"Order my book on the Roussillon wine region (colour paperback) DIRECT FROM ME SAVING £4/€4 (UK & EU only), or Kindle eBook on Amazon UK. Available in the USA from Barnes & Noble in hardcover, paperback or eBook; or Amazon.com. For other countries, tap here." Richard Mark James

01 March 2010

Roussillon: Domaine de la Coume Majou, Corneilla-de-la-Rivière

Belgian Luc Charlier has a cosy garage cellar next to his house in sleepy Corneilla, but his 10 ha (25 acres) of vineyards are scattered around the villages of Maury, Estagel and Tautavel. He bought the former in 2005 and latter in 2004 thereby joining the growing band of new wave, take a chance on a dream winegrowers. "I originally wanted to buy in Bandol but the prices are much too high," he told me. "The Roussillon is the least expensive, and I discovered and liked the area's wines thanks to the great Gérard Gauby." Luc also firmly believes, like his fellow Maury growers, that "we have the best Grenache in the world along with Chateauneuf, Rasteau etc."
Luc also said he's aiming for "perhaps" three red cuvées - one from Syrah + press wine, the Majou main label based on Grenache/Carignan and cuvée Casot, mostly Grenache from his best Maury sites. His unusual rosé is made from Syrah, white Macabeu, Grenache Gris plus free-run (red) Grenache juice. However, Luc doesn't really believe in Syrah in this region "unless it's high up or in good chalk/clay soils, such as Vingrau, Tautavel or Rasiguères." Another striking and original feature of Coume Majou is the absence of barrels in the cellar: for the moment, the wines are kept in vat before bottling (good call, I'm getting very bored of oaky wines anyway!).

Posted February 2007 when I tasted these:

2006 rosé tank sample (12%, 8 grams/litre residual sugar) - rounded full and creamy with crisp vegetal edge and a touch of dry tannin too, off dry with fresh acidity.
2006 Casot tank sample (15%) - lovely ripe cherry and liquorice fruit v firm bitter twist and freshness, elegant concentration and depth of fruit, powerful but not too.
2005 Cuvée Miquelette - wild black and red fruits, ripe and rich v lively freshness, grip and alcohol; powerful but very fruity. 87
2005 Cuvée Majou (15%) - darker and richer black cherry/currant with pepper and liquorice notes, delicious depth of fruit v power and firm tight length, lively yet quite soft finish. 90
Coume Majou wines are currently only available direct, or in selected wine shops in Belgium at a somewhat bold €15-€25. Update September 07: Luc is going to make a small amount of Maury VDN from the 2007 vintage; and the French Guide Hachette 2008 has been saying nice things about his wines. More info to follow...


Coume Majou update autumn/winter 2008
Okay, so it took over a year: here are a few notes and thoughts following a re-visit chez Luc (who speaks very good English by the way, with an occasional "wee" thrown in even thanks to a former Scots girlfriend). It was good to taste a few Coume Majou reds from all three vintages bottled to date - 2005/06/07 - as well as 08 tank samples, which gave me a nice overview of how the wines are developing and which ones look particularly promising. On the vineyard front, Luc said he's very happy with the state and health of his vines, having done a lot of work on the ground (see picture above). And the relationship with his consultant winemaker seems to work well in terms of pushing the boat out a bit without taking any major risks (chemical or bacterial I mean). By the way, Luc uses up to 10% press wine in some of these blends, which he finds surprisingly smooth while adding extra structure. Wines sampled October 08, notes posted belatedly Dec. 08:
2007 rosé Vin de pays des Côtes Catalanes (mostly early-picked Syrah + a smidgen of old-vine Macabeu, 11.5%) - attractive elegant v creamy style, plenty of red fruits with mineral edges, crisp fresh finish. 87
2008 rosé (mostly Syrah + the 3 Grenaches) - fragrant rose petal and red fruits, very crisp mouth-feel (it will undergo malo-lactic fermentation to make it rounder) v appealing yeast-lees texture. Should be very nice.
2006 L'Eglise de Coume Majou (blend across all sites of Syrah Carignan Grenache, 13.5%) - herbal black cherry notes, getting some smoky development and liquorice on the palate too with a spicy cassis finish. €10: special blend for his Belgian importer. 85+
2006 Cuvée Majou Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache from Estagel and Maury + his best Carignan + Syrah, 15%) - spicy liquorice v turning savoury and meaty, punchy palate but balanced with nice dry texture v lush beginning-to-mature fruit. 87-89
2005 Cuvée Majou - more savoury with tobacco tones; still lively and powerful v firm tannins and tasty dried fruits, Italianesque style. 89
2007 Cuvée Majou - more cherry and plum fruit on the nose; peppery and liquoricey on a quite firm backdrop v underlying lushness, nice balance of power and panache. 89+
2005 Cuvée Miquelette (Maury Grenache + Carignan + press wine, 14.5%) - fairly firm still yet has intriguing spicy herbal fruit v chunky palate v underlying 'sweetness'. 87
2007 La Loute de Coume Majou Vin de pays des Côtes Catalanes (100% 1922 Carignan 14.5%) - peppery and 'earthy' v rich and fruity; firm 'chalky' and fresh structure with lovely, well-balanced, weight and length. €20 90+
2006 Cuvée du Casot Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Grenache + 1922 Carignan, 15%) - perfumed liquoricey and peppery; concentrated, very solid mouth-feel although with attractive rounded tannins, closes up a little leaving a dark chocolate coating. A foodie: black pudding or fillet steak with a pepper sauce perhaps! 90-92
2007 Maury cuvée Jolo (Grenache + a little Lladoner Pelut, no oxidation, 16% and 113 gr/lt residual sugar) - juicy dark cherries and chocolate with lightly meaty edges, surprisingly savoury thanks to those tannins cutting through the sweetness, nice fruity punchy finish. 88-90
2005 Cuvée du Casot (15%) - maturing savoury notes v peppery lush liquorice and blackberry/cherry/currants; tasty and rich v firm textured + leather undertones, big fruity blast v lively structured finish. Better still after one day open. 90+


Update March 2010
2008 Le Rosé (mostly Syrah planted in 2002 from Coume de la Majou itself, near La Dona between Corneilla and Estagel) - light and clean style with refreshing edges and gently oily red fruits; drink up now.
2009 Le Rosé (mostly Syrah + 1/4 white grapes: most of the latter where eaten by wild boar in 08, hence the slightly different blend! 11.5%) - floral and fresh with mouth-watering palate, subtle ripe red fruits vs crisp elegant and dry finish; nice light quaffable rosé. 80-85
2009 Casot (tank sample so probably: 75% Grenache & Carignan from Estagel planted in 1922 + 1982 Lladoner Pelut) - lots of pure aromatic dark cherry and liquorice, rich vs juicy with dry yet attractive tannins; powerful and concentrated layered with delicious black fruits, nice "chalky" tannins and fresh acidity too; the 15% blends in well, very promising. 90+
By the way, the "powers that be" have finally adapted the rules for Côtes du Roussillon Villages reds from the 09 vintage onwards: you only have to have two varieties in the blend with Syrah no longer mandatory, although there's still a maximum percentage of Carignan stipulated at 40% with the other grape being up to 70%. So, some progress then!
2007 L'Eglise (45% Syrah + Grenache Carignan, 13% alc.) - leafy cassis and herby aromas (light reduction even?); quite rounded mouthfeel vs some crunchy towards green notes, needs more time to round out?
2008 La Loute old Carignan (14.5%) - still quite closed up, although shows some nice crunchy vs sweet blueberry flavours; beginning to turn tobacco-y with firm, tight and crisp finish even; has concentration vs almost tart mouthfeel, although I like that crunchy vs ripe and peppery fruit and elegant length. A foodie wine needing 6+ months to calm down a bit! Sells for €25 in Belgium. 87+
2005 Miquelette - hints of complex sulphide notes, mint and eucalyptus too; darker liquorice palate vs again has that refreshing bite, power and depth of fruit vs "chalky" finish and savoury notes as well. 85+
2007 Majou - again a tad reductive/herbal/minty on the nose; moves on to concentrated dark cherry fruit with peppery tones, firm and crisp finish. Still a bit young but I like that grip, sweet fruit and oomph combo. €15 Belgium. 87-89
2007 Casot - more closed yet punchier with herby tobacco edges; riper black fruits with coffee tones, very dense and firm/fresh vs rounded and rich, powerful tight finish. With aeration, I got sweeter liquorice flavours; and it was more accessible still with duck fillet! 90+
2008 Jolo Maury VDN (98 y-o Grenache 17% alc.) - lovely dark fruits, damson and blackberry, beginning to turn tobacco-y; attractive bite and solid tannins, not very sweet actually with lively mouthfeel; a bit fiery at the moment but it's a delicious concentrated "vintage" style Maury. 87-90


Luc also had these two wonderful, other-country wines open (thanks again!):
1995 Fritz Haag Riesling Auslese: see "wines of the moment" here (goes to my other blog).
1990 Grahams Malvedos Port - complex oxidising notes vs still lush with dark damson and liquorice fruit; nice tannins, the alcohol's a touch glowing but a very attractive Port indeed.
11 rue de l'Eglise, 66550 Corneilla de la Rivière.
Tel: 04 68 51 84 83, coumemajou.jimdo.com

Roussillon: Château de Caladroy, Bélesta

Overall, a quite impressive, even if large range and sometimes not exactly fantastic value, from this revitalised château "up in them there hills..." Although once again, on the first occasion below, I was least impressed by the supposed top wine; all dolled up in "impressive" new oak and rather heavy winemaking (knock this fashion on the head please!). Anyway, the rest are mostly rather tasty and better value for money in MHO.
A wee bit of history is called for, as Bélesta really is an extraordinary wee place lost in time; just like Caladroy itself, which is found on the twisting road on the way in from the Forca Réal pass. Originally, the château was built in the 12th Century to defend the border between France and "Spain" (hence the village’s full name), or rather Catalonia/Aragon depending on the date (
click here for a fascinating summary of the region's complicated history). Restored and rebuilt over the years, it reflects a mixture of architectural styles depending on who was paying. The Saint Barthélémy de Caladroer chapel dates from the same time, and the Maurin family, who owns the estate, had the bright idea of turning it into a discreet tasting cellar. You can also buy their unusual grape juice jams (Muscat or Grenache: try with different cheeses), cooking-friendly red wine vinegar (great for caramelising onions or meat) and delicious untreated olive oil. This first batch of wines was tasted at the Fenouillèdes wine show, held in April 2007 in Tautavel:


2006 Rosé des Vents Côtes du Roussillon (Syrah Grenache Carignan Mourvèdre) - quite tight and zippy framework v gentle strawberry and raspberry fruit, fresh long finish. €6.20 87-89
2005 Cuvée Les Schistes Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Syrah Grenache Carignan) - lovely juicy blackberry/cherry, perfumed v liquorice; very fruity with light tannin backdrop. €7.20 89
2005 La Cour Carrée Côtes du Roussillon Villages (25% each Mourvèdre Syrah Grenache Carignan) - similar aromas and fruit style to above but more concentrated, liquorice charm v oomph and grip, nice balance. €10 90
2004 La Juliane Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Syrah Carignan Mourvèdre Grenache) - smokier more rustic and savoury v lush black cherry fruit, firm and fresh with good length and power. €13 90-92
2004 Saint Michel Côtes du Roussillon Villages (at least half Mourvèdre plus Syrah Grenache) - lots of vanilla and chocolate oak, extracted tannins, robust closed up finish; more serious perhaps but more enjoyable? Dear at €22.

2010 update: fast-talking Serge Maurin did a full-monty tutored tasting for me in situ back in March and filled me in on a touch of extra detail. With an on-going replanting programme, sizeable Caladroy currently amounts to about 100 ha (250 acres) lying in one spot around the chateau, with certain plots at over 300m altitude. As for exports, his wines are well distributed in Denmark, Switzerland and the US (Vintage 59, Washington DC) although "not a lot" in the UK at the moment. They've also been focusing on getting people to come and visit them (you could do worse, it's a spectacular location) and now do a fairly serious turnover in direct sales.
2009 Expression de Caladroy white vin de pays (Chardonnay, Macabeu, Muscat 13.5%) - fresh pear fruit with toasty lees and vanilla notes; juicy palate with crisp bite vs subtle oak giving a rounded vs lively finish. €6.90 85
2009 Rosé des Vents Côtes du Roussillon (Syrah Grenache Carignan 13%) - very aromatic rose petal and red fruit style; fatter creamier mouthfeel vs tight, crisp and mouth-watering finish. Nice balance and elegance too. €6.50 85+
2007 Clot de la Vigne Côtes du Roussillon Villages (13.5%) - attractive simple red with juicy cherry fruit, a touch of liquorice and spice too; fruity and easy with quite soft tannins giving a tad of bite. €5.80 80+
2007 cuvée les Schistes Côtes du Roussillon Villages (14.5%) - herbal/reductive notes plus richer cassis and liquorice; vibrant fruit vs rounded grip and peppery finish, light bitter twist vs dark fruit cocktail. €7.30 87
2006 la Cour Carrée Côtes du Roussillon Villages (14%) - nice maturing "sweet" fruit with savoury edges; tighter firmer finish with light wood texture, quite elegant style; perhaps lacks a bit of depth but might improve still... €10 87
2008 Pierre Droite Côtes du Roussillon Villages (80% Mourvèdre + Syrah Carignan 14.5%) - this one's new: wilder herbal black cherry / olive with liquorice tones; very firm coating of tannins vs chocolate oak and lush fruit, tight fresh and closed up finish; promising though and has lingering floral herby vs dark fruit flavours. €15 88-90
2004 la Juliane Côtes du Roussillon Villages (mostly Syrah 14.5%) - delicious maturing nose with black cherry, developing meatier edges with "sweet/savoury" profile and some background oak spice; concentrated yet elegant with a touch of chocolate texture, still firm actually with a bitter twist vs enticing maturing fruit. Quite fine. €13 89-91
2006 Saint Michel (14.5%) - similar blend but new barrels: it's oaky but has enough substance behind all that vanilla and chocolate; tight and elegant palate with "sweet/savoury" edges, quite fine tannins actually. We'll see if that oak drops a bit, although it seems less obvious than on the 04 above, a typical 06 really. Still rather expensive though at €22! 87-89
Al Vi Réal Rivesaltes Ambré VDN (15.5%) - lovely caramelised walnut notes then more aromatic and orange peel-tinged; nice bite and twist vs rich marmalade, quite smooth and well-balanced too. €8 87-89
2007 Rivesaltes Grenat (16%) - lively fruity cassis and wild herb flavours vs dry tannins adding bite, not too sweet despite its alluring Black Forest gateau finish. €8.50 85-87
2009 Muscat de Rivesaltes - delicious, very typical grapey Muscat aromas with zesty pear notes too; nice crisp-ish edges vs all that sugar! €8 85-87
Rivesaltes Tuilé (16.5%) - complex herbal vs dark fruits, Madeira-esque and smoky with oxidising dried fruit; lovely "sweet/savoury" towards meaty palate with attractive dry bite, dense dark chocolate vs grippy tannins and complex finish. €10 90
More Caladroy under "Saint-Bacchus awards" in the 'more wine words archive', right.
66720 Bélesta de la Frontière. Tel: 04 68 57 10 25, www.caladroy.com.

28 February 2010

Winery snapshots: Australia

Featured on this page: Yabby Lake, Mornington Peninsula - Wakefield, Clare Valley - St Hallett: Barossa Valley, Eden Valley - Pirie, Tasmania - Mitchelton, Nagambie Lakes - Knappstein, Clare Valley - Greenstone, Heathcote - Clonakilla, Canberra - Paxton, McLaren Vale - Petaluma: Piccadilly Valley, Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley, Coonawarra - Cascabel, McLaren Vale - Taltarni, Pyrenees - The Lane, Adelaide Hills - Tallarook, Upper Goulburn Valley - Keith Tulloch, Hunter Valley - Peter Lehmann Wines, Barossa Valley - Mount Donnybrook, Western Australia.



Yabby Lake Vineyard - Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow fame, as in cinema, music and apparently theme parks too) founded the Yabby Lake vineyards in 1998, under the watchful eye of vineyard manager Keith Harris, on land they already owned on the Mornington Peninsula, south of Melbourne (and have also planted in Heathcote and the Strathbogie Ranges in central Victoria); and the company is now run by their "kids" Nina and Clark Kirby. As you can see from the badly cropped map (my fault), this wine region is very maritime being surrounded by the sea (obviously); and its cool climate (by Oz standards, it really is: those of you who remember Prisoner Cell Block H, might also remember the grey windy Melbourne weather backdrop in any outside shots. Must have filmed in the winter!) seems to suit Pinots (they have 21 ha of Noir and 5 of Gris) and Chardy (10 ha/25 acres) pretty well. By the way, an unusual and informative feature of their website is listing "chief viticultural hazards": autumn rain and birds, apparently. I digress: I'm glad I tried these wines at the 2010 Wine Australia London tasting, a bit of a find; and the vineyards are still quite young, so better things still should follow. Imported into the UK by Swig Wines, and there's a whole page of worldwide distributors on the site (see below).
2008 Red Claw Chardonnay - nice aromatic oaty leesy nose; subtle buttery fruit vs tight and mineral palate, lively elegant length. 89-91 £15
2008 Yabby Lake Chardonnay - similar to start although develops wilder lees edges vs creamy and full flavours/mouthfeel; again lovely crisp length, elegant structured style. 90-92 £24
2008 Red Claw Pinot Noir - lovely perfumed "sweet/savoury" nose, dried fruit edges with savoury notes; delicious pure Pinot style with refreshing bite, although a tad "hot" perhaps on the finish. £15 88
2008 Yabby Lake Pinot Noir - more delicate, complex and perfumed; again has that fine "sweet/savoury" fruit and style, firmer backbone and elegant length. 90-92 £24

Wakefield - Clare Valley, South Australia

Wakefield is the winery name they use outside of Aus, where they're known as Taylors I believe (something to do with the clout of a slightly famous Port brand, I think). Founder and still owner the Taylor family is also one of Australia's First Families of Wine, a newish association of leading estates in the style of Europe's "Primum Familiae Vini," I presume. Anyway, Wakefield is now a pretty big player at 500 ha/1250 acres of vineyards, all in the Clare Valley no less, making a broad range of wines and price points. Either I was flagging by this point at the 2010 Wine Australia London event, or I'm biased as I went to St. Andrews Uni... so I only tasted a couple of their premium reds from this blue kilt-tinged range. Stratford's Wine Agencies is the UK importer, and they've now set up a US office in Atlanta.
2004 St Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon - smoky dried cassis notes with herbal edges; lush mouthfeel vs solid tannins, concentrated and extracted vs delicious tobacco and sweet herb tones. £30 92-94
2004 St Andrews Shiraz - maturing meaty aromas with leather, dark plums and spices; complex tobacco tones vs lush black fruits vs very firm finish still. 90-92

St Hallett - Barossa Valley, South Australia

And not forgetting the Eden Valley too, where they source their consistently attractive Riesling from. A bordering on legendary name, I guess, no doubt partly due to that mythical wine, the "Old Block" Shiraz (made from "60 to 100" year-old vines in Lyndoch, Barossa, plus higher-altitude Eden fruit), although the other two, less expensive Shirazes tasted below are equally striking in their own way. You might want to NB the youthful peppery Touriga Nacional as well; perhaps a signpost that Portuguese (Douro Valley to be precise) red varieties have a promising future here, which seems to make sense. The winemaking team is headed up by Stuart Blackwell and Toby Barlow, assisted by Jeremy Ottawa (centre of attention in the pic above - must be the haircut - at last year's Barossa Wine Show: tough luck to the others but I could copy this one off their blog, but the main site is too "Flash") and Shelley Cox. St Hallett is also now owned by Lion Nathan group (see Petaluma below), by the way; and, no, I don't have shares, just happened to bump into a series of shining wineries all on the same table at Wine Australia, London Feb. 2010 (lazy, moi. Worthwhile though, no?)!
2009 Eden Valley Riesling - softer style with lime blossom aromas and juicy mouthfeel, finishing crisp and mineral. £8.99 87+
2006 Eden Valley Shiraz - offers creamy berry fruit and subtle concentration, lusher on the finish with light toasty oak; still firm vs maturing framework, quite elegant actually. 89
2008 Faith Shiraz - nice dark blackberry and pepper on the nose; lively fruity palate with chunky texture, turning savoury too with big vs rounded tannins and attractive oomph. £10 88
2006 Blackwell Shiraz - darker richer spicier and toastier; lush mouth-coating texture plus commanding power then tighter finish with meaty edges. Wow. £13 90
2006 Old Block Shiraz - smoky vs herbal nose, lush "tar" notes in the mouth; appealing grip and background wood, big spicy mouthful yet still tight and fine-grained. 92
2009 Touriga - wild ripe damson with floral peppery edges; nice rich liquorice fruit vs very solid and fresh backdrop, darker fruit finish vs lively bite. Yum. 87+

Pirie Estate - Tasmania

Highly qualified and experienced Dr. Andrew Pirie was founder and owner of Pipers Brook Vineyard in a previous life. After he sold it - cunningly taking his newly created sparkling brand with him (well, it's got his name on it after all and is one of Australia's finest fizzes) - Andrew stayed in northern Tasmania's cool-climate Tamar Valley region, later becoming head honcho and winemaker at Tamar Ridge. Over the last five years, he's been selecting fruit from the 30 ha (75 acres) he manages to create various labels for his eponymous range. And pretty impeccable it is too, Andrew seems to have real flair for Riesling and Pinot Noir in particular. Tried and tested at the 2010 Wine Australia London roadshow:
Pirie Sparkling - tasty / toasty towards Bolly style: nutty and yeast-lees flavours/textures vs crisp and elegant finish. Yum. £17 89-91
2008 South Sauvignon Blanc - lively piercing intense grassy green fruits; oilier and more exotic in the mouth, crisp asparagus touches vs a bit of weight and good length. £9.50 88+
2008 South Pinot Noir - perfumed cherry fruit with "sweet/savoury" edges; leaner Burgundy style and a bit tart at the mo perhaps, although has attractive ripe vs meaty fruit finish. £9.50 87
2007 Estate Pinot Noir - fuller and more intense, again has subtle yet delicious "sweet/savoury" style; perfumed fruit with chunkier structure, turning meaty on its wow finish. £15 90+
2007 Estate Gewurztraminer - quite lean and zesty style, still pretty crisp and tight for its age with appealing core of lychee fruit. 87+
2008 South Pinot Gris - juicy spicy and honeyed too; zesty crisp and intense, pretty authentic and tasty (dry) Alsace style. 85-87
2006 South Riesling - enticing developing oily and mineral nose; fading citrus fruit and zest, turning petrol-y and mature vs backbone of underlying acidity. 88+
2005 Estate Riesling - classy Alsace "grand cru" type profile and intensity; maturing mineral edges vs concentration, then tightens up with crisp bite still. Wow. 92+?
2007 Reserve Clark's Botrytis Riesling - complex spicy noble rot nose, lush honey and marmalade; classy rich mouthfeel vs elegant bite, pretty fine balance and style. 90+

Mitchelton - Nagambie Lakes, Victoria

Mitchelton was founded over 40 years ago by ground-breaking businessman Ross Shelmerdine and leading wine consultant Colin Preece - there wasn't a lot round these parts (90 minutes north of Melbourne in the middle of nowhere, beautifully set on the Nagambie Lakes) before they planted vineyards and built the still modern-looking winery & restaurant (pic). It's changed hands a few times since then, and Mitchelton is now another member of the fairly exclusive Lion Nathan club (see Petaluma, Knappstein et al below and above). Iconic down-to-earth winemaker Don Lewis finally retired in 2004, succeeded by Ben Haines who's aided and abetted by viticulturist John Beresford. I sampled the following at Wine Australia's 2010 tasting in London:
2007 Viognier - quite wild Rhoney kinda style with lush and exotic fruit/texture; big and fat mouthfeel, flabs out a little on the finish though (too old?).
2008 Shiraz - spicy and pure black cherry nose; quite soft and subtle vs tighter structure underneath, ripe then spicy finish; quite elegant change. £8.99 87+
2006 Crescent Grenache/Mourvèdre/Shiraz - creamy liquorice with cassis and cherry notes; quite elegant and tight on the palate showing mature vs punchy finish, attractive taut style with gamey edges. £13 87-89
2006 Print Shiraz - concentrated and vibrant mouthful with subtle oak layering, firm and punchy vs deliciously rounded. £15 90

Knappstein - Clare Valley, South Australia

The Knappstein "Enterprise Winery & Brewery," as it's called on their website (yet another flashy "Flash" thing that you can't copy images from!), was originally set up as a local brewery in the mid 19th Century, which was reopened in 2006 (I've not tried their lager, anyone out there know/like it?). As for vines, well, you can blame Tim Knappstein who established the vineyards in 1969 and who obviously found a good spot, as the wines they serve have always been consistently good. Current winemaker is Julian Langworthy, and the whole show is now part of the fairly impressive Lion Nathan group (see Petaluma below). Apparently, the winery has also been up to some environmentally friendly goings-on with a local organisation to "rehabilitate" the Hutt River that runs through Clare. These wines were tasted at the 2010 Wine Australia London extravaganza:
2009 Hand Picked Riesling (12%) - floral lime aromas with light tobacco even (what's that about?); fresh clean and lively mouthfeel, fairly easy style with attractive zesty finish. £8.49 85
2008 Ackland Vineyard Riesling (12.5%) - a step or two up: lovely oily mineral nose with complex lime flavours vs oily notes/texture; great bite with classy tight length. £10.99 90+
2007 Cabernet / Merlot - again characteristically tight, Bordeaux-leaning style; firm and punchy vs cassis and plum fruit on its quite elegant finish. £10 88
2007 Shiraz - taut and leaner style of Shiraz showing subtle peppery vs "sweet" fruit; firm framework layered with dark cherries, nice now actually. £10 87
2006 Enterprise Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon - more intricate nose with ripe blueberry, cassis, mint and a light sprinkling of vanilla; concentrated big palate with nice oomph vs fine taut tannins, still solid yet turning savoury on its classy finish. £15 90

Greenstone Vineyard - Heathcote, Victoria

The people behind this newish joint-venture and the varieties they decided to plant - mostly Shiraz (17ha/42ac) but a couple of hectares of Sangiovese and one of Monastrell/Mourvedre thrown in too - perhaps speak volumes. David Gleave MW, boss of UK importer Liberty Wines, super-qualified Italian winemaker Alberto Antonini and Mark Walpole, formerly with Brown Brothers and now vineyard manager of this "project". According to the blurb, they chose "an outstanding vineyard on the Heathcote region's red soil," which is definitely an area in central Victoria (a good trek north of Melbourne) that's nurturing some very impressive wines. And the future looks bright for Sangiovese here by the looks of it. Can't wait to try that Monastrell - why didn't they have it up for tasting at this year's (2010) Wine Australia London event, I wonder, unless it's being blended in with the Syrah already?
2006 Heathcote Shiraz - dark and lush black fruits with chocolate oak undertones; tight framework and power vs subtle bite, attractive texture and a bit of class too. £16 88+
2007 Heathcote Sangiovese - smoky Med nose with ripe Morello cherry notes, touches of oak although subtle; nice bite of tannins and acidity even vs maturing dried fruits and toasty oak backdrop. 89+

Clonakilla - Canberra District, NSW

Clonakilla apparently means "meadow of the church" in Irish, named after John Kirk's grandfather’s farm in County Clare who founded the vineyard and winery in 1971. Lying north of Canberra in New South Wales, he first planted a smidgeon of Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling later followed by Shiraz, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which in turn was gradually supplemented by more Shiraz and Riesling, Viognier for the first time and the enlarged Cabernet family. In 1998, John's son Tim purchased the adjoining 20-hectare/50-acre estate and added yet more Shiraz and Viognier with olive trees alongside.
As it says on their website, and as you can guess from that fascinating planting info I just detailed, Shiraz has performed particularly well here. Excited by what he discovered on a trip to the great Guigals in the northern Rhone, Tim started putting a dash of Viognier into their Shiraz from 1992 onwards and claims to be the first to do this in Aus. The wines may seem rather (or reassuringly perhaps) dear, but the poor things only produce 9000 cases a year although are sold in the UK, US, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada, Japan, Ireland, New Zealand... so, a couple of cases each then. This interesting Shiraz duo was tasted at Wine Australia's London bash in February 2010:
2008 Hilltops Shiraz - quite seductive spicy cherry fruit, peppery and pure with a wilder side too; subtle oak coating and rounded vs tight and firm framework. £15 88+
2007 O'Riada Canberra District Shiraz - pure minty style with dried cherry and raisin edges; solid powerful palate with again that taut feel vs wild herb/garrigue tones, captivating stuff. £27 90

Paxton Vineyards - McLaren Vale, South Australia

Pioneering viticulture consultant David Paxton established his own vineyards in McLaren Vale back in 1979, which have been farmed along biodynamic lines since 2006 (one of about 30 certified in Aus, although several others are dabbling and might head that way). He's also a member, and the only winery in Oz by the looks of it, of onepercentfortheplanet.org by the way, a non-profit organisation that receives 1% of their sales revenue, it says, to fund environmental projects. David's two sons work at the family estate - winemaker Michael and Ben who looks after cellar door, functions etc - along with "senior viticulturist" Toby Bekkers and sales & marketing guy Paul Limpus. And Loque the winery dog. Overall, there are five Paxton vineyards: the Thomas Block, Jones Block, Quandong Farm, Landcross farm and Maslin Vineyard; totalling 75 hectares or nearly 200 acres. Their UK importer is Stratford's Wine Agencies and Vinotech Selection in the US (NJ).
2009 Shiraz rosé - juicy spicy minty style, moving on to ripe oily red fruits then nice refreshing and crisp bite. £10.99 85
2007 Chardonnay - buttery, nutty, maturing, oatmeal aromas/flavours; lovely balance of rich cream and lees, maturing fruit vs mineral and still alive. £18.99 90-92
2007 AAA Shiraz Grenache - sweet liquorice vs herbal berry notes; attractive soft and juicy palate, quite mature and drinking now with subtle finish. £10.99 87+
2008 Quandong Shiraz - rich dark black fruits, spicy and punchy mouthfeel turning firm and tight; wilder savoury edges vs underlying sweetness vs dry grip closing up the finish a little. £15.50 88-90
2005 Jones Block Shiraz - maturing and meaty vs rich cassis; spicy and tasty palate, quite elegant and complex, keeps going. £18.99 90-92
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon - minty cassis with meaty/leather notes; tightens up with quite firm and solid mouthfeel, powerful and a touch austere at the mo but does show fair depth. 87
2009 Tempranillo - nice juicy glugger, dry vs "sweet" liquorice palate; could be good in a few years (young vines). 83-85
2008 MV Shiraz - ripe vs spicy and juicy, again pretty easy compared to some of the others vs a bit of bite to finish. 83-85
2006 Elizabeth Jean 100 year-old Shiraz - complex smoky nose with dark cherry, blackberry and a touch of vanilla; intense and lush palate vs herbal-edged fruit, punchy solid vs fine length and again finishing with savoury vs liquorice flavours. 90+

Petaluma - Adelaide Hills, South Australia

And more specifically the Piccadilly Valley, home to some almost legendary Chardonnay vineyards (as the source of a couple of fine benchmark Chardys); as well as newer plantings of Viognier and Shiraz elsewhere in the Adelaide Hills, the Clare Valley for Riesling and Coonawarra for mostly Cabernet and Merlot. Petaluma was owned, established and built up to an impressive quality level by emblematic winegrower/maker Brian Croser, who always seems to have plenty of interesting and punchy things to say about the Oz wine industry. He sold the winery and brand to Lion Nathan (a large Aus/NZ brewing & drinks group) a few years ago and has since set up his own label (Tapanappa), although on evidence of the wines below, standards at Petaluma haven't dropped. Tellingly perhaps, LNG also owns several other quality-focused wineries (Knappstein, Mitchelton, Stonier, Smithbrook, St. Hallett) so appears to be committed to this policy. These were tasted at Wine Australia's modestly titled London show in February 2010 (billed as "World Class Australia"):
2009 Hanlin Hill Riesling - zesty "phenolic" (those lively aromatic qualities you get from pre-fermentation skin contact) chalky tones, concentrated vs crisp palate, lively tight finish. Promising. 89-91 £10
2008 Hanlin Hill Riesling - wilder more intense style, nice concentration with oily vs zesty mouthfeel; very attractive mix of oily developing fruit vs still tight and long. 90-92 £10
2007 Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay - classy toasty buttery vs maturing complex notes vs tight and refreshing finish; lovely balance. 90-92 £15
2006 Tiers Chardonnay - toastier yet with lusher fruit and finishing on wilder, yeast-lees edges; again shows fab mix of maturing and intricate vs tight and long. 92-94 £36
2009 Viognier - subdued yet exotic fruit with spicy vs creamy notes, firm acidity vs rounded and weighty, but nicely reined in style; should be very good (a little youthful and closed up at the mo). 88 £15
2007 Shiraz - peppery with ripe cassis and quite a bit of vanilla-y sweet oak; attractive texture and oomph vs spicy/sweet black fruit, closing up on its nice finish showing more subtle oak integration. 89-91 £15
2007 Coonawarra (Cabernet/Merlot/Syrah/Petit Verdot) - pretty oaky and toasty with bitter dark chocolate finish, although it's still tight and looking young... £20

This paragraph contains a few assorted favourites from around Oz, all tasted at Boutinot's trade bash in the Tower of London (mind your head) February 2007 and mini-profiled in Aug 07:
Cascabel - McLaren Vale, South Australia
2003 Shiraz, Fleurieu region - smoky bacon notes mingle with peppery tangy fruit on the palate, quite powerful finish. UK retail approx £15 87
Taltarni - Pyrenees, Victoria
2004 T Series Shiraz/Cabernet - nice spicy fruit, quite serious at this price. £6.50-£7 85-87
2002 Pyrenees Shiraz - complex maturing berry fruit with savoury edges, elegant soft palate and length. £12 90
2004 Heathcote Shiraz - more intense spice and black cherry fruit, tight palate with fresh finish. £16 90
2002 Cephas (Shiraz Cabernet) - more chocolate oak and concentration, tighter firmer finish. £17 90
The Lane - Adelaide Hills, South Australia
2001 Reunion Shiraz - quite meaty v dark fruit backdrop, maturing and soft v attractive dry tannins and powerful finish. Pricey £20-£22 89+
Tallarook - Upper Goulburn, Victoria
An exciting discovery, Luis Riebl's 'natural' wines are refined yet occasionally approach 'extreme' in winemaking style; and pretty good value too considering the quality.
2004 Chardonnay - milky v peachy, intense with creamy yet fresh and powerful mouth-feel. £9-£10 88-90
2004 Marsanne - quite yeasty and lactic nose, fat hazelnut fruit, oxidising yet complex and lingering; different. £9-£10 90-92
2005 Roussanne - intense herby tones with creamy white peach backdrop, quite delicate and fresh. £9-£10 88-90
2006 Viognier - delicate apricot and flowers on the nose, attractively lively v weighty palate. £9-£10 90-92
2004 Shiraz/Viognier - attractive herbal tones on perfumed black cherry fruit, elegant and soft v light grip and power. £9-£10 90-92
Keith Tulloch - Hunter Valley, New South Wales
2005 Semillon - a bit reduced/funky on the nose, leads on to a tight closed up palate then subtle waxier finish, not very revealing at the mo. £9.75 87
2002 Kester Shiraz - very smoked bacon, savoury v peppery, tangy fruit with fresh finish. Expensive though at £18.50 a bottle. 87-89
 
Peter Lehmann Wines - Barossa Valley

Perhaps better known for classic Shiraz and Cabernet, South Australia's Peter Lehmann hogged the limelight in 2006 for their white wines, especially Riesling (although I've always rather liked the Barossa Semillon too). In the International Wine Challenge, their 2001 Reserve Riesling was awarded Australian White Wine Trophy and Australian Riesling Trophy (how many trophies do you need in a competition like this by the way?); and 2005 Eden Valley Riesling a gold medal. If that wasn't enough, PLW then scooped IWC White Winemaker of the Year plus the International Wine & Spirit Competition's worldwide Riesling trophy. “Not bad for a traditional red winemaker from a traditional red wine district!” chief winemaker Andrew Wigan commented wryly. Anyway, I find the elegant pure style of their Rieslings very appealing, and these two, sampled in Dec 06, have around 12% alcohol by volume:
2005 Riesling, Barossa Valley - floral with oily citrus notes, chalky texture and freshness v maturing fruit roundness. 87+
2006 Riesling, Eden Valley - surprisingly soft and delicate with nicely intense flowery white peach fruit, zesty extract and subtle fresh acidity; a little closed up at the moment, yet it's underlying fine structure and length bode well. 89-91
And this red duo was originally featured under Previous Wines of the Moment, tasted October 2004:
2002 Barossa Shiraz (14.5%) - classic traditional style showing rich colour, viscosity and extract; spicy coconut nose enhanced by lovely ripe black cherry and currant fruit, complex earthy notes and lightly developing liquorice & 'tar' nuances too; good concentration and depth of 'sweet' fruit, nice bite of rounded tannins, smoky finish and long fruity flavour, making the big 14.5% alcohol not so noticeable. Great if you like this kind of wine: I do but only with hearty food! 90
2002 Clancy's Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc, Barossa Valley (14%) - touch of complex volatile earthy notes, also mint with ripe black fruits, a hint of spice and a meaty edge too; nice rich cassis fruit supported by cinnamon oak, powerful firm finish yet also has 'sweetness', then gets tighter closing up a little. 87+
 
Mount Donnybrook - Western Australia

Three wines from Western Oz made by Michael Hope for ALDI stores in the UK and I guess Ireland too, given that the prices are quoted at £6.99 or €11.99 a bottle? Overall pretty good value for money, although I found the Shiraz the least interesting (too oaky). Tasted May 2006:
2003 Shiraz (13.5%) - dominated by vanilla oak at first, the day after opening it showed more savoury characters v spicy black plum fruit, quite restrained style yet still fairly rich v soft tannins; would be better with less oak though. 85+
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (14%) - much less oaky than the Shiraz offering attractive earthy cassis fruit, ripe soft palate v quite powerful alcohol; nevertheless, it's also fairly elegant and fine. 88+
2005 Chardonnay (13.5%) - light mealy creamy oak notes with ripe peach and pineapple; nice 'sweet' fruit v subtle toast and yeast-lees characters, fair power yet fresh and dry finish. 87+

08 February 2010

Mas Amiel

I've posted a new profile on Mas Amiel and 10+ wine reviews (including a sublime, 93-95 point 1980 Maury) here in my Roussillon guides. A little taster: "Arguably the most famous name in the Maury area (and suitably celeb prices to match, you might be cheeky enough to add), Mas Amiel has been owned by Bordeaux magnate Olivier Decelle... since 1999..."

Eclectic and varied...

A few more or less obscure "wines of the moment" have turned up on French Med Wine (click here to read full notes): 2008 "One Block" red Côtes du Roussillon from Domaine Treloar, 2008 Touraine-Mesland (where?) white from Clos Château Gaillard, 2008 Côtes du Brulhois (ditto?) rosé from Clos Pountet and perhaps more "classic" 2008 Montagny "Les Crets" from Domaine Feuillat-Juillot. Eclectic and varied selection, c'est la France!

01 February 2010

Languedoc: Clos Marie, Pic-Saint-Loup

Clos Marie

This intriguing little number also appears under "wines of the moment," winter 2010. Tempting enough to go and find out more about this quite cult estate the next time I head up to "wolf peak," north of Montpellier...
2006 Cuvée l'olivette Pic-Saint-Loup (Grenache, Syrah,Mourvèdre) - smoky and lush showing nice depth and weight, pretty chunky tannins adding dry texture and bitter twist/bite; fair oomph and grip vs dark cherry liquorice and tobacco, needs a year or so to come together fully. Turns a tad rustic and leather-tinged with very firm framework, but its solid trad Languedoc style seduces you in the end. A bit dear though @ €12.50. 88

Latest on Pic-Saint-Loup (report April 2011).

Millésime Bio 2010

Millésime Bio 2010
Organic updates, finds, reviews, "profiles" (watch out for FBI "certified" winemakers) from this lively green Montpellier wine fair. You'll find missing links to "R & L" wineries tasted here in the convenient 'A to Z' in the right-hand column; the rest are done or on WineWriting.com: 
1. La Nerthe 2. La Fourmente 3. Cosse-Maisonneuve 4. Parra-Jimenez 5. Les Miaudoux 6. Clos Anhel (Corbieres) 7. Viña Ijalba 8. La Triballe (Montpellier) 9. Traginer (Banyuls-sur-mer) 10. Nivet-Galinier (Ponteilla) 11. Château Brau (Cabardes) 12. Bousquette (St-Chinian) 13. Clot l'Oum (Bélesta) 14. Frey Vineyards 15. Clos Joncuas 16. Ferrer-Ribière (Terrats) 17. Grand Guilhem (Fitou) 18. Clusel-Roch 19. Grange 4 Sous (VDPOc) 20. Matassa (Calce) 21. JP Padié (Calce) 22. Al Límit 23. Clos Gravillas (Minervois).

31 January 2010

Millésime Bio 2010: Rhône valley highlights

Domaine Clusel-Roch - Côte Rotie
Brigitte Roch and Gilbert Clusel have a massive four (which probably is in this super-steep, small-parcelled wine area) organically farmed hectares (10 acres) lying in, or on rather, the almost legendary "roasted slope" appellation, plus a few rows in nearby Condrieu; and their cellar is located in the village of Verenay close to more famous Ampuis (home of Guigal among others) alongside the Rhone in the so-called "northern" region (if you see what I mean). I tried all their reds, I think, all of them 100% Syrah, at this year's (2010) Millésime Bio wine fair in Montpellier:
2006 Côte Rotie - quite a bit of spicy wood still dominating the nose; smoky and peppery vs ripe and rounded palate, fairly elegant in the end actually. 87
2007 Côte Rotie - similar aroma/flavour profile but richer and fruitier too, velvety vs firm mouthfeel and finish; needs time to express itself better. 88
2007 Les Grandes Places Côte Rotie - from a specific "lieu-dit" plot: attractive herbal spicy black peppery and black cherry notes; again relatively soft and elegant palate then tight and punchy on the finish. 89+
2008 Côte Rotie - juicier and less oaky on the nose; showing nice fruit overlaid with touches of creamy oak, solid but subtle finish. 87
2009 Côte Rotie (barrel sample) - lush with lively fruit, firm and spicy mouthfeel with good weight and tight framework; should be good. 89
www.domaine-clusel-roch.fr
Clos du Joncuas - Gigondas
More than just Gigondas actually, as the Chastan family (Dany, Fernand and Carole) has 29 organic hectares (72 acres) in total around the latter village, Séguret and Vacqueyras; all nestling quietly in that southern Rhone paradise valley. Well, not always: it snowed quite a bit there this year I believe. I digress... they've been doing the organic thing since the beginning, 1989, with a hint of biodynamics now thrown in too. My tastebuds got stuck in to the following reds at this year's Millésime Bio show in Montpellier (2010):
2004 Séguret Côtes du Rhône Villages (Grenache 70% plus Carignan, Mourvèdre etc.) - maturing smoky nose with dark savoury notes; chunky firm mouthfeel vs mature fruit, a tad old with extracted tannins but quite nice still (with food). 85
2004 Vacqueyras (Grenache 80% + Syrah etc.) - enticing herbal minty spicy aromas underpinned by maturing black fruits; powerful and pretty grippy still yet lush too, big old tannins layered with nice savoury vs dark fruit finish. 87
2004 Gigondas (Grenache 80%, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Syrah) - similar profile to above but more complex, developing meaty fruit; again very grippy tannins but I like that lush sweet vs savoury fruit underneath. 88
2005 Gigondas - richer smokier nose and palate, lovely concentration vs firm structure; smoky, liquoricey and peppery finish. Quite wow. 88-90
www.closdujoncuas.fr

Domaine La Fourmente - Visan
This 46-hectare (110-acre) organic estate (since 2005) is owned by Rémi and Valérie Pouizin and found in the Côtes du Rhône Villages Visan appellation (a bit longwinded to say but now producing some superb reds, as you can see), which lies a good bit northeast of Orange and north of Cairanne or Rasteau. They also produce natural lavender oil, by the way: I tried to copy one of the nice pics of lavender fields off their website, but it must be an annoying "flash" thing as I couldn't! See for yourself @ www.domainelafourmente.com. These were sampled at Millésime Bio in Montpellier (January 2010), a bit of a discovery, I'd say, especially those two 100% Grenaches:
2009 Nature rosé (Grenache Syrah) - clean and fruity, crisp and juicy; nice enough quaffer. 80+
2009 Amour de Fruit Côtes du Rhône (Cinsault Grenache Syrah) - attractive juicy fruity style with a bit of grip and substance too. 85
2009 Nature Visan (Grenache Syrah) - richer spicier Syrah-prominent style (although with more Grenache actually), perfumed black cherry fruit vs chunky tannins, lush and peppery; yum, promising. 87+
2007 Les Vieux Grenache des Garrigues Visan (14%) - sexy liquorice, spice and dark leather edges; very rich and concentrated vs uplifting floral peppery notes; dark lush fruit turning savoury, firm and powerful finish. Wow. 92-94
2007 La Fourmente Grains Sauvages (old Grenache) - delicious liquorice, dark plum and spice notes; "sweet" vs floral fruit too, gripping tannins on a very tasty finish; perhaps firmer and tighter than above, but similarly gorgeous! 90-92

"Now that's what I call a chateau,"
taken from www.chateaulanerthe.fr
Château La Nerthe - Châteauneuf-du-Pape
This simply famous estate has been in the hands of the Richard family since 1985, the latest in a line of owners spanning its, well, historic long history. The vineyards were first converted over to organic growing back in 1998, one of few in Châteauneuf-du-Pape actually (you have to wonder why?), which must be a challenge for estate boss Christian Voeux and his team managing 80 ha (200 acres) accordingly; while probably being surrounded by non-organic spraying neighbours (it's a compact appellation). Their impressive "Cadette" cuvée is sourced from a particularly senior and cherished plot with 100+ year-old Grenache and their oldest Mourvèdre and Syrah. And the powerful yet complex Clos de Beauvenir white shows how well good white CNdP can age. I tasted these wines with Christian at the earthy Millésime Bio show, Jan 2010 in Montpellier:
2008 La Nerthe white (Clairette Grenache blanc Roussanne Marsanne Bourboulenc among others) - a bit closed on the nose to start with, moving on to a much more exotic palate vs mineral and light wood spice notes; oily and weighty mouthfeel vs nice juicy, yeast-lees tinged finish. €28 87+
2004 Clos de Beauvenir white (Roussanne Clairette) - lots of hazelnut and oily maturing notes, rounded and creamy mouthfeel vs fair bit of oomph; long mellowing finish but certainly not old. €57 89+
2007 La Nerthe red (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre Cinsault & others) - lovely rich Grenache-styled, liquorice and spice aromas followed by a tad of sweet oak although subtle; dark ripe fruit explosion with firm and fiery backdrop, tight closed up finish yet plenty of delicious fruit. Promising. €30 90-(92)
2005 cuvée des Cadettes (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre) - showing more wood but there's lots of maturing sweet fruit underneath; attractive dry vs ripe tannins, actually finishing more elegantly than I thought it was going to! €62 90+
2006 cuvée des Cadettes (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre) - more developed and leather-edged supported by sumptuous fruit, concentrated vs firm palate; again big and bold but lush and dark too, dry texture vs intensity and great finish. €63.50 92+
Route de Sorgues, 84230 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. www.chateaulanerthe.fr, 04 90 83 70 11.

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Header image: Château de Flandry, Limoux, Languedoc. Background: Vineyard near Terrats in Les Aspres, Roussillon.