A couple of really wonderful wines

Yes, I know, I know - it's been a while. Quite a long while, in fact, but I guess that is what "retirement" does to you. Not that I've been doing bugger all for the last 2 or 3 weeks.... I've been doing a few jobs around the house (I fitted some shiny new door handles to the upstairs rooms last week!), cooking meals and baking bread, attending wine tastings here and there, preparing updates and new tasting notes for my website, preparing a long overdue newsletter and - thankfully - preparing quite a few wine orders over the last few days. Incidentally, if you are one of the many customers/subscribers/friends who have sent me good wishes for my new "career" over the last few days and weeks, then thank you - they are all very much appreciated.

To tell the truth, although I've been getting on with plenty of the above, I have been taking it *relatively* easy since I gave up the day job. Then again, why shouldn't I - at least for a short while? After all, following 33 years of hard labour I deserved a rest! But now it is time to get a bit more serious about the future - and also to get blogging about wine once again. Here are 2 stunners to begin with.........

La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza 2001 Reserva Especial

The term "Especial" denotes a very special year in Rioja - so special, in fact, that La Rioja Alta have only ever used the term for this wine on 3 occasions, namely 1964, 1973 and 2001. And 2001 was indeed a very special year (not just in Rioja, of course, but over many of Europe's fine wine regions). I first tasted this wine in early October, when it blew me (and most others who tasted it) away with it's combination of concentrated, spicy fruit, restrained use of oak and sheer elegance. And since I have now secured a few bottles for myself, I couldn't resist opening one last night. The colour and overall hue is reassuringly light (as befits a wine that has been aged for the best part of 10 years before release (3 years in 4-year-old American oak barrels, the rest in tank and bottle) with a mahogany/blood red core leading to a pale-ish carmine rim. The nose exhibits more oak than I remembered from the previous bottle (different bottling/batch, perhaps?) but the kind of oak that is sure to hit the spot with lovers of traditional Rioja - polished old mahogany, vanilla, leather, cigar box and exotic spices abound. There's also an abundance of sweet, soft red and even white fruit aromas, which follow through on the palate in a rich, ripe, almost overlty sweet way to begin with. In fact, it is in some ways quite different to that previous bottle, which seemed at the time to be in the perfect place, whereas this one seemed a little too young - to begin with, at least. Not that it is too big or tannic, but simply that the fruit is so primary and so sweet. But peel away the layers and you find a wine full of complexity and promise for the future, with a wonderful layer of juicy, tangy acidity that balances things out beautifully. With time in the glass, the fruit really does blossom into something quite light, airy and lovely, whilst those spicy, leathery, meaty notes add yet more interest. And when I say "time in the glass", I really mean 24 hours of air, for this is a wine which really doesn't show it's true colours until the second night - a sure sign that it will evolve for a good number of years in bottle (and in this case, I'd say for at least another 10). It is a truly gorgeous - not to mention reassuringly traditional - Rioja, and I'm glad I have another 3 bottles to tuck away for my future enjoyment. Yum!

Mas Foulaquier Gran' Tonillieres 2007 Pic Saint-Loup

Talk about flowers, leather, old wood, forest floor and spice! I should say first and foremost that this is a fundamentally different wine from the Ardanza - for a start, it is made from a 50/50 blend of old vine Grenache and Carignan (the Ardanza is mostly Tempranillo, with just 20% Garnacha), and it is aged for 24 months, partly in barrel (though mostly olderFrench oak) and partly in vat. Furthermore, the fruit profile is more of the black variety (predominantly ripe brambles and blackcurrant) although there's a hint of red cherry and redcurrant in there for good measure. It is also a lot younger, at just 4 years of age, and although it isn't particularly dark in colour, is a relative tooth-stainer. But it lacks for nothing in terms of complexity, elegance, excitement and sheer drinkability - not to mention the ability to age, for it surely has a good few years left in the tank. But it is just so good to drink now, in the way that many young Languedoc wines can be when young. The fruit flavours are ripe and full, with a touch of eau de vie adding both lift and richness to a wine which is simply bursting with life. There's a touch of savouriness, too, though this is a wine which I would describe as essentially feminine, rather than big and masculine. Concentrated elegance is a phrase that springs to mind, with oh-so ripe tannins, allied to juicy, mouth-watering acidity - a beautifully integrated, seamless wine, with no rough edges. Even though I actually sell this wine, I must say that I wasn't expecting it to reach the heights of the Ardanza (at least not at such a young age) but it does, it really does - it really is wonderful! And at £18.89 (roughly the same price as the Ardanza) it is a bit of a bargain. Oh, and it also happens to be both biodynamic and a "natural" wine, with only 10mg/l of sulphur added at the bottling stage. A quite stunning and delightful wine for a quiet Sunday evening.

    

Carignan - the ugly duckling of the wine world?

Who says Carignan isn't capable of making great wine? Well, lots of people, as it happens, including some of the wine world's most prominent and influential writers and journalists. In the 3rd edition of The Oxford Companion To Wine (published as recently as 2006), Jancis Robinson MW describes Carignan as a "late-ripening black grape variety which could fairly be called the bane of the European wine industry, although old bushvines, as is their wont, are demonstrably capable of producing particularly concentrated wine." Frankly, the last part of that sentence serves as little more than an afterthought, and simply adds insult to injury. To be fair (and I'm struggling here) she does add later, "the produce of old vines on very poor soils such as at Domaine d'Auphilac in Montpeyroux and Ch de Lastours in Corbieres is exceptional - even if some would argue better in a blend than as a 100 per cent varietal." If you try very hard, you might spot in that statement the merest hint of damning with faint praise.

To be even more fair (and believe me, I'm still finding it difficult) I have heard rumours that Jancis has since made the occasional conciliatory remark about this or that Carignan-based wine. But because my knowledge of such remarks is at best second-hand or anecdotal, I can do no more than dismiss them as heresay.

So are the capabilities of Carignan limited entirely to adding the occasional bit of interest to wines made predominantly from other grapes varieties? I don't think so - and my friend and fellow Nottingham Wine Circle member Andy Leslie and I this week presented a line-up of wines which we hoped would give our own nay-sayers (and they are a hard bunch to please, believe me) plenty of food for thought. The line-up comprised wines from France, Sardinia and California, with vintages ranging from 2008, back to 1997. Most were 100% Carignan, though the first two were blends. Prices of the wines with links are my website prices. Other prices are either what Andy or I paid at auction, or wine-seacher prices, where currently available.

1. Mas de Lavail Ballade 2007 Vin de Pays Cotes Catalanes (£8.63)
50% Carignan and 50% Grenache, from vines in excess of 50 years old. I have to admit that many of those present didn't think much of this wine (I did say they are a hard lot to please!) but they are of little faith, for it has potential that is hidden to all but the most ardent and patient Languedoc wine fans. On the night, it was dominated by its inherent tarriness (some said rubber) but there is so much fruit in there that it cannot fail to emerge. And as I type (a full 4 days later) I am enjoying the remnants of the bottle immensely, with the tar almost gone, to be replaced by mixed red and black fruit aromas, oranges and a hint of damp earth. There's a touch of savouriness to the palate, but again plenty of sweet fruit and a good acid/tannin structure. If you want to drink it now, decant it at least a day in advance. Otherwise, give it 3 to 5 years (or even more) and watch it grow in stature and (dare I say it) become more and more like a really good Cotes du Rhone Villages.

2. Mas Foulaquier Gran’ Tonillieres 2006 Pic Saint-Loup (£18.89)
Again, a 50/50 blend of Carignan and Grenache, from old vines, grown in the far north of the Pic Sain-Loup appellation. Aged for 24 months (half in concrete vats, half in barrels and demi-muids of between 3 and 10 years old). Biodynamic, and with just 10 mg/l of SO2 added at bottling. I was too busy talking and presenting to make much of a note on this bottle, but it showed very nicely, as did my previous bottle;  "Intense and amazingly pure blackcurrant and bramble aromas mingle with garrigue herbs, clove and cedarwood, along with some quite meaty/savoury notes and an interesting hint of iodine (always a good descriptor in my book, by the way). The palate is packed with red and black fruits, herbs, allspice and dark chocolate, with firm but fine tannins and ample acidity."

3. Domaine Monplezy Emocion 2005 Vin de Pays des Cotes de Thongue (£18.00)
100% old-vine Carignan, aged in barrel for 12 months. Fresh and perfectly balanced in the mouth, with concentrated black fruit and chocolate flavours. Good acidity and fine tannins. Both fruity and savoury, with plenty of weight, and a good structure for ageing. As I sell this wine, I have tracked its progress over the last couple of years and, having finally lost its first flush of youth, it appears to be going into a bit of a closed/dumb phase. But it certainly has both the fruit and the structure to evolve beautifully over the next 5 to 10 years. Perhaps it is time to squirrel-away a few of my remaining bottles for myself!

4. Domaine de La Marfée Les Vignes qu’on Abat 2007 Vin de Pays de l’Hérault (£24.50)
100% old-vine Carignan, aged for 2 years in barrel. Biodynamic. The name "Les Vignes qu'on Abat" translates roughly as "the vines they are pulling up" - a commentary on the sad fact that so many precious old Carignan vineyards have been consigned to the bonfire. Although my own experience of winemaker Thierry Hasard's wines covers only the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2007 vintages, I have a feeling that this wine will never go into a closed phase, such is its sheer vibrancy and level of unctious fruit. Again, I didn't write a note on the night, simply because the bottle we tasted conformed almost exactly to the note on my website, which reads "Raspberries and blackcurrants leap from the glass, with myriad other aromas, including strawberries and cream, garrigue herbs and even a hint of elderflower. Although aged in oak for 2 years (mostly older oak, with just a small percentage of new barrels used each year) there is just the merest suggestion of pencil shavings, with no obvious oak aromas - the sign of very skilful winemaking. The palate is medium-rich, with flavours of blackcurrant and cranberry, tar and spice, hints of garrigue and an almost schiste-like minerality and remarkably ripe, velvety tannins. A touch of sweet fruit returns on the finish, which is spicy and long." Tasting it again did, however, remind me of how remarkably lovely this wine is to drink now. That said, it has a long and brilliant future ahead of it, and will surely age and evolve for at least another 5 to 10 years. All of which does nothing to alter my opinion that Thierry Hasard is firmly established in the Premier League of Languedoc winemakers - and an absolute master of the Carignan variety.

5. Santadi Terre Brune Carignano del Sulcis Superiore 2005, Sardinia (Approximately £35.00 - but Andy got it for nothing, from his brother-in-law, who runs a restaurant!)
90% Carignano, with 10% Bobaleddu. Intense aromas of bramble - and pickled bramble, at that - with notes of blackcurrant leaf and menthol, and a healthy dollop of volatile acidity. Complex red and black fruit flavours. There is a backbone of lemony acidity, which may or may not be natural, but it gives a delightful freshness to what is essentially a big, quite modern red wine - albeit identifiably Italian (well, Sardinian). Bags of fruit, bags of character, and really quite lovely - though you wouldn't necessarily identify it as Carignan.

6. Agricola Punica Barrua 2002, Sardinia (Current vintage is around £29, but this vintage was £22 when Andy bought it, several years ago)
85% Carignano, with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot. Perhaps it was the addition of the Cabernet and Merlot, but this one, although still undoubtedly a very nice wine, was just a little bit more "international" in style - although even then, it didn't entirely betray its Sardinian roots. Soft, smooth, tobacco-infused fruit aromas and flavours, but with plenty of meaty/grippy tannic structure. There's quite a lot of oak influence, too - and tasting the remnants of the bottle 4 days later, the impression of oak has grown, with the grape tannins being overtaken by some rather harsh and raw oak tannin. Then again, that may just mean that this wine will take a few more years to really get into its stride.

7. Porter Creek Old Vine Carignane 2008, Mendocino County, California (Around £15 retail in USA)
I can only assume that this is 100% Carignane, as even the grower's website doesn't mention any other grape variety. The nose initially offers an intriguing mix of elerberry, elderflower and apple aromas - and then there's a big hit of raspberries, like summer pudding in a glass. The palate is still quite tannic and a touch tarry, and not overtly fruity, so I think it needs to be aged for a few years. That said, it seems really nicely put together. Later on (in this case, a few hous later) it really begins to open-up, with some fresh, vibrant strawberry and bramble fruit emerging, with a hint of oak vanillin, juicy acidity and softening tannins. Almost (but not quite) like a strapping young Beaujolais. Nice.

8. Joseph Swan Cotes du Rosa 2008, Russian River Valley, California (£20.38)
100% Carignan. What can I say about this wine that I haven't said before? Here's my full tasting note, added to my website just before Christmas; "The nose offers beguiling scents of strawberries, raspberries, plum skins, citrus/orange, a hint of savoury/leather and exotic spices. In fact, those spices, married to what I assume is some old(ish) oak barrel maturation, are strongly suggestive of incense and polished wood. The palate isn't too shabby, either - a delicious mouthful of fresh red and black fruits, incense (yes, I swear you can actually taste it, too), supple, savoury tannins and a simply mouth-watering core of juicy, orangey/appley acidity. With a relatively modest 13.6% abv, this is no glass-staining Cali/Rhône monster - it is supremely balanced, elegant and thoroughly charming. And although it is eminently drinkable now, it also has the capacity to age beautifully for a decade or more - I can say this with confidence, because I have tasted one or two older vintages that were quite memorable. This wonderful wine only serves to strengthen my opinion that anyone who says that Carignan can't make charming, elegant, age-worthy, world class wine needs their head examining!" Enough said!

9. Bonny Doon Ancient Vines Carignane 2004, Santa Cruz, California (£10 retail, locally)
A touch of eau de vie on the nose, but just enough to make it really interesting. There's plenty of varietal character in this wine, with some nice lifted notes and even a touch of that elderflower. The palate is meaty, tarry and full of bramble fruit, full-bodied, with a good deal of concentration, again nicely lifted, with supple (if slightly rustic) tannins and juicy acidity. For £10, this represents cracking good value for money.

10. Terre Inconnue Les Bruyeres 1999 Vin de Table de France (Approximately £12 at auction)
100% Carignan, from vines in excess of 100 years old. I wrote a very enthusiastic blog entry on this wine in 2009, and had specifically saved a bottle for just such a tasting as this. And this bottle was just as good, if not even better - and certainly had the group purring as one in their appreciation. A lovely light carmine/blood red colour. The nose is like smelling an old wardrobe (a favourite descriptor of mine), with additional notes of mint/menthol, oldish oak and a whole box full of mixed fruits, albeit at a fairly tertiary stage. Oh, and a very alluring touch of volatile acidity, which puts one in mind of Musar, but in a somewhat "cleaner" (i.e. less quirky) way. Although this clearly has plenty of age, it still seems so vibrant and full of fruit and life. I'm not sure it will get any better, but neither is it likely to fall off its perch anytime soon. Shame, as this was the last of my 2 bottles! A lovely, lovely wine.

11. Domaine de La Marfée Les Vignes qu’On Abat 1999 Coteux du Languedoc (Approximately £16 at auction)
100% old-vine Carignan. I opened and decanted a bottle of this a few hours before the tasting and wasn't sure if it was quite right. Nevertheless, I took it along and passed it around, to see what others thought. The general consensus was that it was corked (and indeed it was, if only "slightly"). Thankfully, my suspicions led me to take a back-up bottle along, which I opened and passed around the table. Although I am always sad to encounter a corked bottle (especially one which promised much) the second bottle served only to show the immense gulf between a "slightly" corked bottle and a perfect one. And the second bottle really was perfect - a full 8 years older than wine number 4, but still with more than a little of that trademark elderflower and mint perfume, together with an abundance of plum, damson and bramble fruit - a truly glorious nose. The palate is beautifully focused and in balance, with dense fruit concentration, softening tannins and fine acidity. An utterly more-ish wine, which is beginning to approach its peak (though it isn't quite there yet) and will undoubtedly hold for another 5 years or more. Brilliant wine!

12. Joseph Swan Cotes du Rosa 1997, Russian River Valley, California (Approximately £12 at auction)
100% Carignan. Boy, is this different! The Swan label says 14.6% abv, but the UK importer's label says 16% - work that one out! The nose is unbelievably rich and perfumed, with dense bramble, plum and rich fruitcake aromas. A touch of VA balances the almost Port-like, tarry aromas, making for a wine that fills the senses. And it does the same thing to the palate - rich and dense, almost akin to a fortified wine, but without the excess alcohol. In fact, for a dry wine, this wears its 16% remarkably well. I bet it was a bit of a monster when it was young, but it has evolved into a delicious, almost elegant wine, with intensely sweet fruit, balanced perfectly by lemony, almost volatile acidity and resolved tannins - big, but very beautiful. A real curio, and if you are lucky enough to have some in your celler, I'd say drink it with a juicy steak, or just enjoy it on its own, by a warm fire. A fine way to finish a most interesting and educational tasting.

So what are the conclusions? Well, there's no doubt that the best Carignan wines are made from old (and preferably very old) vines, and take a good while in bottle to really show their potential.

Vinous treasures - 100-plus year-old vines, owned by Terre Inconnue in Languedoc

Frankly, it is a crying shame that so many great old Carignan vineyards around the world (though especially in southern France) have been ripped up over the last 10 to 20 years. I'll wager that there are a good many vignerons who are quietly remorseful about the fact that they took what must have seemed good money at the time, in order to rid the planet of such an "undesirable" grape variety. For a list of just some of those that resisted the temptation to do so, have a look at the Carignan Renaissance website, created and maintained by John and Nicole Bojanowski, owners of Clos du Gravillas, who make some cracking wines (from Carignan and other varieties). The list is far from exhaustive (where are Joseph Swan and Domaine de La Marfée?!) but it provides a good starting point.

Furthermore, I am greatly admiring of anyone who is brave enough to plant new vineyards with Carignan. But if they don't, where are the great old-vine wines going to come from in the future? For it is a sad fact of life that old vines are like people - they are going to die eventually - and wines like the ones above may eventually become as rare as hen's teeth. For now, though, I can only urge you to seek these wines out and treasure them. And once you have aged them to perfection (for most of them do indeed take 10 years or more to show their best) enjoy them in all their glory - and damn the critics!

Meanwhile, I'll leave you with another quote from Jancis Robinson MW;

"But perhaps this is to miss the point of Carignan. Perhaps it is meant to be a cussed brute, like the rocks that litter the Languedoc landscape? If so, let others wallow in it."
    

Some thoughts on Biodynamic viticulture and "natural" wines

At this week's gathering of the Nottingham Wine Circle, I presented a tasting of a dozen or so biodynamic wines from four growers on my list - Rolly Gassmann, Domaine de Montesquiou, Mas Foulaquier and Domaine de La Marfée. This isn't a report on the actual wines that we tasted - although they were very well received and I think the overall quality surprised a lot of people. One thing is for sure, though - whatever the merits of each individual wine (and I, of course, love 'em all), every single one was clean, pure and full of vibrant fruit. It was no surprise that the Rolly Gassman wines (a 2002 Pinot Gris and a 2004 Riesling) went down so well, as Alsace is a popular region amongst the Wine Circle members (and the wines really were on song). Similarly, the Domaine de Montesquiou wines (the bone dry Rosée de Montesquiou 2008 and the beautifully sweet, yet intensely zingy Grappe d'Or 2004) have always proved popular with the group. And my new wines from Pic Saint-Loup grower Mas Foulaquier were pretty well-received, with the top wine, Gran' Tonillieres 2006, proving the most popular (a serious wine, which will go for 10 to 15 years, according to some).

But the undoubted stars of the evening were the wines of Domaine de La Marfée. Although the white Frisson d'Ombelles 2007 was again a definite jury-splitter (some think it has too much oak - I think there is a great wine lurking in there, so let's see what a few years in bottle will do) the reds were universally popular. In fact, they were more than popular - I sensed that many of those present were extremely impressed, and they are a difficult bunch to impress, believe me!

Although this was, of course, a tasting designed to showcase the merits of biodynamic viticulture, I was also at pains to point out the fact that some of the wines were made with low - or even very low - levels of sulphur. Mas Foulaquier, in particular, uses no sulphur in the vineyards and none in the actual winemaking process. Even at the bottling stage, the amount of SO2 (sulphur dioxide - a preservative) used in the Mas Foulaquier wines is just 10 to 30 mg per litre (the maximum permitted by EU regulations is 180 mg/litre). Bearing in mind that so-called "natural" wines must contain 10 mg/litre or less of SO2, the wines of Mas Foulaquier are as close to qualifying as "natural wines" as can be, without actually doing so. I use inverted commas because - as far as I am aware - there are no hard and fast rules or regulations (i.e. no official regulatory body) for natural wines.

Moving away from the subject of the actual tasting (if you want to see my thoughts on the wines, my full tasting notes are all on my website) this subject brought to mind two separate occasions when I tasted Frank Cornelissen Munjebel 4 2006/7 Etna, Sicilia. Now this is very definitely a "natural" wine - i.e. no sulphur at all. The first time I tasted this wine it was utterly delicious - full of all sorts of faults, but delicious in spite of (or do I mean because of?) them. That was in November 2009. Fast forward to March 2010 and I tasted another bottle - and thse faults had completely and utterly consumed the wine. In fact, it was no longer wine, it was vinegar - and, at around 20 quid a bottle, very expensive vinegar. Basically, the absence of SO2 had rendered it so unstable that it's ability to store for a few extra months (let alone age at all) had been completely eradicated. Don't get me wrong, I love a good dose of volatile acidity in my wine (I adore Chateau Musar!) but this was an acidic, volatile, totally unstable mess, with all traces of fresh fruit long gone. In fact, as one of the Wine Cirle members succinctly stated, "I wouldn't put it on my chips"(!)

The morethanorganic website, which sings the praises of natural wines (and seems to pretty much dismiss every other type of wine as inferior), does state that natural wines must be transported and stored at temperatures of no more than 14C, in order to remain fresh and stable. I'm not sure if that was the case with this particular bottle, but it had nevertheless fallen off its perch to such an extent that I resolved never to invest any of my own hard-earned money in any natural wines (I didn't buy this one) - unless I intended to drink them straight away.

All of this led me to start thinking more closely about sulphur levels in the wines I sell. The Mas Foulaquier wines are all fresh and clean as a whistle, so winemaker Pierre Jéquier clearly seems to have found a happy medium with his sulphur levels. So what of Domaine de La Marfée? Partly because of my experience with the Cornelissen wine referred to above, I entered into a flurry of email correspondence with winemaker Thierry Hasard, since I wanted to know how he achieved such amazingly fresh and "alive" wines and how much (or how little) intervention there was in his winmaking. Thierry is obviously a deep thinker and very passionate about his subject and, as a result, I learned an awful lot about the man and his winemaking philosophy. Here are a few of his thoughts, extracted from various parts of that correspondence (and used with Thierry's permission);

On using sulphur......

"Yes, I use sulphur in the vineyards because I dont know any other efficient biodynamic way of fighting against oidium (LS: mildew - even Languedoc is not immune, during rainy periods). Today everybody is claiming he is using very low sulphur in his wines. I would tell you the truth: it is very easy for me to sell wines claiming they have no sulphur because I use very little sulphur during the ageing in barrels. So, if anybody is asking me, before bottling, "sell me your wines like this" I can say :ok, no problem for me. The only question is who takes the risks related to the temperatures during transportation and conservation? I add, just before bottling, a quantity of sulphur in order to have "20 de libre" (I can't translate). (LS: I think he means 20mg of "free" SO2, which is the important bit that preserves the wine in bottle). I dont fine and I dont filter any of my wines."

On viticulture........

"If you look at my website, one photograph had been taken in autumn, and you can see grass because at that time we dont fight against the weeds. The other photograh had been taken in summer, at that time we manage to eliminate all the weeds we can. The need for ploughing depends on the weather conditions in spring and summer (rain/ no rain) (more rain = more grass) and on each parcel of vines (very stoney/ less stoney) (more stones = less weeds)."

One of the Marfée vineyards in July 2008 - more stones equals less grass (especially in summer)

Thierry Hasard applying a biodynamic preparation in a vineyard of old Syrah, Autumn 2008 -

- note the grass growing freely, due to minimum ploughing

On "natural" wines........

"To my mind, nature is the opposite of culture. Making wine is a cultural act. As a winemaker your job is not to let nature do what it intends to do: vinegar. As a farmer or a vinegrower your job is to cultivate, that means to observe the natural forces and processes and then to prove you have a human brain by doing what is necessary to have a good harvest. Look at what happens to vineyards which are not cultivated for one year : vines die and fruits are spoiled and not able to make a drinkable wine. Cultivating is a human invention. Wine is a human invention. Wine is the most cultural product in the world and that is the reason why it is so fascinating. Am I warming up ? I agree with one thing: I would prefer not to use SO2. It is almost the only product I use in my winemaking. That is the only thing. At that time I think it is not possible if I want to sell my wines all over the world. There are so many examples of "vins nature" completly spoiled. I also know that the addition of little quantities of sulphur is not so easy to detect in a blind tasting (I tried many times)."

On viniculture.......

"I dont use any industrial yeasts for any of the reds or for the Roussanne - that means for 95% of my wines. The natural yeasts of my Chardonnays never want to wake up even after 6 days - probably because it is the holidays when it is harvest time for chardonnays - so I am obliged to use industrial ones!"

So there you have it - a sensible, balanced, but passionate view on winemaking. And a sensible viewpoint on why no completely sane winemaker should indulge in "extreme" natural winemaking. Basically, Thierry intervenes as little as possible, but does so when absolutely necessary for the health of the vines - and the wines.

"Natural" winemaking is not a new concept (in fact it is as old as winemaking itself) but it is definitely in vogue, at the moment. In many ways, it is a noble concept, and I can see plenty more winemakers jumping on the bandwagon before it reaches its peak of popularity. And in an ideal world, all wines would be completely natural. But the fact is - let's be honest - natural wine is a flawed concept, fraught with danger at every turn. Once made, it needs to be either drunk pretty damn quickly, or stored in perfect conditions (and at constantly low temperatures). Any less and the result will inevitably be wines that spoil very quickly. But if I am going to spend good money on expensive wines, I want to be sure that they aren't going to be vinegar when the time comes to drink them.

I like vinegar (and make gallons of the stuff from leftover wine) but I prefer it on my frites, not in my glass.

      

Tasting notes for some new wines

I've been off the radar a bit, over the last few days - not being lazy, I might add, but working like mad to get my website up to date. One of the "chores" involved in this is tasting through a good many wines. OK, so tasting them is hardly a chore - it is of course one of the joys of being a wine merchant. But writing the tasting notes requires a good deal of time and effort, not to mention the various tasks involved in adding each and every wine to the website. Anyway, before I get posting in earnest again (I have a few subjects waiting in line for the blog) here are notes on some of those wines. All are now available from my online shop (retail prices are shown at the end of each note).

Domaine Laguerre Le Ciste Blanc 2005 Cotes du Roussillon

This isn't one of the growers I import from myself, but I have always heard very good things about Eric Laguerre's wines (Jancis Robinson loves them) and I am painfully short of white wines from Roussillon. Laguerre's wines are imported by the same agent as the Joseph Swan Vineyards wines, so I thought I'd pick some of this up, whilst topping-up my supplies of the Swan wines. And I'm really glad I did. It is a blend of Marsanne, Roussanne, Rolle and Macabeu, fermented and aged in oak barrels. Despite the oak treatment (which is clearly very skilfully done) it has bucket-loads of fruit on the nose - apricots and apple pie with raisins, with some herby and spicy notes (notably cinnamon, clove, fennel and herbs de provence). The palate is rich, with a sweet fruit feel, immediatlely followed by a hit of lemon/lime acidity, which surprises you with its intensity. From there, it all comes together in a wine which is at the same time rich, fruity, spicy/herby and nervy. The finish is beautifully balanced and fresh - and very long. it is a lovely wine, which is perfect right now. Great value at £12.50.

Domaine de La Marfée Frissons d'Ombelles 2007 Vin de Pays de l'Hérault
A blend of 70% Roussanne and 30% Chardonnay, aged for 1 year in a mix of new and used oak barrels. A very expressive nose, with aromas of lime and apricot and toasty oak, along with some herby, floral and woodsmoke nuances and a touch of flinty reduction. The palate is full of mineral character, with flavours of stone fruits, citrus and spice. The texture has a slightly oily feel to it, though there is a minerally depth, allied to really zingy acidty - both rich and delicate at the same time. If I were to taste this blind, I might think it was a very young northern Rhone or even Burgundy. That said, it is very primary at the moment, and needs another year or two in bottle for all the elements to begin to knit together and for the oak to soften. A potentially great wine, though, and one of the best whites I have tasted from Languedoc. As a footnote, this one split the jury at a tasting evening I went to the other evening, although the noses and palates I trust amongst the group recognised that this is a wine with a good deal of potential for the future. £14.99

Domaine de La Marfée Les Gamines 2007 Languedoc Saint Georges d'Orques

50% Syrah, 40% Mourvedre and 10% Grenache, aged for 2 years in a mix of new and used oak barrels. The nose gives off notes of black and red fruits, notably blackcurrants and cherries steeped in eau de vie and infused with garrigue herbs. There are also some enticing woody aromas, reminiscent of polished mahogany, with background notes of tobacco, cocoa and allspice. The palate is all about those wonderful blackcurrant and cherry flavours, which coat the mouth before the fine-grained tannins kick in, countered by a healthy lick of acidity. The herby and spicy notes, combined with the lush fruit flavours and a hint of dark chocolate give this wine a certain sweet and sour quality. And that whiff of eau de vie on the nose is obviously a sign of complexity, because the finish is elegant, fruity and spicy, rather than warm and alcoholic, with nary a hint of rusticity. In fact, this is a very fine, complex, captivating wine - and it can only get better. I love it! £13.49

Domaine de La Marfée Les Vignes Qu'On Abat 2007 Vin de Pays de l'Hérault

100% Carignan. Raspberries and blackcurrants leap from the glass, with myriad other aromas, including strawberries and cream, garrigue herbs and even a hint of elderflower. Although again aged in oak for 2 years (mostly older oak, with just a small percentage of new barrels used each year) there is just the merest suggestion of pencil shavings, with no obvious oak aromas - the sign of very skilful winemaking. The palate is medium-rich, with flavours of blackcurrant and cranberry, tar and spice, with hints of garrigue and an almost schiste-like minerality and remarkably ripe, velvety tannins. A touch of sweet fruit returns on the finish, which is spicy and long. This is another really fabulous wine, which is already surprisingly elegant and approachable. Indeed, it is a real testament to the potential of old Carignan vines (in the hands of the right winemaker, of course). Is this the Languedoc's top Carignan? I think so. £23.99

Mas Foulaquier Les Calades 2006 Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup

60% Syrah and 40% Grenache. The nose is a heady mix of red and black fruits steeped in eau de vie, with all manner of exotic spice and garrigue herb notes. Despite being aged for 24 months (half in concrete vats, half in barrels and demi-muids of between 3 and 10 years old) the oak hardly gets a look in, with merely a hint of polished wood mingled in with the complex fruit aromas. The palate is awash with bramble and redcurrants and even a hint of seville orange, giving the wine a distinct tanginess. There is plenty of spicy, tannic grip, but the fruit is so lush and the acidity so mouth-watering that you almost don't notice - it really is a wonderfully balanced, complex wine, combining power with considerable elegance. And if ever a wine wore its 14.5% abv so beautifully, this is it. A compelling and utterly brilliant wine. £15.99

Mas Foulaquier l'Orfée 2008 Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup

The nose has floral scents (hints of violet and lily), mingled with crystallised bramble fruits, tar and eau de vie, with plenty of garrigue and savoury/meaty nuances. I would swear that there were also some mahogany/woody notes, but this wine is very definitely not oak-aged. The palate is rich, with the raisined fruit quality of the Grenache complemented by the high-toned bramble and blackcurrant of the Syrah. The tannins are firm but fine and there is tangy acidity to spare, in another beautifully balanced wine. At the same tasting evening referred to above, this was even more of a jury-splitter. Many were not impressed, although a couple of respected palates were much more complimentary. I'd written my note much earlier in the day and loved it - and that was good enough for me. I guess sometimes some people just don't "get" my wines, although I do of course have to take others' opinions into consideration. But, to paraphrase something Brian Clough once famously said, we sit down and we talk about it for twenty minutes and then we decide I was right. Or at least I do, anyway! After all, I wouldn't be selling a wine if I did not have complete confidence in it. £13.75

Mas Foulaquier Les Tonillieres 2008 Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup

50% old vine Carignan, 50% Syrah. I wrtote my tasting note for this over two separate evenings (from the same bottle, of course). On the first night, the nose was glorious, whilst the palate was a little bit unforthcoming. The second night, though, it had blossomed into something much more beautiful. Aromas of cherries and raspberries leap from the glass, with background notes of violets, aromatic herbs and liquorice. After some exposure to the air (in this case 24 hours) it develops subtle notes of peppermint, polished leather and eau de vie. Delve a little further and you might even detect hints of apple and iodine. In fact it really is quite complex stuff. The palate reveals flavours of raspberry and redcurrant, a streak of earthy minerality and firm but fine tannins. There is also a distinct herbiness and tanginess, which makes this wine a great match for dishes seasoned with herbs and maybe even soft spices. And the fruit has hidden depths, becoming denser and more full-bodied after some time. I think the secret is to give it a vigorous double-decant, a good 2 or 3 hours before drinking (or preferably longer) because it really does make all the difference. It is a very pure, elegant wine, and should develop and soften beautifully after another year or two in bottle. £12.50

Joseph Swan Vineyards Trenton Estate Vineyard Syrah 2004 Russian River Valley

This is the latest addition to my selection of Joseph Swan wines. I hadn't tasted it before, but I thought I'd take a chance - and it paid off. The nose is initially unforthcoming, but takes only a few minutes to show off trademark Syrah notes of dark fruits, leather and spice, with the equally trademark Swan high-toned aromas. There is also a touch of pencil-shaving or older wood notes, but otherwise no noticeable oak influence - which is just how it should be. The palate offers rich, but oh-so succulent fruit flavours. The effect is like raspberries, brambles and blackcurrants steeped in eau de vie and very gently pickled and preserved. It sounds whacky (which, indeed, most Swan wines are) but it all adds up to a totally mouth-watering wine, which manages to be both extremely food friendly and lovely to drink on its own. Another winner, which does nothing to alter my opinion that Joseph Swan Vineyards is California's most consistent (and great value) wine grower. £22.50
    
Lots more posts coming up in the next few days, so keep checking back.
      

Vinisud report, part 6 - Domaine La Combe Blanche and Domaine de La Marfée

Blimey - before I know it, Friday night has arrived and I've not posted since Tuesday. I must find more time, though I'm not sure where from. So if anybody knows how to fit more than 24 hours into a day, would you please let me know?

Anyway, continuing into the afternoon of our first day at Vinisud, we moved from Brigitte Chevalier's stand straight on to the Domaine La Combe Blanche stand, to spend some time tasting the wines and chatting with my good friend Guy Vanlancker. Those who know the story of how I got into the wine business in the first place will know about the key role played by this man and his wines. For those who don't, you can read all about it here on my website. You can also read more about my current selection of Guy's wines in the Domaine La Combe Blanche section of the website. Although I am extremely familiar with Guys wines, it would have been remiss of me not to taste a few whilst there.

Apart from his premium cuvées (La Galine and La Chandeliere being the top reds) there were some impressive "basic" Minervois reds. The 2009 - not yet bottled - was fabulously soft and primary, supple and intensely fruity. 2008 was somewhat richer, with ultra-ripe fruit. 2007 combined the richness of the '08 with the freshness of the '09 and was absolutely delicious. 2006 was spicy and firm, with a lovely core of fruit. I currently offer the 2005, which is lovely to drink right now, but my experience of previous vintages tell me it has even more to offer. The Vins de Pays from both Tempranillo and Cinsault are lovely wines, both of which display a mix of varietal character and the local terroir. The only grape that I feel Guy has not really nailed yet - at least on a regular basis - is Pinot Noir. The hills above La Liviniere tend to be subject to all the extremes that the different seasons can offer, and whilst the winters can be harsh - especially up on the relatively high slopes and plateaus - the summers are often conversely hot and dry, meaning that growing Pinot is a hit and miss affair. Then again, we all have our follies. And the occasional miss is more than made up for by an array of successes, year after year. I've been working with Guy from the very first day I started my business - and I'll be working to sell these lovely wines just as long as he keeps making them.

       

After we left Guy, we strolled around the various halls, stopping here and there to taste wines from various growers. Some of the visits were planned, others just took our fancy, for one reason or another. I'll post notes and thoughts on some of the highs and lows in due course. For now, I'll tell you about our last major visit of the day - and one which I had been really looking forward to - which was Domaine de La Marfée. I've had the opportunity to taste one or two older wines from this grower before, so I know how good they can be, and how ageworthy they are. Indeed, I posted a tasting note on a particularly enjoyable Les Vignes Qu'on Abat 1999 a couple of weeks ago. But having never tasted them on release before, I didn't really have any idea what to expect of them, given that they were relatively young. But these wines are, almost without exception, brilliant. There's no other word to describe them, in my humble opinion.

With a backgound in accountancy, Thierry Hasard came relatively late to winemaking, making his first wines in 1997. He farms around 6 hectares of vines (on a dozen or so different plots) near the village of Murviel Les Montpellier, a few kilometres west of Montpellier itself. He currently makes five wines - a white and four different reds.

Frissons d'Embolles 2007 is a blend of 70% Roussanne and 30% Chardonnay. It is full of minerally character, with aromas and flavours of herbs, stone fruit and citrus. There's a hint of reduction, though it certainly doesn't detract from the wine, and a touch of classy oak, which adds richness and depth. But the overall impression is of purity and finesse. A really lovely wine.

Les Gamines 2007 is 50% Syrah, 40% Mourvedre and 10% Grenache. I was obviously too busy enjoying this wine, because my rather brief note reads "berries galore - soft but so complex!"

Della Francesca 2007 is 85% Mourvedre and 15% Syrah. Savoury and herby, but again so fruity. Grippy and quite tight at present, but full of rich, almost pastilley-sweet fruit, with excellent balancing acidity.

Les Vignes Qu'on Abat 2007 is 100% Carignan. Once again, we have gorgeous, almost lush fruit, with hints of garrigue and an almost schiste-like minerality and remarkably ripe, velvety tannins. This is another really fabulous wine, which is already surprisingly approachable. A real testament to the potential of old Carignan vines (in the hands of the right winemaker, of course).

Les Champs Murmurés 2007 is Syrah and Mourvedre, made from very old vines. It is a little bit closed on the nose at present, although the palate is much more expressive. Again, a rich core of fruit, but with a cloak of tannins that needs another 2 or 3 years to soften. Nevertheless, another beautifully structured and classy wine.

Looking at the above notes, I almost sound as if I'm damning these wines with faint praise, but I can assure you that I was completely bowled over by them. The white is up there with the very best I have tasted from Languedoc. And the reds all have one particular thing in common, whatever the blends or varieties - and that is a depth of fruit which I find hard to describe. The nearest descriptor I can think of is fruit pastilles (especially the red and black ones) with a rich, deep flavour, like ultra-ripe raspberries and blackcurrants, but alwayys with a lick of mouth-watering acidity. Monsieur Hasard has been quoted as saying that he believes terroir is more important than grape variety. Whatever it may be down to (I think it is probably a blend of great terroir, top-notch viticulture and damn fine winemaking) there appears to be a clear style to these wines, and one that I find very easy to fall in love with. They are just wonderful.

Thierry Hasard of Domaine de La Marfée,

applying a biodynamic preparation in his vineyard

As with Mas Foulaquier (whose wines I talked about in part 2 of this report), it wasn't until later that I discovered that Domaine de La Marfée is biodynamic. Which I guess should not have come as a surprise. As I have said before, whatever you think of biodynamicism (extreme organics or just plain whacky) it is a philosophy which does tend to go hand-in-hand with a healthy respect for the land and a fastidious approach to winemaking. And when the wines are this good, you can't help but begin to believe in it.

I have therefore wasted no time in placing an order for a selection of all five of the above wines from Domaine de La Marfée (along with the range of wines from Mas Foulaquier) which should arrive in stock within the next 2 to 3 weeks. To say I am excited at the prospect of having them on my list is an understatement - I can't wait!

    

Vinisud report, part 2 - Dégustation Melting Potes

The location for "Dégustation Melting Potes" was Domaine de Lezigno, an ancient wine cellar on the outskirts of Béziers, which has been transformed into an urban architecture workshop and artistic space. We arrived at around 5pm, which allowed us around 75 minutes of pretty intensive tasting ,before we needed to head off to Marseillan to check into our hotel. This was an extremely well organised (and well-attended) event, for which the organisers had thoughtfully produced a hand-sized, ring-bound booklet with a page for each grower's details and plenty of room for jotting down tasting notes. The tasting glasses were also excellent - if i remember correctly, medium-sized Schott Swiesel goblets which were perfect for the job.

First up - and one of our main reasons for wanting to be at this tasting - was Champagne Henri Giraud. Until a couple of weeks ago, I had never even heard of this grower. As it turns out, they supply wines for Coutts (the bank) and also Selfridges own-label Champagnes. As far as I am aware, they are otherwise fairly rare in the UK.

We started with Esprit de Giraud Rosé NV, a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 22% Chardonnay, with the addition of 8% red wine from Ay. A lovely onion skin colour, with aromas of bread, smoke, red fruits and stewed apples. The palate is full of tangy red fruit flavours, with nice persistence. I liked it a lot.

Next was Esprit de Giraud Brut NV, a blend of 70% Pinot and 30% Chardonnay. Persistent mousse, rich in the mouth, with lemon and mineral flavours. Long, too.

Esprit de Giraud Blanc de Blancs NV is 100% Chardonnay. Again, there are aromas and flavours of lemon and mineral, this time even richer, with notes of brioche. Hugely complex and very long. A very classy wine and one which I would love to have in my cellar.

The prestige cuvée Code Noir Rosé is all Pinot, with the addition of 10% Ay red wine for the colour. It is rich and intense, strong even, with quite a lot of oak and, for my money, less elegant - at least for now. It may well age into something really intersting, though. 

Grand Cru 2000 Fut de Chene is a quite deep yellow/amber colour. 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot, aged for 12 months in oak barrels. With the aromatic and taste profile of a fine Puligny-Montrachet, this is quite a wine. It has a creamy mousse, with myriad flavours, even a hint of orange, still quite oaky, but beautifully judged, and oh-so elegant and long. A very fine wine indeed.

Finally, a curio, in the Coteaux Champenois Blanc Ay Grand Cru. I'm not sure of the grape(s) but I presume Chardonnay. This is effectively a still Champagne. Again, quite oaky, but elegant with it. Quite austere and firm, but lovely and quite complex - this again is akin to a white Burgundy, such is its weight and structure. Needs food, or age - or both.

All-in-all, a brilliant range of wines, from a grower who I would dearly like to have on my list one day. For a relative Champagne "non-aficianado" such as myself, these are the sort of wines that could give Champagne a good name! ;-))

Champagne Henri Giraud - Bernard (on the right) looking stunned by the quality!

Then to a handful of wines from Clos du Gravillas, made by American John Bojanowski and his wife Nicole, up in the hills of St-Jean de Minervois. I was impressed by the wines of this estate, when I tasted them at another Vinisud fringe event few years ago, and they were impressive this time, too. l'Inattendu 2007 is a white blend of Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Macabeu and Terret. Aromas and flavours of honey, grape, tangerine, lemon and a touch of oak. Nicely balanced. A really good wine. l'Inattendu 2008 has honey and fennel aromas, with an excellent level of fruit. Long and quite complex, but needs a little time to come together. Sous Les Cailloux Grillons (I didn't note the vintage) is a red blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan and is very fruity and fresh. Lo Vielh 2006 is a pure Carignan, aged in large oak barrels for 14 months. It is rich, wild and complex, with notes of briary, tar and tobacco and a backbone of minerality and firm tannins. Give it 3 to 5 years and it will really sing.

I then tasted  a trio of wines from Domaine Roc des Anges, the first two of which didn't particularly impress. The Blanc 2008 was rich and hot, whilst the 2009 Blanc was very similar, though possessed of a bit more fruit, but still overly rich and alcoholic. A 2009 Grenache Gris and Macabeu blend was much better, and much more in balance - grapey, winey and quite complex.

And then it was time for the first real revelation of the trip. That's not to say that the Champagnes of Henri Giraud weren't of the highest class - indeed they were, but Bernard and I had already tried one of those in Nottingham a couple of weeks before, so we were fairly confident that the rest were probably going to be great as well.

But Mas Foulaquier is a Pic Saint-Loup grower that has gone completely under my radar - at least, until now. Foulaquier is a fairly young estate, which winemaker Pierre Jéquier (pictured right), a native of Switzerland and formerly an architect, discovered in 1998 after a long search for his dream wine domaine. When Pierre bought the estate (situated in the most northerly corner of Languedoc's most northerly appellation) the eight hectares of existing vines were just 8 years old, but happened to be planted on some great terroir. Now, at 20 years of age - and with the estate now also fully certified biodynamic - those vines are the source of  some stunning wines. His associate and fellow winemaker Blandine Chauchet joined the team in 2003, bringing with her the ownership of 3 hectares of 50 year-old Grenache and Carignan vines in the "Tonillieres" vineyard in Claret. No sulphites or added yeasts are used in the winemaking process and only the tiniest amount of SO2 (between 10 and 30 mg) is added at the bottling stage. Pierre Jéquier talked us through the wines as we tasted.

Les Tonillieres 2008 Pic Saint-Loup - A 50/50 blend of Carignan and Syrah, aged 9 months in vat. Notes of cherries, bramble and tar, with distinct floral notes (particularly Parma violets). A truly elegant wine.

L'Orfée 2008 Pic Saint-Loup - 50/50 Syrah and Grenache, aged for a year in vat. Flowers again, along with crystallised fruits and a whiff of eau de vie, fine tannins and great balance. Another excellent and very elegant wine.

Les Calades 2006 Pic Saint-Loup - 60% Syrah, 40% Grenache, aged for 24 months (half in concrete vats, half in barrels and demi-muids of between 3 and 10 years old). My note is not particularly specific in its descriptors. All I wrote was "Heady, rich, winey and sooooo complex - this is wonderful!" Enough said.

Gran Tonillieres 2006 Pic Saint-Loup - 50/50 Grenache and Carignan, aged for 24 months (half in barrel, half in vat). Again, heady and rich, with intense fruit flavours, but not obvious. Another very complex and delicious wine.

Gran Tonillieres 2007 Pic Saint-Loup - Rich and explosive - a riot of blackcurrant pastille, bramble and tar. At the moment, I marginally prefer the 2006, but this is also seriously good and seriously ageworthy.

We also tasted a new wine (not yet bottled or labelled, and I didn't catch the grape mix) which displayed aromas and flavours of red and black fruits, liquorice and fennel. That's all I wrote, but it sounds like a promising tasting note to me(!)

The purity of the fruit and clean structure is what struck me about these wines. Is it down to biodynamic farming practices, or is is simply a testament to brilliant winemaking? In my experience, the two are often inextricably linked. Whether you believe in biodynamics or not (extreme organics, or just whacky mumbo-jumbo?) those very principles go pretty much hand-in-hand with a love for the land and a fastidious approach to winemaking. I should mention, of course, that these wines possess a great deal of Pic Saint-Loup "typicity", albeit at a level I have never encountered before in this appellation - and there is some serious competition, believe me. In a nutshell, these are superb wines, and ones which I would very much like to import. If all goes to plan, that could well happen within the next month or two. Watch this space.

Tomorrow, I'll talk briefly about Marseillan, Vinifilles and the first morning of Vinisud.