Category Archives: Tasting Notes

The other California-Top Bottles at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2017

09 Tuesday Jan 2018

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It took a weekend trip to the golden state to discover the ” unknown ” wines of California. While at the latest  Wine Bloggers Conference, I had the special chance to discover many special wine regions such as El Dorado and Livermore Valley. Regarding this two regions, I will do in another opportunity another post in detail. For now, I will leave with a little amuse bouche, like they say in French.

Below  are some of the wines that the impressed the most at the conference. Sadly for me, these wines are not available in the Quebec market, so I will have to cherish the memory until I return to California.

Masthead 2015 Sangiovese Mohr-Fry Ranch, Block 433

California Sangiovese did not excite until I tried the bottle of Masthead. This is the brainchild of three bloggers: Luscious Lushes, From the Vine, and D’Vine. Block 433 blew my mind and shattered all my preconceptions about the potential of Sangiovese in the golden state. A crossover style between Tuscany and Puglia, you must try this wine.

Ripe Redcurrants, black olives, leathery and also reminiscent of baked earth. Rich and multilayered yet very elegant bringing to mind coffee, maraschino cherry. Fine tannins and very long in the palate.Lovely finale bringing to mind paprika, padron peppers and raspberry jam

Blue Farm 2014 Anne Katherina Vineyard Estate

I met the modest Anne-Moller-Racke in a post conference dinner activity at Shone Farm Winery. A native of Oberwesel, Germany, she owns Blue Farm winery and a 9 acres vineyard that bears the name of her daughter, Anne Katherina. An exceptional artisanal producer with a cult status, her wines are available to wine lovers in tiny allocations

Perhaps the best Pinot Noir that ever tried from California.  The Anne Katherina bottling is a salute to Pinot Noir. More Burgundian than New World, this wines brings to mind Burgundy Grand Crus with its vibrant red fruit notes, floral essences and perfumed and silky palate as you swirl in the glass.

Madrona Malbec 2015 El Dorado County

El Dorado County wines was my biggest discovery at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2017. Located just an hour from Sacramento or South Lake Tahoe in the  Sierra Foothills, El Dorado county is blessed with a microclimate that favours Rhone and Bordeaux Varietals.

This Malbec from Madrona vineyards fascinated me with its dense and brooding aromas of cassis and blueberry fruit laced with wild fennel and spearmint. Dense and intense, yet balanced with velvety tannins.

Fenestra Petite Sirah 2013 Livermore Valley

It is always a breeze to taste a Petite Sirah. Also known as Durif, the grape  was created  in France in the 1860s by the botanist Francois Durif.  A cross between Syrah and an indigenous French grape Peloursin, with the purpose of making Syrah more resistant to mildew. At some point the grape travelled to California, where it was rebaptised as Petite Sirah for its resemblance of the Syrah grape.

Livermore Valley is one of the oldest wine regions in California, made famous by Wente Vineyards Concannon Vineyards. The appellation is known for Petite Sirah, a but also Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. I heard that exciting things are being made from Gruner Veltliner to Verdelho. From what i tasted at the wine bloggers conference, quality and  price remain very competitive compared to Sonoma and Napa.

 

Big nose featuring very expressive aromas of blueberry, blackberries and cassis.  Full body and quite structured with an elegant rusticness. Flavors bring to mind meaty and exotic spices such as cinnamon, asofetida and licorice.

Stay tuned for the next post, dear readers!!!

 

 

 

The Intimacy of Eating a Chocolatine

22 Friday Dec 2017

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Since october I have embarked on a project to study breadmaking at the Center Calixa-Lavallée.  Besides wine, my other big passion include cooking. Wine and food go together and you cannot have one with out the other.

The study of bread has been a subject that always fascinated me. It is so similar to wine, since it is a product of terroir. At its heart, bread is made with simple down to earth ingredients: flour, water and yeast. If you are a purist, the flour can come from a specific mill, the water from a special stream and well..the fermenting agent  could levain or yeast. This  is the same strain as the responsible for the fermentation of wine: Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Unless, you are talking about Levain or sourdough which is another ball game.

A part of my program consist of learning to make viennoiseries. The word “viennoiserie” – is French for “things from Vienna” – spans a whole category of pastry that includes croissants, pain au raisins and brioche. These products, symbolized  with France, tend to close the gap between the arts of boulangerie and  patisserie in culinary school philosophy.

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Viennoiseries are made either from:  a pâte viennoise (a leavened, sweetened dough named because of its origin in Vienna) or  a pâte feuilletée (puff pastry dough, which is not leavened but puffs during cooking like and accordeon because of its many layers of dough and the air that rests between them).

To eat a chocolatine straight from the oven is a priviliged experience that is quite intimate. For me, it brought a fond memory of when I arrived in Montreal and walked in for the first time in La Gascogne in Laurier Street.  Mastering the art of laminated dough to make a croissant is quite a challenge. Under the supervision of my professor Michelle, slowly, I am learning the robes The trick is to incorporate the well the butter in all the dough.  This is called tourage in French. Kneading the dough too thin can kill the feuilletage when you bake the croissants.

Chocolatines are great as a petit dejeuner with a cafe au lait to start off any day of your week. However, they are also very popular in weekend brunches and certainly can be enjoyed with wine. The challenge is to find something not too sweet and refreshing at the same time to handle the buttery richness and chocolate sweetness of the chocolatine. The answer lies in sweet wines. Sparkling cider works best but certain dessert wines from the Loire Valley, South Africa, Italy or the Rhone Valley can do the job as well.

I encourage you to try the following reccomendations next time you have a warm chocolatine. If you cant make one, buy one from a top boulangerie and reheat to kind of live the experience.

 

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Cidrerie du Minot La Croisée Quebec, Canada ( SAQ # 12962063, $9.60)

On the nose caramel with granny smith apple. Fresh and slighty sweet with a frizzante bubble alike. A reasonable priced sparkling cider to have for brunch, specially now during the holidays period.

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Cidre de glace Vergers Petit & Fils 2014 Quebec, Canada ( SAQ # 10320972, $23.85)

Enticing aromas of apple turnover, spices with slight balsamic notes. Very fresh and creamy with a good persistance in the mouth. A finale that brings to mind a touch of honey and earl grey.

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Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2012, Western Cape, South Africa ( SAQ # 10999655, $75.25)

Citric aromas such a ripe tangerines, dry white fruits and nuance of musk. Sweet with a good acidity and poetic. A dessert by itself, this sweet wine  is just borderline  in an accord with a  chocolatine.

 

 

 

Wine with leftovers?. A candid interpretation.

10 Sunday Dec 2017

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Credits: STEPHANIE HOFMANN

You all now this, i don’t have to remind you but December is the month that we eat the most food. Between office parties, homely dinner parties, christmas and new year’s we end with a lots of leftover food and eating that for several days

Some of my greatest wine experiences have involved a great bottle of wine with a reheated plate of something the next day. I usually do this wearing my pyjamas. After taking the time to do some tasting notes, I proceed to eat taking my tray and watching a good movie. This is what i do the next day after a dinner party.

Reheated lasagna with Amarone?- just bliss. Braised beef and St-Chinian?-the ultimate comfort food. Reheated seafood rice and Champagne-is like dying and going to foodie heaven. These are examples of my previous repertoire of wine tasting memories.

Sometimes i don’t even have to do the cooking. Soon my wife and I will start doing the rounds as part of the christmas holidays in other people’s houses and bring back food This is always the case when i go to my in-laws. She will give us meat or chicken pie, meatball ragu or turkey. The next day, I am standing silly in front of my cellar and thinking what to drink with that.

So, whats an amazing leftover wine?. I am looking at something comforting with some complexity. Maximum price, $100. We don’t want to exaggerate either. A few years ago, my aunt Fanny was staying us for the christmas holidays. I opened up a Calon Segur 2004 from my cellar with warmup chicken cacciatore. The wine was not the proper choice for the occasion but it was extraordinary.

Delicious Mercurey with my leftovers?

I dont get to drink enough red burgundy because of the prices but I should dip my nose a bit further into the region as there are some really good gems. This is the case of the Mercurey appellation.

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Source: Vins de Bourgogne

Mercurey is a humble appellation in the Côte Chalonnaise region (Saône-et-Loire) that  includes 32 Premiers Crus Climats. The producing communes include Mercurey, Saint-Martin-sous-Montaigu. This is red wine territory, 80% is Pinot Noir and the remainder Chardonnay.

For many Burgundy lovers, the wines combine  quality  with a best value that money can give. These are intense reds with lightly earthy flavours that are rustic and austere in their youth but age nicely with a few years in the cellar. The best can go up to a decade.

The terroir of Mercurey is very interesting. Located closer to the northern frontier of the Cote Chalonnaise and near Cote de Beaune itself, Mercurey shares the same climatic conditions as it most prestigious Côte d’Or.  The soil is mainly limestone as it approaches the hilly ( often best vineyards) with more marl at the bottom.

The SAQ list 41 products in their catalog with a price range that goes between the upper $20 and the mid $80 (magnum bottles). I love a good Mercurey with traditional Quebec christmas food leftovers or with a reheated mushroom risotto.

Below are two Mercurey wines that I tasted recently. Other producers that I highly reccomend are: Chateau de Chamirey, Faiveley and Bichot.

Have a joyful wine drinking experience!!!

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Château Philippe-Le-Hardi Mercurey Premier Cru Les Puillets 2015. SAQ # 869800. $29.60

This property was famous since it was owned   by royalty such as Philippe Le Hardi ( 1342-1404), son of king  Jean Le Bon ( 1319-1364) and first duke of Burgundy. This property

Alluring nose of mountain leaves, black prunes with soft barnyard nuances ( porcini and truffle oil comes to mind). Ample with firm and polished tannins. This wine could be very fun with leftovers beef bourgignon.

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Michel Juillot Mercurey 2015. SAQ: 573402. $33.50

Michel Julliot Estate, which has been a driving force  for four generations in Mercurey, cultivates 30 hectares of vines crafting a blend of the best “climats” and expositions that Mercurey has to offer (South & South-East) as well as several Côte de Beaune Crus.  The domaine was partly responsible as well for determining some of the boundaries of Mercurey

Succulent red berry fruit with mint undertones and freshly picked roses/violets. Velvety with soft and ripe tannins with a spicy finale. A bit of cacao, humus and balsamic notes in the finale.

 

Live Wine Blogging-WBC 17

24 Friday Nov 2017

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“Exercising your twitter skills” was how a fellow wine blogger described the live wine blogging sessions at the latest Wine Bloggers Conference 2017.

It was one of the most challenging but also the most rewarding sessions of the conference. In the space of an hour, you got to spend 5 min with a producer in a round table. In this short time, you had to evaluate the wine but also do a live tweet. It was very tough.

Image result for circuit training high school gif cartoonsThose sessions were the hardest but the most rewarding. Friday, was the session of the white and rose and saturday was the live red wine blogging. These sessions brought to mind physical education classes at high school. Specifically, circuit training. However, I hated circuit training but I loved the wine blogging at the WBC 17

Beyond the fabulous wines that i discovered, those live sessions taught me how to be precise in the nick of time. Sometimes, I experience something personal that I call twitter block. Similar, to writers block, I just don’t know what to say. Two key things that I learnt from the love wine blogging exercise:

  1. Key words. Do simple short phrases with powerful key words. I count my seconds when I was reading the live tweets of my other colleagues, and I spent an average of 5 seconds per tweet. After a careful introspection, I found that reading long sentences was tedious.
  2. Combination of hashtags and tagging. I finds that tagging the winery was the best tool to deliver my message rather than a pool of hashtags. So, tagging was the perfect way to deliver that specific message to the winery and the hashtag thing more like in index summary of a conversation.

You may find that these are silly things that I learnt, but what can I say. I am fairly new to twitter. I only have 543 followers, but I am hoping to build steadily my twitter followers.

The wines that I liked from the first day

In this frenzy wine circuit training, there we some wines that duly striked out. I am reminded of one of the wisdom words of Gerard Basset, one of the best world sommeliers: the first 20 seconds make an impression of a wine, the rest is useless. If I think about this now, when I calm, this is very true. In those 20 seconds, there was something striking on each of the wines:

Matthiasson 2015 Napa Valley White wine.

Matthiasson is an artisanal winery specializing in the production of unique wines both from Napa and Sonoma. This wine was a blend of Ribolla Gialla, Tocai Friulano with some Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Rich and structured with flavors of ripe peaches,  and blanched almonds. Lots of floral nuances in the palate. Creamy with a plesant saltiness.

Hanna Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Russian River Valley.

Beyond the fume blanc style, this Sauvignon Blanc from Hanna charmed me with its herbaceous and pink grapefruit flavours. Fresh and vibrant, I could describe it as a cross between a Sancerre, Bordeaux Blanc with a Californian spirit.

Antinori Family Estates Antica Block A26 2015.

The Antinori family brought their Tuscan family expertise to California and they truly are crafting exceptional wines. In the mid 1990’s, they founded Antica and the project is overseen by Piero Antinori daughters. The A26 is a serious chardonnay bringing to mind textbook aromas of Chardonnay such as ripe Bartlett pear, smoke, honey nougat, wax and citronella.

The reds from the second day

Knowing what to expect from the second day,  I was already feeling more comfortable. I also had a chance to read about the subject and not feel like a dummy. In a very near future, a matter of weeks

Cain Five Spring Mountain District Napa Valley 2006

A righteous Bordeaux blend. I am not into Napa Valley wines but for Cain Five, I am making an exception. It was just a gorgeous wine bringing something of a combined style between a Saint-Estephe, Pauillac with sunny California. Complex with dark fruit notes, graphite, Tuscan leather, Virginia tobacco, and baked earth. Velvety in the palate, long and ample with fine tannins. I wish that we could get more Californian wines like this in Montreal.

Donelan Cuvée Moriah 2013 Sonoma County

A hearty Grenache based wine with a hint of Syrah. Deep notes of red currant fruit, baking spices, vanilla and licorice. On the mouth, rustic and earthy with mild oak flavors. Warm mineral finale.

 

Tawse winery tasting

20 Sunday Aug 2017

Posted by in Canada, Tasting Notes, Uncategorized

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During a recent family vacation in Niagara Falls, I had the chance to discover and drink many Canadians wines. After a family visit to Niagara Falls, I visited briefly Niagara on the lake.

Winemaking in Niagara goes back as early as the 17th century when European settlers started experimenting with native grapes.  By prohibition, there were more than 60 wineries.  The early days of the industry were focused on the native grape varieties, such as Niagara, Concord and Catawba, which produced musty and funky wines.

However, Ontario’s wine industry took off in the mid 70’s when the Canadian government deregulatized the industry. This brought a plethora of experimentation with new winemaking techniques and saw the introduction of European grape varieties.

Bordered by Lake Ontario on the north, the Niagara River on the east and the Welland River and Hamilton to the south and west, the Niagara Peninsula is the largest and most diverse Viticultural Area in Canada.  

The escarpment was formed over 200,000 years ago by several several glacial and interglacial events that defined the geology of the area. The area is blessed with different soil compositions that include diferents sand and silts and layers of sedimemtary rock. The area is particularly conducive to grow cool grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Riesling and Chardonnay. However, more than 30 varieties are grown.

Niagara Peninsula  enjoys a cool climate with important variations between diurnal and nocturnal temperatures.  The peninsula has 10 sub-regional appellations and more than 55% of Ontario wineries are found there. Here we find Tawse, Malivoire and Cave spring winery, the states that I visited during my vacation.

Tawse is a family-owned organic and biodynamic winery, voted best Canadian winery, three years in a row ( 2010, 2011, 2012). 

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Out of his love for Burgundy and terroir , Moray Tawse created a state of the art winery  A fervent advocate of terroir, he crafts wines that do best on the escarpment. The winery is state of the art, boutique style. I was under the impression that everything was done with the most meticolous care.

 Time was limited during my tasting, so i tasted a staff selection. Overall, I was impressed with the wines. I am sure in a blind tasting, these wines could have pass for Burgundy and Bordeaux.

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Chardonnay 2012 Beamsville Bench VQA

 On the nose, nice herbal undertones and quite mineral driven. On the palate, flavours remind me of almond biscuit, butterscotch and white orchard fruit. Full body, fresh,  and quite enveloping in your mouth. Oak well integrated. Elegant. In a Burgudian style.

Tawse 2012 Chardonnay Twenty mile bench VQA

Totally different from the previous one. Bright nose with confit orange peel, peach and pear jam accents, Flinty and refreshing with a good backbone. Balanced in the oak at the finale.

Tawse 2015 Riesling Vinemount Ridge VQA

 On the nose, baked apple character, quince,  and membrillo dessert with touches of  mango. Crisp and very refreshing. Perfect  roundness with a  zesty acidity. Racy and harmonious.

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Tawse Pinot Noir 2011 VQA Twenty Mile Bench

Dark cherry with  cocoa, old spice. sun dried tomato. showing some lovely tertiary aromas: mushrooms such as shitakee and porcini with the highest quality. Structured and elegant with ripe tannins. A very earthy finale reminding me of smoked beef jerky. 

Tawse Cabernet Franc 2012 VQA  Creek Shores

 Textbook cabernet franc nose. Nuances of  bell pepper, black plums and cocoa. Lavish  french oak undertones.  On the mouth, superb polished texture with smooth and silky tannins. Amazing cashmere finale.

Tawse Meritage 2012 VQA Niagara Peninsula

A  bordeaux in disguise. Blackcurrant fruit, dark cherry, rasperry, licorice and chinese plum sauce. On the mouth,  racy and austere with quite the muscular tannins.

 

Survival guide for vacation wines

23 Sunday Jul 2017

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Far niente in Sandbank beach

In the summertime, you want to simplify your life. Nothing complicated. Vacation is on the air and so is the choice for simple but well executed meals in the company of friends and family. Here is a selection of summer wines to accompany your meals with your family and friends in your next family vacation. I myself and in a semi vacation mode. Just came back from a marvelous trip in Toronto. I was visiting family and made also a mini trip to Niagara and Prince Edward wine county regions. More this to come in the following weeks.

Here is a no brainer, cant fail wine selection for your summer libations. Keep this selection on mind when you are preparing your vacations to do list.

Have a good one!!!

White selections

Dopff & Irion Cuvee Rene Dopff Sylvaner 2016. ( Alsace, France) SAQ # 13190018. $13.95

 On the nose, anis, jazmin, and  white grapefruit aromas.  On the mouth, dry, crisp and mineral driven. Enjoy with grilled shrimps.

Domaine Paul Mas Cote Mas Blanc de Mediterranee Vin de France 2016 ( Languedoc, France). SAQ # 13289510. $11.45

Ripe yellow fruit, blanched almonds and wild fennel character. Structured yet very round in the mouth with a mediterranean profile character. Pair it with roasted fishe in the BBQ or oven

Stratus Riesling Moyer Rd RR1 2015 ( Niagara, Canada). SAQ # 13183432. $22.15

Pear flesh and  freshly cut limes with certain  lactic nuances ( plain yougurt) and indian chai spices. NaftalineOn the mouth, crisp, round-creamy, sublime texture. Citric fruit flavors ( pineapple, tangerines. ). Mineral driven finale.

Joseph Mellot Sancerre La Chatellenie 2015 ( Loire, France). SAQ # 12258842. $25.45

Delighful tropical  citrus fruits such as passion fruit, pineapple and kiwi with a touch of white nectarine. Medium to full body, crisp and very refreshing. Flavors bring to mind green apple with a zesty finale.

Vignoble du Reveur Pierres Sauvages 2013 ( Alsace, France). SAQ # 13211843. $19.40

Honey, with a complex spice character:nutmeg, cloves and white pepper. Structured with a complex  character.  Very long and caressing. Grilled some scallops with cream pasta and you will have an amazing meal with this wine.

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In Reds:

François Villard L’appel des Sereines 2015 ( Rhone, France). SAQ # 12292670. $19.85

Dark pepper, licorice with balsamic notes such as mint and heady meaty scents. Harmonious and polished with soft and easy going tannins. One of the best values in the Rhone in red at the moment

Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir ( Central Valley, Chile). SAQ # 13284401. $11.10

 Well made Pinot from Chile. Delicious fruit notes of strawberry, cherry and black prunes. Simple yet delightful. What elese can you ask for $11.10. Versatile with pastas and grilled poultry dishes. 

Chanson Père & Fils Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2014 ( Burgndy, France). SAQ # 11598394. $24.45

Red berry puree, black licorice, smoke and dark blackberries. Lots of power and concentration with firm and silky tannins. Delicious with grilled filet mignon or smoked duck breast.

Domaine De Petit Roubié Syrah 2016 ( Languedoc, Rousillon). SAQ # 13065794. $26.45

 On the nose. seductive notes of Toasty oak, sandalwood and tapenade. Long and firm with a polished texture and tannins. The wine to bring with a charcoal BBQ in the park, 

 

Under the spell of Provençal Rosè

16 Friday Jun 2017

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Provence lavender fields

Provence Apartment-reka.ch

I have never been to Provence. It is one of those places that I put on my bucket list of wish travels. Maybe one day, if i am fortunate enough, I will able to do a tour of the vineyards and drink on place their magnificent wines.

My connection with rose from Provence goes back with literature not by wine. You see, a few years ago, I started reading Peter Mayle, and right away felt in love with the Provencal lifestyle. Personally, it is a combination of both. Everytime, i take a sip of rose

The symbolism of rose from Provence is powerful among many wine drinkers. For many, it means a chic vacation wine. For foodies, an elegant rose for the table.  For artists, it represents the majestic colours of Provence. I take elements from the three above. No wonder Van Gogh moved to Arles and wanted to establish a colony of artists over there.

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Van Gogh- Le Semeur au soleil couchant

Situated in southeastern France, with its natural frontiers being the Rhône River to the west, Italy to the east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south, Provence has an heterogeneous, yet primarily limestone terroir, with a climate that is sunny, hot, and dry, typical of the Mediterranean. The Mistral over there is intense across the region  which is positively viewed during the summer months. It also protects the vineyards from diseases caused from humidity.

Provence Rosé wines are made from red grapes such as cinsault, grenache, syrah, cabernet-sauvignon, carignan, tibouren, and mourvédre. These grapes have dark red skins and white flesh that can be presses, which releases a light juice that is coloured by the ruby skins. The must can remain with the skins anywhere from 2-20 hours before the fermentation process begins. Most rosé wines are made in stainless steel vats, rather than barrels. Here we are looking for freshness primarily.

Finally, the process  takes at least two of the must batches and they are  blended together  to make the wine. Vinification is done  from single grape varieties. For instance, a varying amount of syrah can be combined with  tibouren to make the wine. Overall, making rose is more complicated than vinifying a white or a red. One mistake in the process and the wine is completely ruined.

Provence Rose and food

Provencal roses are the best partners for lighter dishes during the summer season. Because of their acidity and floral nature, they complement well grilled fish dishes with herbs infusions.  I like them well with ricotta based pizzas with arugula for instance and steamed seafood preparations.

Their versatility is an asset in the table. Unlike many roses, their subtle flavor profile and elegance will bring and make shine the flavours of a dish.  For instance, a rose from Provence will make shine the sweet flavours in a scallop and strawberry tartare. The crispness of the wine would provide an elegant lightness coming from the mild decadence of the scallop.

A modest selection of Roses available in the Quebec market

Le Pive Gris 2016. SAQ #  11372766. $15.05

Fresh with bright citrus red fruit aromas. Herbal nuances  as well bringing to mind fresh basil, thyme, lavender and thyme. On the mouth, medium body, crisp with a nice acidity. Flavors bringing to mind  candied fruit such as watermelon and cantaloupe with a hint of green apple nuances. Ripe and sexy, it smells of holidays. Quite delightful. Worth very much the $$ paid

C’est la Vie Petit Bonheur 2016. SAQ #  13188807. $14.55

It smells the good weather on holidays. Citrus aromas bringing to mind pink grapefruit, oranges and red cherry. On the mouth, medium body with easy going floral and spice nuances. Persistent finale. Lots of happiness for $14.55.

Château Vignelaure Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence Rosé 2016. SAQ # 12374149. $24.50

 Nuances of a heavenly garden. Lavender, roses, violets. On the mouth, crisp, very elegant with a fine structure. Garrique scented ( rosemary and wild fennel). Bright red fruits. Pair ir with a seared salmon fillet and blood orange salad.

Château Gassier Le Pas du Moine Syrah-Grenache-Cinsault Côtes de Provence 2016. SAQ # 13287995. $23.80

 Alluring and complex bouquet. Enticing aromas of padron peppers, tomato leaf, anis, cantaloupe and tangerines Crisp with a mouth-watering acidity. Delicate tones of grapefruit, sicilian oranges. Long and harmonious. Drink the bottle and fall in love with Provence. Pair it with grilled shrimps and an  olive fougasse.

Château Revelette 2016. Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence  SAQ # 13212002. $19.50

Delicious nose. Nuances of lavender, garrique, verbena. zesty tangerine, watermelon and pink grapefruit. It actually smell the sea and vacation. On the mouth, crisp, refreshing with a salty mineral taste more complex floral nuances ( white flowers, roses, margarites, etc). Delicate red berries flavours, extremely aromatic with a beautiful harmony and elegance. Will be perfect with grilled halibut and baby tomato salad.

La Source Gabriel 2015 Cotes de Province. ( Private Import, Charton-Hobbs, $20.90)

This Rose offers aromas of flowers and fresh citrus fruit on the nose. On the palate,  it is bright with fresh flavors of exotic fruit and lime and displaying a wonderful balance. Elegant and complex, enjoy it  as an aperitif or pair with seafood, light salads or other summer fare.

 

Montefalco, Italy’s Unknown Soldier

28 Monday Nov 2016

Posted by in Italy, Tasting Notes

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Umbria, the lush region known as “Italy’s green heart,” is pumping with a quiet, authentic passion. Throughout the years, Italy’s central area has become famous for its leafy vineyards bursting with plump bluish-purple Sagrantino grapes and charming small towns scattered across the picturesque countryside.

Often overshadowed by the glamour of neighboring Tuscany, Umbria has remained a tranquil, laid-back area, with the walled medieval hamlet of Montefalco appealing to tourists seeking an idyllic Italian vacation among sleepy villages, gently sloping hills and acres of romantic vineyards. Located approximately 30 miles southeast of Perugia, Montefalco — often referred to as the “Balcony of Umbria” — is situated at 1,550 feet above sea level. A quaint town, it is adorned with narrow, sloping, cobblestone streets and Romanesque churches.

Sagrantino di Montefalco (or Montefalco Sagrantino — same thing) is 100% Sagrantino from low yield vineyards in and around the hilltop town of Montefalco. Sagrantino isn’t really grown outside the region so it’s a very special grape. The wines, by law, have to be aged for a year in oak barrels and 30 months total before release. With the Mediterranean influence and clay soils that fresh the roots of the vines during hot summers, the growing season for the grape is long, which means that in good years it has time to develop a balance of tannin, fruit flavor, and acidity.

If you decide to buy a bottle you have to look for the word Sagrantino.  Montefalco Rosso is the most common wine in the region and although it can be great, it’s only 10 – 15% Sagrantino — it’s mostly Sangiovese and can include other random red grapes too. Make sure you get Montefalco Sagrantino or Sagrantino di Montefalco because it’s then that you’ll get the black fruit, heavy tannin, earth and mouthwatering acid that I’m talking about.

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During the last Italian Trade Tasting held on Montreal on November 2nd, I had the chance to taste a mini selection of Montefalco wines under the auspices of the Consorzio Tutela Vini Montefalco along the company of Maruska Passeri, spokelady for the Consorzio. This was a rare opportunity as we seldom see Montefalco wines in Montreal, Quebec.

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Sagrantino is a food friendly wine that matches nicely with most Italian foods: Pizza, pasta, and anything with black truffles if budget permits. They have enough tannins to pair with wild game, braised meats, squab or pheasant, or even a nice steak or lamb. Of course aged cheeses go well too. Just remember to open the bottle and decant about an hour before serving. They go nicely with pastas or pizza. Add some truffles if available for a great match

Here are my tasting notes:

 

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Montefalco Rosso DOC 2013. Tenuta di Colpetrone.

A blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot and 15% Sagrantino. Intense ruby red with slight purple reflects. Very fruity nose reminiscent of raspberry, spices and vanilla bean. On the mouth, it is rich and smooth with slight tannins. Overall, very elegant with a long persistent aftertaste.

Montefalco Sagrantino Colpetrone DOCG 2010. Tenuta di Colpetrone

On the nose, aromas of  strawberries and nuts with lots of shaved dark chocolate. On the palate, earthy with dark fruit flavours and a earthy character. Lots of gritty tannins that will need a few years on the cellar.

Colpetrone Gold Montefalco Rosso 2007. Tenuta di Colpetrone

A grand red wine, powerful, concentrated and long. Striking deep ruby red with intense and ample perfume of red fruit and fine nuances of spices and vanilla. Striking with a incredible tannic concentration despite being almost 10 years old.

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Perticaia Montefalco Rosso 2013.

This  rosso was fresh with a taste of wild ripe red berries and  flavors of wild strawberries, with  lingering notes of blueberries. The mild tannins make it a great wine to pair with food. It can be enjoyed right away or laid down in the cellar for up to five years

Perticaia Montefalco Sagrantino 2012

Intense and corpulent with aromas that bring to mind, strawberry and ginger .On the mouth, tannic and bright and very perfumed.

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Azienda Agricola Scacciadiavoli Montefalco Rosso 2013

On the nose, it smells like black cherry with spice, cola, licorice and dried herbs. Complex ,  so give your glass a good swirl to really enjoy this wine.It even  gets better as the wine gets more air. Tasting reveals a wonderful balance between  tart dark fruit and oak along with a polished  mouthfeel displaying soft yet grippy tannins. It ends with a fine earthy finale and more luscious tart fruit that lingers for a long time. An encounter with a magnificent wine.

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Tenuta Bellafonte Collenottolo 2011

Collenottolo, named for the hill where the grapes are grown, is an elegant and refined interpretation of the unique character and natural exuberance of the Sagrantino grape. The bouquet develops gradually and  is intense with notes of blackberries and spiced blueberries.Elegant with a great energy and structure. Streamlined, powerful and fresh.

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Cantina Le Cimate Montefalco Rosso 2011.

Dark ruby color, alluring  nose with hints of plum and cherry. Soft in the mouth with elegant tannins. Flavors bringing to mind blackberry, cinnamon and star anise.

Cantina Le Cimate Sagrantino di Montefalco 2011.

Rich in blackberry and licorice and exploding with herbal and animal nuances. Structured with ample tannins. Excellent lenght with a long aftertaste.

 

Chateau Lilian Ladouys 2006

02 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by in France, Tasting Notes

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When I started drinking wine, I was often frustrated because I did not have the cash to buy French Grand Crus or expensive Italian or Californian wine. Today, I still don’t have the money to buy those wines. Over the years, i learned to  compromise but it still difficult to resist the temptation to buy an expensive fine bottle of wine.

My love affair with Bordeaux started in my early 20’s. Once  upon time in my undergrad student days, having saved around $70 bucks, I went to buy a bottle wine. I decided to try the Carruades de Lafite 1995. Lafite was like a fairy tale to my mind. I knew it was real but unreachable in my reality.

This was a revelation bottle for me. It was the first time that I discovered the  bell red pepper and cassis aromas in a wine. In my mind, it was also clear the aromas of cassis and gunpowder.  On the palate, this wine tasted like not other Cabernet that I tasted from the New World. I was perplexed with the austerity but even more of the elegance of the wine. It was love at the first sight, but soon I realized that fine Bordeaux was like a fine girl but with high maintenance-luxurious but dangerous. Fine Bordeaux can take you fast to the cleaners.

As time went on on my wine education, I discovered about Cru Burgeois and I came to realize that it was a good compromise between quality and price. Crus Bourgeois are Médoc châteaux that produce  wines of typicity and quality but generally without the pedigree and fame of their finer aristocratic cousins from the 1855 Classification.

The Cru Burgeois systems dates back to the middle ages. The bourgeois were citizens  of the “bourg” of Bordeaux, a community  of merchants and craftsmen. During the period of English rule in Bordeaux, they obtained certain rights and privileges, such as tax credit  on the sale of the wines from their vineyards both domestic and overseas.

By the fifteenth century, enriched by their international commerce, the bourgeois of Bordeaux were able to acquire the finest properties in the region, which were initially referred to as the “Crus des Bourgeois” and then simply the “Crus Bourgeois”. Since the inception, the classification went to various member changes with its share of polemic and problems. The association has a strict quality program and to be a member a estate has to pass some rigorous standards. This guarantees that the customer is getting quality for a specific quality of wine.

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Château Lilian Ladouys is Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois wine property located in Saint-Estèphe with 40ha vineyards on gravel rich soils and well-drained slopes overlooking the Gironde. Plantings are 58% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Lilian Ladouys goes back to 1564 when it was held as feudal estate Jacques de Becoyran, lord of Lafite.  In fact, Château Lafite Rothschild is just a  hundred meters away. The estate had a golden age during the 19th century. In 1850, the first edition of Cocks & Féret named the estate as one of the best in Saint-Estèphe. In 1932, the estate received its status as cru burgeois which was confirmed again in 2003.

My wine collection started with Bordeaux vintages such as  2004 and 2006. Both vintages were classic despite weather problems and uneven quality. I bought a few bottles of Lilian Ladouys 2006 in the future market withouth knowing anything about the wine. I tasted my first bottle last year and it was just stunning. Lovely classic mature Bordeaux character.

On the nose aromas that bring to mind cassis cream with gunpowder and cherry puree. Cedary with note as well of dead leaves and barnyard. On the mouth, full body. Structured and racy with lots of finesse. Nice roundness in the mouth with fine and ripe tannins. At its point at the moment. 95/100.

Over the years, I have barely bought Bordeaux for my cellar as the prices have become quite unreasonable to be polite. But I am looking foward to buy more Cru Burgeois.

 

Serious Amarones

08 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by in Italy, Tasting Notes, Veneto

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As we approach the fall season, I cannot stop thinking of an all time  Italian favorite wine for this fresh and cool time of the year, Amarone.

Amarone  della Valpolicella is made to be guzzled  down with gusto sitting by the fire with a piece of hard cheese such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Gorgonzola. It also is great with dark chocolate. Made by the Appasimento method, a technique used in the Veneto to concentrate flavors and aromas in wine. Amarone has a long history dating back to ancient roman times and was created by accident. It was a variation of Recioto, a sweet red wine of the region.

This big boy from Veneto is made mainly by local varieties that include Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara. It can also include other indigenous varieties such as Croatina, Negrara and Oseletta. The end result is a percentage mix of the varieties. The production techniques as mentioned by the Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella are as follows:

Corvina (from 45 to 95%), nevertheless the presence of Corvinone is allowed to the extent of 50% in substitution of the same percentage of Corvina and Rondinella from 5 to 30%.

Non aromatic red-berried varieties recommended and allowed to be cultivated in the province of Verona can contribute to the blend to the extent of 15% of a Doc. A maximum of 25% in total in the winemaking can be represented by grapes coming from the following grapevines:

non aromatic, red-berried varieties allowed to the cultivation in the province of Verona to a maximum extent of 15%, with a maximum limit of 10% for every single variety used

red-berried Italian varieties which have been classified as native according to the provisions of law nr..82/06, art. 2, and are allowed to be cultivated in the Province of Verona, for the remaining total amount of 10%”.

This early summer, the Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella stopped in Montreal  to present some its member wine. A few of them striked my attention. Although, there was more Valpolicella Ripasso than Amarone.

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A new producer brainchild of Giulia and Riccardo Cavedini. They are located in Marcellise, a satellite of the town San Martino Buon Albergo, situated east of Verona. They make an Valpolicella Superiore, the Amarone and a Cabernet Sauvignon.  The estate comprises 10 ha of vineyards in the hills of Marcellise. Ricardo runs the domain and take care of the vineyards while Giulia, her daughter takes care of the commercial part.

Azienda Agricola Corte Scaletta Amarone Della Valpolicella DOCG 2011

( Corvina 40%, Corvinone 30%, Rondinella)

On the nose, a remarkable palette of nuances: leather, paprika with smoke and dry black fruits. On the mouth, rich and opulent with outstanding finesse and elegance. Complex retronasal flavors that bring to mind chinese ink , cocoa and cofee. Round tannins complement the long and classy finale. Fabolous. An amazing wine with many years ahead of evolution. 95\100

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I also tasted the wines of Cantina Tinazzi, part of the group Tinazzi. They produce both wine in the Veneto and Puglia. A Venetian family wine business with operations in Puglia as well.

Amarone della Valpolicella Selezione di Famiglia 2012.

Corvina 70%, Corvinone 20%, Rondinella 10%

On the nose, jammy black fruits with lots of black peppercorn character. Full body, austere and powerful with fine but sharp tannins. Lots of flavors on the palate that brings to mind dry brown earth, cocoa with indian spices. Very long in the mouth. Will keep for two or three decades easily. 92/100
La Bastia Amarone della Valpolicella 2012.

Corvina 60%, Corvinone 20%, Rondinella 15%, Molinara 5%
Black fruit jam on the nose with hints of balsamic condimento, raspberry liquor and dark chocolate. Polished and generous on the palate, with suave but thick tannins. Modern and sensual. 90/100

Unlucky for me, I cannot get this wines in the province of Quebec, so it was a real treat to taste them. But whenever you are, if you have a chance, grab them for your fall stash.