Tannats a world apart - Bouscasse and Arretxea

An interesting head to head tonight, a "Tannat-Fest" if you will, a Bouscasse Vielles Vignes from the South West of France vs. an Uruguayan discovery, the Pisano Arretexea.

The 2001 Pisano Arretxea has aged since I last opened a bottle - tobacco and dark cherry aromas lead, cooked fruit, mint and rose petals. A soft mouthfeel, cooked fruit and silky, substantial, tannins. A better sipping wine than the Bouscasse, at its prime now.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$38.75 (SAQ)

The 2000 Chateau Bouscasse Vielles Vignes is one of my all time favourite wines - enticing aromas of medicinal sour cherries, tobacco, leather, cloves, and roses. Crisper on the palate, with sour cherries and a tremendously long finish - a delicious wine, and a better pairing for tonight's roast. One of my Top 50 Cellar Picks.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$38.50 (SAQ)

What wine to pair with Bach?

Our good friends Mark and Sandra invited me to Montreal's Bach Festival...for a wine tasting! A very intriguing concept - what wine to pair with Bach's Goldberg Variations?

Not a concept really, as research has shown that music can affect our appreciation of wine. Well, eXcentris, Matt Haimovitz and sommelier Nicolas Charron Boucher took this research to heart, enlisting Nicolas to pair wine with the nine canons of the Variations (Dmitri Sitkovetsky’s arrangement for String Trio), as performed by cellist Matt Haimovitz, violinist Jonathan Crow and violist Douglas McNabney.

Taking his cues from musicians' descriptions on the pieces, Nicolas chose as follows:

Actually, the first pairing started not with the first canon, but was the Aria. For this piece Nicolas chose the Xerez Manzanilla Papirusa Solera Reserva Lustau. Almondy, oxidized, with hints of orange peel, this tart and crisp liquid slashed across the palate, yet smooth and sunshine-y at the same time. I question the music pairing, but a good example of Spanish sherry.

Variation III, the Canone all'Unisono, featured a 2008 Domaine Landron Amphibolite (Muscadet de Sevre et Maine sur Lie). Soapy and minerally with citrus and white flowers on the nose, fresh and lively white grapefruit on the palate. Really a delicious white wine, with great persistency - a highlight of the evening, and it even paired beautifully with the music.

Variation VI, the Canone alla Seconda, featured a 2007 Chateau Thivin Cotes de Brouilly. Not a hit with my friends, but I really liked this stark, smokey and earthy Bojo replete with ripe strawberries...light and silky it danced across the palate, an incredibly long finish and a good pair with this music.

Variation IX, the Canone alla Terza, paired with a 2007 Inama Vigneti Foscarino Soave Classico Superiore. It's been a while since I sipped a Soave, so this nose of lychee, peach, pears, flowers and cheese rind was a glorious reminder of Soave's potential. Minerally, flavourful and well balanced, a great summer white and a good music pairing (but another miss with my friends).

Variation XII, the Canone alla Quarta, was matched to Portuguese red, the Casal do Jordoes Guardiao Vinho de Mesa Tinto. A hit with the whole gang, a nose of sour cherries, spicy oak, tobacco and violets, a palate of crisp cherry fruit, delicate tannins and great balance...bitter citrus peel later on. A wine worth seeking out, and a decent pairing for this music.

For Variation XV, the Canone alla Quinta, we moved north to France, a pairing with the 2007 Chateau Haut Marsalet (Bergerac). Green, musty forest notes...blackberries, violet, pepper and fresh mint as well. Very dry, with dense grainy tannins and a touch hot. Rather similar to the Grinou that I like, a good pair with the music.

Variation XXI, the Canone alla Settima, featured the 2007 L'Ocre Rouge, a Vin de Table from the Rhone. Tarry blueberry fruit, earthy and warm, sweaty old leather...greener and crisper than I expected on the palate, but still a fruit bomb. Needs a steak, a great pair for the music.

Variation XXIV, the Canone all'Ottava, was paired to a wine from one of my all time favourite wineries. The 2006 Chateau Bouscasse did not disappoint - rustic, yet complex, with liquorice and funky new leather on the nose, green herbs and gravel as well. Smooth green tannins, tart cherry fruit and a great finish, mmmm....and it worked reasonably well with this piece.

The ninth, and final, wine for Variation XXVIII (Canone alla Nona) was a 2002 Muenzenrieder Trockenbeerenauslese, a dessert wine from Austria. A terrific wine to pair with our final Variations....rather simple - sweet apricot notes, soft and sweet on the palate, very elegant.

Once again, my notes are too long, but it was a special evening worth of journalistic record!

So, the highlights? Hats off to the entire trio for a lovely afternoon of music, and as my son is a budding cellist Matt's playing was particularly noteworthy. And kudos to the organizers for coming up with this idea - it is a foundation to build on and I look forward to attending this event in the future.

Anything I'd recommend for future events? Nine glasses of wine and not a cracker or hunk of bread to munch on?! The deluge of wine, especially such different wines, was difficult to take on an empty stomach - a small basket of oyster crackers would have sufficed.

Many thanks to Mark, Sandra and Shira for organizing, Cheers!

1990 Montus Cuvee Prestige (Magnum)

About two years ago the SAQ received a special order of older vintage, large format bottles from Montus and Bouscasse. Old Madiran from M. Alain Brumont? Surely there would be a lineup for such a treasure! I dutifully made my way to the store well before opening time, but I soon realized that I was the only person there with similar intentions...surely there are Madiran fans out there, somewhere?

After this stunning 1990 Chateau Montus Cuvee Prestige (Madiran) Magnum, I don't care if nobody digs this stuff the way I do - more for me at better prices. New leather, oak embers, black earth, roses and crisp, spicy cherries - my guests were content simply basking in this bouquet. A deep sea of velvety tannins on the palate, omnipresent but well integrated, the most incredible interplay of ample tannins and fresh acidity I have ever tasted. Add to this earthy dark berries, impressive minerality and substantial length - my in-laws were VERY impressed.
cork. 12.5% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: ~C$217 (SAQ)

Stockin' the New Cellar: Joe's Top 50 Cellar Picks

(photo: inside the Steltzner cellars)

I prefer not to "recycle" old posts, but once a year I like to update my Top 50 Cellar Picks: cellar-worthy reds priced from C$20-40. The rationale is detailed in my original post below, with this update of a top page on my site is to reflect new successes, as well as disappointments with previous picks.

Here's the original post (1/22/07) followed by my updated picks:

For Christmas, my good friend Eden received from his (perfect) wife some wine racks to start collecting. To put this new storage to work, he requested my "Top 50" list of wines, priced from C$20- C$40, for cellaring. Fifty wines is very ambitious, but I'll take stab at it! Sorry for the lenghty post...

In considering this request, I had to work within the following parameters:

• Red wine only - He does not drink white wine (philistine!), so no need to bother there.


• Cellar worthy - They should be wines that may benefit with age, or at least have a few years of cellaring in them.


• Availability - These should not be rare/difficult to find offerings.


• Vintages - A winery that seems to perform reasonably well over a variety of vintage conditions.


• Balance - While he has a clear preference for Aussie Shiraz, I felt he needed to expand the collection to cover some old world wines as well.


• Previously tasted - No recommendations from books, just stuff I know.

Here were my suggestions, grouped by region:

With Bordeaux prices rocketing, it is not the easiest region for "values", but I have a few ideas in the target price range:

1. Chateau Pibran (Pauillac) - Classic Bordeaux, good year in and year out.
2. Chateau Croix-Mouton (Superieur) - by Jean-Phillipe Janoueix, the name was changed to "Croix-Mouton" (from "Mouton") due to a legal dispute with the 'other' Mouton in Bordeaux...
3. Chateau Potensac (Medoc) - Another classic Bordeaux
4. Chateau Clarke (Cru Bourgeois) - Probably a touch more modern as of late, but nicely made.
5. Chateau Pipeau (St-Emilion) - Is it possible to get a good St-Emilion in this price range? Yes!

The Rhone is host to numerous great values, and an excellent way to draw my friend out of the safety of Australia and into the "Old World". Here are just a few:

1. Chateau Signac "Cuvee Terra Amata" (Cotes du Rhone) - Big, brawny modern-styled Rhone, a great value
2. Domaine du Vieux Lazaret (Chateauneuf du Pape) - At the high end of the assigned price range, but a tremendous CdP that shames some at twice the price.

While the wines of the Southwest are not widely known, the following estates appear widely available and make compelling, age-worthy wines:

1. Chateau Montus (Madiran) - Tremendous, age-worthy wines made from the Tannat grape by the talented Alain Brumont
2. Chateau Bouscasse/Vielles Vignes (Madiran) - More Tannat, Alain Brumont
3. Chateau Lagrezette (Cahors) - A French take on Malbec, various cuvees exist, very nice and age-worthy.

I could probably fill the list with Languedoc-Rousillon wines, but here is a sampling. I especially like the wines of Pic St-Loup:

1. Chateau Lancyre "Grande Cuvee" (Pic St-Loup) - Well made Grenache/Syrah
2. Chateau Cazeneuve "Le Roc des Mates" (Pic St-Loup) - Deep, rich and complex
   

I dove into the Loire this past year, and found two wines that fit the theme:

1. Charles Joguet "Clos du Chene Vert" (Chinon) - beautiful expression of Cab Franc
   
2. Charles Joguet "Clos de la Dioterie" (Chinon) - beautiful expression of Cab Franc

The reds of Burgundy are difficult to fit into this post, mainly due to "availability" (and hefty prices), but here are a few. I don't do the region justice - check out Brooklynguy for a deeper dive into Burgundy.

1. A et P de Villaine "Les Montots" (Mercurey) - perhaps a touch more challenging to locate than most on this list, but can be found and is a nice price for good Burgundy
   
2. Nicolas Potel Santenay Vielles Vignes - a lovely Burgundy at this price point
   

Broadly speaking, Spain is filled with values, but the key is consistent availability. I would point to:

1. Conde de Valdemar Gran Reserva (Rioja) - Great steak wine
2. Hacienda Monasterio Crianza (Ribera del Duero) - You must try this, fantastic
3. Sierra Cantabria (Rioja) - Multiple cuvees, all excellent values
4. Muga (Rioja) - Very nice take on Rioja and widely available
5. Quinta da Quietud (Toro) - Availability may be a challenge, but a must have

I couldn't possible forget about Italy. I could probably find 50 wines easily that would be great for the cellar, but pricing can sometimes be high. Here are a few selections:

1. Clerico "Trevigne" Barbera D'Alba (Piedmont) - Surprising complexity for Barbera
2. Fonterutoli Chianti Classico (Tuscany) - Great consistency across vintages, ageworthy
   
3. Castello Banfi "Colvecchio" (Tuscany) - A Tuscan Syrah? Absolutely.
4. Capezzana "Ghiaie Della Furba" - A super "Super Tuscan" at a more reasonable price point
   
5. Belguardo Poggio Bronzone (Morellino di Scansano) - Nice consistency
6. Di Majo Norante "Don Luigi" (Molise) - How many ways can I express my love for this wine? Simply awesome - if this list were rank order I would consider it near the top.
7. Taurino "Notarpanaro" (Puglia) - Obscure grape (negroamaro) from an obscure region, excellent wine.
8. Planeta Syrah (Sicily) - From Sicily. A nice, but different, take on Syrah.
9. Allegrini "Palazzo della Torre" (Veneto) - Complex, interesting, balanced, reat value
10. Allegrini "La Grola" (Veneto) - Ditto

Australia seems to be a go-to region for great values. Here are some suggestions:

1. Penfold’s Bin 389 - Cab/Shiraz, while not cheap it fits in the range. A classic.
2. Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon - my only Margaret River selection, very Bordeaux like, aging well.
   
3. D'Arenberg "The Lauging Magpie" - A compelling wine for the price, nice year to year consistency.
4. Elderton Barossa Shiraz - An excellent wine, seeking a more restrained "French" take on Aussie shiraz
5. Rosemount GSM - I would have put the D'Arenberg Ironstone Pressings here, but the price is above my $40 limit...a nice GSM and widely available
   
6. Greg Norman Cabernet Merlot - This has the stuffing to put away for a few years.
7. Yalumba "The Signature" Cabernet Shiraz - Consistently good, with aging potential.

Chile should be a good source of inexpensive reds, but I haven't tasted that many. Here are two:

1. Montes Alpha Merlot - This would blow Miles away...
2. Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre (Cab or Merlot) - powerful, complex New World takes on Bordeaux
   

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Argentina:

1. Altos Las Hormigas Reserva - Widely available, very nice
2. Catena Cabernet Sauvignon - The regular cuvee is an excellent, structured take on this grape
3. Norton Privada - Prices have moved up from below $20 to above $20, but still a great wine

Two South Africans, including a Pinotage:

1. Kanonkop Pinotage - meant for aging, very interesting wine, not for everyone
2. Meerlust Rubicon - a classically styled Claret, with a hint of S. Africa
   

Unfortunately, a lot of the U.S. wines I could recommend are not widely available or come in outside the necessary price range. Here are a few California selections:

1. Napanook - Excellent second wine from the maker of Dominus
2. Ramey Claret - Nice Claret.
3. Justin Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - Good value
4. Cline Small Berry Mourvedre - Different, should age nicely
5. Unti Syrah - Terrific Syrah at this price point
   

Whew!

This post is not definitive, and I (and my friend) would love to hear any other suggestions you may have that fit the parameters above.

Cheers!

Another Great Party

Earlier this month I made some suggestions for party wines, and for our annual Christmas party I followed those closely. But unlike last year's party I had to "tighten the belt", so I served a more modest selection of wines for our guests:

NV Codorniu Clasico Brut Cava (Spain)
2007 Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon Yellow Label (Australia)
NV Bistro Mundo Tempranillo (Spain
2006 Meia Encosta (Portugal)
2006 Crasto (Portugal)

The bubbly starter was a huge success, with many guests sticking to the Codorniu for the entire evening (good thing I had a few extra bottles!). I didn't even bother offering a white this year, thinking this bubbly would serve both roles, and it did so ably, pairing perfectly a spread of homemade quiche, pesto lasagna, curried chicken and various cheeses and charcuterie. Available locally for just $13.65 this wine is a steal.

For the reds I had a bit of fun our guests, blinding the wines and giving the guests a few "simple" tasks: (1) pick out the box wine, (2) guess the cabernet, and (3) guess which was the most expensive. They were also asked to pick a "favourite". The most lively discussions of the evening took place in the vicinity of the four mysterious decanters - just the way I like it!

Now a few comments on the wines. The Meia Encosta was the least favourite and was nearly everyone's pick for "the box wine". This was unexpected as I was rather complimentary of this wine a few weeks back. I even opened a bottle after this event and my wife (blinded) loved it. Perhaps it was the competition, but I stick with my original assessment that this wine "...could be the king of mid-week wines."

The Spanish Bistro Mundo Tempranillo was a "table wine success", generating no major comments, positive or negative, and the decanter emptied at a healthy clip. This wine melded into the background, pairing quite well with the food on offer. Can you ask for more from a box wine?

The crowd of novices and aficionados easily picked out the Wolf Blass Yellow Label as the Cabernet Sauvignon, and it was the favourite wine of the evening for nearly half of my guests. Historically a staple in my household, I haven't had it in years - I forgot how good this inexpensive Aussie Cab was. Even better, the SAQ had a blowout two weeks before Christmas - I picked up a few bottles for just C$13. A steal at that price, and even at the current price of C$17.95 this wine is highly recommended.

The Crasto was the crowd favourite, but it was 50 - 100% more expensive (C$20.15) than the other wines on offer. Easy drinking and flavourful with a fabulous nose, it was a touch flabbier than I recall from a previous tasting but still delicious.

Overall, a great night of wines, capped off by a 2000 Bouscasse Vielles Vignes for the stragglers. And I have a few refinements to my party suggestions for next year.

Happy New Year to All!

2004 Chateau Peyros Magenta

It's no secret that I have a soft spot for the tannat-based wines of Madiran, a small french appellation in Southwest France. But I have mainly tasted the pricier offerings, Chateau Montus and Chateau Bouscasse. Here's a great, inexpensive Madiran...

The 2004 Chateau Peyros Magenta (Madiran) had a pleasing mustiness on the nose and was very vegetal (garden herbs) - leather, black liquorice, and floral notes as well. Very smooth and balanced, a modest finish - easy drinking, but simple. A great value for my Ontario friends. 
cork. 13.8% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$14.85 (LCBO)

Note that this Madiran was 50:50 Tannat and Cabernet Franc (Montus is 80% Tannat/20% Cabernet Sauvignon), which explains the vegetal notes and Peyros' accessibility for such a young Madiran.

Vintages Feb 16th Release

It's a pretty good Vintages release for my Ontario friends this Saturday, featuring two of my Top 50 Cellar Picks and some interesting Aussie selections. I would particularly like to highlight the following releases:

While Argentina is best known for Malbec, I absolutely love the Catena Cabernet Sauvignon (2005, #985002, $19.95) - perhaps one of the most structured and interesting cabs I have tasted at this price point. It is also one of my Top 50 Cellar Picks. Decant.

I love a Madiran with a grilled steak, and the regular bottling of Chateau Bouscasse (2003, #743385, $18.55) is a great Madiran at a good price. This interesting, rustic, wine should be given a good decant.

The Castano Hecula, a mourvedre (or monastrell. 2005, #718999, $13.85) from Spain, is a consistently great wine - can I steer you wrong at $14?

Napanook, the second wine of Dominus, is a great California claret (2004, #63065, $39.95), marrying French style with California fruit in an accessible wine that will drink well today (with a good decant) or over the next few years. Another one of Joe's Top 50 Cellar Picks.

I also love the Dominus, and the 2004 Magnum (#63487, $201.95) is a deadly serious wine for long term cellaring. I may pick up a bottle for my daughter, another 2004 vintage.

Happy shopping!

Brumont vs. Brumont

Part four of my South West France trilogy features some more wines showcasing the genius of Alain Brumont and my love of well-made tannat. I thought it would be an interesting exercise to compare two Brumont wines from the same vintage but different terroirs, as I did in my Montus vs. Montus and Perigee vs. Apogee experiments.

2003 Les Menhirs (VdP Cotes de Gascogne)
2003 Argile Rouge (Madiran)

The 2003 Les Menhirs is officially a Vin de Pays and not a Madiran, but it is made with the same grapes (tannat/merlot). A deep, dense purple liquid, it was rather closed just after it was decanted. Crisp and vegetal, the nose developed a subtle complexity over the evening, adding violet, blackberry, mint, musk, leather, butter, and even some nice liquorice and tea notes. Hot and peppery on the palate, very dry, but richer, juicier and more full-bodied than the Madiran below. While the fresh acidity and firm tannins were a little less balanced than the next wine, it was much more approachable and easier drinking at the same time - let's say Madiran meets Napa. A winner, and you won't have to wait as long to enjoy this one - probably another 3 years in the cellar should do fine, or a nice LONG decant today.
15% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: $33 (SAQ)

The 2003 Argile Rouge (i.e. Red Clay) is a Madiran, but unlike Brumont's top Bouscasse and Montus offerings which are all tannat, this was a tannat/cab sauv/cab franc blend. Unlike the merlot in the last wine, the presence of other grapes in the blend did not soften up this wine. Deep purple and very aromatic, it was violet, rose, butterscotch, pepper, tea, tobacco, coffee and wet stones, it smelled more like a Napa Merlot than a Madiran. If the "Menhirs" above was very dry, then this medium- to full-bodied offering was an "ultra dry", with powerful, copious, velvety, tongue-puckering tannins supported by nice leather and cocoa flavours. Despite the power it kept its poise. Very lengthy, and I found it just slightly more complex and interesting. Like the Montus Cuvee Prestige, this is a wine that really need some more cellar time, but I think you will be rewarded.
15% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$28.10 (SAQ)

So, a bit of a connundrum - the Argile Rouge is cheaper, and slightly better in my opinion, but you will have to be patient with this one. The Menhirs is an excellent wine, but more approachable today. You need to decide how long you want to wait! Both sported hefty alcohol levels, but neither was dominated by the alcohol. I have two more bottles for a rematch, let's say 2012. Stay tuned.

My last tannat post for a while...Cheers!

WBW#37 - Wines You Never Drink...

...From Places You've Never Been, Made From Grapes You've Never Heard Of
That's my alternate title for Dr. Vino's WBW#37 - "Go native!". After all, that is really the purpose of this week's WBW - Tyler wants us to break out of our ruts and try something REALLY different. With South West France on the mind and the Good Professor offering bonus points, I couldn't resist drinking two Tannat-based wines this evening:

2001 Chateau D'Aydie (Madiran, France)
2002 Bodegas Carrau "AMAT" (Uruguay)

Ok, so you heard it here first, Uruguay is an up and coming wine region. Overshadowed by Argentina and Chile, and unloved because of its bet on Tannat, I fearlessly predict that Tannat will do for Uruguay what Malbec has done for Argentina. Read on....

The 2002 Bodegas Carrau AMAT is a fabulous, interesting wine. A deep, cherry red in the glass, I put the glass to my nose and .... smiled, a big, fabulous, Cheshire cat grin. Cool and right out of the decanter, it smelled rich and chocolatey with dark cherry fruit. Then I let it warm up and oxygenate - leather, mushroom, earth, pepper, tobacco and smoke. On the palate this rich, full-bodied, wine presented powerful velvety tannins that danced across the tongue - omnipresent, but not overpowering. Brooding, complex, interesting, and only slighty rough around the edges, this wine is tempting now but should be cellared for a few more years. Long after the wine has gone I am still sniffing the glass and smiling...mmmm, THIS is Tannat.
14% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$21 (SAQ)

The 2001 Chateau D'Aydie comes from Madiran, a region in South West France and the "home" of the Tannat grape. A dense, dark purple in the glass, this wine has to be decanted carefully, as it threw off a mountain of sludge. More delicate on the nose and definitely showing the elevated alcohol, I thought this signfied that the wine was not 100% Tannat, but the label assured me that my nose deceived me. Bone dry and 'hotter' on the palate, this medium-bodied tannat was more off-balance than the AMAT, but the acidity and tannins were a nice match for the olive and pasta dinner. It may benefit from a few years in the cellar, but I am not sure it has enough "stuffing" to go the distance. Nice, but disappointing at this price - for a few bucks less you can have the AMAT above (or a Bouscasse), or for a few more you can enjoy the heavenly Montus.
14.5% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$29 (SAQ)

Given the price and score, I have to recommend the Uruguayan Tannat, which is growing up very well in its new home. Please do try one of these!

For Tyler: In lieu of Bonus Points for the new/old world presentation of a freaky grape, I humbly accept your attendance at a tasting with Brooklynguy and I on Nov. 4th...Cheers!

2000 Chateau Bouscasse

Once again, my quirky interest in tannat and Alain Brumont takes me back to the French region of Madiran tonight, where Tannat is the leading grape varietal.

Chateau Bouscasse and Chateau Montus are both owned by Alain Brumont, and these wines are probably the stars of the appelation. Both Chateaux make an upscale wine (Bouscasse Vielles Vignes and Montus Cuvee Prestige - one of my all time favourite wines), but tonight's wine is the least expensive of Brumont's offerings.

The 2000 Bouscasse was a nice ruby red, that started with earthy, spicy, meaty scents, as well as some blackberries. Dry, velvety tannins and spicy fruit coated the tongue. Awkward at first, a few hours in the decanter softened this wine up nicely. Likely a terrific pairing with steak, it worked very well tonight with a Domino's Meat Lovers pizza.
Score: 16/20
Price: C$21

While above my C$20 "Value" limit, it is so close and so good that I had to add the value tag below.

2001 Chateau Montus

Ok, so I like Montus (1,2)! Not exactly a mainstream wine, Chateau Montus hails from the little known appelation of Madiran in the rather annonymous "Southwest France" winemaking region, and is made (mainly) from the very rare Tannat grape. Don't expect to find this on too many wine lists...

Anyway, there is something very extraordinary, in my opinion, about a well made Madiran. Leathery, gamey, tannic, but in the right hands balanced. Alain Brumont, proprietor of Chateau Montus, has "the right hands", both in the less expensive regular cuvee (which I drank tonight), the high end "Cuvee Prestige", and at his other Madiran estate, Chateau Bouscasse. All of those wines are fabulous.

The 2001 Chateau Montus has a wonderful, complex nose, hitting you with leather, cedar, rose, blackberry, mint, tea, nutmeg and some licorice. Awesome. On the palate there were dense, but velvety tannins. Full-bodied and very well balanced with good length. Excellent. This wine showed well with a one hour decant, and paired extremely well with Swedish meatballs and egg noodles. May improve, but very drinkable now (with some air).
Score 18.5/20
Cost C$32 (SAQ)

Buy! Buy! Buy! (easy for me to say, I bought every last bottle in town...)

1) Note that this is a wine that pairs very well with a grilled steak or any beef dish.
2) The key difference in my mind between this wine and the pricier Cuvee Prestige is length - the Cuvee Prestige is meant for aging, while the regular Montus is more accessible today.

Barolo Tasting at Cosme's - October 2006

For me Barolo is a fall wine – earthy, brooding, I picture a glass of Barolo while pondering a roast beef on a chilly fall day. So it was appropriate that our first autumn tasting was a Barolo tasting, on a chilly Montreal evening. We tasted the following six wines blind, but with one key difference vs. last year's Barolo tasting - we decanted the wines nearly 3 hours before the tasting.

Like last year's Barolo tasting, there was very little was less consensus - four of the six wines received multiple first place rankings. The final tally was as follows:

First - 1997 Parusso Barolo "Piccole Vigne"
Lloyd finally won! After a fairly consistent string of strong finishes, he pulled out the win when he least expected to. Consistency was the key to a very strong first place finish - while the third place Sandrone garnered just as many first place rankings, the Parusso was almost every taster's 1st, 2nd or 3rd. Everyone seemed to like the classic Barolo smell of this wine - I smelled rose, gooseberry, gobs of licorice, with some earthy, sulphur undertones. Very interesting. This full bodied barolo had firm tannins and a long finish, with more subdued fruit vs. some of the others. I found the wine to be somewhat unbalanced, but should get better and would pair very well with food. It was my second place wine. A very classic Barolo, and seems to be the value winner as well (cost approx. C$80). RP-90

Second - 1995 Massolino Barolo "Margheria"
Pramod's Massolino was the oldest wine of the evening. While it had only two first place rankings, it was also consistently a top 3 wine. The nose was very nice, but so subtle it was hard for me to identify the scents - I found some white flowers, strawberries, mushrooms, vanilla and a nice nutty smell. On the palate this medium bodied wine was delicate, very well balanced, (maybe a bit musty?) with some length. According to my notes this one has peaked. My third favourite. Cost C$86.

Third - 2001 Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis
Chris/Marie-Lise's Sandrone was very controversial - while garnering three first place scores, it also garnered a number of low scores (Marie-Lise and Chris ranked it 5th and 6th, respectively - hehehe). I was one of those who ranked it first place - Luciano, I praise you and your winemaking! Such stunning beauty entombed in a 750ml glass container! A beautiful nose - beautiful fruit, with scents of cedar and pine, truffles, leather, mint, butter, vanilla, with nice tannins underneath. This very full bodied wine was more viscous than the others, coating the tongue with chocolatey fruit. Very well balanced, harmonius actually, it still retained that hearty, rustic Barolo flavour. A never-ending finish, this wine will get better. Spectacular. Brought back from Italy, it apparently cost 90 Euros. (I found some US web sites listing it for US$140). Such rare magic, so tantalizingly close to perfection, it is worth every cent in my opinion. A WS-96 I think, and a Stephen Tanzer 97.

Fourth - 1998 Fontanafredda Barolo "la Rosa"
This was my contribution to the evening, and chosen for the simple fact that it was the oldest Barolo in my collection. It was also controversial, with a number of first place (i.e. my wife) and last place (i.e. me) rankings. It was my least favourite, as I believe the wine was corked. Musty, with some cherry and rose aromas, it was not very complex in my opinion. I found this wine to be thin, dilute, and acidic, with harsh tannins. It was somewhat unbalanced, but may improve - it would probably have ranked much higher with me if not corked. At least my wife liked it, as I have one more bottle (hopefully not corked). The least expensive at C$66, probably a close second for the value prize. RP 91-93.

Fifth - 1999 Paolo Scavino Barolo
Ratings were pretty consistent for Cam's Scavino. This was a very nice wine, but young and facing some tough competitors. On the nose it was slightly tart, with scents of raspberry, flowers, liquorice, tea, and smoke, maybe with some green pepper scents. On the palate it was a bit rustic, good but not great, I am not sure if this young Barolo will improve. Cost C$92. RP-89

Sixth - 1999 Marchesi di Barolo Cannubi
Bringing up the rear was Cosme. I don't think he has ever come in last, and I would not have expected it at a Barolo tasting! I actually ranked this wine fourth, and my notes were fairly complimentary. The nose was pleasant and very fruity, with scents of cherries and strawberries, mint, cocoa, nice and subtle. On the palate it was full bodied with firm tannins and a long finish, a very classic barolo with a fruity, chocolatey flavour. This young Barolo will improve. It was C$71, but I have a hunch you can get this cheaper - if you can, it is probably a good buy in my opinion. RP-91.

Comments:

The warmup wine was the 2000 Chateau Bouscasse Vielles Vignes from Madiran. I love Madiran, and I love the Alain Brumont - winemaker for both Chateau Bouscasse and Chateau Montus. A perfect lead in to our tasting!

Age? While not nearly as linear as last year's Barolo tasting, three of the top four wines were also the oldest. The long decant may have improved the ratings for the younger wines slightly, but not much.

Overall a great, but expensive, evening! Time for a Barbaresco night?