Price: Around $25
Image link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dobrych/4552132976/
————–
I’m experimenting with this new review format. I thought it would be cool to take the free association image I would typically insert in a post and give it more impact by making it the primary feature, with the text for bottle info (just the basics) and my tasting notes layered on top. I’m digging it, but let me know what you think.
Cheers!
Jim
When I saw “Niellucciu” named as the grape on the back label — which looks to me more like a Scrabble rack than any grape variety I’d ever hear of — I bought first and asked questions later. Back home, Oz Clarke’s Grapes and Wines — a must-own book in my opinion — revealed to me that Niellucciu is a Corsican grape that’s identical to Sangiovese. Well, okay, so not a new grape to me. But French Sangiovese and the unusual synonym qualifies it for Oddball Wine of the Week. Let’s check it out.
Producer: Clos Teddi
Grapes: 100% Niellucciu (Sangiovese) – hear it pronounced here
Appellation: Patrimonio (AOC, France) – the first AOC in Corsica
Vineyards: 25-35 year old vines in “granitique” sand in the Agriates desert. Farmed organically.
Vintage: 2006
Winemaking: 12 months in tank before bottling
Alcohol: 13%
Price: I paid $21.37 at Spec’s in Austin
Tasting notes: Starts with a stout Old World funk. Meaty. Savory. Sweaty. But with a very nice sweet strawberry note at the core. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with more red fruit flavors and a tannic, plum skin note. Dry finish.
Overall impression: I enjoyed this quite a bit. That strawberry note on the nose really made this one for me. If you see it, give it a try. B
Free association:
I’ve been meaning to devote more attention to Bandol in the Mourvèdre Monday series. Bandol, after all, is the only appellation in France where Mourvèdre is the top dog grape (it must be a minimum of 50% of the blend).
So I was very excited when I was recently followed on Twitter by @BandolWines and subsequently discovered that they’re a Bandol importer based in nearby Houston. Soon after we connected via Twitter, I got the chance to meet Amine Matta, who was pouring three wines from Domain La Suffrene at the Austin Wine Merchant: a fresh, crisp appley white (from Clairette and Ugni Blanc), a nice minerally rosé and the red reviewed below. (Tasting notes based on a full bottle I purchased and drank later.) I’m looking forward to tasting through the as much of their portfolio as I can eventually!
Grapes: 55% Mourvèdre, 20% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 10% old-vine Carignan
Appellation: Bandol (AOC, France)
Vineyards: “sandy-silt-laden, calcareous and clay” soils
Vintage: 2005
Winemaking: 18 months in oak (% new unknown)
Alcohol: I failed to note it.
Price: I paid around $30 at Austin Wine Merchant
Tasting notes: On the nose, there is a spicy, black pepper layer on top of the red fruit (berries and maybe some plum). A definite whiff of horse stable on the nose, but a nice clean horse stable, like the ones with the clydesdales at Busch Gardens and SeaWorld. On the palate, it has good dark fruit, but it’s strength for me is in its leathery, savory, earthy qualities. A wine for contemplation, not quaffing.
Overall impression: A real winner for me. B+
Free association: I picture Dumbledore drinking this in his office after a long day battling office politics at Hogwarts.
Through six weeks of the Mourvèdre Monday series, one would be pardoned for wondering why I didn’t name it Monastrell Monday, as four of the first six wines were from Spain, where Monastrell is the name for this grape. Finally, in week 7, we make it to Bandol. This is the most important region for Mourvèdre in France. Really, it’s the only AOC where it plays a dominant role. So let’s see what Bandol brings to the table.
Producer: Domaine du Gros’Noré
Grapes: 80% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache, 5% Cinsault
Appellation: Bandol (AOC, France)
Vineyards: Hillside vineyards with clay soil and 20 year-old vines.
Vintage: 2006
Winemaking: This wine spent 18 months in big ol’ 60 hl foudres. A foudre is a large oak cask. Sixty hectoliters is about 25 times bigger than a typical 225 liter Bordeaux-style barrique, which the common size for many wineries, New World and Old, that are trying to impart significant oak character.
Alcohol: 15%
Price: $34.40 at Spec’s in Austin
My tasting notes: Kirsch and Chambord on the nose with scrubby, herbal notes and a touch of meatiness. Intensity and structure on the palate. Red fruit and spice. Firm, dry tannins. Good earthy, mineral finish with solid acidity. There is a bit of grittiness to the texture (it’s unfiltered). The 15% alcohol definitely shows at the end, but it sort of reinforces the overall manly-man character of this wine.
Overall impression: This is not elegant stuff. This is Fight Club. This is Braveheart. This is the wine I’d want to drink before storming the castle. (I really hope that’s not a euphemism for some sexual act.) It’s a big, badass Bandol. B/B+
Free association:
More info:
Imported by Kermit Lynch.
A great post at Under the Grape Tree pairing this wine with a bluesman I wasn’t familiar with: Otis Taylor.
I almost went with this for free association:
This was just a random pickup at Whole Foods one day. The label design caught my eye, then I noticed the blend, then “Catalan” on the label. Wait, doesn’t Catalan refer to Spain… as in Catalonia? But this is French. That was interesting enough for me to plunk down my $11. I wasn’t sure when I bought it if I would use this for the Oddball series or not. “Catalan” was a new French appellation to me, but something made me think this might be more well-known than I thought. Then I looked it up in the Bible, I mean, the Oxford Companion to Wine (3rd edition) saw that there was no listing for it. That’s Oddball enough for me! I did finally find a one-sentence reference to it in the entry for Roussillon, by the way.
Côté Est 2007 CatalanProducer: Maison Lafage
Grapes: 50% Grenache Blanc and Gris, 30% Chardonnay, 20% Marsanne
Appellation: Côtes Catalanes (Vin de Pays, France). This appellation is a region within Roussillon that sits on the other side of the Pyrenees from Catalonia, Spain. It’s a maritime terroir
Vineyards: The Grenache comes from 80-year old vines, the Chardonnay from 20 year old vines and the Marsanne from young vines. The name Côté Est refers to the fact that the vines are planted east-west, which they say keeps the grapes cooler, preserving the acidity and fruit.
Vintage: 2007
Winemaking: Stainless steel aging.
Alcohol: 13%
Price: I paid $10.88 at Whole Foods in Austin
My tasting notes: Really lovely nose on this wine, like a blend of pear and peach, highlighted by zesty orange and lime and floral notes. And the palate doesn’t disappoint either. More pear/peach and lime with a mineral streak. Really nice texture, too. Almost plush, though the fruit stays bright. Finishes clean and long.
Overall impression: I’m very glad I took a chance on this wine I knew absolutely nothing about. It’s a very enjoyable little bottle, and I’d definitely recommend you pick up if you see it. B+
Free association:
I can’t find the original source of this image. It’s all over the internet, but it’s not mine.
More info:
Imported by Eric Solomon.
Parker scored this 90 points.
Some reviews on CellarTracker and Corkd.
Producer: Helfrich
Grapes: 100% Riesling
Appellation: Alsace (AOC, France). This region of France has been handed back and forth between France & Germany numerous times depending on who won the last war. So many of the names don’t sound very French. If you generally avoid Riesling because you’ve tried German ones and found them too sweet or you can’t figure out their labeling, give Alsace a try. The wines are almost always dry or just off-dry and I’ve rarely found a dud.
Vineyards: “The grapes come from the Couronne d’Or (Golden Crown), an association of local vineyards that run through the middle of Alsace. The vineyards are sloped with a South/South East exposure, while the soil is mostly calcareous and thin. The vines are dry farmed and trained upwards for maximum exposure to the sun.” [From the importer’s press release]
Winemaking: no info
Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: Around $15 (I paid $13.67 at Spec’s in Austin)
My tasting notes: The wine is a green-tinged pale yellow in the glass with a steely, stony, citrusy nose. On the palate, the citrus fades and more apple & pear flavors emerge, accented with baking spices. Though just off-dry, it’s fairly crisp – but not as racy as the Rieslings I enjoy most. The wine improved a bit by the second glass.
Overall assessment: Not bad. I like the nose, but I wasn’t thrilled with it in the mouth. You could do a lot worse… B-
Free association:
More info:
The guys at WineGeekTV reviewed this bottle and Helfrich’s Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer from the same vintage.
Other blogger reviews at The 89 Project and Gabe’s View. And few more reviews at CellarTracker (avg. 90).
Sonadora over at Wannabe Wino recently reviewed the Helfrich Pinot Gris and has a review of the Riesling coming soon, I think.
This one is exciting! It was a quick grab from the Costco shelf. I’d never heard of it, but was in the mood for some Rhone action. Little did I know that lurking behind this boring label would be one of the tastiest little wines I’ve had in months.
Producer: Domaine Galévan
Grapes: 70% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre and 10% Cinsault
Appellation: Côtes du Rhône (AOC, France)
Vineyard: “stony soil” according to the label
Winemaking: No info on the winery’s very basic website. The winemaker is Coralie Goumarre.
Alcohol: 14.5%
Price: Around $10-12 at Costco in Austin UPDATE: I went back and it’s only $7.99!
My tasting notes: Deep, dark color. The nose is full of iron and graphite and dark fruit and figs and coffee – it makes me want to use the word “redolent” and I’m not the kind of guy who uses the word redolent. With coaxing, I also get this really nice, bright, beautiful raspberry note. In the mouth, there is dark fruit, but the primary flavors are savory, herbal, earthy. There is a spicy, black pepper note on the back-end as well. It finishes a touch hot, but the rest is so nice, I barely notice. I am really digging this wine. It’s layered but light on its feet. It’s pushing all my buttons.
Overall impression: A great wine for the price. This is why I love trying Côtes du Rhône wines. Good luck trying to find something this interesting from California at this price. Buy it. Buy it. Buy it. (If you’re in Austin, please wait until I’ve had a chance to get back to Costco) A-
I know that I’ve never really explained my rating system. In simplest terms, it’s a rating of my enjoyment of a wine not an attempt at an objective assessment of “quality” vis-a-vis the greatest wines on the planet. I’ll try to post a fuller explanation of the rating system soon, but suffice it to say… I really like this wine.
Free association: This wine makes me want to do the Balki Bartokomous ‘Dance of Joy’.
More info:
More tasting notes at CellarTracker.
Serge the Concierge posted about Coralie and Domaine Galevan a few months ago.
CWNSXJFRQDFZ
Perrin & Fils is a producer that always catches my eye. I’ve had a number of very good bottles from them and no bad ones. So when I saw this bottle at Costco from an appellation I’m not familiar with and a couple of nice scores (91 WS and 90 RP), I couldn’t resist.
Producer: Perrin & Fils
Grapes: Back label says 65% Syrah, 35% Grenache – but I read in two places that the AC rules for this appellation require a minimum of 50% Grenache. So I’m assuming they got it backward on the label and it’s 65% Grenache.
Appellation: Vinsobres (AOC, France) (map). Formerly classified as Côtes du Rhône Villages (1957), then Côtes du Rhône Villages Vinsobres (1967), this appellation was granted its own AOC (just Vinsobres) in 2005.
Vineyards: From vineyards at Domaine de la Bicarelle and the Julian estate. They describe the soils as “Stony and sandy marl on the slopes, with quartenary stony alluviums on the terraces.”
Winemaking/aging: Label says 35% is aged in French oak, but no indication for how long or whether the barrels are new or not.
Alcohol: 14%
Price: $12-15
My tasting notes: Dusty red fruit, pencil shavings and dried herbs on the nose. Feels weighty in the mouth, with flavors of dried cherries, plums, figs and just a hint of black olive. Persistent minerality on the finish. (Drinks well on day two – a little fruitier and fleshier.)
Overall assessment: A nice wine. Good balance of restrained fruit and minerality/earth, especially after a few hours open and the next day. A good way to explore lesser-known Rhone appellations. B-
Free association: In the my last post, I used Iron Man to convey the iron notes in the wine. I have comics on the brain, so I’m using The Thing to convey the earthy minerality of this wine.
More info:
Wondering how to pronounce the name of this wine?
Other blogger reviews: Gang of Pour, Viva la Wino and Passport Foodie
After recently enjoying a rosé, the Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare 2007, and asking myself why I don’t drink pink more often, I picked up another — this time from France.
Producer: Chateau Routas
Grapes: 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 30% Cinsault
Appellation: Coteaux Varois en Provence (AOC, France).
Vinification/Aging: [from the producer’s website] The grapes are cooled and kept on their skins for 12 to 24 hours immediately following harvest, then gently pressed. All the Syrah and half of the Grenache go straight to neutral oak barrels after being pressed where they go through their primary and malolactic fermentation. The remaining Grenache and Cinsault are fermented in stainless steel tanks and blocked from malolactic fermentation. The two different lots are aged separately for five months and blended prior bottling.
Alcohol: 13%
Price: I paid $11 at Spec’s in Austin.
My tasting notes: Very nice salmon/apricot color. On the nose, I’m struck first by soapy aromas, like a heavily-scented hand soap — Wild SugarBerry Blossom, or something like that. There’s a bit of crayon box, too. And slightly oxidized aroma like sherry. Maybe I have an off bottle. Mrs. VINEgeek adds that there is a “creek water” element to it. In the mouth, it comes across somewhat sugary on the initial attack, like sugar-coated strawberries and raspberries, followed by bit of that oxidation I smelled (though not so much as to make it unpalatable). It has good acid and finishes dry.
Overall assessment/score: I hesitate to give this a score since there’s a chance I got an off bottle. Even without the possible oxidation, I think it was a bit out of balance. For my palate, this is not nearly as nice as the Vin Gris de Cigare. Here are some other people’s thoughts. Also, Wine Spectator gave it an 87.
Free association:
Producer: Chateau Liversan (Domaines Lapalu)
Grapes: 50% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc (that is according to the label; I find different %s in different places online)
Appellation: Haut-Medoc (AOC), France
Vineyard: 96 acres; gravel limestone on a chalk subsoil acts
Aging: 12 months in oak
Alcohol: 14%
Production: 20,830 cases
Price: I believe I paid around $15 at Costco.
Tasting Notes: Nice dark color. Nose starts off pretty tight. With time I pick up some blueberry, whiskey barrel and a definite lotion-y smell. (Not some fancy herb-infused botanical beeswax aromatherapeutic stuff, but basic Curel or something.) On the palate, it’s a little thin and angular for me. The tannins attack my tongue, almost sealing off my taste buds to prevent them from tasting any fruit that might be hiding in there. I pick up very little else; maybe some cranberry and some graphite. Finishes very dry.
Assessment/Score: Hmm. The nose is pretty cool once it opens up, but it’s just tight tight tight in the mouth. Definitely not “delicious”, but seems like it would do better with more time in bottle. For drinking right now, I have to go with C+.
Free association:
Wine Spectator (85 points): Mineral, blackberry and licorice aromas follow through to a medium body, with firm tannins and a medium finish. A bit simple on the palate, but pleasant. Best after 2010.
Lots of other tasting notes at Cellar Tracker.