Domaine Tempier Bandol 2001

The wines of the South of France have generally been of a minor interest to me. I think that there is so much to learn about wine that you have to be selective and concentrate on your primary interests first.

The joy, however, is that then you can broaden your scope and revisit these areas and rediscover wines that you may have only had a cursory look at previously

The Languedoc, Roussillon and Provence tend to get lumped together and are often seen as an extension of the Rhone and good for Rose.

These areas are vitally important because they have their own distinct character and are the test centres for new winemaking techniques as well as experimentation with different grape varieties and blends.

The wines of the South of France first gained a worldwide reputation during the 1970s when the ‘flying winemakers’ from Australia would fly to the South of France to work. Having finished the harvest in the Southern hemisphere they could now work another vintage in France. They brought with them modern wine making techniques and a willingness to step outside the conventions of the strict appellation systems in France. These wines gained a reputation for their fruit forward style. The emergence of these wines also made people more curious about the various and diverse appellations of these regions. A rising tide lifts all boats.

So now we come to Provence. The main appellations are Bandol, Bellet, Cassis, Coteaux de Pierrevert, Cotes-de-Provence,  Côtes de Provence-Sainte Victoire,  Coteaux Varois,  Les-Beaux-de-Provence and Palette. If you ever have to discuss diversity in the South of France you may do well to remember Bandol and the Mourvedre grape. The red wines of Bandol must be made from a minimum of 50% Mourvedre. The remaining percentage can come from Cinsault or Grenache.

I decanted the Domaine Tempier Bandol 2001 and left for a few hours to soften out. I must point out that the ABV is 15%. The colour was a rich ruby with an orange glow from rim to core. The bouquet was quite alcoholic as you would imagine and interspersed with violet notes. On the palate the wine was a monster with great structure, medium tannins, red currant, dark fruit and a long lingering finish of liquorice. This wine needs food and would be hard to drink more thatn 2 glasses at a time. I bought this in Enowine about 3 years ago for around €24. It is available in Karwig wines and McCabes.

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Mas de Daumas Gassac Vin de Pays de l’Hérault 2001

Vin de Pays means ‘country wine’ and the suggestion is that wine at this level is of lesser quality than wine designated appellation controlee. In general this is a good rule of thumb but there are always exceptions to every rule.

It is true that the yields can be higher and the rules can seem more lax with Vin de Pays but one of the main reasons that these wines are not designated appelation controlee is that they choose to use grape varieties that are restrticted by the particular appellation of that region.

Mas de Daumas Gassac is one of these wines that shows the true potential of the Languedoc when paired with a commitment to making excellent wines.  When discussing the difference between appellation d’origine controlee wines and vin de pays I always mention Mas de Daumas Gassac to illustrate that just because a wine does not confirm to the appellation does not mean that it lacks quality. Mas de Daumas Gassac has been labeled the ‘Latour of the Languedoc’ and sells for €35-€40, not bad for a vin de pays. Available from Karwig Wines, Carrigaline and Le Caveau in Kilkenny.

Mas de Daumas Gassac is generally 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with the final 20% made up of a mix between Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Tannat, Nebbiolo and Barbara to name a few.

I have had the luck to taste a number of vintages of Mas de Daumas Gassac and last weekend I opened a bottle of the 2001 vintage. I decanted the bottle and as I was pouring I noticed that the wine seemed to lack a bit of colour. I poured out a glass and the rim showed faint ruby tinges. What struck me even more was there seemed to be a slight vinegar smell in the air. I began to suspect that the wine had an excessive amount of Volatile Acidity. I left the wine for a few hours before tasting it. When I came back to the wine the nose seemed dull but there was some fruit along with the underlying hint of vinegar. On the palate there was the dark fruit that I associate with this wine but it just did not taste right. The length was shorter than it should be and there was a certain sourness that remained when the fruit flavours dissipated. I vainly tried to convince myself that it was going to improve but after 2 glasses I poured the rest down the sink muttering ”f*ck you Aime Guibert’. A real disappointment as this has been one of my favourite wines over the last few years.

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Adelaide Hills Tasting – Dublin 4th September 2009

 A Morning in the Adelaide Hills was hosted by John McDonnell of Wine Australia Ireland and presented by Marty Edwards of the Lane Vineyards http://www.thelane.com.au/. Marty tasted through a number of wines that are typical of the styles that most represent what the Adelaide Hills are best at.  The Adelaide Hills is a narrow corridor 70 km x 30km with over 2000 hectares  under vine that was first planted in 1839. The vines are planted between 400 and 600 metres above sea level. The high altitudes regulate the temperature and with a diurnal difference of nearly 20C it maintains the natural acidity of the grapes. It also has a longer hang time than the Barossa or the McLaren Vale. The hang time or ripening period is significant as flavour develops better when the grapes are allowed to ripen over a longer period of time. A shorter ripening time with higher temperatures can effect the aromatic compounds of the grapes and produce very high sugar content. Therefore the wines of the Adelaide Hills are not your typical Aussie but are more European in style being fresher, aromatic and having balanced, natural acidity.

There are 95 Growers and 20 Wineries in the Adelaide Hills producing roughly 70% White wine to 30% Red, no mention of rose but Sparkling Wine is on the rise . The main grape varieties planted are Sauvignon Blanc (Regional Champion), Chardonnay, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Cabernet and New Italian varietals.

The Lane Gathering Sauvignon/Semillon 2007The first of Marty’s own wines that we tasted was The Lane Gathering Sauvignon/Semillon 2007. The aromas were of lime with vanilla notes in the background. The palate had rich flavours of apricot, lime and a nice streak of minerality. There was a certain creaminess derived from the oak treatment

The Lane 19th Meeting Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 

 

 Had an opaque core with a near tawny rim showing it age. There was quite a bit of sediment in the glass. There was a typical Cabernet Sauvignon nose of blackcurrant with some herbaceous notes. The tannins were less than medium and on the plate the plum flavour was more dominant with some blackcurrant and a slight mushroom character. The wine had a great length in sync with its overall quality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Chateau de Camensac Haut Medoc 2005 5th Growth

When it comes to age worthy wines I have always been more of a grab a granny rather than a cradle snatcher. I bought a case of Camensac 2005  En Primeur in 2006 and have been resisting the urge to try the wines for some time. Buying En Primeur can be a gamble unless you research well beforehand but luckily I had been to Bordeaux for the En Primeur tastings so at least I had some idea of what I was buying. Tasting 200 + wines over 2 days is not as fun as I had imagined and to be honest most are so tannic at that stage that it can be hard to get an accurate idea of their potential. What I did note was that some wines were overripe and extracted and a waste of an outstanding vintage.

In 1855 Camesnsac was classified as a 5th Growth. Many commentators suggest that the wine rarely lives up to the classification but in 2005 Camensac was taken over by the owners of Chasse Spleen and Gruaud Larose so it is possible that we may see a return to its former glory.

 

On Sturday afternoon I decanter the wine and left it for about an hour. I had a small class to check on its progress and noted that the nose was still quite tight. The colour remained opaque in the core and there was a brief rim that still retained the youthful purple. On the palate the wine was still tight and concentrated so still too early to start drinking and it was only 4pm also.

At around 7pm I tried the wine again and it had evolved nicely at this stage. There were hints of vanilla and blackcurrant/plum on the nose with cedar and tobacco in the background. The fruit had opened up and was rounder but there was still a great concentration of dark fruit. This has plenty of potential to develop for another 6 years at least. I will try to drink one every year from now on and track its development. The wine cost about €23 when I bought it but would  be over €40 to buy it today.

 

A note on the label change. When I opened the case I actually thought that I had got the wrong wine. The label has changed from the 2004 vintage and I can’t say that I am a fan of the new design.

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William Fevre Chablis Champs Royaux 2007

William Fevre are synonymous with making excellent wines and their reputation is well deserved. The Champs Royaux are select parcels that come from some of their own vineyards and grapes that are bought in by Fevre separately. This is a step up from their entry level Chablis and is treated in the same manner as their Premier Cru wines. The must is  fermented in stainless steel and 10% is aged in French oak barrels, presumeably old ones.  2007 has been hailed as a classic Chablis vintage with minerality, linear fruit and a good dose of acidity. The high acid is not as prevelant due to the percentage of oak treatment that softens out the acid. I tasted the basic Chablis in June and there is a marked difference between the two wines in terms of acidity. The Champs Royaux is an excellent wine and at €18.99  ( Redmonds of Ranleagh) represents great value when you consider most Premier Cru are above €20.

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