onsdag 22. februar 2012

Chateau Giscours 1975, Margaux


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Mørk, lakris, lett jordbær. Men tydelig kork. Prøvde å avvente litt, men det hjalp ikke. "Flott kork" mente Roar ! Ikke vurdert.


Ingen spesielle gode vinnotater på denne. Fra the winecellarinsider.com:

83 points - Tasted h, cassis, forest floor and tea aromas lead to a medium bodied, lean wine that ends with a slightly tart, strawberry finish. Drink up
82 points - Tasted uffle and earthy, forest scents are the best of this wine. The austere, lean and unripe style is not pleasing to the palate. Drink up.

tirsdag 21. februar 2012

Barolo Rocche 1999, Aurelio Settimo


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Tydelig parfymert nebbe med roser og florale innspill. Jod, terroir og elegant med en moderne dash eik. Ikke den klassiske tjærebøtta og da er det lurt å gå til La Morra. Og det var det ! En deilig aromatisk vin med masse tanniner fortsatt intakt. 1999 er et fabelaktig nebbe-år for Barolo ! Jeg synes det hele ble litt mye, men "alle" likte denne. 91 poeng.

Fra finsrud.org.blog:

Mandag 23. mai bar det til La Morra for det første ordentlige besøket hos vinprodusenten Aurelio Settimo. Tiziana har tatt over etter sin far som døde i 2008 og fortsetter i hans ånd med den tradisjonelle stilen, heldigvis vil jeg si. Hun var dessverre på en USA-turne så vi fikk omvisning av Laura som gjorde en fremragende jobb og snakket godt engelsk. Vi startet med en liten gåtur i vinmarken Rocche som er den mest kjente og som gir de flotteste barolene fra denne produsenten.
Fantastisk utsikt til andre områder i nærheten og vi fikk se den gode eksponeringen som vinmarken har. Dette er en stor fordel for Nebbiolodruen og vinene herifra blir ikke så tanninrike som f.eks fra Serralunga grunnet annet jordsmonn. De omtales ofte som mere “feminine” av den grunn, men har absolutt nok kraft og konsentrasjon.


Inne i vinkjelleren fikk vi se de store sementtankene hvor fermenteringen foregår og gamle, store botti hvor vinene lagres før de tappes på flaske. Heldigvis ingen små franske fat på 225 L (barriques) å se og veien gikk videre inn til et koselig smakerom. Laura begynte pent med en Dolcetto fra 2008. Dette er en enkel hverdagsvin som går godt til lettere pastaretter eller lyst kjøtt. Jeg synes denne virket veldig bra og det beste er at den er tilgjengelig i Norge på Vinmonopolet til sympatiske 133 kroner!
Her produseres ingen Barbera som ofte er vanlig, men vi hoppet deretter over til en Langhe Nebbiolo 2008 som kommer fra unge vinstokker. Denne vinen har mindre maserasjonstid og egentlig mindre av alt enn “storebroren” Barolo. Kan derfor drikkes litt tidligere enn Barolo og nytes til kjøttretter eller til sopp, men ikke for kraftige. Denne virket “smooth” i munnen og hadde snille tanniner. Medium lengde. Vinen finnes ikke i Norge, men i Sverige!

Så var det over på Baroloene i ulike årganger og versjoner. Vi startet med Barolo 2007 i standardutgaven. Dette er en årgang som kommer til å drikke veldig godt tidlig og som ikke alltid vil lagre like lenge som de bedre årgangene (2006, 2004, 2001, 1999 og 1996). Derfor var denne vinen overraskende tilgjengelig allerede og den virket nesten for snill ! Samtidig viste den struktur og balanse med en medium lengde. Nytes innen 5-8 år er min spådom.

Videre smakte vi på Barolo Rocche (uttales råkke) 2007. Denne var betydelig strammere enn basisutgaven og viste mere grip i munnhulen i form av tanniner. Mere aromaer på duft og frukt kjentes her. Trenger nok 2-3 år for å komme rundt. Litt i ubalanse nå, men dette vil rette seg opp med beskjeden lagring i en god kjeller. Jeg kjente et ørlite varmt preg på slutten og det var negativt. Intet alkoholstikk dog.
For å sammenligne fikk vi også en Barolo Rocche 2006 i glasset. Dette er mere en klassisk årgang som trenger tid og som vil lagre godt. Dette var stramme saker, men samtidig aner man potensialet på nåværende tidspunkt. Her er frukten mere på plass sammenlignet med 2007 og alt virker mere balansert. Kompleksiteten er også større og dette blir godt om 10-15 år. Meget bra lengde.

Aurelio Settimo Riserva Rocche 2004


Til slutt ble det servert en Barolo Rocche Riserva 2004. I gode år lager man en Riserva versjon av toppbaroloen. Dette ble også gjort sist i 1999. Her har man plukket ut det beste druematerialet fra vinmarken og skilt ut dette tidlig. Denne lagres lengre på fat og flaske før den slippes ut på markedet. Denne virker mere moden på farge og duft. Det er balansen og kompleksiteten som slår ut kraftig her, mere av alt! Tanninene er ørlite slipt noe ned, men er absolutt tilstede og vil ytterligere slipes sakte ned i årene fremover. Fabelaktig lengde som sitter godt i. Her blir belønningen stor om man har tålmod til å vente noen år.

Chateau Haut Cloquet 1985, Pomerol


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Myk med fjøskant. Brettanomyces så det holder. Flat, moden og innsmigrende. Blir for bløt. En eldre vin som nok skulle vært drukket på et tidligere tidspunkt. Trodde jeg hadde drukket endel Bordeaux, men denne har jeg aldri vært borti før. 79 poeng.

Fra wineanorak.com vedr. brettanomyces:

Brettanomyces is a common defect in wine, but controversy surrounds the subject.

When Brian Fletcher, chief winemaker at Calatrasi in Sicily, found out I was writing this feature, he couriered me a bottle of red wine. Labelled simply as ‘Brettanomyces’, it was a sample from Puglia that Brian had recently been sent by a producer there. So I opened it and poured a glass. Immediately, I got a whiff of animal sheds with some savoury, cheesy character. The palate was similarly animal-like, with a thin metallic edge. Very rustic. Not undrinkable, but getting there, and a textbook example of a Brettanomyces-infected wine.

For those scratching their head wondering what on earth Brettanomyces is, let me explain. It’s a yeast – that is a unicellular type of fungus, not a bacterium – that is a common spoilage organism in winemaking. The goal of this article is to assess how much of a problem it is, what its effects are and how it can be prevented. Finally, I’ll look at the controversial issue of whether low levels of ‘brett’, as it is widely known, can ever be a good thing, adding complexity to certain sorts of wines.

The microbiology of wine production is a complex business, and it is beyond the scope of this feature to go into too much detail. But let me try to give you a feel for the concepts involved. Think of the plants growing on the slopes up the side of a mountain. At the bottom there are hundreds of different types, with the pattern of vegetation changing and progressively decreasing in diversity with altitude (and a corresponding drop in temperature). It’s a bit like that with fermenting wine, except that here the variation is temporal and not spatial -- it is a gradually changing environment for yeasts. In freshly crushed grape must there are many different yeast species present, including those normally found on grapes. These rapidly disappear as fermentation starts and alcohol rises. The environment becomes more and more inhospitable, and after a while the only significant yeast species present is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As alcoholic fermentation finishes, the S. cerevisiae population decreases significantly. If by this stage the sugar and nutrient supplies are exhausted, that’s the end of things and the wine is stable. But if they aren’t, this leaves the way open for spoilage bugs to develop; brett is one of the worst culprits here.

What does bretty wine taste and smell like?Volatile phenols and fatty acids are the key molecules responsible for the olfactory defects in wines affected by brettanomyces. According to Peter Godden, of the Australian Wine Research Institute, ‘The anecdotal dogma in this area is that 4-ethyl-phenol, isovaleric acid and 4-ethyl-guiacol are the key molecules, in order of sensory importance’. But he adds that he has seen variations in brett character in different bottles of the same wine. 4-ethy-phenol is the most prominent molecule in bretty wines, giving aromas of stables, barnyards and sweaty saddles (apparently, but I must admit to never having smelled one). Its presence in wine is an almost certain indicator of a brett infection, and this is what most diagnostic labs test for to indicate the presence of brett. 4-ethyl-guiacol is a little more appealing, known for its smoky, spicy aromas. Isovaleric acid, a volatile fatty acid, is known for its rancid, horsey aroma, and as yet there is no analytical technique that picks it out: in gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GCMS) another compound elutes at the same time, which masks it. Godden emphasizes that this is a complex area of study: ‘There is not much of a relationship between overall brett character and 4-ethyl-phenol levels, and there are synergistic effects between the three most important sensory compounds.’

As with other volatile odorants, people differ widely in their sensitivity to these molecules, and each individual shows a range of different thresholds (for example, the threshold for detecting an odorant differs from the threshold for recognition of the same odorant). Godden suggests that a useful sensory threshold to use for 4-ethyl-phenol is 420 micrograms/litre. At this concentration and beyond, a wine will typically be noticeably bretty. Below this concentration, the character of the wine may be changed but people won’t, on average, recognize that this is due to 4-ethyl-phenol. Because the threshold for 4-ethyl-phenol drops when 4-ethyl guiacol is also present -- and in brett-infected wine they always occur together in a ratio of about 10:1 -- this threshold is calculated for a 10:1 mixture of 4-ethyl-phenol and 4-ethyl-guiacol.

How common is brett?The short answer is that brett is highly prevalent, and represents an increasing problem, even in new world countries such as Australia. ‘We first started raising this as an issue four years ago’, says Peter Godden of the Australian Wine Research Institute, ‘ and on 1st July we’re planning to start a major project looking at Brettanomyces’. As a scientist, he feels that for such an important issue, this is a relatively under-researched area. ‘There is a lot of conjecture: anecdotal observations are very important but we have to be careful with them because they can skew people’s opinions.’

Although brett can and does occur with whites, it is predominantly a red wine problem. This is because red wines are far higher in polyphenol content, and generally have a higher pH, both factors which encourage brett development for reasons which outlined below.

With rising standards of winemaking worldwide, I was a little surprised to hear that brett is on the increase. There seem to be two contributing factors to this rise. First, there is the current trend for ‘natural’ wines. ‘Minimalist winemaking is a perfect recipe for bretty wine’, says Godden. ‘It’s probable that the increase in brett in the 1990s can be traced back to the winemaking fad to stop adding sulphur at crushing’. Indeed, the most effective way of preventing brett is to maintain an adequate concentration of free sulphur dioxide (SO2). Randall Grahm of California’s Bonny Doon comments, ‘If one is ideologically committed to no sulfitage at the crusher, this increases one’s chances of brett dramatically. Likewise, if one uses low or no SO2 in the elevage of the wines, this greatly increases the risk of brett’. Preliminary studies by the AWRI show that there is a lot of genetic variability among Brettanomyces strains. This makes the correct use of sulphur even more important. If it is added in small, regular doses, winemakers might unintentionally be selecting for SO2-resistant strains of brettanomyces, or to put it another way super-brett strains that are then even harder to eliminate. So timing and magnitude of SO2 additions are important as well as the actual concentrations: the best way to get rid of brett seems to be large SO2 additions at strategic intervals.

Second, there is the move towards ‘international’ styles of red wine, made in an extracted style from super-ripe grapes. ‘These are higher in pH and are richer in polyphenols’, explains Grahm. pH is important, likely through its role in modulating the effectiveness of SO2 additions. The higher the pH, the less effective SO2 is and the more likely that brettanomyces will grow. Polyphenol content is important because these compounds are the precursors for the volatile phenols largely responsible for bretty odours.

A vital risk factor is the presence of residual sugars and nitrogen sources left over at the end of fermentation. With the gradual rise in alcohol levels over the last 20 years, the last bit of sugar commonly isn’t being metabolised by the yeast. Godden suggests that one solution is to try to keep the wines warm while they are being pressed. As well as sugar, a nitrogen source is needed for brett to grow. In fermenting wine, S. cerevisiae uses amino acids as a nitrogen source. A recent winemaking trend has been to add diammonium phosphate (DAP) as a supplementary nitrogen source for yeasts, to reduce the risk of stuck fermentations. However, fewer than half of musts need actually use this additive, and DAP has been described as ‘junk food’ for yeasts – they’ll use this in preference to amino acids, leaving them in the wine as a nitrogen source that encourages the growth of brett.

Old barrels are frequently touted as the main culprits of brett, but Randall Grahm adds, ‘The received wisdom about old barrels, old foudres being the great repository of brett I think is somewhat mythical and simplistic: dirty barrels, dirty wines, q.e.d.’ Grahm adds that, ‘Since brett is largely ubiquitous, a rampant brett infection is often more of a function of a large inoculum coming in on the grapes.

To gauge the extent of the current brett problem, Godden and his colleagues recently completed a survey of Cabernet Sauvignon wines in five major regions of Australia. He’s unable to give the actual results, because these are sensitive, and he thinks that the samples size, around 170 bottles, isn’t big enough to allow him to draw a firm conclusion. ‘But if a consumer were to go out and buy a mixed dozen,’ he told me, ‘several bottles would have more than 425 micrograms/litre 4-ethyl-phenol: if you drink wine regularly, you’ll have come across a lot of brett.’

Before the 1990s, brett was common in Bordeaux. The wines of several well known classed growths were well known for their distinctive ‘stink’. This was almost certainly because of brett infections, but without the data – and most properties would understandably be reluctant to own up to this – I can’t name any names. Since the early 1990s, however, brett has become much rarer, and this is mainly due to the groundbreaking work of Dr Pascal Chatonnet. In 1993 Chatonnet carried out a survey of 100 French wines, and showed that a staggering third of those tested had levels of volatile phenols above the perception threshold.

The conclusion seems to be that brettanomyces is widespread, and virtually every barrel of red wine has the potential to go bretty. Create the right environment for it, and you’ll have a brett infection. Thus the key objective for winemakers isn’t to create a sterile winery, which will never happen, but to make sure that their barrels aren’t a receptive environment for brett to grow in.

Brett, Mourvèdre or terroir? A case study
Brettanomyces is a favoured discussion topic among wine geeks, who’ll often enter into lengthy discussions about whether a certain wine is bretty or not. One wine that keeps cropping up in this context is Château de Beaucastel, the highly regarded Châteauneuf du Pape estate. To some, the distinctive earthy, slightly animal-like characteristics of many past vintages of Beaucastel have reflected an expression of terroir, or even the higher than average Mourvèdre content of this wine. Others think it’s because of brett infection. Who is right?

Back in early 1998, Charles Collins, an American wine collector, became so frustrated with the endless wine geek discussions about Beaucastel and brett that he decided to find out for himself. He got hold of some scientific papers on the subject and read up about the subject. ‘I realised that the presence of the compound 4-ethyl-phenol is a virtually certain indicator of the presence of a brett infection’, recalls Collins. He contacted a lab who does testing for 4-ethyl-phenol and sent them some Beaucastel from his cellar. ‘I opted to test two of the most famous vintages, the 1989 and 1990’, Collins told me. ‘These wines are supposed to represent what great Beaucastel is all about.’ He prepared the samples for shipment in sterilized glass 375 ml bottles and used fresh corks to seal them. The wines were labelled so that the lab had no clue as to their identity.

The results? According to Collins, ‘they showed indisputable evidence that significant brett infections occurred in both the 1989 and 1990 vintages of Beaucastel.’ Microscan and plating tests showed only small amounts of mostly dead brett cells, but the 4-ethyl-phenol levels were 897 micrograms/litre for the 1989 and a whopping 3330 micrograms/litre for the 1990. Collins concludes, ‘if you personally like the smell of brett, then none of this should you dissuade you from buying and cellaring Beaucastel. You should, however, give up the myth that the odd flavours are due to terroir—they aren’t.’ I would add that while I’ve detected what I’ve always assumed, in the absence of data, to be high levels of brett in some vintages of Beaucastel—the 1991 springs to mind as one of the brettiest wines I’ve ever encountered—in vintages since the mid-1990s I haven’t encountered any. But, of course, unlike Collins, I haven’t done the lab tests that would be needed to verify this.

‘We believe in natural winegrowing and winemaking, and I must admit that this has led us to have serious debates with scientists spanning three generations’, responds Beaucastel’s Marc Perrin. ‘In the mid-1950s, for instance, our grandfather, Jacques Perrin, decided to stop using chemical pesticides or herbicides on the vineyard. At that time, when scientists were recommending the use of such chemicals for productivity or lobby reasons, that seemed crazy and impossible. Now, it seems that people have changed their mind and more and more vineyards are turning organic. I could quote many more examples of opposition between a scientific vision of wine and our traditional/terroir oriented philosophy of wine, and the subject of Brettanomyces is just one more’, he explained. ‘There are certainly some Brettanomyces in every natural wine, because Brettanomyces is not a spoilage yeast (as many people think) but one of the yeasts that exist in winemaking. Some grapes, like Mourvèdre, are richer in 4-ethyl-phenol 'precursors' than others and we have a high percentage of these grapes in our vineyard. Of course, you can kill all natural yeasts, then use industrial yeast to start the fermentation, saturate the wine with SO2 and then strongly filtrate your wine. There will then be no remaining yeasts, but also no taste and no typicity. That is the difference between natural wine and industrial wine, between craftsmanship and mass-market product.’

Adding complexity?Beaucastel has been widely acknowledged as one of the world’s great wines over recent decades. Yet from Collins’ limited sampling coupled with individual tasters’ experiences, it seems likely that some of the most successful past vintages of this wines have been marked by high levels of brett. This leads us to a critical—and fascinating—question: is brett ever a good thing? In small quantities, can it have a positive influence on certain styles of red wines?

If surveys such as those of Chatonnet and Godden are to be extrapolated across all wines, it is likely that many wines with above-threshold levels of brett have received critical acclaim and have been enjoyed by countless consumers. This leads to the conclusion that while most people won’t enjoy a really stinky wine, low levels of brett might not be a problem—indeed, a bit of brett might even add complexity to certain robust styles of wines.

Bob Cartwright, senior winemaker of Leeuwin Estate in Western Australia’s Margaret River region, acknowledges that ‘a lot of winemakers like to have some as a complexing character—the question is how much is too much?’. Randall Grahm is undecided. ‘I suppose this could theoretically add some complexity to a wine. The problem is that for now, this is not easily controllable’.

Pascal Chatonnet is opposed. He sees the problem of brett as a lack of fruit and loss of typicity. ‘If brett is able to grow in all the red wines of the planet—and this is the case—then all the wines will have the same odour, which is a pity’.

Godden is another who isn’t keen on the idea.My view is that if we could eliminate it altogether we would’, but he stressed that he wouldn't go so far as to say it is always negative. Godden cites some results from the PhD thesis of Phil Spillman, now winemaker with Villa Maria in New Zealand. In one study Spillman did some sensory analyses. The strongest relationship he found was an inverse correlation between levels of 4-ethyl-phenol and wine preferences. ‘I’ve not been able to find an Aussie winemaker who doesn’t find 100 micrograms/litre negative’, adds Godden. ‘In tests where brett character has been added, it has a severe adverse effect on the palate. 4-ethyl-guiacol can be interesting and complexing and doesn’t have the negative palate effect of 4-ethyl-phenol, but with brett infection you get 10 times as much 4-ethyl-phenol than 4-ethyl-guiacol.’

Randall Grahm has an novel suggestion, though: ‘It would be very interesting if we could isolate a strain of brett that worked in wine, depleting nutrients but producing very low levels of 4-ethyl phenol. In this way, one could inoculate one’s wine with brett, much the same way as one inoculates one’s wine with malolactic bacteria, thus depleting nutrients and rendering the wine safe from further microbial degradation.’ Now there’s a project for the microbiologists. Any takers?


mandag 20. februar 2012

Granato Vigneto delle Dolomiti Teroldego IGT 2007, Foradori


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Varm nese i en søtlig stil. Blåbær, frisk, rik og med mye smak. Amarone ? Mangler eleganse og slike viner får aldri høy score i denne klubben ! "Tullevin" mente Roar. 81 poeng.


                                            
"My wines possess nature's slowness," says Elisabetta Foradori, who in 1976 inherited 22 hectares of Teroldego vineyards in Mezzolombardo, located north of Trento. Viticulturist Foradori's first instinct was to cut quantity and slowly increase grape quality through measures such as pruning.
But the effort didn't satisfy her. She eventually tore out the existing vineyards and replanted them with a smaller quantity of top-notch grapes that she decided to produce organically. In 2000, she committed herself to biodynamic farming and adopted the holistic principles of Rudolf Steiner, the 20th century Austrian philosopher who embraced the concept of spiritual science.

                               Foradori

Everything about Foradori's wines expresses a sense "place," or terroir. Exhaustive research led her to revive Teroldego clones, yielding a wine that reflects the unique characteristics of the Campo Rotaliano, the alluvial plain of the Noce River.
When the Noce was rerouted in the mid-19th century, it left tiny pebbles and larger stones in the subsoil, creating excellent floodplain drainage more typical of hillside vineyards. In summer, the river-carved cliffs on each side of the Noce channel breezes from Lake Garda. In winter, they protect the vineyards from alpine air.
Foradori produces about 120,000 bottles of "Foradori" Teroldego Rotaliano DOC (100 percent Teroldego) but only 30,000 of "Granato" Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT Rosso (100 percent Teroldego, made from the best grapes from her best vineyards). Though DOC (Denomination and Origin Controlled) is technically a stricter wine classification than IGT (Typical Regional Wine), the "Granato" is Foradori's top quality wine and consistently receives international attention and praise.

Terre del Principe 2007, Vigna Piancastelli Terre del Volturno IGT, Campania


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Mørk vin med varm kjerne av kokosmakron og roquefort. Men relativ lett i munnen i en frisk og grei stil. Vi var både på Sicilia og i Barbera-land på denne. 82 poeng.


Dette er blanding av druene Pallagrello og Casavecchia. Etiketten er inspirert av Chateau Mouton Rothschild (?)der en kunstner lager en ny etikett hvert år.
Men jeg tror det er den samme kunstnervennen....
12 mnd på barrique og ytterligere 18 mnd på flaske før den kommer i salg. Og det kan virke litt mye.
I tillegg høster de druen Pallagrello i desember for å få en xtra søt touch til det hele.....

fredag 17. februar 2012

Bourgogne Blanc 2007, Coche Dury


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Tydelig fet sentralburgunder med fat og røykpreg. Flere mente dette var en Ramonet. Balanserer godt i munnen med pen syre, citrus og en presisjon som imponerer. At dette er en Bourgogne Blanc er helt utrolig. Vi var sikker på at det var en Grand Cru ! Kan fremdeles ligge. Are kjøpte denne i "Coche-butikken" i Toscana. Vi gleder oss til besøk i oktober ! 93 poeng.


En Meursault 2007 fra Coche Dury ble White Wine of  the Year 20.5.11 i Vinklubben Kåte Rhoner;
"En hvitvin i en mer utviklet stil, men samtiidig mere thight i strukturen og tydelig fatpreg. Fet i munnen og vinen balansere flott. Are mente dette var en Grand Cru. En super elegant vin. Kim trodde det var en Pucelles, andre trodde det var en Boillot vin. Ekstremt rent druepreg, Corton ? Mangler kanskje litt dybde og power, men dette var en fantastisk vin. WHITE WINE OF THE YEAR 2011 ! 96 poeng"

Riesling Kirchenstûck 2009, Bûrklin Wolf, Rheinpfalz


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Mere gylden og rikere stil. Har ikke den presisjonen som 07, en varmere frukt kan det virke som. Men bra syre og litt vanskelig å vurdere nå. Litt skuffende siden dette er fra kanskje den beste vinmarken i Tyskland. Solid vin med bra konsentrasjon. 88 poeng.
Men dette begynner å bli dyrt og jeg er ikke enig med aperitif.no som mener dette er et godt kjøp til kr. 663,10  (Rieslingslippet Vinmonopolet Vika mai 2011)

Aperitif 95 poeng; gulgrønn, ung intens konsentrert duft med nydelig frukt, kalkaktig mineralpreg. Stor fylde i anslaget, flott fylde, veldig god konsentrasjon, stor munnfølelse, flott syre, lang flott finish med deilig syrefriskhet og sitrusskall. En svært lovende vin for de neste 20 årene. Godt kjøp. (2009) (10.05.11)





Vouvray Clos du Bourg Sec 2010, Huet


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Fersken, fruktig, aprikos og rik i munnen. Litt tung parfyme hviler over vinen, lett tropisk, søt munn men en veldig bra syre står opp mot det hele. Lang ettersmak, den faller litt ned på den uelegante siden. Konsentrert og lang ettersmak. Bør nok lagres 8-10 år til. Jeg tror vi trekker den litt fordi vi ikke drikker så mye Vouvray. Det burde vi gjøre ! 89 poeng.

Fra bloggen "finare viner" :
 
Inte helt oväntat uppvisar 2010 Clos du Bourg Vouvray Sec fler likheter än olikheter jämfört med föregående, men de intensiva citrustonerna är onekligen lite fetare och dessutom får de sällskap av lätta stråk av persika och melon. Det är på andra dagen som inslaget av grapefrukt blir mest tydligt. Doften är lite kryddigare, mineraliteten lite "brunare" och förutom en aning av örter, tulo och honung kan vi addera en knivsudd vanilj från använda fat.

I munnen: ännu en rejäl kick. Smaken är lite rikare, lite rundare, lite fruktigare och lite bredare över axlarna. Syra och mineralitet är precis lika närvarande, men liksom en nyans mörkare, och mer inbäddad. Här finns också en viss grapefruktbeska som ger Clos du Bourg en mer kraftfull profil. I vår smak blir funktionen mindre av apéritif och mer av matsällskap.

Syftet med det här lilla testet var framförallt att ta reda på vilket av dem vi helst vill ha mer av. Båda vinerna närmar sig det perfekta när det gäller torr chenin blanc - Le Mont når möjligen hela vägen dit - men detta är ju egentligen doningar som bör lagras i åratal eller rentav decennier för att ge sitt bästa. Le Mont är i alla fall utan tvekan det vin som träffar allra mest rätt här hemma hos oss.



Fra winedoctor.com;

The news itself was inevitable, but the timing and immediacy of the news which broke yesterday certainly came as a surprise. Noël Pinguet, who has for years been the face of Domaine Huet, and who has long stated his intention to retire in 2015, is to part company with Domaine Huet and its main backer Anthony Hwang, with immediate effect. A source in Vouvray tells me that there is certainly acrimony behind the split, and that Anthony Hwang will be installing family members to take over the management of the domaine. “Pinguet is not leaving a happy man“, my source says.

Noël Pinguet and Domaine Huet part company

The news broke on the 24th with this article from Le Revue du Vin de France; the article suggests some differences of opinion as responsible for the unexpected split. First it is claimed that, contrary to Anthony Hwang’s wishes, Noël (pictured right) was against broadening the production of sec cuvées, presumably at the expense of reducing the amount of sweeter demi-sec and moelleux wines. I can understand this in principle; the sec cuvées are probably more of a commercial success, whereas the demi-sec and moelleux wines probably appeal to a much narrower band of consumers. Having said that, the balance of sec to demi-sec and moelleux cuvées depends very much on the vintage, and 2010 and it seems 2011 were both strong on dry rather than sweet wines. Second, there seems to be a disagreement on distribution policy, Noël’s more measured approach apparently conflicting with Anthony Hwang’s desire to fulfil the largest orders. If this is true I would not be surprised; Hwang’s stake in Huet is large and he comes in as an outside investor. Noël is the son-in-law of Gaston Huet, whose father Victor bought the domaine in 1928. I know his quality-orientated decisions have sometimes caused friction between the two; his desire to use older vintages of very precious première trie moelleux wines as dosage for his superb pétillant wines was not a popular decision with Anthony Hwang. I note the 2007 has been dosed with a less precious blend of demi-sec from two vintages; is this significant in view of Noël’s departure?
Although the split seems to be tainted with acrimony there are suggestions that it may be merely overzealous reporting by La RVF. Jim Budd reports here on news from Huet’s American importer who play down the departure, putting a positive spin on how this development will (a) not affect quality at the estate and (b) more sec wines will mean lower volumes but better quality sweeter wines. Most of these words sound like standard fair from a merchant with a vested interest in marketing and selling the wines of the domaine though, so I’m inclined to reject these points. And as I indicate above, a source in Vouvray tells me otherwise.
As I mention above, Noël has been very open about his retirement in 2015, when he will be 70 years old. With his replacement Benjamin Joliveau having three years under his belt now, and régisseur Jean-Bernard Berthomé staying on, it is understandable that some might think maybe be felt it was safe to go a little earlier than planned. But, as charming as this idea might seem, there seems no doubt that this departure represents more than mere early retirement. Noël has invested much of his life in Huet, working alongside his father-in-law Gaston, a partnership that was reputedly not always as warm as it might have been, converting the domaine to biodynamics in 1990, pushing quality higher and higher. And of course he holds a minority stake in the company. And in recent months when I have met him – in November 2011 and February 2012 – he seemed as interested and enthusiastic for his wines as ever. There was nothing of the man who longed for retirement about him. Discord and acrimony between Hwang and Pinguet have, it seems, resulted in Vouvray’s leading domaine parting company with its most talented winemaker. I wish Noël well for the future.


Om vinmarken Clos du Bourg:

Next to join the Huet portfolio was the Clos du Bourg, and for many modern fans of Huet this is their favourite from amongst the three lieux-dits. The vineyard in question lies to the west of the main Huet cellars. A true clos, surrounded by a high stone wall (even if it is a little tumbledown in places), the vineyard sits on the first slope above the eastern part of the town, including the church, the spire of which is visible beyond the expanse of vines within.
There is considerable history here, records indicating the existence of the Clos du Bourg as long ago as the 7th century when it was owned by the collegiate church of St Martin de Tours. A 6-hectare lieu-dit previously owned by Charles Vavasseur, also a onetime mayor of Vouvray, Gaston Huet acquired the vineyard in 1953. The bedrock is the same tuffeau that extends eastwards towards Le Haut Lieu and Le Mont, although the topsoil here is much shallower, up to a metre deep at most. Perhaps it is this need for the roots of the vines to penetrate the solid limestone below that imbues the cuvées from the Clos du Bourg with a greater sense of power than those from le Haut Lieu ?

Huet

Om sec;

Any tasting of the still wines naturally begins with the sec cuvées, wines which could once be relied upon to possess in the region of 3 to 5 g/l of residual sugar. In recent years, however, it is notable that the residual has been creeping up, and most recent vintages have between 10 and 15 g/l. This is not so much sec as sec-tendre; not overtly sweet, the sugar is usually balanced out by the fine acidity, but the wines are certainly richer and more fleshy than they once were; it is a development that has not been to everybody's taste. I must confess, however, that I still find the wines very appealing, and they cellar very well indeed. At 10 to 15 years these wines are still babies, drinking beautifully, and for some this is when the drinking window truly starts. Personally I find they drink well from the very beginning, and have enjoyed Huet's sec Vouvrays at all ages, sometimes after a year or two in bottle, sometimes many more.

Riesling Halenberg 2007, Schâfer-Frôlich, Nahe


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Gulgrønn farge med sykkelslange og røkte pølser i nesa. Skifer, rik og "thight" i stilen. Men for en syre ! Veldig syrefrisk og presis, en enorm delikat og god GG. Ikke over the top. GG`er kan ofte bli litt klumsete, men dette var perfekt. En fabelaktig vin og denne bekrefter det gode ryktet 07 årgangen har. 92 poeng.

Se hva Arne Ronold skriver om EG, EL & GG:

Erstes Gewächs ble etablert mot slutten av 90-tallet som en egen kategori i vinloven for Rheingau, og Grosses Gewächs fulgte noen år senere som en egen kategori for VDP-produsenter i andre tyske vinregioner. Grunnen til navneforskjellen er altså at Erstes Gewächs er en del av vinlovverket i Rheingau og at betegnelsen dermed kan benyttes av samtlige berørte produsenter av viner fra de angjeldende vinmarker, mens Grosses Gewächs ikke er en del av lovverket i andre regioner og derfor er forbeholdt medlemmer av VDP. Litt forvirrende, men for å forenkle bildet noe har VDP også innført betegnelsen Erste Lage som en fellesbetegnelse for alle de involverte vinmarkene i Tyskland, mens Erstes Gewächs altså er betegnelsen på vinene fra disse vinmarkene i Rheingau og Grosses Gewächs den parallelle betegnelsen utenfor Rheingau.

Kravene til Erstes og Grosses Gewächs er at de skal komme fra en Erste Lage-vinmark fra klassiske druesorter i de ulike regionene, fra avlinger som ikke må overstige 50 hl/ha, med en alkoholprosent på minimum 12 % og med et sukkerinnhold som ikke må overstige 9 g/l. Vinene slippes på markedet den 1. september året etter innhøstingen.

Meursault Les Tillets 2007, Domaine Roulot


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Kald, kjølig og spenstig enkel. Med litt varme viser den litt mere fat og Øyvind var sikker på at dette var en Macon Verzè fra Domaine Leflaive. En uforløst og transparent vin. Noe grønn med citrusbitt og vinen må lagres. Litt spiss og kantete nå, tror kanskje vi ikke så "the big picture" her. Den slanke enkle stilen kan forlede deg til å tro at den er ...ja...enkel. Elegant og superspennende. Prøv om 5 år. Kommer du over flasker fra Roulot er det bare å kjøpe ! Kr. 507,30  på marsslippet ifjor på Vinmonopolet Vika. 92 poeng.

Champagne Henriot Brut Millesime 1989


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Nøtteaktig gul med utviklede toner av brunet smør. Frisk, noe oksidativ, karakterfull og en deilig harmonisk munnfølelse. Ekspressiv og rik i en klassisk stil med gjærbakst og autolyse. Denne har holdt seg godt. 1989 som champagneårgang er veldig forskjellig fra 1988 med mere utviklede elementer. Denne balanserer perfekt nå og er faktisk et godt kjøp til ca. kr. 750,-. Priset som 1996, som jeg ser de fremdeles har på Vinmonopolet Vika. En sterk kjøpsanbefaling her. 93 poeng.


Champagne Vilmart Grande Reserve NV


Vinmøte Are 16.2.12:

Slank, ung og frisk. Fine og ivrige bobler med snev av appelsinskall og grapefrukt. Sitrus, sommerlig og en deilig terrassesak. Flere var ikke i champagne på denne, men jeg sto på mitt ! Noe bittert og "grapey" i ettersmak. Denne bør få ytterligere lagring. Flere synes ikke denne var noe særlig, men jeg likte den slanke pene stilen. 83 poeng.

Fra winedoctor.com:

The key name at Vilmart, in Rilly on the Montagne de Reims, is Champs. The current incumbent is Laurent Champs, who inherited the mantle from his mother Nicole Vilmart and his father René, who was originally one of the vineyard workers. Laurent is thus a direct descendent, a great-great-grandson in fact, of Desire Vilmart, who established the family firm in 1872. Today he extols 11 hectares of vines in premier cru vineyards in Rilly and Villers-Allerand, both villages just a few kilometres directly south of Reims. A mix of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with some vines as old as 50 years, the fruit is harvested by hand, pressed and allowed to settle, before transfer into oak, generally large 50-hectolitre foudres for the entry-level non-vintage Grande Réserve and Grand Cellier cuvées and 225-litre Burgundy barrels for the more exciting single-vintage Grand Cellier d'Or and Coeur de Cuvée.

The Grande Réserve is a non-vintage blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. Vilmart Grande Réserve Brut Premier Cru has a fine and lightly golden hue in the glass, with a gentle bead. This bottle has been cellared for perhaps 1-2 years although I am unsure exactly how long as it was sourced from a university cellar, so there might be some notes of maturity about it. Indeed, there is a rather fabulous nose, very refined and elegant, redolent of citrus fruits, especially oranges, alongside more developed aromas of honeyed cashew nuts and polished wood. This has a mature, complex and composed quality - not simple at all! A great palate follows, with a fine mousse, ever so slightly creamy, gently fleshy, but certainly fresh and crisply structured. It has a lovely and elegant flavour laid over a good structure, is fine and shows quite a seamless presence in the mouth. A linear, vigorous and yet flattering style, firmly poised and with a delicious herby, polished finish. This is really good; I clearly need to be looking out for more of Vilmart's wines for my cellar. 17+/20 (9/11/09)

tirsdag 14. februar 2012

Vosne Romanèe 1cru Clos des Reas 2004, Domaine Michel Gros


Medium transparent mørk purpur med vandig kant. Fjøs og utviklede mørke bær i nese, en nydelig markert og tydelig rød burgunder trer fram. Umiddelbar og "upfront" uttrykksfull frukt, nydelig moden og drikker godt nå.

Ingen tydelig grønn 04 karakter, men etter en time kommer en litt undermoden og markert bitter ettersmak. Men ikke skjemmende. I siste nr. av "Livets Goda" mener de at denne "troligen er mogen". Tja, den drikker godt nå, men kan holdes lett 5 år til. En overraskende god 2004 og man fornemmer den solmodne karakteren denne Clos`en får pga de høye steingjerder som omringer og beskytter vinmarken. En solid Vosnèe, god struktur i sunne friske mørke bær. 93 poeng.


Det kan være litt forvirrende med alle Gros`ene i Burgund.

Da farfar Louis døde i 1951, arvet 3 sønner og en datter vinmarkene og eiendommen. En av disse sønnene Jean, fikk 2 sønner og en datter og en av disse sønnene Michel eier idag Domaine Michel Gros. Hans søster Anne-Francoise startet i 1988 sin egen business Domaine A-F Gros (etter at hun giftet seg med Francois Parent i Pommard). Den yngre broren Bernard tok over onkel og tantes vinmarker og eiendommer; Domaine Gros Frères et Soeur.

Clos de Reas er en monopole på 2,12 hektar. Vinmarken er omringet av usedvanlig høye steinmurer og disse beskytter mot kalde vinder. Dette bidrar ofte til en høyere modningsgrad på druene enn andre sammenlignbare 1cru`er i nærheten. Da pappa Jean i 1995 fordelte vinmarkene til sine barn, fikk Michel noen vinranker i Grand Cru`et Richebourg. Han byttet de med sin søster Anne-Francoise slik at han nå eier hele Clos de Reas !

Et godt valg virker det som etter å ha drukket dette glasset !


Fra bloggen rara droppar:

....vinmakaren använder sig av omvänd osmos och bl.a. på så sätt snarare får fram en husstil istället för tydigt avtryck av terrior. Vinmakaren är Michel Gros.

 Vi njuter såklart, men en liten tagg i sidan får i alla fall jag och så funderar jag på hur vinet kunnat smaka utan koncentrationsmakeriet?