January 23, 2011

Saturday Tasting Notes

I stopped in to my local wine shop for their Saturday tasting, which featured new arrivals from France. A nice round up of gems at reasonable prices. I'm glad to see these awesome values, and had a nice time chatting with importer Chad Zimmerman (of Animaux du Vin) about his travels in France.

 (+) Guy Bocard Bourgogne Blanc 2008 $21
Beautiful and expressive chardonnay. This wine is falsa marga in reverse: the nose is intense and round with creamy lemon and pear, but the structure is tight and zippy on the palate. Importer Animaux du Vin describes it as Meursault character without the Meursault price. I rarely sing praises of chardonnays (that arn't Blanc de Blanc Champagne), but this one got me excited. Recommended.

(+) Beaurenard Côtes-du-Rhône 2007 $16
Côte-du-Rhône is my comfort wine, since it can offer so much, but I was a touch disappointed. I love the complex herbal nose, with licorice, pepper and earthiness, but it was a bit underwhelming going down. Not that CdR should be about power - and this wine, entirely sourced from within the Rasteau appellation, shows the more elegant side of a wide-ranging appellation. Recommended.
70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Cinsault

(+) Château Les Rosiers Bordeaux Rouge 2009 $12
Say what you want about Bordeaux, there are still good wines at god prices out there. And its thanks to importers doing a good job that we have access to them. Not your typical cheap red Bordeaux, this had plenty to think about on the nose, but restrained a structure and moderate alcohol. Young tannins, but totally approachable. Reminded me why I love wine; even the humble bottles can be exciting!
60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc. Recommended.

(+) Château Haut Bernasse Monbazillac Les Clos 2005 $20
I'd like to say that this wine was perfectly balanced, but the acidity was a touch light. The sweetness, however, was entirely in check. Fragrant honey-nut aromas with that distinct and powerful noble rot nose (what my wife calls "Barbie-face"). Easy drinking and vibrant. Amazing value when you consider the price is for a full 750 mL. Recommended.
80% Semillon, 15% Muscadelle, 5% Sauvignon Blanc

All wines were provided, gratis, by Great Wine Buys and Animaux du Vins, as part of the regular weekend tasting.

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