Pure Love Wines Winery

• November 2009

  It went great, I was just going to wait till I had a moment to collect my ... 2007 Pure Love, Shiraz, Layer Cake - Was enjoyable at first but I could tell upon first sip that it would be devoured by the cigar. I was hoping that a big, ripe Shiraz would help but in the end this may... Read moreIt went great, I was just going to wait till I had a moment to collect my ... 2007 Pure Love, Shiraz, Layer Cake - Was enjoyable at first but I could tell upon first sip that it would be devoured by the cigar. I was hoping that a big, ripe Shiraz would help but in the end this may as well have been water once the smoke permeated the room. http://www.snooth.com/wine/layer-cake-shiraz-2007-1/ And then there was the Amarone, This ended up being everyone's wine of the night. It was opened 12 hours before the event. 2003 L'Arco Amarone della Valpolicella Classico - Dark red to almost black in the glass, showing aromas of plum, confectioners sugar, floral fall leaves, coca, roasted chestnut and cinnamon. Cherry cough syrup, raisin, more cinnamon, clove and dark chocolate. It's full and soft on the palate but carried by a hidden layer of acidity that kept it fresh. Long, long cherry, chocolate finish. This was the wow wine of the night and kept pace once the cigars were lit. It was really great because the cigars actually added to this bottles complexities and brought out more wood and nutty aromas and flavors. http://www.snooth.com/wine/larco-amarone-della-valpolicella-classico-2003/ Lastly there was the 1991 Dow Porto Vintage - A light ruby color in the glass and giving off aromas of Black cherry, undergrowth, pipe smoke and walnut with noticeable heat. On the palate it's rich and sumptuous but not overly sweet with cherry cough syrup, sage, and cedar box. Long, long finish. This bottle did well against the cigar but lacked complexity over all which placed it second in the minds of the other smokers. http://www.snooth.com/wine/dows-vintage-port-1991-1/ Until next month....    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Wine and Cigars??? by Eric Guido

  
  

• October 2009

  This subject is near and dear to me. My wife loathes white Rhones, mostly due to the fact that she craves acidity in her whites and several of the white Rhones she's tried verge on the soft, plump end of the spectrum. Something to remember is that there are a slew of different... Read moreThis subject is near and dear to me. My wife loathes white Rhones, mostly due to the fact that she craves acidity in her whites and several of the white Rhones she's tried verge on the soft, plump end of the spectrum. Something to remember is that there are a slew of different grapes that go into these wines, all with distinct profiles, textures and flavors. White Hermitage is probably considered the most 'noble,' as the best (from Chave) can evolve into Meursault-like expressions of Marsanne, w/ brilliant minerality and honeysuckle driven flavors. These are also the most expensive, but whites from St. Joseph, though rare, are an excellent introduction into fine, old vine Marsanne. Viognier from the north, whether it be Chateau Grillet (the only appellation named for the producer, or vice versa) or a fine Condrieu is one of the sweetest smells in wine. Apricots and wild flowers, w/ a bit of peaches mixed in for good measure. These wines, in my opinion, need to be drunk very young, while their vibrancy is at an apex, showing off their exotic beauty. They tend to lack the structure to age, yet exceptions to the rule always exist. The southern Rhone gets confusing, but a good place to start is in the generic 'Cotes du Rhone' appellation. Janasse makes cheap, fabulously pure white CDRs and St. Cosme is a consistent winner for the price. The two stalwarts of Chateauneuf blanc are stylistic opposites- w/ Beaucastel's big, thick Roussanne dominated whites being the most famous (total winter wines, low in acidity and jammed w/ rich, unctuous flavors), but Clos des Papes being the most fine. Clos des Papes is a melange of just about every white grape allowed in the region, w/ racy acidity, firm mineral grip and subtle, nutty flavors. Rayas is another white that is way too pricy, but ages beautifully. For those that want to migrate from the new world to the old, Boisrenard blanc & Domaine St. Prefert use a bit of oak to spice up their whites & they may be good starting points. Much love for the white Rhones- tis the season to pop one!    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Rhone White Wines for Fall by Brad Coelho

  
  

• October 2009

  The Brilliance of Burlotto I recently had the chance to spend dinner with 4 wines from one of my favorite producers;; Commendatore G.B. Burlotto. Not only does Burlotto produce traditionally styled Barolo, but from some truly great vineyards. Their trademark wines come from the... Read moreThe Brilliance of Burlotto I recently had the chance to spend dinner with 4 wines from one of my favorite producers;; Commendatore G.B. Burlotto. Not only does Burlotto produce traditionally styled Barolo, but from some truly great vineyards. Their trademark wines come from the village of Verduno. Monvigliero is the pinnacle of their craft, but the more approachable Neirane, also from Verduno, serves as a great introduction to both the house style and the alluringly different wines of Verduno. In addition to these two, rather unique olive and herb scented wines, Burlotto also produces an exemplary Barolo Cannubi as well as a full range of other red varieties. This evening I was more interested in the four wines in front of me, the 1995 Monvigliero and Neirane, as well as the 1996 Cannubi and Neriane. Each bottle performed splendidly, expressing not only the vintages character, but also the terroir of each vineyard beautifully. These are wines that can be deceptive in their youth, seemingly lean and sometimes more savory than fruity but with time their inner beauty is revealed. The balance and freshness of Burlotto Barolo, in fact all of their wines, is a testament not only to the traditional ways of wine production, but also to the care and attention the family focuses on each step in the winemaking process. These may not be wines for everyone, but their natural transparency and pure expression of terroir strike a chord with me and I urge anyone with an interest in Piedmontese wines to sample a few. Don’t be too quick to judge the wines of Burlotto though. Like all the best of Piemonte, they take a bit of time to  open up and reveal themselves but once they do you can’t help but love their honesty, generosity and authenticity.   For more information on Burlotto, the wines and techniques involved please see: Step back in time with Commendatore G.B. Burlotto   1995 Burlotto Barolo Neirane This opens like a remarkable example of Cote Rotie with notes of olives, flowers, red raspberry fruit and an undertone of dried strawberry. With air notes of tar and tobacco emerge and add complexity. In the mouth this is somewhat small scaled but with great focus in a smooth, medium full bodies style with supple wild cherry fruit and light spice tones on the mid-palate that yield to notes of citron and strawberry on the finish. A very fine bottle at maturity with a balanced yet fleshy feel 91pts 1996 Burlotto Barolo Neirane The bright aromatic of this wine are full of heather, licorice, smoke, olive brine and menthol notes but the fruit is still a bit reticent. In the mouth one finds superbly fine-grained tannins that are powerful but balanced by notes of white clay, leather and incipient dark raspberry fruits. This offers beautiful precision but remains a bit tight and coy on the palate. I like where this is going though and the aromatics hint that we are almost there.. 92pts 1996 Burlotto Barolo Cannubi Simply wonderful aromatics that ranged from lilacs, to seared cherry, hot rocks, to roses, orange peel, earth and spice all around a core of sweet red fruit. In the mouth there is superb balance with succulent mineral notes and clear, if fairly rich and quite tannic, faceted fruit. The fruit grows in the glass revealing exceptional intensity and purity with significant upside potential. 93pts   1995 Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero Intense notes of incense and candlewax immediately emerge from the glass joined by dark, smoky, slightly jammy fruits with complicating notes of fish sauce, underbrush, tapenade, thyme and olive oil. In the mouth he tannins are delicate and light if abundant giving the wine a velvety texture. The rosehip and wild cherry fruit is framed by vitamin like mineral notes and a wonderful inner mouth perfume of roses and tapenade. Still youthful this is emerging from its shell and has a very promising future. 93pts.   Below are notes on wines I tasted with winemaker Fabio Alessandria  this past May. Many are just now arriving in the marketplace. 2008 Burlotto Pelaverga Aromatics are intense and deep with penetrating, minerally focus that carries over to the palate. Cranberry fruit on the palate is paired with the intense minerality giving this a downright steely quality but it does lack some of the intensity of the 2007. 86pts 2007 Burlotto Barbera d’Alba Huge, soaring aromatics are captured here with note of cold earth, pollen, wild animale notes and slightly spicy notes of black-fruited hard candy. In the mouth this is perfectly proportioned with deep, lively fruit a hint of round tannin and snappy acids. The finish is dominated by the acids but with excellent length and reverb. Super Barbera. 90pts 2007 Burlotto Freisa Lightly smoky on the nose with an exotic boysenberry coulis note that is countered by dark aromatic spice roots and a hint of leafy geranium. The mouthfeel is both transparent and mouthcoating with a hint of bitterness on the mid-palate. The tannins are pretty big but ripe enough that they already begin to melt away on the finish, which is tarry and spiced with floral tones that compliment the dark plummy red fruits. This is better on the nose at this point. 86pts 2007 Burlotto Nebbiolo Fresh and herbal on the nose with a sandy underlay and suggestions of briary wood and wildflowers adding detail. Huge acidity in the mouth is followed by a wave of fruit and perfectly ripe tannins. The midpalate is laced with minerality that adds cut and definition to the wild cherry and watermelon fruit that gains some pomegranate depth on the back end. This finishes strongly with excellent length and an almost salty, mineral finale. 90pts 2005 Burlotto Barolo Aclivi Balsamic on the nose with complex aromas of church candle, bay leaf, chalk and wild berry fruits. Nervous with fine-grained tannins in the mouth that frame slightly spice sweet red fruit notes. The feel is wonderfully fresh in the mouth and strikingly transparent though one could wish for a bit more richness to the fruit.  89pts 2005 Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero Leathery and slightly bretty on the nose with a deep gamy element that contrasts against the sweet dark fruits of the nose Notes of olive brine, mortadella and carnations emerge from the glass with air. Soft and suave in the mouth with a rich core of spiced fruit supported by great acids that keep this taut and tense. Great camphor tinged cherry fruit in the mouth conceals a bed of ripe tannins. A very well balanced 2005. 93pts 2005 Burlotto Barolo Cannubi Deep and dark on the nose with fruit, heather, dried grass and hints of grilled meats, cinnamon and green anise seed adding great detail. In the mouth this is very classic Barolo with clear acids and assertive if polished tannins supporting the slightly leathery, bright amarena cherry tinged fruit. Fine balance and great length but this is really a bit tight at this point 91pts 2006 Burlotto Barolo Aclivi A lovely nose of floral tones with savory hints of oregano, olive oil and sundried tomato. In the mouth his is sapid and round with soft tannins and sweet fruit on the palate with hints of fresh green herbs adding detail. The wine is still very tight but well balanced with strawberry fruits and fine, well proportioned structure.  88-90pts 2006 Burlotto Barolo Cannubi Wonderfully aromatic already with precise raspberry fruit framed by hints of campfire, saffron, baked clay and a slight underbrush tone. In the mouth thios is crystal clear with a lean yet very precise feel to the candied red raspberry flavors. The structure is very finely balanced and the tannins are perfectly ripe leading to a fine, long taut finish. An excellent wine in the making 91-94pts      (hide)

  From the article A dinner with the wines of Burlotto

  
  

• September 2009

  The alcohol in the wine accentuates the flavors of the food. Same reason tomato sauces with a little wine added in will taste more like Tomato than sauces without it. It chemically reacts with our foods. I know I would never pure alcohol free wine into my Risotto. Otherwise,... Read moreThe alcohol in the wine accentuates the flavors of the food. Same reason tomato sauces with a little wine added in will taste more like Tomato than sauces without it. It chemically reacts with our foods. I know I would never pure alcohol free wine into my Risotto. Otherwise, the occasional buzz is nice. I like wine for what it is, not just the favor.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic For the love of wine. by Eric Guido

  
  
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  September 2009

  Pure Love Wines Malbec Layer Cake 2007

  Snoothrank: Starting at $13^.17

  No written review

  Wine review by Mawi

  
  

• August 2009

  For C9dp (Il love the way you write it...), I highly recommend wines from this domain : !http://www.sommelier-international.com/images/FichesDegustations/31.jpg! Patrick Coste's Le Pointu http://www.domaine-le-pointu.com Red or white, theese wines are wonderful, perhaps top of the... Read moreFor C9dp (Il love the way you write it...), I highly recommend wines from this domain : !http://www.sommelier-international.com/images/FichesDegustations/31.jpg! Patrick Coste's Le Pointu http://www.domaine-le-pointu.com Red or white, theese wines are wonderful, perhaps top of the best of c9dp !! Organic driven vineyards. - The white 2006 Feuilles d'or is an exceptional wine ! White grenache, white clairette. You'll keep it 2010-2018 according to the lengh of its finish. Exeptional first taste with sweetness and flavour of apple, anisseed, with excellent balance.(to be served at 10° C) In red, the Domain produce 2 jewels : - Cuvée Clément 2006. Come from selection of 90 years old vineyards. Black grenache, black cinsault. Nose fresh, delicate and fruity with flavoured notes of Kirsch. In mouth, marvellous, delicate tannins, rich structure, notes of fruit, with delicate toasted touches. The finish is long and delicate. Will last up to 2028 ! - Domaine Le Pointu 2006 - Black grenache, black cinsault. Nose very elegant, aromas of dried figs and dried fruits In mouth, it's powerful and fresh, fruity flavours similar to the nose, wonderful elegant tannins. The finish is exceptionally long. Its life will be 2010-2030 ! The red wines should be served at 15°C. For other c9dp, I would go to a white Château de la Nerthe 2008 and a red 2005, http://www.chateaulanerthe.fr/ a Domaine de Saint Siffrein 2006 red (to be drank now, up to 2012) and from the same a 2007 white. http://www.vigneron-independant.com/annuaire.php?page_annu=desc2&numadh=889 Another jewel : Domaine de Marcoux 2007 red, which is splendid ! Great talent and pure pleasure. Organic vineyards. In Vacqeyras, don't miss the Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux with its 2006 Cuvée de Lopy. Also from the same the Un sang blanc 2007 white will kick you up with its white flowers fragance and a touch of light acidity. http://www.sangdescailloux.com/    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Chateauneuf-du-pape... by po54

  
  

• August 2009

    Wine fascinates me on so many levels and has added so much to my life but I would have to say that my most emotional connection to wine is its bond with food, mealtimes, and convivial conversation.   My earliest experiences with wine were at my uncle’s table in... Read more   Wine fascinates me on so many levels and has added so much to my life but I would have to say that my most emotional connection to wine is its bond with food, mealtimes, and convivial conversation.   My earliest experiences with wine were at my uncle’s table in Trentino, Italy. From an early age I spent my summers there and from an early age I enjoyed a bit of wine with my meals. In the beginning it was no more than a drop of wine in my water but over the years it passed through more minimal stages of dilution until I was allowed to drink pure, unadulterated wine with my meals.   Even in its pure unadulterated state the wine we generally drank was pale and low in both alcohol and tannin yet high in zesty acidity. That acidity made the wine the perfect compliment to the foods we ate. It also set me up for a lifetime as what is known as an “acid freak” in the rarified world of wine geeks. But most importantly it served as my foundation for understanding how wine and food work together.   My love of food and wine saw me through many stages of evolution. From my earliest forays into dinner parties for my friends, at age 16, to nearly 2 decades in the restaurant industry, I never lost interest in the intricacies of food and wine pairings.   Fast forward to today and we may be seeing the culmination of all my accumulated experience: Snooth’s food and wine pairing algorithm that is being used to power the wine pairing widget on our latest partner’s site http://www.MyRecipes.com.   MyRecipes.com has one of the greatest collections of recipes on the web, sourced from the myriad titles in Time Inc’s portfolio. Some of my favorite recipes seem to consistently come from Cooking Light and Health magazines.   For example, I love jerked foods, that smoky, spicy specialty of Jamaica. I will tell anyone who’ll listen that one of the best pairings I’ve ever come across is Petite Sirah and Jerk Chicken! So what does one do when one wants to jerk something else? I found this great recipe for Jerk-Spiced Shrimp on MyRecipes.com  and checked to see what types of pairings I thought this would work with. I know, it sounds a little weird but I’ve also been checking to make sure everything is working as it’s supposed to!   Well things look pretty good since the pairings are the correct bright aromatic white, fruity, rich rose and a rich, medium-bodied white. The actual wines that may appear for you might be different than what I am seeing since availability is a criterion we are using to choose which specific wines to display.   While I have chosen the styles of wines, trying to make sure to offer a pair of more familiar choices plus a geeky choice for each recipe, the actual wines that get shown to the user will change based on availability and how highly the wines are rated on Snooth.   Our rating system combines the input of professional tasters with that of our user to generate a unique Snoothrank for each wine. If a wine gets rated favorably, its Snoothrank goes up, increasing the likelihood that it will show up in the recipe pairing results.   Not only have we selected specific styles of wines that work with each dish but we are also filtering our huge database of wines to show you the preferred wines within each category. No other wine site brings you the sort of in-depth, intelligent food and wine parings that Snooth does. Our massive database, the largest on the web, gives us a unique advantage to offer this added value to our partners and our users.   Beginning tomorrow you’ll also be able to see the MyRecipes.com database of recipes displayed on Snooth. Each of our wine detail pages lists three dishes to pair with each wine.  It’s a great way to get ideas for your next meal and will make planning your next successful dinner party a breeze.   I hope you enjoy using our recipe pairing widget on MyRecipes.com as much as I enjoyed creating it. It really was a labor of love and I look forward to tweaking it and making sure the results are not only good, but take advantage of our ever growing and improving database to continue to bring you compelling, interesting and varied wines to pair with your favorite dishes.   And now to see what might pair with a nice roast lamb dish and peppers from my garden….     Gregory Dal Piaz Community Manager Snooth              (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Food and wine pairing now on... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• July 2009

  California’s Sierra foothills appellation spans across some of the least heralded great wine producing regions of the state. Unlike Napa and Sonoma, Cabernet Sauvignon did not serve as a historic touchstone here, though the history of wine production is almost as long. In contrast... Read moreCalifornia’s Sierra foothills appellation spans across some of the least heralded great wine producing regions of the state. Unlike Napa and Sonoma, Cabernet Sauvignon did not serve as a historic touchstone here, though the history of wine production is almost as long. In contrast to the hype and glitter of “newer” regions propelled to fame by faddish whims, the Sierra Foothills continue to stake their claim to fame on old vine Zinfandel, as they did during the gold rush, as well as newer plantings of grapes from across Europe that adapt well to the favorable climate of the region. photo courtesy of: El Dorado Winery Association The fact that these counties, eight in total, three in particular, from north to south El Dorado, Amador and Calaveras counties, are leading the way in planting exciting, new to the state, varieties, captures the pioneer spirit that continues to infuse not only the people of these beautiful hills but also the wine they produce. For example, as opposed to competing with the so much of the state, not to mention the world, by planting Cabernet Sauvignon (not that Cabernet doesn’t have it’s spots in this ranging AVA) one finds Rhone style blends based on Grenache and Syrah, Vermentino, Sangiovese, and even Tempranillo!  This “prospecting for riches” carries over a long tradition, going back to Sutter’s mill and the original 49er’s, that’s 1849, who braved the variable climate of this rugged region in search of gold. Today’s gold comes more frequently in a bottle, and some is even of the golden persuasion. All the wines of the region share a certain character that expresses the unique terroir of this interesting AVA that admittedly crosses many county borders as it travels from meso-climate to meso-climate.  One reason for such an extensive AVA is that the rolling foothills here are the key to providing welcome relief from the heat of California’s central valley. This slice of the foothills, where vines thrive in the moderate climate between 1400 and 3000 feet of elevation, is double blessed. Not only do the warm days and cool night preserve the acidity in the grapes but these conditions also extend the growing season by slowing down the ripening during the final days of the growing season. This is especially beneficial with Zinfandel since the grape clusters on many Zinfandel vines tend to have berries of varying ripeness as harvest approaches. These hillsides are also blessed with a variety of soil types that give the wines produced here a distinctive character.  Around the 2000-foot level many patches of decomposed granite are to be found. These poor soils offer great drainage forcing the vines to struggle a bit for their survival, yielding fruit that, when mature, gives rich, rugged flavors and balanced structure to the wines they produce. At higher elevations several regions have soils of volcanic origin that can add a spicy tone to the wines and a crispness to the tannins that makes them distinct and unique additions to the pantheon of California wine. Situated as they are between the heavily populated coastal areas of northern California and the rich beauty of the Sierra Nevada range, the foothill wineries are ideally located to be part of a true California adventure. Escaping from the herd mentality that drive tourists to Napa, Sonoma and San Francisco provides that savvy wine tripper not only a chance to taste great wines at a pace more akin to that of 1950 but serves as a gateway to some of the most impressive natural beauty one is able to find in the vast land of ours. So next time you’re thinking of a California vacation consider adding the Sierra Foothills and visits to Yosemite to your plans.  I know I will. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Amador Foothill Winery -  Leading the way with innovative wines! With plantings that range from Aglianico to Zinfandel, it should come as no surprise that Amador Foothill Winery is leading the way with innovative wines from the Sierra Foothills. From Rose to Rhone Blend, and never forgetting the Zinfandel, this is a winery that delivers. Amador Foothill 2008 Rosato of Sangiovese Amador  13.5%  Soil, oil, dusty earth, pollen, wild raspberry, lovely subtle spice ad herb tones,  a tuch of leather, a bit of Swedish fish, wild cherry+,  A touch sweet up front then the wash of acid cuts through the weight leaving very pure wild berry fruit tones, great interplay of acid/fruit on the palte, really zippy style with duge refreshing acids that lead to a brick finish full or wild raspberry tones with hints of earth and spice.  A lighter style in the mouth and a great rose that may lack a touch of complexity but more than makes up for it with it’s extremely pretty pure fruit and texture that makes you want to drink more. A great rose 92pts ~ ~~ ~ Amador Foothill  Winery 2006 Katies Cote Shenandoah Valley  14.4% Lots of cigar box and sweet vanilla laced tones on the nose dominate the blackberry and black plum note though intriguing notes of violet, black pepper and thyme slowly emerge from the glass.  Slinky entry is immediately delicious with crisp herb inflected black fruits that have great intensity yet are not clumsy or thick. The wood adds a bit too much sweetness here yet the ample spice tones with hints of cinnamon, black pepper and juniper add a nice contrast on the back end. This finishes with a touch too much wood induced sweetness again but the tannins are lovely and crisp so this should take another year or two of age well, allowing the wood tones to soften and integrate. Very aromatic and cedary in the mouth at times, this is a rich, gutsy wine with good promise. 51% Syrah/49% Grenache 88pts ~ Bantam Cellars - A new winery making Shenandoah wine scene. With only 3 vintages under their belt bantam Cellars are the new kids on the block. Following in the path blazed before them they are offering an array of Mediterranean varieties yet continue the great tradition that Zinfandel has developed in the region. Bantam cellars 2008 Vermentino  Amador County12.5% Quite intense mineral, almond, pear and light spiced white peach fruit on the nose. This is lovely and balanced on the nose. Good acids, a touch grapey fruit, quite grapey fruity in fact but with lemon shaded juicy Asian pear notes that are rich and satisfying.  Finishes with a touch of raspy mineral, a hint of gooseberry and surprising length. A delicious wine perfect for casual sipping and light fair. 88pts ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ C. G. di Arie - From the creator of Cap’n Crunch, no kidding! Set to celebrate their first decade in business C.G di Arie makes the most of their estate fruit. With the major red varieties planted here at 1700 feet the focus here is on getting a consistent expression from these vines while relying on partner grower sto provide top-quality fruit for their non-estate wines. G D di Arie 2008 Sauvignon Banc Shenandoah valley 13.8% Starts out with sweetish notes of powdered sugar a sage that are joined by tropical fruit notes.  Soft and broad in the mouth with a velvety texture and juicy orchard fruit tones. A simple wine in an easy to drink style 85pts ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ G D Di Arie 2008 Rose Di Arie  Sierra Foothills 13.7% Earthy sweet raspberries and fleshy black grape tones right off the bat are joined by a touch of herbs, black pepper and peach fruit.  A rich, soft style with tones of sweet red currant and plum fruit tones that are a touch spicy and hold a nice earthy center. Rich and fruity with a touch of RS yet also a nice hint of tannin to add some contrast to the texture. A touch sticky on the finish but with lingering jammy blackberry tones. If you love a fruity rose this is for you.  50% Syrah/40% Tempranillo/10% Zinfandel 86pts  ~ ~~ ~ Cooper Vineyards - Offering a complete array of wines Cooper Vineyards produces and impressive line-up of wines encompassing 17 varieties. From Pinot Grigio and Roussanne to Cabernet and Zinfandel, naturally, there is a wine for every palate. And in that inclusive spirit one can also find a pair of dessert wines, one white, and one red to tempt your taste buds. Cooper vineyards 2008 Pinot Grigio Amador 14.9% Rather intense citrus zest and ripe herb notes with lovely floral top notes some alcohol shows but surprising well-balanced nose.  Lots of sweet fruit up front, green berries and green plum combine with a rich, plush mouthfeel to produce a rather unusual wine. One that feels over-ripe yet maintains surprisingly good freshness of flavor; inner mouth perfume is very sweet with notes of green tea and jasmine. The wine lacks some freshening acidity but is bursting with apricot and almost guava tones. The alcohol is more apparent in the mouth but this still manages to pull it off. The finish is a touch short but this is quite an interesting wine, though certainly not for everyone. 88pts ~ Deaver Vineyards -  Four generations and 150 years later still going strong! If any name should be associated with the wines of the Sierra Foothills it should be Deaver. With a proud lineage extending back to the first years of wine production in the region it’s no surprise that Deaver continues to be at the forefront with great new Italian and Rhone varietals as well as the classics. Deaver Vineyards 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Amador 13.3% Light kiwi and grassy notes on the nose, fresh almost earthy clumps of sod tones that are less herbal than manner SB. Bright zesty and fresh on entry with a very lively and refreshing mouthfeel. Classic medium bodied Sauvignon Blanc feel with modestly fruity flavors and a nice hint of lemon pith and sweet grapefruit that leads to a medium length finish. Actually has good persistence to the modest flavors but the appeal here is drinkability. 86pts ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ Deaver Vineyards 2007 Sierra Foothills Chardonnay with an ATTITUDE 14.5% Smells lemony and floral like some Muscat or Viognier made it into the blend.  The fruit is citrussy and the nose quite high pitched with salty undertones and a touch of honey, toasted spices and green anise seed.  Rich yet lively in the mouth with an impression of sweetness accentuating the deep fruit yellow fruit tones. A mouthfilling wine but well balanced with interesting layers of citrus and peach fruit.. Very clean and crisp on the finish with a touch of lingering almost coffee like toasted spice 88pts ~ ~~ ~ Deaver Viognier 2007 Amador County 14% Smells sweet with a leather fruit tone that recalls dried apricot, a hint of lanolin and a touch of water chestnut add some complexity. This gains a nice pale honey note with hints of pollen and light tobacco. Very light with an attractive airy quality even though the wine is noticeably viscous with obvious RS., but it is well balanced by the integrated acidity. Lovely honied flavors of quince, candied lime and peach round out thee mouth. The finish is a bit gentle but with nice feathery complexity and a very friendly disposition. The sweetness is a bit much for a table wine but this finishes fairly read more...dryly so it can work but is better suited as a very light dessert wine particularly well structured for a cheese course. 90pts   Deaver Vineyards NV Orange Muscat Amador 12.5% Gorgeously fragrant nose full of black tea, orange blossom, light passion fruit and pink grapefruit tones. Really intense and fresh and gently frizzante with a honied tone to the warm citrus fruit tones and  an easy appeal. Some tea notes add a bit of depth but this is a rather sweet and slightly rich style of Moscato with long honied flavors yet not much detail. 85pts ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ Ironestone Vineyards - A pioneer growing premium grapes in the Foothills. Ironstone Vineyards is one of the Sierra Foothill’s premium producers of Bordeaux blends. By intelligently adding small amounts of blending grapes and allowing the wines time to age in barrel in the deep, cool caverns under the winery, Ironstone has created nuanced wines in a satisfyingly smooth style. Ironstone 2006 Cabernet Franc Reserve Sierra Foothills 14.5% Dark, toasty, grilled fruit notes with spicy herbs lurking, and something very meaty about this wine, Nicely gamy smells like grilling lamb over eucalyptus. Lush in the mouth with lots of rich fruit, plums, cassis, black cherry with hints of dried tomato, herb, mint, and oak,. Very nicely balanced both texturally and favor wise with there is a touch of barbq sauciness on the backend but the bright cherry tones and light vanilla note power through and dominate the long finish. A big velvety richly fruited yet fresh wine with a touch of earth at its core, and just a hint of mint chocolate shavings helping read more...to frame the fruit. Certainly is ripe Cab France 89pts ~ Ironstone 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Sierra Foothills 14.5% Reticent and minty with an interesting mineral edge to the nose, smells granitic.  A touch leaner and more transparent than the CF with a redder fruit profile. Bright acids and nicely measured tannin yield a firmly medium plus bodied wine with a touch of cola/root beer spice helping to frame the astringent red fruits. The wood is really well integrated here and while this is neither super complex or super rich (a good thing) it is very well behaved in the mouth. Not particularly varietal either but rich, polished and fruity. A well-made and enjoyably drinkable wine that finishes a touch short with a Mexican cocoa note.87pts. ~ ~~ ~ Morse Wines -  A leader in Rhone varieties from the Sierra Foothills Morse Wines is a new label being utilized by the Il Gioiello Winery to differential their Rhone Varietals from their Italian bottlings. Determined to make a name for both schools in the Foothills, Morse offer carefully crafted small lots of wines that offer a new interpretation of French Classics. Morse 2007 Ensemble Blanc 55% Viognier/45% Roussanne Sierra Foothills 15.1% A bit slow to open with soft floral tones married to deep, almost honied, quite smoky baked banana peel, and preserved lemon tones, Gains a big acacia tone with air. Rich with good acidity and a nice mineral edge to the deep orchard fruit tones. Real snap to the flavors and fine balance with rather restrained kwi and goosebbery notes that gain the upper hand on the back end with an interesting candied floral top note and lingering sweet/mineral tension on the moderate finish. Excellent complexity and balance in this very solid wine. 90pts  ~ ~~ ~ Shenandoah Vineyards- A pioneering winery in California’s Shenandoah Valley With a broad array of small lot reserve wines, Shenandoah Vineyards offers a complimentary line-up to the Sobon family’s eponymous winery. Actually the first of the 2 brands Shenandoah Vineyards continues as a leading producer of wines that represent a classic style that can only be associated with California’s Shenandoah Valley. Shenandoah Vineyards 2007 Special Reserve Zinfandel Amador 14.4% Subtle and soft blackberries, peach and black plum skins contrast with a hint of baking spice and coconutty oak tones on the nose.   Very sweetly fruited entry, nice balance with good acidity and very soft tannins give the moderately spicy but very fruity style with a soft, friendly feel.  Full of sweet, vanilla toned black plum and blackberry fruit, on the short finish. Classic Amador Zin though. 86 pts ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ Sobon - a family affair dedicated to sustainable farming, and great wine! The Sierra Foothill’s forte has always been their deep, flavorful old vine Zinfandel. Many of these hillside vineyards were originally planted to supply the 49ers and now are gloriously mature. Sobon has consistently captured the wonderful fruit of these vines, allowing them to express themselves in classic style. Sobon Estate 2008 Roussanne Amador 14.1% Great nose, lots of boiled chestnuts and toasted chestnut shells, intense with a noticeable yet integrated oak backdrop. Lilacs, white pepper and very light mangosteen fruit.  Decidedly soft in the mouth with a rich, viscous feel and initial honied fruit note that yields to an almost strawberry tinged mid-palate with rich orange tones and a touch of butter cream.  The finish returns to a more citrussy vein with a nicely floral inner mouth perfume of almost tropical orange blossoms. Big rich balanced and different this is a winner 90pts ~ ~~ ~ Sobon Estate ReZerve 2008 Rose Amador 13.6% Mineral, strawberry, herb and roast pork with a hint of rosemary and a hint of flowers on the nose give this a succulent and savory appeal.  Dry and crisp with good focus in the mouth. This is a touch tight even with a subtle richness and lovely, slightly tannic red berry and sweet pomegranate tones with a touch of papaya and papaya seed spice. Wonderful fruit and subtle spice tones linger on the moderately long finish. Great balance and freshness here make this really lovely. Grenache/Syrah/Carignan 90pts ~ ~~ Sobon Estate 2007 Old Vines Zinfandel Amador 14.9% A touch of fudge and moist earth with lovely brambly notes of sapwood, herb and wild black raspberry fruit edged with a touch of pipe tobacco. Pure black raspberry fruit on entry, very good acids, lots of sweet fruit here, nice top notes of briar and bramble. Nice purity of well-expressed yet uncomplicated fruit. A wine for drinking, not for thinking about. Finishes with a slightly jammier tone and more wood spice but still nicely balanced and fresh 87pts ~ ~~ ~ Story Winery - A lovely white surprise from a great Zin producer. Story Winery has made a name for themselves producing small lots of old-vine Zinfandel from great vineyard sites in Amador county.  In true pioneer spirit they have also explored several white wines enjoying the fruit from these unusual head-pruned and dry farmed vineyards. Story Winery 2007 Chenin Blanc Shenandoah  15% A touch funky right out of the bottle with notes of caramel, butterscotch and quince paste over a funky chalky earth, seashell and herb base. Deceptively light bodied with gentle flavors of apple, apple butter and pressed flowers slowly building in the glass. Holds its 15% amazing well. The subtle flavors power through on the medium length finish adding notes or biter orange marmalade and a light cashew brittle tone. Before gaining a nice mouth grabbing chalky tone again. A very subtle wine that will rise to the occasion pairing well with a wide variety of foods. 87pts ~ ~~ Story Winery 2006 Picnic Hill Old Vines Zinfandel Shenandoah  Valley 16% Light vanilla tones are backed by lots of astringent red fruits, red currant and pomegranate, with a hint of herb and roast meatiness.  Enters with sweet red fruits, slightly exotic berries fruits, fruit di bosco, nice freshness and good balance that help to hide it’s 16% Very candied but in a fresh way, sugared raspberries with a peppery cinnamon edge for balance, Nice crisp tannins and a lovely stemmy tone add length to the finish.  88pts ~ ~~ ~ Story Winery 2006 Creekside Vineyard Old Vines Zinfandel 16% Really briary aromas in the glass are joined by smoky earth tones and reduced wild raspberry notes with hints of lightly spiced cranberry and orange rind.  Rich and velvety, this has power and depth with a slightly sweet character that accentuates the rich wild cherry and astringent, spicy red fruit tones. A mouthfilling wine that is a touch minty and medicinal on the finish with a nice tannic bite that helps balance the RS. This is a monster wine; serve it with cheese or instead of dessert. Really spicy notes gain prominence on the midpalate.  Finishes with a really intense red hots tone. A divisive wine for sure but it’s pretty cool. 90pts ~ ~~ ~ Story Winery 2006 Alitia Vineyard Zinfandel Shenandoah Valley 16% Smells like leather and ass and not in a bad way. Slow to open, with slightly buttery licorice tinged tight black fruit. Tight concentrated and velvety with a deep savory core folded up with black currant and dry, not terrible sweet mulberry fruit. This is reticent yet with excellent balance that gives it an elegance that their other wines lack. Shares a touch of that peppery cinnamon with lovely dried herb notes and lots of potential but this needs another year to express itself. 88pts ~ ~~ Vino Noceto - This Tuscan styled estate is a relative newcomer to the region. Recognizing that the climate of Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley was Mediterranean in nature, family owned Vino Noceto took a brave and unique path, choosing to focus on premium Sangiovese based wine as opposed to sticking to the Zinfandel roots of the region. Noceto 2008 Pinot Grigio Clarksburg/Amador 13% Light rainwater, clay and floral tones on the nose give this an airy note before they are joined by fragrant pear fruit with a hint of dried pineapple.  Round and soft but not flabby, in fact nicely balanced on a rich if medium bodied frame that supports soft, juicy fruit flavors with grace notes of mint and almond and herb that lead to a slightly sweet finish that hints at baked apple with a nice almond tone. 86 ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ Noceto 2006 Sangiovese Shenandoah Valley 14% Very intense sweet cherry, vanilla and soft toast notes greet the nose.  There is a slight medicinal note that combines with the black cherry fruit to give this a slight cough lozenge note. A nice hint of herb adds complexity.  Big, rich sweet cherry fruit with just a hint of oak is well supported by tannins are a touch astringent, as they should be, and good acidity giving this a refreshing feel. Very medium bodied and with lightness that keeps this centered in the mouth despite the intensity of the rather simple yet pure cherry fruit. On the backend it turns a bit spice with a nice flourish of strawberry and herb adding to the long finish.  Very solid wine and great for the bar-b-q this summer. 90pts   Noceto 2008 Frivolo Moscato Bianco California 7.1% Delicious smelling with note of lemon, lime leaf, powder sugar and hints of angelica root and white tea, with a gently biscuit note. Just ever so softly frizzante with good acidity balancing the rather light, fresh citrus driven flavors. Plenty sweet but with a touch of lightness on the palate, really attractive flavors of subtle ginger inflected candied citrus fruits, with good length, lovely and freaking delicious 88pts  ~ ~~ ~~~ ~~ ~ Gregory Dal Piaz Community Manager Snooth    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Strike it rich in the Sierra... by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• June 2009

  So naturally what I mean by that title is,that much, if not most, of the wine from Beaujolais is wonderful stuff marred by the phenomenon that is Beaujolais Nouveau. The marketing concept of producing wines in a blaze of forced glory, and using techniques that make the wine a shadow... Read moreSo naturally what I mean by that title is,that much, if not most, of the wine from Beaujolais is wonderful stuff marred by the phenomenon that is Beaujolais Nouveau. The marketing concept of producing wines in a blaze of forced glory, and using techniques that make the wine a shadow of it's self, has propelled this particular wine to the tops of recognition, if the bottom of appreciation. Beaujolais is now a wine to drink from Thanksgiving until perhaps Christmas, as a novelty, the first wine of the year, and without thought, since this particular interpretation of the wine offers very little stimulative value in that realm. So what then am I talking about? I am talking about the Beaujolais that seems at times to have more in similar with the great Burgundies that grow just to the north than other wines based on the Gamay grape. Wines that have a wonderful purity of floral scents, violets and roses, that compliment their slightly herbal stemmy notes and crisp, direct fruits. Wines that speak with a fine transparency, allowing the grape, terroir and winemaker each to have their say yet have no voice obscuring another. OK, that last line could be used to describe any great wine. Hey did you see that point I made right there?  Yes I called Beaujolais a GREAT WINE, it ain't all Nouveau you see. So we spent 2 weeks here at Snooth tasting through a dozen wines in an effort to share with our members the wines that together make Beaujolais a region worth exploring. Our tastings included simple Beaujolais, Beaujolais Villages and the crus so that, together, we could learn just what the labels on the bottles mean. Our second weeks tasting was more casual in nature as a group of us tasted the wines and exchanged thoughts in a freewheeling round table. In such a setting it was more difficult to get a real handle on each persons thoughts but there was a consensus that emerged. Now this is a bit of a different take, on basically the same wines, since we had the wines with some light food, wonderful cheeses, olive scented crackers and mixed nuts. In this setting the best wines continued to shine, The consensus top wines were no surprise. Roughly in order they were: 2007 Vissoux Pierre Chermette Brouilly 2007 Thenevet Grain & Granite Regnie 2007 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie 2007 Domaine de Billards Barbet St. Amour    2007 Georges Trichard Chenas     What was a bit of a surprise was that all the other wines found fans from the simple Pizay to the ethereal and gently fruited Lapierre, each wine made someone happy, though the wood on the  Jadot was still off-putting. About that Jadot, in fact the second go-round had a 2006 in place of the 2007. The wine was all together more appealing even if the wood remained obvious. Perhaps the vintage's character, perhaps a sign of the benefit one can derive from ageing Beaujolais a bit. In the coming days I will dip into my cellar and take a look how a few bottles of Beaujolais are ageing, 2 from 2003,  and one each from 2002 and 1996. Beaujolais is full of surprises yet one thing that will not surprise me is if these wines are wonderful and bear and even more striking resemblance with Burgundy! On that old canard, while Beaujolais may, or may not, really resemble Burgundy one thing is for sure. For $20 one can certainly drink a whole lot better in Beaujolais! And without further ado allow me to relate what it was we discovered. I've included my notes below and an impression from each of the tasters that participated in our first weeks blind tasting. Beaujolais Blind Tasting Flight 1 2007 Chateau du Pizay Beaujolais A bit stemmy-spicy on the nose with hints of earth, roses and a marshmallow edge. Soft pure raspberry fruit and nice zesty acidity make this a nice basic Beaujolais and a light red perfect for serving with a chill this summer. 85pts Philip - strawberry, good structure Lance - strawberry, mild spice Baratunde - butter and smooth Dave - flat, lost me at the end Sophie - quite fruit forward, almost sweet, Evan - indistinct, herbaceous on the palate 2007 Chateau du Chatelard Beaujolais Villages Coming from gentle hills with a bit of rocky terrain this smoky, tobacco scented Beaujolais Villages is a step up from simple Beaujolais. This is a bit mineral toned on the palate with a bit of forced, extracted tannin that adds a touch of bitterness to the otherwise dried herbal, strawberry flavors. I bit too inky and blocky for my palate. 83pts Philip - gamier, tobacco Lance - not very complex, didn’t hold my interest Baratunde - sharp and mildy spicy Dave - chalky, strawberry, Sophie - mineral, younger vines Evan - fuller and actually sweet 2007 Vissoux Pierre Chermette Brouilly Brouilly is the largest Cru in Beaujolais. Chermette produces natural wines and this is a beauty! A bouquet full of violets, crystallized black raspberry, rich forest soil, and aromatic candle wax leads to a gorgeous palate full of sweet fruit. This is wonderfully precise with great balance and a tense crisp, tannic note that frames the wonderfully transparent fruit. On the long finish a hint of medicinal herbs adds depth to the fruit and finale return of violets. Beaujolais doesn't get much better than this. 92pts Philip - lot of fruit, floral violet, topnotes Lance - mild sweet fruit, liked the finish Baratunde - sharper, dryer, Dave -cherry candy, violets Sophie - softer fuller approachable style Evan - rich nose, , earthiness that I liked Flight 2 2007 Domaine des Terres Dorees Jean-Paul Brun Cotes de Brouilly     The Cotes de Brouilly is located within Brouilly, on old volcanic slopes and generally produces deep, dark fruit. This is decidedly herbal and stemmy on the nose with medicinal floral tones and hints of green peppercorn and juniper. Rich and well balanced in the mouth with noticeable fruit tannin balanced by a nice acid spine. Some woodsy notes recall the nose and are joined by black berry and black currant fruit. This finishes with a touch of Ricola and is bit shorter than I would like but is complex and complete. 88pts Philip - simple fruity, a little iron on the finish Lance - a bit spicy on the nose, nice finish Baratunde - medicinal, hot Dave - strawberry, bitter cola Sophie - strange milk chocolate lactic Cadbury nutbar, firm and enjoyable tannins Evan - tea tannins, earth, raspberry 2007 Thenevet Grain & Granite Regnie Regnie is the youngest Cru of Beaujolais, dating from 1988 but is part of the historic home of Beaujolais. This has superb aromatics with balsamic, candle wax tones almost verging on eucalyptus with a roast meaty edge and layers of intense and complex violet pastille and wild berry fruits. This smells like old vines. This has big weight but is not weighty do to the incredible balance and precision that makes for lovely depth of fruit with a raspberry, slight roasted strawberry tone yet crystal clear transparency. I love the quality of the tannins here, they are soft and like flannel, mouth filling. A nice mineral wash cleanses the palate and leads to a long finish that ends with a wild strawberry flourish. This is simply great Beaujolais! 94pts Philip - mushroom, black cherry, blood Lance - , tea flavor, good Baratunde - woody, toopia Dave - violets, white pepper ripe cherry Sophie - rich fruit on the palate, savory, thyme Evan - more herbaceous, raspberry in the back of the mouth 2007 Marcel Lapierre Morgon Morgon produces rich, earthy wine that can easily be mistaken for Burgundy. Lapierre is a great biodynamic producer. This offers up notes of beet roots, dusty earth, anise and aggressive herb and medicinal notes. With a very light, natural and elegant in the mouth this is refreshing but quite herbal and almost vegetal on the palate with a decided green streak and some granitic minerality but not much fruit. 84pts Philip - vegetal, mineral, earthy dry finish Lance - smoky nose, mild but complex Baratunde - fruity Dave - raw meats, white pepper, raspberry Sophie - soft light fruit on the palate, lots of Gamay character Evan - candy cherry nose, very flat, almost watery Flight 3 2006 Christophe Pacalet Chiroubles Chiroubles comes from vines at higher elevation that produce delicate wines and Pacalet's minimalist style of winemaking preserves this ethereal quality. A touch funky on the nose with a gamy edge to the wooly, wet cotton, rainwater tones that feature an intriguing touch of dried thyme. This is a bit more structured in the mouth with lots of sweet yet indistinct fruit that is slightly pruny. It is very aromatic in the mouth but a bit short on the finish. 86pts Philip - - mushroomy nose, tobacco, plums Lance - lemony nose, nice balance and fruit, Baratunde - soft and gentle feel on the nose, gummi bears Dave - really perfumed with sweet resinous flowers, gamy and attractive Sophie - high toned floral nose, savory finish is cool and sleek Evan - nose hit me, leather, cherry, hint of tar in the background 2007 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Fleurie is always one of my favorite Crus, full of plush, deep fruit that takes a couple of years in the cellar to peak. Once one gets past the noticeable hit of sulfur this is dark and slightly resinous on the nose with bark and fruit tones in a masculine, cologne-scented register that includes a touch of campfire and very lovely subtle vegetal tones and medicinal herbs. In the mouth this feels a touch closed at first but with mouthwatering acid and hints of bright red fruits and red currants with a nice iron edge. The youthful tannins are a touch stiff and pop on the finish with a touch of almond nuttiness that offers contrast to the nice dark fruit return with it's touch of fig and darker cherry fruit. A bigger style of wine but complete if a touch blocky at the moment. 89pts Philip - smooth and supply, cherry notes Lance - dusty nose, good forward fruit Baratunde - did not like, chemical maybe sulfur Dave - sour ripe cherries, black currant, medicinal Sophie - odd nose pencil lead/shaving, fairly Gamay, Evan - black tea spice, berries, soft tannins 2007 Jadot Chateau des Jacques Moulin a Vent  Moulin a Vent produces low yielding vines and powerful wines from rocky soil in the north of Beaujolais. This is sweet smelling with predominantly woodsy tones of white mushroom and gardenia. There's lots of fruit on the palate, which is a bit sweet though an herbal edge offers a bit of relief from the onslaught of prominent black gapey fruit. This ends with a bit of an extracted matte feel and some wood tannin that mars the finish and adds a bit of bitterness. 84pts Philip - a lot of butter and oak on the nose Lance - grassy, rosemary, chalky finish Baratunde - acid, maybe lactic Dave - black currants long finish Sophie - not as expressive, nice but ambivalent Evan - burnt cherry, hint of toasted wood Flight 4 2007 Duboeuf Chateau des Capitans Julienas Julienas produces elegant and spicy wines from a region that gets its name from Julius Caesar! This is dusty and mineral with a big bay leaf tone and a touch of seared beef but it lacks some liveliness. On entry this is fiercely acidic for this ripeness yet very simple with big black fruits. This finishes with some chemical notes and I can't say that there's much here for me to like. 80pts Philip - Bovril, tight at first, leather but now it’s plain cherries Lance -- tobacco nose, black currant cinnamon, Baratunde - very strong overpowering cherry Dave - very ripe cherry, vanilla, black olive Sophie - sweet black cherry and licorice excessively candied viscous Evan - not much, hints of candy, soft tannin 2007 Georges Trichard Chenas Chenas is the smallest of the crus, many of the vineyards that formed the appellation are now part of the Moulin au Vent appellation. With waxy red fruits, dried apricot, blond tobacco, spicy, wild red berry fruits, a touch of tea and a hint of dried cranberry on the nose this is compelling to smell. The mouth feel is suave and smooth with lovely tannins nicely balanced with bright acids. There are strong cranberry tones on the palate with a touch of tea that is nice and measured and leads to a finish that has good length and offers a hint of cherry pit bitterness that adds cut, This is not super complex but a style I really like to drink. 91pts Philip - nice nose pine needles and foresty, riverbed, Lance - spicy, a bit woody, tannic on the finish Baratunde - very spicy a lot of pepper Dave - lush fruit, toasted nuttiness, and diluted texture Sophie - lighter nose a touch vegetal, more tannin not completely well integrated Evan - - gaminess, toast, sweet mixed berry 2007 Domaine de Billards Barbet St. Amour St. Amour combines great fruit, spice, structure from the northern border of the region. A romantic choice! This starts out reticent on the nose with an underlying natural sweetness of dried raspberry fruit and just a hint of earth and spice with a touch of grassiness. Fairly fleshy and round in the mouth with lovely depth. This is fairly powerful yet transparent and really bright with wonderfully precise fruits that lean to the black cherry, black currant end of the spectrum. The finish is really long and fruit driven but refreshing with a lovely final of almost gamy wild fruits. This read more...might be a touch dilute but the appeal is undeniable. 91pts Philip - very plummy, fruity throughout Lance - floral nose, seemed young, didn’t open up much Baratunde - deep dark plum Dave - gamy raspberry, prune, and cherry Sophie - feels muted and dilute, hard to taste, at this Evan - hint of cherry with toast, earth tobacco Gregory Dal Piaz Community Manager Snooth    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Beaujolais it ain't all Nouveau by Gregory Dal Piaz

  
  

• June 2009

  Beaujolais it ain't all Nouveau So naturally what I mean by that title is,that much, if not most, of the wine from Beaujolais is wonderful stuff marred by the phenomenon that is Beaujolais Nouveau. The marketing concept of producing wines in a blaze of forced glory, and using... Read moreBeaujolais it ain't all Nouveau So naturally what I mean by that title is,that much, if not most, of the wine from Beaujolais is wonderful stuff marred by the phenomenon that is Beaujolais Nouveau. The marketing concept of producing wines in a blaze of forced glory, and using techniques that make the wine a shadow of it's self, has propelled this particular wine to the tops of recognition, if the bottom of appreciation. Beaujolais is now a wine to drink from Thanksgiving until perhaps Christmas, as a novelty, the first wine of the year, and without thought, since this particular interpretation of the wine offers very little stimulative value in that realm. So what then am I talking about? I am talking about the Beaujolais that seems at times to have more in similar with the great Burgundies that grow just to the north than other wines based on the Gamay grape. Wines that have a wonderful purity of floral scents, violets and roses, that compliment their slightly herbal stemmy notes and crisp, direct fruits. Wines that speak with a fine transparency, allowing the grape, terroir and winemaker each to have their say yet have no voice obscuring another. OK, that last line could be used to describe any great wine. Hey did you see that point I made right there?  Yes I called Beaujolais a GREAT WINE, it ain't all Nouveau you see. So we spent 2 weeks here at Snooth tasting through a dozen wines in an effort to share with our members the wines that together make Beaujolais a region worth exploring. Our tastings included simple Beaujolais, Beaujolais Villages and the crus so that, together, we could learn just what the labels on the bottles mean. Our second weeks tasting was more casual in nature as a group of us tasted the wines and exchanged thoughts in a freewheeling round table. In such a setting it was more difficult to get a real handle on each persons thoughts but there was a consensus that emerged. Now this is a bit of a different take, on basically the same wines, since we had the wines with some light food, wonderful cheeses, olive scented crackers and mixed nuts. In this setting the best wines continued to shine, The consensus top wines were no surprise. Roughly in order they were: 2007 Vissoux Pierre Chermette Brouilly 2007 Thenevet Grain & Granite Regnie 2007 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie 2007 Domaine de Billards Barbet St. Amour    2007 Georges Trichard Chenas     What was a bit of a surprise was that all the other wines found fans from the simple Pizay to the ethereal and gently fruited Lapierre, each wine made someone happy, though the wood on the  Jadot was still off-putting. About that Jadot, in fact the second go-round had a 2006 in place of the 2007. The wine was all together more appealing even if the wood remained obvious. Perhaps the vintage's character, perhaps a sign of the benefit one can derive from ageing Beaujolais a bit. In the coming days I will dip into my cellar and take a look how a few bottles of Beaujolais are ageing, 2 from 2003,  and one each from 2002 and 1996. Beaujolais is full of surprises yet one thing that will not surprise me is if these wines are wonderful and bear and even more striking resemblance with Burgundy! On that old canard, while Beaujolais may, or may not, really resemble Burgundy one thing is for sure. For $20 one can certainly drink a whole lot better in Beaujolais! And without further ado allow me to relate what it was we discovered. I've included my notes below and an impression from each of the tasters that participated in our first weeks blind tasting. Beaujolais Blind Tasting Flight 1 2007 Chateau du Pizay Beaujolais A bit stemmy-spicy on the nose with hints of earth, roses and a marshmallow edge. Soft pure raspberry fruit and nice zesty acidity make this a nice basic Beaujolais and a light red perfect for serving with a chill this summer. 85pts Philip - strawberry, good structure Lance - strawberry, mild spice Baratunde - butter and smooth Dave - flat, lost me at the end Sophie - quite fruit forward, almost sweet, Evan - indistinct, herbaceous on the palate 2007 Chateau du Chatelard Beaujolais Villages Coming from gentle hills with a bit of rocky terrain this smoky, tobacco scented Beaujolais Villages is a step up from simple Beaujolais. This is a bit mineral toned on the palate with a bit of forced, extracted tannin that adds a touch of bitterness to the otherwise dried herbal, strawberry flavors. I bit too inky and blocky for my palate. 83pts Philip - gamier, tobacco Lance - not very complex, didn't hold my interest Baratunde - sharp and mildy spicy Dave - chalky, strawberry, Sophie - mineral, younger vines Evan - fuller and actually sweet 2007 Vissoux Pierre Chermette Brouilly Brouilly is the largest Cru in Beaujolais. Chermette produces natural wines and this is a beauty! A bouquet full of violets, crystallized black raspberry, rich forest soil, and aromatic candle wax leads to a gorgeous palate full of sweet fruit. This is wonderfully precise with great balance and a tense crisp, tannic note that frames the wonderfully transparent fruit. On the long finish a hint of medicinal herbs adds depth to the fruit and finale return of violets. Beaujolais doesn't get much better than this. 92pts Philip - lot of fruit, floral violet, topnotes Lance - mild sweet fruit, liked the finish Baratunde - sharper, dryer, Dave -cherry candy, violets Sophie - softer fuller approachable style Evan - rich nose, , earthiness that I liked Flight 2 2007 Domaine des Terres Dorees Jean-Paul Brun Cotes de Brouilly     The Cotes de Brouilly is located within Brouilly, on old volcanic slopes and generally produces deep, dark fruit. This is decidedly herbal and stemmy on the nose with medicinal floral tones and hints of green peppercorn and juniper. Rich and well balanced in the mouth with noticeable fruit tannin balanced by a nice acid spine. Some woodsy notes recall the nose and are joined by black berry and black currant fruit. This finishes with a touch of Ricola and is bit shorter than I would like but is complex and complete. 88pts Philip - simple fruity, a little iron on the finish Lance - a bit spicy on the nose, nice finish Baratunde - medicinal, hot Dave - strawberry, bitter cola Sophie - strange milk chocolate lactic Cadbury nutbar, firm and enjoyable tannins Evan - tea tannins, earth, raspberry 2007 Thenevet Grain & Granite Regnie Regnie is the youngest Cru of Beaujolais, dating from 1988 but is part of the historic home of Beaujolais. This has superb aromatics with balsamic, candle wax tones almost verging on eucalyptus with a roast meaty edge and layers of intense and complex violet pastille and wild berry fruits. This smells like old vines. This has big weight but is not weighty do to the incredible balance and precision that makes for lovely depth of fruit with a raspberry, slight roasted strawberry tone yet crystal clear transparency. I love the quality of the tannins here, they are soft and like flannel, mouth filling. A nice mineral wash cleanses the palate and leads to a long finish that ends with a wild strawberry flourish. This is simply great Beaujolais! 94pts Philip - mushroom, black cherry, blood Lance - , tea flavor, good Baratunde - woody, toopia Dave - violets, white pepper ripe cherry Sophie - rich fruit on the palate, savory, thyme Evan - more herbaceous, raspberry in the back of the mouth 2007 Marcel Lapierre Morgon Morgon produces rich, earthy wine that can easily be mistaken for Burgundy. Lapierre is a great biodynamic producer. This offers up notes of beet roots, dusty earth, anise and aggressive herb and medicinal notes. With a very light, natural and elegant in the mouth this is refreshing but quite herbal and almost vegetal on the palate with a decided green streak and some granitic minerality but not much fruit. 84pts Philip - vegetal, mineral, earthy dry finish Lance - smoky nose, mild but complex Baratunde - fruity Dave - raw meats, white pepper, raspberry Sophie - soft light fruit on the palate, lots of Gamay character Evan - candy cherry nose, very flat, almost watery Flight 3 2006 Christophe Pacalet Chiroubles Chiroubles comes from vines at higher elevation that produce delicate wines and Pacalet's minimalist style of winemaking preserves this ethereal quality. A touch funky on the nose with a gamy edge to the wooly, wet cotton, rainwater tones that feature an intriguing touch of dried thyme. This is a bit more structured in the mouth with lots of sweet yet indistinct fruit that is slightly pruny. It is very aromatic in the mouth but a bit short on the finish. 86pts Philip - - mushroomy nose, tobacco, plums Lance - lemony nose, nice balance and fruit, Baratunde - soft and gentle feel on the nose, gummi bears Dave - really perfumed with sweet resinous flowers, gamy and attractive Sophie - high toned floral nose, savory finish is cool and sleek Evan - nose hit me, leather, cherry, hint of tar in the background 2007 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Fleurie is always one of my favorite Crus, full of plush, deep fruit that takes a couple of years in the cellar to peak. Once one gets past the noticeable hit of sulfur this is dark and slightly resinous on the nose with bark and fruit tones in a masculine, cologne-scented register that includes a touch of campfire and very lovely subtle vegetal tones and medicinal herbs. In the mouth this feels a touch closed at first but with mouthwatering acid and hints of bright red fruits and red currants with a nice iron edge. The youthful tannins are a touch stiff and pop on the finish with a touch of almond nuttiness that offers contrast to the nice dark fruit return with it's touch of fig and darker cherry fruit. A bigger style of wine but complete if a touch blocky at the moment. 89pts Philip - smooth and supply, cherry notes Lance - dusty nose, good forward fruit Baratunde - did not like, chemical maybe sulfur Dave - sour ripe cherries, black currant, medicinal Sophie - odd nose pencil lead/shaving, fairly Gamay, Evan - black tea spice, berries, soft tannins 2007 Jadot Chateau des Jacques Moulin a Vent  Moulin a Vent produces low yielding vines and powerful wines from rocky soil in the north of Beaujolais. This is sweet smelling with predominantly woodsy tones of white mushroom and gardenia. There's lots of fruit on the palate, which is a bit sweet though an herbal edge offers a bit of relief from the onslaught of prominent black gapey fruit. This ends with a bit of an extracted matte feel and some wood tannin that mars the finish and adds a bit of bitterness. 84pts Philip - a lot of butter and oak on the nose Lance - grassy, rosemary, chalky finish Baratunde - acid, maybe lactic Dave - black currants long finish Sophie - not as expressive, nice but ambivalent Evan - burnt cherry, hint of toasted wood Flight 4 2007 Duboeuf Chateau des Capitans Julienas Julienas produces elegant and spicy wines from a region that gets its name from Julius Caesar! This is dusty and mineral with a big bay leaf tone and a touch of seared beef but it lacks some liveliness. On entry this is fiercely acidic for this ripeness yet very simple with big black fruits. This finishes with some chemical notes and I can't say that there's much here for me to like. 80pts Philip - Bovril, tight at first, leather but now it's plain cherries Lance -- tobacco nose, black currant cinnamon, Baratunde - very strong overpowering cherry Dave - very ripe cherry, vanilla, black olive Sophie - sweet black cherry and licorice excessively candied viscous Evan - not much, hints of candy, soft tannin 2007 Georges Trichard Chenas Chenas is the smallest of the crus, many of the vineyards that formed the appellation are now part of the Moulin au Vent appellation. With waxy red fruits, dried apricot, blond tobacco, spicy, wild red berry fruits, a touch of tea and a hint of dried cranberry on the nose this is compelling to smell. The mouth feel is suave and smooth with lovely tannins nicely balanced with bright acids. There are strong cranberry tones on the palate with a touch of tea that is nice and measured and leads to a finish that has good length and offers a hint of cherry pit bitterness that adds cut, This is not super complex but a style I really like to drink. 91pts Philip - nice nose pine needles and foresty, riverbed, Lance - spicy, a bit woody, tannic on the finish Baratunde - very spicy a lot of pepper Dave - lush fruit, toasted nuttiness, and diluted texture Sophie - lighter nose a touch vegetal, more tannin not completely well integrated Evan - - gaminess, toast, sweet mixed berry 2007 Domaine de Billards Barbet St. Amour St. Amour combines great fruit, spice, structure from the northern border of the region. A romantic choice! This starts out reticent on the nose with an underlying natural sweetness of dried raspberry fruit and just a hint of earth and spice with a touch of grassiness. Fairly fleshy and round in the mouth with lovely depth. This is fairly powerful yet transparent and really bright with wonderfully precise fruits that lean to the black cherry, black currant end of the spectrum. The finish is really long and fruit driven but refreshing with a lovely final of almost gamy wild fruits. This read more…might be a touch dilute but the appeal is undeniable. 91pts Philip - very plummy, fruity throughout Lance - floral nose, seemed young, didn't open up much Baratunde - deep dark plum Dave - gamy raspberry, prune, and cherry Sophie - feels muted and dilute, hard to taste, at this Evan - hint of cherry with toast, earth tobacco Gregory Dal Piaz Community Manager Snooth    (hide)

  From the article Beaujolais it ain't all Nouveau

  
  

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