Category Archives: Tasting Notes

A Cabernet for a rainy day

11 Wednesday Sep 2019

Posted by in Argentina, Tasting Notes

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One of the things that enjoy about the fall is to enjoy a glass of wine on a rainy evening

Red wine, cool temperature and light rain is a holy Trinity for me.

I pull out an Argentinian Cabernet from my cellar and it was just what I needed for this pre-fall weather

The Terrazas de los Andes 2015 ( SAQ # 13551371, $19.95 for the 2016 vintage) is soulful with a rich nose redolent of cassis and black berry jam with touches of graphite and menthol. It’s structured with muscular tannins with a long finale. You can drink it now or buy a few bottles and cellar it for 5-7 years. It’s worth it!!.

I paired with BBQ pork tenderloin, grilled veggies and rapini with chickpeas

Foradori Morei Teroldego 2017

05 Friday Jul 2019

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I like wines that reflect a terroir and mirror the nature where they are born. As my wine taste matures , I definitely want wines that reflect typicity rather than too much expertise of the winemaker

The wines of Foradori are not new to me. In a previous wine drinker life, I used to be a big fan of Granato, the flagship wine of Elisabetta. This super Northern Italian red took Teroldego to International wine stardom. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy Granato but nowadays prefer a fresher natural version of Teroldego.

Morei represents for me an evolution in the style of Elisabetta. This single Vineyard Teroldego submerges the drinker right away into an Alpine haze. Here, we are far away from the concentration and flashiness of Granato and into a finer expression of Teroldego

This Teroldego spends 8 months in amphorae for fermentation and aging. Definitely this method contributes for the vibrancy and energy of this Dolomite Rosso. It has an incredible perfume of fresh mountain herbs and scrub. A sense impression so powerful that it brought out childhood summer vacations to the Dolomites.

On the palate, the wine mirrors well the stony Terroir of Campo Rotaliano. Beautiful crunchy red fruit with a delicious acidity and incredible finesse. But above all, is the mesmerizing minerality that Morei display that fascinates me. This wine is the unquestionable proof that biodynamics works in the vineyard ( if you ever wondered)

Elisabetta join ranks with Arianna Occhipinti and Elena Pantaleoni in a group of female Italian winemakers that are charting a new direction for Italian wine in the 21st century

Teroldego Morei 2017 is available through private import by Oenopole ( $58, 6 pack case)

Two “Blue Chip” roses for Spring celebrating

01 Monday Apr 2019

Posted by in France, Rhone, Tasting Notes

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In the investment world, Blue Chip companies are the captains of their industry. These are safe and profitable enterprises that can weather adverse economic conditions and still deliver a consistent return on investment.

How does this apply to wine?. A wine producer or estate must be able to deliver a consistent and high quality product vintage after vintage. It is understandable that a wine will reflect the character of its vintage but the winemaker must be able to navigate adverse conditions and deliver a sound product. After all, in a pragmatic perspective, wine is just an economic commodity with an opportunity cost.

Who are the blue chips estates of wine?. These are the grand chateaux of France, the famous Tuscan or Spanish estates to mention a few. What do they have in common?. These producers have an established track record of consistency in wine production.

This concept can also be micro applied as well not only to the most famous name but also the small artisanal producer. What’s important to remember is result consistency.

Bottom line: treat your wine drinking like your money investing strategy and you won’t be disappointed.

Whispering Angel is the successful commercial brand of this famous Provence rose from Caves D’Esclans by Sacha Lichine. Bordelais by origin, Sacha has worked in every aspect of the wine industry. The notoriety of this wine can be attributed not only from its magnificent terroir and winemaking but as well to the business acumen of Monsieur Lichine. Sacha’s American business education and broad International wine industry experience has served me strategically well to promote his wine and overall Provence rose wine drinking.

Whispering Angel sells in more than 100 countries worldwide and has 20% market share just in the U.S wine market. It’s success can be attributed because it is well perceived among all the stakeholders of the wine industry: From the millennial wine critic to the most demanding wine critic.

This is a majority blend of Grenache, Rolle, Cinsault, Syrah and Tibouren. Pretty nose of cantaloupe, white peonies with a very refreshing acidity. Quite an appetizing wine that would be awesome with grilled seafood. At the SAQ for $26.90 ( 11416984)   for the 2018

Another all time favorite rose of mine is Domaine de la Mordoree Tavel 2017. Tavel is the only appellation in the Rhone Valley that strictly produces rose wine. Tavel roses have more weight and structure than your standard French rose wine. The aromas are spicier with darker fruit undertones, kind of like walking the fine line towards a light red wine.

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Domaine de la Mordoree is the project of father and son Francis and Christophe Delorme. Its  vineyard holdings group together 50 ha in 8 municipalities across 38 parcels in the Rhone Valley. In 30 years, Francis Delorme elevated this domaine and  consequently the appellation to one of the best of the Rhone Valley and the world.

Sadly Christophe passed away in 2015 but his work legacy continue in the hands of her wife and daughter Madeleine and Ambre. This domaine is in  totality biological with a biodynamic approach.

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Spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce and tuna rio mare

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2 Pizzas: tomato meat sauce and rapini with mushrooms

La Dame Rousse is a mix of Grenache 60 % Cinsault 10% Syrah 10 % Mourvèdre
10% Clairette 5% Bourboulenc 5%. The vineyards are relatively old ( 40 years) and they grow in a mix of terroir that include rocky and sandy soils

Very pleasant on the nose with floral aromas reminiscent of potpourri, watermelon with a hint of violets and strawberry ganache. Dry and structured on the palate with a perfect tension between acidity and ripe fruit. Smoky finale.

One of the few roses that  can stand up to savoury flavors of tomato based pastas and pizzas. The 2017 retails at the SAQ for $31.25 ( 12376881). It is a must buy for your upcoming BBQ’s as well.

asparagus barbecue cuisine delicious

Grilled pork tenderloin with asparagus

Disclaimer: The above wines were tasted at my local SAQ outlet in Repentigny, Quebec. The author does not have any commercial relationship with the importers and these were not samples. 

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

Posted by in France, Tasting Notes

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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.

Reds

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.

gogh

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.