It has been a bit since I put up a post but get ready for a couple of weeks of action. I anticipate blogging the wines we taste beginning in about 48 hours- live with fresh photos. I have some items to post from the French Wine Society meeting as well; so much exceptional wine and so little time.
Tonight's post is a long time coming, it approaches a year. Thanks to time, andPaul and Quenby, I have another wine to put up as well.
The story on the lead wine is that last year we had lunch at les Florets in Gigondas and on a lark ordered a bottle of very old Domaine la Garrigue la Cantarelle with the meal. It was outstanding; still fresh after 15 years. We went back for dinner and to spend the night and ordered the 2005 la Cantarelle. This was a dark wine. The nose was full of red fruits and herbs, the acid and mineral were well balanced, and it finished with a hint of smoked cherries. We asked about the importer and were given a name and offered a bottle with "the importer's label," but assured it was the same wine. On inspection, the percent alcohol on the French label was 16%; on the importer's label it was 15%. The producer assured me these were the same wine. I brought some back and obtained imported bottles, they certainly seem to be the same in spite of this difference in labeling. This is an absolutely stunning wine and I intend to parse out my remaining case and a half over the next decade. The 2007 and 2006 are not yet listed as available, plenty of each will make their way into the cellar as this is a wine for time or for the present.
La Cantarelle can be obtained by special request from local retailers. Domaine la Garrigue makes several other wines, all of which are very good. These all fall within the price points intended in this blog.
The wine I am contrasting to la Cantarelle is Domaine les Amouriers les Genestes 2005. Again, this is a wonderful dark young wine. The nose is full of red fruits and the garrigue. The acidity and minerality are well balanced and it finishes with smoky cherries and meats. This wine has a higher amount of syrah and there was a bit of time for the reductive aromas to "blow off" before it entirely revealed itself. Again, this was the 2005 and I have been unable to locate more recent vintages. The producer makes other cuvees.
In addition to lunch at les Florets, I eagerly anticipate visiting these producers with the hope of tasting more recent vintages. Both of these are exceptional wines and can be drunk now or put down to age and consumed over time.
No comments:
Post a Comment