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Here are a few worthwhile bottles gleaned from Millésime Bio, a
feet-friendly organic wine show
held in Narbonne (Languedoc, France) in January 2005, which include a number of
biodynamic producers. As you can see, I was particularly fond of André Kleinknecht's
classic Alsace wines...
 Domaine
de
Malavieille - Coteaux du Languedoc
2002 Alliance - Sweet blackcurrant fruit tinged with rustic leather
notes, soft yet dry tannins and elegant length.
87
2001 Permien vieilles vignes
(Carignan Grenache Cinsault Mourvèdre
Syrah) - rustic and leathery with mint undertones, tight mineral
mouthfeel and firm tannins but plenty of nice fruit.
90-92
Domaine de Valescure
- Languedoc
2003 Chardonnay, Vin de Pays du Gard - Nice elegant apple and white
peach fruit style, crisp mineral palate showing subtle concentration.
87+
2004 Gris de Gris rosé, Vin de Pays -
Intense berry and dried redcurrant fruit style, lovely crisp length and
delicate concentration. 87+
Domaine des Soulié - Saint-Chinian
2001 Ch. Soulié des Joncs - minty blackcurrant notes lead to
smokier palate, shows nice fruit and grip with spicy finish.
87-89
Le Petit Domaine de Gimios - St. Jean de
Minervois
Rouge de Causse vieilles vignes, Vin de Table (Carignan
Aramon Grenache Cinsault Alicante) - actually 2003 vintage but
she's not interested in AOC rules, also doesn't use sulphur or SO2
anywhere. 'Sweet' liquorice and dark chocolate, dry tannins supported by
lovely ripeness; delicious fruit v firm structure, unusual.
88-90
2000 Vin de Liqueur (Muscat petits grains,
115 gr/litre residual sugar) - lovely honey and maturing dried fruits,
intense bite v that sweetness, long and refined.
90+
Château Pech-Latt -
Corbières
2002 Alix - smoky ripe notes with herbal minty edges, firm
framework with good depth of fruit and length.
88-90
2001 Vieilles Vignes (Carignan,
Grenache, Mourvèdre & Syrah) - also
smoky with lovely concentration, herbal v rich fruit; soft maturing edges
v power and structure. 90-93
André Kleinknecht
- Alsace
2002 Auxerrois vieilli en barrique - Toasty but lively blackcurrant
leaf fruit, pungent and mineral v fat and creamy, fresh acidity to finish.
89
2002 Gewurztraminer - Lovely pure lychee and rose water style,
shows nice bite v perfumed fruit with more elegant and dry finish compared
to other Gewurz. 89
2002 Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr - Rich and oily but
has lovely youthful fruit too, very concentrated leading to tight fine
length. 92-94
2002 Muscat - Still very fresh aromas, lively and quite
concentrated palate, very dry with subtle acidity v developing fruit.
88-89
2003 Pinot Gris - Not revealing much on the nose at this stage,
richer honeysuckle palate with good concentration, tight closed up finish;
wait and see. 87-89
2002 Pinot Noir - Attractive perfumed v savoury cherry notes, a
touch of tannin with nice fruit and elegant length.
87-89
2003 Riesling - Very floral racy style, chalky lime fruit on a
tight palate with refreshing lively finish. 87-89
2002 Riesling Grand Cru Kirchberg de Barr - Attractive ripe oily
Riesling nose, quite intense citrus and mineral palate set against rounder
grapey backdrop, dry finish with subtle acidity and length. Try with
scallops in a pepper, herb and pastis sauce.
90-92
Dominique Frey
- Alsace
2002 Riesling Vieilles Vignes - Aromatic and zesty v ripe oily
fruit, tight bite on its elegant length. 88-90
Domaine Emmanuel Giboulot
- Burgundy
2003 Côte de Beaune, La Grande Chatelaine (Chardonnay)
- Toasty lactic style, quite rich and concentrated with soft buttery
fruit, weighty mouthfeel lacking a bit of fresh bite perhaps, but nice
drinking now. 87-89
Jean-Claude Rateau - Burgundy
2001 Beaune 1er Cru, les Bressandes - nice 'sweet and savoury'
style builds to more austere palate, tight and long turning a touch bitter
but should develop and round out... 87-89
Steffens-Kess
- Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
2004 Riesling trocken - Lovely elegant clean zesty style, tight
steely length v subtle extract. 87-89
Macatela
- Castilla
2004 Tempranillo rosado, Vino de la
Tierra - Plenty of appealing quaffable strawberry fruit, ripe and juicy
finish. 85
Bodegas Lezaun - Navarra
2002 Crianza (Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot) - lively blackcurrant aromas, very firm structure yet has
nice depth of fruit too, oak is well done; needs a few months to round
out. 87-89
Aroa Vinedos - Navarra
2002 Deierri (Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon
Tempranillo) - light vanilla aromas backed up by lively fruit and
very grippy tannins; nevertheless balanced with quite powerful finish.
87-89
Hochkirch Wines - Victoria (Aus)
2003 Maximus Pinot Noir - attractive smoky 'sweet and savoury'
nose, silky and ripe v elegant firm structure.
90-92
2003 Riesling - zesty limey v ripe grapey fruit, nice
extract and concentration v zest and bite. 88-90
Majnoni Guicciardini - Chianti
2001 Riserva - smoky dried red fruits with tobacco tones, pretty
firm bite of tannins and acidity but has textured 'sweetness' too; power v
finesse on the finish. 88-90
Millésime Bio 2006: more lovely
wines and comments on organic-ness.
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