Mad about Wine

Why I like Natural Wine

2012-01-12T13:07:00.034+01:00

(The beauty of nature)

Today’s wine appreciation relies on processing data, building consensus, fragmenting and subdivisions around wine. Wine is within the “system” (which I will come back to) a technical idea. The philosophic thoughts and reflections around wine has for a long time been under attack from an overpowering pragmatic concept of wine. The romantic wine drinkers are slowly being silenced – yet small blips of biting back, continues to emerge.

So does Mother Nature and the buzzes of natural wines are getting more and more attention. So is the debate. However the debate seem to be more about ideology and those not in favour being driven nuts by the term ”Natural”, as it presents a meaningless battlefield of those who drink natural and those who apparently have realized they are drinking UN-natural wine. The definition of natural wine is in addition weak – and in a environment formed of constant fact and evidence seeking, it’s driving the debate even further off the cliff.

(Mads Rudolf)

In fact I'm opposed to the idea of constructing a definition of natural wine. I believe that 'natural wine' is not in any way a conceptual idea with clear boundaries and definitions that include or exclude specific wines. Natural wine is not a concept really; it's just wine that is not manipulated too much. It's somewhat against the spirit of natural wines to propose a definition. (Mads Rudolf; from “Natural wines – outlines of a definition”).

Those who drink Natural wines are being called in fashion, religious, praising wisdom to the non-believers and the whole movement are being addressed as The Emperors new clothes. Yet there is not any marketing or addressing what’s inside the bottles and in fact the winemakers are trying to go back to the old way of making wines before the use of modern techniques an obscure use of treatments/chemicals in wine became popular. Many natural winemakers will say they are just trying to keep the diverse uniqueness in wine and create an alternative framework.

So where is the focus coming from? Is it because the journalists now have something new to write about? Maybe - but the biggest contributors to the buzzes of Natural wine are emerging from the people who actual drink them in big quantities and have something to say about them. Interesting enough – many of those in favour aren’t newcomers to wine. So how come we aren’t curious to find out why? Are we too proud on our ideology belief or is it because these natural wine believers just aren’t too impressed with those who have REALLY SERIOUS WINE CELLARS? Why on earth do they want to spend time and money drinking something, which is not even, rated (if so – pretty low), oxidized, weird, blurred and so far from what the “system” defines as good wine?

One thing is certain - it’s not accepted to change taste in wine – even if the natural wine drinkers can explain why they are shifting taste.

Let’s take a closer look at the system.

The System

My theory is not aimed nor addressing specific persons, despite some of these persons are the leading architects behind the system. I have no opinion about these persons. When I think of it – these persons stick to their game plan and always has. It’s a voice – leading to some, useless for others and probably somewhere in-between for the rest. However it’s the rules, subdivision and the interpretation of the frames, which creates dilemmas, for what I have chosen to call the system and I can’t describe my appreciation for natural wines, without having touched upon this first.

The system is in our fast moving information society a logical and to some degree an innocent outcome. The system is based on processing information and removing areas of uncertainty in wine. It’s also designed to build up averages, consensus and it’s easy to detect whenever someone is far from the median. When it happens we often raise the question on possible off bottles or motives from the taster to understand why he or she is so wrong – not “us”.

The system has also created a financial district, with ratings moving the market, underlining how wines are becoming a commodity and movement towards more data and less emotional aspects in wine. The ratings prove to be a strong mechanism, giving sudden transparency and wine is no longer just fermented grape juice, but an object for investment when the ratings are favourable. Wine becomes attractive, not only for the investors, but also for the wine lover because the ratings acts as an acknowledgement factor of what trophies you might have in you cellar and the market value they posses. It ties market mechanism to wine and we are exposed to; greed, flock mentality, panic, desperation and lust. In such an environment – for those who want to address softer and philosophical aspects in wine are instantly being attacked of wanting to have an overly emotional discussion about wine. We want data – we trust data within the system.

In the system it’s very easy to live. It doesn’t take you long to decode and adapt to what DNA is required for a wine to score high. Quickly you will go from wine-zombie to pretty good, when you realize, that you can actually hit the same scores as the professionals. Who doesn’t want to be good at something? In practice, this means tasters will become more and more objective in their evaluation, because they obey a concept of testing wine and not drinking wine. How many high scoring wines do you actually see today, which praises a wines drinking pleasure? Almost none – because drinking pleasure is secondary, so is the wines ability to pair with food. The system works within a frame of the world Championships in blind tasting and it defines a simple angle of winners and losers.

If a taster knows how the system works and how to achieve acknowledgment within this framework – you can rest assure that some producers will be tempted to obey the voice of the market. Result = more wines looking alike.

The system has little care in terroir. Wrong I hear them say – just look at how much Robert Parker has praised and fostered the concept of single vineyards. Well maybe, but always from a pulse of flavour with more and more power. How often is the single vineyard a less concentrated wine than the standard cuvée? The system tributes the duel – designed to emphasize a battlefield in blind tastings. The declared winner, will always be based on the their vital laws on hedonism. A super Tuscan made by Michel Rolland can be applaud in the system and a declared winner, even if some taster praised it to be a great reflection of a left bank Bordeaux and didn’t find anything Italian about it. What are the purposes of making an Italian wine, which doesn't taste Italian?

Wine is not a duty – it’s a journey of fascination. Our hunts for uniqueness are being driven from our senses and not from a set of pre-selected tools. I often feel today’s wine evaluation has no room for reflection. Reflection takes time and is being overtaken by fast consumer guides. However reflection introduces a vital shortcoming, which is: doubt. Doubt is not welcome in the system, because it’s the opposite of facts and the system relies on presenting flawless results – otherwise it would collapse. Yet, reflecting upon a living breed, like wine, we must find ourselves in doubt otherwise we are exaggerating our abilities.

(Anselme Selosse)

“What you see here has no importance – all the matters are my vines” (Anselme Selosse – standing in this beautiful barrel room in Avize, when I visited him in 2009)

Where does the obsession of having control over wine come from? Putting everything in boxes by fragmenting wine. Don’t we wish more of wine? Why don’t we talk about the how man and nature is closely tied together and how important the nature elements are to the expression of wine? Why can’t I say – this wine is more real than this one, because it expressed more soil, more pure fruit and less winemaking and manipulation of the raw material? We are obsessed with our comfort zone, but people don’t evolve in their comfort zone – neither do they do it in their anxiety zone. The optimal zone of evolvement lies by (I have studied a lot in this field…so don’t worry) pushing the comfort zone just to the point of the anxiety zone. Here we are in full alert – because we have something to loose. Why don’t we challenge ourselves more when it comes to wine?

In my humble opinion there is nothing you MUST do in order to understand the essence of wine. Instead – you should ask yourself what do you WANT from wine?

When that happens, you will be free to form your own opinion and you will relate to wine, which is free. You will begin to ask the vital question on how we initially came from an emotional impulse >>> to a point where we obey a system and chose to uniform that emotional experience.

(Alexandre Jouveaux - natural wine with attitude)

Transformation – being outside the system.

“I hate good taste. It's the worst thing that can happen to a creative person.” (Helmut Newton, photographer)

Imagine your are in a room with people fairly unexposed to wine, but in general people who like a glass of good wine. You are now given the task of trying to infect these people with your passion in wine. You have 10 minutes to do it. What will you tell them?

Will you tell them how fantastic diverse wine is – how nature’s footprint of microclimate conditions and soil components play a vital role in a wines taste and soul? How wine is also about culture and regional traditions. How many grapes, wine regions, philosophies, producers there are and how the journey in wine will never come to an end? Will you tell them, that to you wine is a living organism and explain them why you feel like this?

How wine is also about people – from seeing and understanding a producers passion and philosophy? How wine is a social tool – were we are all equal in the centre of wine? How we quickly connect and make new friendships bases solely on a glass of good wine? How wines can tribute to food and how fascinating a spectrum of flavours, acidity and structural profiles can create a perfect match??? Or will you tell them, that basically all you need to do is to sit in front of your computer and subscribe to a ratings, database and gather your needed information’s on wine forums?

As I see it, when we search for the really important things in wine it has nothing to do with rules, numbers, subdivisions and hierarchies. So why not forget about it and step outside in the fresh air?

Here on the other side there are no rules. Nothing is right or wrong in wine. Perfection is not a desired goal nor is a specific taste and no one has a monopoly in trying to tell you what good taste is.

Natural wine

Nature is orderly without being perfect, as we have seen again and again. Nature's most useful patterns are never outdated but are kept for endless re-use, and the overall scheme of evolution is very stable and resilient. But mechanical perfection would be death to nature as it would be to us as part of nature. Nature is a live, self-creating process forever making order from chaos, forever free to do something new -- to reorganize itself when necessary, even if only to stay the same; to create new forms when old ones no longer work. Perfection would be the end of evolution, the end of freedom, the end of creativity. We have learned that nature is far less than perfect for a very good reason -- for the same reason that nature is far more than mechanism (Elisabet Sahtouris, Greek-American evolutionary biologist)

Natural wine is an alternative. Yet - natural wine is not an exclusive island of only fantastic and good wines. There is good and bad, just like conventional wines. Neither has natural wine monopoly of being nirvana of wines, which reflects nature, and the awareness of its terroir. But I like, that the starting point and template are about preserving the energy, which lies in nature’s imperfect raw material. Why even bother to care and form your opinion if the starting point is a product that doesn’t live?

Natural wines are the complete opposite of the system. It’s based on a definition, which doesn’t really exist. There are neither facts nor evidence on natural wines – it’s The Emperor's New Clothes if you compare it to the system, which is based on “the truth” and perfection, if you ask it’s inhabitants.

“Natural wine is only successful if isn't forced in a specific direction” (Mads Rudolf; from “Natural wines – outlines of a definition”).

I am imperfect – and it’s far more interesting than being perfect, once you learn to accept it. However for a long time I believed wine to be a hole in time - reflecting a perfectionist world. Putting wines on a perfectionist pedestal is forgetting that life IS imperfect and seeing it this way has made me have a far more balanced presence with wine. It’s also about letting go - have fun, listen to music, go crazy, introduce unpretentious - because that’s how the wines are.

“It may sound a little far fetched, but you see I am very committed in recording the errors in my work - not deleting them, not making it better, not adjusting it to forgetfulness, but to preserve it for the energy that lies in the substance...” (Danish poet and filmmaker, Jørgen Leth).

I like wines with messy hair – wines that might stick out, unfriendly at first, even particular – but filled with character. It’s no different with the relationship betweens us - humans. We all have different personalities – that’s what makes us interesting and why we care to get to know each other. Contact between humans doesn’t represent a guaranteed success of future friendship. The importance of this exercise is merely to demonstrate how we activate our full holistic judgement and how we cared to do so. If wine becomes a uniform liquid, we will halt to seek deep contemplation, present care and our judgments will be replace by pre-designed templates. Our opinions will be objective and not subjective

(Sune Rosforth - Denmark's most handsome wine importer)

What can natural wines offer?

Low sulphur, drinking pleasure and humbleness.

I think the debate about sulphur is being driven in the wrong direction. It’s a discussion circulating around zero sulphur and how that equals unstable wines. Maybe we should take a closer look, how exaggerated use of sulphur might be a bad habit and how some winemakers can actually succeed with lower or no sulphur. The benefit from creating focus around low dosed sulphur wines will be knowledge of what sulphur does to wine?

“How should people know they are getting cheated of buying the best strawberry varieties, if they have never tasted them?” (Claus Meyer – Founder of Restaurant Noma)

We will also begin to understand and accept, why it’s so logic that drinkers of low sulphur wines have a far lower threshold against sulphur heavy wines and why there is very little alignment in the debate.

“Try tasting a lot of natural wines and then go back to a wines, which is dosed with too much sulphur. You will realize how difficult it is to drink them. Your body absorbs natural wine in a whole different way. Studies have shown, that in some conventional wines there are up to 500 times of the permitted amount of pesticide residues in comparison what’s permitted in drinking water. It’s clear your liver has to work hard to clean poison and sulphur, instead of processing just the alcohol, which it does when you are drinking natural wine. ” (Sune Rosforth / Rosforth & Rosforth – one of the first importers on natural wine here in Denmark) Quote is from an interview in Berlingske))

(The lacquer neck on low sulphur wines)

Personally, some 3 years ago I never had problem with sulphur – I simply never reacted negative towards it. But since I have been exposed to these natural wines - I have become extremely allergic.

To me sulphur heavy wines smells awful, but they also change the structure and energy in wine. The structure becomes almost slippery – meaning the raw material can no longer manage to cling on to the structure. The negative side effect of this outcome is loss of nerve and energy – and wines with such profiles are dead wines to me.

Low sulphur wines drinks so damn good. They are purer, friskier and have more life, which all ads up to drinking pleasure.

Drinking pleasure has to be the most logical thing in wine – even for those who have no clue about wine. Try telling a person, who has no care in wine, that some wines are just so big and concentrated that you in fact can’t drink them – but still they are considered to be the greatest wines in the world. It’s a sick story and the game of testing wine has gone too far.

I like wine is also about a humble approach. A grower doing his/hers best to express the land they have at their disposal. Not correcting, but just emphasizing what is already there. A place of origin - a work of creativity and authenticity. Not made to blend in, corrected to win a popularity contest or follow a box office script.

With creativity – like art – there are always elevated risk of someone getting provoked. This I like and especially if you tune into natural wine as an alternative and nothing else.

So to wrap up this long mumbling post…and thank you for reading this far…I like natural for many reasons as you can see and because it keeps me alert, curious and emphasize my greed for authenticity.

All the best

Thomas

Perfection

2012-01-07T20:00:00.004+01:00

Perfection is a delicate word – a noble word for some, but also a slightly suggestive wine descriptor to me, even at times a pretentious ideal.

Wine is not about perfection to me. In fact pursuit for perfection – whatever the cost - can sometimes lead to a forced wine and a wine loosing the nerve of its raw material. The perfectionist quest - in order to seek comfort in the consensus consumer voice can be a delicate dance.

But the other day – I had a perfect wine….A Champagne:

2008 Cédric Bouchard “Les Ursules”

Blend: 100% Pinot Noir

Terroir: Argilo-calcaire

Vineyard: 0,9721ha located in Celles-sur-Ource

Age of vines: Planted in 1974

Production: 2.500 bottles

Dosage: 0 g/l

Disgorged: July-2010

Glass: Spiegelau Adina red wine “Water goblet”

It’s Friday – tradition: Champagne day. Often we share a bottle and talk about the week that passed and enjoy a really good meal. This time, something distracted us, so we didn’t really talk – I mean we talked - but it was about the Champagne.

Simply stunning aroma rises from the glass. It’s perfection, sheer beauty in a glass. I said it to my wife – “this Champagne is perfect”. She agreed. “I like there is no oak here” she replied.

Yes – very true. This Champagne is so pure and focused. Like always with the Champagnes of Cédric Bouchard it’s not so easy to write the tasting note, because it’s more an intellectual package, which only can be described if tasting it – and not something you just pick from the aroma wheel. Here is my best shot:

It’s like a laser beam with nothing sticking out. It holds stunning precision and purity with sensorial sweetness of really healthy and ripe fruit. I also detected something that reminded me of autolysis components even if they are still secondary. The other characters are crushed dried blackcurrant, black cherries, wheat flour, diamond dust (don’t ask) and an unheard weightless allure - yet with enormous intensity. The taste starts by a sleek wrapped currant perfume corset – then unfolding a mixture of a mineral clay soil attack and a dry salty finish with a really poised acidity. An unbelievable good bottle of Champagne – perfect.

I have realized perfection is not an illusion, but the two prime ingredients have to be included in the recipe: Creativity and authenticity.

Bravo Cédric!!!!!!

Oxidation and minerality

2011-12-30T16:31:00.005+01:00

Is oxidation increasing the minerality in wine? First time I heard this statement was from Anselme Selosse.

But I don’t think many people think of oxidation and minerality to be closely tied together. We often associated minerality with a flinty, chalky or stony expression in wine and often we think of minerality as an element bringing a bright, frisky or fresh touch to wine. However there are also darker scented formations of minerality that can be notes of clay, sand, wet rocks or slate. According to Peter Liem (Champagneguide; article on minerality (subscribers only) there is a lot of laziness connected by using the term, as we aren’t specific enough on what specific type of minerality we are talking about?

I have to agree and I am guilty as sinned. I have even discovered – often at tasting events – the presences of a poised high acidity can confuse people what’s in fact the driver behind the freshness of the wine – is it minerality or acidity?

With this in the back of my mind I decided to open a wine, which plays with a rather oxidized profile.

2010 Nicolas Carmarans “Selves”

Blend: 100% Chenin blanc

Terroir: Granit and sand

Vineyards: Terrace - 500m above sea level

Location: We are in Aveyron – which is located in Massif Central

Sulphur: 2 mg/l at bottling

Other: Nicolas Carmarans has since 1994 been the owner of Café de la Nouvelle Mairie in Paris. Today he doesn’t run it – but focuses entirely on making wine.

Glass: Zalto Burgundy

I couldn’t help to compare this a little bit with “Chez Charles” from Noëlla Morantin – although we are far from Loire and it’s a different grape and terroir. The resemblance it’s the aromatic notes – which shapes like; late harvest honey, wet hay, caramel, hazelnuts, quince and exotic evening perfume. However “Selves” goes a step deeper and it’s also quit a bit more oxidized. As soon as it hits the mouth you also sense something different is going on – its texture is oilier, elastic – spanning a lush and luxurious mouth-watering wave across the palate. It’s a kind of wine, which is pretty seductive, but also a tense and rich wine, which aromatic and texture-wise easily could fall out of balance. However it’s on the last meters, were it sets full sail with a long sandy and elastic feel keeping a high intense nerve in the wine. When returning for the next sniff and taste – and knowing how the circle ends, you are pretty hooked to drink more. Also a good food wine I think – I could imagine scallops with some hazelnuts and Jerusalem artichokes could work great here – or cheese. Great wine – loved it.

So did I found the answer to my initial question? Maybe I did. Minerality is definitely a far more complex thing in wine and here it certainly seemed like there was a backbone holding on to these intense aromatic notes, which I couldn’t tie directly to a penetrating intense acidity – but something else.

There is only one way to find out if this is true – taste more, be less lazy and pay more attention to the terroir before you open the bottle.

Happy New Year everyone…drink something decent, something real, something that will make you feel more alive, something that matters, something that you can drink more of and kiss your loved ones and hope for the best ;-).

Cheers!!!

Champagne tasting – including a L’Apôtre Vertical

2011-12-21T00:22:00.018+01:00

Saturday the 17^th of December it was finally time for a Champagne tasting. The location was my favourite wine pushers shop, aka SKÅL.

All wines tasted once – then re-tasted after the official end of the tasting with some bread, ham & cheese….and some good jazz music.

Let’s just get going.

Chapter 1

0. NV Benoît Lahaye “Brut Nature” (Base-2009)

Zippy fresh and ultra clear Champagne with lovely sessions of currant perfumes, citrus and high-pitched apple and lime zest. Taste has lots of brightness, high acidity and super fresh attack. Good start

1. 2008 David Léclapart “L’Amateur”

I recently wrote a post called “Don’t forget L’Artiste” – maybe I should have called it “Don’t forget L’Artiste and “L’Amateur”. This is the best “L’Amateur” I have ever tasted. It has an unbelievable clarity and energy with a floating fruit core, which on one side consist of rather rich and ripe note of pear juice, but on the other side it also captures an breathtaking slim and frozen character. The taste is so fine – which combines the same aspects from the nose, which in this case is a silky, slim and elastic long mineral finish. Brilliant Champagne and if this is the level of David’s ’08 I think his L’Artiste and L’Apôtre will be out of this world.

2. 2008 Vouette et Sorbée “Blanc d’Argile”

The fact that “L’Amateur” is made in steel and “Blanc d’Argile” is made in oak – makes a huge difference, when getting them served in this order. “Blanc d’Argile” is almost too dense when you smell it for the first time. It requires some time to balance and my impression is more or less the same as the first time I tasted it (TN here) – but I now think it’s in need of some cellaring to gain more linear balance.

3. 2008 Vouette et Sorbée “Fidéle”

Exotic glass of Chamapagne, with lots of oxidative notes and flavours flying towards buttery sensations’, walnuts, banana and dark lush fruits. The taste is big, juicy and with an oily/waxy texture. It’s the best “Fidéle” I have tasted so far – no doubt about it and I could easily find a place for it to pair with food - but I have to say it’s overall style doesn’t appeal that much to me.

P.S. I actually have “2008 Fidéle in the glass right now as I write these notes. It’s a bit better when you have it alone. It’s still quite bold, but I really like the high acidity, which I didn’t notice that much at the tasting.

4. (2007) Ulysse Collin “BdB”

Again the serving order could have made a difference, because I normally see this Champagne being made in a similar oxidative style as Vouette et Sorbée. But here – at least when it comes to the nose – it feels much tighter, with some grassy notes, flowers and apples. When tasting it, the oak flavours suddenly appear with a creamy, yet highly balanced tone with room for a fine tuned chalky feel. Good Champagne.

5. Joker

Lovely nose, which has started to open a oxidative window and captures a weightless feeling and notes which shapes like; ripe peaches, candied citrus, lime, hyacinths and hay. The taste is really vivid, elegant, but ahhhrrrrrggg falls a bit too short on the last meters. There were also some bitter mineral flavours, which very well could be linked to the character of Chablis. So what was it? Well – no other than: 2004 Cédric Bouchard “La Haut-Lamblee BdB”. It’s lovely Champagne, but this bottle seemed a bit more evolved than the version I served in June-2011 and lacked a bit in final bite on the palate.

Chapter 2 (Pinot Meunier)

6. 2009 Jérôme Prévost “La Closerie Les Béguines”

Striking good and the sort of Champagne, which is just so pleasing and easy to drink. Prévost has an utterly sensational balance over the oxidative style, oak and these sophisticated spices, which spans in a spectrum of deeper honey aromas all the way up to fresh oranges blossoms. The taste is filled with magnificent; sleekness, tallness and clarity. Beautiful Champagne.

7. 2007 Bérèche “Valée de la Marne Rive Gauche”

Also a Champagne which plays the spice game – but here the expression is different with a more enclosed style, giving the spices a more herbal character and a reductive feel. However it has splendid brightness, driven from an intense and poised acidity bite. A Champagne, which needs more time.

8. 2007 Laherte “Vignes d’Autrefois”

Again spices – or so it seemed. Thing is – when tasting it, these spices are rooted in a penetrating minerality, which creates these bitter notes, but it’s also pushing the Champagne to a higher nerve and tallness, which is even assisted by a biting high acidity smack. Very good.

9. Joker

This Champagne took a path of denser and deeper scented flavours with oxidations coming back and a waxy melted butter feel. The spice section are technical here as well – shaping more like the style of Prèvost – but they are showing less sophistication, yet playing a mindful game of citrus fiddling in the background. The taste is really concentrated and has a beautiful expansion feel, putting on several layers of complexity. Yet – despite being somewhat oxidative, it’s still holding back a bit. I tried to guess its identity – but missed it several times. Champagne No. 9 was: 2006 Chartogne-Taillet “Les Barres”. Knowing this – this bottle felt much more evolved than my last bottle in June-11, yet still it oddly it also feels pretty young still. Lovely Champagne and a very complex Champagne.

10. 2006 Georges Laval “Meuiners de la Butte”

This one of release from Laval is insane. The nose is so exotic with notes of pineapple, mango, hay and really ripe biodynamic driven fruit. When I smelled it, I thought it would simple collapse in the glass – being too much of everything – but it didn’t. The balance is being held checkmate by an outrageous amount of energy and a poised high acidity, which keeps everything in place. The price tag here is about 200€, which for a Pinot Meunier is kind of ridiculous, but I am still tempted just to buy a bottle, because it’s one of a kind. Seriously good bottle of Champagne.

11. Joker

So far all-previous Champagnes had been incredible pure but this Champagnes breaks that spell with some odd flavours of burned hazelnuts, rotten potatoes and old thyme. It shapes the character of a very rustic breed and even on the palate it feels pretty baroque. What was it? – Well Prévost again, but in 2005 vintage, which confirms that this vintage can be quite challenging.

Chapter 3 (L’Apôptre vertical)

12. 2005 David Leclapart “L’Apôtre”

As we just saw, with Jérôme Prévost the 2005 vintage can be rather difficult. With this in the back of my mind, I think David has made a solid ‘05 L’Apôtre. It lacks some of the ultra clear distinctiveness it can hold in spectacular vintages and takes onboard darker phrasings and some rather raw smoked meaty notes. However its core is rather deep and seemed somewhat sealed and I can’t rule out it could enter a more flourishing phase with the release of more diverse nuances. For now it’s a bit rustic and I would recommend some cellaring.

13. 2004 David Leclapart “L’Apôtre”

We all aim to pick the peaks of the wines we have in our cellar to avoid those annoying shy phases. I wish I could do the same, but my level of thirst and patience often collide. But sometimes there is wisdom to be found in those phases and I think you sometimes appreciate them even more, when you learn about a wines volatility and it's band between its highs and lows.

I have tasted this Champagne maybe 6 times now. This is the shyest phase I have seen it in, but it’s still a fascinating study. It deals with a lot of bitter components and lots of grassy tones, which prevents the fruit to expand. However it’s build with a crystal clear linearity and brings an enormous amount of energy forward and the oak is so well integrated here. I have no clue how long to wait before this phase is over – but I have faith in it.

14. 2003 David Leclapart “L’Apôtre”

To succeed in 2003 is an accomplishment in itself. David has more than just succeeded and the ’03 are a miraculous effort. It’s of course not as linear as the 2004 – but on the other hand not marked by any kind of ’03-heat or lack of nerve. It’s shooting out of the glass with an intense self-confidence and notes of; melted butter, smoked meats and a honey charming fruit core. The taste is intense, intimidating and expressive – yet driving safely home with lots of focus. It was discussed whether this Champagne needs another 1-3 years more before you could say it’s entering a prime drinking window? Well maybe, I wouldn’t argument against it – but damn it’s irresistible right now.

15. 2002 David Leclapart “L’Apôtre”

In theory this Champagne is also closed – like many other ‘02s out there. However, I have seen it shyer than this and if I should outline it’s maturity curve, I would say it should come out of this phase in a year or two….but don’t sue me please. Anyway – when I say closed – it’s not the way the ’04 is closed – which is almost a hermetic shield. No! – The 2002 have entered a new phase - and a fascinating one I might add, turning the fruit luxuriant and actually putting on more baby fat. Or it feels like this – as it flows like an elastic liquid in the glass, which is constantly bringing extra dimension and layers of complexity. The nose consist of fat overripe peaches, smoke and pear zest, and in the back a “whisper” of mint is tickling your senses to a state of goose bumps. The taste might be holding back in terms of what awaits in future, but it’s still a very expressive mineral attached Champagne wrapped in a sleek corset. WOW!!!

16. 2001 David Leclapart “L’Apôtre”

I didn’t have high expectations here, as the 2001 vintage is probably one of the most difficult in the last 20 years. The nose is a bit infused in smoke, which I associated to the fingerprint of the oak. It prevents real clarity to come forward and overall its lack of complex layers makes it a bit hollow. However the taste is fair as it brings a light, yet pleasing style with a good bite.

17. 2000 David Leclapart “L’Apôtre”

I have only tasted this Champagne once, when I visited David in 2009. I didn’t remember it like this and it was debated whether it was off or not? I couldn’t say for sure – we would have to taste another bottle….so who has one ;-) ?

Thing was – it’s was a rather nice Champagne, but it had very little resemblance to the other vintages. First signs were a rather blurry Champagne in the glass. Secondly the aromas are very vivid, light weighted and with notes of dried banana, freshly ground butter and limestone quarry. On top it deals with signs of residual sugar, which might have been the driver behind this very delicate and floating style, but I missed the normal soil intensity and overall focus. Good – but not great.

18. 1999 David Leclapart “L’Apôtre”

The ’99 is Officially the real debut of “L’Apôtre”– and what a debut. A seriously intense Champagne with ravishing notes of hazelnuts, smoke, citrus and clementines. Here I for the first time sensed some sort of entrance to secondary aromas and what I usually understand with aged Champagne. When it comes to the taste I almost forgot to take some notes and just wrote; wonderful, seductive and pleasing. Fantastic Champagne.

The offical tasting ended here – but 4 ringers entered:

Earlier, I tried to nail the 3 previous jokers – but I couldn’t. When it comes to blind guessing – I am not that good, even with Champagne. Often – especially if it’s good Champagne being served I search “my system” for patterns. Often I end up with too many possibilities, which statistic is not the way to nail a wine. When it comes to the first ringer here I did something similar, but with a different angel. This time I search “my system” for some of the worst Champagnes I could think of – and nailed it, both name and vintage. This Champagne oozes of sulphur and a tacky sweet and flabby toasted style, providing a synthetic vanilla perfume. Taste is horrible, appalling sweet and taste like some chemical compound with absolutely no energy at all. A catastrophic Champagne and totally undrinkable to me. No one liked it. Ringer A was: 1999 Tattinger “Comtes de Champagne”

This was my tribute. It was a fair Champagne – far better than Comtes de Champagne (how could it have been worse?), but I think it has too much oak. However it’s a seductive and creamy Champagne – which is fairly pleasing to drink. However it’s troubled with a little lack of nerve when it comes to tallness and acidity. I don’t think it has much potential. Ringer B was: 1999 Vilmart “Couer de Cuvée”

A Champagne marked by more age and first I didn’t like it that much as it seems a bit too evolved and tired. However it firmed up in the glass, providing deeper notes of walnuts, honey and really nice growling bass rhythms. It might have lacked some intensity by having a bit too much oily character on the palate – but then again, really pleasing to drink. Really nice. Ringer C was: 1985 Philipponnat “Clos des Goisses”

Rosé – but a wicked one. I didn’t take many notes, but remember a rather salty style, with cranberry and sherry tones. Taste is rather austere and tannic, but there were some interesting rosehip perfumes on the last meters. Still a Champagne, which took some time to get used to, especially when served as the last and the only rosé of the night. Ringer D was: 2001 David Léclapart “L’Alchimiste”

Marilyn Monroe’s heart belonged to daddy – my heart belongs to my family….and a small part belongs to Champagne ;-).

(1999 L'Apôtre - the old label)

Merry Christmas everyone.

Re-thinking wine

2011-12-11T15:11:00.009+01:00

Jean-Yves Péron

What is wine? How is it supposed to taste and what is right and wrong?

I sometimes need to ask myself these questions – especially when I encounter wines, which automatically challenge me on these points.

The answer I seek, is not a solution – a final statement in order to paint a black & white image of wine. But I seek to push myself to the limit and not always take the secure consensus road. As I see it, you can always go back to your comfort zone – no one will force you, but at least you tried it, you had an opinion about it and you had an open mind towards it – or did you?

You can probably guess I am about to present you with a wine (in fact two), who bended the wheel to a point, where I had to surrender myself and just sit back and smile.

To believe wines of such character actually exist makes me thrilled – to find they are sold out makes me annoyed…or at least impatient before the next vintage arrives.

First - let us first find out were these two ladies lives. We are in Savoie – the region all good students have plotted into their vocabulary of wine knowledge. You are lost again – and I don’t blame you, but we are here:

Show big map

2009 Jean-Yves Péron “.Vers La Maison Rouge”

Blend: 100% la Mondeuse

Terroir: Slate

Age of wines: 80 years old

Method: Macération carbonique

Exposure: South (and extremely steep slopes – se link to video below)

Other: We are 400-600m above sea level

Sulphur: Zero

Glass: Zalto Universal

There is a lot of sediment in this wine and as I took it directly out of the wine fridge it’s was pretty blurred in the glass. You also can’t help to notice a very light coloured liquid in the glass. You have a good feeling it’s not your everyday bonanza wine you are about to taste.

The nose is like being kissed for the first time. Blessed with the purest scents of strawberry, rhubarb and sweet liquorice. It’s so light with it’s 11% of alcohol, yet so intriguing to sniff, as the fruit is so unbelievable fresh. The taste is zippy pure fruit – no tannins at all, but yet so intense, energetic and frisky. In addition you have a solid baseline of underneath mineral brushings.

The drinking pleasure was more than splendid – and the bottle almost empty before I got the chance to take some real notes. Simply stunning wine.

2009 Jean-Yves Péron "Côtillon des Dames"

Blend: 100% Jacquères

Terroir: Mica/schists

Age of wines: +100 years old

Exposure: South

Production: 600-800 bottles

Sulphur: Zero

Glass: Zalto Universal

The white wine also has lots of sediment, so I had it upright for two days before I tasted it. Still it’s rather blurred and looks like unfiltered apple juice. The nose is insane…WOW!!!! Outrageously fresh with some degrees of oxidation (but very subtle) and the most incredible notes of late harvest ripe apples, olive oil, orange blossoms and creamy wheat beer. The taste…. can it keep up with the nose??…Oh yes. FANTASTIC!!!....Mind-blowing intense and ladies and gentlemen it’s holding 11,5% of alcohol and the finish just keeps on going. The wine has an extremely elastic structure, exploding on the palate with so much life and particles of minerals flying all across the mouth. The elastic structure get’s companionship of poised acidity taken its curl to a beautiful silky mouth feel.

I tasted it over two hours – well almost…there was a small portion in the bottle and I noticed that after four hours the wine was completely oxidized and dead. But who cares and what is wine???....For me it’s one of my most memorable white wines of the year. BRAVO!!!!

Interview with Jean-Yves Péron

2009 Maxime Magnon "Rozeta"

2011-12-05T21:33:00.006+01:00

(I hope I am the only person in my neighbourhood who takes images of empty wine bottles in threes)

Blend: 60% Carignan – rest Grenache Gris, Macabou, and Terret

Terroir: Limestone and schists

Vineyard: 55-60 year old wines and about 275m above sea level.

Glass: Zalto Bordeaux

Languedoc & wine. A memory, which isn’t exactly filled with laughter and joy. I explored these wines some 10 years ago on the back increasing good ratings (oh yes, I was one of those back then) and reports about know-how and talents being exported to the region. Sadly I discovered black, potent, one-dimensional and very alcoholic driven wines. A short affair and I never returned.

But here I am again – spinning the glass with Languedoc wine. To be a little more specific we are in Hautes Corbières, which is actually closer to the border of Fitou to the south. But as I understand it – Maxime Magnon has no interest in making wine under that appellation.He blends in both organic and biodynamic viticulture and dozes his wines with very little sulphur, but isn’t part of any organization. He is inspired by his mentor Didier Barral and also Jean Foillard (under whom he has studied). The wine in hand is grafted in the name of what my local importer calls: “The shitty grape” aka Carignan. The grape has indeed a bad reputation of being difficult to handle, rustic, tannic, no finesse and usually the source for high yielding industrial wines.

However - this is not your everyday Languedoc wine – in fact it’s a great wine a most importantly a wine with a really interesting character, which pleases palate, thirst, intellect and food pairing.

The first sniff; thoughts: A determination of having something very different wine in the glass – a character of something you have never had before. It’s not one of those wines, which shocks you and takes you to the edge. No – it’s more a wine with mystique. Another thought was a relief of not having been served this wine blind and trying to guess…I would have been lost.

The nose is filled with a fascinating and wicked games of spices, which blends in with wild red berries, red tea, rosehip, cranberries, white pepper, black cherries and lacquer. The latter note is more a reference to how tight these spices are knitted, given a fascinating high-pitched cool breeze. The taste is remarkable slim, cool and crushes the spices into a perfume, which exudes of mint warmth. That game – is a gift to food pairing. I have had it 3 times now and with a dish of chicken, celery, tomato, onion, horseradish, thyme, chicken stock and chickpeas It was unbelievable delicious.

In many ways - if I could pre-define the perfect wine, this wine would not – from its fragmentary notes - fit my desired preferences. However, its stringent cool and sophisticated spices open a great landscape of food matches. Highly recommended and selling around 20€.

2008 Vouette et Sorbée "Blanc d'Argile"

2011-12-03T11:25:00.006+01:00

Blend: 100% Chardonnay

Terroir: Kimmeridgian soil

Ages of vines: 11 years (planted in 2000)

Other vineyard data: Located in the town of Biaune with a Western exposure

Winemaker: Bertrand Gautherot

Production: Think around 1.500 bottles (30 hl/ha)

Disgorgement: 5th of November 2010

Dosage: 0 g/l

Glass: Spiegelau Adina Red Wine / Water Goblet

I have followed Blanc d’Argile since the debut release of the 2004 vintage. I have always liked it and seen a cuvée constantly evolving in higher and higher quality. Today it seems like Bertrand Gautherot has achieved a more intense raw material, which works far better with the fingerprint of the oak. I now consider Blanc d’Argile a Champagne with great cellar potential.

The 2008 vintage is already hyped with best vintage ever all across the Champagne landscape. However – from the signals I have picked up – the ideal conditions are more linked to the Marne area, whereas Aube is more mixed. That said – judging from another Aube resident: Cédric Bouchard - his ’08 - Inflorescence and Les Ursules are both staggering good.

With these expectations I popped the 2008 Blanc d’Argile, but immediately set it aside and rested it for 20 minutes. The reason was simple, as I remembered the 2005, 2006 and 2007 constantly improving with air. My wife and I shared 2/3 of the bottle together and 2 hours later I had the last 1/3 alone.

The 2008 Blanc d’Argile is seriously impressive Champagne. It burst out of the glass, with an enormous amount of energy. It was almost at the verge of being a bit crazy – too intense, as the oak also marked its presence with a raw toasted tone and notes of hazelnuts. However it calms down after 2 glasses showing remarkable fruit ripeness, which shapes like juicy apples, honey and lots of citrus fruits. The citrus aromas are being accelerated by an insane acidity nerve, which penetrates the entire wine from nose to palate, providing so much brightness to the Champagne. The finish it poised with this mind-blowing acidity snap and a really long mineral attached finish. The last 1/3 – as the bubbles dies down – was an exceptional study in this acidity game, turning the last perfumes into green apples, lime and some brushings of smoke from the oak. I believe these ingredients will provide the ’08 Blanc d’Argile with solid life and cellar potential.

Impressive Champagne, which has an open window. It will probably close down within a year or so – but do try a bottle now and give it 30 minutes of air in the bottle before you pour.

La Vigne du Perron

2011-11-20T14:02:00.008+01:00

Bugey!!!

quoi?

Villebois!!

Je ne comprends pas?

Lost? Pretty much.

We are in the area of Bugey and the village is Villebois. To be a little more specific we are here 150km south of Arbois, Jura and 60km northeast of Lyon. I know – you still haven’t got a clue were we are. We are in France – okay, and I have tasted 3 wines so far from La Vigne du Perron.

2010 Les Etapes

Blend: 100% Pinot Noir

Terroir: Silt and limestone scree

Yields: 28HL/Ha

Method: semi-carbonic maceration 12 days, tapered wooden vats

Aging: 12 months in 5-6 year old Burgundy barrels

Production: 1.500 bottles per year.

Other: Natural wine

Glass: Zalto Burgundy

First impression was a recognizable scent of what I would describe as typical for Pinot Noir, when crafted in the name of natural wine. But quickly the wine turns and you realize we are not in our local “backyard” anymore and the terroir is quite different. To give you an idea what we are dealing with - is a much more cooler tempered wine, which has very fragile breezes of raspberry skin, wet animal fur and a refined spice window. These spices are transported to the palate and overall brakes as white pepper scents, which initially made me fear the fruit would suffer in purity. This is however not the case as the wine is simply so breathtaking fresh, frisky and blessed with poised bite. In such a wrapping, the spices merely act as a complexity supplement. Beautiful wine.

2010 Les Ermitures

Blend: 100% Gamay

Terroir: Granite

Yields: 15 HL/HA

Method: semi-carbonic maceration 10 days, tapered wooden vats.

Aging: 12 months in 5-6 year old Burgundy barrels

Production: 1.500 bottles per year.

Other: Natural wine

Glass: Zalto Burgundy

Actually the same thing happened here. First scents.....ahaaaa!!!. Gamay, got it!!!...some of the usual suspects on the aromatic wheel, but just 5-10 minutes later, it turns. The transformation is quite amazing and I was about to witness one of the most refined Gamay wines I have ever tasted. It’s one of those annoying wines, which smells of something you think you know and you might even have that note right on the tip of your tongue. But then you begin to doubt, because it’s so unusual to see such an aromatic profile for Gamay. Anyway – this is my best attempt to describe the wine.

A really fresh wine filled with delicate, pure sweet new fruit and aromas which shapes like; pumpkin, green olives, figs, rubber, cumin (very subdued) and lacquer. The fruit is like a really closely tied knot and it provides so much tallness to the wine. The taste is so fine, with a cool, frisky and vibrant curl, which gives you a life confirmative journey. There are also darker phrasings underneath the palate, which feels like brushing of minerality and refined spices. Spectacular Gamay wine.

2010 Ars Antiqua (Pétillant Natural – let’s call them pet.nat. in future)

Blend: 60% Roussette (altesse), 40% Chardonnay

Terroir: Silt and limestone scree

Yields: 15 HL/HA (Rousette) and 30 HL/HA (Chardonnay)

Method: Direct pressing

Aging: Rousette, in vats fibreglass and for Chardonnay; Burgundy barrels.

Production: 2.000 bottles per year.

Other: Natural wine

Glass: Spiegelau Adina (Water Goblet)

This is different – very different in the sense of I imagined a pet.nat. with immediate appeal from fresh new fruit. To some extend it delivers just that – but it bends the wheel different to what I am used to and over the 3 days I tasted this wine, I found myself more in doubt than really convinced. It has very high pitches of flower water and lemon peel, which goes of towards zest from grape fruit. It’s however more complex than just a simple pet.nat., with a baseline of grassy tones, spices and soil bite. The acidity is high and I like high, but it becomes shrill, like the note of grape fruit from the nose. On day two I found some signs of subtleness, but it’s only when served really chilled. Upon reflection, which I found interesting was it’s ability to stay focused and clear on day 3 and with such a profile I couldn’t help to think whether it’s actually a pet.nat, which can age 1-2 years more?

Don’t forget “L’Artiste”

2011-11-02T23:24:00.007+01:00

2006, David Léclapart “L’Artiste”

Blend: 100% Chardonnay

Dosage: 0 g/l

Other: L’Artiste is made from 30-50 year old vines and aged half in enameled steel and half in barrel

Glass: Spiegelau Adina Red wine (Water Goblet)

It’s common there is a sort of ranking order in a producer’s portfolio - from an entry-level wine to a cuvée prestige. With David Léclapart the spotlight is usually on “L’Apôtre”, which is definitely appropriate – yet I have discovered – especially with the 2004 vintage, that “L’Artiste” is a Champagne which shouldn’t be forgotten.

I have already had a sneak preview on this 2006 version of “L’Artiste”, in April this year @ Terres et vins de Champagne. I was seriously impressed and my expectations were high as poured my first glass.

Deadly young – yet majestic intense already from the opening bell. There is an uncompromising raw style to this Champagne, as it floats like an eruption of soil liquid. It’s extremely energetic to witness and the soil components have a warm intense slate feeling, bringing its purity to a mind-blowing level.

It’s not a coincidence, I haven’t yet touched upon the aromatic notes of this Champagne, as I am in fact more intrigued with it’s overall character. It happens, that it’s one of those specimens, which doesn’t just let you pick a note here and there on the aromatic wheel and voilá - we have an almost finished tasting note. This is one of those wines, which has it’s own dimension and such equations, are always love for me.

But for sure, we have tight, slim and utterly pure pear juice, flowers and lots of grassy notes. The taste offers a sensational electrical treat with a slim, crystal clear taste. On the finish line it’s bites back with this raw soil attack.

The last two glasses showed signs of a more reserved Champagne, which very well could prove to be the entrance of a nearby shy phase.

Overall – spectacular Champagne, with lots of cellar potential.

Rosé – simplicity and deliciousness

2011-10-26T23:39:00.004+02:00

2010 Vignes du Maynes (Julien Guillot) Macon-Cruzille Rosé

Blend: Not sure, think mostly Pinot, plus some Gamay

Location: Burgundy - Mâcon-Cruzille

Other: Julien Guillot has been bio since 1997 and his red wines hardly see any sulphur

Glass: Zalto Universal

This is the fourth time I taste this rosé. Three of the times, the scene was set in glories sunny weather in June and July. Here in October – windy and cold, I felt there was need to do a planned choreography. I thought the trick could be food and served a dish with cold smoked salmon with beetroot pickled in blackberry vinegar, sweet onions and horseradish cream. I worked utterly great.

This rosé deals with two things, which I kind of like in wine. One is simplicity (you have heard that one before), which might not catch your interest, if you browse for BIG, SERIOUS and COMPLEX wines. However, thing is (and this is the other thing I like in wine) when you mix delicious drinking pleasure, I don’t really care about complexity on a Tuesday evening. Yet!! - Though it is a bit contradictory, there are elements of complexity in this wine, as it warms up in the glass.

The notes of the nose are turning towards; rosehip, cranberry, iron and some smoke. They are served in an exquisite weightless design and with a touch of pure salty fragrance to the red fruits, it fits my rosé preference just perfectly. Taste is really subtle, which is enhanced with an elastic structure and a divine finish where the smoky tones breezes in. This breeze turns the wine slightly drier but the elastic structure keeps it really interesting and I have never taste a rosé with such a character. As the wine warms up in the glass, the cranberry takes a step forward and on the palate you feel the red wine tones humming a bit more tannic undertones, even though they never take control.

Great rosé…which makes me realize how much I miss summer, despite the fall is such a colour treat to the eye…ahhh well….life goes on….did I mention it’s really fair priced…. (20€ I think)

2007 Jérôme Prévost “Fac-Simile rosé”

2011-10-19T19:52:00.007+02:00

100% Pinot Meunier

Terroir: Sand and calcareous elements (source Champagneguide.net)

Dosage: 0 g/l

Method: Assemblage Production: 2.800 bottles

Other: The 2007 are the debut release of this Rosé

Glass: Spiegelau Adina “Red wine”

I just clicked back to my first TN on this wine in Dec-2009 where I wrote ”It’s also starting to show some darker fruits patterns, rising from a slightly oxidation. This makes me speculate, that within a relative short time frame, lets say 1½ years or so, this will be a completely different Champagne.” (You can see the complete TN from Dec-2009 here)

Let’s have a look and see if I was right or not?

If this bottle is representative, (Prévost has the tendency to show quite a bit of bottle variation) my predictions were correct. It’s quite evolved and the oxidation patters are fully alive. The oak also shines trough, with a lot of seductive appeal and sweet cookies tones, which adds to baseline of this oxidized style. Yet!!...I have to say the fruity notes started rather salty, with ravishing oozing perfumes of apricot, rhubarb and strawberry. If you take out the salty element – I couldn’t help to compare it a little bit with Anselme Selosse rosé (Jérôme is a former student of Selosse). With air the Champagne looses the salty elements and reveals highly appealing notes of caramel and orange blossoms. The latter notes might have damaged the intellectual and tallness of the Champagne, but I have to say its just such an outrageous good laidback drinking Champagne. The taste was all the way really awarding and with zero dosage, it never gets too much.

Good stuff and I would start drinking this Champagne from now +4 years.

2005 Bernard Van Berg “La Rose”

2011-10-16T23:28:00.004+02:00

(Amazing October light – almost no post-production done to the image)

Blend: 100% Pinot Noir

Location: Burgundy, Meursault

Production: Very small, think around 4-500 bottles.

Other: You can find more information here

Glass: Zalto Burgundy

You might remember I have tasted 2 other wines from Bernard Van Berg and maybe you remember his 2007 Rosé (TN here), which I absolutely adored. As you can see, the front labels are identical; it’s only the back label, which will tell you which vineyard it’s made from. To make a bit more confusion – the vineyard of “La Rose” is sometimes made in either red or rosé.

Luxurious is a descriptor I would use with caution when positively describing a wine, as it can quickly catch a somewhat tacky feel to it. Yet this wine IS really luxurious and I can guarantee you there is nothing negative about this wine.

It opens with gorgeous fruity appeal with cherries and raspberry perfumes, wrapped in a gently plum feeling. I normally don’t like the association to plums, as it’s the path to alcohol, but this is not the case here. In fact the plums works together with its herbal patters and they are equal subtle toned and forms into a deeper foundation of it’s complexity spectrum. The taste is unbelievable adorable – elastic structure, sexy, luxurious and with such a graceful feeling. You might raise an eyebrow towards this fruity and luxurious style making it a fraction polished. However, when the drinking pleasure is this awarding I have to surrender.

Fantastic wine.

A bottle of Champagne and a small talk on energy.

2011-10-15T21:55:00.007+02:00

1999 Deutz, ”Cuvée William Deutz Rosé”

Blend: 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay

Dosage: No idea – feels like 5-7 g/l

Vinification: Steel

Glass(es): Several – Spiegelau Adina Wine Goblet was the final choice.

One of my absolute favourite wine writers is Terry Thiese. His little book “Reading between the vines” should be on every wine lovers shelf.

One of the chapters circulates around “Aspects of Flavour: The ones that matters most”

Clarity

Distinctiveness

Grace

Balance

Deliciousness

Complexity

Modesty

Persistence

Paradox

I can only dream of writing a milligram of a percentage as good as Terry, but my list would include: Energy.

Energy is a wines vitality and life. It drives from every aspect of the wines personality, all the way from the intensity of the fruit core to the electrical feel of structure to the vibrancy of the acidity and feel of soil energy on the palate. For sure energy is an amalgamation of many things and are inclusive with most of Terry’s principals.

I have become obsessed with energy, as once you have been kissed you are hooked.

It’s a paradox having just presented you with Alexandre Jouveaux 2009 “Préty” which is a wine filled with energy. Deutz is the opposite; lack of energy.

Sulphur is often an energy killer – but in the case of Deutz here – it’s not a sulphur issue. The wines opens fair with some strawberry and apricot perfumes. These two notes have a good salted touch, which I actually tend to like when it comes to Rosé Champagnes, as it feeds the complexity and elegance. However these notes are not pure, as there is an impure herbal note, which is killing both attraction and vitality. When that occurs, the wine gets trapped and takes the gap between wine & taster further apart. Slowly, you loose interest in such a wine and it’s like the raw material doesn’t show at all – or maybe it’s just not good enough? With Alexandre Jouveaux it’s instant contact with the raw material and this equation makes you feel alive and that’s what wine is all about. The taste of Deutz is also a problem, as the mousse has a foaming structure and with a loose ’99-vintage-acidity, it’s a two times disaster.

I have seen tasting notes on this Champagne, suggesting a young breed with cellar potential – sorry, but I don’t believe in it - it’s not made from the right material in the first place.

2009 Alexandre Jouveaux ”Préty”

2011-10-11T23:43:00.004+02:00

(Wild wine)

Blend: 100% Chardonnay

Where: Macon, Uchizy

Age of wines: 75-80 years

Vineyard: South exposure – 0,54ha

Production: 1.250 bottles per year

Other: Dangerous badass Natural Wine with hardly any sulphur

Glass: Zalto Burgundy

What I mostly like about the wines from Alexandre Jouveaux is their imperfection. I would imagine a lot of tasters would find his wines too wild, demanding, unruly, particular and even volatile in their acidity. His wines even have yeast sediments floating around in bottom of the bottle.

To me they are truly some of the most energetic wines I have ever come across and it’s their heartbeat, which I am drawn to, as they challenge and push my own perception on wine. It’s wine like his, which make a difference and reminds me why I am Mad About Wine.

Sometimes the aromatic profile of this wines actually reminds me of Champagne and even the acidity it at the same high pitched level as vins clairs.

His 2009’s have taken some time to come around, as I have found some of them pitched with some schnapps burning on the last meters. However you have to be aware of their contact with air changes them dramatically in the glass.

Préty starts with an insane purity of flower water, green apples, wheat flour, yeast and a bit of smoke. However it’s floral tones are pretty high toned and it’s just on the verge of twisting your arm and even for me becoming a bit strident. I decided to decant for one hour

Huge benefit and knowing this, I would decant it something like 5 hours next time. What happens – and especially with warmth (you can raise it to 16 degrees with no problem at all) – feels like the yeast and wheat flour tones put themselves on top of the wine and bringing the pitch of the floral tones some notches down. The taste is extremely electrical, filled with tons of soil energy and a nerve wrecking acidity.

Frightening, genuine, demanding and one hell of a good wine.

2009 Noëlla Morantin "Chez Charles”

2011-10-10T23:48:00.003+02:00

Blend: 100% Sauvignon

Location: We are in Loire; Pouillé

Vines: Really old – think 75 years

Sulphur: 1-1,5 grams per hectoliter when racking.

Winemaking: Natural Winemaker: Noëlla Morantin

Other: This is the sort of the real debut from Nöella, since she has taken over some organic farmed land from Catherine Roussel og Didier Barrouillet (Clos Roche Blanche) For more information I suggest you read this article from Wine Terroirs

Another great wine from a female winemaker – more of that please.

This is the second time I taste this wine, but it really goes down quickly, so I never really scrabbled anything the first time before the bottle was empty.

It’s a very approachable wine with all kinds of funky things going on. There is immediate intimacy of tropical fruits (mostly pineapple and mango), roses, wet hay, banana, spices, smoke and late harvest honey, which nearly forms into caramel associations – without at no point being sweet nor heavy. The wine deals with slight oxidation, which adds to this its already seducing style. Taste has a creamy feel to it – yet containing lots of air pockets for it to feel elegant. On the last meters it exhales those whet hay tones again. Lovely wine, selling at a very decent price…for now. Highly recommended.

1999 Tarlant "La Vigne d'or", Champagne

2011-10-09T15:50:00.009+02:00

Blend: 100% Pinot Meunier

Vines: Planted in 1947

Soil: Calcareous

Dosage: 2-3 g/l

Disgorgement: 13th of July 2004

Winemaker: Benoît Tarlant

Glass: Spiegelau Adina Red wine/Water Goblet

This is my last bottle of the 1999 La Vigne d’Or and I have had my doubts whether to drink it now or wait. I had no suspicion at all whether it was in risk of heading downhill – yet my only concern is that the 1999 vintage in general are marked by a fairly low acidity.

“Puff”…let’s taste the beast.

Super rich nose of evolved Champagne. I wrote “classic” as the fruit composition unfolded in front of me with notes of; hazelnuts, late harvest honey, quince, smoke, vanilla, spices and candied citrus. Despite the latter note, it’s at no point sweet, yet the citrus thing is really keeping everything focused and intense. Taste is round and lush with a waxy structure and overall an extremely seductive Champagne. You could stop here and enjoy every drop – as I did. Yet being a boring analytic – which is not always the right approach – you could raise your eyebrows to a low acidity which got stuck somewhere on the mid-palate and didn’t brought complete magic to the package. Overall – I still find this Champagne among the very best I have tasted from this vintage. I see no risk of it tipping over the next 3-6 years, but because of the low acidity and it providing such a deep aromatic nose, why not start to drink it now.

Introducing Benoît Courault

2011-10-05T22:19:00.004+02:00

(Both images are clickable and will open a larger format)

Loire >> Anjou…what do I really know about it? I might have tasted some 75 wines during my blessed life as a wine drinker, but I guess Loire failed to give me love at first sight so many years ago. From there, Loire got archived in the bottom left corner under ”so many wines, so little time”.

But why not dip your toes once in a while….

So – Anjou…. which I tend to associate with Marc Angeli, which wines are widely represented on the wines lists of Copenhagen’s best restaurants. They come in many shapes and I kind of like them, when they are matched with food. They do however have a trademark IMHO, which is a rather elastic texture, which feels smooth and friendly on the palate with a rather oily character. This style I often come across in Anjou land – also when I recently tasted another Anjou producer; Didier Chaffardon. I am not always in favour of such a style, as I tend to be rather “Taliban-addicted” to more bright acidity and tall structure.

So now you know where I stand, before we take a bite of the wines from Benoît Courault. I have tasted 3 wines from him and let’s start with the best one.

2009 “Les Guinechiens”

Blend: 100% Chenin Blanc

Soil: Clay with demoted slate and cailloux

Bedrock: Slate

Glass: Many – but Zalto Bourgogne is the one to use.

Benoît Courault…a rising young star - owns 6 ha of land – works organic and plows with horse. That’s what I know. Not much – I know, but let’s see what’s inside.

Adorable nose of elderflower with a touch of honey was the first impression. But it’s not a sweet elderflower thing, as a smoky breeze sets in. Later you get companionship of overripe peaches and some buttery sensations. Taste is blessed with a slim and creamy touch, yet highly intense and filled with lots of nerve - despite you again have this oily “Anjou-structure”. Yet it prevails by being outrageous pure and on the last meters you have that mild wind of smoke coming in, giving an extra dimension. As the above image reflects – this wine reminds me of sunshine and I can almost taste it again from that warm July day. Brilliant wine.

2010 “Le Petit Chemin” (Pétillant Natural)

Blend: 100% Chenin Blanc

Glass: Zalto white wine

For sure some wines are less complex than others. Some are even what we refer to as simple. Simplicity is something I am becoming more attracted to when it’s shaped like for example this wine. It’s the equation of levelling with the wine and surrendering to sheer joy of wine appreciation and tasting with your “soul” and not your brain all the time.

This Pétillant Natural wine holds the juiciest and freshly pressed apples with lovely sensorial honey sweetness. It flirts with cider personality, yet the mousse is far subtler and the style is really delicate and floating. It’s not made of the same material as a Champagne, but for a appetizer, picnic it’s spot on. If you don’t smile when drinking this wine – you have to see a doctor ;-).

2009 “Les Tabeneaux”

Blend 100% Cabernet Franc

Glass: Zalto Bordeaux

This red wine was sadly not so promising ,as the two others. The fruit composition is sort of okay’ish, with a light weighted and delicate style. However the spices goes too far and into a herbal style, which prevents the fruit to show needed purity. I rested it for day 2, where it sadly hadn’t improved.

2010 Julie Balagny, ”Fleurie Cayenne”; Beaujolais

2011-10-04T00:54:00.005+02:00

Blend: 100% Gamay

Ages of vines: 30 years

Vineyard: South/South-west exposure (top parcel of a 3ha slope)

Terroir: Basalt

Other: Zero sulphur

Glass: Zalto Bourgogne

This is the second time I taste a wine from Julie Balagny. I had the chance to taste her debut release of the 2009 Fleurie ”En Remont”. A tasting experience, which I never published here on the blog, due to lack of time. But I do remember it quite well. It wasn’t a wine I was that much into, as it was rather overpowering in intensity and possessed a meatier style of Beaujolais, which I wasn’t keen on. However it didn’t stop me trying her wines once again – but this time another cuvée.

One thing, which annoyed me with the first wine, was I sensed an overpowering use of barriques in her wines – also this one, but from what information I have obtained she doesn’t seem to use barrique.

Otherwise – she is in her thirties and good friends with one of the stars in the Beaujolais region; Yvon Métras, which inspired and helped her start producing wines of her own.

“Cayenne” is a seriously nice wine. An extremely healthy specimen, with notes of black cherries, plum sensations, bicycle tubes and a ravishing ooze of sweet licorice. Taste is drop dead gorgeous, with a very round and appealing style. However some scepticism did approach me. It was once again this association to oak dominance, as you almost sense shavings of new oak in the wine. It gets even more pronounced as the licorice note forms more salty and dense as the wines gets air. But thing is, I think I am getting teased by a wine, which just holds a serious amount of fresh born baby fruit and it’s teasing my ability to tell what is fruit, oak or the lack of it? However…and my overall judgement really prevailed by a constant tight nerve on the palate where it held it’s energy, elegant backbone and mouth coating drinking pleasure. Still I would cellar it – just a year or two in order to the fruit to obtain more red tones and it general just to loose some baby fat. Finally – I preferred it rather chilled around 15-16 degrees.

Jura Tasting

2011-09-21T17:33:00.016+02:00

(Our host, Lasse)

The wines from the Jura region continuous to intrigue me - and as I still see myself as a novice – I am constantly on the lookout to learn more.

1^st of September such an opportunity came by as one of Copenhagen’s newest wine shops; Krone vin - hosted a Jura tasting. Behind Krone vin is Lasse Kruse Rasmussen which I have bumped into before as he was the sommelier @ the first restaurant Geranium in Copenhagen. Today you can still find the “spirit” of Lasse @ the new Geranium – as the wines from Krone vin is widely represented on Geranium’s wine list. Lasse are with 3 other wine pushers @ my local latitudes (Petillant, Rosforth & Rosforth and Lieu-dit) leading they way forward in badass biodynamic and Natural wines.

With this short introduction – I present the wines.

Sparkling:

Domaine de L’Octavin “Cremant du Jura Blanc de Blanc”, Arbois

(L’Octavin are run by the couple Alice Bouvot og Charles Dagand and have since 2010 been certified biodynamic producers. Since 2009 – they stopped dosing their wines with sulphur – except this Cremant which they think find better balance with just a pinch)

One of the first notes I wrote was “bio” – which turned out to be correct. It was actually an association to the Champagnes of François Bedel, which had me comparing. It’s this funky tone of overripe fruit, creamy tones of milk-products and wet hay, which I find similar. I am not always a fan of this style as it’s taking some focus away from immediate freshness. However! – It’s without a doubt a wine, which spans widely to food pairing. Taste delivers good clarity; yet again this overripe style is present, which causes loss of springiness. Still a fair wine.

Domaine des Cavarodes “Cremant du Jura Blanc de Blanc”, Côtes du Jura

(Run by young Etienne Thiébaud who are in his mid-twenties and has been making wine since 2007. His philosophy is to make wine with as little intervention as possible. From 2012 he will be certified biodynamic producer. He has 4,5ha of land in the northern part of the Jura region. There are some very old vines here – up to 100 years old and you will even find ungrafted (pre-Phylloxeras) vines here. Terroir is mostly Kimmeridge chalk and clay.

I liked this wine more, as it had better freshness. It holds lovely yellow fruits – especially morello cherries and citrus fruits. On the taste it’s holding on to a marvellous clarity - yet missing some sort of material to posses more layers of complexity. Yet – I find it quite attractive. It does not possess the stuff Champagne are made of – yet still a solid appetizer or a great friend for a picnic.

Domaine Philippe Bornard “Pétillant Natural Tant Mieux”, Arbois Pupillin

(Philippe Bornard has some 27 years of experience in the wine industry by being employed in the big cooperative in Pupillin. During that period he also brushed of his big passion and hobby as a Rock musician. But in 2005 – strongly inspired by his good friend Pierre Overnoy (the Godfather of Natural wines), - he went “solo”. He makes wines from 6ha of land around the town of Pupillin and from 2012 he will be certified biodynamic producer. He makes wine with as little intervention as possible. Sulphur is only added at the bottling process to stabilize the transportation of the wines.)

One of the beauties of Natural wine is their ability to level with its audience. One of the easiest contact forms is humour, self-irony and the feel of an easygoing bohemia lifestyle. I love such wine – and I would categorize this wine to belong here. The “humour” of this wine is associations to a child birthday, with red lemonade and happy atmosphere and playfulness. This Pétillant wine holds delightful juicy tones of strawberries, rhubarb, cranberry and rosehip. Drinking exceptional well with newborn fresh fruit and very moderate alcohol (9.5%). I Imagine serving this wine for friends who expect “serious” big Champagne for a starter and get this…..I can already hear the remark: “What the hell is this”…but shortly after I’ll bet they will applaud it for it’s pleasurable qualities

(Philippe Bornard “Pétillant Natural Tant Mieux”)

Red wines

2009 Domaine des Cavarodes “Poulsard des Gruyéres”, Arbois

(Zero Sulphur)

Here I learned why the grape is sometimes called Poulsard or Ploussard. The latter is only to be used when it comes from Pupillin. So be careful – the producers are very sensitive on this ;-).

When you are attending big tastings you can’t help to be influenced by some of the remarks that goes on around the table. Here a lot of people applauded this wine. I was however a bit hmmmmmmm…. The reason was a fair amount of dry extract. The grape can sometimes be like that – I know, but it’s too stony, dusty and herbal. I missed some clarity. The taste is however really nice – floating, ballerina light and pleasurable. Overall a fair wine – but not something I was ecstatic about.

2008 Domaine Philippe Bornard “La Chamade / Ploussard”, Arbois Pupillin

Ahhhh…here we go. That red juicy appealing fruit – I am such an easy target. Still you have that dusty grape character hanging over the wine, but the companionship of sweet juicy red fruit - mostly raspberry perfumes – but also; moist forest and animal fur, takes it to dreamland. In addition you have a slight fine tuned oxidation and it’s adding to a pretty intimidating sexy touch. Served blind, this wine could easily pas for red Burgundy. The taste holds a magnificent delicious and juicy style. Brilliant wine.

2008 Domaine Philippe Bornard “Aide Memorie / Pinot Noir”, Arbois Pupillin

(Vines from 1950’ties)

Here the fruit is a fraction shyer and primary. It turns it a bit into “violet fruit”, which later turns to plums. Yet – at the last sip, the fruit had contracted again, revealing dryer components and dust. Taste is however nice – really pure with great mineral bite and a touch of the dried fruit. I would cellar this wine 2 years more.

2007 Domaine de L’Octavin “Don Giovani / Pinot Noir”, Arbois

More straightforward wine….almost classic, with divine tones of orange blossoms and dried red fruit elements. Taste is pretty tight, yet highly elegant. It doesn’t stretches itself fully – and uses too much time in the front of the mouth. Overall – still a good wine.

2010 Les Dolomies “Les Cabane / Pinot Noir”, Côtes du Jura

(Les Dolomies is a rising star, emerging from the southern part of Jura in the town of Passenans. Run by the couple Céline og Steve Gormally – but it’s Céline who is the winemaker. First vintage from was 2008 and they make wine from 4ha. of land – divided on 4 parcels in Passenans and Frontenay. From the beginning they have worked biodynamic and will be certified at the end of 2011. Be warned the allocation here in Denmark is almost nothing – so hunt like demons).

Outrageous deliciousness of the most juicy and freshly pressed red raspberry fruit explodes from the glass. It’s so sexy with newborn sweet sensorial fruit, which is like the violins in an orchestra and in behind you have the bass pumping notes of bicycle tubes to the rhythm. The taste is incredible fine, subtle, juicy again and it’s such a beautiful wine. WOW!!!

2010 Domaine de L’Octavin “Corvée de Trousseau, Les Corvées”, Arbois

(Zero Sulphur)

I believe it’s the first time I taste wine made from the “Trousseau” grape. It’s has a quite different character and somewhat disturbing compared to Les Cabane from Les Dolomies”. A very tight tone of nail polish, cherries, and red bell peppers makes it a bit angular. Taste is a bit better – very fine and mouth coating, but again teasing my senses again with this angular style as it doesn’t stretches fully. I am not sure I sort of understood this wine. Could be interesting to taste with some age.

2010 Les Dolomies “En Rollion / Trosseau”, Côtes du Jura

Second wine from “Les Dolomies” and I already sense, I am about to engage in a love affair. I can’t get enough of that sweet fresh fruit, which is here and with just a touch of oxidation, providing spectacular dancing weightlessness. The taste is soooooooo appetite, with that insane fresh and juicy fruit. Stunning wine.

2010 Domaine de La Cibellyne, “Les Orobanches” / Ploussard + Trosseau, Arbois

(This Domaine is run by Benoît Royer, which after some years of employment at Domaine de la Pinte started making wine in 2004. He has 4ha of land, but they are fairly widespread over the towns of Molamboz in northwest, Arbois to Buvilly and Poligny in the south of Jura. Though production is very limited, as he only yields around 20 hl/ha. Everything is done with as little intervention as possible and all wines are made ’ouillé’ (without oxidation), as Benoît feels the terroir is more genuine with this method).

Again some elements of nail polish (like the first time with the Trosseau grape), but this time it’s not as primary and with air takes more the shape of lacquer. There are a lot of “red” elements of fruit, but they are extremely tight (no doubt the note of lacquer also keeps it tight) and shapes into the note of rosehip. The taste continues this profile with notes of green bell peppers, which together with this very tight style provides a sophisticated spice window. Overall – this type of wine, is not my style – but I have to say I still felt curious and I think it has good potential.

(2010 Les Dolomies “Les Cabane / Pinot Noir”)

2010 Domaine de La Cibellyne, “Les Plosses” / Ploussard + Pinot Noir, Arbois

Very light coloured wine and another of these specimens with the red fruit elements (raspberry and bicycle tubes) – but it’s not bursting out of the glass like we saw it with Les Dolomies. Here it’s more refined – still juicy, but holding a little bit back. That actually provides some curiosity and it’s oddly (hard to describe) adding to the elegance of the wine. Taste has magnificent weightlessness and it’s just so gorgeous.

Then Lasse served us a solid rustic meal of Boeuf bourguignon, before we continued with the white wines.

Whites:

2010 Domaine de L’Octavin “Cul rond la Cuisse rosé / Poulsard”, Arbois

(Zero Sulphur)

A wine I never really found myself attracted to. It’s however not a bad wine and it has notes of citrus, overripe yellow fruit and popcorn. Taste has a slight sparkle on the tongue but its overall dilemma is lack of nerve and it never really unfolds on the palate.

2009 Domaine des Cavarodes, Chardonnay, Arbois

Really funky stuff with a good portion of oxidation. Nose oozes of groovy yeast aromas, creamy cheesecake and vanilla. The taste is complete opposite – dry, subtle, chalky, and flirts with Vin Jaune. I liked it - but I don’t know if I am willing to fill my cellar with it – but could easily find a good spot for such a wine in a fun tasting event.

2009 Les Dolomies, “Les Combes” / Chardonnay”, Côtes du Jura

In complete contrast to the previous wine from Domaine des Cavarodes. Nothing but oxidized – but tight like an oyster shell. The minerals penetrate the entire wine with high profiled sour citrus notes, frozen steel and corn. Taste is rock hard with insane acidity (not for weak souls) and it’s not exactly charming at this stage. However it has tons of potential. Really interesting.

2010 Domaine de L’Octavin “Le Mailloche, Pamina; Arbois

(Zero Sulphur)

Bright wine, with crystal clear citrus and flowery elements. Very floating specimen, but also very shy. Taste…ahhhrrrr….I find something is missing here. Could have used more time with this wine.

(2010 Domaine de La Cibellyne, “Les Plosses”)

2007 Domaine Philippe Bornard, “Le Blanc de la Rouge / Chardonnay”, Arbois Pupillin

Good wine for sure, with tight blossom character and a taste with a pure mineral feel. However it’s very young and rather shy. I missed some sort of edge here – but hard to judge at this stage.

2008 Domaine Philippe Bornard, “Le Rouge Queue / Melon”, Arbois Pupillin

I am not that familiar with the Melon grape. What we have here is a more approachable wine –simply richer and fruit is more open, flirting towards exotic with primary notes of ripe peaches. Taste is solid anchored with a lovely rich feel and edge coming from secondary some spicy elements. Good wine.

2006 Domaine Philippe Bornard, “Les Chassagnes (*Ouille) / Savagnin”, Côtes du Jura

(*Filling of the barrel to prevent oxidation)

Intense stuff with notes flying in all kinds of directions. I sensed caraway, cheese whey and white pepper. Taste surprised me, as it shaped like a Riesling with freaking high acidity and mineral feeling of slate. I am not easily attracted to this type of wine, but I am slowly beginning to understand them. Overall….I marked it as interesting stuff.

2006 Domaine Philippe Bornard, “Les Marnes / Savagnin”, Côtes du Jura

(Zero Sulphur)

So not a Vin Jaune, as such a “thing” would need to cellar 7 years before release. But it’s close to Vin Jaune, yet also different, which turned out to be a supplement for the wine. The oxidation is of course rather apparent – yet it floats with a more delicate and vinous style, which I liked. You are almost begging for a Comté cheese to balance out that extremely dry and salty taste. Again – Vin Jaune and Sherry, will never be me – I don’t understand it….well, I thought, but I am slowly beginning to understand it, even though the process is slow…oh dear oh dear.

(2009 Les Dolomies, “Les Combes”)

Short conclusion:

Despite having clear favourites of the above wines, all of them delivered characters of subtleness and wines, which plays with genuine characters and high drinking pleasure. The Poulsard / Ploussard grape has hardly any tannins, so you get a lot of light weighted wines – miles away for some of the wines presented at the previous tasting on this blog. We also have to look at prices. At the previous tasting some of the wines reaches soaring prices in the range of 200 <> 450€. At this tasting we never came above 35€ and yet, it’s from this tasting I look forward to buy and taste some of the wines again.

It proves two things for me. 1) My palate has shifted dramatically and 2) Jura has now confirmed my curious excitement and I can’t wait to explore more.

GO JURA!!!!

A tasting with mixed emotions

2011-09-12T10:49:00.022+02:00

(Our host, Bent)

(All image are clickable and will open a larger format)

On Saturday the 3^rd of September my good friend Bent hosted another tasting at our favourite wine tasting joint – the always-striking good Søllerød Kro. You might begin to wonder if Søllerød Kro is the only restaurant we have here in Denmark. Luckily no – but it just happens it’s so convenient to have tastings there, as the restaurant can always adapt to whatever theme we have lined up and we always have our own private lounge.

But as you have seen at least 6-7 tasting reports from Søllerød Kro on this blog, I chose to rest the camera a bit and just shot some simple label images at the end of the tasting.

You are about to see quite critical tasting notes, which might make you think if I have lost it. I have given this a lot of thought - on how to present my negative reflections and it has to be the raw version, otherwise it makes very little sense to share different angels of a palate – as I believe there is not an official right or wrong. So please chime in, if you think my conclusions are the most ridiculous you have ever read.

But lets get right down to the action, as the start was excellent…all wines served blind.

Intro:

NV Tarlant “Discobitch”

Lovely as always. A Champagne which brings forward a classic style of citrus and flowery components with underneath brushings of spice box and autolysis formation. If being overly critical you could say you end up chewing too much on these darker phrasings notes on the last meters – but yet the Champagne delivers an incredible mouth coating and juicy style. I loved it.

Heat 1

2006 Lilbert “Blanc de Blancs”

Lilbert is not entirely new to me. I have tested their basic Champagne over the summer and it’s Champagne, which requires some cellaring. This vintage version is unbelievable tight and very to judge. It only gives away some chalky and flowery impression. On the palate it feels rather hollow on the mid-palate and leaves very small data to analyze from. We shall see again in 5-7 years.

2002 Philip Gonet “Belemnita”

This fairly limited release from Philip Gonet is a beautiful specimen. Really expressive on the nose it instantly took the spotlight in this flight. Notes were; Banana, hay, overripe peaches and milk. Taste is powerful, juicy, lush and extremely giving. Brilliant stuff and a rather open 2002 – even though it will easy last another 10 years.

(The one and only Discobitch from Tarlant)

2006 Chartogne-Taillet “Les Barres”

A slow starter – but also a start with some concerns of way too high-pitched notes of lilies flowers. The Champagne was not in full balance – but after 15 minutes it found both balance and enormous amount of energy. From the glass rose bio driven notes of baby banana, citrus, blackberries and really sophisticated spice section. Knowing its Pinot Meunier it’s really one of the most refined versions I know of this grape. Fantastic.

Ps. I have to say I prefer my Champagne in bigger glasses than those provided here – the classic Spiegelau Authenthis….not a bad glass, but it has it’s limits.

Heat 2

It felt like I was the only dull person in this white-Burgundy party/ flight. I don’t really get the greatness of white Burgundy – especially when I compare it against Champagne…which I know is kind of stupid…so be aware of this….the table loved this flight.

1999 Domaine Leflaive “Puligny Montrachet Clavoillon”

Needed some air to get rid of some weird spicy notes, which some first thought was sulphur. Otherwise it’s “classic” with white flowers and apples and a rather stony expression. Taste has solid level of clarity and chalkiness, but it just falls into a category of thousands of other wines and therefore looses a lot of character I think.

(2006 Les Barres - image from Terre et vins 2011)

2002 Etienne Sauzet “Batard Montrachet”

It was discussed whether this bottle was off or not. Problem was a rather evolved style – compare to it flight revivals. Anyway – it started okay’ish if you were looking for seduction and the lowest cleavage of the flight. Sexy stuff, with funky deep scented vanilla flavours, melted butter, evening perfume and a very oily style of wine. The taste was quite different – actually posses some tallness from high minerality and a poised acidity. However with warmth – the party was definitely over and the wine completely collapses and obtained more and more creasy notes of sweet bubblegum, which also turned against the taste. Not nice.

2002 Domaine Leflaive “Batard Montrachet”

As with “Clavoillon” – it needed some time to get rid of some weird notes. When having unfolded – which took some time IMHO…and especially warming up in the glass was a big contributor – it possessed notes of apples, lime and popcorn. There was also a very fine and subtle toned spice section – such as smoke and resin, which all together was giving the wine more complexity. However – and despite easily being the best wine of this flight, there is not much emotional stuff going on inside me…the wine is too technical correct IMHO…but I guess that’s my white Burgundy dilemma.

(2002 Domaine Leflaive “Batard Montrachet”)

Heat 3

Time for red wines

2002 Louis Jadot “Bonnes Mares”

Strange wine, which at no point delivered some kind of clarity. The fruit is dusty, muddy, herbal and with some dark bitter chocolate components lurking in the background. Taste can’t save it – same stuff going on here and it’s simply lacking fresh fruit.

2002 “Clos du Tart”

Ahhh…Clos du tart brings me good memories and I have even had the 2002 before. I don’t know what has happened??.… because this was a huge disappointment. There are notes of vitamin pills, gauze bandages – which sometimes are okay, if the wine has the edge to fit it in. Sadly that’s not the case here – as wine takes dark cherries onboard – almost blackcurrant or blackberries – revealing a wine, which plays a darker and heavier style of Pinot Noir, which I am not fond of. The taste is for sure young and shouldn’t be discarded yet – but again I found very little purity and drinking pleasure in this wine. A real shame.

(Caviar dish - loved it)

2001 Meo Camuzet “Vosne-Romanée Les Brulees”

When red Burgundy forms the shape of refined red tones I tend to smile. This is such a wine and luckily it’s also filled with solid level of life, which works together with notes of raspberry, herbs and overall light weighted sweet fruit sensations. The taste is beautiful defined – holding on to all the red components and expressing tight classic red Burgundy with delicious appeal to mind and palate. The last perfumes on the palate exude of beautiful sweet fruits and lovely mild spices. Stunning wine.

2000 DRC “Richebourg”

A seductive wine, which provided good flight competition to “Les Brulees” from Meo Camuzet. This wine goes a step further in deeper scented red fruits, which forms into overripe cherries, spices, cinnamon and tealeaves. Yet - being a wine, which also delivers juicy well drinking appeal - it doesn’t hold the same amount of tallness as “Meo”. You could say - if to push the analytic judgment - it’s a fraction too polished. Overall – I can’t see it lasting another 10 years and holding on to its current drinking pleasure. Still a beautiful wine, as it drinks so well right now.

Bonus wine donated by Ib

2009 Eduard Bryczek Morey St. Denis “Cuvée du Pape Jean-Paul II”

When this wine entered I really liked it, but as the temperature rises it took onboard some concerning elements. We have red fruit – which I will always applaud. In addition the fruit is juicy and sweet and even takes on an edge from a note of vitamin pills, which I know doesn’t sound appalling, but it worked rather okay. Yet – when it’s raised in temperature, the sweet notes forms the shape of simple vanilla flavours and it makes loose allure. Tasting it makes it even more troublesome as there are a lot of burned elements on the finish line. It’s a very young wine, which might gain more balance, but I have to be concerned of the grilled elements it showed on the last meters.

(2001 Meo Camuzet “Vosne-Romanée Les Brulees”)

Heat 4

1999 Michel Ogier Cote Rotie “Cuvée Belle Helene”

First thing I wrote on my paper was: “Very old-school type of wine”. What does this mean? Well a lot of things – but mainly returning to wine which plays more with power than elegance, which is always a loosing game for my palate. This wine boosted tons of oak with very little direction. The oak shields all traceable evidence of clarity and fresh fruit. When a wine doesn’t deliver some kind of drinking pleasure – no matter it’s DNA profile - I can seldom applaud it. Several tasters around the table filled the spittoon with more than half filled glasses of this 100 point wine – so this time I wasn’t alone on being pretty disappointed.

(2000 DRC “Richebourg”)

2001 Guigal, Cote Rotie “La Mouline ”

Again an explosive oak bomb, which gets some of its audience seduced with lots of sweet biscuits flavours, lacquer, white pepper and a combination of black/rasp-berries. The latter is something I like, but in this wrapping it’s not elegant, as the taste doesn’t posses that element of nerve, which could take this rather heavy oak driven wine from a quite boring stage. Not my kind of wine.

1999 Negly “Clos du Truffiers” from magnum…we are in Languedoc Roussillon

Yet another indifferent wine – which shapes like a million others – possessing no awareness…just a “style”, which storyboard is copy/paste, special effects and with no direction or thought. It’s an animalistic breed, which forms notes of pork, blackberries with approaches you with so much opulence that any kind of holding hand, dancing maybe and just getting to know each other is a dead end. Tasted it only once….and it’s just a totally indifferent wine.

2001 Guigal, Cote Rotie “La Landonne”

Nose and taste were quite different. The nose is polished again with sweet oak driven fruit and associations of animal fur. Taste is filled with tannins and tar, which takes purity, deliciousness and drinking pleasure significantly down. Overall a boring wine.

(Brilliant turbot dish)

Another Bonus wine donated by Ib entered….

2007 DRC “Richebourg”

I would have liked to spend some more time with this wine as it had a really interesting spice section, which constantly provided some new angels. My wingman nailed it to be DRC as he could detect the note of tea. To some degree I agree on that note, without being able to tell you what kind of tea it is. I also found notes of vitamin pills. It’s interesting that I liked this wine so much, as it doesn’t flirt with that red Burgundy fruit – but more meaty driven with black cherry stones and some tar elements. I think the reason is a splendid slim feel on the palate, were it lift itself on the drinking pleasure scale. Had is been alcoholic and dense – it would have been another matter. Very intellectual wine – which I would love to taste again in 10 years time.

The next flight was a disaster…

Flight 5

1997 Argiano, “Solengo IGT” (from Magnum)

A very herbal driven start – which can be a thrilling theme, as it’s such an attribute if it can posses fresh; thyme, rosemary or some other herb from the Tuscan kitchen. However here – those herbal notes are infused in a package, which also holds tight black fruits, marzipan and tons of tar, which at the end of the day makes both the overall wine and herbs smell dirty and old. Taste is horrible – dull, heavy and impure. One of the worst Italian IGT wines I have ever tasted.

1997 Castello di Rampolla, “Vigna d’Alceo”

To some extend takes on some of the same dilemmas as “Solengo”, but here the fruit is even more violent with a heavy load of black tar fruit and possessing no purity nor common appeal. With air and warmth in the glass, it goes even further into horror-land with the fruit starting to attract prunes and liqueur, becoming even more heavy and undrinkable. Shocking bad wine.

1997 Antinori “Solaia”

You know what – this wine might have been a fraction better than its flight rivals. But it’s the same theme. A Wine filled with black fruits, tar and overripe cooked fruit. There are no terroir – no awareness – no soul. Jesus Christ!!!

Shocking bad flight…needed some fresh air and a glass of water before the next flight….

(Disappointing Guigal)

Heat 6

2000 D’Abreu “Thorevilos”, Napa Valley, US

Another heavy loaded wine with a lot of burned flavours. Again – the level of oak is like a constant unpleasant tone in my head, only playing the same note over and over again. There are some distant appealing notes of pine needles, which blend together with the note of menthol. Unfortunately they are very raw and not appealing, as the wine is too alcoholic and not well drinking. A very boring wine.

2002 Chateau Mouton Rothschild

Okay…the nose is actually better here. Possessing some sort of other theme than just opulent fruit. There is a note of liver pâté, which I am not fond of – but!! It’s blended with a higher pitching note of mint, which I kind of like. It brings out some nerve, but still you have to be aware of that it’s actually a rather raw and young wine. Taste….ahhhrrrr…could be better. I missed clarity, but still you have the feeling that it’s actually a wine holding onto something, which could improve with cellaring. Fair wine.

(2007 Richebourg from DRC)

2002 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington, US

So another 100 point wine , which these days tend to be heads up for something undrinkable. But hey – the nose is fairly all right. For sure there are some rather monotone blackcurrant notes, which also forms to vanilla flavours from the oak – but it’s a underneath sweet appeal, which makes it shine a bit more gentle in the glass. However!! – The taste is dreadful – violent, dense alcoholic monster. Despite a fair nose – it’s not a good wine and I don’t see any potential for it.

2001 Bond Melbury, Napa Valley, US

Here we go again. A wine set to impress with making as much noise as possible. Okay it’s fun to watch a movie with good special effects, but please let there at least be a good story or plot. This wine has intense raw level of blackcurrant and peppermint. The latter works together with menthol, which has it roots bound in the taste, which is an alcoholic breed, possessing zip deliciousness and drinking pleasure. Get a life.

(2001 Bond - beautiful label - sadly the wine is not good)

I think restaurant manager Jan Restorff noticed some of us suffered now and in came 9 glasses….

2009 Comte Liger-Belair “Clos du Château”

I haven't written any notes on this wine. But I remember it as a fresh breeze compared to 4 dense, heavy and dull wines in heat 6. I have tasted this wine is 2007 & 2008 vintage and completely adored it. The ’09 is also lovely, but it’s marked by its youth and slight brushes of warmth in both taste and warmth. Otherwise it’s the always-adorable polished style of Liger-Belair, which is so deadly seductive.

Dessert….Champagne…ahhhhh

2000 Gaston Chiquet “Special Club”

Dessert and Champagne…hmmmm…can work if we are in the Sec-section. But here it’s really difficult. Still the Champagne did a fine job, cleaning the taste buds after a bunch of horrifying wines, but also has some underneath not so pure spices, which was a challenge to the btw brilliant dessert serving.

(Seductive wine from Liger-Belair)

So dear readers - it wasn’t exactly a thrill to share this with you – especially giving so much critique to a friend good intention to throw a tasting. But I can tell you, that our host, Bent probably have roughly similar notes to mine (Though I think he liked the white Burgundy flight better than me). Bent told us he was happy to see his strategy of getting rid of the powerful high scoring wine and purchase more and more elegant stuff (Burgundy and Champagne)- was the right way forward. A strategy I can salute, though I am too poor to buy the Grand Cru’s of Burgundy. Luckily there are lots of alternatives out there.

Next up is a tasting of 20 Jura wines….I can promise you it will be more delightful…stay tuned to this frequency.

Join Mad About wine on Facebook

2011-09-11T14:54:00.006+02:00

I have realized there are an awful lot of wines I taste, which I don't upload on this blog.

It ranges from wines I re-taste again or wines I simply don't have the sufficient time to write about. On my Facebook page I will try to get it all there. It will be a rather simple format with or without an image...maybe from my iPhone.

Mad About Wine on Facebook link

See you there.

/Thomas

Summer hunting for a good Italian wine.

2011-08-30T15:43:00.011+02:00

(Both images are clickable and will open a larger format)

This summer has also included some Italian wines. It has been so so…no news there. It’s still the struggle with some of these Tuscan IGT things, which I have in my cellar – they are IMHO missing some awareness and seem to be more about (rudely generalizing of course) too much stylish wine making. I tend to compare everything against my Italian Nirvana; Soldera’s Brunello “Case Basse”, which of course is a bit idiotic. At the end of the day – the problem might not lie with these wines, but maybe it’s just me getting more critical and grumpy with age.

Anyway…I had the 2004 Paleo from Le Macchiole, which almost made me fall asleep. Don’t get me wrong; Paleo is indeed a well made wine and the 2004 can very well have a bright future ahead of itself. But at this current stage it falls into a category of thousands of others wines, with polished newborn fruit, tons of new oak and unfortunately a way too tarred finish.

I opened another Le Macchiole wine; the 1999 Scrio, which has never disappointed me. Sadly - I have to say, the wine is beyond its peak and now struggles to show energetic and vibrant fruit. It’s a very dark scented wine, with black fruits, peppers and unfortunately evolving notes of prunes, which to me is proof of a tired wine.

Still continuing, I tried the 2006 “Percarlo” from San Guisto Rentennano. I was again disappointed – a muscular wine, with tons of oak and dark bitter phrasing. Yet Percarlo drinks okay’ish – it’s not alcoholic or anything, it’s just rather monotone. Percarlo cellars well, so of course it could just be a dull phase.

Fourth try was better – the 2004 "Cepparello” from Isole e Olena even though it started pretty lame – with the darker side of the Sangiovese expression (which I don’t like) – black cherries and herbs. But with air the wine lifted itself above average and became extremely gentle and elegant on the finish line. A really well drinking wine.

But I had to fly all the way to Sicily / Etna to find the best Italian summer experience of 2011 –

2007 & 2008 “Vigo” from Fattorie Romeo del Castello.

Blend: Nerello mascalese & Nerello capuccio

Age of Vines: 3 out of the 13 ha. are over 100 years old.

Winemaker: Chiara Vigo

Vineyard: We are 700 meters above sea level. The importer showed me an image of the vineyard and just a few meters next to some of the plots, lava swept away 60ha of land in 1981.

Bonus: The 2007 are the debut release of this wine.

Glass: Zalto Bordeaux

Why is this better than those mentioned above?

For me it has a far better terroir style - meaning a rather intense soil attack and sublime inner coolness.

At opening, the 2007 don’t really stand out. It’s a result of an incredible charming style with round healthy fruit, which of course is all right – wine is also about pleasure. But!! – It just doesn’t interest me in the long run, if there is no edge. However, examining a bit more, the wine opens up and the fruit core reveals more purity with the red cherry / kirsch flavors’ getting more and refined. It’s exactly that red fruit I look for in Italian wines. The taste is almost even better as the wine is really cool tempered; with an intense soil feeling of graphite and possessing a bright acidity. You feel the 14% alcohol, but the wine is in balance.

The 2008 vintage are quit different – yet more sophisticated. The start is incredible with tightly packed red fruit, which goes in the direction red cherries and rose petals. It’s once again a very fresh, slim and cool style. Yet it closes down after 20 minutes and catches bitter notes of vitamin pills, gauze bandage and menthol. From here I rested it one hour in the bottle. Despite still possessing some of the vitamin pills notes – the red fruit was brought back to life and together the formed a sophisticated package, which possess that intense soil graphite feeling with remarkable freshness and firm acidity.

Both wines performed best at a low serving temperature to really bring out that refined style.

2010 Domaine des Vignes du Maynes “Cuvée 910”

2011-08-23T20:14:00.003+02:00

Blend: Equal parts of Pinot Noir, Gamay and Chardonnay

Bonus: Biodynamic since 1997 - hardly any sulphur.

Glass: Zalto Burgundy

It’s not easy to find details about this wine, as the producers Internet site has very little information. However if my information’s are correct (provided by the importer) the name; “Cuvée 910” are a reference to the year 910. In the year of 910, Domaine des Vignes du Maynes belonged to the monastery at Cluny, which again was under the management of the Benedictine Order. In that same year the Duke of Aquitaine gave away the monastery to Abbed Bernon, who laid the foundation for the powerful and influential Cluny monastery. The monks living at Vignes du Mayne, harvested grapes and musts, which later were transported, to the monastery, where the wines were brought up.

The blend is of course closely chosen to show how they produced wine back at those days. It’s actually interesting to know how the wine is put together, as I had an idea (which is not necessarily correct) how the 3 grapes each provided their character. The presence of Chardonnay…(if again my analysis are correct)…actually puzzled me. It might have been designed to provided some tall and freshness – plus a vivid acidity, but actually I found something was diluting the wine and pinpointed the Chardonnay to be the troublemaker. However I was to learn that the wine was actually just in need of some air (just under one hour should open it up).

If to continuing the game of letting each grape speaking their voice - I found the Pinot provided sublime pure cherries, red currant and the Gamay playing along that violin with wild berries, moist forest and dried fruit. All together it’s an extremely subtle, pure and refined wine, which almost – when the Chardonnay tone has unfolded - goes into a floating stage. As I decanted it half way trough my tasting experience, the last drops was clearly the best and you almost begged for more.

Overall a very subtle, yet highly sophisticated red wine with immensely high and refreshing drinking pleasure.

2008 Pierre Overnoy ”Arbois Pupillin”

2011-08-22T13:56:00.008+02:00

(Image is clickable and will open a larger format)

Blend: 100% Chardonnay

Vin Nature – zero sulphur

Pierre Overnoy is by many considered to be the Godfather of natural wine.

Glass: Zalto Burgundy

First of all – I hope you have all had a great summer. Yesterday was officially the last bathing day here in Denmark, so I thought why not get cracking and write about some of the many wines I have tasted during the summer of 2011.

While the debate about natural wines is on fire on various wine boards / blogs, I thought it would be a good idea to have one of these “very dangerous wines”, as the heated debate seems to be more about ideology, personal offending, than what’s actually inside the bottles.

As you might have noticed, I drink a lot of natural wines and I of course have an opinion about them. However the subject is filled with a lot of grey areas, but I hope to post my thoughts in September.

Now the wine; which was one of the most exhilarating wines I had over the summer.

Clarifying and complex nose of honey, butter, and wild yeast notes are some of the first thoughts that came to my mind. I also found what I would describe as “milk skin”. This has two meanings; 1) It’s covers the wine with a subtle sensation, but it’s also; 2) A texture issue, as the wine takes on an elastic feeling. The latter transports itself all the way to the finish line, as its stretches the wine beautifully on the palate without using much “muscle” to do so. There are both complexity and gracefulness about this smooth and elastic touch, as the wine holds so much clarity and energy and thankfully never takes the shape of an oily wine, which sometimes can loose tallness in the glass. On the palate, the wine provides some of the same aspects from the nose, but also catches notes of fresh melon.

Despite my reference sheet in Jura are still very limited, I have say, that this is the best white Jura I have tasted so far.

Use of images

2011-07-17T21:46:00.005+02:00

(Orrefors "difference crisp" glass)

Unfortunately I have learned, that some of my images are being used in commercial sale of wine.

The images on this site have copyright status, but if you wish to use them, please contact me @ togathomas@gmail.com

Thank you.

Best from,

Thomas

The tasting

2011-07-01T22:17:00.029+02:00

All images are clickable and will open a larger format.

(Notebook are ready - hit me)

Saturday the 11th of June I had the pleasure to thrown my wine club a decent tasting. We had the whole day @ Søllerød Kro, which is almost like coming home for most of my guests and me. It’s with pleasure, I repeat myself when I say how well Søllerød Kro once again performed and how restaurant manager Jan Restorff, like no other, can be the perfect host.

The tasting was divvied in two simple sessions. First a lunch serving with 21 bottles of Champagne…just to clean the taste buds ;-). The first session was also an attempt to conduct a concentrated blind tasting, which is not always easy with these guys, as they just want to relax and have fun. The blind guessing was there to eliminate people’s prejudices about old vs new and the increasing debate about dosage or the lack of it. I think it worked well and it was fun to see how the level of dosage was a subject in flight 1 & 2 and then no one really paid attention to it.

In the second session for the dinner, I wanted us to relax, so after the lunch serving and a 45-minute stroll in the beautiful surroundings, I revealed the line-up for the dinner.

It turned out my guest thought we were short on bottles and went treasury hunting in Søllerød Kro’s cellar – not that we were exactly thirsty – but still I didn’t stop them ;-).

Here is the line-up and a short description of the wines:

(Jan Restorff)

Intro – outside in the beautiful weather:

2004 Bérèche “Instant Le Cran” (55% CH, 35% PN, 10% PM – Dosage 4 g/l)

It didn’t performed like last time I had it, where it was singing. As a starter you notice how oak and dosage collide a bit. It’s taking its friskiness and focus a notch down and I would have liked some food. My mistake.

Heat 1

Nv (Solera) Laherte “Les Clos” (*7 grapes - 0 g/l dosage)

* 18% Chardonnay, 14% Pinot Noir, 18% Pinot Meunier, 8% arbanne, 15% petit meslier,17% Pinot Blanc and 10% fromenteau

I chose Les Clos to match the freshness and lime appeal of the first dish. Sadly this bottle of Les Clos was herbal (mostly black tea) and so shy. First time I experience this with Les Clos.

2007 Demarne-Frison (50 CH, 50% PN - 0 g/l dosage)

It shined and did what I hoped it would do. Sensorial vivid sweetness of yellow fruits and a vibrant clean-cut mineral finished. I loved it – so did the table.

(Classic Søllerød dish)

Heat 2

2008 Cédric Bouchard ”Les Ursules” (100% Pinot Noir - 0 g/l dosage)

Magical bottle of Champagne, with currant perfumes and notes of black cherries- all wrapped up in a sleek corset of elegance and raciness. Probably the best Les Ursules I have tasted so far.

2006 Cédric Bouchard ”Les Ursules” (100% Pinot Noir - 0 g/l dosage)

Sadly corked. I replaced it with

2000 Tarlant “Vigne d’Antan” (100% Chardonnay – 2 g/l dosage)

Despite being the blind passenger here and clearly showing it’s the only Champagne in this flight made from oak….and of course from a quite different terroir - it revealed a remarkable rich and creamy character. Yet once again it’s also a Champagne with a racy soil footprint of sandy spiciness. I can think of very few of the released 2000’s, which I like more than this.

2005 Cédric Bouchard ”La Bolorée” (100% Pinot Blanc - 0 g/l dosage)

Tough choice….that is to choose between 2008 Les Ursules or this Champagne as the winner of this flight. I think “Les Ursules received the most applauds – however for me there is something incredible and insane about this La Bolorée, which just makes me adore it even more. The 2005 La Bolorée is really ahead of its aging-curve, compared with the 2006 vintage, showing churned buttery components topped with ginger and exotic fruits. Stunning Champagne.

(Anders - or "Svenne or "Borgmesteren")

Heat 3

2004 David Léclapart ”L’Artiste” (100% Chardonnay - 0 g/l dosage)

2004 Agrapart ”Vénus” (100% Chardonnay - 0 g/l dosage)

I have tasted these Champagnes a few times already this year – you can find detailed notes here and here.

However let’s just compare them. Both remarkable pure Champagnes with bright chalky appeal and also two Champagnes with a floating style. Yet, Artiste is rawer and it shows clear signs of it’s birth in half in oak, half in enameled steel, where “Vénus” is only made in oak. Vénus presents itself creamier, toasted and friendlier - yet I have to admire Artiste for it’s bright flavours of mint and frozen iron, which sets off an outrageous energy. I couldn’t pick a winner here – loved them both.

Heat 4

2003 David Léclapart ”L’Apôtre” (100% Chardonnay - 0 g/l dosage)

Flawed.

2004 Cédric Bouchard ”La Haute-Lamblée” (100% Chardonnay - 0 g/l dosage)

Cédric Bouchard had already dazzled the table and I had a good feeling this one wouldn’t disappoint either. It’s miraculous Champagne and almost against the odds with 2 year old vines supplying this adorable, fragile Champagne, which is filled with, candied citrus, flowers, oregano and morello cherries (just before they are ripe). The acidity is of clarifying Chablis character with immensely tallness and elegancy. Magnificent Champagne.

2004 George Laval ”Les Chênes” (100% Chardonnay - 0 g/l dosage)

Have just tasted it and have very little to add. Note is in this post – it’s magic Champagne with an orgy of passion fruits served into a sleek corsage.

(Spiegelau Adina glasses)

Heat 5

2006 Béreche Instant Rosé (55% CH, 40% PN, 5% PM - 0 g/l dosage)

2004 Cédric Bochard ”Le Creux d’Enfer Rosé” (100% Pinot Noir - 0 g/l dosage)

2008 Prevost Fac- Similie Rosé (100% Pinot Meunier - 0 g/l dosage)

I chose to serve Béreche Instant Rosé a few minutes before I served the next two, as I feared it’s fragile style would die in comparison. But I made a mistake here, as I hadn’t studied hard enough, as I was under the belief the next two rosé Champagne both was saignée. But no – Prévost Fac-Similie is in fact an assemblage.

Anyway it’s 3 stunning rosé Champagne, but still very different. Bérèche are indeed fragile with its salty red berry fruits. I can never get tired of this Champagne, but as I have tasted it 6-7 times now in it’s youth I would like to see what layers it will put on with cellaring.

“Le Creux d’Enfer” is better when you have it alone (see that note here). Here it stands out too much as it’s sooo bone dry and particular. It didn’t really unfold as I have hoped it would do and this is the second time I have it in a big line-up where it didn’t deliver as it did when I had it home alone.

Prèvost has made a stunning rosé in 2008. Just the colour is breathtaking – a mixture of Strawberry red and salmon. It’s what I would call a really sensual rosé with a round and pleasing appeal, where the oak is delivering this charming look. However don’t be fooled, as it has yet another dimension where it’s able to lift itself to a fragile and subtle stage with terrific elegancy.

Heat 6

2008 Jerome Prevost (100% Pinot Meunier - 0 g/l dosage)

2006 Jerome Prevost (100% Pinot Meunier - 0 g/l dosage)

2006 Chartogne-Taillet ”Les Barres” (100% Pinot Meunier - 0 g/l dosage)

Many of my guests had never imagined Pinot Meunier could reach such kind of quality, which was right in front of us.

The 2008 Prévost is one hell of a devilish Champagne, which still is in its youth, but the level of fruit in this 2008 is really impressive and then these sophisticated spices, which even takes on the aroma of orange peel. Taste is creamy concentrated and with sleek elegance

The 2006 are more about honey and slightly oxidation patterns coming forward with the oak playing the drums in the background. In comparison the 2008 is almost of scary quality – but the 2006 is also divine Champagne.

Then comes Les Barres and I take on a new dimension of Pinot Meunier. You have again sophisticated spices, but also blackberries combined with a bright flowery and citrus sparkle. It takes Les Barres higher in energy and freshness. Unbelievable good Champagne. WOW!!!

Bonus Champagne donated by Mads.

A very raw Champagne, which I always associate with David Léclapart – and in most cases L’Artiste, which proved to be correct (yes…I actually guessed something right). Vintage…well here we guessed a bit wrong – it turned out to the 1999, which was the debut release from David. It’s demanding Champagne, with this raw style of straw and freezing iron, which gives some darker fruits phrasings. Still I am familiar with this kind of Champagne and I really loved it.

(Claus Lyster)

Heat 7

1996 Selosse (100% Chardonnay – 0 g/l dosage)

A Champagne I have always put on a pedestal as being one of the most impressive I have tasted and perhaps the best 1996 there is. It’s the first time we saw notes classic Champagne in terms of autolysis aromas. I think it’s holding back a lot on the nose, where it doesn’t unfold to the same intensity it had in it’s youth. It’s still impressive stuff with a very rich and lush taste which goes in the direction of vanilla flavours from the oak, honey and quince.

1996 Salon (100% Chardonnay - ? dosage think 5-6 g/l)

I have tasted this Champagne twice and have always loved it – but it’s been a while since we spooned. To cut it short, it’s really disappointing. It flirts with classic lime / flower – which reminds me of a Danish ice cream called “Champagnebrus”. Then comes the note of sulphur, which makes the journey very hard for me to continue. It goes like it always does with sulphur – the Champagne or wine losses energy and becomes flabby and dull.

I know that Salons track record is deadly impressive and one shouldn’t rule out long shy phases – but here and know it falls completely out of focus in terms of what had been served so far.

(So good food)

Heat 8

1988 Selosse (100% Chardonnay)

I have saved this Champagne for a special occasion and thought it was time to serve it. Don’t get me wrong guys, I would actually have loved to spend some more time with it (and more than 1-2 glasses), as it seems like it had several layers it didn’t have the time to release. At first nosedive I thought the oak was pretty dominant, but then it puts on a new dimension of fresh floral awakening and apple scents. The taste is overwhelming intense with a pretty high acidity. Really nice.

1988 Salon (100% Chardonnay)

I always loved the ’88 Salon. I think it was a panel splitter. Sadly I couldn’t see its beauty as the mid-core reveals over the hill fruit. Maybe not a representative bottle – it shouldn’t show itself this tired.

P A U S E

(Claus Holst)

Dinner

Heat 9

1996 Bollinger GA (magnum)

Bollinger seldom disappoints and in magnum it should have been a home run. But NO!!!...My God, what a boring bottle. First time my sweet spot is challenge and I perceived it as too high dosed as it makes the Champagne loose tallness. I even noticed the note of sulphur, but it was only small – but still not adding anything positive. The notes where classic Champagne with walnuts, dark bread and caramel. Overall –and Pardon my French – but what a crap bottle.

Heat 10

1996 Krug Vintage

So now it can’t go wrong – Krug is the God of big House Champagne. Nope – no luck here either, but it’s still better than Bollinger and Salon. You sense Krug’s immensely concentration, but unfortunately it’s covered with darker fruits patterns and spices, which lacks definition, purity and overall makes it heavy. Last time I taste this Champagne was in May-2010 and it was singing – so I could speculate if we were dealing with a closed bottle. Maybe – maybe not, it wasn’t impressive.

1996 Pol Roger Winston Churchill

So far the dinner hadn’t been that successful and sadly Winston couldn’t get the party started. It’s a very “dark” Champagne. Had I been able to include dark and mysterious it would have been great, but we have again sulphur and then it gets tricky for me. Notes was something like walnuts in cheese combo, not exactly something which is know to kick off freshness and energy. The taste is very soft and polished – pleasing for some maybe, but to me rather dull.

Let’s get some red wine.

Heat 11

(All Case Basse was just opened when we arrived with no decanting)

2004 Soldera, Brunello ”Case Basse Riserva”

1999 Soldera, Brunello ”Case Basse Riserva”

1983 Soldera, Brunello ”Case Basse Riserva”

Case Basse is the best Italian wine there is - end of case…and don’t sue me, you won’t win ;-).

The 2004 vintage is a miraculous offering and easy the best young Brunello I have ever tasted. Think of what you want in an Italian wine (red fruits has to me among your dreams) and you will have it here. It has tons of fresh red fruit embalmed in the finest Tuscan herbs with new saddle leather and smoky tobacco. The taste has the exceptional curl with a rather volatile acidity but it’s adding to the friskiness of the wine. WOW!!!!...and Thank you Holst for your donation.

The worst thing about the 1999 was to be in this line-up. It’s a solid good wine, but it has lost the fresh red fruit and deals with dryer elements, which turns the wine more smoky and reserved. The taste is seriously concentrated with this high-pitched acidity.

So again we meet my darling. This is the fourth time I have tasted the 1983 Riserva and it’s my last bottle. It’s sooooo good my friends. With absolutely no aging signs whatsoever. It’s actually closer to the 2004 than the 1999 as the red fruits are also here – not young and smooth though, but saltier, more subtle, dryer and with so much finesse. The taste is every Italian wine lowers hottest dream with so much warmth soul and class. Will I ever taste it again?

(Dan)

(Lobster...fantastic dish)

(Mads)

Heat 12

2001 Voerzio Barolo ”Cerequio”

Not bad, but sadly too soft a style of Barolo for me. The oak turns it too a bit too charming, warm and polished.

2001 Sandrone Barolo ”Cannubi Boschis”

Corked

Replaced with a bottle donated by my good friend Anders;

2001 Altare Barolo “Brunate”

Very stylish stuff, despite absolutely no decanting time. It had a teasing note of plum, which sometimes tricks me to go off toward too high alcohol, but that wasn’t the case here and with air it gets companionship of the most adorable note of roses. Taste is very refined and curls beautifully. Very good.

2001 Aldo Conterno Barolo ”Granbussia”

Granbussia also deals with plums, but they are pretty sensual driven and sweet and it’s really hard not to be swept away with its style. I started to write on my paper if in fact were too polish, but sometimes you just have to let go and enjoy it for it’s great drinking pleasure.

Overall I think the Barolo flight here worked fair – I think Case Basse had made it’s impression and it was like we had taken a few gears down.

(Max)

(Bent P. - we are having fun)

Heat 13

1996 Jacquesson ”Vauzelle Terme Aÿ” (100% Pinot Noir)

It’s getting a bit hard to focus this late. I remember this as a pretty intense thing. My notes says, dark Pinot, honey, quince and a bit aggressive on the oak. But it’s also a Champagne which is in pretty good balance despite it’s really intense. Solid Champagne with good potential.

NV Egly-Ouriet ” Blancs de Noirs Vieilles Vignes” (100% Pinot Noir)

Very soft, oily and missing energy….but okay it’s late.

Bonus red wines: Donated by Max, Dan and Mads...are you nuts!!!!,but thanks

2008 Domaine du Comte Liger-Belail “Aux Reignots”, Burgundy, France

All I have tasted from this producer has made me smile. This wine might be a bit polished, but who really cares when it’s drinking this well. We are dealing with incredible sexy Pinot Noir – but fruit wise leaning towards blackberries, soft plum and this elastic smooth appeal both in nose and mouth. It curls so sexy and has so much allure. I wish I could afford this stuff….DAMN!!!

2006, Georges Roumier Chambolle-Musigny “les Amoureuses”, Burgundy, France

Classic Burgundy with red cherry fruit, yet also rather spice driven. I would liked to have spent some more time with it in order to get the red fruit more in front of the spices….if possible? Still a lovely and impressive wine.

2006 Jean Foillard “Pi 3.149”, Beaujolais, France

A real teaser this late. “Trick” worked – the table (me included) went for Burgundy with very delicate mixture of kirsch and plums. A wine which drinks exceptional well with so delicate and fresh fruit appeal.

("Guldbamsen")

Some thoughts…mostly the Champagnes

The day after such a tasting you fell rather miserable. When my brain starts to work again, I digest through all those many wines. Often I get a text or one of the guys calls and you take the journey once again. Geeky – but it’s a part of sharing wines with likewise geeks and I love it. Then another friend calls…and so on….the wife is rarely impressed.

Anyway.... most times I often get the question, which one did you like the best? I can’t answer, because I don’t see it like that. Maybe “La Haute-Lamblée”, “Les Barres”, “Les Chênes” was the best ones (that was some of peoples’ favourites), but to take out "Venus", "L’Artiste", "Selosse vintage", "Prévost" or even"Demarne-Frison" or "Bérèche Rosé"…help!!!...etc, seems almost ridiculous and like amputating a patient, which is not sick. I couldn’t live without these wines in my cellar and they all have something to offer.

The big house Champagnes (Oh no...that debate again) really disappointed me – or was it just a confirmation of what I already knew? First of all – I have always some sort of skepticism of concluding from one glass tastings – even more when it comes to Champagne. Secondly, the big houses where also pretty much outnumbered by the growers in this line-up. Thirdly; the vintages vs small and big were too far off to really call it a battle and it wasn’t what I wanted for this tasting. Fourthly – some of these Champagnes have impressive track records and are able to cellar for a long time - so long shy phases can't be ruled out.

However (there is always a however….)

Not once were the poise, purity and nerve in favour of Bollinger, Pol Roger, Salon or Krug.

One of my guest; Bent – who were rather sceptical vs some of these small growers two years back said: “The big houses more or less taste the same – the have the taste of “Champagne”. The growers are very individual with strong personalities". I agree completely and I have over and over mentioned how important diversity is to me – without it, it becomes one tone, one substance and then I am out.

I will of course respond to the comments there will be after this post – but this is the last post before the summer break. I will be back late August or early September. There is a big tasting on the 3^rd of September ,which I think will be mostly red Burgundy – so that might be the first report.

Take care, drink well and have a great summer.

Natural wine

2011-06-22T20:06:00.003+02:00

For a long time I have wanted to write about natural wine, as they are slowly changing my taste. The ”phenomenon” is on everyone’s lips up here north where I live. Even the world’s best restaurant Noma is filled with natural wine and it’s spreading like a virus to the more traditional based restaurants.

The journalists often covers natural wine with some scepticism, as it seems they like to associate it with something in fashion or even the emperor’s new clothes. Personally, nothing could be more wrong, but the answer lies in tasting the wines.

In order to write about natural wines, I have missed a definition, which unfortunately is not just a one-liner quote.

Now it looks like someone beat me to the chase and it could be no better than the person in Denmark who knows most about the subject – Mads Rudolf, which is also a friend of mine.

So let’s do it like this – read his definition on natural wine (link below) and I will hopefully be the one who gives you some feedback on how the wines actually taste…there are already a few "natural wines tasting notes” on the blog.

SKÅL!!!!

Link