2004 Conte Brandolini d'Adda Vistorta

Marcus made a strong pitch for this wine back in November, but I only managed to find one bottle before it sold out. The 2004 Conte Brandolini d'Adda Vistorta, a Merlot from the Friuli region of Italy, was a pretty ruby red in the glass with an attractive garden-like nose of leafy vegetables and green pepper, also showing some mint, tobacco, cherry, black pepper, and gravelly notes. Gooseberries and velvety smooth tannins with a nice long finish on the palate, it opened up beautifully over the evening, revealing more and more complexity. A terrific expression of Merlot and a wine that could easily wait patiently in the cellar for a few more years.
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$27 (SAQ)

2001 in the South of France

Here's a neat exploration of terroir comparing two 2001-vintage wines from southern France. The two bottles, a Côtes du Rhône Villages and a Coteaux du Languedoc, both hail from a pretty good vintage, both use similar Syrah-dominated blends, and both had identical alcohol levels.

Jammy dark berry fruit, vanilla, cocoa powder, and wildflowers on the nose of the 2001 Domaine Clavel Copa Santa (Coteaux du Languedoc), it was a pleasure to ponder in the glass. As telegraphed by the nose the palate was too hot and chocolatey, but showing nice velvety tannins and a long finish. A pretty good package, but I seem to be moving in a different direction these days, away from this very modern-styled effort. I forgot I tasted this a year ago, I marked it down today. Syrah, with some Grenache (and occasionally Mourvedre).
cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 16.5/20
Price: C$27 (SAQ)

There was a neat slatey/granite aspect to the nose of the 2001 Chateau Signac "Cuvee Terra Amata" (Cotes du Rhone Villages), some lavender notes, leather and liquorice, and musty/earthy blackberries. While the Clavel was hot and bothered, the Signac showed crisp cherry fruit, and was poised, smooth and elegant. Beautifully textured, "a vinous joy". One of my Top 50 Cellar Picks, same score as last year. Syrah and Grenache.
cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$26 (SAQ)

Both were fruitier, more modern-styled wines, so winemaking was not the key to the differences. And while the Signac's higher % of Grenache could be the explanation, I find Syrah hides the high alcohol levels better than Grenache. That leaves terroir: the sandy-clay soil Signac nominally differed from the clay-pebbles at the Clavel site, but I don't think this explains the smoother, more elegant nature of the Signac, which leads me towards weather and temperature variations to explain the difference - I definitely recall better acidity and structure with the Signac.

Off the Beaten Path in Italy: Negroamaro and Ripasso

Keeping with the Italian theme this week I thought I'd try some more Italian reds, a negroamaro from Salento and an IGT Valpolicella using an "innovative" ripasso method.

Crafted from the Negramaro grape in Italy's Salento appellation, the aromatic 2003 Tormaresca Masseria Maime burst forth with dark cherries, leather and black tea, meaty earthy notes, some rose petal. But the haunting nose did not fulfill its promise on the palate - powerful, crisp and dry, with a neat slatey/minerally texture, but it became hot and unbalanced as the evening wore on. Perhaps a minimal decant would be more appropriate? Anyway, a rustic, interesting, pour, but that's a hefty price tag.
cork. 14% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$34.25 (SAQ)

A classic Valpolicella blend of corvina and rondinella, with a touch of sangiovese, the 2004 Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre was cherry candy on the nose, adding some vanilla, coffee and a hint of tar. Luscious, but not flabby on the palate, with velvety tannins and a nice long finish, and unlike the wine above it improved in the decanter. The Palazzo Della Torre is a consistently reliable bottle at a decent price, and always has a home in my cellar.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: C$27.70 (SAQ)

So, the initial excitement for the negroamaro faded over the evening, while the cherry candy nose on the Allegrini was misleading. For a cheaper (maybe even better) negroamaro I highly recommend the Taurino Notarpanaro. Both paired well with a Greek-styled lamb stew, but the negroamaro worked a bit better in this role.

2006 Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis

This wine was part of the recent Cellier release and was highly recommended by an SAQ employee. I can't recall the last time I had a Roero Arneis, and I loved Giacosa's Dolcetto, so I gave it a chance.

I'm not sure how to take the 2006 Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis. It was quite closed right out of the fridge, but opened up as it warmed, showing lemon pastry, lychee, honey, and some faint hints of flowers and bananas. Quite smooth, easygoing and agreeably luscious on the palate, kinda lemon meringue, but missing the acidity and minerality I crave in a white. Hard to criticize this high quality sipper, but it was missing the complexity I seek at this price point - I would happily gulp this if someone else is paying...
cork. 13% alcohol
Score: 16/20
Price: C$27 (SAQ)

Roero and Roero Arneis are appellations in Piedmont, Italy. The wines of Roero Arneis are whites made from 100% Arneis grapes. You rarely see this grape outside Piedmont, but I did taste a Seghesio Arneis in Sonoma last fall.

2001 Falesco Montiano: Happy Birthday to Me

My family took good care of me on my birthday but left the wine selection to me, so for my special day I grabbed a bottle of pricey Italian merlot.

The 2001 Falesco Montiano comes from the Italian region of Lazio. Spicy and aromatic, white pepper and smokey leathery notes greet you first but lots going on here - tarry blackberry, cedar, currant, green nuts, rose petals - an olfactory fiesta. Very dry on the palate with big tannins and crisp cherry fruit on the mid-palate. A brutish merlot, with extraordinary length, it is awkward now and needs a few more years in the cellar to settle down. It worked well with a wintery beef stew, but a steak (I'm thinking Moishes) off the grill would be better.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$45.90 (SAQ)

Note that I served this wine at a blinded tasting nearly three years ago and it didn't show well. I recall it having a nice nose but being rather simple (it was not the brute I poured tonight) and needing more time in the cellar. I was not expecting the brute I opened tonight - I have to get another bottle and stick it away...

Twelve under $12: 2006 Moulin de Gassac "Terrasses de Guilhem"

Those of you who recall my earlier post have probably come to realize that my journey through $12 wine is not so much a hunt for value as it is a learning experience - my exploration of the current state of "vin de table", wines I so rarely drink. So for the twelfth and final wine in my wallet-sparing "Twelve Under $12" series I sought a French expression of country wine.

The 2006 Moulin de Gassac "Terrasses de Guilhem" comes from the Vins de pays de l'Hérault appellation, a first for me. The lable promised me "Un Vin Comme Autrefois", and the marketers couldn't have been more correct. Very rustic on the nose, with notes of roast coffee, cheese, and a metallic undertone. Rustic on the palate as well, it was one of those rare red wines (especially from the south of France) that led with acid, not tannin. Thin and dilute at first with no detectable tannins, I nearly dismissed it. But it was so nicely structured, framed by ample acidity and crisp fruit (blinded I might even have picked it as a white), and slowly revealed layer after layer of new notes and flavours...it was very intellectually stimulating for me, a rarity at this price point. Be warned - if you love New World wines and hate French-styled wine, run - very quickly - away from this wine, you will not like it. (My wife absolutely hated it) But for those seeking a light, structured and interesting glass of wine to pair with a lunchtime steak frites, this is a great, cheap pour - an alternative to a red Chinon, perhaps? Even if you don't like this style of wine, pour a glass (it should be slightly chilled, say 14-16 Celsius) and take some notes. No other wine from my journey into cheap wine captures the essence of vin de table and a sense of place and intrigue. But it is not for everyone.
cork. 12.5% alcohol
Score: 14.5/20
Price: $10.65 (SAQ)

PS - this is an entry level wine from Mas de Daumas Gassac, whose owner Aimé Guibert is famous for his appearance in Mondovino.

Wine Haiku...

Malodourous cork!
O foul smell, o wint'ry mood,
Back to the cellar...

- Joe

Twelve Under $12: Bistro Mundo Espagne

Trolling the bargain bins for $12 wine, it was only a matter of time before I grabbed a box wine. Actually, I had no intention of tasting a box wine, but a reader of mine, Fadi, recommended this cheap Spanish pour. The non-vintage Bistro Mundo Espagne is made from tempranillo, and featured dark berry fruit, vanilla, and some oaky spiciness on the nose. On the palate this New World-styled wine was juicy and balanced, featuring a nice (and surprising) presence of tannins and some finish, but very little acidity. A tad artificial, but with no rough edges it was surprisingly nice. Keep a box in the fridge for cooking, and feel free to grab a sip when you are not up to opening a bottle. And with a lower carbon footprint than bottled wine, you can feel good about saving the planet.
1L box. 13% alcohol
Score: 13.5/20
Price: ~C$11

Note: Bistro Mundo is a series of Tetra Pak box wines sold at grocery stores in Quebec, featuring red and white wines from France, Argentina, Italy, and Spain. The boxes look very similar, so make sure you read the label before throwing it into the cart. It is also important to note that not every box is the same - this is non-vintage, so I have no idea if I buy a box in six months if it will taste the same - I have not always had the same experience with this one.

So far I have been amazed by my tasting group's silence. When I started on this $12 adventure I expected a deluge of ridicule from this gang of wine snobs - perhaps the shock has yet to wear off? Surely a BOX WINE will elicit a few emails from the gang...

Twelve Under $12: 2006 Domaine de Tariquet Ugni-blanc Colombard

For my tenth installment in my Twelve Under $12 series I couldn't ignore the cheap and delicious whites from France's VdP Cotes de Gascogne appellation. Marcus, Neil and I have all sung the praises of the whites from France's VdP Cotes de Gascogne, as have many others. Wandering through the cheapies on my last trip to the SAQ I found a producer I had not tasted before. This 2006 Domaine de Tariquet is made from the ugni blanc and colombard grapes. A tropical bouquet of melon, mango and lemon rind...did I smell coconut? Despite the tropical theme it was crisp and focused, yet quite flavourful at the same time. Another hit, it remained remarkably good over a few nights.
cork. 10.5% alcohol
Score: 15/20
Price: C$11.40 (SAQ)

PS - Dr. Vino reviews the wines of Domaine de Tariquet here...

WBW #43: 2000 Penfolds Bin 389

The theme for tonight's Wine Blogging Wednesday is "Comfort Wine", an appropriate theme considering the wind-whipped ice pellets thrashing my face as I walked home from the subway. And with my good friend Ed celebrating his second anniversary, a wine from Oz was in order.

To comfort my frozen body and honour a friend I opened a 2000 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz (South Australia), a bottle that has been waiting patiently in my cellar for four years. This wine was already standing upright in my cellar, as Ed recently recommended that I open it soon (he thought it might be past its prime). Deep cherry red with a vibrant nose of musk, violet, black pepper, dark cherries, wet hay, meaty liquorice - lots going on. Juicy, not jammy, with crisp strawberry fruit and velvety tannins wrapped around a good core of acidity, followed by a lengthy, flinty finish. A pleasure with tortellini in a low fat alfredo sauce, but a comforting pour that I sipped by the fire on a wintery Montreal evening. Ahhhh.....big and brooding, a multilayered wine of complexity and depth - a wine to get lost in as you ponder its secrets by a warm winter fire...success!
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$38.50 (SAQ)

Cheers to Joel for hosting, and Ed for being Ed. Not past its prime, Ed, but don't worry - I'll save my other bottle for you...;)

2005 St. Urbans-Hof Piesporter Riesling Kabinett

Taking a break from the cheap stuff I finally opened a Riesling that was recommended by our local wine guru Bill Z. last summer. The 2005 Weingut St. Urbans-Hof Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Kabinett is a single-vineyard riesling from the celebrated Mosel Saar Ruwer. Shiny liquid gold in the glass, all petrol on the nose at first, later releasing some candied apricot, fresh-picked white flowers, yeast and beeswax notes. Off-dry with a soft, subtle effervescence and a gravelly undertone, it glides so easily across the palate, but with the steelinees of a precision crafted machine tool - polished and well balanced with a firm acidic frame, very enjoyable. According to the website, Piesporter Goldtröpfchen means 'little drops of Piesport gold' - aptly named, and a great pour at this price point. Thanks Bill!
cork. 9.5% alcohol
Score: 17.5/20
Price: C$22.85 (SAQ)

PS: I couldn't help but think of you, Barry - as I rave about this wine it is probably a rather pedestrian, everyday wine for you in Germany...

Twelve Under $12: 2006 Chevalier de Dyonis Pinot Noir

This Romanian overacheiver was first tasted by Joe while on vacation in Malbaie at a little fondue restaurant called Le Passe-Temps. Despite my initial scepticism, I recall the owner enthusiastically recommending this wine, and at $16 (with resto markup) I thought it would be an inexpensive way to try my first Romanian wine. A great, cheap pour, I thought it would fit nicely into my Twelve Under $12 lineup.

The 2006 Chevalier de Dyonis Pinot Noir comes from Romania, but I think it is a special cuvee for a Montreal importer. A pretty cherry red in the glass, a meaty barnyard nose dominates, with some oaky/raspberry notes in the background. Juicy, with good structure and some persistency from faint (but pleasant) tannins. Considering how very hard it is to find palatable pinot under $30, much less $10, this wine deserves heaps of praise. A good pair with honey mustard chicken.
cork. 12% alcohol
Score: 15/20
Price: C$9.60 (SAQ)

Twelve Under $12: 2006 Peron Torrontes

In the past I have found Argentinian white wines made from the torrontes grape to be a great, cheap pour. Unfortunately, I am finding price inflation over the course of my Under $12 quest, as some previously enjoyed $12 pours have crept up over my arbitrary resistance point. One example is the Etchart torrontes, which now goes for the princely sum of C$13.15. In desperation I grabbed the only torrontes available that day, the 2006 Peron Torrontes. White gold, with classic floral and melon notes, some lavender as well. Fresh and simple on the palate, with appley green melon, but virtually no acidity or persistency. Not bad, but very simple, I would probably blow the wad and get the Etchart.
cork. 12.5% alcohol
Score: 12/20
Price: C$10.80 (SAQ)

Twelve Under $12: L.A. Cetto Cabernet Sauvignon

Diving blindly into the bargain bin for my Twelve Under $12 series I suppose it was inevitable that I would find a disappointing pour. L.A. Cetto surprised me with a nice Petite Sirah a few weeks back so I decided to try their Cabernet. The 2005 L.A. Cetto Cabernet Sauvignon was a pale cherry red with an interesting nose - chocolatey, jammy fruit, smokey salami, with a pleasant, rustic earthiness - but on the palate the hot, chalky texture delivered a big dose of overripe fruit and little else. Rather flat and uninspiring with unusual flavours, a much weaker effort than the Carmen Cabernet Sauvignon at this price point. To be fair, it tasted better the next day, but only a bit.
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 12/20
Price: C$11.80

Open That Bottle Night 9: 2000 Serpico dei Feudi di San Gregorio

Open That Bottle Night (OTBN) was started by the WSJ's wine couple, Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, to encourage wine drinkers everywhere to open that bottle we have been sitting on, waiting for the "perfect" moment that never arrives.

OTBN presents a challenge for me, as I tend to open bottles simply BECAUSE "I haven't had one of those in a while" - every night is OTBN at Joe's! Last year I grabbed a pricey chardonnay from Piedmont and I return once again to quirky, expensive, Italian wine for OTBN 9. Searching through my spreadsheet for a wine I was deliberately avoiding I happened upon tonight's 2000 Serpico Dei Feudi di San Gregorio. After all, who buys obscenely expensive aglianico? And what the heck do you serve it with? The first answer, of course, is obvious...

A dense and foreboding ruby red in the glass, explosively aromatic, a meaty, butcher shop nose with prunes dominate, progressively changing and opening to reveal secrets of rose, sour cherry, plum, cedar, liquorice and a hint of thyme. Very dry and full bodied with wave after wave of velvety tannin and sour cherry cascading across the palate. Beautifully integrated fruit and tannins, incredible balance, with an interesting, rustic edge. Please, send donations...
cork. 14% alcohol
Score: 18.5/20
Price: C$80 (SAQ)

...paired very well with rack of lamb marinated in a pistachio pesto, wrapped in pancetta