Margaux and Riedel

Margaux and Riedel

Charmes de Kirwan, Margaux 2010, 13%, €31.00 Maison du Vin de Margaux.

Thought this Kirwan would be just the one to baptise the new Riedel glasses and indeed, it proved a very compatible pairing indeed.

It may well be the second wine of the estate but it is a very drinkable classic and “one to watch” according to the 2014 Hugh Johnson handbook.

The dark fruit aromas were highlighted by the Riedel. On the palate, the fruit (plum, cherry mainly) is upfront in a very well balanced wine. Tannins in evidence but not in major way and you’ll also notice the characteristic freshness of the Cabernet Franc. Second wine, yes, but a first class drop and Very Highly Recommended.

Cabernet Franc makes up 23% of the blend and the other grapes are Petit Verdot (12%), Merlot (25), and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%).

La Reserve d’Angulet, Margaux 2009, 13.5%, €20.00 Maison du Vin de Margaux.

Continued the Margaux-Riedel combination with this gem, the second wine of the Angulet estate. Like the Kirwan above, it is made from the fruit of younger vines. The blend in this case is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot.

The Sichel family, the owners of Angulet, say it “offers the best quality for price in the entire Margaux appellation”. A bold statement indeed but I think there’s more than a tannin of truth in it. Oz Clarke reckons the last ten years or so have seen it get better and better while Hugh Johnson says it is stylish and good value. 

Delicious red fruit aromas rise from this one which has a dark opaque colour. Superb fruit, some spice too, as the wine, with its rounded supple structure, washes gently across the palate, the pleasant sensations carrying right on through a long finalé. Very Highly Recommended.

*****

I think you can take it that I am now, after taking part in a few demonstrations, the most recent last month at Ballymaloe, a Riedel convert. I’ve no doubt but that they enhance the wine. The glass used for the two wines here is the Riedel Restaurant Cabernet Merlot 446/0, recommended for Margot in particular and for Bordeaux in general; the recommendation details: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Fronsac, Graves rouge, Listrac, Medoc, Moulis, Pauillac, Pessac Leognan rouge, Pomerol, St Estephe, and St Julien.

Great glass too for Port. Just don’t pour too much in!

Burgundy, Loire, Bordeaux and more

Burgundy, Loire, Bordeaux and more

Feature in SuperValu Sale

Final week of SuperVale French Wine Sale

Vaillons La Chablisienne 2011, Chablis 1er Cru, Burgundy, 13%, €20.00 SuperValu French Sale

This is the native land of Chardonnay and this is an excellent expression of the grape, pure and perfect.

Colour is a light yellow and there are complex aromas, including floral and fruit strands. The aromas persist on the palate where you can taste the brilliant purity, the flinty flavours; quite an elegant wine with a long finish. Crisp and mouth-watering, one of the very best in this sale and Very Highly Recommended.

Lorgeril Les Terrasses Viognier 2013, Pays D’Oc IGP, 12.5%, €10.00, SuperValu French Sale

Lovely aromas and a light gold colour. This is one of the winemakers’ “Collection Fruitée” and it lives up to the name. Fruity (peaches, pears), well balanced, fresh and crisp and very refreshing. Recommended.

Bersan Saint Bris Sauvignon 2012 (Burgundy), 12.5%, €12.00, SuperValu French Sale

Colour is light straw, clean and bright, with fruity aromas. On the palate, there is a nice fruity tang, melons and gooseberries to the fore, with good acidity and a crisp dry finish. Recommended.

The area of Saint Bris is unusual; its wines are made from Sauvignon blanc rather than Chardonnay which is grown throughout the rest of Burgundy.

Domaine Balland Chapuis Coteaux Du Giennois Montagnes Blanches 2013 (Loire), 12%, €10, SuperValu French Sale.

This Sauvignon blanc is from Giennois, a little known Loire region and neighbour of the famous Sancerre.

Colour is a light straw and there are inviting fruity aromas. There is a sharp and tingly introduction to the palate, then white fruit flavours (apple, pears, hints of citrus, though apple more prominent on 2nd sampling 24 hours later), all fresh and lively and a good dry finish. Recommended.

Chateau Manon La Lagune, Blaye Cotes De Bordeaux 2012, 13%, €9.00, SuperValu French Sale.

Gironde estuary

This well priced red is a excellent blend of Merlot (60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30) and Cabernet Franc (10). Many Irish families have holidayed in the Charente campsites close to Royan. Some will have seen the timber hut in the village of La Palmyre selling wines from Blaye which is not too far away in the Bordeaux direction.

A nose of blackcurrant aromas is followed by  refreshing black fruit flavours on the palate, some spice too, with a soft and smooth mouth-feel. Any prejudice I had about Blaye maybe not being good enough because it is in the edge of the Bordeaux appellation geographically, was quickly and pleasantly soothed away, all that before a good finish. Highly Recommended.

Saint Emilion

Les Hauts De Gros Caillou 2012, Saint Emilion, 13%, €14.00, SuperValu French Sale

The wines of Saint Emilion are much better known here than those of Blaye. This is again mainly Merlot (about 65%) and the balance is Cabernet Sauvignon.

Red fruit aromas and the colour is a little darker than the Blaye. In the mouth, there are fruity notes galore in this typical Saint Emilion, good acidity too, of course, all leading to a well balanced wine. Young but drinking really well and Very Highly Recommended.

Good Stuff From The Garonne Gravel. A Duo of Excellent Graves Reds

Good Stuff From The Garonne Gravel

A Duo of Excellent Graves Reds

Chateau des Fougeres Clos Montesquieu, Graves rouge 2011, 13%, €14.80 at Maison Des Vins in Podensac

This is a fairly small estate and much of the work is done by hand. This is a classic blend, half Merlot, half Cabernet Sauvignon. It is pleasant and supple on the palate, has excellent flavours and some spice. Tannins too but just about. And this superb dry wine finishes so well. Very Highly Recommended.

I passed Chateau des Fougeres quite a few times last summer but never visited. Charles de Montesquieu, for whom this wine is named, was a philosopher and author as well as a public figure, businessman and wine grower. He lived in La Brède, overseeing the development of his estate and his vineyard. He was the first to promote the wines of the Graves region, and did much to build their reputation throughout France and in Britain.

Clos Montesquieu Graves rouge is raised in French oak casks for 14 to 16 months. “Its ageing potential has increased over the past vintages and will continue to do so thanks to various ongoing projects. The grapes we use for this wine come from our most gravelly parcels.” And that gravel gives you a big hint as to how to pronounce Graves!

Chateau de Respide Cuvee Callipyge, Graves rouge 2010, 13.5%, €11.80 at Maison Des Vins in Podensac

The chateau is proud of “this high-end wine”, a blend of Merlot (48%), Cabernet Sauvignon (47) and Petit Verdot (5). 24,000 bottles were produced and it has spent 12 months in oak (50% of which is new timber).

Colour here is quite a dark red and there are intense fruits on the nose. On the palate, it is smooth, and fruity too, hints of spice, but all under close control. Tannins are present but not obtrusive. All in all, a superbly made superbly balanced wine, “suitable for Bordeaux Grands enthusiasts” as they say at the chateau who indicate it goes well with “dishes in sauce”, meats, poultry and cheese. Very Highly Recommended.

The style of wine from both these vineyards, both left bank, is essentially the same as that in Pessac Leognan so that means good value can be found here and neither chateau is too far away from the Autoroute Des Deux Mers (A62), familiar to more than a few Irish holidaymakers. Alternatively, why not detour to Podensac where’ll you find the Maison des Vins (where 100s of chateaux are represented) and also the Lillet distillery.

Wine. Two for the Meat. One for the Sweet.

Wine: Two for the Meat. One for the Sweet

I have been dipping into SuperValu’s 12 wines for Christmas and reckon these three are ideal companions for the season. The first can match most desserts while the others will go well with your roasts, including the turkey. All are reduced from the 10th of December until the end of the month.

Vinha do Foral Moscatel de Setubal (Portugal), 17.5%, €12.00 SuperValu

The beautiful amber colour catches your eye and the aromas (orange skin, honey) are quite intense. On the palate, this sweet wine, well balanced and not at all “sticky”, is crisp and fresh, enough sweetness to pair with desserts (even the Christmas pudding), yet dry enough to shine as an aperitif, maybe even as an apres digestif. Either way there is a prolonged finish. Oh, by the way, it seems you can have it with two or three ice cubes. I haven’t tried that.

Made by the Cooperativa de Pegoes from one hundred per cent Moscatel grapes, this is a Very Highly Recommended. Do note the higher alcohol content. Like Port, this is a fortified wine.

Right bank ahead. Crossing the Garonne
at Langoiran

Chateau Sissan Grande Reserve 2011, Cadillac Cotes de Bordeaux, 13.5%, €10.00 SuperValu.

This is a relatively new (2008) denomination and covers a narrow strip on the right bank of the Garonne, more or less across the river from Barsac and Sauternes. According to the World Atlas of Wine, the area produces “toothsome reds”.

And this one certainly is toothsome! It has a lovely ruby robe and, on the nose, has lots of red fruit aromas, some spice too. A well made wine with superb ripe soft fruits on the palate and again hints of spice; it is full bodied, mellow and with a lingering finish.

Blend of Merlot (55%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and Cabernet Franc (5%). Very Highly Recommended.

La Rioja

Finca Labarca Reserva 2007 (Rioja), 14%, €10.00, SuperValu

Rioja, and its Tempranillo, is a favourite here, so this was welcome when it arrived and even more so after opening. It may well be seven years old and the red may not be as deep as early on but there is no shortage of fruit on the palate and there is lively spice as well (quite a match for the local spiced beef!). The oak has been well integrated, the tannins are soft, the finish long. Another wine for the Christmas where its versatility will be a bonus. Very Highly Recommended.

A Very Wine Weekend

A Very Wine Weekend

Reds to the Fore

Straccali Chianti Classico, Riserva 2004, 13.5%, €24.40 Karwig Wines

This ruby red gem is 90% Sangiovese with intense aromas. Easy drinking and Very Highly Recommended. Fruity for sure but very well balanced indeed, excellent matching acidity. Sip it on its own or with food (stews, pastas, poultry and fred meats are all recommended). A very generous wine, elegant and palate friendly with a long finish.

Nugan Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz 2012 (Australia), 14.5%, €19.99, SuperValu

This is a highly rated wine, made in Amarone style from partially dried grapes and has spent 12 months in French and US oak. Darkly coloured it has very inviting fruit aromas. No shortage of fruit on the palate, some spice too; rich, with good depth of flavour, and quite intense; it is full bodied, very well balanced and dry to extra dry; tannins are refined and it has a long finish. Very Highly Recommended.

Stellar Winery Merlot 2013, South Africa, 13.5%, €15.00 Bradley’s, North Main Street, Cork

You immediately notice the healthy sheen on this ruby coloured wine and the nose has pretty simple direct fruit aromas. Medium bodied with lovely fruit flavours, soft and juicy and tannins have a slight grip. This is a really well balanced wine with a long dry finish. Highly Recommended.

Stellar, in the Western Cape. produce organic fair-trade wines with no added sulphites, vegan friendly too. The Indian Rubber ducks, featured on the front label, form “a highly efficient pest-control squad”. Pairing recommendations: pasta, lamb, beef.

Chateau Respide Medeville 2011, (Graves, France), 13.5%, €15.30 in Graves.

According to Hugh Johnson, this is one of the better producers in Graves for both red and white. The blend here is Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Merlot, all hand-picked. A surprising nose here, hints of spice and vanilla, even traces of anise, and that lively red fruit is also prominent on the palate. It is quite complex with great depth of flavour and a long dry finish. Glad I bought more than one of these last June while visiting the local Maison des Vins. Not sure you can get this in Ireland but Very Highly Recommended if you do come across it.

For your Weekend: One White, One Red

For your Weekend: One White, One Red

Vina del Sopie Verdejo DO Rueda 2013, 13.5% abv, €13.95 Karwig Wines

Venture away from the usual white grapes and you'll be richly rewarded. Especially if you try this one which is one hundred per cent Verdejo (pronounced Ver-deko) and all the grapes are from fifty year old vines.

It is yellow in colour with green tones and looks clean and bright. The nose is rather expressive, white fruits combine with floral aromas, for me it was love at first sniff. And the affair intensified when it hit the palate, smooth and round and again those fruits and indeed floral characters, ending in a long and fruity finish.

The Spanish vineyard recommend pairing it with Mediterranean dishes, vegetables, rice and seafood and flavourful fish and I can agree when they say it is exceptional as an aperitif. Quite delicious all round and very highly recommended.

If you’d like to pick up a red while you’re in Karwigs, check out the Caldora Montepulciano and the Caldora Sangiovese. I’ve had these recently and they are two really lovely reds and each is well priced.

Chateau Lezin, Bordeaux Superieur 2011, 13%, €10.00 (down from 19.99), SuperValu.

Merlot (69%) certainly dominates the blend here. Soft and lush on the palate, the fruit flavours and hints of spice are well balanced, tannins are just about noticeable and it all ends with a persistent finalé.

The renovated winery are very happy with this one, describing it as powerful and complex. Not sure I'd go that far but I'd have no hesitation in recommending it as an excellent example of Bordeaux red.

With the French wine sale still on in SuperValu, you might be tempted to get your white here as well and the one I’d recommend is the Michel Lynch Barrel Select Sauvignon blanc 2012 .

Little Listrac Delivers

Little Listrac Delivers
Excellent Wines from Margins of the Medoc

Listrac is one of the smallest appellations in the Medoc and its wines have often been dismissed as “rustic”. But, in recent years, according to the prestigious World Atlas of Wine, its reputation (and that of its neighbouring village Moulis) has risen. Better winemaking and the planting of more Merlot has led to an increase in reputation and, going by the three wines below, the adjective “rustic” may be consigned to the past.

Chateau Saransot-Dupré, Listrac Medoc Cru Bourgeois 2009.

Saransot-Dupre have long been among the frontrunners in Listrac. They also make a very stylish white. This medium bodied red, their main wine, is produced only from the property’s old vines. The vineyard is planted mainly with Merlot and, contrary to the Medoc practice, Cabernet Franc is more planted here than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Aromas are invitingly fruity. Superb flavours on the palate, fleshy with some spice, tannins present but barely noticeable; the abv is 14.5% but this lovely dry wine is well balanced with a lengthy finish.

Lestage, improving the Listrac image

Chateau Lestage, Listrac Medoc Cru Bourgeois 2008, 13%.

Sixty five per cent Merlot accounts for the fruitiness here; the balance of the blend is 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. Again it is the first wine of the estate and has spent 18 months in oak barrels (one third of which are replaced each year).

Color is dark red and aromas are of the darker fruits (plum prominent for me). Far from the robust style once associated with Listrac this tends to the slender side but with a supple fruity element, mainly blackberry; softened tannins and no shortage of flavour or freshness, well balanced and with a decent finish.

Chateau Veyrin, Listrac Medoc Selection Chateau 2010, 14%.

Merlot is again the main grape here and its companions are Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Colour is purple and it has an inviting nose of red fruits (Including cherry). On the palate is is ample and so well balanced, and a wee bit spicy with some vanilla notes. All add up to quite a rich wine with a persistent finish.

• Very happy with my little haul from Listrac, all bought at Le Relais de Listrac where we also dined. There is a large shop in the middle of the village where many local producers sell their wines and you might well get them cheaper there but they were closing for lunch as we arrived. To read more on that little day trip (from our base at Arcachon) click here.
  
  
  • I’d have no hesitation about buying Listrac wines again. In Ireland, a quick search on Wine-searcher reveals that you may be able to get them at Mitchell & Sons, From Vineyards Direct Ireland, Bubble Brothers and Greenacres.
   

Dipping into Bordeaux and its 6000 chateaux. The easy way!

Dipping into Bordeaux and its 6000 chateaux.

The easy way!

In Bordeaux last June, while I was searching in vain for a particular local wine, a wine-shop proprietor said to me, by way of excuse for not having it in stock: “You know there six thousand castles in Bordeaux”. That is a lot of wine, hard to get around to all those chateaux.

But you don’t don’t even have to go to Bordeaux at the moment as the Supervalu French wine sale kicks off this week. Most areas of the France are covered and there are quite a few wines on sale. While Bordeaux often gets a bad press because of “gambling” at the higher end, it is hard to go wrong with a regular wine from the area. The sale starts tomorrow (Thursday September 25th) and goes on until October 10th.

No need to go to Bordeaux!

Chateau Haut Bertinerie, Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux, 2011, 13.5%. (12.00, down from 15.99)

A blend of sixty per cent Merlot and forty per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, this has dark fruits (plums mainly) and traces of spice on the nose. It is good and fruity, smooth and elegant, tannins barely noticeable. It is an excellent well balanced wine, with second glass appeal.

This is a rather special wine for the chateau, a “terroir cuvée” produced from a selection of their oldest vines, the fruit hand-picked and sorted. Lots of TLC too in the wine-making which includes 12 months in new French casks. I reckon all the effort pays off. Very Highly Recommended.

Saint-Emilion

Les Hauts de Gros Caillou, Saint-Emilion 2011, 13% (14.00, down from 27.99)

A different blend here: Merlot (65%) and Cabernet Franc (35). This beautiful dark red wine has an inviting nose of ripe red fruit. It is rather soft and lush on the palate, flavours of dark fruits, some spice too; tannins present but nothing approaching severe.

This is a well made wine, typical of the area, and very highly recommended. Pair with red meats and cheeses. Label also recommends turkey but I'm not too sure. Depends on the sauce, I suppose. Then again, if you like red wine with your turkey, go for it.

Michel Lynch Barrel Select Sauvignon Blanc Bordeaux 2012, 12% (10.00, down from 19.99)

Bordeaux whites are generally taken as being a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon but that is not always the case and indeed the area is making some terrific wine with one hundred per cent Sauvignon, as is the case here.

In the glass it is pale gold and stunningly bright and has aromas of citrus, pineapple and blossom. On the palate it is fresh and fruity (maybe without the rush of flavour you’d get from a Marlborough SB), with an almost creamy mouthfeel and a persistent finish. In terms of Sauvignon Blanc, this is well up the rankings and highly recommended.

* Getting the correct serving temperature is quite important - I’ve had a few hiccups recently. There are some good guidelines here.

Marvels of Moulis

Marvels of Moulis
Moulis is not the first name that trips off the tongue when you are asked about Bordeaux. It is indeed the smallest appellation in the area but that doesn't prevent it from producing some very fine wines. I got to know the little village fairly well this summer, driving up and down the street quite a few times in a vain attempt to find the region’s Maison du Vin (closed down, methinks).

If you’d like to try a wine from Moulis, you could well be in luck as my search on Wine-searcher.com revealed that both wines below (maybe not the exact year) are available in Ireland. If you do get your hands on the 2006 Brillette, decant and make sure it is at room temperature before pouring.

L’Oratoire de Chasse Spleen, Moulis 2011, 13%

Chasse Spleen, according to Hugh Johnson, is “one of the surest things in Bordeaux” and the current edition of the Wine Atlas says “it can be viewed as an honorary St Julien for  its smoothness, its accessibility”. High praise indeed for the chateau with the unusual name, sometimes credited to Baudelaire, sometimes to Byron.

This is a second wine of the estate. Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) and Merlot (40) are the main players in the blend. The chateau says the Cab Sauv helps make it fresh and velvety while the Merlot is credited with giving it opulence and smoothness.

But I've been told forget the label: “Listen to your palate”. So here goes. The wine is a brilliant medium red with fruit aromas, including plum, some mint and pepper. On the palate, there is no shortage of fruit flavours; fine tannins are present but nothing too gripping. This is a fresh well-made well-balanced wine with a persistent finalé. Wouldn’t mind renewing acquaintance with it in a few years time.

Chateau Brillette, Comte de Perier de Larsan, Moulis 2006, 13.5%

This wine, a blend of Merlot (52%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40) and Petit Verdot (8), comes well recommended. A Jancis Robinson tasting gave it 16 out of 20 which equates to “distinguished”. She also advised drinking it between 2012 and 2018. Guess I got that right!

This is a dark rich red, lighter towards the rim, and it has complex fruit aromas (mainly plum, for me). Rounded fruit flavours on the palate, generous with notes of pepper and wood, soft tannins and good acidity. Decent enough finish as well. Think I’d be happy to agree with the rating by Jancis!

Satellite Merlot

Satellite Merlot. Lussac Saint-Emilion

Chateau Haut-Jamard 2011, 12.5%, €8.00.

Chateau Busquet 2008, 13%, €13.35.

Chateau Lucas, Grand Cuvée de Lucas Cuvée Prestige 2010, 14%, €12.35.

You like Merlot in a Bordeaux blend? But how much of it?

If you buy a bottle in Lussac, one of the four satellite towns of St Emilion, you’ll have a choice. Take the three bottles above, for instance. All are from Lussac and all have Merlot but the amount in the blend ranges from 50% in the last to 80% in the first!

Generally you won't know from the bottle. In a conversation with a French wine worker in the Dordogne a few years back, it was suggested that France had lost out in world markets because it didn't have the variety on the label. The man, a Serb who had settled locally, was fed up with such suggestions. “Around here we can use up to 13 varieties. How are we going to get all of them on the label?” A not unreasonable reaction.

But things could be changing. Chateau Lucas had the blend on the label and it was fifty fifty Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Jamard is 80 Merlot, 15 Cab Sauv and 5 Cab Franc while Busquet is 60 Merlot, 30 Cab Franc and 10 Cab Sauv. Quite a difference between the three.

Must say I preferred the Lucas and not just because of its motto: Sans Ceres et Bacchus, Venus est de glace. My translation: Without Ceres (food) and Bacchus (wine), Venus (love) is ice. We need a little of all three. In any event, I would be disposed to a wine in which Merlot and Cab Franc are major constituents.

And some love has already been expended on this wine as it comes with three silver medals to its credit. Harvesting is manual and they've come up with a near perfect blend, full and balanced and generous of flavour, with a lovely long finish.

Who's for the washing up?

The Haut-Jamard is the youngest of the three and quite a pleasant wine. On the palate it is round, tannins present but quite soft and again the finish is long.

All three are aromatic, the Busquet perhaps a bit more pronounced. This is smooth and mildly spicy, really well balanced, the tannins present but almost unnoticeable.

All three were bought last month in the Maison des Vins in St Emilion itself. While the blend info does not generally appear on the bottles, they had mini-info cards mounted alongside each bottle that gave the breakdown and other info such as the appellation and the soil type.

The other three satellites of St Emilion are Montagne, Puisseguin and St Georges. “At their best, the wines from these areas are every bit as good as a Saint-Emilion grand cru. At their worst, they are attenuated and rustic.” I quote from the Wines of Bordeaux by Clive Coates. This was published in 2004.

Rustic is often used when speaking of lesser known appellations, often applied to the likes of Listrac and Moulis as well. But times have changed as Coates noticed in 2004 “the last few years have seen an encouraging increase in quality”.

Indeed, he also had good things to say about the Lucas wines. And the prices are attractive. Three bottles from the satellites cost me €33.70 while three from main AOC came to €64.75, not a very scientific comparison admittedly. But do watch out for quality good value wines from Lussac in places like Mitchell’s, Curious Wines, Tindals and Le Caveau.

* By the way, I have updated the 2014 list of favourite wines here.