Cortes de Cima Chaminé Alentejano 2014

Cortes de Cima Chaminé Alentejano 2014

Cortes de Cima Chaminé Alentejano 2014

Dark cherry color. Nose of balck berries, spices, leather, aromatic herbs and something oily. Rustic on the palate at first, with just a touch of alcohol, there is fruit flavors, spices, some herbacious notes as there was some on the nose. Quite long finish, this wine is tasty and will make a perfect pairing with grilled meat dishes when the sun will be out and ready for summer! Good (87)

Made of 40% Aragonez (Tempranillo), 25% Syrah, 20% Touriga Nacional, 10% Alicante Bouschet, 5% Trincadeira, Tempranillo and Syrah. Alcohol level of 13,5% 

Available in SAQ stores for 13,65$ (Code SAQ : 10403410)

Cortes de Cima’s website : cortesdecima.com

They are represented in Québec by Vins Balthazard : vinsbalthazard.com

Château Cailleteau Bergeron Tradition Côtes de Blaye 2015

Château Cailleteau Bergeron Tradition Côtes de Blaye 2015

Lightly colored with green hue. Salty and herbacious nose with citrus fruit and flower notes. Enjoyable acidity on the palate with flavors of citrus fruit, herbs, green apples and a great intensity and finish lenght. This is really well made! Very good (89)

Made from 70% sauvignon blanc and 30% sauvignon gris. Aged in stainless tanks. Alcohol level of 13%

Available at the SAQ for 16,70$ (Code SAQ : 10863281)

The Château’S website: cailleteau-bergeron.com

Represented in Québec by VINS FINS l’Agence: sdvf.ca

Château Cailleteau Bergeron Tradition Côtes de Blaye 2015

Pearl Morissette

Pearl Morissette and their living wines

Pearl Morissette and their living wines

Rain, in January, this is so crazy! But it could be worse, cause I see something good coming. I had the privilege, on that grey day, to meet at the vineyard François Morissette. François is the man behing the wines of Pearl Morissette, pioneer in living wines making in Niagara.

Pearl Morissette - fûts alsacien

François uses many types of containers as these old cask from Alsace

I had many times Pearl Morissette wines in my glass. Following my passion, I want to meet the person behind the wine I’m having and I want to meet them. I know that after these meetings the wines taste sometimes even better as I understand them differently cause I can get the vision that led to them and why they were made that way.

I first saw François at the Raspipav event, a wine show on private import products in Montréal. I promised him that I would come by the winery and visit him. I was there, on his field of work and he’s making all these wine come true. I wanted Pearl Morissette living wines!

Visit of the winery, with the Winemaker

While drinking François words, his vision came to me; his desire to make good wine while not interfering with this ‘natural’ evolution. He uses many types of container to age his wines, but all in a way to let the soil, the vines and finally the wines to express themselves.

Understanding the climate, the soil, the vines then the resulting wines are not an easy task. Many experiences were made and makers were identified from vintage to vintage, then creativity could be expressed properly without endangering the results. Science does have its role here and that’s what creates those useful markers or requiered data to monitor the wines as they evolve to become the wines that we’ll drink. That’s why he can make wines that are clean while vibrant and alive while not shadowing the their true originality.

Pearl Morissette - Cuve de béton en forme d'oeuf

Pearl Morissette – Custom made egg shape concrete tank

One thing is clear for François is that any kind of intervention, even when you don’t, have effects on the final product. He don’t beleive then in the “let everything go natural wine” principle. The primary matter is transformed and shaped by these decisions and manipulations. That’s why understanding the results of any actions made on the wine, as minimalist they are, is critical as it can overcome his vision on how he want his wines to be… That’s exactly why he doesn’t like the “natural” wine thing as it doesn’t mean anything and doesn’t offer the warranty that the fruit itself will be good prior to the winemaking process.

His experience acquiered while working at the best wineries of Burgundy is then useful. This allows him to master the classical grape varieties with which he’s working while still being creative.

Under the charm of the place, the man and the wines!

To face the rising demand for his wines, the risk coming from the weather and the various conditions of each vintage, he buys grapes from other producers of the area. He makes sure to get fruits that are farmed with the same vision as his, on how they’re growned and how the vines are taken care of.

While touring the place and talking, we did taste many wines, all from the 2015 and 2016 vintages that are still under ageing process. We had both wines from his vineyards and from bought fruits. Sample were took of stainless tanks, egg shaped and regular concrete tanks, then from barrels of different ages and even from old Alsacian casks of 50 years+ !

Pearl Morissette - vin orange

Their orange wine!

We had Rieslings made dry so vibrant, refreshing and so deep (especially the Cuvée Black Ball – see the story between him and the VQA system behind this wine). Then very fine Pinot Noir and even a “en primeur” fruit foward one made to drink young and on its primary fruit profile. Impressive Chardonnays with amazing texture, having the core to support oak ageing, Cabernet Franc so tasty and Gamay wines that have everythin to please the writer of these lines. Not to forget or let behind is their orange wine made of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling that spent 3 months on the skin. To end that tasting, a “Solera” type of wine from a cask that see it filled with remaining juice François have or from what’s left in barrels after bottleing. This wine, made from all type of grapes is blended with juice going back to the 2008 vintage, is so complex and stunning. This one is François’s study coming from his appreciation of Xeres wine. We can only hope that it’ll be bottled one day…

I was so pleased with this visit and tasting.

Can’t wait to be back there to meet again that epressive, creative and such a nice man. It would also be a great opportunity to visit all the installation as they have all kind of animal on their farm and this place is just so beautiful that just looking at it will make the next visit worthy.

I also can’t wait to talk about his other project, a vineyard he’s working on in Calfornia in the Sonoma valley! But this is another story / blog post. If you’re interested of learning more on these new wines, you can still order them through the Courrier Vinicole from the SAQ

Pearl Morissette’s website : pearlmorissette.com

They are represented in Québec by La QV : laqv.ca

Now, what are we drinking?

Pearl Morissette

Douglas Green Cabernet-Sauvignon Western Cape 2016

Douglas Green Cabernet-Sauvignon Western Cape 2016

Douglas Green Cabernet-Sauvignon Western Cape 2016

Medium dark and slightly purple color. Spicy nose with dark berries, leather and grilled bell pepper. Smooth on the palate with a good amount of fruit flavors, it ends in a finish where a light bitterness and green pepper give some strenght. Drinks pretty easily. To pour over meat or lasagna dish. Good (87)

Made of  Cabernet-Sauvignon from vineyards in Swartland and Robertson. Fermentation and ageing goes in tanks with French oak staves contact for 3 months. Alcohol level of 14%

Available in SAQ stores for 10,15$ (Code SAQ : 12383248)

Douglas Green vineyards website: douglasgreenwines.com

Sample proposed by VINS FINS l’Agence: sdvf.ca

Norman Hardie Cabernet Franc VQA Niagara Peninsula 2014

Norman Hardie Cabernet Franc VQA Niagara Peninsula 2014

Norman Hardie Cabernet Franc VQA Niagara Peninsula 2014

Medium dark ruby color with purple hue. True to Norman Hardie’s Cab Franc nose with its blend of berries, a hint of bell peppers, spices and earth notes in a very fresh way. Similar on the palate with a great acidity level (even if lower than its County equivalent), this wine drinks so easily, being so good and comforting. Nothing to help my craving of their wines or to help me wai till we visit again the winery! Very good+ (90)

Made of Cabernet Franc. Aged 10 months in French oak barrels. Alcohol level of 12,5%

Available at the winery or at the LCBO for around 29,00$

Norman Hardie Winery’s website: normanhardie.com

Norman Hardie’s wine are represented in Québec by Les Vins Dame Jeanne: vindamejeanne.com

Norman Hardie Cabernet Franc VQA Niagara Peninsula 2014

Bernhard & Reibel Crémant d'Alsace 2013

Bernhard & Reibel Crémant d’Alsace 2013

Bernhard & Reibel Crémant d’Alsace 2013

Light gold color with good size bubbles, not too intense, lively in the glass even if they’re not lasting too long on the palate. Nose of toasted bread, pastry cream, apples, some yeast and hay. Really tasty and somehow concentrated, very long finish. Flavors of toasted bread covered with honey, orange and nectarines. There is acididy in this wine, some bitterness and salty notes. Was impressed with the complexity of this Crémant. This was not the last time I’m having this! Very good+ (90)

Made of chardonnay (80%) and pinot noir (20%). 4,1g/l of residual sugar. Aged a minimum of one year on “latte”. ECOCERT organic farming certified. Alcohol level of 13,4%

Available in SAQ stores for 25,75$ (Code SAQ : 13133224)

Le site internet du Domaine Bernhard & Riebel: domaine-bernhard-reibel.fr

C’est Agence Boires qui les représente au Québec: agenceboires.com

Bernhard & Reibel Crémant d'Alsace 2013

E. Guigal Côtes-du-Rhône 2012

E. Guigal Côtes-du-Rhône 2012

E. Guigal Côtes-du-Rhône 2012

Dark red cherry color. Nose of wild berries, spices, aromatic herbs, dust and leather. Began as an easy drinker, air did make the wine show its structure and its spicyness while being enjoyable. Put some bottles in the cellar for 2-3 years and you’ll be rewarded! Did that few years ago when I started pilling up bottles. Good+ (88)

Blend of 50 % Syrah, 45 % Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre. Partially aged in large oak barrel for 18 months. Alcohol level of 14%

Available at the SAQ for 20,15$ (Code SAQ : 00259721)

Domaine E. Guigal’s website: guigal.com

Domaine Guigal is represented in Québec by Les Sélections Fréchette: selectionsfrechette.com

E. Guigal Côtes-du-Rhône 2012

Jean-Marc Burgaud Régnié Vallières 2015

Jean-Marc Burgaud Régnié Vallières 2015

Jean-Marc Burgaud Régnié Vallières 2015

Dark ruby color. Nose of spicy red berries, earth and flowers. Flavors of red berries of which the cherries shows more, then spices and earth notes. Well structured with a intense and round finish. A good yet serious Beaujolais. Very good (89)

Made of Gamay from vines planted over sandy and rocky soil. Aged 6 months in tanks. Alcohol level of of 12,5%

Available in SAQ stores for 22,35$ (Code SAQ : 11305678)

Jean-Marc Burgaud’s website: jean-marc-burgaud.com

Represented in Québec by Insolite Importation: insoliteimport