Friday Night with Eden

Getting together with my buddy Eden is always great fun - Eden is a recovering Shiraz-oholic and a blank canvas upon which I can impose my views of the wine world. And he has a particular interest in 'a great value'.

Given his propensity for Shiraz and love of a great value I have over the years tried to guide him towards the South of France, like tonight's 2007 Hecht & Bannier Saint-Chinian (Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre). A delightfully wild -dare I say rustic - nose of leather and smoke, meaty black cherries, almonds and some vanilla notes add to the pleasure. A crisp, intriguing, medium bodied wine, pairing nicely with some grilled steaks. Score: 17/20, Price: C$22.95 (LCBO)

Spain is replete with value, but my taste buds were thinking "quality" so I also picked up a bottle of the 2005 Torres "Mas La Plana" Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine enjoyed many times in the past. Another hit tonight - a beautiful grenadine nose, with cedar and lots of violet. Elegant, sophisticated on the palate, incredibly smooth, silky tannins and a long, crisp, sour cherry finish. Wow. Score: 18/20, Price: C$44.95 (LCBO)

To round out this quirky flight I picked up a higher-end Argentinian wine, as Eden is well versed in the great values coming out of Argentina. The 2002 Alpha Crux from Mendoza's O. Fournier is an intriguing blend of Tempranillo, Malbec and Merlot. A powerfully meaty, gamey, nose - you could smell the tannins - allowing only glimpses of the delicate fruit underneath. Perhaps awkward is a better word, with dense grainy tannins tannins biting into the palate...such an incredibly long finish, and after a few hours still hinting at the greatness inside. I nabbed a few bottles to stick in the cellar, it will be very interesting to revisit this one in a few years. Score: 17.5++/20, Price: C$39.95 (LCBO)

Wow, what a night! I guess I need to open some Sassicaia to top that...(stay tuned)

2004 Olivares Dulce Monastrell

My first bottle of this was a gift from my friend Andreas, but after an unfortunate accident I HAD to go out and replace it (it was a Mourvedre dessert wine from Spain, for crying out loud!).

The 2004 Olivares Dulce Monastrell (Jumilla) was rather odd for a dessert wine - blueberry jam and almond liquer (amaretto), pruney and some aromas that could easily have been single malt scotch. Soft and and pruney on the palate - an odd juxtaposition of sweet, syrupy fruit and dense, grainy tannins. Nice, with a very long finish, but just a bit too sweet.
cork. 16% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$30.25 (SAQ) 500mL

Exploring the Reds of St-Chinian

St-Chinian is the 4th largest Languedoc appellation, with 3300 hectares under vine. The reds, approximately 90% of production, are fashioned from the grapes Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault and Lledoner Pelut grown in hillside vineyards trapped between the Mediterranean and the mountains. While the climate and grapes point towards big, heavy wines, tonight's offerings were surprisingly light - only one had 14% alcohol.

My brother-in-law picked up this 2007 Le Secret des Capitelles in Ontario, a blend of Grenache and Shiraz. A terrific nose of peppery cooked meat, leather and blackberries, violets and sour cherry, some wildflowers, rubber and ink - very complex for a wine at this price. Hot and peppery with a lengthy finish, it softened up as it aired out, but it was not as balanced as the Hecht et Bannier below. But what a great price! I may have to cross the border to get a few more bottles.
cork. 14% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Cost: C$14.95 (LCBO)

The 2006 Les Fiefs d' Aupenac sported a "Decanter" sticker on the bottle, which was good enough to entice me into an experiment. This wine was a "St-Chinian-Roquebrun", from the village of Roquebrun in the St-Chinian region. Mostly (60%) Syrah, with some Grenache and Mourvedre, it was less complex than the others. Deeper, darker, with peppery meat and leathery notes, some blackberries, creme brulee and violets to follow. Softer, hotter (cherry liqueur came to mind), with a good, fruity finish.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$19.95 (SAQ)

I loved this 2006 Hecht et Bannier, a négociant-éleveur specializing in the Langueoc-Rousillon offerings. The nose starts off slowly - nice, but subtle. A little air and it opens beautifully, showing minerally black earth, peppered meat, vanilla and grenadine. Probably the smoothest and best balanced, with a soft velvety touch, yet tight and minerally at the same time. A plum and blackberry finish that felt lower alcohol than the others. Did I say very very very well balanced? Drink now.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$24 (SAQ)

It was a perfect blind tonight, as all were random selections and never tasted before this evening. Be forewarned, as my preference for the H&B not shared by the others who preferred the fruitier Aupenac.

Key take away? A fairly random sample of St-Chinian shows wines that recognize the big fruit available, but the winemakers have deftly crafted this fruit into more balanced wines than I have seen in other Languedoc appellations - give these a try!

2004 Collioures from Domaine Madeloc

My bro-in-law kindly brought back a Collioure wine from France, which slept quietly in my cellar until I found another bottle from the same winery, same vintage, here in Montreal. Time for a blind tasting!

The tiny Collioure appellation lies just across the border from Spain, facing the Mediterranean. The red wines are made mainly from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre (at least 60%, but less than 90%), Carignan and Cinsaut are also allowed but must comprise less than 40% of the blend.

On my left was Cam's gift from France, the 2004 Domaine Madeloc Cuvée Crestall. The first notes are very intriguing - dark berries, flint and violets, some earthy new leather, liquorice later in the evening. Smooth and silky textured on the palate, with bright cherry fruit and a nice long finish. More flavourful, interesting, and complex than the Magenca below.
cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: ~ euros 39 (France)

On my right, the locally purchased 2004 Domaine Madeloc Cuvée Magenca. More subtle on the nose - also showing dark berry fruit, a hint of vanilla and cloves, some violets. Soft, earthy fruit...chewy, velvety tannins, very smooth and delicious. Gaining complexity over the evening.
cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Price: ~C$25 (SAQ)

Kudos to Domaine Madeloc for serving a beautiful pair of wines - definitely worth seeking these out. Great with grilled lamb.

Mini Vertical #11: Vieux Telegraphes

It is interesting to see what a few years in the cellar can do for a wine. Two years ago I was not highly complimentary of the 1998 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe "La Crau", yet time has done wonders for this bottle (tasted blind vs. its younger sibling, below). Starker, crisper, with scents of damp campfire embers, old leather, old cherries...spicy and cheesy, wet stones also compliment this gorgeous nose. On the palate it seemed older, more distinguished, focused, with soft velvety tannins, good acidity and a deceptively long finish. Nicely done.
cork. 14% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$67 (SAQ)

Despite being three years younger, the 2001 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe "La Crau" showed more "bricking" at the edges, which mistakenly led me to believe this was the older bottle. More prunes and cooked fruit on the nose as well - perhaps this bottle was not as well treated as the '98 above? Beautiful aromas of wild flowers and meaty truffles, definitely the fruitier, jammier wine. Soft and oily at first, but a monster tannic presence and a long finish. Much hotter and less balanced, the three of us just didn't like it as much as the '98 above.
cork. 14.8% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$59 (SAQ)

2004 Domaine L'Olivette, A Bandol!

Want to throw one of your know-it-all wine buddies for a loop? Serve them a Bandol, blind, and tell them "if you guess the appellation you can have any bottle in the cellar".

That was pretty much story of this night, where two friends greeted their late-arrival (me) with a full decanter and no bottle to be seen. They, and the waitress, offered me a free bottle if I guessed the appellation - I guessed south of France (pretty darn close in the planetary scheme of things), but I guessed Corbieres ... sigh, back to the gym (cellar).

Bandol, is an obscure (in North America, anyway) French wine appellation in the south of France that is famous for big, dark wines made from (mostly) Mourvedre. The 2004 Domaine de l'Olivette was inky purple in the glass, with woodsy tannins, ripe blackberries, vanillla and dark cherries, black pepper and liquorice - and the "heat" was showing. Leathery and fruity with big, dark fruit on the palate, smooth but very tannic and touch awkward with that port-like alcohol showing through.
cork. 15% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20

2001 Domaine Santa Duc Prestige des Hautes Garrigues

My wine friends (especially Barry) will kill me if I spend a month drinking modest wines for their "novelty values", so I thought I'd throw them a bone with this Southern Rhône treat...

While Gigondas may be a source of inexpensive alternatives to nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the 2001 Domaine Santa Duc Prestige des Hautes Garrigues certainly exceeds the prices for many CDPs. This wine creeps up on you: simple violet and prunes at first, flowering over the evening, adding precious scents of dark berry fruit, coffee grounds, leather and damp forest undergrowth, some liquorice - curiously port-like later on. Dry, crisp cherry fruit on the palate - very flavourful and not the bruiser that you might expect from the nose (or that 15% alcohol!). The tannins are a bit rugged, but were tamed by oxygen and should be housebroken after a few more years in the cave. A Rhône blend of Grenache (80%), Mourvèdre (15%), Syrah (3%) and Cinsault.
cork. 15% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$58 (SAQ)

Red Wine from "Other" France

Cam hosted our third "Boys Only" (previous 1,2) formal tasting with an "Other France" theme - red wine from France, but no Rhone, Burgundy or Bordeaux. You would think that the creative juices would be flowing but it was a Languedoc-heavy night, featuring two from Pic St-Loup and one from Corbieres. I brought the only Loire red, nothing from Southwest France...too bad.

The crowd favourite was the host's 2004 Ollieux Romanis Cuvee Or (30% carignan/30% grenache/30% mourvedre/10% syrah), a wine Cam picked up at the Salon des Vins. Dark chocolate and leathery dark blackberries on the nose, some vanilla and oak as well. So elegant on the palate - very smooth, soft and juicy, but this modern-styled wine had a very short finish and was lacking in complexity vs. the others - my third place wine.
14% alcohol, Score: 17/20, Price: C$37 (SDV).

A very close second (and my favourite) was Chris' 2001 Chateau de Lascaux "Les Secrets" a 50:50 grenache/syrah from Pic St-Loup, my favourite Languedoc appellation. A beguiling nose of black cherries and violets, tar and wet stones, black pepper and liquorice as well. Acid, tannin and fruit in harmony, a very long finish, this should benefit from a few more years in the cellar.
15.4% alcohol, Score: 17.5/20, Price: C$46 (SAQ)

Third was my Loire red, the 2003 Domaine des Roches Neuves "La Marginale", a cabernet franc from Samur-Champigny. On the nose one of my partners said this wine "smells like a joint", but unfamiliar with the term I preferred "vegetal and leafy green"..., with smokey blackcurrant and floral scents. Velvety smooth tea-like tannins, very elegant and well balanced, it stood out like a sore thumb amongst these hot climate grenache/shiraz wines and held its own, pairing particularly well with the venison terrine. Beautifully textured and the longest finish, this needs to sit for a few more years.
13% alcohol, Score: 17.5/20, Price: C$38 (SAQ)

A near consensus last place was Pramod's 2001 Chateau Cazeneuve "Roc des Mates", a syrah (80%) with the balance grenache/mourvedre from Pic St-Loup. Rather tired on the nose - plummy cooked fruit, earthy, with some pepper and smoke, another taster described it as canned tomato sauce (Chef Boyardee to be exact). Smooth, but uncomplex and a touch hot on the palate. A disappointment, as I supplied this to Pramod and have had good success in the past - must have peaked two years ago, or I have a storage problem...
14% alcohol, Score: 15/20, Price: C$27 (SAQ)

All wines were blinded and decanted prior to the start. I had tasted three of these wines before so I wasn't completely blinded, but time does play tricks with the memory and I got the two Pic St-Loup wines mixed up.

Oops, almost forgot the dessert! The 2002 Cave de l'Abbe Rous Helyos (Banyuls) was a dessert wine made from 100% grenache. Meaty dark fruit and almonds on the nose, beautiful texture - luxurious soft and velvety tannins and dark berry fruit - a worthy competitor to a fine port.

16.5% alcohol, Score: 17.5/20, Price: C$51 (SAQ)

Cheers!

2003 "Tour de Rhône": Cornas, St-Joseph, Rasteau and CDP

I love experimenting with wine, rigorously experimenting with wine. Which leads me to tonight's "Tour de Rhone", a blinded comparison of some top wines from this diverse region - same vintage, four different appellations, three different winemakers, and all at broadly similar price points.

The northern Rhone red wines (Hermitage, Cote-Rotie, Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas, St-Joseph) are typically 100% Syrah, and that was the case with tonight's two wines. With sky-high prices for Cote-Rotie and Hermitage I settled for a Cornas and a St-Joseph:

The 2003 Tardieu-Laurent St-Joseph (100% Syrah) was the crowd (but not my) favourite, exuding spicy tea, nuts and new oak on the nose, violets and blackberries as well. Medium-bodied and very dry with crisp fruit (easily the least fruit-forward) and woodsy tannins, I found it a bit "simple" vs. the Cornas and Rasteau and a bit heavy on the oak. 
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$47.25 (SAQ)

Also from the north, the 2003 Delas Freres Cornas Chante-Perdrix (100% Syrah) was a tremendously interesting wine, constantly changing and showing off fresh notes and layers - cherry coke, wildflowers, wet stones, damp forest undergrowth, leather, cloves, caramel and liquorice on the nose - very cool. Liquorice, crisp cherries, wet wood and a minerally palate, really elegant with a very long finish. Probably my favourite (and the most expensive...), put it away for five more years if you can wait.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$49 (SAQ)

Southern reds are typically blends of grenache, syrah and mourvedre, and that was the case with tonight's Chateauneuf du Pape and a village wine from Rasteau:

The 2003 Tardieu-Laurent Rasteau Côtes du Rhône Villages was anything but a humble village wine. An attractive nose of white pepper, plums, grenadine, white flowers, ferns, vanilla, and coffee. Beautiful on the palate - crisp acidity, dense velvety tannins, gravelly cherry fruit, beautifully textured with great length. A fantastic 'village' wine - maybe it was the 80 year old vines? This is a serious wine (blinded, I thought it was the Cornas).
cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$42.75 (SAQ)

Everyone's least favourite, the 2003 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf du Pape, was all cooked fruit - a cherry/rhubarb pie with cream on top - some floral notes. Decent on the palate, but hard to get over the hot raisiny fruit. Especially disappointing given that it is currently one of my Top 50 cellar picks...A good drink on another night, but not in the presence of these other greats. Drink now.
cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$35.25 (SAQ)

Hats off to Tardieu-Laurent for producing elegant, well-structured wines at both ends of the Rhone Valley, and while pricey I think they were great values given the quality inside the bottle. All wines paired very well with marinated lamb chops fresh off the grill. 

Grenache vs. Shiraz vs. Mourvedre

I relish the opportunity to open more than one bottle. This is not a drunken quest - Lamb's Navy Rum is cheaper and more efficient - but to REALLY learn about wine you need to have "context". So when my my brother-in-law bought over a French grenache, I decided an impromptu head-to-head tasting of the three classic Rhone red varietals was in order. The theme set, I chose the following wines to taste. The wines were decanted approx. 45 minutes before dinner, served "blind", and enjoyed (very much) over the rest of the evening.

2002 D'Arenberg "The Twenty-Eight Road" (McLaren Vale)
2004 Chateau Coupe Roses "Granaxa" (Minervois)
2003 E. Guigal (Crozes-Hermitage)

On my left was the 2002 D'Arenberg "The Twenty-Eight Road", made from 100% mourvedre. Pure mourvedre is a rather rare find, especially outside of France and Spain, so I just "had to have it". The darkest of the three wines, it was a deep purple with some brick red at the edge. It started pruney and leathery, with dense black cherry fruit, some vanilla. Very aromatic, but perhaps a touch less complex on the nose than the other two. Rich, with beautiful mouthfeel, nice velvety tannins, ample acidity and terrific balance, it was not a "boorish" mourvedre like the Cline or the Terre Rouge. I loved the juicy fruitiness, but it was not overdone - the tannin and acidity gave it nice structure.
cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$38.75 (SAQ)

In the middle was a glass of the 2004 Chateau Coupe Roses Granaxa, a 100% grenache from the Minervois region in the south of France. A pale ruby red, the lightest of the three, it was very aromatic, revealing smoke and oaky notes, followed by roses, grendine, mint, truffle and wet fur. The alcohol was noticeable on the nose and palate, with dry, peppery, tannins in the mouth, but surprisingly "un-fruity" for a grenache. Well made, interesting, but a bit less polished than the other two wines. Some length. I would drink this now after a modest decant.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: $21 (SAQ)

On my right was a glass of the 2003 Guigal Crozes-Hermitage. A nice cherry red, it was very meaty and woodsy on the nose, followed by violet, raspberry, liquorice, tobacco and almonds - very attractive. Bone dry with velvety tannins, this medium-bodied red showed tremendous poise, with everything in balance. This will keep, but it is ready now. Yes, you have seen this wine before, but I gave it an extra half point this time - a longer decant? a better pairing? The best thing about this bottle - I have four more in my cellar. Note the low alcohol...
cork. 12.5% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: $26 (LCBO)

All three wines were beautiful, and paired very well with the butterflied leg of lamb marinated in olive oil, fresh rosemary and garlic. I would not be disappointed to have any of these again, although I have to give the value prize to the Guigal, which coincidentally was the first decanter empty. Life is good.

PS - It was not that easy to pick out the three varietals blind, but one taster got it right... :)

2003 Cline Small Berry Mourvedre

Keeping with the Rhone Ranger theme, I went for a Mourvedre tonight to pair with some lamb kebabs off the grill. Tonight's wine comes from the Contra Costa County wine appelation, which is located just east of San Francisco. This relatively unknown appellation uses a wide variety of grapes, but is best known for its Rhone varietals.

The dark cherry red 2003 Cline Cellars Small Berry Mourvedre lead with spicy cinnamon and jammy blackberry aromas. Later the nose put on a nice display, with notes of leather, tobacco, violet, vanilla, hazelnut, and a faint scent of rosemary right after it was poured. On the palate it resembled my last experience with this wine: full-bodied with juicy, dark berry fruit, it had firm tannins, mild acidity, and was a bit hot and awkward. A nice pairing and a nice (but pricey) wine.
15% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Price: C$39 (LCBO)

1999 Terre Rouge "Noir"

Napa Cab? Check. Santa Barbara Pinot? Check. Zin? Check. Chardonnay? Check. American wine month is progressing as planned, I guess. Rhone Ranger? Hmmm - missed one.

The 1999 Terre Rouge Noir "Grande Année" comes from the Sierra Foothills, and is a blend of grenache (45%), mourvedre (35%) and shiraz (20%). According to the maker this is their flagship wine, and the Grande Année tag is used for the best vintages. A deep ruby red with some brick red at the edges, the nose was terrific - starting with charcuterie and black pepper (hungarian salami?), with violet, blackberry, prunes and coffee grounds filling in later. On the palate the wine was hot at first, with big tannins, big fruit and lively acidity having some trouble coming together - a bit heavy and angular. Still an enjoyable package overall, and I would agree with the winemaker that this wine was a "dead ringer" for a Southern Rhône wine (like this CdP). Drink now.
14.5% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Price: C$35 (SAQ)

PS - for my regular readers I have been back-posting some notes from the past few weeks...new-old material, if you will...

2004 Chateau de Cazeneuve 'Les Calcaires'

I love reds of Pic St-Loup (1,2,3), and always have a few in my cellar. While not officially its own Appellation d’origine contrôlée (Pic St-Loup is part of the Coteaux du Languedoc AOC), it has been seeking AOC status, with the winemakers putting Pic St-Loup in a prominent location on the label in the interim. From my experience, it would appear that this is a unique terroir deserving of its own AOC, but I will leave that decision to the government authorities.

The 2004 Chateau de Cazeneuve 'Les Calcaires' is syrah-dominated red (60%), with some mourvèdre (30%) and carignan (10%) added to the blend. Bright cherry red in the glass, this was a very aromatic wine - meaty pepper and creme caramel were followed by roses, fresh strawberries, leather and smoke. Crisp acidity and firm tannins, this full-bodied red was juicy, elegant and well-balanced. Could improve in the cellar, but why wait? A great match for wild boar steaks off the grill. Great value!

13.5% alcohol

Score: 17/20

Price: C$20 (SAQ)

2001 Chateau Signac "Cuvee Terra Amata"

This wine was a strong performer (in my mind, anyway) at our Under $35 tasting, and was also one of my Top 50 Cellar Picks, so it should be no surprise that it was heartily enjoyed tonight.

The 2001 Chateau Signac "Cuvee Terra Amata" comes from the Côtes du Rhône region of France, and is a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mouvedre. Deep cherry red, with gobs of glorious sludge left in the bottle (all the great wines have tons of goop), it started strutting its stuff after an hour in the decanter. Jammy blackberry and very meaty on the nose, with smoke, mocha, spice, mint, cedar and subtle floral aromas rounding out this racy, beautiful wine. On the palate it was a rich, meaty, full-bodied wine with nice cherry fruit and great balance. Nice, supple tannins, but the elevated alcohol was somewhat noticeable. Overall, a lovely modern-styled Rhone red, good now, or over the next few years. A nice match for a Beef Wellington.
14.5% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$26 (SAQ)

2004 Torbreck Juvenilles

With ribs snuggly nestled in their marinade, I went down to the cellar to grab a Pinot Noir, my favourite pairing for grilled ribs. But then I thought "what a rut!" - I always pair Pinot with ribs. My guide suggested a Cru Beaujolais (I use this book to get me out of ruts), so I grabbed a 2005 Marcel Lapierre Morgon. But it was not to be, cursed with a corked bottle.

Dinner was nearly over by the time I opened our next bottle, the 2004 Torbreck Cuvee Juvenilles. I was hesitant with this wine, as we suffered a corked bottle at our recent Shiraz tasting, but there was no problem tonight. The Juvenilles was a bright cherry red, with an up front meaty smell. This wild animal rushed at me with scents of smoked meat, cedar and spices (pepper, cloves), blueberry jam, white flowers and lovely flinty, smokey, aromas. On the palate this luscious, full-bodied, modern-styled Aussie blend was leathery smooth, with blueberry fruit, liquorice and firm tannins, but the 14.5% alcohol was obtrusive. A wonderful, after-dinner pairing with absolutely nothing. Sold out, unfortunately, or I might have gone back for another bottle.
Score: 17/20
Cost: C$29 (SAQ)

2003 Cline Small Berry Mourvedre

For my first wine in three days (I had to recover from that Napa thing...), we opened a bottle of the Cline Mourvedre. I was dying to try this as it Mourvedre is rarely produced in the new world, especially as a single varietal. This was a big, powerful wine, with strong fruit and big tannins, and the wild leathery scent of Mourvedre. Kinda like a cross between a Madiran and a Zinfandel. A bit awkward, it had a good finish. It is ready to drink now, but will keep as well, I suggest a good decant before drinking. I had it with some Gnochi - not bad, but I recommend something heavier, like steak off the grill or game.

2000 Terre Rouge Mourvedre

We had a 2000 Terre Rouge Mourvedre with a veal stew tonight. I didn't have my score sheet, but a few comments:

• I thought this wine would be well past its prime, but not so. Heavy tannins were supported by good fruit. Nice leathery, mushroom and vanilla scents, with some dark fruit.
• The wine had good length, and hid the high alcohol level well. However, the tannins were still tough - dare I say this could benefit from a few more years? Slightly rustic and unbalanced, perhaps poorly matched with a delicate veal.

Overall, a nice, thick, medium-bodied wine with heavy tannins. I would wait a few more years, but I am not 100% convinced it will improve. I suspect that the heavy tannin inherent in Mourvedre call for a little less oak?

Steak with Spanish Wine

I am so fond of Bordeaux with steak, that I forget how wonderful some Spanish reds pair with a nice quality, simply prepared steak. For tonight, I brought out two Spanish wines:

2003 Castano Coleccion (Yecla)
2001 Torremilanos Crianza (Ribera del Duero) (Tempranillo)

This was not a good comparison, given the different grapes, but you have to make do with what is ready to go...

The Castano, a blend dominated by Monastrell (aka. Mourvedre, Mataro) with some Cab. Sauv., was younger and fruitier, with stewed fruit and gamey aromas. Very interesting, but a tad rustic. The nose and palate definitely gave away the higher alcohol. I generally love Castano wines (the "Hecula" and simple "Monastrell" are outstanding, and the Dominio Espinal is a great value), but this one was only "good to very good" in my mind. Probably better on its own, without the steak.

The Torremilanos was more tannic and lighter bodied, with good acidity. A classic tempranillo from the Ribera del Duero, this paired very well with the steak. Very powerful, with heavy oak and cherry aromas, it was slightly unbalanced, but that may soften with age.

Overall, tempranillo is a very good match for steak, but I wouldn't say the same for non-tempranillo Spanish wines. Castano is a great house, but maybe not their Coleccion. I will try some more Torremilanos wines before I make up my mind.

Chateauneuf du Pape Tasting - April 2005

This tasting, our second CdP tasting, spanned four different vintages and included an Aussie surprise. Once again, the overall quality level was high, and the wines were wonderful. Here are the results:

First: 2000 Domaine du Vieux Lazaret, Cuvée Exceptionelle
The Vieux Lazaret was the closest thing to a unanimous rating that night – five first place and two second place rankings. This was not the most expensive – this cost me C$43.25 when I bought it in September of last year – so a clear ‘value winner’ as well. Interesting to note that this was my ‘second’ wine – a wine that I stuck in at the last minute because we needed a fifth bottle. Surprise, surprise! My notes suggest that this wine will continue to improve. (RP 91)

Second: 2001 E. Guigal CdP
A solid second place despite no first place finishes. A very narrow dispersion: two second place, four third place and one fourth place ranking. Clearly everyone liked it, but it lacked that ‘something’ that would put it into first (or fifth). My notes were pretty non-descript. A reliable crowd pleaser, perhaps? Good choice Cam! Not cheap, this was the second most expensive at C$58. (RP 92)

Third (tie):
1999 Domaine du Pegau Cuvée Reservé
1998 Clarendon Hills Grenache Clarendon Vineyard
The two oldest wines we tasted: my 1999 Domaine du Pegau Cuvée Reservé and Lloyd’s Aussie surprise, a 1998 Clarendon Hills Grenache Clarendon Vineyard.

Both had a wide dispersion of rankings – with ratings from first to fifth place, but the Pegau seeming to be more polarizing. According to my notes, this had wonderful aromas that weren’t backed up by the taste. This wine definitely required more time in the bottle – interesting as this was a 1999. This was my pride and joy – a sure fire winner, I thought. Sigh. Cost C$43.65 in October 2003. (RP 92)

The Clarendon also claimed a wide range of rankings. Note to Lloyd – you ranked it fourth! I was the lone dissenter on this one – I raved about it and gave it my highest ranking. According to my notes, what this lacked in aromatics it made up for in taste. I predict this will improve. Hooray! I have two bottles in my cellar. Lloyd claims C$40. (RP 93)

Fifth: 2000 Chateau de la Nerthe
The de la Nerthe was pretty consistent – four fifth place and two fourth place rankings. Don’t worry Pramod, Sofia ranked it second (must be love)! As Lloyd noted, he has had this before and really enjoyed it. Not a bad wine, but tough to compete with this stellar crowd. My only gripe with this wine was the price - this was the most expensive…(C$61) (RP 89)

Editorial:
Two CdP tastings, and both times the most expensive did NOT win. There are values to be had...

Chateauneuf du Pape - September 2004

I took over our first CdP tasting, choosing all four wines. While my friends would say it was because I'm an obsessive wine geek, I really had two objectives: (1) to save some time for the less vinously endowed (i.e. cellar-less) individuals in the group, and (2) to compare wines from the same vintage (i.e. to let the producer, rather than the vintage, show through).

These were from the 1999 CdP vintage - a good vintage sandwiched between the 'extraordinary' 1998 and 2000 CdP vintages. The wines were terrific - here are the notes:

First Place: 1999 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe 'La Crau'
This was everyone else's favourite by a wide margin. I was the lone dissenter on this wine - while my scores for the four wines were close, this was my least favourite. I described the nose as very smooth, with hints of berries, flowers and nuts. The taste was tannic and uncomplex, with a medium body and medium lenghth. To sum it up: "Easy, tannic, but nothing special". 'Nuff said. However, I would be remiss if I did not tell you this was the relative bargain - at C$39 it was the second cheapest CdP of the night. (RP-88)

Second Place: 1999 Mas de Boislauzon
I seem to be going in reverse order vs. my peers! This was my 2nd least favourite. I described the nose as bold, smooth, with blueberries and chocolate. The taste was elegant but uncomplex, with a medium body and medium to long finish. From my notes: "Very enjoyable, but not very special". This was another relative bargain at C$34 - the cheapest of the night. (RP-88)

Third Place: 1999 Bosquet des Papes "Cuvee Chantemerle"
Now to the good stuff! This was my favourite. I described the nose as "oakier", with scents of apples, leather and mushrooms. On the palate the wine was "very well balanced", with a medium body and medium to long finish. Yum. This was pricey - C$65. (RP-91)

Fourth Place: 1999 Chateau de la Gardine "Cuvee des Generations"
This cost an arm and a leg, and was supposed to be my 'ringer'. My peers were less positive on this wine, but it was my 2nd favourite. A very complex and "earthy" nose, with scents of blueberries, currants, vanilla, caramel and licorice. It was a bit disappointing on the palate (after that wonderful nose!) - I found the wine to be 'hot' (i.e. high, obtrusive alcohol), oaky, and a little less balanced (than the others) . Full bodied, with a long finish. A great wine, but not a great find at this price - C$94. (RP 90-93)

Comments:

You get what you pay for? While I gravitated to the more expensive wines, the ratings as a whole did not follow price. This concurs with other CdPs tastings - great CdP can be had for reasonable prices.