no high speed internet so no photos yet. winter in the vineyards is a beautiful time.
the wine purpose of this entire visit to learn more about Tavel and hopefully to taste some 2010's which had recently been assembled; then there were those who thought it was all about new year's eve in paris. the celebration on the champs de mars lasted only a few minutes and the walk down the champs elysees was where the real party was. most important, making the january 1 train to avignon.
monday's plan was to begin at 1030 with a visit to Trinquevedel. i have looked forward to this for a number of reasons. first, Guillaume is exceptionally personable and communicates information about his property, his wines, and the region well. second, the property is beautiful and i expected would provide a great opportunity for pictures. Finally, i was looking forward to the wines.
Guillaume had surprises for us.
the first wine was his 2010 Tavel/Chateau de Trinquevedel which he had drawn off of the tank for us this morning. the wine had been assembled within the last month and is waiting to be bottled in march. the wine was a robust pink throughout the glass and clear. the aromas were of flowers and red fruits. the taste was flowers, red raspberries, strawberries, and a hint of white pepper. the finish was a wonderful balance of mineral and acid. it is young and will evolve further on the fruit and flowers side in the months before we see it. i look forward to enjoying this during the coming year.
the second wine was 2009 Tavel/Chateau de Trinquevedel. we have had this wine for the last 7 months and it was a favorite. it is a very similar pink throughout the glass and clear. the fruit and flower aromas are complex, with an enticing floral beginning followed by impressive fruit. the taste backs this up, and again there is a subtle finish of white pepper. the balance on the finish is crisp acid and mineral with a perfect balance. i am glad i have several bottles of this left in the cellar.
the third wine was Guillaume's gastronomic wine, Tavel/Les Vignes d'Eugene 2008. we previously have tasted the 2007 and have some of it in our cellar. this wine spends a year aging in cement tanks before being bottled. the wine is not as intensely pink toward the edges of the glass as the previous wines, probably because of the nature of grenache and its age; the color is beautiful. the nose is of red fruits with a background of flowers. the taste is raspberry, strawberry, and a touch of garrigue. the balance of mineral and acid is smooth. the wine coats the mouth with a feeling of fullness and lasts for several swallows. Guilaume explained that he allows this wine to undergo a malolactic fermentation. the wine is designed to age and for food. i am excited to see this again- i am planning the tasting this summer with the full list of wines above from my cellar.
as a surprise, Guillaume has produced a late harvest wine from a parcel of grenache blanc and clairette on a sandy hilltop. the grapes were harvested in mid-october with a single pass through the vineyard. some of the grapes had botrytis (he had identified the potential for this in the plot he had chosen). harvest was at 22%. the wine is a pale yellow and has a sweet and fruity nose. the taste immediately shows the honeyed nature of the botrytis, along with white fruits. the balance on the finish is a luscious blend of sweet, acid, alcohol, and fruit. and, the wine is called VENDAGE OUBLIEES, the forgotten harvest. this is a great aperitif or dessert wine and i look forward to watching it evolve. as it was just bottled there are no other reviews on it- you see it here first. Guillaume produced only 1000 bottle of this nectar, and 6 fewer remain as of this writing. this is a wonderful wine and i think represents a creative effort from the producer.
the final wine was 2009 Trinquevedel Cotes du Rhone Rouge. this is 100% grenache from Guillaume's plot in Lirac. the wine is a robust garnet color to the edges of the glass. it has a fruity nose and a light and fruity taste. the finish is smooth. it was not intended to be a wine to age, it is to drink now while the other's age and it meets the purpose for which it was designed precisely. this wine will change in the next 2 years as Guillaume has planted mourvedre in Lirac and once it is producing suitable fruit the wine will be changed into an AOC Lirac.
i am going to save other Tavel wines for a later post. the exceptional wines, extraordinary hospitality, and creativity shown at Trinquevedel merits this discussion be limited to the single producer. i purchased a number of wines to use for future tastings and enjoyment on this visit. remember, VENDAGE OUBIEES. photos to follow.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
terroir terrier and pictures of soil
still, no high speed internet so the actual photos cannot yet be posted, i will do a new post with them.
we took the d4 to tavel this afternoon and then wen past the "back side" of chateau d' aqueria on our way to avignon. i did not have the gps on so i really cannot comment on the total elevation change but based upon the soils i think we saw every type of soil in tavel. it is absolutely amazing to drive less than a kilometer and go from galets to decaying limestone, to a slope wash mix. each soil contributes to different taste profiles in the grapes. looking at dirt and rocks as we drive has become a fascinating pastime.
on our way back the house we stopped at le cave des lirac/de saint laurent des arbres in st laurent des arbres to pick up wine for this evening and for our meal. (www.cavelirac.fr). this is the co-op for the commune and we have visited regularly for 6 years. the wines uniformly are very good and sometimes excellent. our choices today were: "arcane" 2009 blanc, a blend of grenache blanc, clairette blanche, and bourboulenc; lirac cuvee jean XXII 2007, grenache and mourvedre; and, monseigneur de la rovere, 2009, syrah and grenache with a small amount of mourvedre. le degustation, c'est gratuit. i think these wines will round out over the next several years and be exceptionally good.
after our out of body experience yesterday at gare de lyon, we are actually considering taking the tgv back to paris. the issue here is not what happens once one gets on the train but rather the process of boarding. paris was a confusing mess and i would hazard to say that amtrak keeps travelers more aware of the status of their trains. the electronic information boards were not working. the train was delayed by over 90 minutes and we were told to board the trail on voie 17 which turned out to be entirely wrong. in the end, we had a wonderful and efficient two and a half hour ride to avignon in spite of our trials and tribulations from 1045 until 1230. there was no information about the status of trains. i think this is an issue of infrastructure. once on the train it is amazing. the arrival in avignon was beyond easy.
we took the d4 to tavel this afternoon and then wen past the "back side" of chateau d' aqueria on our way to avignon. i did not have the gps on so i really cannot comment on the total elevation change but based upon the soils i think we saw every type of soil in tavel. it is absolutely amazing to drive less than a kilometer and go from galets to decaying limestone, to a slope wash mix. each soil contributes to different taste profiles in the grapes. looking at dirt and rocks as we drive has become a fascinating pastime.
on our way back the house we stopped at le cave des lirac/de saint laurent des arbres in st laurent des arbres to pick up wine for this evening and for our meal. (www.cavelirac.fr). this is the co-op for the commune and we have visited regularly for 6 years. the wines uniformly are very good and sometimes excellent. our choices today were: "arcane" 2009 blanc, a blend of grenache blanc, clairette blanche, and bourboulenc; lirac cuvee jean XXII 2007, grenache and mourvedre; and, monseigneur de la rovere, 2009, syrah and grenache with a small amount of mourvedre. le degustation, c'est gratuit. i think these wines will round out over the next several years and be exceptionally good.
after our out of body experience yesterday at gare de lyon, we are actually considering taking the tgv back to paris. the issue here is not what happens once one gets on the train but rather the process of boarding. paris was a confusing mess and i would hazard to say that amtrak keeps travelers more aware of the status of their trains. the electronic information boards were not working. the train was delayed by over 90 minutes and we were told to board the trail on voie 17 which turned out to be entirely wrong. in the end, we had a wonderful and efficient two and a half hour ride to avignon in spite of our trials and tribulations from 1045 until 1230. there was no information about the status of trains. i think this is an issue of infrastructure. once on the train it is amazing. the arrival in avignon was beyond easy.
lunch in avignon
sorry,no photos today because the high speed internet is out so this has to be posted via ipad. a post will come up with the photos in the future.
it is january 2 and we survived a couple of days of being over-fed in paris; then a new year's day departure from gare de lyon via tgv for avignon; and now we are here, at the home base of phylloxera in the 1860's. that says a lot when the topic is lunch in avignon. the mistral is howling. we took great photos from the "dom" today, and the north side was exceptionally blustery. jill decided as we walked back down past the palais des papes that soup d' oignon and a unique wine was in order.
the restaurant was "le domaine" and the soup was l' oignon des cevennes. it was a great soup and certainly fortified us.
the wine: my original choice was henri bonnaurd palette but they were out of it; i have never seen an aoc palette in the states. my second choice was a vacqueyras- Chateau Fontclos, Reflets de l'ame 2008. this was a great wine and paired well with our meal. the wine was red to the edge of the glass, the nose was red fruit and spice, and the taste followed through with wonderful cherry, raspberry, smoke, and soft tannins. this was a well balanced and well made wine, although i suspect it will be best over the short term. i always view vacqueyras as the "wild child" of the sacred trinity of chateauneuf du pape, gigondas, and vacqueyras; i look for the spice and rustic nature of the wines. this one did not disappoint although it was much more polished than what i expected. there were no rough edges to this wine. the year, 2008, was difficult but this wine certainly proves that a good producer can make an excellent wine in a problematic year. we were here for harvest in 2008 and certainly would never have expected this level of quality from the wines of that vintage. kudos to the producer.
it is january 2 and we survived a couple of days of being over-fed in paris; then a new year's day departure from gare de lyon via tgv for avignon; and now we are here, at the home base of phylloxera in the 1860's. that says a lot when the topic is lunch in avignon. the mistral is howling. we took great photos from the "dom" today, and the north side was exceptionally blustery. jill decided as we walked back down past the palais des papes that soup d' oignon and a unique wine was in order.
the restaurant was "le domaine" and the soup was l' oignon des cevennes. it was a great soup and certainly fortified us.
the wine: my original choice was henri bonnaurd palette but they were out of it; i have never seen an aoc palette in the states. my second choice was a vacqueyras- Chateau Fontclos, Reflets de l'ame 2008. this was a great wine and paired well with our meal. the wine was red to the edge of the glass, the nose was red fruit and spice, and the taste followed through with wonderful cherry, raspberry, smoke, and soft tannins. this was a well balanced and well made wine, although i suspect it will be best over the short term. i always view vacqueyras as the "wild child" of the sacred trinity of chateauneuf du pape, gigondas, and vacqueyras; i look for the spice and rustic nature of the wines. this one did not disappoint although it was much more polished than what i expected. there were no rough edges to this wine. the year, 2008, was difficult but this wine certainly proves that a good producer can make an excellent wine in a problematic year. we were here for harvest in 2008 and certainly would never have expected this level of quality from the wines of that vintage. kudos to the producer.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Holiday Season Wines
The holiday season is upon us. The celebrations provide opportunity to sample a number of wines, something I could not do independently without the rest of the crowd to help finish the bottles. Also, the endless parades of food provide interesting possibilities for pairings. Some of the wines have been on this blog previously, and some may appear in upcoming posts. So here are the highlights of the last weeks, in the order tasted.
Helfrich Alsace Grand Cru Riesling, 2006. I have been on a search for wines from Alsace and have been having a difficult time finding options which I liked, predominantly because of residual sugar. This wine was the true "find." I has aromas of violets and white fruits, a nice floral bouquet but you can smell the minerality of the wine. The taste follows through on the flowery theme with a nice sense of pear or nectarine. This is well balanced by crisp acidity and minerality. It was a special purchase in the Pa state store system and is a good choice; I cellared a 6 bottle case. Great wine and a great price.
Ehrhart Cremant d'Alsace degorge le 25.08.2010. This is another "find." I used it as the sparkling wine at Thanksgiving and it has become a staple through the rest of the season. It is labeled as chardonnay. The mousse has fine, uniform bubbles which persist well in the flute. The nose is clean and fruity, with a hint of green apple. The taste is green fruits and citrus with an almost creamy texture in the mouth. The acid and mineral are well balanced with the 12.5% alcohol level. It is dry. I really like this wine.
There was an easily forgettable white Beaujolais which I tried just because it is so uncommon; there are only 500 acres of white grapes planted in the region. This wine was pure chardonnay, no aligote was in the blend. It was good, but certainly would not stand up to its northerly neighbors.
Domaine Pral "Au Pays des Pierres Dorees" Beaujolais 2009. Red obviously, and all Gamay. This is a very nice wine example of Beaujolais. The color is bright red and clear. The nose is floral and red cherry bubblegum. The tastes match the nose and the finish is well balanced. I picked this up as an experiment and I am glad I got a couple of bottles. This is not the Morgon in the cellar, but it is great to drink while waiting for that to age. This is a good and flexible wine.
Les Hauts d'Acantalys 2008 Lirac (white). This is actually produced in Tavel with grapes sourced from Lirac (remember, Tavel is rose wine). I really liked this wine. The aromas are of fruits and flowers, the taste is well balanced with white stone fruits, pears, and citrus. It is well balanced with nice minerality and acidity. The stated blend is 58% grenache blanc, 28% clairette, and 14% bourboulenc. I only bought 2 bottles of this and I intend to go back and get a case. It is a wonderful white southern rhone wine. This was the bottle for sipping while cooking on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th. It was consistent for 3 days after being opened.
Domaine Cherrier et Fils Sancerre 2008. This was the first wine opened for the "early" arrivals on Christmas day, and for the uninitiated it provided a fine example of its region- citrus and grass. I like this wine, as did everyone else. It was a good prelude to beginning the party with the cremant previously described.
Pierre Amadieu Gigondas "Romane Machotte" 2007. I blogged about this wine a few months ago and chose it as the main wine for dinner. It went well with all of the courses- onion soup, salad, ham, potatoes gratin, and roasted haricots verte with garlic. Plenty of young fruit but just enough tertiary aromas and flavors to be interesting with the entire meal. Again, I really like this wine and patiently anticipate what it will do over the next 5 years.
Clare Luce Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2006. Again, this is a wine discussed months ago. It was a wonderful contrast to the Gigondas and went well with second servings.
Something had to stand up to dessert. Chateau de Veyres Sauternes, 2003. This may be regarded as infanticide, but it went quite well with the sweets. The wine is just beginning to gain some darkness, the nose is floral, with fruit and honey. And, the honeyed taste of botrytis comes shining through. The sweetness is nicely balanced by the acidity and alcohol. This is a wine sitting in the cellar for a long while to come. We had not tasted it in a year; it is coming along well.
And for the clean-up crew... Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2008. Young, red fruits, pepper, and smoke. This gives a slightly different meaning to the clean up.
My thanks to the intrepid group of tasters and eaters who made this wide range of samplings possible. Obviously, without a group there would have been a lot of waste. I have noticed that the rubber stopper in the remaining cremant popped out during the night but the mousse is still quite good. The last of the Sancerre did not deteriorate sitting on the counter over night. Posts will be coming on my search for wines of Alsace in Pennsylvania, a collection of Sancerre tastings, and maybe a midwinter comment on the rose wines of Tavel. Best wishes to all for a safe and joyous holiday season. And a light snow has just begun to fall.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
chablis
DOMAINE WILIAM FEVRE 'VAUDESIR,' GRAND CRU CHABLIS, 2005
this has an incredibly crisp nose with green apples, one can smell the flintiness. the mouth has high minerality and acidity, well balanced by the fruit.
absolutely no oak here; put this zip up against an over-oaked and flabby california chard and compare what shows its terroir and style.
this is in the $70 range; la chabliaienne has a number of excellent and representative wines in the price range of this blog. the point is that this is a GRAND CRU for $70, look at other high quality chardonnay based wines and make a real comparison.
of course, this was followed by a Premier Cru Mersault ($40) and a Grand Cru Corton Charlemagne ($80).
hiatus
there have not been posts lately because i have been working through the french wine society curriculum and doing the course in washington, dc. amazing experience and a huge number of wines.
as a post for tonight, Domaine Marcel LaPierre Morgon, 2009. this is a really exceptional wine. it is a beaujolais, but it absolutely has nothing to do with nouveau. this is a cru beaujolais and is meant to age. admittedly, drinking this wine young was infanticide but it certainly gave us pleasure. the color is a vibrant and clear red. the nose is of spicy red fruits- cranberries and raspberries. there is a nice and well balanced minerality and acidity with a silky finish. the wine is meant to age but certainly is enjoyable in its youth. with food, there was a distinct peppery taste to the wine. it stood up well to the meal (a variant of the classic chicken with 40 cloves of garlic).
Marcel LaPierre has an interesting history. he inherited the family vineyards and initially followed the course in beaujolais. then he decided the direction the region was taking was not consistent with the land, the grapes, and his heritage. he broke with tradition and became progressively more natural in his handling of his wines (the web site and local writings say he does not use sulfur, but our bottle lists sulfur on the label). it took a number of years for his wisdom to be acknowledged. this is the thirdd vintage of his wine i have had and it is consistently wonderful. i look forward to how my cellared case will age.
sadly, Marcel LaPierre passed away a month ago of melanoma. the domaine passes on to his son.
this is a wonderful example of cru beaujolais designed to age, evolve, and express the land of its origin. the producer has the courage to follow a traditional path to produce an exceptional wine. we too often think of "nouveau" when we hear the word beaujolais and such a patterned response limits our possibilities and does not do justice to the region.
that said, this thursday is the third thursday of november...
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