Do Whites Age? Lopez de Heredia and Chateau Musar

Ok, so my last post on aging dry white wines was pretty lame - after all those whites barely four and five years old. Big deal? Fine, here's some really old s%$t - a 21 year old Rioja, and a "youthful" 9 year old from Lebanon...

The 1989 Lopez de Heredia Rioja (white) Dark, dark amber amber in the glass...dusty, minerally, on the nose...papaya, dried apricots and fresh lemons in support. Youthful, with crisp citrus and creamy almond - surely the vintage on the label is a typo? Terrific structure, elegant and complex with a terrific finish. Vintages has a few more bottles on line (and for $4 less than I paid) - buy some.
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$59 (LCBO)

The 2001 Chateau Musar (white) was more yellow gold, visually not showing its age despite nine years in the bottle. But it was more oxidized on the nose, with almonds and melted caramel, buttery. Softer, creamier on the palate with luxurious, spicy (nutmeg) finish - terrific, if only slightly less structured than the Lopez de Heredia above.
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$35 (LCBO)

Wow, what an education - astonishingly good, well-aged, dry whites from Spain and Lebanon - and surprisingly affordable! I'm going to clear some place in the cellar..

(PS - I have to thank Neil for plugging the Lopez de Heredia - if it weren't for him I would never have responded to this recent Vintages offering...cheers, Neil)

Do White Wines Age? An '05 and '06 from Rioja

Do dry white wines "age"? The answer is yes, of course - any wine book will tell you that certain whites can improve with some quality time in the cellar.

But who actually gets to taste aged dry whites? Recall your last trip to your favourite resto - how long was the 'vintage white' section? Probably didn't have one. Did the sommelier recommend a five or ten year old white "from their cellar"? Probably not. And chances are that your buddy with that 4000 bottle cellar only has a few sweet German wines in his/her "white" section (if there any white wines at all).

So this mythical wine - the Well-Aged Dry White - became a bit of a quest for me a few years back. Realizing that the wine shops and restaurants would not satisfy this curious corner of my wine mind, I made a concerted effort to squirrel away some whites - Aussie, German and Alsatian Rieslings, some Chablis, some Champagne, and tonight's two bottles of Spanish Viura...

The 2005 Palacios Remondo Placet started all funky, seemingly tired and past its peak, but wow - did this ever open up - dried apricots, dark caramel, butter cream, canned pears and guava, some almonds and floral/soapy notes. The first sip mirrored the first nose - tired, past its prime - but as it opened some tangy citrus and minerality showed up, revealing tremendous finish and persistency for old wine ... wow, she's still got it! Even more impressive, it tasted better on day 2 and day 3.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 18/20

The 2006 Palacios Remondo Placet barely showed any sign of age - crisp and fresh from the get go, adding funky papaya, soapy floral, citrus peel and quince. Notably minerally on the palate, with tasty bitters, difficult to find a more delicious, smooth, and complex white - with enough acidity and minerality to indicate that it is nowhere near its peak.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 18/20

There is no doubt that a few years in the JoeCave did not harm these wines, with the '05 gaining nuance and '06 seemingly newborn. And Palcios Remondo has made a tremendous case for Rioja whites from the Viura grape.

But four or five years is not "age" - for that you have to wait for my notes on a 20 year old white Rioja...

(both were impeccably paired with a homemade seafood paella)

2008 Martin Codax Salterio Albarino

Albariño is Spain's big secret, for now. The signature grape of Galicia's Rías Baixas wine region, I never think to buy these - but I have never been disappointed. The pretty label grabbed me this time - wow, what a nice surprise!

The 2008 Martín Códax Salterio Albariño (Rias Baixas) tempts with notes of papaya, buttery croissant, apples and flowers. Soft and appley on the palate with a distinct minerality, not crisp but the minerals hold it together quite well. A delcious sipping wine yet flavourful enough to stand up to turkey kebabs...lots of fun!
plastic cork. 12.5% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Price: C$16.95 (LCBO)

2006 Placet

Over the past two or three years I started to put a few whites aside in my cellar for aging - mostly German whites and a few Chablis, but I have also set aside some oddities as an experiment.

I wouldn't think to age a white Rioja, but a tasting with Marcus gave me the idea to cellar this 2006 Palacios Remondo Placet. A gorgeous nose of creamy golden butter, white flowers, hints of citrus, banana and papaya, citrus peel, some grassy woodsy notes. The beauty continues on the palate, complex, flavourful and tremendously well balanced, with a soft, luscious finish. While this is not yet "old", it is aging well and I have one more bottle for a future redo
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: C$29.95 (SAQ)

White Coulliore

My in-laws went to France two years ago, and since that time they have tried a number of Languedoc reds on me, from Coulliore in particular. Tonight I thought I'd turn the tables and try a WHITE Coulliore on them...

The 2007 Les Clos de Paulilles (Collioure) is 100% Grenache blanc, and it has been some time since I last tasted one of those. An intriguing nose...lemon jelly and butterscotch, vanilla and graham cracker, flint and a hint of white flowers. All soft and fruity on the palate, it tastes of warmth and sunshine - smooth and flavourful with some decent minerality, but flabby and a bit hot - not terribly so, but just enough to be noticed.
cork. 13.5% alcohol.
Score: 16/20
Price: C$21.50 (SAQ)

Obscure Wine Appellations: 2007 Domaine des Ballandors Quincy

Surely a Loire appellation, but what grape? Pondering this, I opened it as an apertif rather than mistakenly serve a Chenin Blanc when a Sauvignon Blanc was called for...

The 2007 Domaine des Ballandors (Quincy) was fresh and joyful on the nose, some soapy white flowers at first, later fading to pink grapefruit...some minerality as well. On the palate a near perfect balance of fruit and acidity for a Sauvignon Blanc, and a fine-grain minerality and bitter citrus rind. Delicious, but should be at this price.
Cork. 12.5% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Price: C$21.25 (SAQ)

2008 Domaine des Aubuisieres Cuvee de Silex

Not many Loire wines around here of late and it has been two years since I last published on a Vouvray. And I really liked those, so what gives?

No idea, but this 2008 Domaine des Aubuisières Cuvée de Silex (Vouvray) questions that oversight. A welcoming nose of woodsy fruit, green apples and mangoes (mango rind?), a noticeable flintiness. A softly textured palate held together by grainy minerality. Not off dry in my mind, just a hint of sweet green apple. Very nice balance, and a joy to drink at this price.
cork. 13% alcohol.
Score: 16/20
Price: C$18.50 (SAQ)

2007 Domaine de L'Olivette Bandol

Ok, so I've had Bandol before - those big, inky Mourvedres from the south of France - but a WHITE Bandol? This I had to try.

With pork chops I would usually go for something Alsatian or Germanic, but the cellar was a bit thin today so I gave it a shot.

The 2007 Domaine de L'Olivette Bandol offered a nose of soapy white flowers, limey apricot...almost cognac-like on the nose. A soft, luscious palate, and the lack of acidity is compensated in part by a nice, firm minerality holding it together. I would have guessed Viognier, but in this appellation the whites are made from Clairette, Bourboulenc and Ugni blanc. Worth a try, but at 25$ I would suggest a white Languedoc or Cotes du Rhone.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$25 (SAQ)

Worked well with the BBQ pork chops...

Turning Wine into Water: VI-NO-ZE-RO

I have come to peace with dealcoholized beer, but you need to treat it as an entirely new class of beverage - if you go into hoping for a drink that tastes just like your regular brew you will always be disappointed. But if you go into it looking for an alternative drink you can better appreciate it. That being said, most of them are pretty awful "alternative beverages", but I have found some that are drinkable - Bitburger 'Drive' is my personal fave.

So I approached this wine with a more open mind than my wife, who called me in a panic - "Joe, I need wine help". She NEVER calls me to ask about wine, so I knew it was serious. Calling her back I got a panicky "Do you have any other wine...that wine in the fridge...it's, it's...AWFUL". She was referring to tonight's wine...

The non-vintage VI-NO-ZE-RO (Müller Thurgau) was a very pale gold in the glass, unusual (but rather interesting) on the nose - yeast, wet stones, but difficult to discern much else. Cool and wet on the palate, but very bland - not "bad" in my mind, just very, very bland. Overall, I commend the production of a dealcoholized (<0.5%) wine that is not too sweet and has no rough edges, and maybe with time I can come to terms with this beverage in the same way I have come to terms with dealcoholized beer.
screw top. 0.5% alcohol
Score: 8.5/20
Price: C$7.60 (SAQ)

But I speak only for myself - my wife's take: "I would not drink that, even if I were pregnant"

2007 Borsao, White and Red

I made a number of suggestions for party wine in a recent post, but you could do much worse than these inexpensive, widely available, Spanish offerings:

The white, the 2007 Borsao Seleccion Joven, hails from the Campo de Borja appellation, a Spanish appellation best known for Garnacha but with many authorized varietals including Tempranillo, Mazuela, Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Macabeo, Chardonnay and Moscatel - this white was 100% Macabeo (Viura). Very creamy, with some white flower and green, earthy notes. Very smooth, luscious, and balanced with no rough edges, impressive at this price.
plastic cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 13.5/20
Price: C$13.15 (SAQ)

The red, a 2007 Borsao (Campo de Borja) is a blend of Grenache (70%), Syrah (20%) and Tempranillo. A nose of dark berry fruit, tart and cedary, with some smokey and leathery notes. Light bodied, with mild tannins and oaky crisp fruit, but not overoaked. A bit awkward and unbalanced at first but it softened over evening. Enjoyable, but not memorable, a decent pour at this price. I wonder how this would stack up to these Portuguese treasures (1,2) in a blind tasting?
plastic cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 13/20
Price: C$11.65 (SAQ)

Both of these were simple, but simple is not a criticism - at this price point what I really look for is a wine that is flourful with no"rough edges", and these delivered. Great for a party!

Single Vineyard Rieslings of Germany and Alsace, by S.A. Prum and Dopff et Irion

My visit to Montreal's Salon des Vins in March was a whirlwind of tasting activity, but two whites stood out at that event - tonight's Alsatian "Grand Cru" Riesling and a Mosel Riesling from the famed "Wehlener Sonnenuhr" vineyard. Now I love Alsace whites, and I love German Riesling, but I never thought to taste them head to head - tonight we paired these two gems with a spiral ham...

The 2004 Dopff et Irion Grand Cru Schoenenbourg Riesling (Alsace) was quite earthy on the nose, with lemons, peaches and sweet honeysuckle over a hard, flinty core, noticeably greener than the Prum below. A juicy, flavourful palate, delicately held together by steely acid and sturdy minerality. Drier, sharper and crisper, this very polished white would have paired better with whitefish than tonight's sweet ham.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: ~C$30

The 2005 S.A. Prum Wehlener Sonnenhur Riesling Kabinett (Mosel) showed honeyed petrol notes and was a bit spicier, earthy and flinty as well. Effervescent and slightly less dry than the Schoenenbourg with a lingering minerality, it was indescribably fuller and lighter at the same time. A touch simpler in my notes, yet this was the wine that everyone kept reaching for - and a much better pairing for this meal.
cork. 9.0% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: ~C$24 (SAQ)

Drive for One Hundred: 2005 Pazo Senorans Albarino

Albariño, number 97 of my quest, is not an "obscure grape" at all. Found in cheap Portuguese Vinho Verde and pricier Rías Baixas from Spain, it has also found a following in the new world. While I have had Vinho Verde on a number of occasions, tonight I decided to spoil myself with a pricier bottling from Spain (served as a prelude to a paella dinner with friends):

The 2005 Pazo Señoráns Albariño (Rías Baixas) was a pretty wine - a nose of creamy fresh limes, hay and green grass, cranberries, apricot jelly, subtle floral notes in the background. Elegant and well balanced, luscious, with nice persistency and bitterness. Terrific!
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$23.15  (SAQ)

Drive for One Hundred: Two Obscure Whites

Two more oddities tonight as I close in on the finish line and that fancy scroll, some whites from the South of France and Sicily. 

The 2006 Grande Reserve des Bastides Blanc Sec Perlé is from the Gaillac region in the South of France, and is made from the local varieties Loin de L'œil, Mauzac and Sauvignon Blanc.  A nose of cream and freshly squeezed lemons, some green grass, toasted bread and subtle floral notes. Refreshing...with a slight effervescence, intense minerality and crisp acidity - how about VdP Cotes de Gascogne meets Chablis? 
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 15.5/20
Price: C$15.55 (SAQ)

From Sicily we have the 2007 Primula Firriato Bianco, a wine made from the native grape Catarratto. Minerally, creamy, and buttery lime scents, some yeast and banana. Fresh limes, soft and chalky on the palate, modest acid. A smooth, balanced and easy drinking wine - a well-priced and enjoyable patio quaffer but a touch bland and fleeting.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 15/20
Price: C$10.60 (SAQ)

For those of you who are wondering when this odd grape madness will end, tonight's wines are number 93 and 94 on the list. I'm actually up to 99, notes coming soon...

Drive for One Hundred: 2007 La Sablette Muscadet Sèvre et Maine

Muscadet is a confusing wine word, the name of a grape (that also goes by other names), yet the French appellation of "Muscadet Sèvre et Maine" uses the Melon de Bourgogne grape for its dry white wines. Thus tonight's "Muscadet", the 2007 La Sablette Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie, is Melon de Bourgogne - not my first wine from this appellation, but with no notes on my site it ends up in my "Drive for 100". A pretty nose of soapy lavender and wildflowers, framed by aromas of flinty lemon peel, hummus and yeast. Very minerally on the palate, like sipping wine from a stone (or amethyst?) goblet, nicely textured but thin and fleeting. A simple, nicely balanced pre-dinner quaffer, I'd serve it with the salad course or a tray of oysters.
plastic cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$13.55 (SAQ)

Note that the 'sur lie' means the wine is bottled straight from the vat without racking, and must spend a minimum amount of time on the lees before bottling. This is done for added complexity, and may result in some effervescence (but not noticeable tonight). 

Oenology (Eno), A Wine Bar

"Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever" - Aristophanes - (from the menu at Eno)

Walking back to my hotel in Chicago from an evening business meeting, I spotted a sign: "Oenology". Hmm...promising...yes...a wine bar! Now, a wine bar in a big city like Chicago is not a surprise, but it was not on my schedule for the evening so I can call it a surprise...

A few comments on "Eno". Yes, it is located in a hotel (the InterContinental), but therein lies the charm - it was modern, but not so hip that I had to deal with the extra loud thumping of music, servers in tiny black minidresses and 25-somethings who already know everything about wine. But I wouldn't dare call this a "library" - yes there was modern music background and a youngish crowd, but the atmosphere accented the wine, not suffocated it. Perhaps even a detectable seriousness in the air which, for anyone who has seen me tasting, was absolutely perfect...

Most wine bars feature various wines by the glass and featured flights, and so did Eno, but Eno also featured thoughtfully prepared flights of cheeses and meats to pair with the wines, a simple, but well executed, touch  - I highly recommending some of the meat and cheese flights.

Flight #1 was a "Festival of Whites", paired with a flight of Wisconsin cheeses (perfect for this Cheese-head), olives and nuts, and a curiously delicious jam with mustard seed:

The 2006 www "Bordello" Verdelho (Lodi) showed a fresh greenness on the nose, with green melon and floral, woodsy, notes as well. Refreshing and flavourful with decent acid, but with higher alcohol and a heavy oaky hand.
13.4% alcohol, Score: 16/20

My favourite of the flight was the 2005 Atrea "The Choir" (Mendocino), a Rhone blend of Roussane/Viognier, had a nice earthy, musty nose, butterscotch (Werther's) and oregano later on. Smooth, soft, and luscious mouthfeel, very flavourful and poised, nice persistency. There's amazing juice in there if they just laid off the oak a tiny bit...
14.2% alcohol, Score 17/20

On the right was the 2006 Brooks "Amycas" (Oregon). A blend of Pinot gris, Pinot blanc, Gewurtztraminer, and a dash of Muscat, it showed a simple nose of honeyed apples and wet bread dough, some citrus. Simple and refreshing, but a bit thin.
13.7% alcohol, Score: 15.5/20

Flight #2 was "Pinot Envy", paired with a unique selection of dried meats from around the world:

Pinot envy was not just Pinot Noir, and first up was the 2007 Yamhill Valley Vineyards Pinot Blanc (Oregon). Very minerally, with green grass and yeasty limes on the nose. Dry, limey, very nice acidity and minerality on the palate. Great persistency, very nicely balanced, this is quality wine making.
??% alcohol, Score:17/20

The 2006 Eola Hills Pinot Noir (Oregon) featured ripe raspberries, oak, vanilla, cocoa, white pepper, and a hint of cloves - more like a Californian Pinot on the nose - but back to Oregon on the palate, with good acidity, substantial tannins, and crisp fruit - better structure than the nose hinted at, nicely done.
13.8% alcohol, Score: 16.5/20

So here's one reason why I like wine bars - where would you try a STILL Pinot Meunier?Apparently Chandon's Napa estate has decided to set aside some of this classic champagne grape and use it in a dry, red wine. The nose of the 2006 Chandon Pinot Meunier (Carneros) was over-the-top California Pinot Noir at first - all ripe fruit and chocolate - but later opened up to reveal an appealing earthiness. Rather hot and unbalanced on the palate, with smokey dark berries (gooseberries?), modest tannin, and a deceptively long finish that lasts longer than you think.
14.3% alcohol, Score: 16/20

After the flights I had a craving for something European so I finished with a glass of Italian Cabernet Franc, the 2004 G. Puiatti "le Zuccole" from Friuli. Ahh, now there's the stuff...earthy green pepper, black pepper, tobacco, espresso coffee grounds... velvety dry tannins and crisp cherry fruit on the palate, a bit thin but still very good and nicely balanced, would work great with a wintery stew.
12% alcohol, Score: 16.5/20

For me, a wine bar should tease, taunt and educate, and it should be serious about the wine, not the bar. So in that sense Eno was a great success. No, it was not cheap, but not excessive, and I don't mind paying for the infotainment on occasion.

And for those of you looking for a hipper, trendier wine bar, Bin 36 is nearby.

Cheers!

Drive for One Hundred: 2006 Barranc Dels Closos

Continuing the drive for 100 different varietals I picked up a white from Northern Spain. The 2006 Barranc Dels Closos, a white wine from Spain's Priorat region, is a blend of 50% Garnatxa Blanca (Grenache blanc), 30% Macabeu (Macabeo/Viura), 17% Pedro Ximenez, and 3% Muscat. Very pretty, with honeyed green apple, melon, white flowers and butterscotch on the nose, not dissimilar to southern French whites. Smooth and luscious, with crisp green apple and a nice bitter persistency, this elegant white hid the alcohol well and paired very nicely with edamame and cheap California rolls. I always think of big Spanish reds when I think of Priorat so this was a nice surprise - perhaps less of a surprise once I realized this came from Mas Igneus, one of Priorat's most celebrated houses. Bravo!
cork. 14% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$21.80 (SAQ)

PS - Mas Igneus's wines are organic. I frequently taste organic wines, but I usually forget to mention that - I will expand the list soon.

The Drive for One Hundred: The Wine Century Club

Source: The Wine Century Club

I first heard of "The Wine Century Club" over on Dr. Debs' "Good Wine Under $20". For those of you who have not heard of this Club, they are dedicated to "...promoting the awareness of uncommon wine grape varieties." Being a rather adventurous sort I was certain that my blog would easily document 100 different grape varieties. Alas, digging into the archives I can only document ~75-80 different varietals tasted on this site. With this discovery I begin the drive for 100...

The 2007 Il Giangio Gambellara Classico is made from the Garganenga grape in the obscure Italian appellation of Gambellara. Green nuts and fresh cut grass, mangoes and lemons, some chalkiness on the nose as well. Joyful and flavourful on the palate, pineapple-y, crisp and focused, a terrific summertime white - simple, but no rough edges and a great price.
cork. 12.5% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$15.45 (SAQ)

For those of you who think this is an easy task, I recommend that you head over to "The Wine Century Club" website and review the membership application form. This is not as easy as you might think, as many of those "different" varietals you thought you have tasted are actually the same grape, different name, and compounding this quest is the lack of information regarding the varietal contents of wines from certain regions (Portugal a notable offender).

Feel free to join me on this journey - cheers!

2005 Gary Farrell Chardonnay

My good friend and occasional guest blogger Lloyd is not a big white wine guy, so when he raved about this 2005 Gary Farrell Chardonnay (Russian River Valley) I had to pick up a bottle. A modern-styled California chardonnay that sported a terrrific nose of lemon cream, buttery green apples, spicy and vanilla-y oak, fresh cut grass...some floral and sulphury notes as well. Luscious on the palate, with pretty lemon and nice minerallity, but very hot and low in acidity, which made it seem a tad flabby and unbalanced. In the same vein as the Beringer Private Reserve, but not in the same class as the Montelena (1,2) IMHO. 
cork. 14.2% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$37 (SAQ)

2006 Montecillo, A White Rioja

Marcus may have disappeared from the Blogosphere, finding fame and friendship on Facebook, but he still likes to slum it with the Blogger folks who prefer their anonymity to the "HERE I AM" world of social networking. Marcus joined the family for dinner and we opened an inexpensive white wine to prepare our palates for some big reds. This 2006 Montecillo White (Rioja) featured a simple, but enticing nose - crisp lemon tart, pears - but elegant on the palate, with fresh acidity and lemon bitters. Flavourful, clean, fresh and balanced, rather nicely done at this price point.
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$15.70 (SAQ)

Stay tuned, when Marcus, Joe et. al. answer the question "Which wine (Barbaresco, Bordeaux, Toro) works best with a steak off the grill?"

2005 Rieslings from St. Urbans-Hof

Been on a bit of a Riesling bender as of late, a huge increase in 2008 vs. prior years. Not sure why that is - I've always liked riesling, but maybe my deeper dive into the German stuff has me hooked...

Anyway, tonight's wines were a follow up to a great experience with a St. Urbans-Hof Piesporter a few months back. You see, the SAQ stocks a lesser St. Urbans-Hof Riesling, but the labels are nearly identical. Seeking to replace that great bottle I accidentally bought the lesser St. Urban-Hof Riesling - realizing my mistake I went back to buy the single vineyard bottling for yet another head to head:

The 2005 Weingut St. Urbans-Hof Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett (M-S-R) was just as compelling as the last time: powerful notes of petrol on the nose, floral and flintey/gravelly, pears, subtle honey, and an unidentified foreign spice. More structured than its inexpensive sibling below, with a sturdy acidic frame and subtle effervescence. It held up nicely over two days, and I suspect it could benefit from some time in the cellar.
cork. 9.5% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$22.65 (SAQ)

Despite the lower price point, the 2005 Weingut St. Urbans-Hof Riesling (M-S-R) was no slouch. A honey-glazed slab of granite on the nose, lemons and a touch of green as well. Soft and flavourful on the palate, green and chalky with more modest acidity, it was less structured but perfectly enjoyable - a terrific value. It may be better than the Piesporter without food, a perfect summer sipper. 
cork. 10% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$14.85 (SAQ)

German rieslings rock - I always thought you had to pay too much for the good stuff, but I am finding some terrific stuff in the $20 -30 range, and todays $14 special proves you can move even lower - throw away your Pinot Grigio!