a step closer to Burgundy. The texture is smooth and velvety and the wine is the most structured of the three. But it’s also, for now, the most closed and least expressive. Vigorous chewing cracks open the door a little, revealing hints of cherry and black raspberry, forest floor and minerals. The potential is clearly there. Give it at least a couple more years in the cellar and up to ten. (Buy again? A patient yes.)
MWG November 22nd tasting (2/5): Three dry Vouvrays
Vouvray 2011, Les Argiles, Domaine François Chidaine ($25.55, 11461056)
100% biodynamically farmed Chenin Blanc from 40-year-old vines in several parcels. Manually harvested in several passes. Pneumatically pressed, fermented with native yeasts and matured in old wood demi-muids. No malolactic fermentation. 12.5% ABV.
A kaleidoscope of aromas and flavours: chalk, quince, melon, white and yellow stone fruit, citrus, linden, ginger and more. Thrilling balance between rich fruit and vibrant acidity. Long finish with crystalline minerals and a quinine-like bitter note. Wow! (Buy again? Definitely, for drinking now or cellaring up to a decade.)
Vouvray 2010, Clos Naudin, Philippe Foreau ($30.75, 11797220)
100% Chenin Blanc. Manually harvested in several passes. Pneumatically pressed with the stalks. Fermented with native yeasts. No chaptalization, acidification or malolactic fermentation. Matured in old barrels. Bottled with minimal sulphur. 13.5% ABV.
Reticent nose: “green almonds,” green pear, chalky minerals. Lacking coherence on first sip. Very dry with coursing acidity, pale white fruit and a streak of bitter minerals. Gained depth and appeal as it breathed and warmed, hinting at its potential. (Buy again? Only to stick in the cellar and forget about for a few years.)
Vouvray 2010, Domaine Vincent Carême ($23.45, 11633612)
100% organically farmed Chenin Blanc from vines 45 years old on average. Manually harvested. Fermented – full alcoholic, partial malolactic – and matured in old barrels. 14% ABV.
Ripe pear, flower sap, browning apple but the flavours turn cheesy in the glass and the wine falls flat. Different from – and far less attractive than – other bottles of this I’ve tasted and probably defective. The cork on our bottle was wet all the way to the top; since the wine showed well enough when carafed, I poured it; in retrospect, I should have exchanged it. (Buy again? Yes but maybe from another store.)
MWG November 9th tasting: report (3/5)
Crémant de Loire 2004, Extra Brut, Quadrille, Langlois-Chateau ($28.40, 11791670)
A quadrille is an 18th-century dance involving four couples. Here it refers to the four grape varieties used – Chenin Blanc (50%), Chardonnay (30%), Cabernet Franc (15%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) – and the four Saumur vineyards where the grapes are grown. Manually harvested. Pneumatically pressed. Each vineyard’s produce is vinified separately in temperature-controlled vats and subsequently blended. Made using the traditional method. Matured on the lees for four years. The champagne house Bollinger has owned Langlois-Chateau (spelled sans circumflex, TYVM) since 1973. 12.5% ABV.
Initially odd nose – wet dog and honeysuckle – segues into more appealing sour apple and yeast. Clean and bright on the palate. Straightfowardly fruity but very dry. Fine effervesence and crisp acidity lighten the fairly rich texture. Lingering minerals. Well fashioned, even elegant, if a little short on personality. (Buy again? Maybe, though equally interesting and more characterful sparklers can be found for less.)
Champagne grand cru, Blanc de Blancs, Réserve Brut, De Sousa ($69.25, 11797369)
100% Chardonnay from the Avise, Cramant, Le Mesnil sur Oger, Chouilly and Oger grand cru vineyards. A blend of two or three vintages with a minimum of 25% barrel-aged vin de réserve. Made entirely from tête de cuvée juice (the first out of the press). Vinified in temperature-controlled metal vats. Unchaptalized. 12.5% ABV.
Barley sugar, browning apple, hints of buttered toast. Quite rich and full, with faint oxidized fruit and honey notes. The round bubbles provide lift and ripe acidity keeps things taut. Underpinning crystals and chalk add complexity. Long, tasty finish. (Buy again? Maybe, though equally interesting Champagnes can be found for less.)
MWG November 9th tasting: report (2/5)
Chablis premier cru 2010, Beauregard, Domaine Pattes Loup ($35.75, 11784998)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay (reportedly biodynamic too, though apparently not yet certified as such). Manually harvested, which is quite rare in the region. Fermented (with native yeasts) and aged mostly in neutral oak with a fraction in stainless steel. Left on the lees through malolactic fermentation. Bottled unfiltered and unfined with minimal sulphur dioxide. 12.5% ABV.
Classic nose: lemon, flint and a faint lactic note. Rich, fluid, pure and open. At this point the vibrant fruit seems more of a driving force than the ripe acidity, giving the wine a Beaune-ish allure, though the long, minerally finish speaks with a definite Chablis accent. Elemental and delicious. (Buy again? Yes, but quick – the SAQ’s stocks are dwindling fast.)
Arbois 2010, Chardonnay, Les Bruyères, Domaine André et Mureille Tissot ($35.25, 11542139)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from 30- to 70-year-old vines. Manually harvested, pneumatically pressed, fermented with native yeasts. Vinified and aged in oak barrels, a fraction of which are new. Lightly filtered and sulphured at bottling. 13% ABV.
Complex, and-now-for-something-completely-different nose: banana (including the peel), straw, “Jägermeister,” white lily and, wait, is that popcorn? Rich, broad and dense in the mouth. Oxidized but not nutty fruit with a saline edge – think brined apple and pear – structured by acidity and chalky minerals. Subtle oak and dried honey notes emerge on the persistent finish. Will benefit from a couple of years in the cellar or a couple of hours in a carafe. (Buy again? Yes.)
MWG November 9th tasting: report (1/5)
A tasting that featured several new arrivals, including a few wines from the November 8th Cellier release. We began with a pair of top Muscadets.
Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine 2010, Fief du Breil, Domaine de la Louvetrie (Domaines Landron) ($24.75, Rézin)
100% biodynamically farmed Melon de Bourgogne from 40-year-old vines growing in quartz and orthogneiss soil. Pneumatically pressed. The must undergoes cold débourbage (clarification by racking the must after allowing suspended particles to settle out) before three weeks’ fermentation in concrete vats with native yeasts. The wine is then chilled and lightly sulphured to prevent malolactic fermentation and aged on the lees with regular stirring for 14 to 24 months, depending on the vintage. Another squirt of sulphur dioxide is added on bottling.
Lemon and chalk over faint gunflint and iodine. Rich in extract but fresh, vibrant and very dry. Fruity until the keen acidity swells and sea stones roll in. Long, tingly finish. Dazzling in its understated way. A thoroughbred that will only improve with a few years in the cellar. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine 2010, Expression de Granit, Domaine de l’Écu ($20.70, 10282873)
100% biodynamically farmed Melon de Bourgogne from 45- to 55-year-old vines grown in granitic soil. Pneumatically pressed. No débourbage. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled (15–17ºC) vats. Aged on the lees. 12% ABV.
Sweet apple fruit and blossom along with the expected mineral and seaside aromas. More buxom – rounder, fruitier, richer – than usual and than the 2010 Fief du Breil. Simple, green apply and restrained until chewed, then a matrix of lemon and minerals laser-etched with acid. Pure, bracing, mouth-filling and long. (Buy again? Yes, to stash away for five or ten years.)
Fou des Fous
Damien Coquelet has Beaujolais in his veins. Stepson of renowned natural Beaujolais producer Georges Descombes, he began working in the family’s vineyards and cellars when he was five and has been making his own wines since 2007, when he was 20. His juicy Morgons, more immediately accessible than his stepfather’s, and silky Chiroubles are well-nigh irresistible and his Beaujolais-Villages can stand comparison with the best.
Three years ago, Coquelet was visiting La QV, the agency that respresents him here in Quebec, when he flipped over some organic charcuterie made by Fou du Cochon in La Pocatière. A summit of artisans ensued and, shepherded by La QV’s head honcho, Cyril Kérébel, the idea for Fou du Beaujo was born: an easy-drinking vin de soif, the kind of wine we all wish Beaujolais nouveau would be, designed expressly to go with saucissons and terrines. After experiencing both Fous together at Foodlab last night, I can confirm it’s a marriage made in heaven.
The first Fou du Beaujo vintage, the 2009, and maybe the second were sold exclusively in Quebec. But good things are hard to keep a lid on and the wine is now also found in Japan, Germany and, reportedly, select bistros in France. Rumours are also circulating of an impending arrival in the U.S.
Beaujolais 2011, Fou du Beaujo, Damien Coquelet ($19.25, La QV, 12 bottles/case)
A blend of organically farmed Gamay from several Coquelet parcels (all in Morgon in 2010). Fermented with native yeasts. Like Beaujolais nouveau, it undergoes semi-carbonic maceration. Unlike Beaujolais nouveau, it is overwintered in concrete vats before being bottled in May or June with no filtering, fining or added sulphur. 12.5% ABV.
The dictionary definition of natural Beaujolais could have this as its illustration. Red and black berries and maybe some violets over an earthy/slatey bass note. A whiff of barnyardy funk quickly blows off (carafe the wine for half an hour if that sort of thing bothers you). Light-bodied and fluid with ripe, tangy fruit, a faint tannic rasp, fat-cutting acidity and a hint of something darker and more minerally in the background. Ends on a tart, vine-sappy note that has you lifting the glass for another mouthful. Serve lightly chilled.
oenopole trade tasting (3/4): Arianna Occhipinti
Based near Vittoria in the province of Ragusa in southeast Sicily, just-turned-30 Arianna Occhipinti has been making wine and olive oil on the family estate for more than a decade. She farms organically, ferments using indigenous yeasts, adheres to a non-interventionist approach in the cellar and bottles unfiltered, unfined and with minimal sulphur dioxide. In the five years since the MWG had the pleasure of hosting her at a tasting, she has gone from being a virtual unknown in North America to something of a rock star, with regular mentions in the New York Times and wine magazines.
IGT Sicilia 2011, SP68 Bianco, Arianna Occhipinti ($25.90, oenopole, NLA)
A 50-50 blend of Albanello and Zibibbo (aka Muscat of Alexandria) from ten-year-old vines. Macerated 15 days on the skins. Aged six months in stainless steel vats. 12% ABV. Albanello is an obscure but ancient grape variety grown in the Ragusa and Syracuse areas. At the private import expo, Arianna told me she feels it has the potential to make very fine wine and is experimenting with a varietal bottling.
Fragrant nose of muscat grapes, sour apple and white flowers with minerals in the background. Less perfumy in the mouth. Dry and a little disconcerting because the nose has you expecting something sweeter. Soft, fragrant, delicious. Not super fruity but pure and fresh with just enough acidity. Lingering sour chalky finish and a faint astringency. One of those wines that keeps you coming back for another sip.
IGT Sicilia 2011, SP68 Rosso, Arianna Occhipinti ($22.70, 11811765)
A 50-50 blend of Nero d’Avola and Frappato from ten-year-old vines. Macerated 30 days on the skins. Aged six months in stainless steel vats. 12.5% ABV. The wine will be sold through the SAQ for the first time as part of the November 22nd Cellier release. Unfortunately, the SAQ decided to order only 900 bottles for the entire province (it was offered more), virtually ensuring a stampede by wine geeks anxious to score even a bottle or two (versus the case or two they could get when it was a private import). The monopoly moves in mysterious ways.
Lovely nose: cherry and red berries with hints of flowers, slate and old wood. Soft, supple, pure. Lightly tannic and acidic. The fruit fades leaving minerals, earth and herbs. The drying finish is kissed by bitterness. A joy.
IGT Sicilia 2010, Il Frappato, Arianna Occhipinti ($38.25, oenopole, NLA)
Arguably Arianna’s flagship wine. 100% Frappato di Vittoria from 50-year-old vines. Macerated 50 days on the skins. Aged 14 months in large 25 hl Slovenian oak barrels. 12.5% ABV. Quebec’s entire allocation was snapped up by restaurateurs, leaving even us longtime innamorati empty-handed.
Fragrant nose of dried rose, sour red berries, slatey minerals and spice. More tightly wound than usual with some tannic astringency. Still medium-bodied and beautifully balanced. Turns minerally on the long, caressing finish. The structure makes this more Burgundy-like than ever. Will probably benefit from a year or two in the cellar but plenty delicious now.
MWG October 2nd tasting: report (1/2)
Most members of the Mo’ Wine Group are intrigued by so-called natural wines and many are fans, so we were delighted when Glou’s Jack Jacob recently joined us to lead a tasting of private imports from two of the most radically natural winemakers around.
What is a natural wine? According to the Association des vins naturels, the basic principles of natural wine-making are organic or biodynamic farming (not necessarily certified as such), manual harvesting, fermentation with native yeasts and the avoidance both of harsh physical procedures (reverse osmosis, cross-flow filtration, flash pasteurization, thermovinification) and of additives, including sugar (an exception is made for small amounts of sulphur dioxide added as a stabilizer at bottling). As a definition, that works for me, though I’d also add that many natural winemakers say their wines are made in the vineyard more than in the cellar, which leads them to adopt a non-interventionist approach and to largely or completely avoid filtering and fining.
The upsides of natural wines include their individuality and a juicy tartness that, in the best examples, seems very close to the fruit and terroir. Many also have a rustic appeal – a sense of not taking themselves too seriously – that their more polished and manipulated counterparts lack. Downsides include greater bottle-to-bottle variability, the ever-present possibility of reductive notes on opening (which is why as a rule it’s a good idea to carafe natural wines an hour or two before drinking), the need to store the bottles at cool temperatures (ideally 14ºC/57ºF or less) and, for some drinkers and some wines, their cloudy appearance and funky bouquets.
Anyway, back to our tasting, which begin in the Loire.
Hailing from Brittany, Olivier Lemasson entered the wine world as a caviste (retail wine seller). After encountering natural wines, he headed for Morgon, where he trained under pioneering winemaker Marcel Lapierre, first picking grapes, then tending the vines and working in the cellar. He eventually ended up as a winemaker in the Touraine and, with Domaine du Moulin‘s Hervé Villemade, founded Les Vins Contés as a négociant business. Four years later, Villemade split, leaving the business to Lemasson.
Lemasson gets his fruit from three hectares of vines that he tends and from local and not so local growers, whose grapes he and his team harvest and bring back to his cellar. All the grapes are organic and the wines will soon be certified as such.
After harvesting, the whole bunches are placed in large wood vats and allowed to undergo carbonic maceration with no cap-punching or pumping-over. Maceration lasts between ten and 30 days, depending on the wine. The wines are unfiltered and unsulphured.
Finding his wines refused AOC status due to their atypicité, Lemasson decided to embrace the Vin de pays (now Vin de France) denomination, which gives him the freedom to make wines as he sees fit.
For a nicely illustrated report on a recent visit to Lemasson’s operation, see the Wine Terroirs blog.
Vin de France 2011, Bois sans soif, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($26.55, Glou)
A 50-50 blend of Menu Pineau and Romorantin from 20- to 60-year-old vines. 12% ABV.
Closed nose: chalk, straw and lees. Crunchy pear and apple fruit with a lemonade-like acidity. Long, lemony rainwater finish. A vin de soif if ever there were one. (Buy again? It’s a bit pricey for what it delivers but sure.)
Cour-Cheverny 2011, Les Rosiers, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($26.55, Glou, NLA)
100% Romorantin from 40-year-old vines. Matured 12 months in old oak barrels. 12% ABV.
Soft-spoken nose of honey, wax and apple. A bit cidery at first but blossoming into a richly flavoured mouthful of apple, lemon and chalk. Intense acidity. Long, crystalline finish with a hint of hazelnut. Intriguing and delicious. A standout. (Buy again? Would if it weren’t sold out.)
Vin de France 2011, Coup de brosse, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($22.00, Glou)
2011 is the first vintage of this wine, which is the fruit of a partnership between Lemasson, Glou’s Martin Labelle and Jérôme Dupras. Gamay (90%) and Pinot Noir (10%). 11.8% ABV.
Green bell pepper and chile, horsehair and earth wrapped around a core of raspberry. On the lighter side of medium-bodied. Juicy and acidic. The fruit starts sweet but sours and gains a slatey/earthy edge. Tart finish. (Buy again? Sure.)
Vin de France 2011, Le P’tit Rouquin, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($20.58, Glou, NLA)
Gamay from 20- to 60-year-old vines. 11.5% ABV.
Black cherry with notes of red meat, earth, slate, bell pepper and eventually a floral perfume. Light-bodied. As minerally as it is fruity. Bright acidity. Not a lot of depth but refreshing, i.e. another vin de soif. (Buy again? If in the mood for a light pound-backer, sure.)
Vin de France 2011, Gama-Sutra, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($27.40, Glou)
Gamay from ungrafted 100-year-old vines. 13% ABV.
Ashy, horsehair, slate/graphite, “clay and mud,” “tout le Fesitval de St-Tite dans un verre,” eventually red berries. Soft, fruity and sweet-tart on the palate. Faint tannins give astringency as much as structure. Peppery finish. Moreish. Several tasters’ wine of the flight if not the night. (Buy again? Yes.)
Vin de France 2011, Cheville de Fer, O. Lemasson/Les Vins Contés ($26.55, Glou),
Côt (Loire’s name for Malbec) from 50- to 100-year-old vines. Matured 12 months in old oak barrels. 12% ABV.
Sour plum on horseback: that’s the nose. Rich and smooth in the mouth, though no heavier than medium-weight. Light but noticeable tannins, enlivening acidity. Chewy cherry, earth and minerals with a sweet spice note chiming in on the finish. Fun. (Buy again? Yep.)
Brett happens 