Two Excellent Reds For Santa's Bigger Helpers. A Grenache/Mourvèdre Blend from St Chinian and A Malbec From Argentina's Mendoza

Two Reds For Santa's Bigger Helpers. 

A Grenache/Mourvèdre Blend from St Chinian

A Malbec From Argentina's Mendoza

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Chateau Bousquette Pruneyrac St Chinian (DOC) 2018, 14.5%

R.R.P. €17.90. The Quay Co-Op, Cork/ Scally's Supervalu, Clonakilty
// The Little Green Grocer, Kilkenny // 

This is a big wine from the Midi, full of the aromas and flavours of organic Grenache (50%) and Mourvèdre.

Colour is purple, a little lighter at the edge, tears are slow to clear. Aromas are expressive: spice, pepper, wild berries and the local garrigue. On the palate it is harmonious, with intense flavours and silky tannins. Finish is long and spicy.  Very Highly Recommended

The Domaine de la Bousquette was the property of the Abbaye de Foncaude until the French Revolution. A long line of winegrowers, including the Fabre-Ginoulhac family who managed it until 1996, followed before it was taken over by Swiss winegrowers Eric and Isabelle Perret

It was very early on, in 1972, that the Domaine de la Bousquette joined the " Nature et Progrès " charter, and is now regularly certified by Ecocert for organic farming, without chemical fertilisers, weedkillers or pesticides.

This cuvée is named after an old family from the region, who were very involved in the estate at the beginning of the century, as evidenced by old bottles found in the cellars. Pruneyrac is in Saint-Chinian, an appellation in the large southern France region of Languedoc-Roussillon.

Uncork about 1 hour before the meal and serve with, for example, with lamb shoulder confit with sweet onions and ginger. Perfect too with a leg of lamb, cassoulet, strong cheese or a barbecue. By the way, this juicy red is excellent with turkey!

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Top Wines 2022. With Reviews & Irish Stockists. 

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El Abasto Malbec Mendoza (Argentina) 2018, 14% ABV, 

RRP €19.35. 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

There are, according to Wines of South America, two main factors that help Malbec thrive in Mendoza. 

The low rainfall (12” as against 30” Bordeaux) and its timing, falling mostly in the summer, promotes ripening and minimises disease. Second, Mendoza’s wide thermal amplitude (put simply, the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures) promotes aromatic development and softened tannins. The proof’s in a glass of this vibrant fruity full-bodied wine.

Where did the name come from. The label tells us that by the end of the 19th century, Buenos Aires was growing significantly due to migration from Europe. The El Abasto market opened in 1893 and, with many immigrant neighbourhoods, it quickly became also a centre for Tango, poetry, and culture.

Mid to dark ruby is the colour. The aromas are full of jammy dark and red fruit, all saying welcome, come on. And in the mouth, it is equally loveable, totally gluggable. That punchy yet soft fruit (plum, blackberry) comes in a medium body, and the wine is smooth right through to the finalé. Put this on your Malbec shortlist. Highly Recommended.

Pair with charcuterie, cold cuts, firm cheeses, steaks, burgers, pasta with red sauce and, among other things, Wine Folly suggests melted blue cheese.. And it can be served chilled, though you probably won’t need to do that at this time of year!

We can get some excellent Malbec from Cahors (in the south west of France) where it originated and is known as Côt. But is has found a welcoming home in Argentina and is the country’s most important grape. Indeed most of the world’s Malbec is now grown in Argentina.

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Best Value Wines 2022 Under €18.00. With Reviews & Irish Stockists. 

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Recommended Red Wines. Just what the doctors ordered in Faugères and fireworks from Italy’s Alba

Recommended Red Wines 

Just what the doctors ordered in Faugères

and fireworks from Italy’s Alba 

Leonides Météore Faugéres (AOP) 2018, 14%, 

€18.95 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Just what the doctors ordered.

From the steep-sloped schist outcrops of the Cévennes, where the vineyards of Faugères are planted, comes this excellent blend of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault.

Colour is a mid to dark ruby. Aromas are quite assertive with strong notes of blackcurrant and hints of the garrigue (thyme, balsamic). No shortage of spice on the velvety palate but also fresh and fruity and well balanced and definitely digestible, a word I’ve heard Le Caveau’s Pascal use quite often, and accurately I think, in regard to organic wines. 

An excellent wine, with a long and fruity finish, it is Very Highly Recommended. And you won’t need a prescription! Try in the weeks and months ahead with an Irish stew or a French style cassoulet or with some of O’Flynn’s Gourmet Sausages (especially the spicier ones).

The domaine, certified organic, has been recently purchased by Paul Jenkins and Paul Jarman, two London-based doctors and wine enthusiasts, who have known the area well for many years. Passionate about the possibilities presented by the Faugères schist terroir to create truly compelling wines, they spent a long time searching for a vineyard with the right potential, history and a truly unique setting. When they found Domaine du Météore, they knew they had found the right land and vines to create the wines they wanted.

And the vineyards name? Well many thousands of years ago, a meteor struck the land here and left its mark by way of a crater, a depression where their vines grow very well indeed. Oh yes, you may well notice a streak of minerality!

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Top Wines 2022. With Reviews & Irish Stockists. 

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Ciabot Berton Fisetta Barbara D’Alba (DOC) 2017, 14% ABV

€20.65 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Barbera is full-bodied, has high acidity and higher-level alcohol, is dry with low tannin, and is the go-to red-wine grape of Piedmont in northern Italy. It is also grown in neighbouring Lombardy and in Emilia Romagna . These three Italian regions account for most of the world’s Barbera crop.

Our Fisetta has a dark colour; you see it immediately on the bottom of the cork where it looks like blackberry. The nose is rather dense and fruity (blackberry jam). May not be as full-bodied as some but no shortage of flavour (cherry, blueberry). And there’s quite a kick of spice as well through the medium long finish. Highly Recommended.

The ‘Fisetta’ cuvée is produced from a small plot of young vines and the vineyard claim the result is freshness, good acidity and distinct hints of fresh fruit. Serve it at 18 degrees and you’ll find “it perfectly accompanies cured meats, light pasta dishes courses and fresh cheeses”. Wine Folly suggests trying it with roasted and vegetable-driven dishes. I reckon our bottle would be just perfect with a Pepperoni Pizza!

The name Fisetta (which means fireworks in Piedmontese) stems from the small building (ciabot, in Piedmontese) found on the site, which belonged to a certain Berton, who, in an attempt to make his own fireworks, caused a fire. Even today, from the cellar you can see the ruins of the building after which the winery is named.

The aim at Cabot Berton is to produce wines that express their vineyard terroir, unique in each vintage and with the stamp of the family’s way of working. “These methods are primarily the use of organic techniques in order to attain and maintain equilibrium and healthy vines in the vineyards and an emphasis on slow ripening and allowing the grapes to hang as long as possible in order to achieve phenolic ripeness, especially for Nebbiolo.”

We enjoyed the Ciabot Berton Rutuin Dolcetto D’Alba (DOC) 2013 a few months back. Review here

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Best Value Wines 2022 Under €18.00. With Reviews & Irish Stockists. 

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Top Wines 2022. With Reviews & Irish Stockists. 

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Two Very Highly Recommended French Whites. One from Bordeaux and one from Alsace.

Two Very Highly Recommended French Whites. 

One from Bordeaux and one from Alsace.

Château Turcaud Entre-Deux-Mers sec 2020, 12.5% ABV

€17.50 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

This Turcaud Blanc is a blend of Sauvignon (50%) with Sémillon (45%) and a touch of Muscadelle. The Entre-Deux-Mers (between two seas) is a famous wine growing region from the Bordeaux Appellation. The domain is situated in a very pleasant rural area, 30 km from Bordeaux and 20 km from Saint Emilion.  I know one producer who bought a vineyard here instead of the "boring" landscape of the Medoc.

Colour is a light straw with green highlights. Citrus, plus more exotic fruit, and floral notes in the very pleasant aromas. On the palate, it has a lot of that exotic fruit, liveliness and a very nice length. Very Highly Recommended.

Importers Le Caveau have a plea for you: So often overlooked here in Ireland , white Bordeaux is a joy to drink, this is really worth a try, we urge you not to make the same mistake as most.

Must say that I have long been an admirer of white Bordeaux blends, particularly where Sémillon plays a big role in the blend as is the case here. 

Ironically, it was an SSB wine from Xanadu in Western Australia that really alerted me to the blend. And that at a wine show in Cork; a few days later, I was down in Centre Park Road and collecting a case from Bubble Brothers.

I got a good grounding in the blend a few years later during a couple of visits to Podensac in Bordeaux. In a beautiful century-old residence nestled in the heart of the vineyards, in the Maison des Vins de Graves, I had the opportunity to taste many examples of white Bordeaux. 

Individuals, tourists, amateurs come here to buy the best vintages of the region. Guides are at your disposal for an enriching discovery of the vineyard and its castles. I got a good few into the car that summer but they soon ran out and then it was time to turn to le Caveau and this superb example of a Bordeaux blanc.

By the way, the amounts of Sauvignon and Sémillon in the blend can vary from vintage to vintage. In 2018, the split was Sauvignon Blanc (65%) and Sémillon (35).

The summer that I visited Podensac, I had Abbey Le Sauve Majeure on my visit list. I found it and climbed to the top of the impressive ruin. From the 159th and final step, I had a great view over the surrounding countryside. I didn’t know then the view included the immaculate vineyards of Caveau Turcaud, nowadays run by Stéphane and Isabelle Le May. Isabelle is the daughter of  Maurice Robert who bought the chateau in 1973. 

Their Tasting Advice: This wine is best enjoyed within two years of the vintage, well-chilled as an aperitif, with all sorts of seafood, or with goat's milk, ewe's milk, and hard cheeses. This wine is a pure delight.

Meyer-Fonné Pinot Blanc Vieilles Vignes Alsace (AC) 2019, 12.5%

€20.65 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Straw is the colour here; thought I saw a tint of green, and I did, but it was from a football pitch reflected from the TV! The aromas are seductive, of pear, peach and almond. A touch of sweetness on the nose, is found too on the palate, where white fruit, rich and fresh, some lemon zest now as well, is accompanied by a refreshing minerality. Precision, depth, purity all combine here. Delicious and moreish, with a very clean finish, this is Very Highly Recommended. Very good value too by the way.

Pinot Blanc, a variant of Pinot Noir, is grown mostly in Europe for its dry and refreshing wines, particularly in Germany, Italy (where it is key in Franciacorta production), Austria and France. Suggested pairings include Quiche Lorraine (not a surprise!), soft cheeses, flaky fish, and crab salads. I find it quite the match for Goatsbridge trout.

Le Caveau: Pinot Blanc Vieilles Vignes comes from a plot of old vines, it acts like Pinot Gris on the nose — rich, oily apricot and pear fruit— but the touch of white pepper and taste of freshly squeezed oranges is classic Pinot Blanc. A house pour at a number of Ireland's Michelin starred restaurants over the past 15 years. A sure fire hit each and every bottle opened.

Félix Meyer himself has come in for high praise.

"Félix Meyer is one of the more ambitious and successful young vignerons of Alsace.” Wine Advocate.

“ ... Félix Meyer still has humility, still has a sense of wonder, and is still capable of self-criticism. He is a seeker and a perfectionist. He is a terroirist, and when he speaks of a granitic soil, the wine in your glass tastes of it.”
Kermit Lynch, US importer.

No chemical fertiliser is used in the running of the vineyard, “only compost we make ourselves using raw materials derived from organic farming. Calcium and magnesian limestone is spread each year on the granitic soil terroirs to prevent acidification.”

Two to enjoy: A special Garganega and a delicious Syrah Rosé from the Rhone.

Two to enjoy: A special Garganega 

and a delicious Syrah Rosé from the Rhone.

Angiolino Maule, La Biancara, Masieri Bianco Garganega Veneto (IGT) 2021, 12.0% ABV

€20.95 Grainstore Wine Pop-Up Ballymaloe, 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

La Biancara, the vineyard, was “born” in the end of 80s, when pizza makers Angiolino and Rosamaria Maule bought a small plot of land, about six hectares, in the hills of Gambellara (a town in the Veneto). Since the beginning, they worked to develop their personal idea of wine; a wine created by the exaltation of nature, without chemical interferences in wineyard or in cellar, in order to obtain the highest expression of terroir in every bottle. 

Vino Italiano, which praises the vineyard (as does the World Atlas of Wine), says it could be argued that the (white) wines are purer expressions of Garganega than those of neighbouring Soave (where the grape dominates). Garganega is thought by some to be related to the Greco (another Mediterranean grape that I favour) of southern Italy.

Serve at approximately 10 Celsius with mussels, scallops, lobster, a variety of fish, tofu and grilled poultry. Herbs such as tarragon and chives will help highlight the green notes in the wine.

Straw is the colour of this 2021 white, predominantly Garganega but with  a ”drop of Trebbiano”. It is slightly clouded (they neither filter nor fine the wine). Aromas are delicate, floral notes and also tart lemon, lime and tangerine. Acidity is quite lively in this full bodied wine and there’s a fine finish as well. Very Highly Recommended. Serve at approximately 10 Celsius with mussels, scallops, lobster, a variety of fish, tofu and grilled poultry. Herbs such as tarragon and chives will help highlight the green notes in the wine.

They also produce a superb red, usually found with the white!

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Yves Cuilleron “Sybel” Syrah Rosé Vin du France 2020, 13.5%

€18.95 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny 

If you’re looking for a delicious dry rosé for slightly meatier fare or as these sunny (?) days turn to chilly evenings, look no further than this ruddy (should I say bloody?) Rhone rosé by maestro Yves Cuilleron.

Ruddy may be pushing it a bit but the colour of this bottle is a more robust pink than you normally see, thanks to the producer employing the “saignée” method (see below). It is produced from 100% Syrah grown “within the confines of the village of Chavanay in the Northern Rhone”.  

It is pretty to look at and the aromatics are promising if relatively delicate. Then the serious berry flavours kick in big time on the palate, quite an impressive amalgam of strawberries, cherries and raspberries all wrapped in a Syrah spice. So good, so well balanced, bright and fresh, this is one to look out for this summer (or perhaps its extension). Highly Recommended.

Saignée (means bleeding) is a unique style of rosé wine because it is so often bolder and darker in colour than any other rosé wine. If you’re not a fan of traditional rosé, you might like it because it’s “bigger, darker, and stronger than other wimpy pink wines”, according to Wine Folly. “Saignée also describes a method of rosé winemaking that involves ‘bleeding’ off a portion of red wine juice after it’s been in contact with the skins and seeds.”

See more (just a little!) on the subject here 

Yves Cuilleron initially worked as an engineer before being hit by the wine bug at age 26. He went to train at Ecole Viticole of Macon for a year then came back home, at the foot of Condrieu and Côte Rotie hills, and took over the family’s 3.5-ha estate.Importers Le Caveau are big fans. “The return of Yves Cuilleron to resuscitate his uncle’s farm is not only significant for a single individual or domaine. His efforts to return the region’s wines to global prominence will save the area’s vineyards from fading back into the hills and help to breathe life back into Condrieu, Côte-Rotie, and other corners of the northern Rhone.”

Geek Bits

Soil: Granite terroir.

Style: Rosé de Saignée

Grape: Syrah

Winery: Vinified and matured in barrique and in tank.

May I Introduce Two Handsome Italians: Gavi and Chianti

 May I Introduce Two Handsome Italians:

 Gavi and Chianti

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Cinzia Bergaglio La Fornace Gavi (DOCG) 2020, 13%, 

€19.95 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

This is a 100% Cortese  from the Tassarolo vineyard in Gavi. Colour is a light straw yellow with green tints. Delicate, fresh and fragrant neatly sums up the nose, typical of the grape, floral, and with notes of lemon and apple. It is well balanced between savoury and acidity on the palate. Peach and apricot figure, along with almond notes, in the pleasant finish with a dry finalé.

Le Caveau tell us that, for years, the Bergaglio family has been producing grapes which they sold in bulk, until 2002, when Cinzia decided to bottle her production. “Cinzia's vision is to farm following organic principles, the farm uses products with a low environmental impact, the vineyards are fertilised with green manure: among the rows, Cinzia grows a mix of herbs and various vegetables.”

The Cortese grape that yields this light-bodied white wine is grown in Piedmont and virtually nowhere else. It is known also as Cortese de Gavi or just plain Gavi. I’ve had some lack-lustre Gavi over the vintages but happy to put this on my Highly Recommended list. Piedmont is best known for its reds including Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto.

Geeks Bits

Vineyard: Tassarolo

ABV: 13%

Serving Temperature: 10-12 degrees

Pairing: appetisers, cocktails, seafood (especially with basil and lemon), soups, fresh cheese.

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Innocenti Chianti Colli Senesi (DOCG) 2016, 13.5%

€18.95 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Ruby is the colour of this blend of Sangiovese (mostly) and Canaiolo Toscano, a DOCG wine from Chianti deli Colli Senesi. Plum leads the way in the aromatics. On the palate, there’s quite a wash of spice with cherry now heading the fruit flavours. It is slightly tannic with excellent acidity all the way to a fresh finish. Highly Recommended.

It is a versatile food wine and should go well with roast chicken. Le Caveau have a list from Tuscany: Try this with ribollita, a bread-thickened bean and black cabbage soup or pot roast pigeon cooked with sage and spiced luganega sausage with stir-fried fennel or braised celery.

The estate lies between Montepulciano and Montefollonico. The cellar buildings, dating back to end of the 13th century, are in the small, well-preserved medieval town of Montefollonico.

It is a family affair. The owner Vittorio Innocenti gave up teaching philosophy many years ago to dedicate all his time to the estate and the cellars and is helped by his wife Maria Rosa, theatre historian, his son Tommaso, who is currently finishing a course of study enabling him to take over the management of the estate, and his brother Mario, responsible for the care of the vineyards.

Chianti Colli Senesi is an area that overlaps some of Tuscany's most famous wine names – Montalcino, Montepulciano and San Gimignano – with the Chianti Colli Senesi title used to cover Sangiovese-based wines from the less prestigious vineyards of the area. (Ref: Wine-Searcher)

A Montefalco Red and a Rhone White. A Superb Pair from Le Caveau.

 A Montefalco Red and a Rhone White. 

A Superb Pair from Le Caveau.

Tenuta Belefonte Pomontino Montefalco Rosso (DOC) 2019, 13%

€21.95 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Pomontino is not a grape but the name of this blend of two grapes; one is the well-known Sangiovese (80%) and the other is Sagrantino.

It comes, from Umbria, in a light ruby robe, bearing warm rich welcoming aromas of cherry and berry. No shortage of these fruit flavours on the palate but now the main feature of this light and elegant wine is the vivid acidity that helps keep it all balanced on the way to a dry finish where you’ll note some light tannins (mostly on the lips). Very Highly Recommended.

It has been aged one year in large Slovenian oak casks and 6 months in bottle. Native yeasts are used and it is neither fined nor filtered, total production was 16,000 bottles and the recommended service temperature is 16° - 18°C (64°F).

It comes from the small area of Montefalco, part of Umbria perhaps best known for the tannic red Sagrantino. The vineyard expands on it: “The area of Montefalco, and more generally the Umbria region, can boast a deep-rooted tradition not only for reds but also for white wines. Particularly fresh wines, intriguing for their structure and surprising with the evolution.”

The owner Peter Heilbron is a relative newcomer. About 15 years ago, he was the busy MD of Heineken Italy. Then he and his wife Sabina purchased this wonderful 40-ha property and set aside 11 hectares for the vineyard (the rest of the land is dedicated to woodland, orchards and olive trees).

Heilbron designed his winery, completed in 2010, building it into the clay and marl hillside with subterranean porous walls made from gabions, steel baskets filled with stones. The winery is energy independent, using solar panels for electricity and generating heat and hot water by burning vine cuttings in a biomass boiler.

In the vineyards, Heilbron shuns chemical fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides, using seaweed and plant extracts as a kind of vine homeopathy. He has not pursued organic certification because, in rainy seasons, he sometimes prefers to use a sustainable fungicide to fight mildew rather than copper sulfate, which is permitted for organic use but can build up in the soil and be toxic to bees and other organisms. "I prefer to do it my way," he says. And going by this bottle and the white below, his way is working out very well indeed!

You may well be wondering about the Sagrantino grape, a little known one here in Ireland though once it “used to be considered good for convalescents”, according to Grapes & Wine which goes on to say it is found around Perugia in Umbria and makes intense, tannic and strongly fruity wines.

We enjoyed the white relatively recently and you may check it out here:

Montefalco Bianco https://www.corkbilly.com/2022/04/a-bordeaux-super-sleeper-and-relatively.html

Chaume-Arnaud Côtes Du Rhône blanc (AOC) 2020, 13.5%

€20.40 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Straddling both banks of the Rhône River, from Vienne to Avignon, the AC Côtes Du Rhône (CdR) includes over 170 communes and 6 departments: Loire, Thone, Ardeche, Drome, Vaucluse and the Gard.

The main white varieties are White Grenache, White Claudette, Marsanne, Roussane, Viognier and Bourboulenc. Secondary varieties are White Picpoul and White Ugni. This is an AOC wine; for the IGP wine, Chaume-Arnaud turn to Chenin, Chasselas and Vermentino. CdR regulations allow the use of some 22 grape varieties between red and white.

This one by Chaume-Arnaud (Le Caveau also import the red) is a blend of 40% Marsanne (hardy, vigorous, generous), 40% Roussanne (delicate, elegant, and complex) with 20% Viognier (hardy, high alcohol, can enrich bouquet). 

Colour is mid-straw, clear and crisp. The bouquet is fruity and floral and that transfers to the palate, with peach, pear, apricot prominent, a beautiful texture and, with fresh acidity contributing, a fine and delicious balance. Serve at 12 degrees (according to the label) and you’ll find it ideal with grilled fish, shellfish, fish stew and goats cheese.

It is a really excellent wine. And we shouldn’t be surprised. While the Rhône is best known for its reds, the winemakers don’t suddenly lose their skills when they turn to making whites. Very Highly Recommended.

Le Caveau: 

“Domaine Chaume-Arnaud is biodynamically managed and comprises of 38 ha of vineyards planted on slopes and terraces around the picturesque villages of Vinsobres and Saint-Maurice, near Nyons.

The altitude, between 200 to 450m, and the cool wind from the nearby Alps (the Pontias) keep the temperature lower than the neighbouring villages and contribute to the natural freshness and complexity of the wines……The focus is to have the healthy, biodynamically grown fruits shine into the wines; winemaking is resolutely low intervention and no additives (albeit a tiny amount of SO2) are used.”

Valérie and husband Philipe, and now son Thibaud, are the family behind the chateau: We first chose to work in organic farming, which seems to us to be more respectful of the earth and people, ….Over the years, we have noticed that not only are our soils more lively, but our vines are more vigorous and our wines have evolved towards a more harmonious balance.