I've long been a fan of the wines of the Southern Rhone, and Chateauneuf is the greatest of these wines, at least when it comes to reds. Of the many producers in CdP, Vieux Telegraphe is often considered one of the best, at least among the producers with large enough production that you stand a chance of getting their wine.
Add to that the 2009 vintage, one of the most highly regarded vintages for the area, and you expect an incredible wine. And it's really good, even though still very young.
On first tasting, there wasn't a lot of fruit, and little of the character that you would associate with a wine from the region. But after sitting for a day, it's really developed nicely. Lots of dried dark fruit flavors, with a wonderful spiciness, all wrapped around a backbone of tar and earthiness. This is not a subtle wine; there is a real intensity to the flavor.
The 2009 vintage was a very warm one. The result is the type of vintage that Robert Parker loves; big fruity wines with big body and high levels of alcohol (with this one clocking in at 14.5%, at least that's what's listed on the label.) The downside to all that warmth is that the grapes tend to lose more acidity, and when the acidity drops, the resulting wines tend to lose a bit of structure.
In the end, I can't help but feel slightly disappointed. Perhaps it's because I know of the reputation of this producer (and in fact, have tasted at least one previous vintage, the 2006), but it seems to be lacking the last little bit of depth that it needs to be a truly great wine. The texture is soft and voluptuous, but the flavors of the fruit seem like they should be part of a wine with a little more of an edge to it. It's not a bad thing, but just a slightly odd mis-match, that I'm guessing would not bother a lot of people. Actually, as I get closer to the bottom of the bottle, it's bothering me less and less! (I'm going to claim that this is a function of the wine breathing more).
Overall, I find the wine thoroughly enjoyable, and one that I would love to drink again, especially after it had aged a few more years. If it were a $30 or even $40 bottle, I would highly recommend it. But at $80+, I'm not quite sure that it's worth the money. Still, if you are serious about wines from the Rhone, or if your budget allows for it, this is a wine that you should at least attempt to try.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Thursday, June 7, 2012
BV Tapestry 2008
Tapestry is Beaulieu Vineyard's (BV) red wine made of all 5 Bordeaux grapes (actually, 5 of the 6; I'm still waiting for a California winery to start using Carmenere). But there's no mistaking this wine for a Bordeaux! The nose presents a lot of fruit, mostly cherry, but the fruit is matched by the vanilla and spice from the oak barrels, a level not associated with many wines from France. On the palate, after breathing for about 25 minutes, it is exhibiting the contradictory characteristics of being still very tight, but at the same time, disappointingly thin. It's not unbalanced, but there's just not a great deal going on, certainly less than you would expect for a wine selling in the $40 price range.
Hoping that it would improve with some breathing, I let it sit for another 2 hours. It's opening up a little, but still not impressive. Perhaps this is a wine that needs several years of cellaring to come into its own, but for now, it's a wine to pass on.
Not recommended.
Hoping that it would improve with some breathing, I let it sit for another 2 hours. It's opening up a little, but still not impressive. Perhaps this is a wine that needs several years of cellaring to come into its own, but for now, it's a wine to pass on.
Not recommended.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Chateau Puech-Haut Le Prestige 2010
The Languedoc region of France gets a bit of a bad rap, due to the huge number of less than stellar wines that are classified as Vin de Pays d'Oc (although there are plenty that are good, also!) But the Coteaux du Languedoc is another story. Only the finest soils of the region qualify, and there are strict rules on the grapes used. The wines must consist of at least 50% Grenache, Syrah, and Mouvedre, with any remainder being from other typical Rhone varietals.
The Chateau Puech-Haut 2010 is a great example of what the appellation can produce. Wonderful raspberry and spice on the nose, with just a hint of garrigue to make it special. And all of those flavors carry over to the palate, along with a little bit of dark fruit. While not as earthy as many Rhone wines from Gigondas or Vacqueyras, it is their equal or more in terms of body and depth. To top it off, the balance is superb, making it a great match with a nice steak (it will stand up to a ribeye off the grill), but also a great wine to drink on its on.
For any fan of big Rhone wines, this is Highly Recommended.
The Chateau Puech-Haut 2010 is a great example of what the appellation can produce. Wonderful raspberry and spice on the nose, with just a hint of garrigue to make it special. And all of those flavors carry over to the palate, along with a little bit of dark fruit. While not as earthy as many Rhone wines from Gigondas or Vacqueyras, it is their equal or more in terms of body and depth. To top it off, the balance is superb, making it a great match with a nice steak (it will stand up to a ribeye off the grill), but also a great wine to drink on its on.
For any fan of big Rhone wines, this is Highly Recommended.
Monday, May 7, 2012
A Few Random Tastings - France
White Bordeaux - Ch Haut Selve 2010
The 2010 Ch Haut Selve Graves is the first wine I've tasted using the "newcomer" to Bordeaux, Sauvignon Gris, a grape nearly wiped out from phyloxria, but one that several winemakers are now starting to grow and embrace.
In this case, the blend is 50% Sauvignon (blanc), 40% Semillon, and 10% Sauvignon Gris. There is a faint hint of grapefruit, but far less than what has become all too common in Sauvignon based wines. There is also a nice bit of floral character to the nose, which I believe can be attributed to the SG. On the palate, nicely crisp and refreshing. One of the most enjoyable White Bordeaux that I have had in quite some time. And at under $16, this is a steal. Recommended.
Chateau Coulon Corbieres 2010
This is a very interesting wine. Nice black cherry/raspberry fruit, with a nice bit of spice (the write-up on the label mentions black olives; I don't get them). Moderate acidity makes this not only mouthwatering, but also a wine that begs for food. Typically, when I taste a wine, I start thinking about what foods it would pair with. In this case, before the first sip was swallowed, I was already craving a pork roast. I think that it could also work with roasted fowl, such as turkey or chicken; it might be even better with duck.
Not a wine to drink alone; but with a nice meal, recommended.
Domaine La Borie Blanche Minervois 2010
Raspberry and spice! And a little bit of earthiness. This blend of syrah and grenache is quite bold, with a refreshing tartness that reminds me fondly of the candies I loved as a child. And like those candies, a little addictive.
You can think of this basically as a Rhone style red, just a little lighter (but there is more spice and structure than you typically get from Ventoux or other lighter areas of the Rhone). This is a wine I can enjoy on its own, but it would probably be more appropriate with a meal. Pair with a nice Filet Mignon. Recommended.
Domaine Des Chenes Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2009
An odd one. Lots of garrigue on the nose (especially lavender), and a little something else I can't identify. Rather thin and tart, without much fruit. This may appeal to some palate, but not mine. Not recommended.
Cheateau Moncontour sparkling Vouvray Brut
I've had very few sparkling Vouvray, so I'm not the best judge, but this is by far the best I have had. Good fruit, and a nice bit of toasty yeastiness. You probably won't mistake this for a Champagne, but you might mistake it for a very nice Cava. Highly recommended.
The 2010 Ch Haut Selve Graves is the first wine I've tasted using the "newcomer" to Bordeaux, Sauvignon Gris, a grape nearly wiped out from phyloxria, but one that several winemakers are now starting to grow and embrace.
In this case, the blend is 50% Sauvignon (blanc), 40% Semillon, and 10% Sauvignon Gris. There is a faint hint of grapefruit, but far less than what has become all too common in Sauvignon based wines. There is also a nice bit of floral character to the nose, which I believe can be attributed to the SG. On the palate, nicely crisp and refreshing. One of the most enjoyable White Bordeaux that I have had in quite some time. And at under $16, this is a steal. Recommended.
Chateau Coulon Corbieres 2010
This is a very interesting wine. Nice black cherry/raspberry fruit, with a nice bit of spice (the write-up on the label mentions black olives; I don't get them). Moderate acidity makes this not only mouthwatering, but also a wine that begs for food. Typically, when I taste a wine, I start thinking about what foods it would pair with. In this case, before the first sip was swallowed, I was already craving a pork roast. I think that it could also work with roasted fowl, such as turkey or chicken; it might be even better with duck.
Not a wine to drink alone; but with a nice meal, recommended.
Domaine La Borie Blanche Minervois 2010
Raspberry and spice! And a little bit of earthiness. This blend of syrah and grenache is quite bold, with a refreshing tartness that reminds me fondly of the candies I loved as a child. And like those candies, a little addictive.
You can think of this basically as a Rhone style red, just a little lighter (but there is more spice and structure than you typically get from Ventoux or other lighter areas of the Rhone). This is a wine I can enjoy on its own, but it would probably be more appropriate with a meal. Pair with a nice Filet Mignon. Recommended.
Domaine Des Chenes Cotes du Roussillon Villages 2009
An odd one. Lots of garrigue on the nose (especially lavender), and a little something else I can't identify. Rather thin and tart, without much fruit. This may appeal to some palate, but not mine. Not recommended.
Cheateau Moncontour sparkling Vouvray Brut
I've had very few sparkling Vouvray, so I'm not the best judge, but this is by far the best I have had. Good fruit, and a nice bit of toasty yeastiness. You probably won't mistake this for a Champagne, but you might mistake it for a very nice Cava. Highly recommended.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
A Rose by any other name...
As the weather gets warmer, I like to pull out the roses. To me, nothing is quite as refreshing and satisfying.
If you're one of those people scared of rose, don't be. Although it looks like those sugary sweet white Zinfandel and similar wines, rose wines are generally dry to slightly off dry, often full of fruit, and usually with enough acidity to be very crisp and refreshing.
To kick off the season, I'm tasting several:
Wolffer Estate 2011 (Long Island, NY)
The only non-French wine of the group. Very pale salmon color. Very light on the nose, hard to pick out specific aromas, but pleasant. On the palate, very light taste of tart strawberry. Not unpleasant, but nothing exciting either.
MiP* Cotes de Provence 2011
Provence is known for its roses, which are generally among the most highly regarded (along with Tavel). This is very pale in color (in fact, I've seen Pinot Grigios with more color than this!), perhaps just a little lighter than typical for a Cotes de Provence.
If I were to try this wine blindfolded, I would guess from the nose that it was a white, probably Sauvignon Blanc, due to the citrusy notes and little bit of grassiness. While not untypical for the style, this one seems a little more so than most other Provence wines that I've tried. But on the palate, it is quite surprising. A nice bit of berry fruit comes through, balancing the citrus very well (think raspberry lemonade, although it's more toward the grapefruit side), and the flavor and finish are much more than the light color leads you to expect.
Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence 2011
Another Cotes de Provence, this is more of a rosy color than salmon, with none of the citrus notes of the MiP.. Just clean crisp strawberry. More fruit than either the MiP or the Wolffer. Very nice.
Bieler Pere et Fils Sabine Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence 2011
By both sight and smell, this wine seems to fall between the two Cotes de Provence wines, with just a little salmon color to the pink, and just a bit of citrus aroma mixing in with the red fruit. A little more acidity than the Houchart, and the most lively and flavorful so far. Very nice and refreshing; a perfect wine for a picnic or just sitting on the patio.
Raffault Chinon Rose 2011
Moving to the north of France, this Chinon has a lovely pink color, much more intense than the wines from the south. It is also the most tart. There's some nice flavor there, but to me, almost a little sour, with a bit of grapefruit coming through on the finish. The only one of the group that I have to say I don't care for; rather ironic since it is the one that I was most excited to try!
Chateau d'Oupia Minervois 2011
Back to the south, this time to the southwest appellation of Minervois. Although the nose is light, it is more berry than citrus, and drifting away from strawberry. Fairly intense fruit, this is also the sweetest of the bunch, although that is relative; if you tasted it by itself, I feel sure that you would consider it dry.
Of the bunch, my favorite is between the d'Oupia and the Bieler. I'd probably lean toward the Bieler for a picnic, and the d'Oupia for a party or similar setting. Both are recommended. The Houchart comes in a close third.
If you're one of those people scared of rose, don't be. Although it looks like those sugary sweet white Zinfandel and similar wines, rose wines are generally dry to slightly off dry, often full of fruit, and usually with enough acidity to be very crisp and refreshing.
To kick off the season, I'm tasting several:
Wolffer Estate 2011 (Long Island, NY)
The only non-French wine of the group. Very pale salmon color. Very light on the nose, hard to pick out specific aromas, but pleasant. On the palate, very light taste of tart strawberry. Not unpleasant, but nothing exciting either.
MiP* Cotes de Provence 2011
Provence is known for its roses, which are generally among the most highly regarded (along with Tavel). This is very pale in color (in fact, I've seen Pinot Grigios with more color than this!), perhaps just a little lighter than typical for a Cotes de Provence.
If I were to try this wine blindfolded, I would guess from the nose that it was a white, probably Sauvignon Blanc, due to the citrusy notes and little bit of grassiness. While not untypical for the style, this one seems a little more so than most other Provence wines that I've tried. But on the palate, it is quite surprising. A nice bit of berry fruit comes through, balancing the citrus very well (think raspberry lemonade, although it's more toward the grapefruit side), and the flavor and finish are much more than the light color leads you to expect.
Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence 2011
Another Cotes de Provence, this is more of a rosy color than salmon, with none of the citrus notes of the MiP.. Just clean crisp strawberry. More fruit than either the MiP or the Wolffer. Very nice.
Bieler Pere et Fils Sabine Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence 2011
By both sight and smell, this wine seems to fall between the two Cotes de Provence wines, with just a little salmon color to the pink, and just a bit of citrus aroma mixing in with the red fruit. A little more acidity than the Houchart, and the most lively and flavorful so far. Very nice and refreshing; a perfect wine for a picnic or just sitting on the patio.
Raffault Chinon Rose 2011
Moving to the north of France, this Chinon has a lovely pink color, much more intense than the wines from the south. It is also the most tart. There's some nice flavor there, but to me, almost a little sour, with a bit of grapefruit coming through on the finish. The only one of the group that I have to say I don't care for; rather ironic since it is the one that I was most excited to try!
Chateau d'Oupia Minervois 2011
Back to the south, this time to the southwest appellation of Minervois. Although the nose is light, it is more berry than citrus, and drifting away from strawberry. Fairly intense fruit, this is also the sweetest of the bunch, although that is relative; if you tasted it by itself, I feel sure that you would consider it dry.
Of the bunch, my favorite is between the d'Oupia and the Bieler. I'd probably lean toward the Bieler for a picnic, and the d'Oupia for a party or similar setting. Both are recommended. The Houchart comes in a close third.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Brigaldara Valpolicella 2010
My colleague just opened a bottle of Brigaldara Valpolicella and asked me to taste it to tell him my thoughts. (it's a tough job, but someone has to do it!)
Short story, I love it.
Longer story, this is light bodied, and only medium red in color. The type of wine that you can look at and think "Yeah, this will probably work, even though it's 90° outside". The nose is almost explosive, with bright red fruit complemented by a bit of spice (cinnamon? cloves?) On the palate, it is very nice, with a bracing acidity that makes it very refreshing, and calls out for food, although it still drinks well enough on its own to just enjoy a glass. In fact, my comment was that it might be hard coming up with a food pairing, because it's so delicious by itself. But I think something along the lines of a nicely marinated flank steak, or perhaps a skirt steak off the grill would be a wonderful match. But if you want to pair it with a pizza, I think it would be a great fit there as well.
Highly recommended
Short story, I love it.
Longer story, this is light bodied, and only medium red in color. The type of wine that you can look at and think "Yeah, this will probably work, even though it's 90° outside". The nose is almost explosive, with bright red fruit complemented by a bit of spice (cinnamon? cloves?) On the palate, it is very nice, with a bracing acidity that makes it very refreshing, and calls out for food, although it still drinks well enough on its own to just enjoy a glass. In fact, my comment was that it might be hard coming up with a food pairing, because it's so delicious by itself. But I think something along the lines of a nicely marinated flank steak, or perhaps a skirt steak off the grill would be a wonderful match. But if you want to pair it with a pizza, I think it would be a great fit there as well.
Highly recommended
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
A few Barberas
My new job has had the consequence of getting to taste many wines, but lack of time to write about them. So I'll post just a few of the recent highlights among some Barberas, from both Italy and California.
Seghesio Alexander Vally Barbera 2009 - Very big and bold; I could quickly pinpoint this as being a California wine, but the flavor is not what I expect from a Barbera. Good, but not great.
Ruvei Barbera d'Alba 2008 - Very different from the Seghesio. Medium full body, but intense flavor. Very clean fruit. Pretty much what I expect from a good Barbera, and my overall favorite of the lot.
Gaitu Barbera Colli Tortonesi 2006 - Another very different expression of what can be done with the Barbera grape. Body wis similar to the Ruvei, and while it was identifiable as a Barbera, it is less fruity, and has a very nice earthy quality to it. Very good, and only slightly behind the Ruvei in my ranking, although with the right food (think anything with mushrooms or similar flavor) this one would be the better choice.
Seghesio Alexander Vally Barbera 2009 - Very big and bold; I could quickly pinpoint this as being a California wine, but the flavor is not what I expect from a Barbera. Good, but not great.
Ruvei Barbera d'Alba 2008 - Very different from the Seghesio. Medium full body, but intense flavor. Very clean fruit. Pretty much what I expect from a good Barbera, and my overall favorite of the lot.
Gaitu Barbera Colli Tortonesi 2006 - Another very different expression of what can be done with the Barbera grape. Body wis similar to the Ruvei, and while it was identifiable as a Barbera, it is less fruity, and has a very nice earthy quality to it. Very good, and only slightly behind the Ruvei in my ranking, although with the right food (think anything with mushrooms or similar flavor) this one would be the better choice.
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