amarchinthevines

February 4, 2016
by amarch34 3 Comments

Off notes

Before and during the salon of Millésime Bio I attended six offline events. They are proliferating, probably too many of them in all honesty. Yet during those six events I tasted some of the best wines of the whole week, just as I did at the offs last year. So, I am torn – are the offs good for Millésime Bio?

Well, they do distract and take away attention from the growth of organics and the benefits of organic viticulture as well as the very good wines in the salon itself, some of which I described in the last article. Would I have tasted more good wines in the salon if I hadn’t attended the offs?

On the other hand, I’d be less tempted to go along to the whole event and spend four days in Montpellier if it were not for the offs and the chance to taste wines not to be found in the main salon. Last year wines from the likes of Huët and Zind-Humbrecht were major attractions for me. This year there were a lot of natural producers especially whose wines I wanted to try. The offs create a buzz around the main event, drawing people to it. It can stand the opposition, producers such as Kreydenweiss (père et fils!) and Pittnauer were at least the equal of anything tasted at the offs.

As there were so many events and so many good wines I have decided to split the report on them in two parts. In the next article I shall deal with those centred more around the natural movement. So here I shall be describing Outsiders, Carignan vs Grenache and Biotop.

Outsiders

Jon Bowen (right) talking to photographer Ken Payton

Louise Hurren does a great job in promoting the Outsiders group of vignerons, producers in the Languedoc-Roussillon who originated outside the region. Held at La Panacée on the eve of the salon this was very well organised in a bright, modern space with excellent food served as a bonus. I am a fan of many of the producers in the group, some of whom I think of as friends. I have described the wines of Turner Pageot and Cébène many times in these pages. Both are sources of outstanding wines. Manu Pageot was in discomfort having cracked some ribs but it was good to catch up with him. Brigitte Chevalier’s wines were well on form across the whole range, Bancels 13 was especially good here.

It was especially pleasing to see present Simon and Sara from Mas Sibert as guest producers. I first wrote about Mas Sibert last February and hope that I have helped to spread their name a little in the following year. They now have a UK importer and higher profile and I couldn’t be more pleased. The wines have a freshness and depth of fruit which is rare. New planting of white grapes (as ever unusual cépages) will widen the range and I can’t wait. I would drink these wines happily every day. Incidentally, their rosé, Saramon (mainly Sangiovese!), is amongst the very best in the Languedoc.

Talking to Simon in animated form

I also enjoyed the Pouilly Fumé wines of guest Jonathan Pabiot. They are classic wines from the appellation but with extra steeliness and minerality. I have had the good fortune to visit the domaine in the past and recommend them heartily. Especially good were the Pouilly Fumé 15 and the excellent Aubaine 14 grapes selected from special parcels, matured in gentle oak, more concentration and white fruit flavours.

Finally, Domaine Modat in the Roussillon produces very good wines. Lucioles 14, the white wine from mainly Grenache Gris was lovely, fresh and fruity with a little texture. Comme Avant and Le Plus Joli 11 were rich, spicy and clean from classic Roussillon grapes varieties. Great website too.

Hats off to Louise for such a well run event.

Bataille Carignan – Grenache

I like the idea of this, pitting two great cépages against each other. The venue was good, Salle Pétrarque, a 14thC building with beautiful vaulting. However, truth be told I didn’t really enjoy the event. The room was packed, it was hard to get around the tables, there was (very) loud hip-hop music playing some of the time which made it hard to talk. It was also difficult to taste the red wines, most came across as heavy and tannic. I was not alone in thinking so from the conversations I had.

I went mainly to meet up with my friend Jonathan Hesford of Domaine Treloar in the Roussillon. You will have to trust me that when I say his wines were amongst the best that evening that I am not saying so out of loyalty. Le Maudit is the Treloar Carignan dominated wine and was spicy, fresh and very good. Jonathan also had his One Block Grenache on tasting, a proper interpretation of the event’s title.

Another which came out well from the evening was Domaine Sainte Croix, coincidentally one of the Outsiders producers. Jon and Elizabeth Bowen produce very good wines in the Corbières, I have enjoyed them many times. Tonight the Carignan was very good, cherry fruits and spice. Star of the night though was La Part Des Anges, a late harvest Carignan with deep fig, coffee and chocolate notes. Lovely, a little sweetness matched by freshness on the finish.

Incidentally, I met Jon during the main salon as he visited various other stands to taste, his search for wider wine experience clearly promotes his winemaking knowledge. This was also true of Jonathan Hesford who went to the salon simply to taste. It wa she who tipped me off to go and taste Pittnauer wines, one of my stars of the show. I am sure many vignerons do the same but it seemed no coincidence that their wines emerge so well when I see them learning elsewhere, always seeking to improve their understanding.

The other wine I enjoyed at the event was from Mas des Capitelles. A Faugères wine this was 95% Carignan with a touch of Mourvèdre and it was delicious, lots of fruit and spice and very drinkable. I shall look out for Capitelles in the future.

Biotop

The Phare, home of Biotop

Fifty vignerons gathered in the lighthouse at Palavas. Organised by Isabelle Jomain, Biotop was one of my favourite events in 2015 and no doubt it will be one of my highlights this year. Once again time caught up with me and I was unable to get to the tables of many vignerons I would have liked to visit. My friend, sommelier Sandra Martinez from La Table 2 De Julien near Uzès, accompanied me round some of the tables and it was good to learn from her expertise. Incidentally for a different account of Biotop have a look at the blog of Michel Smith.

Highlights included the champagnes of Fleury and Franck Pascal. Michel was underwhelmed by Fleury but I enjoyed the range, especially the Pinot Noir dominated wines Nature and Bolène 05 both marked by round, fresh fruit and the latter, more expensive of course, having real depth and gravity. The Sonates Nº9 was especially good, delicate fruit, fresh, long. Pinot Noir 100% and no added sulphur. Sorry Michel, I enjoyed these wines.

Franck Pascal’s champagnes were an eye opener for me last year, I selected the cuvée Quintessence as my favourite sparkling wine tasted last year. Not surprisingly it was once again a favourite here, beautifully aromatic from the Pinot domination (Noir and Meunier) this was fuller than the Fleury wines, still structured and yet fresh and fruity. This was the 2005 rather than 04 but the quality is undiminished. I also loved the Sérénité 2010, sulphur free Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier, dry, clean with lingering delicate fruits. The price tag of 120€ is a bit of an issue however.

From champagne to dessert wine. Domaine Juchepie‘s Coteaux Du Layon wines are just lovely. The dry wine is good but it with moelleux and liquoureux wines that they shine brightest. The word ‘lovely’ reappears through my tasting notes for every wine. The 2011 and 2014 moelleuxs have a light touch whilst being rich, mouth filling pleasure. Take a wine like Quintessence 05 (yes the same name as the champagne above). Yields of 5-10 hectolitres per hectare are miniscule, the grapes hand picked with great care and vinified with enough acidity (pH 3.84) to cut through the 223 grammes of residual sugar. In other words it is a sticky, sweet, explosion of flavours with a refreshing finish. And those flavours go on and on, stunning.

Saskia van der Horst is another familiar name on this site with her Domaine Les Arabesques. I tasted her wines first at Labande de Latour in November 2014 and they have been favourites ever since. Yet even within the last year those wines have improved in quality and, as the work in the vines done by Saskia and her partner bears fruit, they will continue to improve. The refreshing white Elianon 14 is good but the reds are the stars. The pure Syrah Lou Pal 14 had lovely raspberry notes; Champs d’Andrillou 13 (Grenache and Carignan) plummy and spicy; Les Arabesques 100% Grenache with rich tannins and chocolate flavours. All very good wines. Saskia is 8 months pregnant, I wish all concerned well and congratulate them on their wines and personal futures.

Old photo of Saskia’s wines

And so to the Rhone Valley. One of my wines of the year for 2015 was Cornas Brise Cailloux of Domaine Coulet made by Matthieu Barret. It was Sandra Martinez who introduced me to it. So, I was delighted when Matthieu was present at Biotop and was rewarded by the range of his wines. The structured, fresh and elegant Crozes Hermitage 2014 was very good, the 2013 Brise Cailloux spicy, aromatic and fresh (every bit as good as the 2012), the Cornas Billes Noires was darker, spicier with fresh, dusty tannins. Even simple wines like the Mourvèdre 15 were elegant. Matthieu is a very skilled winemaker, these were top wines by any standard. Thanks Sandra.

I was unfamiliar with the Brézème region south of Valence though I must have driven through it many times. I can only say that the wines of Domaine Lombard will make me stop off in future. Julien and Emmanuelle Montagnon are making superb wines. From the dry, textured Viognier 14 to the top of the Brézème range Eugène de Monicault 13 every cuvée was clear, full of character and a pleasure to taste. Marked by fruit and freshness they reflect their terroir and the Syrah in particular is classic Rhone Valley, as good as it gets. Whether whole bunch fermented such as Grand Chêne 14 or made from old vines like that top cuvée they are wines to please the palate and the brain. I would imagine their Hermitage wines are very special. I really loved these wines, thanks again to Sandra for introducing me to them.

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From the Yapp Brothers website, Lombard’s UK importer

So many great wines, so many domaines which deserve more space and time devoted to them. And there were other lovely wines too. And that is why the offs are a valued part of the whole Millésime Bio experience. They are separate but I feel they add more choice and more experience of good wines.

February 2, 2016
by amarch34 Leave a comment

Millésime Bio – the salon

A small part of one of the three halls in the salon

Austria, the Rhone and Alsace were the wine regions which impressed me most over the four days I was in Montpellier and this was reflected in the main salon and the offlines. The main event hosts 900 winemakers, impossible to get around them all and I didn’t even manage 10% of them. As stated in my previous post the plan was to taste wines outside of the Languedoc-Roussillon in order to widen my understanding and appreciation of wines generally and to place my region in context more accurately.

The overwhelming feature of the wines I tasted was freshness, a common feature of so many organic wines. It was also interesting to note that 250 or more of the producers are biodynamic. Some were also experimenting with natural wines, offering a cuvée or two which had no sulphites added. Proof to me that natural wine is making inroads and winning the argument and that there is a market for natural wine which winemakers are eager to supply. Warning however, some of those cuvées were not very good, the exceptions were from Domaine Py in the Corbières and, also, the Austrian producer Pittnauer, of whom more later.

So to my favourites.

Kreydenweiss (Alsace and Rhone)

I want to start with a father and son team with a difference, they work in different regions of France. Marc moved to the Gard where he produces a range of wines whilst the domaine in Alsace which bears his name is now run by his son Antoine. I found the wines of both domaines to be completely thrilling.

Rhone

Alsace

Let’s start with Alsace, the home of the family. From the basic Riesling 2014 to the Grand Crus all the wines are marked by round fruitiness but with a core of clean, fresh acidity which leaves you wanting more. I can honestly say I liked every wine on tasting but especially the Clos Rebberg Grand Cru Riesling 14 and the Kastelberg Grand Cru 2014 Riesling. The Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc wines were also excellent. I had tasted the range before and knew how good they could be, what I did not know about was the Rhone range of wines. Again I loved every wine here. From the fruity, herbal long maceration white Ansata 14 to Chateauneuf Du Pape 08 these were wines marked by elegance, precision, fruit and cleanliness. Thrilling. Single variety wines such as Ansata 13 (Syrah) and Ka 13 (Carignan) were lovely wines but so too were the pure Grenache Chateauneufs 08 and 09. If I had to choose the range which summarised Millésime Bio 2016 this was it. Great wines of character (like their producers), elegance, liveliness and sheer enjoyment.

Marc Kreydenweiss

Aimé Stentz (Alsace)

Marc and Etienne

Whilst on the Alsace theme I was very impressed by the range of wines from Domaine Aimé Stentz. I spoke with father and son, Étienne and Marc, for some time whilst tasting and they explained how being organic was a moral rather than commercial choice. Those hoping that it would bring a premium would need to consider the extra work involved. The wines themselves were very well balanced, a fine edge of acidity running through the fruit. They taste of the classic grape flavours but have a nice dry edge. Other producers I tased from Alsace such as Jean Becker go for much dryer styles, very gastronomic, other such as Bott Geyl seemed to prefer more fruit and sweetness.

The Stentz wines pleased me more because of the balance. All three domaines were good but these were my preferred wines. When the entry level wines taste long, fresh and balanced you know that the higher wines are going to be special and Grand Crus wines such as Riesling Sommerberg 13 and Pinot Gris Hengst 12 delivered everything I had hoped for. Full but elegant, fruit but dry, very well balanced. The Vendanges Tardives were also balanced, lovely sweet notes but clean and fresh leaving you wanting to drink another mouthful.

Domaine des Aphillanthes (Rhone)

Run by Daniel and Hélène Boulle, it was good to talk with Hélène whilst tasting the wines. The various Côtes Du Rhone, such as Plan De Dieu 13, were marked by fruit, freshness and length. The grape varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault are the same as Languedoc wines and there was resemblance of course. Like the best of both regions the wines had elegance and balance, fruity but dry with fine tannins. None of the Aphillanthes wines come from the more famous regions of the Rhone yet the wines carry a quality resembling the big southern villages such as Cahteauneuf or Gigondas. That they are to be found on the wine lists of top restaurants shows the respect they richly deserve.

Preisinger and Judith Beck (Austria)

Austria was the origin of many of my favourite wines throughout the Salon and the offlines. Claus Preisinger and Judith Beck run separate domaines in the same Burgenland region but share similar biodynamic philosophy and practices. Their wines make something special out of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Grüner Veltliner grapes, I particularly enjoyed the white wines of Preisinger, for example the amphora matured GV. All again showed the fruitiness and freshness I love. The red wines were the real revelation however. Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent are particular to the country and they showed great power, elegance and balance, great with food and yet good to drink on their own. The two are part of a wider group of nine producers making a series of wines called Pannobile which are designed to reflect the local grapes, soils and characteristics. Wines such as Beck Ink 2013 and Preisinger’s Zweigelt 2012 were top class wines, heartily recommended. I also recommend the website of Claus Preisinger, a model of innovation and information.

Pittnauer (Austria)

Producer of probably my favourite series of wines in the whole salon, Gerhard Pittnauer has the appearance of a wild rocker with restless personality and his wines reflect him. There is a touch of wildness, unpredictability and of being on the edge. The wines are alive, full of long flavours and aromas, truly delicious. The entry white wine was called Mash Pit (that rock reference again), whole bunch maceration, no sulphites, natural, clean and sharp. The reds were the standout however. Light, Pinot like, the St Laurent 14 carried sweet fruit with freshness. The Pannobile 13 (Gerhard is in the same Burgenland region as Preisinger and Beck) and single vineyard St. Laurent Rosenberg 13 were equally good. Much richer and darker plum flavours in the Blaufränkisch Ungerberg 2010 showed that this a domaine producing a good range, every one of which would deserve to be in my personal wine stocks. Outstanding wines.

Others

More recommendations for Austria, wines from Jurtschitsch, Weininger and Weninger were very good, especially the white wines based on Riesling and Grüner Veltliner. This is a country which is really on the move in the wine world, top of my list for wines to explore and to drink.

Italy had its good producers too. Le Carline is a producer in the Veneto whose wines I praised last year and I enjoyed them again especially the local grapes such as Lison. From Abruzzo, mainly using the Montepulciano grape, very good wines by Villa Reale. The rosé Cerasuolo 15 was the best rosé I tasted in the salon, the red Montepulcianos from simplest to more complex were all delicious. From Sicily the Frappato and Cerasuolo di Vittoria made by Feudo di Santa Tresa were lovely wines.

The Chablis wines of Domaine Bernard Defaix were lovely. The Premier Cru wines in particular were lovely, fresh, dry and truly reflecting their vineyard such as Vaillons 14 and Côtes de Lechet 14 with varying degrees of mineral, saline and fruit characteristics.

Most surprising wine of the salon was from Greece, I liked the Giannikos wines generally but my heart sank when I saw a Viognier, surely Greece would be too warm for this grape which often becomes flabby and heavy? Yet they have made a delicious dry, fresh wine with apricotty, citrus flavours. They harvested on July 25th last year, to capture the freshness of the grapes. Their new sweet wine was also lovely and fresh.

It was a very good salon. I will undoubtedly have overlooked many excellent wines due to the size of the event but I tasted some fantastic wines, notably those mentioned above. I reiterate my praise for Austria, the Rhone and Alsace and I believe you will find that the various offline events offer further support to the wines of these exciting vineyards.

With Denis Jamain of Chateau de Reuilly, very good wines

January 30, 2016
by amarch34 2 Comments

MIllésime Bio 2016

The world’s biggest organic wine fair took place in Montpellier last week and I attended all three days of the main salon as well as a number of the offline events around the main event.

Last year I reported on the 2015 event in two posts about the salon and the offs and I shall do the same over the course of the next week. However, a brief introduction with an overview of thoughts and preferences.

1 salon attended

6 offline events attended

7 countries’ wines tasted

84 domaines’ wines tasted

373 wines tasted

Although my main interest is the wines of Languedoc – Roussillon I deliberately chose not to concentrate on them as I get to taste them throughout the year at other events. In addition I think I ought to taste wines from other regions and countries to broaden my experience and place the Languedoc – Roussillon in better context. That said I did taste some very good local wines at the offline events from the likes of Joe Jefferies, Mas Sibert, Escarpolette and Fontude.

Wines from Joe Jefferies

However one country’s wines stood out, Austria. I tasted with a number of Austrian producers and they were consistently good, some outstanding, for example Sepp Muster, Ewald Tscheppe, Preisinger and Pittnauer above all. I have always enjoyed the white wines of Austria but the reds were a revelation, local grapes with character, distinction and drinkability.

The Rhone Valley was another source of top wines, so many elegant, fine wines such as those of Domaine des Aphillantes, Domaine du Coulet (Matthieu Barret) and Domaine Lombard in Brézème, an area I didn’t really know before. Interestingly Brise Cailloux from Barret was one of my choices of outstanding wines of 2015.

There were outstanding wines from Marc Kreydenweiss in the Rhone (as well as from his son in Alsace).

Marc Kreydenweiss Rhone

Marc Kreydenweiss Alsace

Just to the north of the Rhone I also enjoyed a number of Beaujolais wines (Lapierre, Séléné for example). The other outstanding wines were those of Aimé Stentz from Alsace, wines of great finesse, flavour and sheer drinkability.

There were many more interesting features and wines which I shall report on this week, the presence of an English vineyard certainly created a stir for example. Most surprising wine of the week was a delicious Viognier from Greece, Domaine Giannikos. I expected a flabby or blousy wine and instead the Neo∑ Anemo∑ was dry, clean, citrussy and truly elegant.

All in all it was a very good week.

January 21, 2016
by amarch34 2 Comments

Taille, tasting and temperatures

One of the new fruit trees planted at Peilhan

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First visit of 2016 to Mas Coutelou this morning. We tasted the 2015 wines, now mostly assembled, and whilst I am sworn to secrecy about what they will be I can confirm that the cuvées are looking excellent. There is a real elegance and refinement to them already, Jeff has compared them to Rhone and Loire wines rather than the typical, fuller Languedoc wines. They are still in their infancy of course, tasted from tank, and in midwinter they are still coming around. However, the structure, aromas and flavours are in place for wines of real quality.

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The weather was much discussed as the temperatures in Puimisson and the Languedoc remain above average (see last post). The effect on the wines can be important, the wines restive, troubled in warm conditions, for example they don’t clarify. A few colder days early this week has helped them to settle a little more, Jeff has already noted changes.

The warm temperatures were evident in the vineyard too. I went to see Julien who is carrying out la taille (pruning) this year. He showed me how some of the precocious vines, such as Muscat, are showing signs of the buds swelling already, way too early. This fits in with the wider vegetation, fruit trees showing signs of blossom, even our tomato plants have flowers!

Bud swelling in the vine

Julien was busy in Peilhan vineyard and explained how he was trying to prune the Muscat in a gobelet sur fil style, rather like guyot, pruning to create two main canes for growth in 2016.

Before

After

This weekend sees a huge wine salon, Millésime Bio, in Montpellier. Nine hundred domaines represented with many more at various ‘off’ events around the city. Jeff will be preparing bottles for Les Affranchis. Then it’s on to the Loire for more salons. So the cuvées will make their first public appearance. I shall be explaining some of the different Coutelou cuvées in my next couple of posts as well as reporting on the Montpellier salons.

Icare playing with his Christmas present from Pat, a toy sheep

Peilhan vines still to be pruned

Peilhan vines pruned

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January 18, 2016
by amarch34 4 Comments

2016 – whether the weather

Whether the weather be fine
Or whether the weather be not,
Whether the weather be cold
Or whether the weather be hot,
We’ll weather the weather
Whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not.

(Unknown poet)

I read an interesting article this morning, from the iDealwine website, about the weather. Yes a British preoccupation but one shared by vignerons around the world. It was ironic timing as, returning to Margon yesterday (January 17th), I awoke this morning to flakes of snow falling!

Snow flakes on the car

Hardly the snowfalls I saw in December in the UK but surprising. Not enough of a cold snap however for the good of the vines. They need a period of cold to go to sleep. The sap needs to fall and concentrate at the heart of the vine, pruning (taille) can then remove the surplus wood from last year and prepare the vines for this year.

Instead, as the article points out, the winter here has been unusually warm, possibly the warmest since 1900. Temperatures in Montpellier were more than 3° above average in December and some vignerons have reported that as they have pruned they have seen sap running out of the vine, which means the vines are not resting. Indeed, even worse, the vines could be damaged by a sudden cold snap as the wood could break if the sap has not fallen.

As I drove south through France it was noticeable at the sides of the autoroutes that blossom was out on some trees, and if the vines follow suit and start to grow early then that could also bring problems. Finally, the lack of a cold spell does not help to fight diseases or the conditions in which diseases such as mildew can thrive.

The article supports what Jeff has told me about the situation in the Languedoc. There was also very little rainfall after September, next to none in fact. A few showers in January so far but that will not replenish the reserves in the soil. Some cracks in the soil are actually bigger than they were at the end of summer.

The vines have been too active and a lack of water is the last thing they will need. The 2016 vintage already faces significant problems, three weeks into the year!

Therefore, although today’s snow is welcome a sustained cold snap and steady rain would have been much more so. We may weather the weather, whether the vines will is another matter.

January 8, 2016
by amarch34 2 Comments

Alcohol, the wine elephant

Source: http://annathea.org/blog/not-avoiding-difficult-discussions

Today (January 8th) the UK Government issued guidelines on alcohol. To summarise the guidelines say:

Any alcohol use creates an increased cancer risk
Pregnant women should drink no alcohol
Men and women should have the same recommended limit to their alcohol consumption
That limit should be 14 units per week, best shared between three to four days with other days alcohol free
A large glass of wine (175 millilitres) contains roughly 2 units if the alcohol level in the wine is 11.5%
The level of 14 units was chosen as it represents a 1% risk of someone dying from alcohol related illness (equivalent to the risks of dying when driving a car)

(Source, BBC)

Alcohol is the elephant in the room of wine. People like me drink wine regularly and promote its pleasures and its benefits. Yet we should also bear in mind that alcohol is a risk and should be treated with due respect and concern. It is a major cause of illness, crime and social problems when not treated with due respect.

The figure of 7 glasses of wine a week should also be treated with caution. Very few wines are at 11.5% alcohol, most wines I drink weigh in around 13-15% and therefore that reduces the recommended drinking still further. I estimate that means just over one bottle per week and taking some days off from drinking alcohol. I don’t stick to that guideline I freely admit, I do not step over that limit by much, but I am aware that I need to be watchful and I do take some days off from drinking.

A bottle of Australian Grenache in my cellar

I raise the issue because of its topicality and I am aware that different countries have different guidelines. However, as someone who genuinely believes that wine and sharing wine is one of life’s great joys I feel that I should at least address that elephant in the room. And, like that elephant, not forget. It is for you to decide how you react to the guidelines. Personally, I shall be mindful of them but wine is a source of pleasure which I shall continue to enjoy in moderation.

Private Eye cartoon on Twitter

January 3, 2016
by amarch34 3 Comments

New Year, new feature

Happy New Year everyone.

To start the year I have added a new page to this blog, Wine Of The Week. You will find the link at the top of the home page and as its title suggests I shall be highlighting one wine every week which has caught my attention during those seven days. I am posting the first entry on this page to kick start it, however it will be a freestanding hereafter so please click the link and read it in future weeks.

Week 1

Each week I shall select a wine which has captured my attention for good or bad.

I could have chosen the wine with which we saw in 2016, La Vigne Haute 2011 of Mas Coutelou, but instead I have chosen a wine which I would never normally choose.

I have never been a fan of Cabernet Franc after my early visits to France 30 years ago when I tasted so many unripe, green and bitter Loire red wines. It has become a blind spot for me and people have tried to convert me without success. Greg Bureau of Bouchon Bistrot in Hexham, a native of Tours, has consistently tried to convince me of Cabernet Franc’s merits. So, when we dined at Bouchon on New Year’s Eve I promised him I would order the Bourgeuil on his wine list. And I liked it.

Bourgeuil

In fact this wine comes from one of the natural wine world’s more famous producers, Catherine and Pierre Breton. The bottle was called ‘Trinch’, of which more later. The freshness on the nose was characteristic sign of a biodynamic or natural wine. Red fruits and a streak of acidity were the first taste impressions both reflecting the bright, crimson colour of the wine. An hour later the wine had softened a little though still fresh. There were clear pepper notes, typical of the grape and Bourgeuil with just a hint of greenness. Really nice, soft enough to drink on it sown but very good with food including my excellent halibut dish. This 2014 should be drunk young.

Trinch is part of a quote from Rabelais which you can find on the domaine website. Basically it is an old term for ‘drink’ and I would be happy to drink this wine again. Was it great wine? No, but it was quite good and showed that I can enjoy Cabernet Franc. It is by no means the Bretons’ most serious wine but shows off their skills and philosophy.

Incidentally Bouchon recently won European Restaurant Of The Year in the Journal Secret Diner Awards, the latest in a long line of awards for this consistently excellent restaurant. If you are in the North East of England, try it.

December 29, 2015
by amarch34 2 Comments

Twenty 15 highlights

I have already chosen my favourite wines of the year, both red and white. However 2015 has been probably the best year of my life offering me opportunities to fulfill lots of ambitions such as travelling and living in France, a full vendanges and lots of wine tasting. These have been 15 highlights.

Wine of the year – Casa Pardet Cabernet Sauvignon 2011. One of those great, rare moments when a wine stops you in your tracks and wraps up all your attention in the wine as it unveils its aromas and flavours. Simply great wine.

The Cabernet on the right, Chardonnay on the left (see below)

Tasting of the year – Lots of competition such as Biodyvin with wines from the likes of Zind Humbrecht and Huet, La Bande De Latour and the excellent series of tastings organised by Le Wine Shop in Pézenas (see Wine Tastings page). However, one salon stood out.

La Remise in Arles was a two day joy. In its own grounds, with excellent food and a range of excellent producers, including the Casa Pardet above and Jeff Coutelou, La Remise had a lively, friendly atmosphere. The inclusion of producers from Spain and Italy as well as various parts of France and the welcome addition of new, young producers provided a rich, enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Visit of the year – I was tempted to choose my visit to Jurancon’s Domaine Montesquiou, the family produce a supreme range of wines with a great philosophy behind them. However, the visit which highlighted my interest in the different cépages and sheer variety of vines was to Domaine Vassal in Marseillan Plage. Here, for the time being, is maintained France’s repository of vines. The work and effort to acquire, conserve, classify and valorise vines was fascinating and inspirational. Being there with some of my favourite vignerons was an added bonus on a memorable day.

Book of the year – Pierre Galet’s ‘Dictionnaire Encyclopédique des Cépages’ was a gift from Jeff and is, like Domaine Vassal, a treasure trove of information about every wine and grape variety. Almost a thousand pages of facts, photos and drawings, it will be a book which will accompany me forever.

Blog of the year – I have enjoyed reading about wine from so many sources, however, it seems to me that blogs provide me best these days with opinion, entertainment and information. Michel Smith, David Farge, Rosemary George, Steve Slatcher, Jamie Goode and others would be worthy of your time. However, the one which has opened my eyes to wines from Australia, Austria, the Jura and many other areas of wine is the blog of my friend David Crossley and I strongly recommend it. Written with authority, wit and style, David has a broad tasting experience and an open mind, a rare combination in wine writing.
Wine region of the year – Faugères, simple. So many excellent wines this year have come from Faugères, Clos Fantine, Domaine Cébène, Haut Lignières, Mas Sibert, Causse Noir, Mas d’Alézon amongst others. If you don’t know Faugères wines, then please seek some out.

Clos Fantine vineyards

Dud of the year – corked wines. It’s an ongoing debate about which closures are best and I know that corks are of better quality than ever. Memories may fade of pouring a whole case of top Chablis down the sink but they are still there. And this year an expensive bottle of Beaujolais was just one disappointment amongst far too many. It really is the most frustrating aspect of wine when you pour a wine you have anticipated keenly only to find it spoiled.

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Restaurant of the year – Bouchon Bistrot in Hexham is always a treat and my favourites this year included; Le Terminus at Cruzy, La Very’Table in Neffiès, Cave St. Martin in Roquebrun and L’Amphitryon in Pézenas. Best though was Octopus in Béziers. Excellent cooking and service, imaginative food and a lunch menu at 32€ for 3 courses including wine and coffee. A close second was Les Papilles Insolites in Pau, a wine shop with a Michelin listed restaurant offering fantastic fresh, tasty food and no corkage fee at lunchtime for wines bought in the shop.

Meal of the year – not a restaurant in fact. During the vendanges we were joined by a number of friends of Jeff and one, Karim, brought some fresh lobsters and scallops. Fresh, cooked simply with great skill and timing, they were simply delicious. Matched with a magnum of Casa Pardet (again!) Chardonnay, with Jeff, Cameron, Karim and Pat it was a superb evening, all the better for following a good day of vendange and the conviviality of friends.

Location of the year – the Languedoc Roussillon. Varied, exciting, beautiful, friendly, fascinating.

Clos Fantine vineyards

UK readers will know that the BBC runs a Sports Personality Of The Year competition and my next five highlights follow their categories.

Team of the year – Team Coutelou during the vendanges. Jeff, Michel, Cameron, myself, Carole plus a host of special guest appearances from lots of friends. The camaraderie, hard work and spirit was something special and it was almost a let down when harvest finished and that tight team stopped working together every day.

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Young producer of the year – I met Joe Jefferies first at the Pub Quiz in Pézenas and it was a surprise when I met him at La Remise (see above) in Arles in his role as a vigneron. To be honest the wines were still very raw and unformed when I first tasted them but at subsequent tastings they developed into excellent wines, with Pierre De Sisyphe Blanc a particular favourite. It was a blow when Joe told me there were none left to buy! I look forward to watching him develop his talents with time.

Special mention also to Simon Bertschinger and Sara Frémine at Mas Sibert in Fos, their Fosénot is a wine which has become a real favourite.

Overseas producer of the year – in other words not French. Clear winner, Casa Pardet for the most memorable bottles of the year the Cabernet and the Chardonnay we shared at Jeff’s with the lobsters. Outstanding producers.

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Personality of the year – well no shock here, it has to be Jeff Coutelou. Yes he’s a great winemaker and a passionate advocate for, and defender of, nature. However, he’s also a teacher, coach and friend. So many of the opportunities and so much of the learning I have enjoyed have been due to Jeff. His wines are a constant delight and a reflection of his personality.

Joy of the year – This blog. I started it as a hobby to occupy myself. Amazingly it has opened doors for me, taught me a lot and been a great way to meet people. I never imagined 11,000 people would read it within a year and that people in 106 countries would do so. So my final post of 2015 is written to thank you all for reading and sharing my experiences and enjoyment of wine, vines and the people who care for them. May 2016 bring you good wine, health and happiness.

December 24, 2015
by amarch34 8 Comments

Merry ChristMas Coutelou

All I want for Christmas is?

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Well I’m hoping for a new camera to try to make better photos for the blog and also maybe a copy of Oz Clarke’s ‘The History Of Wine In 100 Bottles’ but obviously the focus here is on wine itself.

Christmas colours are red and white so I shall look forward to great red and white wines. So top of my list are Flambadou 2013 and 2014, perhaps the best wine in both vintages from Mas Coutelou. Pure Carignan and stunning.

Snow Balls will be my white wine, appropriate for the time of year. Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Gris, Maccabeu and Muscat grapes, very dry, full of white fruit flavours and incredibly moreish.

And of course there is a sparkling element to the season, glitter and tinsel so:

More Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat and Grenache which are complanted in La Garrigue vineyard and made into a sparkling wine with a degree of sweetness, Bibonade is a lovely aperitif, my wife’s favourite!

Meanwhile there’s lots of games and fun. Blind tasting for example:

Well last night Iain, my brother in law, served up a Romanian red made from the Negru De Dragasani grape – I’d love to be able to say that I identified it immediately but as I’d never heard of it before! It was actually good, very spicy and refreshing.

So my wishes are simple. For Jeff, lots of rest and sunshine as he holidays with his sister Catherine in Guadeloupe. For Puimisson and the Languedoc lots of rain as there has been so little for months and water levels are falling fast. For Icare, lots of treats, postmen to chase and mud to roll in.

For you kind people who take the trouble to read my blog I wish you nothing but the very best; peace happiness and health. It has given me so much pleasure to hear from you and know that my love of wine, the Languedoc and learning are shared by you in the 106 countries from which you come. Thank you so much and a very happy Christmas.

Margon’s lights (on October 12th!!)

December 15, 2015
by amarch34 8 Comments

Case of 2015 – reds

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My favourite wine of the year and, therefore, a definite for this selection was the Casa Pardet Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, Costers Del Segre. This is how I described the tasting at La Remise in Arles in March. “The breathtaking wines were Cabernet Sauvignons, not usually my favourite cépage. These wines, from Tarragona, were stunning, amongst the best wines I have tasted in my 30 years of wine drinking. I was served this wine from 2014, 13, 11 and 2003. Every one was a stunner, rich, deep and complex. Marrying power and elegance, fruit and some oak the flavours simply rolled around the mouth and left me reeling. The 2003 was still youthful, hugely aromatic with dark, brooding fruits and yet a light touch. Beautiful. Just joyful wines.”

The 2011 was my favourite though all four would qualify for the case. A rare moment when drinking a great wine makes nothing else matter for that moment, just the sheer delight of what was in my glass. Superb. I just hope I can find some to buy in 2016!

Casa Pardet wines, Cabernet on the right with blue label

Other than Mas Coutelou wines Clos Fantine Tradition, Faugères 2013 has consistently given me the great pleasure throughout 2015. I started the year with the 2012, also great wine, but, as the 2013 was released, it was this vintage which appeared again and again on my table. Corine, Olivier and Carole took over their father’s domaine in La Liquière, part of the Faugères appellation, and have gradually built it up and transformed the vineyards and winemaking. This is a natural wine of clear freshness, fruit, complexity and depth. Carignan and Grenache, those quintessential Mediterranean varieties, dominate and deliver a wine which I would choose as quintessential Languedoc, Faugères and natural wine. My visits to the domaine were some of the highlights of 2015 for me, I greatly admire the family, and this wine is such a reflection of their passion and their beautiful, gobelet vineyards.

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Clos Fantine vineyards

Faugères was the wine region which became my favourite of the Languedoc during 2015. I was fortunate to taste most of the domaines’ wines across various tastings and events and to make friends of many excellent winemakers from there. I would recommend wines from Haut Lignières, Ch. La Liquière, Barral, Causse Noir, Mas D’Alezon, Mas Sibert, Capitelles and, the domaine which first attracted me to the Languedoc, Ollier Taillefer.

One Domaine though which I rank very highly is Cébène. Brigitte Chevalier had experience of winemaking, especially in her native Bordeaux but came to Faugères because of its schist soils and the freedom to make wines as she wanted. I have been fortunate to become a friend but that is not why I have chosen Domaine De Cébène, Felgaria 2013 for my case. This was one of those wines which, when I first tasted it, made me think ‘this is good’ but which I didn’t rank as outstanding. Then I tasted it again in July at the village wine fair and it had developed into something exceptional, the extra few months had brought it together. As I tasted it was another wine which made me stop analysing, stop thinking about it and just revel in the moment. Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache come together in a stunning wine.

Despite appearances I was thrilled to taste the Felgaria and meet Brigitte again!

The Languedoc Roussillon region naturally dominated my tasting this year. I did taste great reds from Italy (Le Carline), Gaillac (De Brin and Plageoles), the Ardèche (Bock and Les Deux Terres), Burgundy (Magnien and Ardhuy), Rhone (Ferme St. Martin, Vieux Télégraphe), Spain (Descendentes Palacios) plus many others. However, there were so many great Languedocs from La Marfée, Maris, La Baronne, 2 Ànes, Mas Des Chimères, Pelletier, Navarre etc etc. It was difficult to select just a few for this case and then I opened a bottle on December from the back of my collection and it leaped into this case.

In fact it is from Roussillon and from another wine first supplied by Leon Stolarski. This led me to Domaine Treloar when I started to travel in the region. Founded by Jonathan Hesford and Rachel Treloar, they have established themselves in the region and won plaudits and respect for their work and wines. Their first wines were produced in 2006 and it was a wine from that vintage which I enjoyed so much. Domaine Treloar, Motus 2006 is 80% Mourvèdre with 10% each of Grenache and Syrah. This was always a favourite of mine but the extra years in bottle have added even more complexity to the dark fruits and classic Mourvèdre notes of leather and spice. With the work they have put into their vineyards and further winemaking experience Treloar wines will continue to improve but this debut wine has really hit its stride and deserves its place in the case.

At Etna Contrade about to taste Cornelissen wines

Wine 5 is more controversial and I’d never have thought I would choose it at the start of this year. In 2014 I had a great holiday on the beautiful island of Sicily and had the good fortune to attend the Contrade Etna, the local wine fair. Amongst very many good wines I tasted those of Frank Cornelissen, the natural producer of all natural producers, making wines without sulphur on the most active volcano in the world. His wines divide critics and are used to berate natural wines by many. And at the Contrade I hated them, they were unbelievably wild, strange and seemed to be made of components fighting each other. So when I tasted the wines again in Arles I had low expectations. I still did not like some of the wines but one amazed me, Frank Cornelissen, Magma 10 (2012). All sorts of aromas from fruit to caramel, flavours of strawberry, plums and spice which opened gradually and lasted a long, long time. Would I want to drink it regularly? Probably not, it is a wine which I admire and remember as a landmark in my tasting history, it was so explosive (appropriately for Etna) and memorable but not easy drinking. Plus enormously expensive and rare. I had to include it here because it was a wine which challenged expectations and made such a big impact.

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Incidentally it also speaks volumes about Casa Pardet that I tasted their Cabernet after tasting Magma and was even more mesmerised by their wine than the Cornelissen

Other ‘challenging’ wines I really enjoyed included Terre Inconnue, Léonie 2005 and a fascinating wine from Georgia, cradle of winemaking, from the Alaverdi Monastery, Rkatsiteli 1011.

My final choice though goes to the Rhone. Back in June we were bottling at Mas Coutelou when Carole brought along a bottle which was instantly something special, Domaine De Coulet, Brise Cailloux, Cornas 2012. Mathieu Barret’s wine is obviously pure Syrah being a Cornas, and the word pure is very apt. It is clean, fresh and fruity with a razor sharp purity of flavour, aroma and acidity. I have always struggled a little with Cornas because it is so often dense and tannic but this is already drinking brilliantly and yet has the freshness which indicates a wine that will age and become even better. I am in the fortunate position of being able to taste so many great wines but this Cornas stood out immediately as something special. Thanks to Carole for sharing it.

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