France, Roussillon: Domaine of the Bee

This is the first full update on Roussillon wine producers since I published my book on the region (did I mention it already?! Click there for details), focusing on new vintages and releases from wineries featured in the book, and potentially any new-to-me places that would then be slotted into the winery guide sections for a future edition. Domaine of the Bee was tentatively launched in 2004 (some old vines purchased) by Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, wife Amanda and business partner Philippe Sacerdot.

June wines of the moment

A mixed baker's dozen (plus) of wines worth taking bad photos of...

M&S 'Found' Weißburgunder 2021, Pfalz Germany (12.5% abv): Or Pinot Blanc to use its more familiar French name (Pinot Bianco in Italy). This juicy zesty pear and nectarine tinged dry white is from talented winemaker Gerd Stepp, who's made other tasty 'modern' German wines for Marks including delicious Riesling and Pinot Noir. Resembles Alsace Pinot Blanc in style but with more flavour. £9.50

Germany: Saale-Unstrut region (and more).

The Saale-Unstrut wine area lies in eastern Germany roughly between Leipzig and Erfurt along the banks of those two eponymous rivers: most of the vineyards are actually in the state of Saxony. Production here is small compared to Germany's other wine regions with less than 800 hectares of vines, often on steep terraced hillsides around towns such as Naumburg, Freyburg (see photos left and below) and Laucha.

Malta & Gozo: food, wine and beer.

Not surprisingly perhaps, given their history and proximity to Sicily and southern Italy, Italian cuisine is commonplace in the Maltese islands in all its forms and price ranges. We discovered the particularly good family-run restaurant ('for three decades') Il Galeone in Sliema, a short ferry-ride across the water from Valletta (35 Tigne Seafront: galeonerestaurant.com).

Roussillon: Domaine Cazes, Rivesaltes

Lionel Lavail and Emmanuel Cazes

A quick visit, chat and tasting (mid Sept 2006) in their shop at the winery in Rivesaltes, just north of Perpignan, revealed the first batch of wines below. You'll also find a couple more in my Millésime Bio 2006 wine show report, meaning Cazes is organically farmed with a view to gradually integrating biodynamic methods across the whole estate. It's pretty big (170 hectares/420 acres), so it must be back-breaking to apply all those 'alternative medicines' to that many vines. Maybe the sheer size and resultant range form part of a slight criticism I have: too large perhaps, as some of the wines aren't that exciting considering their reputation and higher than average prices. However, some are.
2005 Muscat-Viognier, vin de pays d'Oc - the Viognier adds weight, spice and exotic fruit without overpowering the Muscat, which lends a mineral slightly bitter finish; falls a little short after promising start.
2000 Credo Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot, vin de pays d'Oc - a bit oxidised (been open too long probably) and oaky, developing leather and cassis notes on the palate, mature fruit v light bite of tannins; the oak's also a bit dominant on the finish.
Libre Expression, Rancio Sec (Macabeu, 16%) - you'll think it's going to be sweet thanks to the rich ripe honeyed characters, but it's off dry with a tangy mineral finish. Different.
1976 Rivesaltes cuvée Aimé Cazes (80% Grenache Blanc 20% Grenache) - complex developed pecan nut and 'cheesy' Madeira notes, mouth-coating richness v oxidised fruit, nice fresh finish considering its age and sweetness (110g/l). 90-92


Update March 2007. I met the energetic Lionel Lavail, who heads up an expanding family empire backed by big Languedoc house Jeanjean. The group now takes in the Cazes brand, Mas de Lavail (see A to Z) near Maury (Lionel's uncle, aunt and cousin), Domaine des Hospices (his parents' estate near Canet) and Cazes' project with co-ops in the Latour de France appellation (see below). Business talk aside, from the visitor's point of view, summer 07 saw a refit for the tasting room and shop and plans for an organic café-deli are well under way...

2006 Canon Muscat-Viognier, vin de pays Côtes Catalanes - nice aromatic mix of grape and apricot, crisp yet quite fat, dry v fruity; good commercial style. 80+
2006 Canon Syrah/Merlot/Grenache rosé, vin de pays Côtes Catalanes - zingy floral red fruit cocktail, crisp and clean. 83+
2005 Canon Syrah/Merlot, vin de pays Côtes Catalanes - light and creamy with tangy currant fruit and spice. 80+
2005 Château de Triniac, Latour de France Côtes du Roussillon Villages - attractive black cherry and liquorice notes, successful mix of medium-bodied ripe fruit v nice dry grip, needs a few months to round out a little. France €4 US $9 UK £5 87
2000 Credo Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot - tasted rather cold, but showing perfumed sweet oak with nice gamey edges coming through, concentrated v quite elegant; the oak's still a bit dominant over nevertheless good underlying fruit and length. 89+?

Tasted summer 2007:
2006 Syrah rosé, Domaine des Hospices, vin de pays Côtes Catalanes (12%) - vibrantly coloured and fruity dry rosé with crunchy red fruits, light creaminess and crisp bite. 85
2006 Muscat sec, les Hospices de Canet, vin de pays Côtes Catalanes (12.5%) - nice, well-made style with plenty of aromatic grape and citrus fruit; crisp, dry and fresh v a little rounded too. 85


2009 update from Millésime Bio wine fair in Montpellier (late January):

I tasted a few new vintages and chatted with Emmanuel Cazes, who updated me on latest goings-on chez the family empire; including building work in the pipeline for a fully-fledged organic tapas bar-restaurant next to their offices and cellars in Rivesaltes (and the difficulties!). I have to say, though, I thought the wines were a bit of a mixed bag; the ones below were my favourites:
2008 Muscat-Viognier vin de pays - bubbly fresh grapey nose with orange peel edges, slightly exotic and juicy palate. Overpriced though at €6.60. 83-85
2008 Syrah-Merlot Vin de pays - nice youthful vibrant fruit, a bit of grip in the mouth v fruity finish. Overpriced though at €6.60. 83-85
2007 Ego Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre) - better than the 2006 with its lively blackberry/cherry fruit and rustic edges; chunky and firm texture and good length. €9.50 87
2005 Alter Côtes du Roussillon Villages (Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre) - mature ripe nose, herbal v liquorice fruit profile with power and spice on its attractive finish. €13 87-89
2005 Rivesaltes Grenat VDN (Grenache) - expressive blackberry and spice on the nose; youthful fruit and not so sweet-tasting thanks to good grip and underlying freshness. €11.50 88


Update March 2010

Emmanuel, who's in charge of technical matters re vineyards (although his father and uncle are still very hands-on here) and winemaking, laid on a tasting at their offices/wine shop; and we ate in their new (mostly) organic restaurant next door afterwards (recommended if you're in the area: see website below). I asked him how difficult is it to apply biodynamic farming methods to an estate the size of Cazes (nearly 200 ha/500 acres)? "We went biodynamic via good old farmer's common sense and now just do it on a much bigger scale. For example, we have three large dynamisers and each one can do 50 litres of herbal teas, which will treat 20 to 30 ha when we can or want to, while respecting the right days. This helps us avoid doing stupid things and keep the balance between soil, plant life etc. At the start, the vines were "stressed" for a few years, but after that we noticed softer soil with better colour and (ultimately) more concentrated fruit." Emmanuel also explained that "we're focusing more on Syrah and Mourvèdre as the Grenache we have isn't great clones... we're replanting Grenache and have changed the way we're working with Mourvèdre, so it's producing well."
Le Canon du Maréchal vin de pays range (300,000 bottles a year!):
2009 Muscat/Viognier (13%) - elegant grapey aromas with light apricot and orange tones; fairly crisp and mineral vs slight bitter twist, quite nice style. 80+
2009 Syrah/Merlot rosé (12.5%) - attractive juicy style with subtle creamy red fruits, also just bottled when I tried it but good elegant vs fuller finish. 83+
2008 Syrah/Merlot - nice fruity red with a bit of grip and crisp mouthfeel even; cherry and plum fruit, a tad light but it's OK. 80+
2008 Marie-Gabrielle Côtes du Roussillon (Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre 13.5%) - a  bit closed up at first, quite tight and grippy vs juicy black fruits; fair structure actually with gentle cherry and liquorice flavours, "chalky" tannins on the finish. 85+
2007 Ego Côtes du Roussillon Villages (13.5%) - smokier and more developed, ripe nose with leather edges and a tad volatile but it works; quite concentrated and fleshy showing nice fruit turning savoury, fairly solid yet attractive tannins adding dry bite vs "sweetness" and a touch of dark chocolate. 87+
2007 Alter Côtes du Roussillon Villages (14.5%) - touches of spicy coconut oak but not overdone, it adds a little bit of attractive grainy texture and sweetness vs dry chunky framework; punchier yet well-balanced with a bitter twist to finish. 87-89
2008 Collioure "Notre Dame des Anges" (Grenache Mourvèdre Carignan Syrah 14%) - Cazes is working with a handful of co-ops and estates here to make this wine, €1 of its hefty €14 price-tag being donated to a charity working on the upkeep of the countryside and terraced vineyards in the area. Appealing spicy liquorice notes, quite elegant and soft with sweet berry fruit and a bit of bite; nice although fairly simple perhaps. 85+
1996 Rivesaltes Ambré - beginning to turn quite oxidised with toasted walnut and mature cheese edges; enticing oily palate with nutty tangy bite vs rich and mouth-filling, good balance of sugar and alcohol (15%). 88-90
2005 Grenat - fruity chunky style with nice black cherry and liquorice, beginning to turn meaty too; sweet "cough mixture" vs firm dry tannins, fair oomph still (15.5%) although should integrate nicely over the next couple of years. 87-89
1990 Tuilé - complex Madeira nose and tangy vs sweet pecan nuts; concentrated and intricate vs 16.5% power, still delicious with its long sweet/savoury finish. 92(+)
2006 Muscat de Rivesaltes (mostly Alexandria, 15%) - developing very orange peel edges vs honey and dried apricot; lush mouthfeel yet has attractive bite and style still. 87+
1991 Muscat de Rivesaltes (yes, all bottle age! 15%) - much less Muscat-y and much richer with cooked marmalade; oily and sweet vs still tangy and lively surprisingly. 89+
1978 Aimé Cazes (15%) - Madeira overtones, stewed sultanas and intense pecan/walnuts; oily and rich vs tangy and intense, delicious coating with sweet/sour twist, complex volatile lingering flavours and huge length. 93-95

More Cazes here (2009 Saint-Bacchus awards).
And the very latest is here (July 2012).

4 rue Francisco Ferrer, 66600 Rivesaltes. Tel: 04 68 64 08 26, www.cazes-rivesaltes.com.

Spain: Garnacha / Garnatxa, red white and rosé

Following in the red-stained footsteps of my 'World Grenache Competition' series (part 1, part 2, part 3), this time we're turning the spotlight on Garnacha/Garnatxa from different parts of northeast Spain (Rioja, Aragon, Catalonia) with a little vinous wandering beyond the timeframe of the WGC event, which took place in Perpignan, south of France (Catalan side) recently. My favourites from the Garnacha-based rosados tasted in the competition are highlighted below, along with a few reds sampled/enjoyed in the afternoon or evening with food and some background info on this sumptuous variety in the regions of Aragón and Catalunya. I've noted any medals awarded and/or my 100-point style score as appropriate. Some of the other wines crossed my path last year but haven't seen the on-line light of day yet.

Rosé / rosado - Rioja

2012 Castillo de Albai Felix Solis Avantis - full-on cherry nose, fresh lively and lees-y with plenty of aromatic red fruits, zippy long finish with nice lingering fruit. Gold Medal winner. My score 87+
2012 Valcaliente rosado Ruiz Jimenez - fresh lees-y nose with attractive cherry fruit, crisp and zippy mouth-feel with long ripe vs tart finish, nice weight too vs tight and crisp. Silver Medal. 87
2012 Arnegui Felix Solis Avantis - almost red, rich and aromatic with ripe cherry fruit, full-bodied 'sweet' vs crunchy palate, impressive big rosé style even if a little heavy on the winemaking (then again, that is rosé, no?!). 85
2012 Vina Herminia Garnacha - even richer in colour than above, has plenty of extract and fruit, rich and full-on yet fresher and more elegant than above. Gold. 87

Aragón

2010 Las Rocas Garnacha viñas viejas Calatayud (Bodegas San Alejandro co-op winery, from 80 year-old bush vines) - lovely ripe minty blackberry fruit and spice, concentrated and powerful with 'sweet' vs peppery profile, silky tannins layered with tasty dark lush fruit and savoury-edged finish. Yum: 'modern' style but good with it. Silver Medal. UK/Ireland importer: Liberty Wines (I copied the photo above from libertywines.co.uk).

2009 Aquilon Garnacha Campo de Borja - lots of sweet coconut and chocolate oak vs lush fruit and layered tannins, rounded and ripe vs a touch of firmness; nice but rather oaky.

2010 Coto de Hayas Garnacha Centenaria Campo de Borja - touches of oak grain, lovely tobacco notes vs ripe sweet fruit, powerful yet with some fresh bite and grip too. Nice old-fashioned style. The 2011 vintage won a Gold.

Whereas only 10% of Spain's vineyards overall are planted with Garnacha, there's "much more in Aragón..." (also suggested as the variety's origin), Juan Cacho told us giving an overview of the region (professor of winemaking at Zaragoza University). Looking at the main 'DO's (appellation areas) within this province, Garnacha accounts for at least half of varieties planted in Calatayud and Campo de Borja (both on the western side), and nearly a third of the surface area in Cariñena yet just 5% of Somontano (more mountainous zone to the northeast). "Garnacha was declining but now we're replanting it," Juan explained, "it suits dry climates and low-yields. Old vineyards are now sought after. I think the increased investment in technology and winemaking have had a very positive effect on Garnacha in particular, in quality terms, and especially for the co-ops." There's also a new emphasis on export marketing e.g. joint Grenache promotions in North America. "We're looking for EU funds to work with people in the Roussillon etc. Home wine consumption is falling, so we have to look elsewhere," he concluded logically.
More Garnacha wines from Aragón here ("wines of the mo" Oct 2011) and here (Spain archive page).

Catalunya

2011 Viladellops Garnatxa Penedès - nice 'sweet' aromatic floral minty and spicy blackberry/cherry fruit, firm and peppery vs ripe and soft palate, powerful yet fairly easy going with tasty fruity finish. (The 2009 vintage won a Silver Medal).

Nuria Ruiz from the Catalan Wine Association added that "this vineyard was replanted, or rather grafted 28 years ago so the vines are 'older' than that. The wineries in our association export less than in Spain overall (meaning those thirsty Catalans drink most of it presumably), and a quarter of wine exported is red Garnacha." They promote them in e.g. the US, London, Switzerland, Barcelona and Perpignan (!); the average bottle price is €34, which is pretty high value wine.

2009 Domènech 'Teixar' Montsant (Garnatxa "pelut" = furry Grenache!) - showing a fair dose of coconut and vanilla oak, rich and ripe palate though vs nice firm and peppery finish, enticing tasty savoury fruit with layers of coco/choc oak, but not too much in the end.

2009 Domènech 'Furvus' Montsant (Garnacha & Syrah, 14.5%) - 'sweet' and maturing nose and palate vs grippy and structured, attractive lingering savoury fruit vs solid and tight still; good stuff. Silver medal (I tasted it in the special 'Grenache room' at last year's London International Wine Fair actually).
Josep Ignaci Domènech showed his first wine here representing the 'Terra de Garnatxes' group, which is funded by half a dozen wineries including him. Catalunya has diverse vineyard areas running from the coast right up to 700-1000 m altitude (2300-3300 ft roughly); the Montsant DO region lies inland and not far from the city of Tarragona. Josep told us "there are 5837 ha (approx 14,500 acres) of Garnatxa in Catalunya," splitting down as about 3900 of red, 1780 white "...plus the three other Garnachas..." ('grey', 'furry' and ..?).

El Miracle Cava rosado Vincente Gandia - attractive fruity style with a touch of intense toasty yeast-lees character.

2011 Herencia Altés Benufet Garnatxa Blanca - soft rounded and oily with interesting aniseed flavours, nice food white.

Parés Baltà organic wine and Cava producer based in the Penedès region.

2011 Indigena white Garnatxa (11.5%) - from La Plana Molinera, Finca El Subal at 700m altitude. Juicy lees-y and light, attractive mineral side vs honeyed fruit, crisp and delicate actually.

2009 Hisenda Miret (Finca Cal Miret, 400m) - nice juicy Garnacha style with peppery liquorice notes, full bodied and grippy with a touch of class too.

(Tasted in a special 'Grenache room' at last year's London International Wine Fair).

More Catalan Garnatxa here.

Focus on Portugal: Douro - Alentejo - Algarve...

Focus on Portugal: Douro, Alentejo, Algarve and beyond

Over 50 smouldering Atlantic wines reviewed including a fascinating "Douro masterclass" with its diverse white, red, pink & Port styles... eight featured producers from the Douro, Alentejo and Algarve plus the odd Vinho Verde thrown in too. Best wines: Crasto, Favaios, Graham's, Duorum, Lagos, Outeiro Mouro, São Miguel, Quevedo, Dona Matilde. More detailed Portuguese winery "profiles" are here.

"The Douro from nose to tail..."

A masterclass with Sarah Ahmed at the London Wine Fair May 2010. (That link goes to her website, the Wine Detective: Sarah was 2009 "Portuguese Wine Writer of the Year." Click here for more generic info on the region on the IVDP's site (Port Wine Trade body).

2009 PV Egle white (Rabigato, Viosinho, Cordoga 13.5% alc.) - from vineyards planted at 750m above sea level (2500 feet): aromatic and zesty with floral honeysuckle notes and "chalky" edges; delicate juicy citrus fruit vs quite punchy mouth-feel, oily texture vs fairly crisp and steely with lingering green olive notes. Nice with a bit of character too, although expensive at £10. 83-85
2006 Quinta do Zimbro red (Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz (= Tempranillo), Touriga Nacional) - enticing ripe cassis, black cherry and squashed raspberry fruit with perfumed violet tones and toasty chocolate oak in the background; similar red/black fruit cocktail on the palate, punchy and firmly structured with tight finish vs attractive "sweet"/spicy fruit and oak underneath. Seems higher in alcohol than the stated 13%, but there's enough choc textured ripe fruit to carry it. £8.99 87

2007 Quinta do Crasto Reserva red "Vinhas Velhas" (old vines with up to 30 different Port grape varieties!) - showing quite a lot of aromatic spicy coconut oak (aged 16 months in 60% new barrels, mostly French) vs lively black fruits with dark damsons, liquorice, black cherry; lush juicy mouth-feel with ripe fruit and toasty dark chocolate texture, powerful and weighty with solid yet rounded tannins. Big but controlled, I'd like less oak although there's lots of fruit and it's quite classy in the end. £18 Adnams. 90-92
Croft Pink Port NV (100 grams/litre residual sugar) - boiled sweets and bubble gum in that ester-y chemistry lab kinda way, plus something odd and a tad oxidised even? Lively fruity palate with underlying baked character, very fiery zesty and red fruity. Not sure really: full marks to the Port world for riding the pink zeitgeist, but I was struggling to like this wine being too techno with hard alcohol. With a mixer as an apero perhaps...
1989 Adega de Favaios Moscatel (Moscatel Galego = Muscat à petits grains, 137 g/l RS, 17% alc., bottled in 2009) - lovely golden brown colour, marmalade and cooked apricots and grapes with complex Madeira-like edges; lush sweet flavours with baked maturing tones, barley sugar and marmalade fruit; has a bit of a kick cutting through the sweetness nicely, lots of flavour and delicious intricate lingering nuances. €8.40 ex-cellars. 92+
Andresen 20 year-old white Port (101 g/l RS, 20%) - baked walnuts with Demerara, barley sugar and lightly "cheesy" Madeira-like hints; intense and fiery with toasted almonds, tangier palate than the Moscatel with intriguing flavours and good cut; although in the end the alcohol is too fiery, pity as it's interesting and complex. £25 87(+)
Graham's 20 year-old Tawny (20%) - still reddish colour with browning edges, cooked raspberry nose; attractive lush "sweet/savoury" fruit with fiery kick, mellowing on the finish though with toffee and caramelised red fruits; complex and tasty pecan notes too with softer "sweet/savoury" finish vs lingering oomph. Very good although I remember it being even better?! £3088-90
2007 JP Ramos/JM Soares Franco "Duorum" Vintage Port (mostly a field blend with majority Touriga Nacional & Touriga Franca plusTinta Roriz, 20% alc., 100 RS) - stonking colour and nose with rich sweet dark cherries, prunes and liquorice tinged with peppery violet notes and baked/savoury edges; perfumed vs lush dark cherry, punchy alcohol with firm dry tannins although lovely texture too; huge extracted mouthful with lots of liquorice yet a touch of freshness in there too. Wow: peppery finish with good depth, relatively approachable now although really needs 5+ years to express itself better. £35 92+
Plus these two reds discovered on the Douro and Port Wine Institute stand:
2006 Calços do Tanha Douro Reserva (13.5%) - attractive maturing "sweet" cherry fruit with minty touches; rich and juicy, turning more savoury with firm powerful finish yet good fruit too.87-89
2005 Quinta Fonte Nova Gran Reserva - gutsy meaty wine, very big tannins although there's quite a bit going on underneath. Let it lie for a couple more years?

More Douro wine reviews below, as well as notes on a few wineries in the Alentejo and Algarve. Mini-profiles on the producers of these wines are here:

Herdade dos Lagos - Alentejo & Vinho Verde
2006 Tinto (Syrah, Aragonês (= Tempranillo)) - lovely minty "garrigue" aromas with sweet lavender vs dark cherry too; savoury vs dried fruit palate with a touch of underlining tannin, attractive now actually. 87
2005 Reserva (Syrah, Aragonês) - herbal and coconut spicy notes vs quite rich black cherry/berry; firmer more solid mouth-feel with peppery edges, fairly powerful with lightly grainy texture then more savoury finish. 88+
2007 Reserva - lush fruit vs grippy texture and a touch of grainy oak; tight and firm finish vs concentrated and ripe, attractive lingering liquorice and pepper flavours. Needs 2-3 more years yet.90+
2007 Syrah - meaty and dark fruity profile, lovely wild Rhone/Barossa style with solid palate vs lush dark fruit; fine tight length too with tasty rich flavours on a firm backdrop. 92+
2006 Syrah Reserva - maturing fruit vs grainy grippy mouth-feel, more subtle concentration and richness even if less "impressive"; followed by firm taut and less up-front finish. 90+
2009 Vinho Verde - very lively gooseberry and other crisp green fruits, nice and refreshing finish. 80-85
2009 Vinho Branco Tejo (Vidal, Arinto, Chardonnay) - floral "chalky" and lees-y notes on the nose; turns more exotic with banana flavours vs very crisp and mineral bite, different too. 85-87
2009 rosé (Touriga Nacional/Cabernet Sauvignon) - nice creamy vs crunchy red fruits with crisp clean finish. 80-83

Terras d'Alter - Alentejo
2009 Arinto - aromatic and zesty with floral honeysuckle tones; juicy and crisp mouth-feel with quite long mineral finish. 85
2009 Alva (Alvarinho) - rich lees-y and quite exotic to start; gooseberry and lime zesty too vs "fatter" apricot fruit vs exciting crisp juicy finish. 87+
2009 Verdelho - greengage vs honeyed and pineapple notes; again nice crisp steely palate with green vs "sweeter" fruit finish. Attractive style. 85+
2009 Reserva (Viognier) - more buttery and exotic with full-on apricot fruit; full-bodied and rounded vs crisp bite, well made and balanced. 87
2009 Touriga Nacional - liquorice and dark cherry with peppery edges; gorgeous lush fruit with spicy/juicy profile vs a touch of grip and style. 87+
2007 Outeiro do Mouro (Syrah/Petit Verdot) - grainy coconut nuances vs enticing rich chunky fruit; pretty solid mouth-feel dusted with oak, although I like that coating of tannins and fruit vs 14.5% oomph; structured taut finish vs hints of savoury development. 88-90
2009 Tempranillo - very ripe and dark "tar" notes with toasty oak; rather firm and charred on the palate, although it's concentrated underneath and probably has potential (so why all that oak...)

Herdade São Miguel - Alentejo
2008 Atlântico red (Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira, Aragonês) - "sweet" vs smoky berry fruit; nice juicy spicy palate with a bit of grip and ripe berries to finish. £5.99 85
2009 Ciconia (Aragonês, Syrah, Touriga Nacional) - more peppery on the nose, again has attractive lively ripe berry fruit (red and black); more oomph and grip too vs liquorice and pepper length. £6.99 87
2009 Herdade São Miguel Colheita Seleccionada (Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês, Cabernet Sauvignon, Trincadeira) - spicy black cherry style showing juicy "sweet" dark fruit with spicy minty edges; structured mouth-feel with grip and power, needs 6-12 months to come together. 87+
2008 Touriga Nacional - touches of cedar and coconut oak vs very firm palate vs liquorice and dark cherry; spicy punchy and solid closing up on the finish, powerful stuff but promising. 88-90
2008 SM dos Descobridores Reserva (Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Franca) - grippy texture and grainy oak, a bit extracted and difficult to taste although concentrated with lurking fruit; pretty massive mouth-feel then tight finish. Leave it for a couple of years.
2007 Herdade São Miguel Reserva (Alicante Bouschet, Aragonês, Cabernet Sauvignon) - maturing smoky tobacco notes with underlying spicy oak; big firm and punchy palate, coating of dry tannins vs lush dark fruit; wow, even if pretty grippy still. 90+
2006 Private Collection (the top five barrels each vintage) - indeed, it's quite oaky but also has lovely maturing savoury and leather tones; again big tannins and structure with grainy texture, solid concentrated finish; just a bit too much oak for my liking but should age well over the next few years. 89-91

Porto Quevedo - Douro Valley
2008 Oscar's Douro red (Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz 14% alc.) - meaty peppery nose with nice dark cassis and cherry flavours; "sweet/savoury" finish with well-textured tannins, a bit baked although shows fair depth of fruit. $6.99
Rosé Port (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Sousão) - unusual tobacco notes or something unexpected on the nose!? Again a touch baked (could just be from sitting open for a few hours in a warm exhibition hall) but has rich red fruit palate with oomph and bite; not so sweet in the end and attractive enough style (I'm slowly warming to rosé ports, some of them taste too confected).
1996 Colheita Port (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz,Tinto Cão, Tinta Barroca; plus 12% "others" which sounds a little mysterious) - reddish brown colour; rich complex "sweet/savoury" profile with a bit of a kick still, sweet palate vs nice bite with dried fruit and oily nutty finish. 90
2003 Late Bottled Vintage Port (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, Tinta Barroca, "others" (20%) - baked leathery dried fruit nose; pretty stonking tannins still layered with lush smoky dried fruits, although quite mature at the same time; a bit clunky perhaps but still attractive. 85+
2007 Vintage Port - baked liquorice tones with sweet, dried prune-y fruit vs peppery dark cherries; big chewy palate with fair oomph, "sweet/savoury" finish vs nice cut; concentrated and meaty with dried fruit and power to finish. Needs more time. 87-90

Quinta Dona Matilde - Douro
2007 Reserva Douro red (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca andTinta Amarela) - smoky, peppery and floral too with enticing cassis vs liquorice notes; grippy vs maturing mouth-feel showing good depth and more savoury finish. 87
2009 Douro white (Arinto, Viosinho, Gouveio, Rabigato) - flowery honeysuckle vs zesty "chalky" aromas; lightly exotic banana fruit vs crisp and steely, juicy lees-y finish too. 80-84
2007 Quinta Dona Matilde Vintage Port - powerful with prune and leather on the nose and palate, extracted and fiery vs masses of liquorice and black fruits; very firm framework but there's lots going on here, needs a few years to open up. 92+

Adega Vila Real - Douro
2009 Douro white - cheesy vs banana aromas (?!); floral juicy mouth-feel with lightly crisp and mineral finish. 80-83
2009 Douro Reserva white - subtle toasted vanilla notes; again juicy and crisp in the mouth although rounder with tasty mineral finish. 85
2008 Douro Gran Reserva white - very cold to taste, although showing oilier and weightier palate plus a tad more coconut oak spice too; has attractive rounded mouth-feel though with nice fruit and texture, dry and crisp on the finish. 85-87
2009 Douro rosé - lively vs creamy red fruits, crisp bite again vs "sweet" fruit; attractive foodie style. 85
2008 Douro red - enticing perfumed and fruity cassis, liquorice and cherry; soft and juicy with ripe mouth-feel vs a bit of bite. Tasty, attractive and good value at £5 a bottle in the UK (as are the "basic" white and rosé above). 85
2007 Reserva red - hints of chocolate oak layered with dark plum, liquorice and peppery undertones; has fair depth of fruit with lightly cedar-y/toasty texture and flavours, attractive "sweet/savoury" mix on the finish though. 87
2007 Gran Reserva red (vat sample, not bottled) - quite lush and concentrated black fruits vs firm structure, tight and closed up finish; not revealing much at the moment although punchy with lurking fruit, could be promising.

Quinta dos Vales - the Algarve
2009 Marquês dos Vales white - floral orange shades with peaches and a touch of vanilla; juicy palate with vanilla oak touches and lightly bitter twist to finish. 83+
2009 Marquês dos Vales rosé(Castelão) - juicy and crisp with gentle red fruits, pretty dry and refreshing on the finish. €5.31 83+
2007 Grace Vineyard red (Castelão, Cabernet Sauvignon,Aragones) - a lot of smoky rubbery oak on the nose, perhaps a touch over-extracted yet there's some nice lush fruit lurking underneath. €12.60
2008 Grace Vineyard Touriga Nacional - rich plum nose with ripe cassis and chocolate oak on top; very firm and punchy with extracted tannins and rubbery oak texture, concentrated though with dark fruit undertones. Pity about the overdone oak... €12.6087+?

Regis Causa - Douro
2009 Douro white - aromatic floral Muscat-y even with mineral edges; nice crisp bite and juicy lees notes vs fruity finish. 85+
2007 Douro red (Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz) - attractive ripe vs herby red/black fruit nose with minty edges; meatier palate, tasty fruit vs solid finish. 87+
2007 Grande Reserve (Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca) - toasty oak and grippy tannins to the fore, nice sweet fruit though vs chunky oaky finish. Not sure, needs to open up maybe...

Languedoc: Limoux.

Château de Flandry, Limoux.

Perhaps not that famous outside of France (although many of the wines recommended here are well distributed in Europe and North America), the Limoux region stretches mostly to the south, west and north of the visit-worthy town of Limoux in southwestern Languedoc, about half an hour south of Carcassonne. The vineyards are often planted on hillsides enhancing the slightly cooler climate this area enjoys, which is home to some classy sparkling wines, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir among others.

Chunky winter rosé: Tavel

I appreciate it's allegedly still autumn, despite the cold-ish snap, but this chunky rosé would be good any time of year really, although best with food as it's quite powerful. In typical Tavel style (southern Rhone) with 13.5% alcohol giving plenty of body, Château Castelfont's 2009 rosé is well made though: nice perfumed ripe red-fruit cocktail on the nose, with rounded "oily" palate and quite weighty vs crisp and dry finish. Pretty good with wild smoked salmon too, not always easy to match. Varieties = Grenache, Syrah, Bourboulenc, Mourvèdre. €5 at Carrefour's autumn "foire aux vins" (wine fair). Logo from tavel.tm.fr

Collioure: 2008 whites & rosés

From collioure.com

As well as being a famous (for instance, brightly coloured masterpieces and extinct anchovies), twee and touristy seaside town on the south-east Roussillon coast, not far from the barely visible line marking Catalunya Sud; the evocative name of Collioure is also an appellation for red, white and rosé wines. It covers the same terrain as vineyards used to source grapes for those perhaps better-known Vins Doux Naturels, sweet fortified aged reds (mostly) labelled as Banyuls, stretching dramatically behind and between Collioure, Port-Vendres, Banyuls-sur-mer and Cerbère.

Collioure has arguably gained a pretty good reputation now for its Med red wines (based on Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre), at least for those lucky enough to have discovered any of the very good ones; but also deserves to find a wider wine-enthusiast audience (especially as they can be just as dear as the reds) for its sometimes very characterful whites and rosés. Here are half-a-dozen 2008 vintage wines I discovered at Les Musaïques des Collioure wine and food festival in mid-June 2009, which make enticing autumn drinking.

White

2008 Domaine Manya-Puig (Grenache blanc Marsanne Roussanne) - aromatic, floral and lightly exotic fruit vs zingy, elegant and tight mouth-feel; zesty orange peel notes vs a touch of appealing weight and roundness. €8.50 87

2008 Domaine La Tour Vieille Les Canadells (mostly Grenache blanc, Grenache gris and Vermentino plus Macabeu, Marsanne 14%) - floral nutty nose with a touch of background oak and lightly exotic fruit; juicy apricot-tinged palate with quite weighty and rounded mouthfeel, powerful nutty finish and well-handled oak texture. €13 87-89

Click here for a full profile & tasting notes on La Tour Vieille including a delicious rosé plus all their reds and VDNs.

2008 Domaine Piétri-Géraud (Grenache blanc Grenache gris Vermentino) - shows a touch of vanilla on the nose but this is zesty and fresh too, rounded and toasty but not too much with good balance in the end. Approx £/$/12 85-87

Click here for full profile & tasting notes on Piétri-Géraud.

Other white Collioure tips: Mas Blanc, Coume del Mas, La Rectorie. More on these estates here.

Rosé

2008 Domaine St. Sébastien - nice creamy vs lively red fruit style, oily textured and weighty vs zesty and crisp with light bitter twist. €8 87

2008 La Rectorie - big juicy vs tight and zingy mouthful, perfumed rose petal and red fruits on its quite serious finish. €15! 87-89

See Winery A-Z for full profile on La Rectorie.

2008 Domaine Casa Blanca - attractive oily and red fruity textured style, ripe sweet fruit vs crisp and lively on the finish. 87-89

Other tasty Collioure rosés: Clos Paulilles, Domaine Berta-Maillol. See Winery A-Z for more info.

Bandol: Château Tournier Guilhem

Guilhem, Henri and Genevieve Tournier’s compact and bijou property, lying not far from the cute hilltop village of La Cadière d’Azur a fair trek to the north of Bandol town, has two almost unique characteristics about it in context of the wider Bandol appellation. At six hectares (15 acres), it’s one of the smallest vineyards in an area probably better known for quite large estates (think Ch. Pibarnon at 50 ha or Dom. Tempier at 30, for instance); and it’s now certified organic (from 2011). “We were one of the first to convert to organics,” Genevieve confirmed in fact as I tasted at their stand at ‘Millésime Bio’ organic wine show in Montpellier last week. There was only one other organic estate from Bandol at the show - the ultra ‘natural’ and quirky Château Sainte-Anne (see post directly below) - which got me thinking why aren’t there more in this very French Mediterranean wine region? Not a criticism - people have their reasons and many non-organic growers (or not officially certified but more or less are anyway) are sensible about what they use, how much and why (as I’ve said before, I’ve never aimed to make this blog exclusively organic; it just so happens that an increasing amount of the best ones are, or in the process of) - but a question worth asking.

I digress - back to the Tournier’s wines, which were definitely worth unearthing after deciding it seemed like a good idea to see how many organic Bandol producers were exhibiting! I’ve also just re-published a towards-huge wad of exciting material on Bandol and its kingpin variety, Mourvèdre, originally gathered and scribbled from 2003 to 2006 (I lived in nearby Marseille for two of those years, by the way): click here and here for much more info then (goes to two pages in my “wine words” archive: the former featuring 150+ wines and a few winery touring pieces / profiles, the latter a more academic article called ‘Understanding Mourvèdre’ written for Wine Business, USA).

2011 Bandol rosé (majority Mourvèdre + Cinsault and Grenache, tank sample) - attractive juicy crisp rosé in that more elegant and mineral style, although has a bit of weight as well, showing aromatic citrus fruit with floral rose petal edges, nice structured bite and almost salty tangy finish.

2010 Bandol rosé - hints of yeast-lees, fuller rounder and oilier texture with developing red fruit flavours and still has a fresher side too; good although the 2011 will be better. €15 (that's trendy Bandol for you...)

2008 Bandol rouge (85% Mourvèdre) - light touches of coconut oak aromas and grainy texture, concentrated dark vs savoury fruit with tight grippy mouth-feel, subtle and still a little closed up vs developing meaty edges. Very good, promising too. €18

2009 Bandol rouge - meatier and more powerful with lovely rich black cherry with spicy savoury dark olive notes, firmer bigger palate with weighty finish vs attractively rounded tannins. A slightly more in-your-face vintage maybe but it’s still good stuff.

Chile: 'no way rosé!' part 3

Or my latest 'rosé of the mo' even: this tasty pinkie is part of the Co-Op's (UK) 'Fairtrade' range - that term makes a slight cynic like me slightly suspicious of the otherwise implied "we really stitch up our other 'non-fairtrade' wine suppliers," although the concept is commendable of course. It's sourced from Chile's Curicó Valley - I only kept the front label so don't know who made it - but, anyway, was £5.99 I think and is a Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot blend.

Black cats and black grapes

Black grapes refers to a lively little Italian rosé - sorry, Sicilian (oops, there go the kneecaps...): 2010 Nero d'Avola made by Cantine Settesoli. Weighing in at 12.5% alc. and £4.99 a bottle at Tesco, this zingy vs creamy fruity rosé delivers plenty of redcurrant and raspberry with crisp finish; and is fairly versatile as a foodie wine (venison & red onion burgers from M&S, fish & chips, prawn Balti...).

From http://snickrt.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/gato-negro1.jpg

As for black cats, the Gato Negro range from Vina San Pedro in Chile's Central Valley is an all-round crowd-pleaser with attractive, well-made and easy-drinking wines; especially at  Wine Mark / Russell's Cellars in Belfast where you get a '2 for £9' deal. On the red front, try the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (13.5%) or the quirkier purple-black 2010 Carmenere (13.5%); and for whites, there's a zesty dry grapefruity 2010 Sauvignon Blanc (12%) or peachy citrus-edged 2010 Chardy. And not forgetting their almost delicious creamy red fruity vs crisp 2010 Cab Sauv rosé. Mini-feature on Chilean rosés / rosados here.
More @ gatonegro.cl

Miscellaneous wines of the moment

An enticing half-a-dozen of whites, red and rosés sourced from big supermarkets and one-store independents priced £7 to £10 in the UK.

Vara Rosé 2020 Cramele Recas Estate, Romania (12% abv) - Good-value dry and zingy rosé made from 65% Merlot and 35% Feteasca Neagra, which develops creamy straw-raspberry flavours followed by crisper cranberry type crunchiness. £7 Marks & Spencer (image from their site). Versatile with food.

Languedoc: Domaine Bégude, Limoux

English couple James and Catherine Kinglake put their money into a dream in 2003 and bought this charming property, which lies up above (at 400m altitude) the village of Cépie to the north of Limoux (south of Carcassonne) and offers spectacular views in all directions. Describing his philosophy as "turbocharged lutte raisonnée" meaning as environmentally friendly as possible without being full-blown organic, James and his winemaker are making some handsome Chardonnays – oaked-aged, full-bodied AOC Limoux styles and lively unoaked Vins de Pays – surprising Chenin Blanc and an attractive rosé from the small amount of Pinot Noir they have planted (see 2008 update below). They can accommodate up to 30 people for a vineyard tour, tasting and lunch in their converted barn function room, if booked in advance. Bégude's wines are available in the US and UK as well as elsewhere in northern Europe and the Far East. Email them for details (at the bottom).

The following 2005s were unfinished wines tasted from vat in the cellar December 2005:
2005 Sauvignon Blanc - attractive citrus v mineral style, soft ripe gooseberry fruit then leaner crisp finish.
2005 Chardonnay (will be blended with barrel fermented Chardonnay) - nice clean white peach fruit and balance of weight v elegance, again finishing with crisp length.
2005 Chardonnay (will be vin de pays) - more mineral and yeast leesy style, tighter longer finish.
2005 Chardonnay - livelier and richer although a touch bitter on the finish at the moment.
2005 Chenin Blanc (will blend 85-15 with Chardy) - lovely melon v buttery fruit, intense and fresh v fat yet fine.
2005 Pinot Noir rosé - elegant rose petal aromas build to creamy weightier mouthful.
2004 Chardonnay vin de pays - creamy raisin fruit showing juicy fatness v greener crisper edges; very attractive at €5.
2004 Chardonnay-Chenin Blanc - again creamy to start followed by leaner fresher finish. £5.99 in the UK.
2004 Chardonnay Limoux - shows light toasty oak and juicy fat fruit then a more elegant finish, well balanced.

Bégude update April 2008: A long-overdue return visit revealed that, with the successful 2006 vintage the Kinglakes have launched an experimental red batch made from late-picked Pinot Noir called L’Esprit - they left one row of the most promising Pinot until the end of September - and a limited barrel-selection Chardonnay called L’Etoile ("about one third as much as the classic," James told me, after several critical tastings of all the Chardy in barrel). He's also toying with the idea of making a sparkling Limoux: watch this space. I tasted these including a few potentially exciting 2007s from tank and cask:
2007 Sauvignon Blanc - lovely piercing citrus and pea notes with zingy grapefruit, pure and zesty palate with crisp yet relatively soft finish. €6 at the winery, and also available in Loch Fyne restaurants across the UK. 87
2007 Bel Ange (Chardy + touch of Chenin Blanc) - nice peachy v citrus style, rounded mouth-feel with weight v freshness; very drinkable now actually. £6.49 Majestic. 87+
2007 (different batch) - a bit fatter, oilier and honeyed with again crisp graceful finish; less structured perhaps. 87
2007 Pinot Noir rosé - zesty nose with light red fruits, elegant and fresh with subtle depth of fruit. €6 87
2006 Limoux blanc 'classic' - judicious toasty oak adds texture as do the lightly creamy yeast-lees characters, shows nice fruit v acid balance. €8 89
2007 Chardy from a new demi-muid (600 litre barrel) - lively fruit v subtle oak coating, very promising.
2007 Chardy from a barrique - more yeast-lees presence with lovely fruit, texture and crisp length; stylish.
2006 L’Etoile de Bégude, Limoux (selected Chardy, 13.5%) - closed nose showing delicate toasted coconut oak, creamy oily and peachy mouth-feel with nice yeast-lees depth, weight then crisp balanced length, tight structure and purity too. Opened up over the next day or so. €15 90-92
2006 L’Esprit de Bégude, Vin de pays d'Oc (Pinot Noir 14.5%) - unusual sort of New Zealand meets Sonoma PN style: a layer of oak adds a bitter chocolate texture to its smoky savoury characters edged with attractive cherry fruit; pretty big and bold yet there's freshness too. Should open up with a few months in bottle, it's a bit awkward at the moment. 89-90?

Saint-Martin-de-Villereglan, 11300 Cépie. Tel: 06 86 05 73 74 (mobile), fax: 04 68 69 20 41; james@domainebegude.com, http://www.domainebegude.com/.

Roussillon: Domaine Piétri-Géraud, Collioure

The feminine touch of mother and daughter Maguy and Laetitia Piétri-Géraud might explain this small-scale winery's more elegant yet still structured Collioure reds, such as their Moulin de la Cortine sporting less Grenache, more Syrah and Mourvèdre. They also make a scarcer white Banyuls as well as very attractive examples of all the red styles: lush fruity Rimage to oxidised toffee-like Cuvée du Soleil, which is matured outdoors entirely in bonbonnes, glass demijohns. They have a tasting shop in bijou old town Collioure and cramped little cellar up the road a bit.

I sampled the following wines in October 2006 - Laetitia also does a tasty rosé but didn't have any left to try! (NB see update below below for notes on her 2008 rosé.)
2004 L'Ecume Collioure blanc (Grenache blanc & gris Vermentino, 13.5%) - oily nutty oxidising style, dry and mineral with very light oak texture; subtle intensity and freshness. €11 85
2004 Collioure red (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre Carignan) - nice perfumed ripe fruit, light bite and easier drink-now style. €9.50 85
2004 Le Moulin de la Cortine Collioure (Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre) - peppery smokier fruit, tighter firmer palate, long and elegant; needs a bit of time to open up. €12 87-892004 Banyuls blanc - quite floral and honeyed v lightly oxidised almond notes, sweet v interesting fresh cut. €14.50 87
2004 Banyuls Rimage Mademoiselle (fortified on the fruit and skins before pressing) - lovely raspberry summer fruits, soft mouth-feel with dried fruit and light leather to finish; very fruity v nice bite of tannins/alcohol. €11 88
1998 Banyuls cuvée Joseph Géraud (aged for 7 years in large casks plus some in demijohns outside) - delicious maturing dried fruits with rich fig and raisin notes, seems less sweet on the finish with those oxidised pecan nut tones and the alcohol lending freshness. €12 89+
2000 cuvée Méditerranée (5 years in newer barrels) - more aromatic with intense prune fruit, drier grip and more structured finish. €14 90+
2000 cuvée du Soleil - much more toffee-ish and roasted pecans, actually doesn't taste so oxidised, more Madeira like; long and sumptuous. €20 50cl 90-93


Update spring 2009:
2008 Collioure rosé (Grenache Syrah) - nice fruity and actually relatively light / elegant style despite being 13.5%: tight zingy mouthfeel with subtle red fruits lurking underneath. 85+
2007 Sine Nomine Collioure red (Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre Carignan) - perfumed and spicy with enticing ripe fruit and liquorice; tangy and dry textured vs powerful yet quite soft, nice now actually. 87
2007 Banyuls blanc (just bottled) - lightly honeyed with a hint of toasted wood; rounded and oily palate beginning to turn nutty and not too punchy, closes up a bit so needs 6 to 12 months to express itself better. €12
2007 Banyuls Rimage - floral with lots of cassis notes; lively and lush vs crunchy and dry textured, quite elegant finish. 87+
2000 Banyuls cuvée Joseph Géraud - turning toffee-ish with roasted coffee notes, sweet raspberries and chocolate too; savoury drier finish with a bit of kick vs lush coating. €13 89+
2003 Méditerranée ("no barriques and less oxidation") - complex coffee and stewed raspberry aromas, mature and meaty vs sweet and pruney then shows some fresher cut; attractive now with its dried fruit finish. €14 88+
2003 Cuvée du Soleil (3 years in demijohns) - deep amber / golden brown colour, lovely pecan nut and toffee aromas / flavours; intricate nutty and tangy vs rich and toasted, dried apricots and orange peel vs honey on toast, very long and seductive. 92-94
2005 Muscat Vendanges Tardives vin de pays d'Oc (picked from mid Oct. into Nov.) - oxidised, super honeyed and raisiny vs nutty and "straw" notes too; perfumed lush fruit with quince tones and lightly grainy texture, sweet yet not too heavy. Different.

22 rue Pasteur, 66190 Collioure (shop, tasting and barrel store – their cramped cellar is on rue du Docteur Coste). Tel: 04 68 82 07 42, fax 04 68 98 02 58; domaine.pietri-geraud@wanadoo.fr.

Languedoc: Château Haut-Gléon, Corbières

Château Haut-Gléon

The Duhamel family's 37 ha (90 acres) of vines (15 different varieties) nestle among a huge expanse of wild and pretty forest and scrubland, lying between Durban and Portel in "Paradise Valley" on hillsides at up to 350 metres (1200 feet above sea level). They make a rather big range including bag-in-box and brandy even and, although I found their white and rosé tasted below very attractive, I'd have to try the reds again, as I had a bit of a problem with two vintages of the Haut-Gléon Corbières (especially the 2005: funny intrusive old wood or musty/corked?). And overall, these wines are kinda pricey considering... They have good distribution around the world: see their website for details (well done, by the way, not many have this amount of useful info on them). The following were tasted at the enigmatically named "Salon du X" - it's not that much of a mystery, actually, a tasting organised by their agent Xavier Peyrot des Gachons with a dozen Languedoc & Roussillon winegrowers present (there were originally 10 in his "gang", I think) hence the X - in April 2010 at Domaine Gayda's impressive winery & restaurant complex, found between Limoux and Castelnaudary.

2008 Corbières white (Roussanne, Grenache blanc, Marsanne) - quite exotic and honeyed with light spice and toast notes; nice rounded creamy mouth-feel with spicy undertones, lush and oily yet well-balanced finish. €15.50 87+

2008 Grenache gris rosé Vin de Pays de la Vallée du Paradis (13.5%) - a bit different for a pale-style rosé: closed on the nose to start, building up to oily raspberry aromas/flavours; quite fat, weighty and textured actually vs attractive light bitter twist. €9.50 85-87

2008 Le Petit Gléon Corbières red (Syrah, Grenache, Carignan) - ripe, juicy and easy style; has a tad of grip too vs soft and quite simple palate. €6.50 80-83

2006 Haut-Gléon Corbières red (Grenache, Syrah, Carignan) - spicy upfront oak, again that wood's a bit odd and intrusive? Although it has fair depth of fruit and power. Not sure?  €13

11360 Villesèque des Corbières. Tel: 04 68 48 85 95 /www.hautgleon.com.