Make Mine A Double, Opinion

Domaine Lafage whites [Make Mine a Double #48]

The Languedoc-Roussillon wine is often shortened to simply “The Languedoc”, but that does a disservice to Roussillon, the French part of Catalonia which stretches down to the border with Spain.  It does have its stars in the fortified sweet wines of Maury, Rivesaltes and Banyuls, but here we turn our attention to its table wines.

Domaine Lafage are based in Perpignan and produce a large number of different cuvées – white, rosé, red and Vins Doux Naturels.  I’ve enjoyed some of their bottles before, including their Nicolas (made from old vine Grenache Noir) and Côté Est (a blend of Grenache Blanc, Chardonnay and Rolle), but here are two that I tried recently that really impressed me:

Lafage “Centenaire” Côtes du Roussillon AOP 2018 (13.0%, RRP €19.95 at Baggot Street Wines, McHugh’s, Sweeny’s D3, DrinkStore, Redmonds of Ranalagh, Martins of Fairview, The Vintry Rathgar and Blackrock Cellar)

Domaine Lafage Centenaire Blanc

The name of this wine comes from the age of the vines – some of them are a hundred years old with the rest not far behind.  80% is made up by Grenaches Gris and Blanc (the split is not given) and the remaining 20% is Roussanne.  Such old vines have very low yields (30 hl/ha) but give intense concentration of flavour.  30% of the blend is aged in new French oak for 4 months, with bâtonnage.

Being mainly Grenache the Centenaire has a broad palate, rich but dry and herby.  This might sound something of a contradiction, but the spicy pear and quince fruit comes in the attack and mid palate with the finish being crisp and dry.  In terms of style it is not dissimilar to a southern Rhône white, but crisper on the finish than most.

Lafage Cadireta Côtes Catalanes IGP 2018 (13.0%, RRP €19.95 at Baggot Street Wines, McHugh’s, Sweeny’s D3, DrinkStore, Redmonds of Ranalagh, Martins of Fairview, The Vintry Rathgar and Blackrock Cellar)

Domaine Lafage Cadireta Blanc

The Cadireta name is of a specific climat which has deep, rocky soils.  Vines are a mixture of trellised and bush vines, planted in an east-west orientation to preserve acidity as much as possible.  The grapes are harvested in the (relative) cool of night, a practice common in Australia.  30% of the wine is fermented and matured in new Burgundian oak barrels, similar to the Centenaire, with 70% cool fermented in stainless steel.  Only 8% of the final blend goes through malolactic fermentation, adding a touch of roundness.

Now for the unusual feature of this wine: the grapes harvested are 100% Chardonnay but they are matured on Viognier lees – something which is quite innovative and adds a real depth of flavour.  Melon and red apple from the Chardonnay and vanilla from the oak are joined by apricot, peach and floral notes from the Viognier.  It’s a lusciously peachy wine yet remarkably fresh and crisp.  This much flavour and interest yet perfectly in balance make for a wine worthy of much praise.

Conclusion

These are both very good wines and excellent value for money.  For drinking on their own my marked preference is for the Cadireta – and I’m not alone as it has just won the White Wine of the Year at the Irish Wine Show!  With food, I think that the Centenaire would be a little more versatile…so perhaps a bottle glass of each!

 

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Tasting Events

DNS Holiday Wines 2019

When restarting the DNS Wine Club tasting calendar after the summer break it has become a tradition to start with wines that members have enjoyed on their holidays.  It’s always a nice and relaxed event and gives a far more idiosyncratic range than is the norm at DNS.

September 2019 had us meet and taste wines from Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, France, Australia and….Yorkshire!  Here they are in the order of tasting (and with apologies for the quality of the photos from my phone):

Yorkshire Heart Sparkling Rosé NV (11.0%)

Yorkshire Heart Sparkling Rosé NV

The best English wines tend to come from the south of the country: south coast counties like Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and Cornwall.  Whereas southern English producers used to focus on varieties that could prosper despite a damp and cold climate, global warming and experience has led to a boom in sparkling wine production, usually with the three main Champagne grapes.  Further north in Yorkshire, however, the climate is now mild enough for the special cross and hybrid varieties to survive (though prosper might be a little overstating the case just now.)

Yorkshire Heart are based close to York, so the name is apt.  They also have a brewery and a cider orchard so most bases are covered.  The vineyard has 17 varieties across ten acres, so it is still fairly small scale and experimental.  The grapes used for the sparkling rosé are not disclosed apart from the use of Pinot Noir to create the pink hue.  It’s made using the traditional method with the wine resting on its lees for 12 months – not as long as Champagne but longer than some NV Cava.

The wine has a fruity nose and a nice mousse when poured, but unfortunately it was not persistent.  The palate is full of summer fruits; raspberry, strawberry, cranberry and a touch of blackberry competed for attention.  As this is an English wine there’s ample acidity, though the finish resolves with fruit sweetness.

Read more about Yorkshire Heart here.

Principe Strozzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2017 (13.0%)

Principe Strozzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2017

Following the Italian wine naming convention of [grape] from [place], this is a 100% Vernaccia from San Gimignano in Tuscany (aka Chiantishire).  On the nose the wine evokes wet stones – can you get more mineral than that?  On the palate, it’s as though fresh lemons have been squeezed onto said stones – a real citrus zing on top of the minerality.  It has a touch more body than I had at first expected.  This is a well-made wine which, while not setting the world alight, makes for some very pleasant drinking.

Tesco Finest Tingleup Great Southern Riesling 2018 (12.0%)

Tesco Finest Tingleup Great Southern Riesling 2018

Of all the wines brought to this tasting, this Australian Riesling was from the furthest away.  However, DNS member Michelle was blagging this one as she had not been to Australia, and had instead spent her holidays in the local Tesco.  The wine is made for Tesco by Howard Park who are based in Western Australia and specialise in wines from Margaret River and Great Southern.  On the nose it has aromas of lime and…well…Riesling!  The palate is full of refreshing, zingy citrus and there’s just a kiss of sweetness on the finish.  A great way to get into Riesling.

Read more on Howard Park Wines here.

Mar de Frades Rías Baixas Albariño Atlántico 2018 (12.5%)

Mar de Frades Albarino Atlantico Rias Baixas 2018

So let’s count up the nautical references: the producer is Mar de Frades (which translates as something like “Sea of Friars”), the wine is Albariño Atlántico which indicates that it’s from the part of Rías Baixas close to the ocean, and the label depicts huge crashing waves and a chuffing seagull!  Message understood, loud and clear!  Thankfully the wine is very nice, despite being the producer’s “entry level” effort.  It spends six months on the lees which adds a nice bit of texture to the pear and peach fruit.  A saline finish seasons it perfectly.  In a sea (sorry, it’s catching) of samey Albariño, this is a winner.

Read more on Mar de Frades here.

Tenute delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso 2017 (14.0%)

Tenuta Delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso 2017.jpg

Tenuta delle Terre Nere takes its name from the black basalt and pumice stones which cover much of the estate on the northern side of Mount Etna.  Its surface area totals 55 hectares and is far from homogeneous – the 24 parcels range from 600 to 1,000 metres above sea level and (apart from a few new plantings) between 50 and 100 years old.

This Rosso is mainly Nerello Mascalese (95%) with a dash of Nerello Cappuccio (5%).  The soil is volcanic soil, obviously (I bleedin’ hope it’s obvious!!).  Stylistically the wine is somewhat Pinot Noir like, but with a touch more body and spice.  It has delicious smoky black and red fruit plus a certain chewy earthiness. 

Read more on Tenuta delle Terre Nere here.

Domaine du Bois de St Jean “Les Ventssssss” Côtes du Rhône 2016 (14.0%)

Domaine du Bois Les Ventssssss CdR 2016

The Domaine is located near Avignon and has a range of different red, white and rosé Côtes du Rhône wines plus Crus Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Vacqueras.  One notable wine is “Pur Cent”a cuvée first released 9 years ago made from 16 different varieties, all planted when the estate was founded in 1910, i.e. one hundred year old vines.

The odd name of this wine – which you can see in the heading above, but not so well on the label – is because the six Ss at the end of Ventssssss represent the six different names for the main wind which affects the Rhône: The Mistral.   The vines are planted on sand and pebble soils, north-facing slopes (presumably not too steep an incline) at around 400m.  The vines vary between 60 and 80 years old and consist of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Counoise and Cinsault.  For the 2016 only the first four varieties were used, but the precise blend is a family secret.

The wine is extremely smooth and elegant, attributable (in my humble opinion) to the sandy soils and north facing aspect respectively.  The velvet texture immediately reminded me of the Mas Saint-Louis Châteauneuf-du-Pape which is also predominantly Grenache grown on sandy soils – and that’s a real compliment.  Quite simply this is the best AOC Côtes du Rhône I’ve ever tasted.

Read more on the Domaine du Bois de Saint Jean here.

Quinta dos Aciprestes Douro Tinto 2016 (14.5%)

Quinta dos Aciprestes Douro Tinto 2016

One of my wine rules of thumb is that, when a place is famous for wine derived drinks other than regular table wines, if they were to produce table wines they would be quite poor.  When was the last time you had a regular table wine from the Sherry, Champagne or Cognac regions?  The Douro is a prominent exception to that rule of thumb with some excellent, characterful and drinkable wines, especially reds.

Quinta dos Aciprestes” means “Estate of the Cypress Trees“; the three depicted on the front label are most likely a representation of the three Quintas which were joined together to make the estate.  The grapes are a typical Port blend, including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinto Cão and Tinta Barocca.  Maturation is for 12 months in French oak (I suspect mainly older barrels).  This is a rich wine, typical of the Douro, but still round and soft – softer than the 14.5% alcohol would imply.

Château Nico Lazaridi Drama 2016 (15.0%)

Ch Nico Lazaridi Drama 2016

Let’s get the bad pun out of the way first: the phrase “no drama” is usually taken to be a good thing – but not in this case!  Drama is a municipality in the East Macedonia and Thrace region of north east Greece and home to Italophile wine producer Nico Lazaridis.  French grapes predominate with some Sangiovese and autochthonous varieties.

The eponymous Château Nico Lazaridi wine is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Sangiovese – what might be termed a Super Tuscan blend – that has spent 12 months in French oak.  It has an enticing, fragrant but gentle nose.  The palate is rich, explosive but smooth – cherries, chocolate and luscious black fruits all wrapped in velvet.  At 15% there’s also a suggestion of Napa Valley style power and sweetness.  This is a fabulous wine!

Read more on Château Laziridi here.

The Votes From Our North Side Jury

All of these holiday wines were good and worth trying, but two did stand out as the best and second best of the tasting:

  1. Château Nico Lazaridi received 8 votes (out of 18 total)
  2. Domaine du Bois de St Jean “Les Ventssssss” received 4 votes (out of 18 total)
Tasting Events

Lidl France 2019 (part 2 – Reds)

While part 1 covered my favourite white wines from the Lidl France “sale”, this part 2 looks at reds from Burgundy, the Rhône, Bordeaux and the Languedoc:

Les Paroisses Côte de Beaune-Villages 2016 (13.0%, €16.99 at Lidl)

Les Paroisses Côte de Beaune-Villages AOP, €16.99

Les Paroisses” means “The Parishes“; it’s made from 100% Pinot Noir sourced from the southern part of the Côte d’Or, Burgundy.  Although I liked this wine I musty give it a health warning – it’s a bit stinky!  Although this funk is probably a fault (such as brettanomyces) it didn’t put me off – and there was plenty of red fruit on the nose as well.  It pours light in the glass as you’d expect from Burgundy.  The palate is soft and round, very inviting.  This is Proper Burgundy!

Comtes de Lorgeuil “Les Pierres” Cabardès 2016 (13.5%, €9.99 at Lidl)

Les Pierres Languedoc-Roussillon Cabardès AOP, €9.99

Cabardès is just inside the northwestern border of the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region, just north of the tourist trap that is Carcassonne.  As an AOC it is much smaller (500 ha) than its Languedoc neighbours Minervois (5,100 ha) or Corbières (15,000 ha), and due to its position between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, its vignerons are required to grow grape varieties from both coasts and blend them (with at least 40% of both) in the finished wine.

This wine has a slight Atlantic bias with 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon versus 30% Syrah and 10% Grenache.  It’s thick and chewy in the mouth, quite savoury with lots of black fruit.  It is a little bit rustic, but it’s charming too – a great winter wine to have with hearty food.

Château Roque le Mayne Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux 2017 (14.0%, €14.99 at Lidl)

Château Roque le Mayne Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux AOC, €14.99

Castillon-la-Bataille is on the north bank of the Dordogne, to the east of the much more famous Saint-Emilion.  It’s quite an up-and-coming sub-region at the moment, with quality rising all the time.  The blend is 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec.  It has a ripe, expressive nose with explosive black fruit.  The palate is rich, oaked and smooth – there are lovely soft tannins.  A very fruity wine, but still recognisably Bordelais.

Collin-Bourisset Coteaux Bourguignons Rouge 2018 (14.0%, €8.99 at Lidl)

Collin Bourisset Coteaux Bourguignons AOP red, €8.99

As I mentioned in part 1, Coteaux Bourguignons can be red or white and covers the whole of Beaujolais and Burgundy proper.  Collin-Bourisset is based in Beaujolais so it makes sense that this is 100% Gamay.  It has a typical Gamay nose of blueberries and damsons.  It has a juicy palate of red and black fruit and very soft tannins.  It’s quite a light wine with decent acidity so perfect for lunchtime with a platter of charcuterie.

Dame de Clochevigne Rasteau 2018 (14.5%, €9.99 at Lidl)

Rasteau Dame de Clochevigne AOP, €9.99

Now “Cloche” means “Clock” and “Vigne” means “Vine” so does “Clochevigne” mean “Vineclock“?  Perhaps we could ask the Dame.  The southern Rhône is GSM territory and this Rasteau fits that template perfectly: 76% Grenache, 22% Syrah and 2% Mourvèdre.  The juicy red fruit is thick and chewy – it’s a meal all in itself.  Black olive and liquorice finish keep a savoury edge.  Drink with a spoon!

Vinsobres Cru des Côtes du Rhône 2017 (14.5%, €9.99 at Lidl)

Cru des Côtes du Rhône Vinsobres AOP, €9.99

This Vinsobres is pretty similar to the Rasteau above, perhaps a touch softer.  The blend here is 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre.  The extra year it has compared to the Rasteau really helps the wine to settle and relax, though decanting (a simple jug is all that’s really required) would help the strawberry and raspberry fruit to shine.

Tasting Events

Lidl France 2019 (part 1 – Whites)

Lidl Ireland’s annual French Wine event sees several dozen French wines added to the racks in their stores, from 30th September onwards while stocks last.  These are some of the whites which grabbed my attention at the press tasting.  They aren’t going to be the best examples of their type as the price tags are very modest, but they offer a great introduction to the various styles and represent very good value for money.

Château Petit Mouta “Sélection Les Carmes” 2018 (12.0%, €10.99 at Lidl)

Chateau Petit Mouta Graves AOC, €10.99

White Bordeaux is often overlooked, especially AOC Graves which is generally a step up from Bordeaux Blanc and Entre-Deux-Mers but still offers great value.  This “Sélection Les Carmes” cuvée is mainly Sauvignon Blanc (90%) with the remainder (10%) Semillon.  The nose shows lots of lovely green aromas – gooseberry, grapefruit and granny smith apples – with hints of tropical fruits.  On the palate it is tangy and fresh with those green notes coming through again.  It has more body than a Loire Sauvignon due to extra ripeness and the presence of Semillon in the blend.  The finish is clean and long-lasting, with no oak evident.  Great value for money.

Domaine Deux Vallons Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie 2018 (12.0%, €8.99 at Lidl)

Domaine Deux Vallons Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur Lie AOP, €8.99

As I have opined many times on these pages, Muscadet (100% Melon de Bourgogne of course) has an indifferent reputation which is partially deserved – there are plenty of this, acidic and flavourless examples out there (see those in French supermarkets).  However, this example does have some character; yes, it is very dry but it has a very pleasing minerality to accompany the light citrus palate.  The finish is mouth-wateringly acidic, so it cries out for shellfish or nibbles.

Wally Touraine Blanc 2018 (13.0%, €9.99 at Lidl)

Wally Touraine AOC Blanc, €9.99

Whether the “Wally” in question is a fool, a pickled gherkin or simply a bloke called Walter is moot.  The wine is a 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire; it has the usual gooseberry and grapefruit notes, but also grass…freshly mown grass, and is not too far removed sticking your head into a pile of grass cuttings and inhaling.  It’s a fairly simple wine to go with salads, goats cheese or with itself at a party.

Madame Claude Parmentier Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2017 (13.0%, €9.99 at Lidl)

Mme. Claude Parmentier Côtes du Rhône AOP, €9.99

We now move to the southern Rhône, and if the Sauvignons above could be said to be “vertical” on the palate then this is much more “horizontal” – not that you will be on your back after a glass, but rather than it’s broad in the mouth, much more about texture than flavour.  Like me you might guess that this is predominantly Grenache and so it is: 70% Grenache Blanc, 15% Roussanne and 15% Marsanne.  If you haven’t had this type of wine before then it’s well worth a try – something completely outside the Sauvignon / Chardonnay / Pinot Grigio mainstream.

Collin Bourisset Coteaux Bourguignons Blanc 2018 (13.0%, €9.99 at Lidl)

Collin Bourisset Coteaux Bourguignons 2018, €9.99

“Coteaux Bourguignons” means “Burgundian Hills”, and can be made anywhere in greater Burgundy, from Chablis and Auxerre in the north to Beaujolais in the south.  There are red and white variants (the red version of this wine is in the next post) which can be made from several grape varieties, though Pinot Noir and Gamay are most common for the reds and Chardonnay and Aligoté for the whites.  This example is 100% Chardonnay and has a ripe, fruity nose which expresses its southerly roots.  On the palate it seamlessly blends citrus (lemon and lime), pip fruit (red and green apples) and tropical fruit (melon and pineapple).  This is a very well put together unoaked Chardonnay that’s tasty and tangy.

Expression de Saint Mont 2017 (13.0%, €8.99 at Lidl)

Expression de Saint Mont AOP, €8.99

And so to the star of the show, a fantastic white wine from South West France.  The blend was not available but I suspect it is predominantly Gros Manseng supported by Colombard, Ugni Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc.  The nose is very expressive, full of melon and mango.  It’s round in the mouth as they follow through onto the palate, though in a restrained manner.  A lovely fresh finish is the perfect ending.  I’ve been praising Côtes de Gascogne and Saint Mont for years now, and with wine this good for little money this make a very good case for the region.