Australian Open tennis, a bizarre round of golf, plus another lovely Alsace wine

As an ardent watcher of many different sports, the Australian Open tennis always comes as a welcome relief from the winter lull in the sporting calendar (football apart, of course). And as a fan of the delectable Kim Clijsters (and what red-blooded male wouldn't be?) I spent a happy couple of hours this morning, watching her women's final victory over Li Na. I must say, it was so refreshing to watch a match of such high-quality tennis, between two athletes who play the game at a fast pace, with a high level of skill and intensity - and with nary an audible grunt or scream in the whole match. Of course, it was great to see Clijsters win, especially as her time in the game is limited by the fact that she may retire pretty soon, because she wants to spend more time seeing her kids grow up. But it was also nice to see the emergence onto the really big stage of another potential star of the future in Li Na. I like to think I'm a pretty good judge of sporting talent (I remember watching the 2003 Wimbledon Men's final - Roger Federer's first major win - and confidently pronouncing to TLD that he would become the greatest tennis player ever). And Li Na appears to be the real deal - not yet in the same league as the greats of the women's game, but I think she will go on to win a good few herself. Meanwhile, kudos to Kim! ;-)

Then it was off to the golf club, for the weekly winter team competition. 18 holes later, I had carded ‎a triple bogey, 3 double bogeys, 8 bogeys, 4 birdies, an eagle (a hole-in-one on the par-3 4th) and just 1 solitary par - which all added up to what must be the most bizarre round of golf I've ever played in my life! Some pretty woeful play was interspersed with a handful of decent drives, a few glorious short and mid-iron approach shots and a pretty hot putter. At 2 shots worse than my current 9 handicap, it was a pretty memorable "bad" round! All I want now is a victory tomorrow for Andy Murray, and a win for the Mighty Reds (a.k.a Nottingham Forest) over West Ham United in the FA Cup, and it will have been a nice weekend. :-)

Oh, and here's a note on another very fine Alsace wine, which I opened last night.........

Rolly Gassmann Gewurztraminer 2007 Alsace

I must admit that I'm difficult to please when it comes to Gewurztraminer. I love the smell of it, with those classic (and rather unmistakeable) aromas of turkish delight/rosewater and lychee, but so many of them fail to deliver the balance between fruit and acidity that I crave in a white wine, whilst those floral and tropical fruit flavours can often be almost painful to taste. But this one ticks all of the boxes. Like the Pinot Gris 2008 from the same grower, which I wrote about last night, this one has quite a deep colour (this time more of a yellow-gold) which hints at richness. Thankfully though, that richness is nicely restrained, both on the nose and the palate. All of the aromas I expect are present and correct, with the floral and exotic fruit perfume augmented by subtle notes of coriander, oregano and an intriguing (and not unpleasant) hint of emulsion paint. And whilst the palate delivers the expected hit of intense lychee and rosewater flavours, along with an unexpected element of freshly-grated root ginger, it also possesses (glory be!) a delicious and very refreshing backbone of lemon-tinged acidity. Result - a Gewurztraminer with real balance and elegance. So much so, in fact, that I can certainly see me enjoying a bottle or two more of this, for the sake of sheer pleasure, rather than just writing about it for the blog/website. Granted, it doesn't quite offer the same level of hedonism that the Pinot Gris did. That one was pretty damn special - but this is a lovely wine in it's own right. Another cracking buy at £16.75.
       

A stunning Alsace Pinot Gris, truly worthy of a blog post all of it's own

Rolly Gassmann Pinot Gris 2008 Alsace

The first thing you notice about this wine is it's colour - quite a deep orange/gold, suggesting a high level of ripeness. The texture in the glass is also a good indicator - swirl it around and it takes a while for the tears to even form, never mind roll down the sides. The nose also promises much ripeness, with an intensity of mineral-rich fruit such as I have rarely (if ever) encountered in a supposedly "basic" Alsace cuvée. The aromas of flowers, toffee apple, peach, apricot and orange that emanate from the glass really do heighten the senses. A whiff of wet slate and backgound notes of cinnamon and spice, not to mention what I perceive as more than a hint of honeyed botrytis, merely add to what really is a complex nose. And the palate doesn't disappoint, offering a depth of flavour and richness reminiscent of a vendange tardive wine - or even a selection grains nobles (SGN) - yet at the same time so wonderfully fresh and vibrant. The spiced citrus, tree fruit and mineral flavours are matched blow-for-blow by a toffee and marmalade-like intensity, all of which lingers for an age on the palate. There's a certain amount of residual sugar, for sure, but any impression of sweetness is far outweighed by the sheer intensity of flavour and joyous balance that this wine possesses. And if it were too sweet, TLD would hate it, because she actively dislikes sweet wines - and the fact that she absolutely loved it tells me that we have something rather special here.

I'm well aware that Rolly Gassmann have a reputation for producing wines with a certain amount of residual sugar, which often take a good few years to come into balance. But this one is supremely balanced already, and the sheer pleasure of drinking it has me in complete and utter rapture. I shudder to think how much better this wine will become, with a few more years in bottle, because although it is painfully young, it really is so delicious. The last vintage of this wine that I listed (2002 - don't ask me why or how we have suddenly arrived at the 2008, because I don't know) was lovely, but this one is absolutely in a different league. So much so, in fact, that I genuinely wonder whether they might have mistakenly stuck the wrong labels on a much more prestious bottling! Unlikely, I know, but I'm certainly keeping the remainder of this particular case for myself, to enjoy over the next 5 to 10 years or more. Perhaps it is a case of my expectations for this wine being so far exceeded, but the effect of this wine is almost narcotic - which is a shame, because I've just finished the last half of the bottle (having broached it last night, to accompany a simple dish of pasta with garlic, parsley, olive oil and some grated cheese). An utterly glorious, stunning wine. Buy it - at £17.50, it is a real bargain.

    

A lovely 2009 Cru Beaujolais

Domaine Metrat & Fils La Roilette 2009 Fleurie

2009 was widely hailed as one of the great Beaujolais vintages, with a perfect growing season yielding wines of considerable fruit density and a good deal of richness, over and above the norm. And of the (admittedly few) 2009's I have tasted thus far, most have indeed been lovely, albeit in a fairly atypical way, because that richness - together with the correspondingly lower levels of acidity than normal - has made for wines rather more reminiscent of good Cotes du Rhone than "typical" Beaujolais. But here's one that really does tick all of the boxes, in terms of Beaujolais typicity, whilst still displaying the inherent generosity of the vintage. Although it is a somewhat deeper colour than the expected ruby red - in fact, more of a transluscent purple colour - the nose still offers a riot of summer fruits, in the way of wild strawberries, raspberries and red cherries, augmented by some enticing background notes of older wood and forest floor. The flavours are correspondingly fruity and ripe, but with real elegance and subtlety, which suggests to me that this winemaker really has got the measure of the vintage. For those ripe, fruity flavours are balanced beautifully by a hint of tannin and just the right level of juicy, mouth-watering acidity, making for a wine of considerable character, a good deal of complexity and a whole load of sweet-and-sour loveliness. Yum! In fact, double yum!
      

Young Chenin Blanc and Riesling - it doesn't get much better than this.

Continuing my current preference (will it ever end?!) for white wines, here are a couple more absolute crackers, from two of my very favourite white grapes (and probably both in many people's top 3 finest white varieties)..........

Domaine Huet Le Mont Sec 2007 Vouvray

100% Chenin Blanc, certified biodynamic. A lovely, limpid, almost shimmering straw/gold colour - just lovely to look at! And lovely to smell, too. Along with Riesling (the one grape variety I occasionally mistake it for - and vice-versa) good Chenin Blanc almost invariably possesses a "mineral" quality. Minerality has various guises - steely, flinty, slatey, stoney, occasionally just plain earthy. All are descriptors that non-wine-geeks may find a bit hard to fathom - and I myself find difficult to quantify - but any aficianado of these two noble varieties will surely know what I am on about. And this particular Chenin Blanc possesses most of them, to some degree, along with some enticing apple and citrus notes and a whiff of honey. And the richness suggested by the nose certainly comes through on the palate, with an abundance of tree fruit flavours, married to intense minerality and a spine-tingling level of lemony acidity. In fact, a more focused and pure expression of its kind would be hard to imagine. Such attributes are a virtual guarantee of immense ageing potential and this wine certainly has the stuffing to evolve for a good 10 to 20 years - and yet, it is so good to drink now. Granted, it was a bit tight when I uncorked it 24 hours ago, but it has certainly opened-out since then, and if I can keep my mitts off it for another day or two, I am sure it will get even better. Then again, I don't think I can resist, because it is absolutely gorgeous! 

Dr F Weins-Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese 2009

Here's a wine with many similar attributes to the one above, the only differences being the grape variety (this is 100% Riesling) and the level of residual sugar, Spatlese being harvested at a certain degree of overripeness. And that residual sugar is accompanied by a considerable level of fruit intensity. Lime zest, mandarin orange and sweet apple flavours abound, with a strong hint of wet slate, and a fleeting whiff of fresh root ginger and oregano. The entry on the palate provides a veritable fruit cocktail of flavours - from peach and apricot at the sweet/luscious end of the spectrum, to apples, oranges and limes at the tangy end. It always amazes me how one single grape variety can produce a wine with such glorious fruit complexity - in fact, I know of no other that can match it. But this wine isn't just about the fruit - it also exhibits a strong backbone of clean, laser-like acidity and minerality, which combines effortlessly with the fruit flavours, in a wine of quite stunning purity and a level of enjoyment that transports me effortlessly to a warm summer day, even on a dreary Sunday evening in the middle of winter. My only worry is that this wine is so delicious to drink now, my own personal stash may well be consumed well before its peak - which I would say will be in around 8 to 10 years. If you like the sound of it, then you'll be able to buy some at around £15 a bottle, when it arrives in stock in about a month's time.

            

A couple of lovely young Viognier wines - one dry, one sweet

Continuing my recent theme of white wines, here's a couple of lovely 100% Viognier wines we've enjoyed over the past few days, one dry, one sweet - and both lovely!

Domaine Gayda Viognier 2009 IGP Pays d'Oc

100% Viognier, aged on its lees for 6 months before bottling. As with the Chemin de Moscou red I reviewed recently, this wine is a blend of grapes sourced from two distinct Languedoc and Roussillon terroirs - in this case, from limestone soil in Haut Minervois and schitous slopes in the Fenouilledes, so yet another example of new-world thinking, combined with old-world terroir. The colour is a bright, limpid straw/gold, with just a hint of green. On opening, there is a faint whiff of banana, which very quickly dissipates - perhaps just a touch of reduction, as is often the case with screwcapped wines. Once that is out of the way, we are left with a rather attractive combination of peaches and apricot, orange blossom and other floral notes.

At this juncture, I am distracted - nay, overcome - by a strong and rather off-putting odour of cheap Lynx deodorant, wafting down into my dining room from upstairs, accompanied by the incessent din of American Indie/Punk/Thrash/Screaming blaring out of Alex's hi-fi system. Hardly conducive to peaceful contemplation and vinous navel-gazing. Shame I can't close the door, but there are (as usual) too many wine boxes in the way! Never mind - with a bit of luck, he'll be off out with his mates, any minute now.....

Anyway, back to the wine. It's a really smooth, rather attractive expression of Viognier, with soft apricot and peach flavours countered by just the right amount of zesty citrus fruit and even a hint of stony minerality. The 6 months this wine has spent sitting on its fine, yeasty lees seems to have polished away any rough edges and tempered the tendency to pithinesss that can occasionally afflict wines made from this variety. There's a faint whiff of garrigue herbs on the nose, which also manifests on the palate, but just enough to add a little complexity and interest to a wine that definitely majors on fruit. In fact, this is another wine from Domaine Gayda which calls on new world practices and techniques, whilst very definitely speaking loud and proud of it's Languedoc (and Roussillon) origins. A really nice wine, which just happens to provide an excellent match for this evening's Thai chicken curry, and excellent value at £8.99 from Cambridge Wines.

Les Vignes de l'Arque Saveur d'Automne 2009 IGP Pays d'Oc Doux

This is the last of my sample bottles from a grower whose wines used to feature very prominently on the Leon Stolarski Fine Wines list - and will do so again, very soon. Also made from 100% Viognier, grown in a vinous backwater of the Gard, west of the ancient town of Uzes, and aged in oak for around 9 months. Clear, pale straw colour, with orange glints. A delightfully intense nose, with complex aromas including apricot, orange, fresh grapes, honey and root ginger, with the perfume heightened even more by a strong floral/rose element, akin to turkish delight. The barrel ageing has imbued the wine with a subtle note of oak vanillin. The flavours are moelleux, rather than full-on sweet, with the inherent richness countered by really good acidity and a touch of grape tannin. There is a core of rich, ripe, densely concentrated fruit and a touch of spicy, alcoholic warmth, whilst the finish offers a final flourish of tropical fruit and candied citrus. The oak is beautifully judged and integrates seamlessly with the fruit, making for a wine of considerable complexity. In fact, a little goes a long way, but fortunately this wine is perfectly capable of sitting in the fridge for a good many days after opening, during which it just gets better and better. Another lovely Languedoc sticky.
       

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."
    

An unexpected treat for Friday night - a magnificent Languedoc red

Domaine Gayda Chemin de Moscou 2006 Vin de Pays d'Oc

Deep, semi-opaque purple colour, fading to a bright, deep ruby rim. The nose on this wine offers a veritable array of heady - not to mention, considerably complex - aromas, with dark bramble fruit and something vaguely citrus leading the way,  accompanied by notes of meat, leather, sandalwood and allspice. There's also an undeniable touch of brett, but at a level which shouldn't offend the purists, and which is nicely offset by a perceptible whiff of lifted acidity and just the right level of oak. The palate is squeaky-clean and again dominated by brambly fruit, though it certainly doesn't come across as too "sweet" - in fact, there's a sour cherry element which gives the palate plenty of lift, and everything is held together beautifully by a combination of grippy but fine tannin and simply mouth-watering acidity. The finish is gently warming, but very fine and very, very long.

Unusually, for a fine "estate" Languedoc wine, the fruit is actually sourced from various corners of Languedoc and Roussillon, from La Liviniere to the Fenouilledes (if you want to know more, you can read the technical data here on the Gayda website). The mix is 68% Syrah, 24% Grenache and 8% Cinsault, with the various constituents being aged in oak barrels ranging from new to 3 vintages old, for a total of 21 months. It sounds a long time, but the effect is masterly in it's execution. And whilst it is already fiendishly drinkable, all of my instincts tell me that this wine will evolve beautifully for at least another 5 years, and should still be holding on nicely by 2020. At around £20, it certainly isn't cheap, but as the estate's flagship wine, it really does tick all of the boxes - in fact, a Languedoc classic in the making.

One final thought........ With it's collection of fruits from across the region, the lavish oak treatment, the thick, heavy bottle (my only slight gripe) and the minimalist labelling, it would be tempting to pre-judge this wine as being "modern" or "international". But I only ever judge a wine by what is in the glass - and this one absolutely screams Languedoc, from start to finish. It absolutely could not be from anywhere else. So if this is the face of "modern" Languedoc, then please give me more! Another lovely wine sent to me by my friend Stewart Travers at Cambridge Wine Merchants - although there is a fair chance that I myself will stock this wine, in due course.

    

Quenching my thirst for white wines - a trio from Languedoc, plus a Portugese that goes up to eleven!

Sometime over the next couple of days - once I've had time to organise my notes into something resembling cohesive - I'll tell you about a truly fascinating tasting of Carignan-based (and in most cases, 100% Carignan) wines from France, Sardinia and California. Meanwhile, I'll give you the low-down on some more delicious whites that have passed my lips in the last few days, beginning with a trio from Domaine Sainte Rose.

Domaine Sainte Rose Le Coquille d'Oc White 2009 IGP Cotes de Thongue

This is an estate that many of my customers will know very well, since I used to stock a few of their wines - and would certainly consider doing so in the future. Whilst I didn't care for the estate's entry-level red, its white partner was a different matter altogether. The nose is a riot of citrus and stone fruits, along with a distinct grapiness, courtesy of a proportion of Muscat in the blend, and some nice floral and herbaceous aromas. Although a somewhat unusual mix of grape varieties (Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Viognier and Muscat) it works really well - and does in fact display many of the characteristics of its constituent parts. And although not complex, neither is it a simple quaffer, with juicy summer fruit and zesty citrus flavours accompanied by some intriguing savoury, spicy and herby nuances, and even a touch of salinity. A really well-made wine, which puts most other generic Languedoc blends in the shade.

Domaine Sainte Rose Le Sirocco Chardonnay 2009 IGP Cotes de Thongue

Aromas of peach, citrus and ripe Granny Smith apple, with a touch of leesy richness. The palate too is quite rich and ripe, but stops short of being tropical or new world in style. Indeed, it also possesses a florality and herbaceousness redolent of Sauvignon, with citrus and apple flavours complemented by grassy, herby, minerally and leesy nuances. Actually, as I type, I am noticing some of the same phrases and descriptors as the above wine, which is perhaps an indicator of both the terroir and the house style (i.e. good winemaking). And as a matter of fact, the inherent richness in this wine is nicely offset by some mouth-watering acidity, in a wine which remains focused, all the way to a long, dry finish.

Domaine Sainte Rose Barrel Selection Roussanne 2009 IGP Cotes de Thongue
This has some quite complex fruit and floral aromas, suggesting orange, apricot, peach and honeysuckle, with subtle notes of garrigue herbs, minerals and nicely-judged oak. The palate is quite rich and mouth-filling, with those lovely soft citrus and stone fruit and floral elements combining nicely with some quite distinct herby, spicy notes. Again, there's a nice background of toasty oak vanillin, but it works in harmony with, rather than against the fruit. And the result is a rich, warming, spicy, yet really rather elegant and complex wine, with impressive length. And although lovely to drink now, it should evolve nicely for a year or two at least - and maybe up to 5 (or more).

Esporão Branco Reserva 2009 Alentejo, Portugal

This is a wine sent to me as part of a generous (and particularly interesting) mixed dozen, by Stewart Travers at Cambridge Wine Merchants. Although my experience of Portugese white wines has until recently been fairly limited, I've tasted enough to know that there are some great vinous treasures (including countless obscure, indiginous grape varieties) to be had from this country - and this is a particularly fine example. A little research tells me that it is made from a blend of Antão Vaz, Arinto and Roupeiro. No - I've never heard of any of them either! Although it has clearly seen some oak barrel ageing, the effect is entirely beneficial and harmonious. The nose is a glorious combination of flowers and fruit - honeysuckle and orange blossom, peach, apricot and soft citrus - whilst the palate is a lesson in how to combine richness, restrained power and elegance. At 14.5%, this is no shrinking violet, and there is undoubtedly a warmth to it, in a sort of southern Rhone way. But if only more southern Rhone whites had this level of freshness and vitality to go with that warmth. There's a touch of grape tannin in there (and of course some wood tannin) but there is nary a hint of pithiness or bitterness, whilst the rich, almost sweet fruit is balanced by a healthy level of acidity. It is a heady wine, and the volume definitely "goes up to eleven", but it really is deliciously drinkable. Lovely stuff!
     

A handful of delicious white wines to start the New Year

I've been a bit lazy on the blogging front recently, although a mixture of illness (getting better now) and pressure of work meant that my time was at a premium, over the Christmas and New Year period. Anyway, a belated Happy New Year to all who read this blog - thanks for your continued support, and I hope you stick with me in 2001.

Although a confirmed carnivore - and therefore a confirmed red wine drinker - I've been going through one of those phases (I'm sure it happens to most of us from time to time) where I seem to be deriving more pleasure out of white wines than red. I'm sure it'll pass, as most phases do, but for now, I'm enjoying it. Here are my notes on some of the whites that have impressed me most.

Firstly, a couple of brilliant Rieslings from an estate I visited whilst on holiday in Germany, last September. I hope to import these (and other) wines, in the very near future, and I'll tell you more about this fabulous grower in another post......

Dr F Weins-Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett 2009 Mosel Saar Ruwer

From the famed "great wall" of classic, south-west-facing vineyards situated on the Mittel Mosel, between Berkastel and Zeltingen. Pale straw colour, with orange and green glints. Delicate aromas of mandarin orange and flowers, with subtle mineral and herbaceous notes adding an attractive prickle. The palate is similarly delicate and light, yet imbued with myriad flavours of citrus, tree fruits, subtle spice and orange zest - fresh fruit, minerality and laser-like acidity all working in complete harmony. The finish is elegant, mouth-watering and long. A beautiful wine, which is so lovely to drink now, it is almost too much to resist. Then again, it will age and evolve very nicely for a good 5 years or more.

Dr F Weins-Prum Graacher Domprobst Kabinett 2009 Mosel Saar Ruwer

Another wine from the above-mentioned great wall. Aromas of lemon, lime and mandarin orange greet the nose, with plenty of floral, herbacous and mineral notes adding further interest and complexity. The palate is definitely a notch or two further up on the ripeness scale than the Wehlener Sonnenuhr, suggesting something nearer to Spatlese level. That said, it is still amazingly light on its feet, with elegance to die for. The flavours are beautifully concentrated, with lime oil, orange peel and peach, with an almost honeyed richness, all of which are countered by intense, lemony acidity and slatey minerality. This really is a glorious wine, combining raciness and complexity in equal measure. Like most 2009's from the Mosel, it is simply wonderful now, but this one also has a long evolution ahead of it. Fantastic wine!

Next up, a lovely white wine from South Africa, selected and imported by Richard Kelley MW of Richards Walford - a.k.a Rick, the intrepid Cape Crusader(!) whose stated aim is to seek out and bring to us some of South Africa's "great vinous treasures, resigned to anonymity; forgotten, abandoned or just simply undiscovered." I think he's onto a winner with this one.  Again, I hope to add this wine to my list in the very near future, priced at around £12.99........

The Liberator Episode 1 The Beaurocrat 2009 Swartland, South Africa

This wine is predominantly Chenin Blanc, with Viognier, Chardonnay and Clairette also in the mix. It is both fermented and aged in barrel, spending 12 months on its lees. The colour is gold/straw, with orange glints. The nose is crammed full of citrus, stone fruit, roasted nut and herbaceous aromas, with more than a touch of minerality and a fine cloak of toasty/buttery oak. In fact this is so enticing and complex, you could be forgiven for thinking it is a rather classy white Burgundy. Then again, the palate offers a warmth and richness that suggests warmer climes - perhaps the wilds of Provence, or the hills of Roussillon, with their long growing seasons and mineral-rich soils. There are some lovely flavours, with notes of spiced apple and orange zest, complemented by subtle oak and leesy flavours, and again a strong mineral streak. The rich, slightly oily texture is beautifully countered by a core of lemony acidity, whilst the finish is warming, long and generous. I have to admit that, although I'd heard that the Cape was capable of producing some really stunning Chenin-based white wines, I'd never been particularly struck by anything - until now. This really is a superb wine, which manages to be rich and generous, and at the same time truly elegant and exciting. An absolute revelation! (Edit - now available at Leon Stolarski Fine Wines - price £12.95).

Finally, three extremely noteworthy wines from the latest "bottle blind" tasting at the Nottingham WIne Circle. Actually, some of the reds were pretty decent, too, but these whites were the ones which impressed me most. Interestingly, the first one also has a Richard Kelley connection, since it was also included in an amazing "90 years of Domaine Huet" tasting he put on for the Wine Circle a few years back.....

Domaine Huet Le Haut-Lieu Vin de Glace 1980 Vouvray

Initially stinky and cheesy (though in a nice, vinous way), with rotting apples and custard and a whole load of minerality. Although lovely to begin with, it just gets more lovely with time in the glass, revealing hitherto hidden notes of citrus fruit, truffles, quinces and wet wool. The palate is incredibly focused, with deliciously tart lemon, lime and apple flavours, accompanied by what I can only describe as a simply spine-tingling level of acidity and minerality, and great length on the finish. What is more, having now tasted this wine twice in the space of a few years, I can say with some conviction that it is still developing and is yet to reach its peak. A stunning wine, and a very early contender for my white wine of 2011! As a footnote, I notice that (though only 1,000 bottles were produced) this wine is still commercially available. I may just get some - watch this space.

Domaine Potinet-Ampeau Meursault 1er Cru 1971

Amazing colour (almost orange, rather than the usual Meursault yellow) with lovely aromas of lemons, oranges, gunpowder, undergrowth and wonderful old Chardonnay complexity. The flavours are very definitely secondary, with nutty, cheesy, truffley, earthy nuances, with a delicious core of minerality and acidity. 39 years old? No problem! Another really lovely wine, brought along as a treat by Wine Circle member Mike Lane, since he was unable to attend the pre-Christmas "best bottle" tasting. Thanks, Mike!





Domaine Mestre-Michelot Puligny-Montrachet 2004

A quick sniff tells me we are in the same ball park as the Meursault (well, just a few miles away, actually). Butter and smoke on the nose, with background notes of root ginger, treacle tart and lemony/appley Chardonnay fruit. Quite oaky at the moment, but beautifully done, and very sensuous, with a wonderful level of fruit and budding complexity. A relative baby, but a very pretty one! I have no idea of the true value/cost of this wine, but Wine Circle member Kevin Scott picked it up on one of his regular trips to the Straker Chadwick auction house in Wales, for the bargain price of around £10 per bottle. Amazing!
      

Two more cracking wines from Joseph Swan Vineyards

Joseph Swan Vineyards Mancini Ranch Zinfandel 2005 Russian River Valley

I must confess that I was a bit worried about this wine when I first opened it. I couldn't quite put my finger on what might be "wrong" with it, though. Hints of cabbage (the red sort - but not exactly pickled), jam, tar and volatility were dominating the fruit, whilst the palate was exhibiting plenty of highs and lows - but not an awful lot in-between. But rather than dismiss it as a bad bottle (or even, heaven forbid, a bad wine) I decided to give it time to clean-up its act in the decanter. And it worked a treat, so I can only assume that this was a rather extreme case of reduction/bottle stink. What follows is a tasting note compiled over 2 or 3 hours, as the wine continued to open-out and blossom into something really quite lovely.

A semi-transluscent blood red core, fading gently to a raspberry rim. An unusual nose, combining black fruits, citrus fruit and peel, herbs and coal tar, with just a hint of trademark Swan volatile acidity and earthiness and a note of warming eau de vie. A little coaxing reveals further hints of leather, exotic spices and polished old wood. Over time, the palate reveals itself to be remarkably zingy and youthful, with plenty of primary red and black fruit flavours, allied to nicely grippy tannins and a mouthwatering backbone of lemony acidity. Subtle spicy and herby flavours begin to emerge after a good 2 hours in the decanter, and the fruit really begins to blossom, with the bramble and raspberry flavours turning to red cherry, redcurrant and even a hint of cranberry. There's also an intriguing earthiness, which adds yet more interest to what is already a considerably complex wine. This is no rich, extracted or overly-concentrated fruit bomb - in fact it really is quite elegant and restrained, in an almost Tuscan (Brunello/Chianti/Sangiovese) way. Indeed, the transformation from opening to 3 hours down the line is quite remarkable. All of which leads me to suspect that this is a bit of a sleeper, that may take just a few years to show its real potential - but I have a feeling that it could turn into something rather special. 14.0% abv. £21.95.

Joseph Swan Vineyards Cuvée de Trois Pinot Noir 2008 Russian River Valley

No such teething problems with this one, I have to say! A deceptively light-coloured wine - pale raspberry red at the core, fading to a watery pink rim. The nose really is essence of Pinot Noir - ripe summer fruits, exotic mixed spices, roses, leather and forest floor. The entry is soft, velvety and full of sweet, succulent fruit, with gentle tannins and ample acidity, making for a supremely balanced wine. There is a touch of old(ish) oak influence, but only in the background - this is a wine dominated by fruit, with flavours of raspberries, strawberries and cream, and a hint of cranberry adding lightness. This isn't trying to be Burgundy - it it is somewhat richer and more velvety, and doesn't possess the heightened acidity usually found in a Burgundy. But neither can it be compared to young New Zealand Pinot Noir, many of which - to my mind - can seem over-extracted, tarry and obvious by comparison. No, this wine has a style all of its own, managing to be both generous and elegant at the same time. And although relatively primary at the moment, it shows enormous potential for development over the next 5 years or more. But it really is so lovely to drink now, who could wait that long? A(nother) lovely wine - in fact, I can't remember ever having a wine from this grower that I haven't loved. 14.5% abv. £23.50.

       

White Rioja, red Navarra, foie gras de canard and Wensleydale cheese

I know, I know - it's Christmas Day, and I should be doing other things, rather than blogging. Then again, the bulk of this was written last night, so publishing it is really just a five-minute job - and these wines (together with some amazing foie gras given to us by my cousin Fabrice and his lovely wife Sandrine) deserve mention, as they provided us with a wonderfully hedonistic Christmas Eve supper................

R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia S.A. Viña Gravonia Crianza Blanco 1999 Rioja

Yes, it's a long name, but well worth the effort in typing it out in full - respect, where it is due, say I. Experience has told me that Lopez de Heredia is almost certainly the greatest jewel in the Rioja crown, not to mention the last bastion of what I like to call "traditional" Rioja. Because whatever the colour (red, white or rosé - honestly, I mean it!) or whatever the style (from Crianza to Gran Reserva) the wines are uniformly brilliant - and usually released only when they are considered ready to drink, or at least approachable. And this little beauty, a mere slip of a youngster at just 11 years of age, is a fine example of the Lopez de Heredia style. A wonderfully deep gold colour, with orange glints, and a gloriously complex nose of cider apples/Calvados mingled with lemon and orange peel, aromatic herbs and spices, polished old shoe leather, tobacco and oak vanillin - at a guess, older American oak barrel vanillin. The style is very definitely oxidative, but in a mellow citrus and apple skin way - almost like a fino sherry, but without the saltiness and with far more fruit. And the palate too is full of tangy, herby, secondary fruit flavours, which manage to both caress and refresh the palate, with just a touch of richness, allied to mouth-watering, zesty-fruity acidity and a finish that is both fresh and long. The more I sip it, the more complex it seems. It may not be profound, but it certainly has many facets, and really does press all the right buttons for me at this moment in time. Actually, in its own way, it is profound, because it will probably turn out to be one of those bottles that lingers in the memory for a long time - a classic case of the right wine, at the right time and in the right place.

Emilio Valerio Laderas de Montejurra 2009 Navarra
This was a recent "wine of the week" on JancisRobinson.com, so I was keen to give it a try and see what I thought for myself. Unlike the white Gravonia, this is all about young, vibrant, crunchy fruit. The colour is a deep, dark, virtually opaque blood red, with a tiny rim. The nose offers a huge waft of just-fermented bramble and plum skin fruit aromas - tarry, almost yeasty, with a rasp of fresh acidity and a vitality which fairly leaps out of the glass. I'm not sure what the grape mix is (I'll need to  look it up) but if I were tasting this blind, I would swear it was a youthful Cotes du Rhone, or even something more serious (i.e. seriously fruity) and substantial from the Languedoc. In fact, it bears a striking similarity to the Les Vignes de l'Arque Vin de Pays Duché d'Uzes that I wrote about a couple of weeks back, with its intense core of fruit and subtle savouriness. Although very young, and with a coating of slightly grainy tannins, it is is already dangerously drinkable, even on its own, although I suspect it may go nicely with the cheese and foie gras we plan to have for supper. Lovely stuff!

Later......... Both of these wines performed admirably with the foie gras and Wensleydale cheese. Although it has to be said that the Gravonia won hands-down. In fact, I'd go as far as saying it was the perfect match - utterly wonderful stuff.
     

Two excellent "Best Bottle Blind" wine evenings

The week running up to Christmas is always a busy time in the life of a wine merchant. Busy, busy, busy, and it certainly provides a very welcome end-of-year boost to the Company funds - but I wouldn't exactly say I enjoy it! But the same week also happens to be a busy time in the life of your average Nottingham wine enthusiast - at least for those who are lucky enough to be part of two different wine tasting groups, both of which are populated by like-minded people who are only too glad to share the fruits of some very impressive wine cellars.

On Tuesday evening, a dozen or so of us met for our monthly meal at Le Mistral restaurant, enjoyed with a selection of extra-special wines. Each person brought a bottle, and all were tasted blind. The fact that I was (am) still recovering from my latest bout of cold/man flu meant that I was more interested in enjoying the wines, the food and the company, rather than actually writing down anything worthy of posting here. Thankfully, though, I noticed my friend Andy Leslie had written a few thoughts on many of the wines we tasted, so I asked him if he wouldn't mind typing them into something cohesive for me to publish on the blog. I wouldn't normally do this, because (a) I am a pretty avid note-taker myself and (b) if I am going to publish tasting notes, they generally ought to be mine. That said, Andy and I seem to have similar palates and wine preferences, even down to our mutual disdain for most things Claret and Chablis! So what follows are Andy's notes, with any relevant thoughts I personally have from memory in brackets at the end. I did take a few photos, though the quality leaves something to be desired - my excuse is that I have been ill, so didn't have a particularly steady hand!

Nyetimber Classic 2005, England

I’ve liked this in the past but I found a distinct acetic note to both nose and especially the palate suggesting it was on the slide to vinegar. But I was in a minority of one and others mostly liked it much more. [LS - I loved this wine and think it has a lot of evolution left in it - I thought citric, rather than acetic.]

2002 Champagne, Les Rachais, Extra Brut, Raymond Boulard

Much more the thing! Toasty and lovely – really good balance here and with an encouraging vivacity and freshness. Will keep.

2002 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros, Cote Bourguerots, William Fevre

I’m not much of a Chablis drinker, prefering my chardonnay less austere but my experience is pointing me to GC level being much more to my taste! Real richness to the nose here – butter and fudge, maybe treacle tart too – a descriptor I’ve never used before but the mineral and citrus notes combined with the butter/fudge smells really put me in mind of this. Very appealing. Palate rich and vanilla. This is lovely and plenty of time to go. [LS - I loved it too - cracking wine, like proper Burgundy! If only most Chablis was anywhere near this good......]

2002 Sancerre, Le Chene Saint-Etienne, Henri Bourgeois

We spent a long time trying to work-out what this was – not like Sancerre at all, but striking, individual and delicious in its own way. Rich and buttery, touch of oak, clean and fresh. Delicious. [LS - very Burgundian in structure - in fact, I was convinced it was Chardonnay.]

1996 Hermitage, Chante-Alouette, Chapoutier

Interesting combination on the nose of classic Northern Rhone peaches and blossom notes added to oxidative nutty and peach stone smells. Palate similar, oily texture plus peachy fruit and nutty smoky flavours. Interesting and complex and not OTT. Lovely. Drinking from now, but no rush.

1990 Bourgogne, Jean-Marc Morey

Nice aged old pinot – still has some fruit and has developed nice meaty notes too. Evolved, converging toward the “old wine” mean, but pleasureable now. Good stuff, though it rather faded over the evening. [LS - TLD and I brought this, and I wished I hadn't decanted it beforehand. It's a lot to ask of what is essentially a very basic Burgundy of 20 years of age to stay "together" for 3 hours or more before drinking. It was still lovely, though.]

1982 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

I had a bit of a “claret moment” here! For genuinely the first time ever, a claret I would be happy to drink again! It was classic claret on the nose but had complexity and depth. The palate has softened and is open and giving now. Yum. [LS - Personally, I thought this was a "modern" Claret, or even a new world version thereof, though it was still very good - though I have had more enjoyable ones. That said, ay 28 years of age, this is still incredibly youthful, though soft and approachable. I'd say it will be better in another 10 to 15 years.]

1994 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, Penfolds

Lovely meaty BBQ nose, softening nicely but overall still pretty primary. It’s not going anywhere fast, but I guess these wines don’t. Enjoyable.

1991 Domaine de Trévallon, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence

The first of two lovely Trévallons this week. The 1991 has given soooo much pleasure and this is a perfect bottle. More evolved than the 1990 below, meaty and earthy, just a touch of cherry fruit left. Classic stuff, spot-on. On the whole, I think drink these over the next 2 or 3 years – not going to get any better. [LS - again, TLD and I brought this, our last bottle of the 1991, and it was really on form. As Andy says, this particular vintage has given so much pleasure, and was actually the first purchase we made, a few years ago at an auction. Not bad at around £16 per bottle!]

1995 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe, Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Big primary stuff still – bonfire note on the nose and lots of deep rich fruit. It’s tannic and alcoholic in the mouth at the moment. The overall impression is that this needs lots more time. And on the track-record of the producer I guess it will turn-out well, in the end.  

1986 Chateau St Helene, Sauternes

Others liked this more but I couldn’t get past the barley sugar on both nose and palate. For me, over-the-hill and cloying.

2001 Chateau Climens, Barsac

Much better! Fresh orange and brioche nose – clean as a whistle pear fruit with honey botrytis. Delicious classic Sauternes. [LS - lovely wine, but still not a patch on my Jurancon!]

1983 Graham’s Vintage Port

Oh dear, I just don’t get Port. Spirity and crude for me and I feel churlish as a result. The Port-lovers liked it. [LS - I'm not particularly a Port lover, but I really enjoyed this. It was soft, rich, mellow, and not as spiritous as many I have tasted.]

The next night, various members of the Nottingham Wine Circle gathered in the rather grand residence of Professor Glenn McDowell, situated in the grounds of the Nottingham University campus. Again, all wines were tasted blind. Not all the wines are listed here, but a selection of the best (again, with notes courtesy of Andy Leslie):

2005 Ravenneau, Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre

Fabulous white Burgundy and again it’s the richness that I find seductive compared to more humble examples. Delicious. [LS - agreed. It looks like we both have a tolerance only for the finest 1er Cru and Grand Cru Chablis!]

2000 Bouchard, Le Montrachet

My first-ever Le Montrachet, and it lived-up to its billing, and then some. The nose is buttery and oily and shifting, ethereal and complex. The palate is stupendous – successive waves of flavours. Intense and long, long, long. Fabulous+++ [LS - After the initial oakiness had blown away, the sheer quality of this wine shone through. A very fine (and to me quite rare) example of a wine in which the fruit is in absolute harmony with the oak. Masterly winemaking.]

2005 Vallet Freres, Gevrey Chambertin, Clos de la Justice

Nice firm Gevrey structure, solid fruit core, meaty kernel, just a touch of floral perfume. Palate is firm too with good structure and length. Maybe this has retreated into itself a little at the moment.

1995 Produttori del Barbaresco, Barbaresco Riserva Ovello

Unmistakeably Nebbiolo on the nose and is developing maturity. For me, on the palate it’s still a bit tannic and I think it needs another 10 years to shine. But others liked it more.

1996 Sorrel Hermitage Le Greal

I loved the nose on this – volatile and savoury, earthy forest floor complexity. Palate still has lovely sour fruit as well as more evolved non-fruit flavours – delicious and drinking really well now, though no rush.

1989 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle

Clearly seriously structured wine and amazingly youthful and primary, such a contrast to the previous Hermitage. This needs at least 10 years, and I’m predicting that it’s structure and density mean it will be amazing when ready. [LS - This actually seemed overly rich and a bit baked, to me, without the elegant streak I was expecting. Then again, I guess my palate was beginning to flag, by now, and I'm not about to pass judgement too early on a wine which clearly still has a very long way to go.]

1990 Domaine de Trévallon, Coteaux d'Aix-en-ProvenceClearly Trévallon – has the all the classic hallmarks of the producer; by some distance the best bottle of 1990 Trevallon I’ve tried, the palate has fantastic presence – long and mouth-coating and very delicious. [LS - Agreed, a very good bottle of wine, though for me less enjoyable than the 1991 from the previous night. Then again, this has years of evolution left in it.]

1996 A. Rousseau, Le Chambertin

 Profound. I’m not going to try & describe this. Makes everything else look simple. Easily WOTY. Drink now? Why not. Keep? Oh yes. [LS - Bugger! Why did the finest red Burgundy ever placed in front of me have to come at a time when I was unable to appreciate it fully? That said, it was still very clearly a pretty damn special wine.]

1995 Josmeyer, Riesling Vendange Tardive, Grand Cru Hengst, Alsace

Lovely off-dry aperitif wine.

1990 Chateau Guiraud, Sauternes
Another Sauternes (see the Climens above) with no barley sugar – hoorah! Nose of honey and fine herbs, interesting and appealing. Palate sweet without being cloying, long. Very good.

Thanks to all who attended the above two events for your company - and of course your generosity in sharing such wonderful wines. We are very lucky people!

Happy Christmas!
   

A hell-ish week in the life of an independent wine merchant, plus memories of an altar boy - Joseph Swan Vineyards Côtes du Rosa 2008

It has been a hell of a week (mostly in the worst sense). This is traditionally the most hectic week of the year for wine merchants, and this year has been no different for me. Not that I'm complaining on that score - the more wine I sell, the better. I just wish that I didn't leave it so late to get myself organised and geared-up for what I know is going to be a stressful time. But taking delivery of umpteen new wines in the first week of December (a bit late in the year, even by my standards) and dealing with all the work involved in getting them online and "out there" almost finished me off! Take Wednesday, for example - my "day off" from the day job. Having fallen asleep on the settee on Tuesday evening, I woke up at 3am, feeling distinctly flu-ey. But some things just need to be done, so I spent the next 4 hours on the computer putting the final touches to the website updates and preparing an email newsletter that simply couldnt' wait a day longer. I then managed 3 hours in bed, before getting up again and spending 2 hours trying to send the email to around 1,100 people, in batches of 50 at a time. Which frankly was a bloody nightmare, as the server kept bouncing them. I think it all turned out right in the end, but if anyone reading this got several identical emails from me, I apologise sincerely! Likewise, if you should have received it but didn't.

Once that was sorted, I then embarked on a 180-mile round-trip to a bonded warehouse in Rotherham, then another in Stamford, followed by a detour to a nearby wine agency, Richards Walford, to collect samples of Richard Kelley MW's "The Liberator" wines. Then it was back to my store in Nottingham to unload a car crammed full of wine. I eventually arrived home at 6.40 pm, feeling even worse than ever, aching all over and with a face you could fry an egg on.

The only good thing to happen on the way was finding a brace of freshly-killed pheasants on a country lane in deepest Rutland. In fact, I could have easily mown-down several more myself, as the they seemed intent on walking out in front of the car every 50 yards or so. But I didn't have the heart, and 2 is enough to be going on with anyway.

After another evening at the computer, dealing with orders and other "admin" stuff, I grabbed a few more hours sleep before going back to the day job on Thursday. If it weren't for the fact that I had wine business to deal with afterwards, I would almost certainly taken the day off sick. But today was different - I don't send wines out on a Friday - so, still feeling very much under the weather, I decided that enough was enough, and that my body needed rest, if I wanted to see Christmas. I was in bed by 11pm last night and stayed there until late this morning, which seems to have done me the world of good, because by this evening, I was ready to try a glass or two of this little beauty..........

Joseph Swan Vineyards Côtes du Rosa 2008 Russian River Valley £19.95

A pretty, medium-hued raspberry red core, fading to a cherry/pink rim. The nose is strikingly reminiscent of a very fine Côtes du Rhone (the name is no accident). In fact, it even has a touch of the Châteauneuf about it, with 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. So much so that it takes me right back to my days as an altar boy in the local Catholic church! Is it just that smell is perhaps the most evocative sense we possess, or is this just that this wine smells so darned beautiful? And the palate isn't too shabby, either, although that is where the similarity with Châteauneuf ends - a delicious mouthful of fresh red and black fruits, incense (yes, I swear I 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. And, do you know what? As far as I am aware, this wine is made from 100% Carignan, a variety which is considered by at least one prominent wine writer I know of to be a thoroughly fifth-rate variety. Which only serves to strengthen my opinion that anyone who persists with the idea that Carignan can't make charming, elegant, age-worthy, world class wine needs their head examining.

   

December so far - snow, more snow, new wines, plus some lovely sample bottles

As usual, I can't believe it is over a week since I posted a blog entry. Time flies when you have a million-and-one things to do, but there's no let-up, when there are umpteen new wines to deal with - and just as many sample bottles to get through!

December is always hectic, but the unusually early (and unusually long) bout of wintry weather we have endured over the past couple of weeks have made things that bit more difficult. Although the bulk of my wines are stored in bond, I have to keep sufficient stocks of all of them at my store in Nottingham, to enable me to quickly fulfil orders as they come in. Which means regular 80-mile round trips up the M1 to Rotherham - hardly ideal, but Rotherham just happens to be the nearest and most convenient bonded warehouse to me. And two separate deliveries of new wines (from no less than five growers) in the past couple of weeks has meant two trips in less than ideal conditions. On the first occasion, I left dry, sunny Nottingham and arrived at Rotherham to find 6 inches of lying snow. By the time I got back home, a good 4 inches had been dumped on us, and traffic was beginning to grind to a halt. By the second time, a week later, Rotherham was almost literally knee-deep in snow, although the motorway was fairly clear - until I found the M18 blocked for my return trip, which meant going the long way, down the A1 to Worksop, then cross-country via the A614. Which would have been a real pain, were it not for some rather alluring winter landscapes along the way...........

Still, I managed once again to get home in one piece, although by that time, the view from the dining room window was this......

Even so, we actually managed to get to our monthly wine evening in Nottingham, the same evening, courtesy of the NET (tram), which clearly needs more than almost a foot of snow to put it out of action!

So what of the wines? Well, I've already posted notes on a few of them, and all the new stuff is now up on my website. And if you are on my mailing list, you'll hear all about them tomorrow or Tuesday. But I've also been enjoying (and in the odd case, not enjoying) a good few sample bottles over the last couple of weeks, so here are my notes on some good ones, from two growers whose wines once featured heavily on my list - and will almost certainly do so again, in the near future.

Les Vignes de l'Arque Vin de Pays Duché d'Uzes Blanc 2009

A blend of Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. Lemon and flowers on the nose, with notes of oregano, fennel, nettles and cut grass. The palate is medium-to-full bodied, with fresh, zesty lemon, orange, stone fruit and spiced apple flavours, countered by those herby nuances, with a liquorice and orange peel richness to the finish. With air, everything melds together into a rather lovely, refreshing, yet mouth-filling wine. It isn't hugely complex, but it is far from a simple quaffer. In fact, it bears comparison with a good many lofty white Rhones I've had. Nice wine. Projected selling price - £8.75.

Les Vignes de l'Arque Merlot 2009 Vin de Pays d'Oc

A clear, bright, ruby red colour, with a nose of blackcurrant, plum and tobacco, with hints of coal tar and orange peel. The palate is mellow and full of fruit - black cherry and cassis - with good acidity and a nice tannic structure - not too soft, but not too hard. I'm not the biggest fan of Merlot, but this is a really well-made wine, which gives me far more pleasure than either cheap Claret or soupy new-world Merlot. Projected selling price - £7.95.

Domaine Sainte-Rose Le Mistral Merlot 2008 Vin de Pays des Cotes de Thongue

This has a nose of plum and cherry, mixed spice, garrigue herbs and cigar box, the result of some well-judged oak - and if (as the ex-cellars price suggests) it has been "chipped", it is very well done. The palate has a medium concentration of plum and cherry fruit, with good balance between tannin and orangey acidity. The fruit seems quite young (perhaps from young vines?) and fairly light-bodied, but is actually quite elegant and refreshing, and almost "Italian", in its sweet/sour/savoury style. Another rather enjoyable Merlot. Having said that, I probably only really want one southern French Merlot for my list, and the Vignes de l'Arque version will probably win the day, on the basis of a truly excellent quality/price ratio.

Domaine Sainte Rose Le Pinacle Syrah 2009 IGP Cotes de Thongue

The label says 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier, co-fermented then aged for 12 months in French oak barrels (although I'd swear there is a whiff of American oak). The colour is opaque purple, with the tiniest ruby rim, whilst the nose is intense and expressive, with quite a marked oak influence. But it is the sort of oak that is beautifully fragrant, without masking the delightful aromas of bramble, blueberry and orange fruit. There's a hint of florality to it as well - not your typical northern Rhone lilies, but perhaps violets and spring flowers. There's also an intriguing note of butterscotch (no doubt from the oak) and a touch of meatiness. The palate is less dense and oaky than one might expect (and with a respectable - and believeable - 13.5% abv). I suspect the grapes might have been picked relatively early, in order to preserve the freshness and ph in the finished wine. And it seems to have worked a treat. There's plenty of black fruit, with bramble, a touch of blackcurrant, a hint of orange, gentle coffe/mocha oak, a smidgen of dark chocolate and a dusting of herby/savouriness. Superficially, it is quite a glossy wine, but delve beneath that slightly modern veneer and it feels very together, very integrated and really rather complex. It isn't Cote Rotie, but it does a very good impression of some of the better northern Rhone Vins de Pays and "lesser" appellation wines. Indeed, it is probably rather unfair to pronounce on this wine at such a young age, and I feel it could evolve into something quite special, with a few more years in bottle. At a projected price of around £18, though, it wouldn't be cheap. I also feel that the minimalist (and rather dark) label doesn't really do justice to what is in the bottle - I really believe that such a lovely wine calls for a much more demonstrative (i.e. traditional) label!

The wines of Les Vignes de l'Arque were amongst the very first wines I ever imported and the first vintage of the Vin de Pays Duché d'Uzes Rouge that I sold was the amazing 2001. In fact, over subsequent vintages, it was a consistently brilliant performer, and one which I was confident enough to buy without actually tasting. Until the 2006 vintage, that is, when the style changed completely. Apparently, they started using young vine fruit for this, their flagship red cuvée, and I was left with a good few cases of rather thin, weedy wine on my hands, which I ended up selling-off very cheaply. That, along with a failure to send me some promised samples, whilst on holiday in a different part of France a couple of years ago, meant that Les Vignes de l'Arque eventually disappeared from my list altogether. So it was with some trepidation that I contacted winemakers Arnaud and Patrick Fabre recently, to say hello and ask how their wines were fairing. Arnaud emailed me back very quickly and seemed genuinely pleased to hear from me - and also seemed only too pleased to send me some samples. These duly arrived (no less than 8 different cuvées) a couple of weeks ago, and the first couple of bottles (see above) were as good as ever. But the one that I wanted to taste most of all was this one - had they seen the error of their ways and reverted to the old tried and tested formula........?

Les Vignes de l'Arque Vin de Pays Duché d'Uzes Rouge 2009

Well, all I can say is a resounding yes! The nose is fabulous - a riot of bramble and plum skin and a hint of blackcurrant, with further notes of orange peel, soft spices, tobacco, oak vanillin and meat/leather. It manages to be both fruit-filled, primary and complex at the same time. The palate is simply crammed full of ripe, sun-drenched black and red fruits, with rich, chocolatey tannins and ample acidity. And the 14.8% abv doesn't make it in the slightest bit hot - just rich, ripe, orange-tinged fruit, spice, a touch of savoury and immense concentration. It may need a year or two more in bottle to really get into its stride, but it is gloriously drinkable already (and gets better and better after a day or two in the decanter). This is a brilliant wine, and easily as good as any previous vintage I have tasted - and I'm thrilled to bits to have reacquainted myself with it! And at a projected retail price of around £10, it will be one of the best bargains on my list - once I can get some shipped over in the New Year.