This Bourgogne Rouge personifies the delicate side of Pinot Noir. It's very light in color, almost pink. Sniffing the wine is like walking into a Cherry Republic store in northern Michigan--sweet, fragrant cherries on a bed of spring flowers and Pinot dirt. There is absolutely no thickness in this wine, but there is a tensile strength and a ripe finish.
On the second night, the wine tasted tired, and the cherries had given way to the earthy Pinot qualities. I would say its time for drinking has arrived.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Perrin & Fils Vinsobres Les Cornuds, 2004
The Perrin brothers produce two of my favorite wines--the exalted Chateau Beaucastel Chateuneuf du Pape (now out of my price range at $60+ a bottle) and the lowly La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Ventoux (one of my every day favorites at $5 to $8 a bottle). Over the past couple of decades, the Perrins have branched out into many other areas of the Cotes du Rhone as well as Paso Robles, CA (Tablas Creek). Wherever they go, their philosophy of wine-making virtually ensures a wine that is high quality and true to the traditions of the wine's origins.
This Vinsobres Les Cornuds is produced from 65% Syrah and 35% Grenache grapes using mostly traditional methods. About 35% is aged in seasoned French oak, however, and this probably broadens the wine's appeal. Now approaching maturity, the wine is still very deep and dark with forward smells of pepper, spice and black fruits, mostly dark cherries and black raspberries. It smells very traditional to me and typical of Vinsobres and the 2004 vintage. The oak influence comes through more in the flavors--not overtly oaky but ripe and silky smooth. The peppery, spicy flavors come through nicely even though there are some oak tannins on the finish.
Vinsobres is in the southern part of the Cotes du Rhone, between Valreas and Nyons. This is an area that had more olive groves than vineyards until about 50 years ago, but the vines now have enough age to produce some truly distinctive wines. I like them.
This Vinsobres Les Cornuds is produced from 65% Syrah and 35% Grenache grapes using mostly traditional methods. About 35% is aged in seasoned French oak, however, and this probably broadens the wine's appeal. Now approaching maturity, the wine is still very deep and dark with forward smells of pepper, spice and black fruits, mostly dark cherries and black raspberries. It smells very traditional to me and typical of Vinsobres and the 2004 vintage. The oak influence comes through more in the flavors--not overtly oaky but ripe and silky smooth. The peppery, spicy flavors come through nicely even though there are some oak tannins on the finish.
Vinsobres is in the southern part of the Cotes du Rhone, between Valreas and Nyons. This is an area that had more olive groves than vineyards until about 50 years ago, but the vines now have enough age to produce some truly distinctive wines. I like them.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Chateau Saint Bonnet Medoc Cru Bourgeois, 1982
The gap between the rich and the poor among Bordeaux estates is widening. When I paid $5.75 for this Medoc Cru Bourgeois, I could have purchased Lafite or Latour for less than $50, Cos d'Estournel for less than $20. For the current 2009 vintage, first growths are priced at $1,000 a bottle and up, Cos for about $300 while Saint Bonnet and other comparable Cru Bourgeois sell for less than $15. "You get what you pay for," some wine drinkers insist, but that's clearly not true.
After 28 years in the bottle, Saint Bonnet is still a dark ruby color with minimal amber tones at the edge. The cork is soggy and hard to remove so it may not have been protecting the wine as intended, but there is really very little oxidation for a wine of this age. I get some slight medicinal smells when the bottle is first opened, but they blow away within a few minutes. The black currant and other fruit aromas that were present in December of 2008, however, have been replaced by mature wine scents--dried cherries, oriental spices and a hint of black tea. Although the blend is 50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet, there are none of the green herbal smells that are often associated with Merlot. On the palate, the wine is ripe and charming with a smooth mid-palate and a pleasing finish. This is not a wine to blow you away, but it's very enjoyable for what it is and not at all old.
Saint Bonnet will never compete with Lafite or Cos, of course, and I can't guarantee that recent vintages of this wine were made with the same standards as the 1982. But there are lesser known wines such as Poujeaux and Fourcas Hosten that can be had for a fraction of the price of a classed growth and will give you much more than a fraction of the quality.
After 28 years in the bottle, Saint Bonnet is still a dark ruby color with minimal amber tones at the edge. The cork is soggy and hard to remove so it may not have been protecting the wine as intended, but there is really very little oxidation for a wine of this age. I get some slight medicinal smells when the bottle is first opened, but they blow away within a few minutes. The black currant and other fruit aromas that were present in December of 2008, however, have been replaced by mature wine scents--dried cherries, oriental spices and a hint of black tea. Although the blend is 50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet, there are none of the green herbal smells that are often associated with Merlot. On the palate, the wine is ripe and charming with a smooth mid-palate and a pleasing finish. This is not a wine to blow you away, but it's very enjoyable for what it is and not at all old.
Saint Bonnet will never compete with Lafite or Cos, of course, and I can't guarantee that recent vintages of this wine were made with the same standards as the 1982. But there are lesser known wines such as Poujeaux and Fourcas Hosten that can be had for a fraction of the price of a classed growth and will give you much more than a fraction of the quality.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Edna Valley Vineyards Edna Valley Paragon Vineyard Chardonnary, 2005
This is another wine that was lost in the cellar (though not in the beer fridge). Edna Valley is a well priced Chardonnay ($10/bottle) that I buy periodically. I am currently drinking the 2007 vintage, but this 2005 was found under some other bottles in the cellar. Experience told me it should be opened sooner rather than later, and I was right.
The white peach, floral quality of Edna Valley fruit has been completely replaced by mainly oak traits--brown butter, lime and coconut. Those who like oak more than I do can still enjoy this wine, but for quality and authentic personality, I'll take the 2004 Pinot Grigio from Gaetano d'Aquino (a $3 wine lost in the beer fridge for five years) any day.
The white peach, floral quality of Edna Valley fruit has been completely replaced by mainly oak traits--brown butter, lime and coconut. Those who like oak more than I do can still enjoy this wine, but for quality and authentic personality, I'll take the 2004 Pinot Grigio from Gaetano d'Aquino (a $3 wine lost in the beer fridge for five years) any day.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
La Clape Coteaux du Languedoc Rouge des Karantes, 2007
This is another 2007 wine from Southern France that I have mixed feelings about. The color is a deep ruby and the wine smells tannic--skins and pips rather than oak. Within a few minutes, the aromas open up a bit: black- and blueberries with Mourvedre purple flowers but no Grenache red fruit at this stage. I think it's alcohol (14%) more than tannin that keeps the wine stand-offish on the palate, and my initial impression is that it has enough fruit to carry it once it gets past an awkward stage. Right now, though, it reminds me more of the Grand Prieur than the Delas Saint Esprit (see below), and I am not impressed.
2007 in Southern France has been touted as a vintage of the century, but, at this point, I've gotten much more pleasure from 2005. Time will tell.
2007 in Southern France has been touted as a vintage of the century, but, at this point, I've gotten much more pleasure from 2005. Time will tell.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Boskydel Vineyards Revisited: No Vignoles. Soleil Blanc
On my last visit to Boskydel Vineyards, I bought two bottles of the 2008 Vignoles, and those bottles were good enough to bring me back last weekend to buy a case. Alas, I was too late; the Vignoles was sold out, with the next vintage not due until next Spring. So I bought a case of the 2008 Boskydel Soleil Blanc and may end up liking it even better than the Vignoles.
Boskydel is by far the least commercial of the wineries on the Leelanau Peninsula of Michigan, and it is also one of the best. Owner Bernie Rink, now in his 80s, is not a salesman and doesn't specialize in vintages of the century. "You wouldn't want the 2009," he said. "That was the worst vintage I've had in 40 years of winemaking."
I was disappointed by not getting my case of Vignoles, but the Soleil Blanc--Boskydel's highest priced wine at $9.35 a bottle or $71/case (including tax)--intrigued me. "What is the grape?" I asked. "Soleil Blanc. Oh, the French have a number for it. But I'm the only person in the country making a Soleil Blanc wine."
I liked the clean, crisp aromas and flavors. It has pleasant fruit but lacks the acidity I expect from Vignoles. "Will it age?" I asked. "All wines improve with age," Bernie answered flatly. And I knew exactly what he was saying. There are, of course, bottles that go downhill--or sideways--from the day they are placed on the shelves, but they don't meet Bernie's (nor my) definition of wine.
He showed me an empty bottle labeled Boskydel Red, 1980. "This was sent to me by a couple who had the wine last New Year's Eve. They loved it." I needed no convincing. The few bottles of his 1982 Vignoles that I kept on a back shelf of the cellar for nearly 20 years rewarded my patience...and then some.
Soleil Blanc clearly lacks the acidic thrust of Vignoles. "It won't age as long as the Vignoles," Bernie said, "but it will improve for at least 10 years." I'm not sure I will have the patience (or the longevity) to taste Soleil Blanc at its best, but I'm willing to give it a try.
Boskydel is by far the least commercial of the wineries on the Leelanau Peninsula of Michigan, and it is also one of the best. Owner Bernie Rink, now in his 80s, is not a salesman and doesn't specialize in vintages of the century. "You wouldn't want the 2009," he said. "That was the worst vintage I've had in 40 years of winemaking."
I was disappointed by not getting my case of Vignoles, but the Soleil Blanc--Boskydel's highest priced wine at $9.35 a bottle or $71/case (including tax)--intrigued me. "What is the grape?" I asked. "Soleil Blanc. Oh, the French have a number for it. But I'm the only person in the country making a Soleil Blanc wine."
I liked the clean, crisp aromas and flavors. It has pleasant fruit but lacks the acidity I expect from Vignoles. "Will it age?" I asked. "All wines improve with age," Bernie answered flatly. And I knew exactly what he was saying. There are, of course, bottles that go downhill--or sideways--from the day they are placed on the shelves, but they don't meet Bernie's (nor my) definition of wine.
He showed me an empty bottle labeled Boskydel Red, 1980. "This was sent to me by a couple who had the wine last New Year's Eve. They loved it." I needed no convincing. The few bottles of his 1982 Vignoles that I kept on a back shelf of the cellar for nearly 20 years rewarded my patience...and then some.
Soleil Blanc clearly lacks the acidic thrust of Vignoles. "It won't age as long as the Vignoles," Bernie said, "but it will improve for at least 10 years." I'm not sure I will have the patience (or the longevity) to taste Soleil Blanc at its best, but I'm willing to give it a try.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Giuseppe Lonardi Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore Veneto, 2006
The first good decision was to eat at Trattoria Stella, an off-the-beaten track restaurant in Traverse City, located in a restored mental hospital building at Grand Traverse Commons. This is a place that takes food and wine seriously, and every bite and sip I had at Trattoria Stella was heavenly. The second good decision was to order the gnochetti pasta dish made with slow-cooked shoulder of wild boar, caramalized onions, coriander and a fried edgg. And the third good decision was to order a 500 ml carafe of this Ripasso to accompany it. The wine was as rich, intense and delightful as the gnochetti--reduced, powerful scents and flavors of blackberries, dark cherries and licorice. Great fruit concentration and structure. Any restaurant offering a wine like this by the glass or carafe ($24 for 500 ml) is worth numerous return visits.
I've since learned that the wine can be purchased for about $20 to $22 a bottle retail--worth every penny. If you're not familiar with Ripasso, it is a cousin of Amarone, the rich, highly regarded and highly priced Italian dessert wine. The traditional way of making Amarone is to spread the grapes on a rooftop to dry, then using the highly concentrated produce to make the wine. With Ripasso, grapes dried by a similar process are added to the fermenting must of a dry wine. According to Lonardi, each plant yields only one-half to one bottle of Ripasso--and even less for Amarone, which loses 30 to 40 percent of its mass in the drying process. The result is a wine concentrated enough to stand up to the richest dish you can place on the table, such as gnochetti made with shank of wild boar.
I've since learned that the wine can be purchased for about $20 to $22 a bottle retail--worth every penny. If you're not familiar with Ripasso, it is a cousin of Amarone, the rich, highly regarded and highly priced Italian dessert wine. The traditional way of making Amarone is to spread the grapes on a rooftop to dry, then using the highly concentrated produce to make the wine. With Ripasso, grapes dried by a similar process are added to the fermenting must of a dry wine. According to Lonardi, each plant yields only one-half to one bottle of Ripasso--and even less for Amarone, which loses 30 to 40 percent of its mass in the drying process. The result is a wine concentrated enough to stand up to the richest dish you can place on the table, such as gnochetti made with shank of wild boar.
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