Without wishing to get too obsessive about rosado from Chile - refer to my previous post Chile: rosé / rosado to follow my drift - here are a few more that seem worth throwing into the pink wine pot. It is still summer after all, even if August has turned out a little variable (sorry for the boring weather talk)... then again, I enjoy rosé all year round as it's usually very food friendly (making sweeping generalizations). Plus there are so many on offer at the moment, like these three all priced about £4 to £5 a bottle. See blurb on 'easy as 1, 2, 3' scores in the right-hand column.
"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
24 August 2011
15 August 2011
Languedoc: Mas de Daumas Gassac, Aniane
Some of the family and some of the team |
2009 Mas de Daumas Gassac white (Viognier, Chardonnay, Petit Manseng, Chenin Blanc and other more obscure varieties: see site for more info, bottom) – exotic oily and rich with a certain ripeness / ‘sweetness’ even, has a bit of bite but not much, finishing a touch flabby. €35 1
2003 Mas de Daumas Gassac white – quirky maturing and Fino notes, nutty and quite complex too; getting a tad old on the palate although it’s still an intriguing white wine. 1
2008 Mas de Daumas Gassac red (80% Cabernet Sauvignon + 10 others) – herbal tones on the nose, quite tight mouth-feel with lively berry fruit, closes up with refreshing elegant touches. Not very expressive at the moment. €37 1+
2004 Mas de Daumas Gassac red – maturing savoury side although still tight and herby too, nice balance and style even if lacks depth. 1+
2007 Cuvée “Emile Peynaud” (100% Cabernet Sauvignon planted in 1975, 2000 bottles made) – wilder wine with intense smoky and leather edges, quite lush with meaty notes vs still pretty solid, structured and powerful; needs a few years to calm down and come together, promisingly age-worthy I’d say. 2+
I said this back in 2006 after trying some of their wines and talking to Samuel at Vinisud trade show in
2004 Eraus blanc (mostly Sauvignon Blanc) - quite concentrated with mineral intensity, not very Sauv Blanc but shows nice length and bite. 85
2005 MDG blanc - lively zesty fruit with oily depth v aromatic peachy notes, zingy and long. 89
2004 Guilhem rouge (Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache & Carignan) - nice soft youthful black cherry and liquorice fruit with a bit of dry bite to finish. 85
2003 Elise rouge (Syrah & Merlot) - attractive smoky tobacco and dried fruit aromas & flavours, soft mouth-feel v grip of tannin, elegant yet powerful finish. 87-89
2004 MDG rouge (Cabernet Sauvignon + 15 varieties, barrel sample) - tight elegant blackcurrant and cherry fruit, nice tannin texture v fruit concentration on its subtle length. 88+
2003 MDG rouge - more open and rustic, ripe liquorice fruit with wild herb notes; richer than the 04 with attractive tannins, softer texture v weight on the finish. 92
2001 Cuvée Emile Peynaud (Cabernet Sauvignon from selected parcels) - quite oaky nose yet shows developed fruit underneath, grippy powerful palate, the oak's still a little strong but it's also concentrated and richly textured. 90+
And these vintages at the estate with Samuel 13/3/06:
2005 MDG blanc - tight and crisp yet lively and intense: this offers perfumed apricot and peach fruit on a zingy palate, underpinned by a touch of yeast lees and very light toast adding complexity, length and richness. 87-89
2003 MDG rouge - lovely ripe smoky cassis and black cherry fruit with notes of leather, has softness v dry grip in the mouth with light creamy oak coating; quite elegant actually for this hot vintage, complex finish. 90-92
1995 MDG rouge - had been open for a few days so a bit oxidised; however, it displayed complex herbal v figgy flavours and again that perfumed leather edge, still quite firm and lively with maturing fruit on the finish. 92-94
08 August 2011
Languedoc: Clos du Gravillas, St-Jean de Minervois
2012/13 update: oops, it's the old 'take far too many months to get round to finding and typing up these notes' ploy. So, here are their 'latest' tasty vintages sampled at The Real Wine Fair in London in May 2012 (including a white made from Terret gris and a 'Fino' style, for the first time); and some of them again in Jan. 2013 at the premiere of the Terroir-istes du Languedoc film screening in Montpellier (they're part of this terrorist band). There's some more info on Nicole, John and Gravillas below these updates (mostly extracted on my first visit in 2007).
2010 Emmenez-moi au Bout de Terret (gris) - intense nutty nose, concentrated richer almost 'toasty' side vs green 'mineral' freshness. Different. £12-£15
2010 L'Inattendu white Minervois (mostly Grenache Gris/Blanc and a splash of Muscat) - rich toasty and yeasty vs exotic fruit and roast hazelnut edges, delicious lush vs crisp and intense palate. £15-£20
2010 Sous les Cailloux des Grillons red - intense fruity vs 'inky' nose, grippy and fresh mouth-feel with smoky dark berry side. Yum. £10-£12
2008 Rendez-vous du Soleil red - pretty grippy with meaty edges, coconut texture/flavours too, quite rich vs savoury finish. £12-£15
2008 Lo Vièlh (ye olde Carignan) - similar savoury developing vs grippy and pretty intense profile, smoky and lush vs still tight and fresh. Needs time to open up. £15-£20
Oxytan (Grenache blanc aged under flor yeast (like Fino sherry), 2006 vintage plus topped up with others) - hazelnutty and yeasty 'Fino' characters, intense long and tangy; again, a little different and nice with it.
2011 update: John Bojanowski was one of several winemakers from the region to make the trek to London SE1 for the mucho-mentioned, on this blog anyway, first ‘natural’ wine fair
2007 L'Inattendu white (Grenache gris, Grenache blanc) - nutty, lightly leesy, exotic and oxidative style nose; rounded with subtle wood tones, mature feel vs mineral touch. 87
2008 "sous les cailloux des grillons" (similar red blend to RdVdS below plus Counoise/Terret Gris) - lively cherry and blueberry fruit with smoky edges; juicy and tasty with mouth-watering finish, very nice now although has enough depth to hold back. 85-87
2007 Rendez-vous du soleil (Carignan, Syrah, Cabernet, Mourvèdre, Grenache) - firmer and more savoury in style; somewhat closed up and unrevealing yet has appealing, subtle intensity. 87+
2006 Lo Vièlh (ancient Carignan) - developing smoky fruit with ripe blueberry notes and a hint of tobacco; juicy vs solid with underlying sweet oak, great depth of fruit plus enticing dry vs ripe and rounded texture, powerful yet elegant. Needs a couple of years yet. 90+
2007 Côté obscur (Carignan) - "I've wanted to make a wine with this name for ages!" John explained (it does indeed mean "dark side" so start your Darth Vader heavy breathing now): wilder, funkier and spicier aromas; lively tasty fruit with crunchy berry vs liquorice profile, intense and long too. 89+
Nicole and, a little later, American John Bojanowski (becoming husband: "I just came here to drive the tractor," he quipped) arrived in the timeless Languedoc outback in the late 1990s. They have since planted Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Marsanne and Muscat among others, to complement Nicole's original 1 ha/2.5 acres of cherished 1911 Carignan and Grenache Gris. The estate now amounts to over 6 ha planted with no less than 13 grape varieties (a bit of a ner-nerdy-ner-ner to Chateauneuf-du-Pape perhaps?); all found on a 300m/950 foot-altitude plateau composed of the meagre chalky gravel soils that surround the tiny village of Saint-Jean, set in a stunning remote spot between the gorges of St-Chinian and the old Mediaeval city of Minerve (a must-visit when you're in the area). Their signature reds Le Rendez-vous du soleil and Lo Vièlh are made from old-vine Carignan (the above mentioned, almost 100 year old plus 1 ha planted in 1952 and relatively youthful 1970) - the RdV is now a broader blend, by the way, see below below. John is a big fan of this sometimes unloved variety and founder-member of a growers' group called Carignan Renaissance, who are actively shouting about their wines crafted from this awkward Med grape (see www.carignans.com). The family (there is a petit Bojanowski) also rents out the converted old village café, a two-bedroom gîte with terrace and quite nice view! Details are on their website below.
I tasted these wines with John on a daytrip in sunny but chilly late November 2007:
2006 L'Inattendu Minervois blanc (Grenache gris Grenache blanc, 14%) - milky and toasty with honeysuckle notes; full, rounded and quite rich finishing with attractive bite and freshness. 87+
2005 Vous en voulez en voilà Vin de pays Côtes du Brian (that's a local river, by the way, rather than Monty Python homage; made from all reds except Grenache, 13.5%) - ripe blackberry/currant, floral and spicy with liquorice tones; rounded and fruity palate v serious edges as well, firm and quite long. 89+
2003 Le Rendez-vous du soleil (Carignan plus a touch of Cab Sauv) – maturing smoky and white peppery, quite complex; liquorice and tobacco flavoured palate, concentrated and lush with fresh tannins and bite; very nice wine. 90+
2006 Muscat de Saint-Jean de Minervois – very floral and perfumed with white peach notes, the sweetness is nicely cut by alcohol and acidity, so it doesn't end up so sweet. 87
2006 L'Inattendu Minervois blanc (Grenache gris Grenache blanc, 14%) - milky and toasty with honeysuckle notes; full, rounded and quite rich finishing with attractive bite and freshness. 87+
2005 Vous en voulez en voilà Vin de pays Côtes du Brian (that's a local river, by the way, rather than Monty Python homage; made from all reds except Grenache, 13.5%) - ripe blackberry/currant, floral and spicy with liquorice tones; rounded and fruity palate v serious edges as well, firm and quite long. 89+
2003 Le Rendez-vous du soleil (Carignan plus a touch of Cab Sauv) – maturing smoky and white peppery, quite complex; liquorice and tobacco flavoured palate, concentrated and lush with fresh tannins and bite; very nice wine. 90+
2006 Muscat de Saint-Jean de Minervois – very floral and perfumed with white peach notes, the sweetness is nicely cut by alcohol and acidity, so it doesn't end up so sweet. 87
Clos du Gravillas, 34360 Saint-Jean de Minervois. Tel: 04 67 38 17 52, nicole or john@closdugravillas.com, www.closdugravillas.com.
Labels:
Carignan,
Languedoc,
Saint Jean de Minervois
05 August 2011
Spain: Cava
Perelada Reserva castilloperelada.com |
A trio of tasty 'fizzes of the moment' have also inspired a timely update to my Cava mini-guide kick-started back in 2006, which I’ve now teleported across from ‘old’ WineWriting.com and carefully stored in a new ‘Spain page’ nestling among the ‘wine words’ archive. Click here to check it out, which will soon be plumped up with other hot Spanish tasting and touring features such as: tripping, sampling and eating in dreamy Castilla - León wine country (experienced first hand and penned in 2009); cutting-edge tasting reports such as ‘new wave’ Spain, Monastrell from Jumilla and ‘Rioja-free zone’; various winemaker snapshots and wine reviews from across the country and more besides…
04 August 2011
Belfast Wine Festival, 29 August
This apparently new wine gig is taking place on Bank Holiday Monday 29th August at the well-known St. Georges Market on the edge of Belfast city centre and sounds like a nice, and educational of course, winey day-out. TV wine taster presenter Olly Smith, and others, will be "live" doing a few tasting workshops throughout the day; and there'll be plenty of walk-around stands featuring local wine merchants and food outlets. Tickets cost £16.50: check out their website for more info belfastwinefestival.co.uk. See you there...
Labels:
Belfast,
Wine Festival
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Header image: Château de Flandry, Limoux, Languedoc. Background: Vineyard near Terrats in Les Aspres, Roussillon.