Campobarro Tempranillo Ribera del Guadiana 2015

Campobarro Tempranillo Ribera del Guadiana 2015

Campobarro Tempranillo Ribera del Guadiana 2015

Dark color with purple hue. Nose of black berries, sweet spices, vanilla, earth and light green notes. Medium structure on the palate with flavors of vanilla ice cream, small berry cake and a light bitterness on the finish. This is pretty good for the price. Good+ (88)

Made of 100% tempranillo. Alcohol level 14%

Available in SAQ stores for 10,85$ (Code SAQ : 10357994)

Bodegas San Marcos: bodegasanmarcos.com

Represented in Québec by Bénédictus: benedictus.ca

De Martino Cinsault Viejas Tinajas DO Secano Interior 2014

De Martino Cinsault Viejas Tinajas DO Secano Interior 2014

 De Martino Cinsault Viejas Tinajas DO Secano Interior 2014 

Light purple color. Shy nose that opened with air to give red berries, earth, spices and incense aromas. Flavors of clay, earth, spices then fruit and flowers notes. Reserved for now, this wine haven’t bloomed yet. Very light heat on the finish. Champion in originality, it doesn’t sink on the “funky” side of some naturally made wines. Very good (89)

From ungrafted Cinsault vines planted in the 1980’s and located 22km from the ocean. Aged in old clay amphorae. Alcohol level of 13%

This wine can be purchase through private import with Vins Balthazard: vinsbalthazard.com

De Martino’s website: demartino.cl

Domaine Buisson-Charles Bourgogne Hautes Coutures 2013

Domaine Buisson-Charles Bourgogne Hautes Coutures 2013

Domaine Buisson-Charles Bourgogne Hautes Coutures 2013

Ruby color. Fresh nose with fiels straberries, herbs and strawberry tips. Bright and mouth watering acidity on the palatewith flavors of red fruits, earth and spices. Became even better at the table and would be an excellent choice to pair with heavier dishes as its acidity would bring freshness to the plate, making the wine shine even more. Still pretty young, will be better after 2-3 years of cellaring. Good+ (88)

Made from 50 years old vines planted in Meursault.  Aged in oak barrels with 10% new oak and less than 5 years old barrels. Alcohol level of 12,5%

Almost gone from the shelves, was sold for 32,00$ in SAQ stores (Code SAQ : 12440231)

Producer’s website: buisson-charles.com

Domaine Buisson Charles is represented in Québec by Séguin Robillard: seguinrobillard.ca

Domaine Buisson-Charles Bourgogne Hautes Coutures 2013

Château Smith Haut-Lafitte Grand Cru Graves 1979

Moi et les vieux vins

My taste for mature wines…

In the “world” of wine, everyone would like to taste everything, others are aiming at cellaring great bottles for special occasion as anniversaries and birth years. But the question these person should ask themsaelves is; do they like mature wines? Why invest money in these bottles for longer cellaring time if the result doesn’t fulfil them? One should know that older wines have almost nothing in common with youger one available on our monopoly’s shelves!

Along the years, I had the oppotunity to open botlles of mature wines and confirm the fact that I like that style, the taste and the history behind them. That is one of the reasons why when I travel in the United States a part of my “wine buying” is done with older wines.

And as I do almost every year at the end of summer / beginning of fall season, I open with my family a bottle of wine from the vintage of my birth year, 1979. That’s exactly what I did only few days ago. Here are my comments about the wine:

Château Smith Haut-Lafitte Grand Cru Classé Graves 1979

Château Smith Haut-Lafitte Grand Cru Classé Graves 1979

The bottle is in great shape and looks like it was well preserved, its appearance not betraying its age and the label isn’t damaged. The bottle fill level is perfect. After a really short time and no particular effort, the cork came out in one piece.

The wine is orange-brownish brick color. Really shy at first, the wine took at least 30 minutes before showing aromas of old wood, tobacco, fall leaves and dry fruits notes. Being on the same flavor profile, the wine shows its elegance and finesse on the palate, with a long finish and a medium adicity level which I liked since that type of wine often have high and sometimes even an anoying acidity level. Paired with our smiles, we did enjoyed a lot this bottle, fulfilling our expectations that were, let’s say, pretty low, which helped the moment being even more appreciated. Can’t wait for the next bottle of mature wine to be opened! Excellent (91)

Château Smith Haut-Lafitte Grand Cru Classé Graves 1979

The wine becomes orange-brown as it age

Domaine de la Pinte Poulsard de l'Ami Karl Arbois 2015

Domaine de la Pinte Poulsard de l’Ami Karl Arbois 2015

Domaine de la Pinte Poulsard de l’Ami Karl Arbois 2015

Light ruby orange-ish color. Nose of red berries, gooseberries with some earth and green notes. Intense but not concentrated flavors of red fruits, rhubarb, gooseberries all paired with a bright acidity and a high drinkability. Satisfying and original as Jura can often do. Very good (89) 

Made of  Poulsard. Aged in tanks. Alcohol level of 12,5%. Certified organic and Demeter.

Available in SAQ stores for 26,50$ (Code SAQ : 12616515)

Domaine de la Pinte’s website: lapinte.fr

Domaine de la Pinte is represented in Québec by Raisonnance: raisonnance.net

Domaine de la Pinte Poulsard de l'Ami Karl Arbois 2015

Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja 2001

Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja 2001

Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja 2001

Dark garnet color. Nose of wild berries, dry fruits, leather and old wood. Smooth on the palate with its flavors of old wood, leather, tobacco, sweet spices and some jammy fruits notes on a long and persistant finish. It is quite interesting to have the opportunity to drink a wine of that age at that more than reasonable price. Very good (89)

Made of 86% Tempranillo, 9% Graciano and 5% de Mazuelo. Aged 26 months in French and American oak barrels. Alcohol level of 13,5%

The 2004 vintage is currently available in SAQ store for 29,95$ (Code SAQ : 10483026)

Bodegas Faustino’s website: bodegasfaustino.com

Sélect Vins is the agency that represents Faustino in Québec: selectwines.ca

 

Tawse Chardonnay Niagara Peninsula VQA 2012

Tawse Chardonnay Niagara Peninsula VQA 2012

Tawse Chardonnay Niagara Peninsula VQA 2012

Couleur doré léger. Arômes de pommes, de poires, il y a un peu de notes d’agrume ainsi qu’un côté salin et floral. Assez vif en bouche avec beaucoup de fraîcheur, du fruit tel que perçu au nez et le vin se termine sur une finale minéral. Très bien (89)

Composé de Chardonnay. Fermenté et élevé en barriques de chêne français. Fait 13% d’alcool

Disponible à la SAQ pour 23,50$ (Code SAQ : 11039736)

Le site internet de Tawse Winery: tawsewinery.ca

Échantillon proposé par La Société de vins fins: sdvf.ca

tawse-chardonnay-niagara-peninsula-vqa-2012_2

Domaine François Cotat Les Monts Damnés Sancerre 2007

Domaine François Cotat Les Monts Damnés Sancerre 2007

Domaine François Cotat Les Monts Damnés Sancerre 2007

You don’t see that often white wine bottles with few years of cellaring done being opened as it is usually something kept for red wine. And when that type of wine is tasted blind, the appreciation is raised since it become harder to find what the bearer brought and pourred us…

Light gold color. Some sulfur at first on the nose, then smoke, peach and citrus fruit with a little green side I don’t usually match with the varietal aromas of sauvignon blanc. Expressive yet serious on the palate with high mineral / sea shells side, then the citrus fruit, yellow apples and litchi flavors. Balanced and bright at first and round, charming and salty on a long finish. Complex and tasty. The bottle owner patience allowed us to be rewqarded with its content! Excellent (91)

Domaine François Cotat is represented in Québec by Le Maître de Chai: maitredechai.ca

Les Deux Clochers Saint-Pourçain 2014

Les Deux Clochers Saint-Pourçain 2014

Les Deux Clochers Saint-Pourçain 2014

Medium dark ruby color. Nose of red fruits like strawberries, raspberries and just a hint of rhubarb and peppery spices. On the palate, it’s all about fruit. Might sounds like a “cliché”, but is so good and easy drinking. No razor-sharp acidity, no heavyness, slightly rustic on the finish that brings up a touch or seriousness, otherwise it would be too fun to enjoy with restraint! Among my favorite wines of that specific style, since a few vintages already. Good+ (88) 

Made of Gamay (75%) and Pinot Noir (25%). Alcohol level of 12,5% 

Available in SAQ stores for 15,00$ (Code SAQ : 00895953)

The producer website: vignerons-saintpourcain.com

They are represented in Québec by Sélections Oeno: oeno.ca

Les Deux Clochers Saint-Pourçain 2014

Domaine de la Rectorie Collioure Côté Mer Rosé 2014

Domaine de la Rectorie Collioure Côté Mer Rosé 2014

Domaine de la Rectorie Collioure Côté Mer Rosé 2014

Watermelon juice color. Fine and subtle nose of red fruits with citrus fruit and salty notes. Tastier on the palate, it charms! Far from being a sugary rosé, it’s even better with grilled dishes. Serious, deep with red berry flavors, roses, it’s salty with just a touch of aromatic herbs and spices. Came in late in my summer, otherwise I would’ve had many bottles of this. Very good+ (90) 

Made of grenache, syrah and carignan. Fermented in barrels and aged on lees for 6 months.  Alcohol level of 13,5% 

Almost all gone, but was sold in SAQ stores for 27,40$ (Code SAQ : 11632441)

Domaine de la Rectorie’s website: la-rectorie.com

They are represented in Québec by Les Vins Alain Bélanger: lvab.ca

Domaine de la Rectorie Collioure Côté Mer Rosé 2014