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MILLESIME BIO 2010 – DAY 3
The third day, Wednesday, was much more ‘relax’ than the first two, it looked like as if the most buyers were gone… We had only 1/2 day tasting, the rest of the day was planned by our guests, the press agency CLAIR DE LUNE (Marie Gaudel) for visits and a ‘dégustation dinatoire’ (tasting + dinner) in Pezenas. Later more about that…
Some of my favorites on day 3:
Cercle des Vignerons de Provence: very good value cooperative wines from the Provence. I remember the words of a – once – well-known cooperative director in the South-West of France. He told me that he was very proud to be director of such a cooperative, because for him, the more wines you have to deal with, the lesser excuse you have not to make good wines. Export manager and old friend Jerôme Degonde will agree with that… The presented organic wines were all absolutely enjoyable for a friendly price. I liked the Croix de Basson blanc, rosé and rouge, all fresh, fruity, round, elegant and pure, with some nice spicy undertones for the red. The Domaine des Aspras rosé had more floral and mineral notes, with a juicy finish. Surprisingly well done, generous, fruity and round, the Terres Saint-Louis rosé Coteaux du Varois offers a terrific pleasure/price ratio. Website
Albet i Noya: I really love the wines of this wonderful family wine house from Catalunya. Fantastic wines with this warm Català accent and sun… Josep Maria and Toni Albet i Noya are now in charge. They introduced the organic viticulture to this big family domain (122 ha including 76 for viticulture) in 1978, as the first one in the whole Spain. This time, I was interested in tasting their cavas. Of course most of organic wine lovers will know the basic Cava Petit Albet, made from macabeu, xarel.lo and parellada, fresh, pure, informal and generous, 9-15 months of cellaring. For a little bit more complexity and depth, you should try the Cava brut reserva. Same grapes as above plus chardonnay, 15-30 months cellaring. Even more complexity and depth, with more yeasty undertones and minerality, is offered by the Cava brut gran reserva. Same grapes as the reserva, but more than 30 months cellaring. The Cava brut rosat from pinot noir will seduce many tasters, fresh, fruity, spicy and meaty, with 6 g rest sugar. The Cava dolç de postres (sweet sparkling wine for desserts) is made of macabeu, xarel.lo, parellada and chardonnay. Very well made, but actually not really my ‘cup of tea’. The Cava brut from chardonnay and perellada is surprisingly fresh, and not so yeasty as most French bubbles. Must be because it is not staying so long in the cellars, only 9-15 months. Very well done. The Cava brut barrica 21 gran reserva was unfortunately not to be tasted. Personal message for Josep M. Albet i Noya and Josep Jove (sales), I would like to taste it, hope you will have it for me at BioFach… (grin). Website
Besides their great wines from Penedès, Albet i Noya is also involved in the meaty meaty wines of Mas Igneus, Priorat. Website
Domaine Zumbaum-Tomasi: A very interesting wine domain in the Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup region. Nice wines, white, rosé and red, under the name Clos Maginiai. I loved the white from 100% grenache blanc, fresh, very fruity and slightly vegetal, juicy, generous and quite complex. The rosé is made from grenache and syrah, has a nice bite, great balance and is very fruity. The red wine might be very enjoyable in its young fruit, the tannins and the good acidity, added to the great fruit and balance, let me guess this wine could get much better after at least 5 years extra cellaring… May be even more. Great value and pleasure for money! Website
Château de Caraguilhes: In the NL, the red wine of this house is a very popular supermarket wine. A little bit more ‘expensive’ than some other wines of the same region, sold as well at the Albert Heijn supermarkets, but quite more complex and a very good value. The white and the rosé are amazingly fresh, fruity, sunny, round and generous. My favorite wines from this domain are the ones under the Solus label. A lovely white from 100% grenache blanc, may be a little over-oaked, but next vintage will be more in balance. Very seductive, fruity, ripe, juicy and mineral. The red is even better. The tasted wines, made of carignan, grenache and syrah, aged during 12-15 months in French oak barrels, were quite a surprise. Very rich, ripe fruity, generous but elegant and subtle, not heavy at all. Gastronomic wines that I surely would like to see in the Netherlands as well. The price is much higher than the one of the basic wine, but every single cent double worth! Website
Domaine Freyburger: Just before leaving, I met an old friend, Stéphane Martin, on his stand. I was very tired, we just had a little chat and a glass of wine together… Not just a glass of wine, it was a Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim 2007, made from several noble varietals planted together (complantation). Nice acidity, minerality, ripe fruit, complexity, some residual sugar, alcohol… Delightful, but the more specific reason for me to love it, was the absolutely fabulous balance between all those elements, and the delicate, nearly celestial mouth feeling and after-taste. No sticky blockbuster but a heavenly gastronomic wine… Thanks, dear Stéphane, for sharing this short moment with me. Website
Impression picture – Courtesy Clair de Lune
Unfortunately, some of the planned tastings were made impossible by the great amount of ‘groupies’ around some tables. Earlier tasted and really enjoyed, all among my favorite domains, but no wine tasted this time. I might get a second chance for some of them…
Champagne Jacques Beaufort, Champagne Françoise Bedel & Fils, Champagne Leclerc-Briant, Champagne Fleury
Domaine de La Pinte (Jura, Arbois), Domaine Frey (Dominique & Nathalie, for me the best quality/pleasure/price value in Alsace, always with a big smile and a warm heart), Jean-Pierre Frick (Alsace), Deiss (Alsace)
Domaine Jean-Claude Rateau (Bourgogne), Vignes du Maynes (Julien Guillot, Mâcon-Cruzille, Bourgogne), Domaine Guillot-Broux (Emmanuel Guillot, Mâcon-Cruzille, Bourgogne) Bret Brothers / La Soufrandière (Mâcon-Vinzelles, Bourgogne)
Château La Nerthe (Châteauneuf du Pape), Domaine de Villeneuve (Châteauneuf du Pape), Domaine des Cèdres (Rhône), Château La Canorgue (Luberon), Château Miraval (Provence), Château Romanin (Provence), Domaine du Jas d’Esclans (Provence), Domaine La Tour des Vidaux (Provence), Château Sainte-Anne (Bandol)
Abbaye de Valmagne (Languedoc), Domaine de La Triballe (Languedoc), Domaine Bassac (Languedoc), Domaine Jean-Baptiste Senat (Minervois), Domaine des 2 Anes (Corbières), Château Bousquette (Saint-Chinian), Domaine Les Enfants Sauvages (Fitou), Domaine Grand Corbière (Languedoc), Domaine Cazes (Roussillon), Château de l’Ou (Roussillon), Clot de l’Oum (Roussillon), Domaine Jean-Louis Tribouley (Roussillon), Domaine Matassa (Roussillon)
Château La Tour des Gendres (Luc de Conti, Bergerac), Château Richard (Richard Doughty, Saussignac, Bergerac), Coteaux d’Engraviès (Ariège), Domaine de Pajot (Gascogne), Château Fonroque (Alain Moueix, Saint-Emilion), Château La Grollet-Peybonhomme (Blaye, Bourg)
Domaine Landron (Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine), Domaine de Bablut (Anjou, Loire), Domaine Mosse (Anjou, Loire), Domaine Saint-Nicolas (Thierry Michon, Brem, Fiefs Vendéens), Château La Tour Grise (Saumur), Domaine de l’Aumonier (Touraine)
Campinuovi (Chianti), Gino Fasoli (Veneto), La Jara (Prosecco, Veneto)
Bodegas Navarrsotillo (Rioja), Azul y Garanza (Navarra), Bodegas Lezaun (Navarra), Bodegas y Viñedos Quaderna Via (Navarra), Bodegas Parra Jimenez (La Mancha), Bodegas Los Frailes (Valencia)
Tomorrow more, stay tuned…
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