Viva Vini Portugal!

For my generation, Portuguese table wines are forever linked to Mateus, that off-dry rosé that introduced so many of us to wine drinking (or wine-bingeing), along with such classics as Blue Nun and the faux-German Schloss Laderheim.  Oh yes, they still make it by the way.

But if you’re giving Portuguese wines a pass because you still think that they’re just about cheap rosé, then you’re missing one of the most interesting revolutions in Old World winemaking.

For many years, like other southern European wine regions, Portugal relied on co-operatives for the production of table wines.  Historically, with few exceptions, co-operatives focussed on domestic consumption, promoting quantity over quality to keep growers in business and cheap wine on the table at home.  Making things worse, the government set strict controls on winemaking, stifling innovation and the pursuit of excellence.

We've seen that change in the last 20 years.  The result is gradual shift to:

• investments in modern winemaking equipment and techniques
• favouring quality over quantity
• promoting independent winemakers at the expense of co-operatives

OK, this same story is playing out in many southern European regions.  What’s different about Portugal?

To answer that question, you have to understand the Portuguese:  reserved by nature, fiercely independent and proud of their heritage.  (The Portuguese no more like to regarded as "just like the Spanish" than Canadians like to be confused with Americans).

In winemaking, this national pride manifests itself in the devotion to Portugal’s 300 indigenous grape varieties:  Touriga Nacional, Baga, Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira among the reds; Alvarinho, Loureiro, Encruzado, and Bical among the whites.  Even Tempranillo is not Tempranillo in Portugal, it’s Tinta Roriz or (in some regions) Aragonês.

Nature has blessed Portugal with a variety of climates:  On the Atlantic coast, there’s a Maritime climate with cool breezes and lots of precipitation.  From the south comes the Mediterranean climate:  hot and dry in the summer, mild in the winter.  Along the Spanish border, there’s the Continental climate with its hot summers and cool winters, and larger temperature swings from day to night.

Add the wide variety of soils and the result is a multitude of terroirs.  This gives Portugal the opportunity to produce a wide variety of wine styles and they take advantage of it.  It might not seem easy to pin down Portugal.  But what’s the fun in that?

If, like me, you like wines that are “off the beaten track”, Portugal offers new and exciting experiences at very reasonable prices.  So when an invitation to a tasting of Portuguese wines dropped into my Inbox recently, I jumped at the chance to go.

Hosted by Wines of Portugal and ably led by Sara d’Amato, we tasted our way through 2 whites and 7 reds, followed by a white and 2 more reds with lunch at the restaurant, Play.  Most of these wines are typically Old World:  made to consume with food but there are a few that are more New World in style, just fine for sipping on their own.  But we tasted a couple of wines blended with Cabernet Sauvignon.  It just goes to show that even Portuguese winemakers can make the mistake of straying from the natural advantage that their indigenous varietals give them.  Does the world really need more Cabernet Sauvignon?

Each of the wines we tasted passed through the LCBO or Vintages in the past year.  Some may still be available if you check, except the last wine, where the 2007 vintage is now available at a much higher price.  (Organizers of tastings should put more focus on upcoming arrivals.)

Next time you’re at your liquor store, check out something different:  the new wines from Portugal.

Quinta da Aveleda 2011, Vinho Verde; $9.95; 11.5% ABV
A blend of Loureiro and Alvarinho.  Fermented and aged (on its lees) in stainless steel.  Filtered.  Citrus, grassy, and floral on the nose with citrus dominating on the plate.  Terrifically fresh acidity with a good finish.  I had a sudden craving for grilled sardines drizzled with olive oil.

Planalto Reserva Vinho Branco Seco 2012, Douro; $14.95; 12.5% ABV
A blend of Malvasia Fina, Viosinho, Gouveio, and Codega, all indigenous to Douro.  Aromas of white peach and flowers with peach and pear in the flavours.  Light-bodied, dry with a slightly oily mouthfeel.  Another great match with seafood.

Alianca Bairrada Reserva Sangalhos 2010, Bairrada; $8.75; 12% ABV
Mostly Baga, a grape variety that typically yields wines with high acidity and tannins.  That’s certainly the case here.  Aromas of red cherry and plums, with the tannins leaving a agreeably bitter aftertaste.  No oak.  As the price indicates, it’s an entry-level wine.  It's made to go with pizza.  

Quinta Dos Roques Vinho Tinto 2009, Dao; $15.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of Touriga Nacional, Jaen, Alfrocheiro, and Tinta Roriz.  Fermented in stainless steel vats with selected yeasts.  Maceration for 15 days.  Aged in French oak barrels for 9 months.  Filtered.  The aromas were somewhat muted, but red cherry and raspberry, flowers, and tar did come through.  Flavours of red fruits and a bit of spice, with both medium high acidity and tannins.  It’s another wine made to drink with food, such as a meaty stew.

Quinta Da Nespereira Vineaticu 2008, Dao; $18.95; 14% ABV
A blend of Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz.  Aromas of blackberries, spices, and herbs.  Less austere than its predecessors, this will appeal to those with a New World palate (it’s comparatively jammy).  Firm tannins.  Aged for 6 months in French oak.

Alvaro Castro Red 2008; Dao; $16.95; 13% ABV
A blend of Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz.  Aromas and flavours of black cherry and spices.  Rounder and softer mouthfeel than its predecessors; another wine that approaches a New World style.

Esporao Reserva Red 2009; Alentejo; $25.95; 14.5% ABV
A blend of Aragonês, Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Alicante Bouschet.  (I’ll let you guess which grape variety is not indigenous to Portugal.)  This is the wine that Vintages thinks should be the benchmark for Portuguese wine; it’s on the Essentials list.  As I recall from visits to Portugal, it’s also one of the most widely available wines in restaurants there.  Aromas of dark cherry, spice, and vanilla with a whack of alcohol.  Again, it’s a rounder, softer mouthfeel with jammy flavours of plum, black cherry, and vanilla.  It’s an obvious attempt to appeal to a New World palate.  Nothing distinctive from oodles of other jammy wines.  Each grape variety handpicked and vinified separately.  Fermented with cultured yeasts in open tanks, followed by Malolactic conversion in stainless steel tanks.  Aged 12 months in French (30%) and American (70%) oak barrels, than another 12 months in bottle before release.

Contraste Red 2008; Douro; $15.35; 13.7% ABV
A blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, and Sousao.  Aged in French oak (70%) for 18 months.  Aromas of plum, blackberries, and black olive.  Medium acidity and grippy tannins that should soften with more aging.  If you’re patient, then this will go well with braised meat; if not, then grill a steak.

Quinta Do Infantado Red 2009; Douro; $17.85; 14% ABV
Here’s a wine that mimics the nose and flavours of a port.  Aromas of plum, cherry, blueberry, liquorice, and chocolate, which all show up in the flavours.  Soft tannins, good acidity, and a moderately long but somewhat harsh finish.

Quinta Da Garrida Reserva White 2010; Dao; $14.95; 13.5% ABV
Encruzado, an indigenous variety.  40% barrel fermentation in French oak, then aged for 3 months.  Aromas of peach and white flowers, with flavours of peach, golden apples, and minerality.  Medium-high acidity with a slightly bitter aftertaste, which I like.  Served with beets, spinach, quinoa, blackberry, blue cheese, and star anise.

Bacalhoa Tinto Da Anfora 2009, Alentejo; $11.95; 14% ABV
A blend of Aragonês, Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, and (sigh) Cabernet Sauvignon.  Each grape variety fermented and aged separately, then blended.  Aged 12 months in oak barrels.  Aromas of black cherries, with blackberry joining them on the flavours.  Served with Cassoulet (chorizo, white beans, arugula).  Simple dish, simple wine, both well prepared.

Quinta do Portal Grande Reserva 2006; Douro; $28.95; 14% ABV
A blend of Touriga Nacional (50%), Tinto Roriz (35%), and Touriga Franca (15%).  Handpicked.  Maceration and fermentation in stainless steel tanks, followed by Malolactic fermentation.  Aged 14 months in new French oak.  Aromas and flavours of plum, cherry, liquorice, and chocolate.  Soft tannins.  You can put this one in the cellar for a few more years.  Served with Chocolate Pâté, Pink Peppercorns, Dried Cherry, and Caramel Chantilly.  It’s quite similar to Port (but without the sweetness).  Vintages recently released the 2007 at $49.  Quite the price hike from $29, but I guess that’s what a high score (93) from Parker can do for you.

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Hail Vic!

Long before I became a certified sommelier, when I was looking for guidance on what wines to buy at our local monopoly, winecurrent was one of my “go to” sources for good advice.

Even now, though I put together my own list (My Picks) for every release at Vintages, I still check out – after the fact – winecurrent’s reviews because I respect the unpretentious approach to evaluating wines.

Vic Harradine is the publisher and reviewer-in-chief of winecurrent.  In the local wine community, everyone knows Vic.  He’s a Past President of the National Capital Sommelier Guild and the Guild awarded Vic its prestigious Wine Person of the Year.  He’s also a founder of the Algonquin College Sommelier Program and its current Director of Partnerships and Outreach.  Vic is truly a pioneer in making wine appreciation accessible to many more people.

Of course, wine people well beyond the bounds of the National Capital Region also know Vic.

Vic is generous with advice, when asked.  I’ve asked Vic for his perspective on some issue or other a number of times, often trying to decipher the inner machinations of the LCBO, and Vic has always responded promptly.

This morning, the latest edition of winecurrent’s bi-weekly e-newsletter arrived in my Inbox.  In the introduction, Vic announced that winecurrent soon will publish its final edition.  Here’s Vic’s explanation:

Overall time constraints, plus recent changes to the tasting schedule of Vintages Releases caused me to re-evaluate priorities. The LCBO recently shortened considerably the access time allotted for tasting Vintages Release wines. This does not leave sufficient time in the 3½ hours now allotted to professionally taste, evaluate and write notes on those slated for review—there are +200 wines on offer. It would require multiple tastings to cover all wines properly. It’s also time for me to take on less, enjoying some downtime.     

Vic isn’t the only one who is perplexed by Vintages decision to shorten the time made available to taste wines before the release.  Vintages own Product Consultants – the men and women in white shirts whose job it is to advise customers about the products on the shelves – have also had their time for wine tasting cut back.  Why a retail operation that churns out $1.63 billion in profits sees the need to cut back on training time for its front-line staff is just one of the many customer-service puzzles at the LCBO.  (Some rainy day, I’ll do a rant on customer service at the LCBO…it won’t be pretty.)

I have no doubt that we’ll continue to see Vic at many an event where wine is the focus.  In the meantime, thanks, Vic, for many years of great wine buying advice!

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Supertaster ≠ Wine Expert ≠ Supertaster

Been busy with personal stuff lately.  So while I read about the article in the March 2012 edition of American Journal of Enology and Viticulture entitled, “Wine Expertise Predicts Taste Phenotype”, it’s taken a few days to get around to commenting.

What the researchers, Gary Pickering and John Hayes, found was that the ability to taste bitterness was higher among self-identified wine experts than among wine consumers.  According to the researchers, this means that there is a higher proportion of “supertasters” among wine experts than there are among the general population.  From there, the researchers make an amazing leap.  To quote from an article in the Globe and Mail, Gary Pickering of Brock University says

A wine critic may describe the balance between, let’s say, sweetness and acidity, or sourness and astringency, or fruit and wood.  But the overall intensity of these sensations will be different for Joe Consumer, and that’s a function of his biology. It’s not because he’s not clever or smart or verbose or because he lacks lots of experience.  

But is expertise nature or nurture?  Are wine experts born supertasters or do they become supertasters, or simply become more discerning, with practice and experience?  And is Joe Consumer condemned to a life of wine unappreciation simply because he isn't a supertaster?

I immediately thought of Malcolm Gladwell’s 2008 book, Outliers:  The Story of Success.  In this book, Gladwell explains the 10,000-Hour Rule:  Skill requires lots of time…greatness requires enormous time.  Gladwell cites examples of greatness (The Beatles, Bill Gates, himself - !) who practiced and developed their skills and – eventually – their greatness, over many hours…10,000 hours.  Reaching the 10,000-Hour Rule, which Gladwell considers the key to success in any field, is a matter of practicing a specific task 20 hours of work a week for 10 years.

Although I haven’t reached greatness as a wine expert, becoming a certified sommelier required many, many hours of practice in being able to discern and describe the appearance, aromas, tastes & structure, texture, and finish of a wine.   In that time, I became far more skilled at discerning all those dimensions, but especially aromas and tastes.  I’m no supertaster, but I know that, through sheer practice, I am far more skilled at identifying aromas and tastes than Joe Consumer.  I totally disagree with Pickering's assertion that the reason that Joe Consumer cannot taste what I do isn't because “he lacks lots of experience”.  It's precisely that.    Joe just hasn’t put in the time.  And probably doesn’t want to.

I’m sympathetic to Joe’s frustration with wine tasting notes produced by wine experts who are just trying to impress themselves and each other.  I’ve written before on What’s Wrong with Tasting Notes.  Too many wine experts simply don't keep Joe Consumer in mind when writing a tasting note.  Wine reviews are no different than any other review (films, books, restaurants); you have to relate to Joe Consumer, not Evelyn Expert.

If the failure of many tasting notes were because wine experts are disproportionately supertasters, then presumably tasting notes would make sense for the 25% of the general population who are supertasters.  I don’t have any research to back this up, but my gut tells me that isn’t so.  A supertaster who hasn’t encountered an obscure taste described in a tasting note will get no more out of that tasting note than does anyone else.

And being a supertaster will not make a wine expert.  Only practice, practice, practice does.

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What's Wrong with Tasting Notes - Part 3

I've ranted here and here about wine tasting notes.

OK, then, what should be in a tasting note?

Let’s start by getting rid of the pretence of objectivity in wine tasting. Too much of wine tasting, and the descriptions that flow from it, attempts to portray the subjective experience (or intensely private sensation) as an objective analysis. Wine tasting is mostly subjective; it varies not only from one person to the next, but varies from bottle to bottle, glass to glass, sip to sip. (Mind you, I had more than one Prof who insisted that there was only one right answer to “what do you taste in this wine?” Of course, that one right answer was the Prof’s answer.)

Are there objective aspects that we can bring to the description of a wine? I think there are. Describing terroir is objective. Describing climate is objective. Describing vinification is objective. These are factors that can explain why a wine tastes the way it does.

Tasting notes need a balance of the subjective and the objective. Terroir…climate…vinification. That’s objective. But yes, explain how a wines tastes. That’s subjective. Don’t over-specify. Don’t impress us with your tasting vocabulary. Perhaps it reminds you of an experience. (I’ve written before about how often tasters will refer back to aromas and tastes from childhood.) But explain why it tastes that way. Use the objective factors to help explain the subjective experience.

Be mercifully brief. Not as brief as Eric Asimov’s deliberately provocative suggestion of “sweet or savoury”.

Be uncomplicated.

I come back to what wine drinkers want to know: Will I enjoy the wine? Is it worth the price? What food, if any, would go well with it?

Will I enjoy the wine?
A wine drinker should be able to get a good sense of how the wine tasted. Condense the wine tasting analysis down to the essence.

• Describe the dominant aromas and flavours. Remember, it’s not a shopping list. Don’t get me wrong; unlike a well-known wine reviewer here in Ottawa, I still want aromas and flavours in the description. Use evocative but familiar references. The more specific a descriptor is, the more useless it becomes. For example, “floral” is good; “rose” should be OK; “Wild Rose of Alberta” is too obscure … unless your audience grew up on the Canadian Prairies. (Coco Krumme at slate.com has a great example from Parker’s latest edition, which describes a Bordeaux wine as having “notes of graphite, black currant liqueur, incense, and camphor”. Evocative? Yes. Familiar? Not to me! Parker not only pioneered the 100-point system; he also pioneered over-the-top wine descriptions.)
• Tell us about structure and texture, but only the foremost features.
• Above all, please, please, please, we need to know about complexity and balance.

Is it worth the price?
I’m not a fan of numerical scoring; it’s subjective, inconsistent, and are we really supposed to believe that there’s a discernible difference between 89 and 90? But wine drinkers want an assessment of “value for money”. (“Why should I pay $60 for a 90-point wine if I can buy one for $20?”) But if value for money is subjective, then what’s wrong with a simple “Yes, worth the money” or “No, pass it by” as part of the conclusion?

What food, if any, would go well with it?
Tricky, this is. Creating great food and wine pairings requires imagination, experience, and knowledge of cuisine. It’s one reason that many sommeliers spend time in the kitchen. It’s a great way – maybe the only way – to learn. And yes, very subjective. But although great matches may be elusive, good matches are not.  The key in a tasting note is simplicity and familiarity.  If we don’t want you to impress us with your tasting vocabulary, we don’t want you to impress us with your culinary knowledge either.
Is this a “food wine” or not? Many wines from the New World show better without food. Other wines, mostly from the Old World, are better with food, particularly food from the same region. It’s no accident; regional cuisines and regional wines developed in tandem; they make their wines to go with their regional food.

Brevity, simplicity, familiarity, relevance…that’s what we need in tasting notes.

For more on what's wrong with tasting notes, check out one of my favourites bloggers...Alder Yarrow...who has 2 recent related posts, one on tasting notes and the other about Gerald Asher on Wine Writing.

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What's Wrong with Tasting Notes - Part 2

In my previous post, I started my rant about wine tasting notes.

I’ve been mulling over this for a while now, and mulling inevitably leads to Googling, which brought me to a wonderful article in the Journal of Wine Economics from 2007, On Wine Bullshit: Some New Software?, written by Richard E. Quandt of Princeton University.

Professor Quandt argues that there are some topics that tend to induce bullshit and that there are some people who have a special propensity to bullshit.

In some instances, there is an unhappy marriage between a subject that especially lends itself to bullshit and bullshit artists who are impelled to comment on it. I fear that wine is one of those instances…

Oh dear…busted.

Wine tasters come in for particular attention from Professor Quandt, who assembled a list of wine descriptors that he culled from published wine tasting notes. His particular favourites are “bass” (the fish? the ale? the instrument?), olive-tinged black currant, scorched earth and spicy earth, liquorice (both root and melted), zesty mineral, velvet v. silky tannins, and the list goes on.

Like Professor Quandt, I think I know what a taster may have been trying to convey with each of those terms (OK, “bass” has me perplexed). But perhaps my perception is different from Professor Quandt’s, and different again from that of the author. Some tasting notes he found had 20 descriptors, including this one: “meaty, sweaty, and sweet Pinot fruit”! (To the credit of my sommelier Profs, I think that one would have received a failing grade.)

That’s what’s wrong with tasting notes: Too much deconstruction without reconstruction. Too much emphasis on the parts; not enough emphasis on the whole.

Now, I don’t underestimate the difficulty of trying to capture the whole experience of a wine. The Globe and Mail recently published a feature by Ian Brown, entitled, Foodies: Are food crazies getting their just desserts? Here’s an excerpt, but where the word “food” appears, I’ve substituted the word “wine”. It sums up the challenge.

The great [wine] writers have always known that writing or talking about [wine] per se, about the actual taste of something, is like writing about the sex act: it’s an intensely private sensation that doesn’t last long, and so should be attempted rarely, if at all.

Ah, but we have to try.

Next up...what should be in a wine tasting note.

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What's Wrong with Tasting Notes - Part 1

What do wine drinkers want to know about a wine? What’s important in a tasting note? What’s crap? And why is there so much crap in so many tasting notes today?

First, wine drinkers don’t want to know how a wine tastes. They want to know how a wine drinks. What’s the difference?

Wine drinking is the “simple” enjoyment of a wine, either alone or with food. A wine drinker wants to know, will I enjoy the wine? Is it my kind of wine? Is it worth the price? What food, if any, would go well with it?

Wine tasting, on the other hand, is an (overly?) analytical process that deconstructs a wine into 5 elements:

1. appearance (colour hue & depth, clarity)
2. aroma (individual aromas, intensity, signs of age)
3. taste & structure (individual flavours, intensity, dryness or sweetness, acidity, tannins)
4. texture (body, mouthfeel)
5. finish (length, consistency, complexity, balance)

(Some experts distribute the individual steps into different categories, but all of the components are the same.)

Wine tasting is the basis for tasting notes, those blurbs that wine writers and critics compose about a particular wine. Tasting notes incorporate the taster's experience along those five elements.

But the language used can be quite esoteric, over the top in complexity and obscurity. Sommelier programs (like the one from which I graduated) spend LOTS of time teaching wine tasting as the deconstruction of a wine, but not enough time in teaching students how to put the parts back together in a way that wine drinkers will find useful.

For example, only if we’re lucky, at the end of a tasting note, will these tasters tack on an overall conclusion and perhaps suggest a food pairing. Ah, but that last little bit is the most important, the stuff that most wine drinkers want to know.

What do we get instead? Too often it’s rambling notes that try to impress us (but only frustrate us) with listings of obscure fruits, flowers, vegetables, herbs, spices, and other elements. These notes reduce a wine to its parts, when we want to know is what the wine adds up to.

(By the way, I include myself among wine tasters who are guilty of writing overly complex tasting notes. Mea culpa.)

Like so many specialties, we wine tasters have developed a special language that those of us on the inside can understand. But that same language and analytical process can get in the way of explaining to wine drinkers why they might enjoy a wine.

It’s a bit like asking someone what it’s like to drive a Ferrari, and receiving a description of the car’s components. Yes, that can be interesting to the gearhead, but what does it FEEL like to the driver?

Next post:  More on what's wrong with tasting notes...

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Recently Tasted: Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

As a Christmas gift, I received a bottle of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Mendocino County (California), 13.5% ABV. It’s a novelty item, I suppose, a bit like other celebrity wines, although this celebrity is a thing.

Are these things worth it? Well, if you’re a fan of the celebrity, then you won’t mind paying a premium for the bottle. The winemaker makes a bit more money, the celebrity gets a cut, and we, the consumer, get a souvenir, so it’s a good deal for us and them.

The wine is the product of Wines That Rock – aka Mendocino Wine Co. – which also boasts of sustainable farming, 100% green power (solar & wind), eco-friendly packaging, and carbon neutrality.

Released in 1973, Dark Side of the Moon vies with The Wall as the best effort by Pink Floyd – David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright, all of whom are still with us except for Richard Wright, who has gone to the great gig in the sky.

We tried this wine with dinner the other night. I had been on the run all day, so I didn’t have time to let it breathe before dinner. It does speak to me of a typical California Cab. Deep garnet, which is not just any colour. You like aromas of cassis and black cherry with flavours of cassis, vanilla, and a bit of chocolate? Then you’ll like this. It’s medium-bodied, smooth, and, at 13.5%, you don’t have to worry about any brain damage.

Of course, we had to listen to the album while drinking this wine. It’s been quite a while since I’ve listened to it. (It’s not our typical dinnertime music.) I’d forgotten how bloody brilliant it is. Maybe even better during a lunar eclipse?

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Recently Tasted

Here are 3 Old World wines, all better with food than on their own.  The way it should be.

UMANI RONCHI MONTIPAGANO 2009, DOC Montepulciano D'Abruzzo (Italy); #134585; Price: $12.95; 13.0% ABV
100% Montepulciano (organic). Bright purple colour. Aromas of black cherry, plum, and dried herbs. Flavours of cherry and plum, nicely balanced by medium acidity and velvety tannins. Medium bodied, the finish is a bit short but it’s only $13. Good, simple wine for simple Italian dishes, like pizza and pasta Bolognese.

REAL COMPANHIA VELHA EVEL TINTO 2007, DOC Douro (Portugal); #190694; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV
A blend of the Douro varieties of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo), Tinto Cao, and Touriga Francesa. Aged in Portuguese oak barrels. Plum, blueberry, leather, and a meaty aroma on the nose. The plum and blueberry flavours are outweighed by its chalky tannins and mouth-watering acidity, but a beef or lamb stew would balance that out. Medium bodied.

CHÂTEAU LECUSSE CUVÉE SPÉCIALE 2008, AC Gaillac (France); #198937; Price: $14.95; 13.5% ABV
100% Fer, a regional grape variety. Still purple in colour, there’s a lot on the nose: blackberry, plum, black olive, black tea, smoky, tar, liquorice. It’s the blackberry and black olive flavours that dominate in the mouth. Full bodied with good length. The chewy tannins need to soften…will they over time? Better yet, match it with duck confit or steak with Béarnaise sauce.

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Recently Tasted

PERRIN NATURE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2009, AC Cotes du Rhone (France); #948059; Price: $ 16.95; 13.0% ABV
Grenache with a bit of Syrah. Bright cherry red in colour, aromas of cranberry, red cherry, red currant, anise, something floral, and (just at the beginning) a bit of meatiness. The cherry comes through on the flavours, with moderate acidity and soft tannins. Reminds me more of a Pinot Noir than a Rhone wine! Medium-bodied. It’s balanced but everything is muted, which is surprising from one of the better producers in the southern Rhone. Better than the 2007. But great with roast chicken.

PIKES TRADITIONALE RIESLING 2009, Clare Valley (Australia); #66894; Price: $19.95; 12.0% ABV
Good intensity of aromas: tangerine, lime, peach, orange blossom, red apple, and minerality. Wonderfully zingy acidity with the lively lime, green apple and minerality coming through in the flavours at first, then peach shows up at the finish. Medium-bodied, it’s has a good long finish with the flavours and acidity echoing all the way. Fermented in stainless steel with cultured yeast. Good example of Clare Valley Riesling! Capable of 10 years of aging.


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Recently Tasted: SERGIO MOTTURA POGGIO DELLA COSTA GRECHETTO 2008

100% Grechetto, an underappreciated white varietal from central Italy. The back label says it's made from organic grapes.  Aged on its lees in stainless steel. Aromas of white peach, flowers, and almonds. The peach really dominates on the flavour, with an agreeably bitterness at the back…a bit like rolling a peach pit around in your mouth. Good acidity too, with medium length. Medium-bodied.  The bottle says 14% ABV but that seems higher than what I get.  Great match with broiled scampi.

Even more interesting is the description of the wine at the bottom of the front label. Is this what happens when the folks on the label machine sample too much of the product?




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Recently Tasted: QUINTA DOS ACIPRESTES RESERVA 2007, DOC Douro

QUINTA DOS ACIPRESTES RESERVA 2007, DOC Douro (Portugal); #167627; Price: $21.95; 14.0% ABV
A blend of Touriga Nacional and Touriga Francesa.  Dark purple (uh, like a young Port).  Aromas of plum, prunes, stewed cherries, raisins, blackberry jam, sweet spice (cinnamon, clove), vanilla, and dark chocolate.  Some heat on the nose.  In the mouth, it's prune, stewed cherries, raisins, and wood.  Yes, wood.  (Aged in American, French, and Eastern European oak...so they could be over the top.)  Full-bodied.  Moderate length.  Aggressive acidity and grainy tannins that linger longer than the fruit.  But it's the woody taste that stays through to the finish.

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Recently tasted: MALIVOIRE GUILTY MEN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009, VQA Niagara Peninsula

MALIVOIRE GUILTY MEN SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009, VQA Niagara Peninsula; #186254; Price: $19.95; 12.5% ABV
Pale yellow colour.  The aromas hit all the New World bases for a Sauvignon Blanc:  white grapefruit, lots of fresh herbal notes (wet grass, asparagus, green beans), and minerality.  Has the racy acidity to match the white grapefruit, lime, and minerality flavours.  Good length.  I like it!  Too bad they make so little.

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Recently Tasted: KAMANTERENA XYNISTERI 2008

KAMANTERENA XYNISTERI 2008, Paphos (Cyprus); #179911; Price: $11.95; 12.4% ABV
100% Xynisteri, native to Cyprus.  Aromas of stewed, even rotten, red apples at first, then hazelnut, pine, some minerality.  Definitely oxidized, can't be sure if this is the style (like some Italian whites).  Flavours are somewhat weak with lemon-lime and red apple coming through.  Seems flat, past its prime; one of those wines that's meant to be consumed as soon as possible and doesn't travel well (like Fendant).  Medium acidity that fades quickly, nothing lasts too long.  Have to go to Cyprus to try a fresh bottle!

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Recently Tasted: FONTANAFREDDA GAVI DEL COMUNE DI GAVI 2009

FONTANAFREDDA GAVI DEL COMUNE DI GAVI 2009, DOCG Gavi (Piedmont, Italy); #75440; Price: $15.95; 12.5% ABV
100% Cortese.  Light yellow.  Weak aromas of lemon, white flowers, and wet stones.  It offers lemon, minerality, and some nuttiness for flavours.  Lacks just enough acidity, so make sure you serve this chilled or it's a bit light and flabby.  The lemon and nutty flavours come through to a pleasantly bitter finish.  Another Italian that's better with food...which is how they make 'em.

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Recently Tasted: PIERI AGOSTINA 2007, DOC Rosso di Montalcino

PIERI AGOSTINA 2007, DOC Rosso di Montalcino (Italy); #163121; 14% ABV; $28
Surprisingly pale cherry colour, even for a Rosso.  Aromas of red cherry, cranberry, plum, dried herbs (black tea), spice (anise), and leather.  It's the fruit flavours that come through on the palate through to the finish with some tart acidity and suede tannins.  Medium bodied, moderate length.  Definitely a food wine, try it with some fresh pasta in a tomato sauce.  Good but over-priced.  Great label.

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Recently Tasted: NICOLAS MAILLET 2008, AC Mâcon-Verzé

NICOLAS MAILLET 2008, AC Mâcon-Verzé (Burgundy); #702605; Price: $19.95; 13.0% ABV
Classic white burgundy appearance of medium yellow with gold hues.  Surprisingly assertive aromas of tree fruit (peach, pear, and red apple), some pineapple, nuts, vanilla, and buttery notes from the oak.  In the mouth, it's the red apple that comes through, with some green apple, and underripe pear.  Good acidity, crisp mouthfeel.  Pretty good length, with the apple flavours and acidity lasting through to the finish.  Good value!

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Languedoc Tastings

Notes on some wines tasted (well, more than just tasted) in Languedoc:

Chateau de Mauvanne Rosé 2009, AC Cotes de Provence; 13.5% ABV

A medium coral colour so typical of a Provençal rose. Red fruit aromas, some floral notes with a bit of pepper. The flavour is cherry.  Very refreshing acidity. Medium-bodied. Nicely balanced with a medium length. I’m guessing it’s mostly Grenache with Cinsault.  What a rosé should be.

Le Castellet Rosé 2009, AC Bandol; 14% ABV

A no-name rosé that trades on the caché of the Bandol name. Disappointing. If you like Miller Lite, you’ll like this. Little fruit or acidity. Does that make it well-balanced?

Clos Marie L’Olivette - Pic St Loup 2008, AC Coteaux du Languedoc; 13.5% ABV

A blend of Grenache (52%), Syrah (48%) and Mourvèdre (2%). Aromas of blackberry and cassis, Garrigue (dried herbs), spices, liquorice, leather, and…black olives! Flavours of blackberry and, yes, those black olives. Medium-high tannins and medium acidity. Good length. Delicious!

Divine Justine Rosé 2009, IGP Vins du Pays du Rhone
A blend of Caladou (a cross between Grenache and Cot…aka Malbec), Merlot, and Cabernet. Aromas and flavours of strawberry and cherry. Very refreshing. Made by the Maison de Sade. As in the Marquis de Sade. (IGP means Indication Geographic Protégée, a EU designation that seems to becoming popular with winemakers whose wines don’t qualify for Appellation Contrôlée status.)

Domaine la Colombette 2006, Vin de Pays des Coteaux du Libron (Languedoc); 13% ABV
Aromas and flavours of raspberries, Garrigue, and spices. Both acidity and tannin are very soft and supple. 100% Lladoner Pelut, a Catalan clone of Grenache. Medium finish.

Ermitage du Pic St Loup - Cuvée Sainte Agnès Blanc 2008, AC Languedoc; 12.88% ABV
We tried their red, now here’s their white. Aromas of citrus and quince, white flowers, almonds, and hazelnuts. The fruit flavours dominate on the palate. Medium acidity; smooth mouthfeel. Very good; we like these guys. A blend of Roussanne (50%), Clairette (20%), Marsanne (15%), and Grenache Blanc (15%).

Grand Enclos de Riffat 1994, AC Pomerol; 12% ABV
Interesting. Bricky ruby in colour. Faded aromas of cassis and blackberry, supplanted by cedar and pencil shavings, as well some spices. The fruit comes through more on the flavour but is short on the finish. Soft tannins and medium acidity. Light-bodied by today’s measures. Very supple.  Thanks, Bob!





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