Tag: Malbec

Uncategorized

Lidl Wines for Easter [Wine Review]

admin

This Easter, Lidl Ireland is releasing some special seasonal wines from Argentina and Germany; three whites, a rosé, a sparkling rosé and a red. I recently tried six with the assistance of two old friends:

Suelo Argentino Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Suelo Argentino Sauvignon Blanc 2022 bottle shot

The twin reference points of Marlborough and Sancerre are far away from Argentina, and this example of the grape doesn’t ape either style. SB from Chile is more well known here, and although there’s a bloomin’ big mountain range between the two countries, there are considerable similarities in the wines.

On the nose this is intensely fruity, with almost confected fruits like fruit polos (do they still exist?). Those notes also appear on the palate, with juicy melon also apparent. High acidity keeps everything fresh and makes this a great wine for sipping in the sun, if we get any this Easter.

  • ABV: 12.0%
  • RRP: €9.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland stores

Markus Molitor Mosel Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Markus Molitor Mosel Sauvignon Blanc 2022 bottle shot

Sauvignon from Germany, Austria and further east is rarely seen here in Ireland, but I have found a recognisable style amongst those that have made it to these ahores: dry, herbal and savoury. This effort from high end producer Markus Molitor certainly fits that bill, though the nose and the first sip have a Riesling-like quality to them. While that’s no bad thing in my book, could it be due to the Mosel’s famous slate soils?

I’m not sure if this wine would be loved by the casual Sauvignon drinker, but it’s very interesting and certainly a different take on the grape. For me it would be best with a light salad, though I’m sure cheese fans would also recommend a goat’s cheese tart.

  • ABV: 12.0%
  • RRP: €13.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland stores

Markus Molitor Mosel Riesling Feinherb 2022

Markus Molitor Mosel Riesling Feinherb 2022 bottle shot

So now we have the real deal, Mosel Riesling, but Riesling with a decent whack of residual sugar, signaled by the “Feinherb” designatation in the name. Of course, the measured RS in grams per litre only tells part of the story: acidity is the other part. So important is acidity in apparent sweetness, that some German labelling regulations – such as “Halbtrocken” – have different RS maxima for low, medium and high acidity wines. Feinherb escapes such prescriptions, but is usually used for wines a little sweeter than Halbtrocken.

Judicious sweetness like this comes across much more as fruitiness than as sugary sweetness: balance is the key. The nose is awesomely aromatic, as a good Riesling should be, with floral and lime notes. This is a tasty wine; just ensure that it’s kept well chilled.

  • ABV: 10.5%
  • RRP: €12.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland stores

Suelo Argentino Malbec Rosé 2022

Suelo Argentinian Malbec Rosé 2022 bottle shot

It might seem a waste to make rosé with Malbec, but as the red wines are on the lighter side (see below) it isn’t a huge leap to making a pink wine. This rosé has a little more colour than Provence-style rosés which are en vogue these days, but that’s fine with me. It’s a cheerful, fun wine with dark red fruits and a dry finish. It’s fairly straight forward, but for a tenner in Ireland it’s good value for money.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €9.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland stores

Suelo Argentino Malbec 2022

Suelo Argentinian Malbec 2022 bottle shot

Malbec is of course Argentia’s signature black grape, but this is a slightly different style from the Malbecs that we have come to expect. Don’t get me wrong, there isn’t a single type of Argentinian Malbec, but if tasted blind I would have guessed that this came from the Loire Valley rather than South America.

The nose shows bright red fruits – raspberry, redcurrant and cherry – which continue through onto the palate. Thsi wine is only medium in body at most, but the prominent acidity makes it fresh and easy drinking. A dusting of tannins on the finish rounds it off well. Perfect for parties and barbecues.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €9.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland stores

Deutsche Sekt Brut Rosé NV

Deutsche Sekt Brut Rosé NV bottle shot

As befitting its German origins, this is a premium German (“Deutsche”) sparkling wine (“Sekt”) made in the traditional method from German-grown grapes. It’s fully sparkling and has a cork with a cage, covered in foil, just like Champagne and Crémant from France. The front label states that it has spent 15 months on the lees, the minimum requirement for Champagne (and I’m sure that’s no coincidence.)

With no further information, it fell to my senses to ascertain its qualities. It pops just like a bottle of posh French fizz, and shows a nice mousse in the glass. The nose is an explosion of strawberries, making me think that this is predominantly Pinot Noir-based. The strawberries continue onto the palate, joined by light, creamy lees goodness. The acidity is strong – as it should be – and stops the wine running away with itself.

This isn’t a particularly complex wine, but it’s well made and downright delicious.

  • ABV: 12.5%
  • RRP: €24.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland stores

Conclusion

These are all wines that I would happily drink myself, and will probably pick up a few when they are in store. Trying the two contrasting Sauvignons together would make for an interesting evening, and the Riesling would be cracking with a Thai red curry, but for sheer enjoyment the sparkling is the one that I would make a trip to pick up.

Opinion

Wine Review: Reds from the 2023 SuperValu French Wine Sale

admin

The 2023 edition of the SuperValu French Wine Sale is upon us. As last year, some German wines are included, specifically those from producer Albert Glas. This post will cover five of the red wines which are among the 40 included in the sale which kicks off on Friday 1st September. They hail from Bordeaux, the Rhône and the Pfalz.

Albert Glas Black Label Pinot Noir 2020

Albert Glas Black Label Pinot Noir 2020 Bottle Shot

As I mentioned in the sister post on the white wines in the 2023 SuperValu French wine sale, Dominik Glas follows the techniques of his grandfather Albert. Overall, 2020 was a good vintage in the Pfalz, with some frost in the the spring which impacted yields, but overall left a good quality crop. The grapes in different plots all ripened around the same time which made harvest time very pressured.

After 100% hand picking, the grapes are macerated and fermented in 600 litre bins, with gentle push-downs by hand and no pumping over. Maturation then takes place in both Pfalz (80%) and French (20%) oak barrels for 12 to 18 months.

This is archetypal European Pinot Noir. Is has the typical light colour, quite different to the other wines below. It is, however, full of flavour, with cherry and other red fruits, spice and a lick of oak. It’s still young, with refreshing acidity, but is an elegant light wine that’s perfect for the late summer sun.

  • ABV: 13.0 %
  • RRP: €12 down from €20
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie

Château Lacombe Cadiot Bordeaux Supérieur 2020

Château Lacombe Cadiot Bordeaux Supérieur 2020 Bottle Shot

Château Lacombe Cadiot is one of six Bordeaux properties owned by the Belgian De Schepper family under the De Mour banner. De Mour also has a negotiant business but do not sell their own wines through that system, instead establishing more direct relationships. The first property acquired was Tour Baladoz (see below) in 1950, and the latest was Lacombe Cadiot which was added in 2004.

Lacombe Cadiot’s wines are classed as Bordeaux Supérieur, a prominent red Bordeaux appellation, but they are unusual in being from the Médoc; only 4% of Supérieur vineyards are in the Médoc, with the remainder mainly being in the Entre-Deux-Mers and north of Libourne. In fact, Lacombe Cadiot and its sister property Château Tayet (another Bordeaux Supérieur from close to Macau) are known as “Baby Margaux”. De Mour aim to make fresh, drinkable wines that can still age – the best of both worlds.

This 2020 is made of 60% Merlot*, 30% Cabernet-Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot from 15 hectares of vines. That’s quite a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon for an AOC Bordeaux / Supérieur, partly due to the vineyards’ location and partly because 2020 was an excellent vintage in Bordeaux – the third in a row in fact – which is when Cab Sauv tends to shine. After pressing and fermentation, the wine matured for 12 months, 60% in barrels (including 25% new) with 40% in vats.

In the glass it’s a very deep red in colour, almost black. The nose is heady, with deep black and red fruits, plus some tobacco notes. The palate is soft and voluptuous. Intense fruit is framed by silky, soft tannins. It makes for a very approachable, quaffable wine, one that can be drunk on its own or with food, one that can be consumed now or kept until the end of the decade.

I’ve tried several vintages of this wine over the years, but this is the best one yet.

    • ABV: 14.0%
    • RRP: €13 down from €16.99
    • Source: sample
    • Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie

Château Tour Baladoz Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2020

Château Tour Baladoz Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2020 Bottle Shot

In contrast to the top wines of Bordeaux’s Médoc, which are often from large estates and need years to enter their drinking window, those of the right bank – Saint-Émilion and Pomerol – are often from smaller estates but are approachable at an earlier age. Saint-Emilion also has a completely different classification system, one that is somewhat merit-based and is revised every ten years, rather than being ossified in 1855.

Château Tour Baladoz was recently promoted to Grand Cru Classé status with effect from the 2022 vintage. The evaluation process included the tasting by a professional panel of ten different vintages on five different occasions, so it would be fair to say that this 2020 vintage is of Grand Cru Classé quality, if not status.

Tour Baladoz’s nine hectares of vineyards are 105 metres above sea level, which doesn’t sound very high, but as Bordeaux is a maritime region it’s one of the higher points. 70% are on a limestone plateau with 30% on gentle slopes. There’s a thin layer of clay over the limestone, adding a touch of power to the latter’s freshness. Vine roots have even pushed beneath the limestone into the Château’s underground cellars.

The blend is a full house of traditional black Bordeaux varieties (excluding the new experimental varieties): Merlot* (75%), Cabernet Franc (10%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%), Petit Verdot (6%), Malbec (2%) and Carmenérè (2%). After fermentation, the whe wines are aged for 15 to 20 months in French oak barrels from 10 different cooperages, including 70% new barrels.

Even on the eye it is apparent that this is an intense, young wine. The nose is fragrant and complex, with red and black fruits, vanilla, smoke, graphite and even a touch of aniseed. The palate is very primary at this stage, with powerful plum, blackberry and vanilla. There’s a dusting of dark chocolate on the finish, which also shows grippy tannins.

It’s obvious that this is going to be a spectacular wine, but it’s just not ready yet. The component parts are a little disjointed, and the alcohol is a little too obvious. For those who buy bottles to lay down for a few years this is worth buying, but for immediate drinking I would be cautious.

  • ABV: 14.5%
  • RRP: €30 down from €44.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie

Granits Saint-Joseph 2021

Granits Saint-Joseph 2021 Bottle Shot

Saint-Joseph is a “Cru” or prestigious appellation from the Northern Rhône – Vallée du Rhône Septentrionale in the local lingo – and hence is Syrah based – 100% Syrah in fact. It’s actually my go-to AOC in the Northern Rhône as it offers a great mix of quality and affordability. Côte Rôtie and Hermitage wines can be exceptional wines, but so can their prices.

This wine is made from vines on granite soils in the north of the AOC, close to Condrieu. Harvesting was all by hand and whole bunches were fermented together. For ageing the wine was split 50/50 between stainless steel tanks and used oak barrels. 2021 was a fairly wet and cold vintage for the Rhône, giving reds that are naturally high in acidity and can age gravefully for years.

At ony just twenty four months old this is indeed a young wine, with a bright purple rim and deep colour. The nose is typical Rhône Syrah, showing blueberry and blackberry fruit, but also a sniff of menthol and eucaplyptus. That fruit is very evident on the palate, along with parma violets (violet flavoured sweets, for those not familiar). It’s quite a tannin wine which gives the drinker three options: put it away for a few years, decant it for several hours, or drink it at the table with steak. If any of those options appeal, snap it up!

  • ABV: 12.5%
  • RRP: €15 down from €25
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores

Domaine St. Patrice “Vieilles Vignes” Châteauneuf du Pape 2017

Domaine St Patrice Châteauneuf du Pape 2017 Bottle Shot
Still in the Rhône, but this time the Southern Rhône, we now have a wine from the world famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Apparently a favourite of James Joyce, Domaine St. Patrice’s vines total 40 hectares across several parcels, predominantly on sandy-clay soils. The Domaine makes three different wines: a “regular” CNDP, this “Vieilles Vignes” (Old Vines) bottling and a “Monopole” from the 1.8 hectare Clos St Patrice which is solely owned by the Domaine.

In a slight tweak to the usual GSM+ CNDP blend, although the relative percentages of the different varieties are not given, it appears to be a Grenache-Mourvèdre-Syrah blend, with a seasoning of little Counoise and Cinsault. Most of the vines are between 40 and 70 years old.

2017 was a warm, dry year with low yields. The wines made were naturally intense and concentrated. The low rainfal led to slightly delayed phenolic ripeness so harvesting was late in the season. Whole bunch fermentation was used for differeing proportions of the grapes depending on variety. Ageing is in a mix of large steel tanks and foudres.

At six years old this wine is nicely hitting its straps. In the glass, the rim is already brick red, heading towards garnet. The components are nicely integrated and the flavours are blossoming. Aromas are intriguing and enticing, with a bouquet garni embedded in sweet fruits. The palate is rich, round, but velvety soft. The alcohol is high (well this is a Châteauneuf-du-Pape!) but it doesn’t stick out jarringly.

This is a very attractive wine which performs well for its normal price of €40, but at €30 it’s a bargain. If ever there was a wine worth trading up to, this is it.

  • ABV: 15.5 %
  • RRP: €30 down from €40
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores

Conclusion

These wines vary significantly in style but all have their positives. The Albert Glas is light, fruity and gluggable, drinking well right now. The Saint-Joseph and Tour Baladoz both need time and / or food. For drinking now (or later), on their own (or with food), the two that stand out for me are the Lacombe Cadiot (classy but not snobby according to my friends Una and Peter) and the Saint-Patrice. Those are the two that will be going in my shopping trolley.

 

*sorry Jim

Tasting Events

Wine Review: Reds from the SuperValu French & German Wine Sale

admin

The French and German wine sale continues at SuperValu. Here are some brief notes on a half dozen of the reds that I got to try:

Street Art Gamay Vin de France

Street Art Gamay Vin de France

Street Art’s Gamay is quite different from those of Beaujolais and the Loire. The grapes for this wine are from clay vineyards in Savoie which gives spice and fruit. In the winery the grapes are given a traditional fermentation rather than carbonic fermentation which is common in Beaujolais. In the glass this pours a light ruby with a purple rim. The nose shows lots of red black and blue fruits, pepper and spice. The palate is light, fruity, fun and fresh. There are some light tannins which give it a pleasing dry finish.

  • ABV: 12.5%
  • RRP: €8.00 down from €11.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores

Street Art Syrah Vin de France

Street Art Syrah Vin de France

The degree and a half additional alcohol mean that this wine has to be slightly more expensive due to Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) in Ireland. Is it worth a few more coppers than the Gamay? It’s certainly darker than the Gamay, though not quite inky black. The nose is full of deep black fruit, blackberry and blackcurrant, with a sprinkling of spice. The palate is rich and fruity, quietly powerful, not jammy. There’s just a tiny shake of tannins and touch of violets which round out the whole.

Stylistically, it’s somewhere between New Zealand and South African Syrah styles, i.e. there’s a great balance between fruit and savoury characteristics. This is an out and out delicious wine, and yes, for me it’s definitely worth the extra.

  • ABV: 14.0%
  • RRP: €8.30 down from €13.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores

Vignobles Vellas Max Lions Premium Grenache 2020

Max Lions Premium Grenache

The first offering from Vignobles Vellas is 100% Grenache noir, one of their star wines. It’s grown on similar terroir to their Medusa Viognier, i.e. mainly limestone, similar to Grenache’s heartland of the southern Rhône. It pours a deep ruby, with a purple rim showing its youth. It has an elegant, rich, expressive nose…strawberries from Wexford the Alps combine with hints of cinnamon and exotic spices. The palate is soft, rich and textured. This is definitely fruit-forward, but with a slightly savoury aspect which stops it from being merely jammy. This Grenache would do well with a barbecue – though it’s too late for that now in Ireland – or a hearty stew.

  • ABV: 14.5%
  • RRP: €10.00 down from €15.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores

Vignerons Catalans Signature Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel 2018 

Vignerons Catalans Côtes de Roussillon Villages Signature Tautavel

Vignerons Catalans is the largest producers’ cooperative in Roussillon, with 1,500 growers over 15 different appellations. They sell 18 million bottles a year to 40 countries, so quite a significant operation. Similar to Côtes du Rhône Villages, the best villages can have their name added to the label.

Also known as French Catalonia, the region is emerging from the shadow of its neighbour the Languedoc. Wine varieties are broadly similar between the two regions: here the blend is Syrah, Grenache (Noir) and Carignan. In the glass it’s a mid ruby red, somewhat lighter than I expected for a Syrah blend. The nose is quite heady, with black fruits and spice. In the mouth this is a smooth and spicy wine, with tangy black fruits and vanilla. It’s not all fruit, though, as there are some savoury black olive (from the Syrah) and earthy (from the Carignan) notes in there as well, and some gentle tannins on the finish.

This is quite an accomplished wine, relatively approachable for a glass with friends yet with enough guts to drink with autumn and winter dishes.

  • ABV: 14.0%
  • RRP: €10.00 down from €15.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores

Vignobles & Compagnie Les Combelles Côtes du Rhône-Villages 2021

Les Combelles Côtes du Rhône Villages Rouge

Speak of the devil, here’s a Côtes du Rhône-Villages for you. As part of their sustainablility promise, Vignobles & Compagnie plant a tree for every six bottles bought. Is this a worthwhile initiative or just a marketing gimmick? Leave a comment to let me know what your view is!

Unusually for a CdRV this is a Syrah-dominant blend, with 40% being Grenache. In colour it’s a little darker than the Catalan wine above, with purple flecks. The nose has bright red and black fruits, with spices, herbs and hints of cedarwood getting in on the act. The palate is powerful but elegant, spicier than I’d expect from this AOC – but that’s down to the high proportion of Syrah. This wine is long and sappy in the mouth and the alcohol is balanced with the red and black fruits – strawberry, raspberry and blackberry – balanced in turn by savoury notes and fine tannins.

  • ABV: 14.0%
  • RRP: €10.00 down from €15.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores

Vignobles Vellas I’m The Boss Cahors Malbec 2020

Vignobles Vellas I'm The Boss Cahors Malbec

This wine wears its heart on its sleeve – in several ways. The branding is fun, but also hints at what kind of wine it is – big and bold! If you weren’t familiar with Cahors Malbec then the message is delivered in full. Being from the 2020 vintage this is still young, and that is reflected in its deep purple colour. The nose is all about dark black fruits: blackberry, blackcurrant and prunes, plus some spice and earthiness.

The palate has the same sensibility: it’s thick and round, big on the fruit and fairly big on the tannins too. If this wine thinks its the boss, I’d love to see a showdown with a big hunk of dry-aged ribeye to see who the victor is. I’m volunteering to be the judge…anyone else?

  • ABV: 14.5%
  • RRP: €15.00 down from €22.99
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores

Conclusion

These wines vary in price from €8 to almost double at €15, and in my humble opinion the quality is good for the price. I recommend trying all of these wines if you are so inclined, but my personal preferences are influenced by my love for Syrah, so the Street Art Syrah and Côtes du Rhône-Villages are the ones I’d prioritise.

Wine Of The Week

Wine of the Week: Trapiche Finca Ambrosia Malbec

admin

Argentinian Malbec is one of those wines which no wine retailer will be without, and it’s likely that most restaurants will offer one on their list – especially if they take their steaks seriously. However, Malbec is often seen as a commodity wine, one that is similar no matter who makes it, and thus price becomes the main differentiating factor.

Once you go beyond the big volume commercial blends, often in an independent off licence, the field opens up: “Mendoza” is not the only geographic designation on the label – with small sub-regions indicated – or even at all, with other regions such as Salta and San Juan also featuring. Even further down the specialisation route is the single vineyard bottling – and here’s one such expression:

Trapiche Single Vineyard Series Finca Ambrosia Malbec 2015

Terroir Series Finca Ambrosia Malbec 2Like most Malbecs, this is fairly dark in the glass, though not quite opaque. The nose is perfumed, with lifted scents of cedar and ripe blackberries, plums and blackcurrants. Just fabulous! On the palate this wine is full of youth. It’s a big mouthful, certainly; delightfully smooth, with the cedar back again with the black fruits. There is great structure here, tannins which are fairly firm but not in the slightest bit austere: the fruit has the tannins put firmly in their place.

I tried this wine before noting the vintage – to think that this is close to seven years old is incredible as it is still so powerful. But not dauntingly so, it can be enjoyed on its own without food. A winner in my book.

  • ABV: 14.5%
  • RRP: €38 – €40
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: Martins Off Licence, Redmonds of Ranelagh
Opinion

Wine Review: Bordeaux Bargains in the SuperValu French Wine Sale

admin

It’s September so it must be the SuperValu French Wine Sale in Ireland.  This year the Sale runs from Thursday 2nd to Wednesday 22nd September and applies to over 80 wines, including those from producers such as André Goichot and Guy Saget that I have reviewed previously. In addition to reductions on existing listings there will be a number of “guest wines” sourced via Irish importer / distributor Febvre that are available solely during the sale period.

This article will focus on the four red Bordeaux wines included in the Sale.  All four are from the De Mour group, so first a little background on De Mour, then the wines themselves followed by my pick(s) of the bunch.

De Mour

De Mour logo

The above logo actually tells us a lot about the De Mour group.  Firstly, it is wholly owned by the De Schepper family who founded it in Ghent (Belgium) back in 1938.  Secondly, there are essentially two sides to the De Mour business, a negociant side and their own châteaux. 

Emile De Schepper and Ghislaine de Moor started a business producing local gins and liqueurs, but after a decade they began to take a serious interest in quality French wines.  Historically, the right bank of Bordeaux has had close ties to Belgium and The Netherlands (with the left bank being linked to Britain), so it made sense for their first investment to be Château Tour Baladoz in Saint Emilion.

Over the years the family expanded their own holdings and contracts with Bordelais growers whose grapes they would vinify and bottle under their own labels. The aim is to produce high quality wines that are also approachable and attainable (i.e. affordable).

The De Mour properties are:

  • Château Haut Breton Larigaudière (Margaux)
  • Château La Croizille (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru)
  • Château Lacombe Cadiot (Bordeaux Supérieur)
  • Château Tayet (Bordeaux Supérieur)
  • Château Tour Baladoz (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru)

The negociant business boasts over 65 different wines from across the Bordeaux area, though nearly all dry reds.

Château Moulin Lafitte Bordeaux 2016

Château Moulin Lafitte Bordeaux

This is a standalone Château but does not belong to the De Mour group; rather it belongs to friends of theirs who call on the heft of the De Mour Group for sales and distribution. The Château is located in the Entre Deux Mers region – between the Dordogne and Garonne rivers – though cannot (as yet, watch this space) use that appellation as it currently applies only to white wines. 

The vineyards are south facing and the vines are predominantly Merlot as you’d expect; the blend for this wine is 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. Despite the very good vintage (2016) and preponderance of Merlot, this wine has a modest (by modern standards) alcohol of 13.0%.  To me this indicates that the goal was balance rather than super-ripe fruit.

In the glass the wine has a bright ruby core with a rim that is turning to garnet.  The nose has a combination of fruit and tertiary aromas – there’s earth and leather but also fresh and poached plums and a twist of spice.  Lifted aromas give a little funk without a full-on stink.  The palate is round and smooth with those plums to the fore, plus tinned strawberries and the earthiness in the background. Acidity and tannins are present and correct but well integrated.

This is a classic-style claret with quite a bit of development already under its belt.  This would pair well with game such as wild boar, lamb or a sharp cheddar.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €12.70 down from €18.99 from Thurs 2nd Sept to Wed 22nd Sept 2021
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and SuperValu.ie

Château Lacombe Cadiot Bordeaux Supérieur 2019

Château Lacombe Cadiot Bordeaux Supérieur

Château Lacombe Cadiot is unusual among “mere” Bordeaux Supérieurs in that it is located on the Médoc peninsula (though it does actually share that status with stablemate Château Tayet). Its home commune of Ludon Médoc is home to more famous estates such as Château La Lagune and Château d’Agassac. The Château’s vineyards are planted in the proportion 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot – the precise blend in the final wine will fluctuate a little from year to year.

The Château was bought by De Mour in 1982 and has been an important part of their portfolio ever since.  This is a modern style of Bordeaux, not lean and green, but rather more of a generous and ripe nature.  In the glass the wine is dark ruby with a purple rim – no surprises there.  But the nose – what a nose!  I immediately looked around for an Ambassador as there were such intense aromas of Ferrero Rocher!  Blackcurrant and pencil shavings completed the olfactory picture. 

The palate shows voluptuous black fruits and violets, smooth yet with tannins arriving in a rush at the end.  I did find some hints of unripe green notes in there – perhaps another year or two would integrate them nicely.  In the meantime I would serve this wine with a medium rare entrecôt!

  • ABV: 14.0%
  • RRP: €10.70 down from €15.99 from Thurs 2nd Sept to Wed 22nd Sept 2021
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and SuperValu.ie

Château Tour Baladoz Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2018

Château Tour Baladoz Saint Emilion Grand Cru

Château Tour Baladoz is surrounded by Grand Cru Classé vineyards, so they have finally bitten the bullet and submitted their dosier for potential inclusion from 2022 onwards.  The Château was bought by De Mour back in 1950 so is their longest-held property.  The vines cover ten hectares on slopes that range from 110 down to 45 metres above sea level – a significant gradient. The current encépagement is 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, though additional plantings of Petit Verdot, Carmenère and Malbec were made in 2019 (I imagine as a response to climate change).

This 2018 is still a baby – that much is obvious from simply pouring it into a glass where there are still purple tints on the rim.  The nose is wonderfully perfumed, though somewhat restrained.  The palate is classy, with toasty oak and vanilla notes overlaying plush plum and cassis fruit.  The texture is soft, yet powerful, and velvety.  This is a real treat of a wine that is enjoyable now and for the next decade or so.

  • ABV: 14.5%
  • RRP: €30.00 down from €44.99 from Thurs 2nd Sept to Wed 22nd Sept 2021
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and SuperValu.ie

Lady de Mour Margaux 2018

Lady De Mour Margaux

Finally we come to De Mour’s namesake wine, albeit a wine made from bought-in rather than owned grapes.  Among the four poshest AOCs of the Médoc, Margaux is renowned for the elegance of its wines, partially due to a lower proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon compared to Saint Estèphe, Saint Julien and Pauillac. 

However, compared to some Margaux the Lady de Mour has a high proportion of Cab Sauv: 63%, with 31% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot.*  Precisely when to pick is a very important decision – too early and green, vegetal notes creep in – too late and acidity is too low and the wine becomes jammy.

In the glass the wine is dark, though not quite opaque, with a bright purple rim.  On the nose it is fabulously aromatic, full of dark fruit and graphite notes; plum cassis and spice.  These notes continue through onto the palate, joined by violets.  The texture is supreme – I don’t know if it’s silk or velvet, but it’s just so pleasing.  Although the alcohol is on the low side for a Margaux – 12’5% – this wine does not feel thin or lacking at all, just very well balanced.

  • ABV: 12.5%
  • RRP: €24.75 down from €36.99 from Thurs 2nd Sept to Wed 22nd Sept 2021
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and SuperValu.ie

Conclusion

I think it’s fair to group this quartet into two pairs, two “weekday wines” and two “weekend wines”.  For me the Moulin Lafitte is the more interesting of the junior pair right now, so that would be my choice for drinking this year; the Lacombe Cadiot would be worth buying several of for laying down and breaking out for Xmas 2024.

I did really enjoy the Tour Baladoz, but the aromatics of the Lady de Mour carried the day for me, and that’s the one I will be buying for myself!

* My guess when I tried the same vintage of this wine in November last year was 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc – not too far off I reckon

Make Mine A Double

Big and Bold from Boutique [Make Mine a Double #69]

admin

On this 69th installment of Make Mine a Double (the favourite installment of Bill S. Preston Esq. and Ted “Theodore” Logan of course1) we look at two big and bold reds from Boutique Wines, a small wine importer based in Dublin.  One is from South West France made (primarily) with a grape that has found fame in Argentina: Malbec.  Outside of south western France, Malbec is used in the Loire and as a minor blending grape in Bordeaux (though its ability to thrive in warmer weather is likely to see its importance there rise again.)

Another Bordeaux blending grape that has found success in Argentina, though on a much smaller scale, is Petit Verdot.  The Bordelais use it as a seasoning grape, adding a dash of colour and tannin when 5% or so is added into a blend.  The second wine below is 100% Petit Verdot but from a different warm, Spanish speaking country – Spain itself!

Disclosure: the Cahors was a sample but opinions remain my own (the Petit Verdot was an unrelated gift2)

Château Nozières Ambroise de l’Her Cahors Malbec 2016

Château Nozières owns 55 hectares in total spread close to its home in Vire-sur-Lot.  They are on a continuous journey to understand the nuances of each site.  For this “Ambroise de l’Her” the fruit is selected from older parcels of Malbec (90%) and Merlot (10%) grown on clay / limestone terraces of the Lot River.  Yields are kept at 40 hl/ha and canopy management is by hand.  Harvesting is by a combination of machine and hand followed by fermentation in temperature controlled vats over three weeks.  MLF takes place in the same vats followed by maturation in used (between one and five years) oak barrels for 12 to 14 months.

Whether it’s climate change or the rise of Argentine Malbec that has a bigger influence on Cahors is unclear, but their effects are reflected in this ripe, fruit driven bottle from Château Nozières.  Although ripe and full-bodied, it’s not at all jammy as tannins keep exuberance in check.  The balance is enough for it to be quaffed on its own, enjoying the sweet black fruits, but it also works superbly with hearty winter food.

  • ABV: 14.5%
  • RRP: €16.95 (down from €21.00)
  • Stockists: Boutique Wines, Barnhill stores Killaney/Dalkey; Mortons, Ranalagh; Listons, Camden street; The Wine House Trim; Emilie’s, Glenbeigh Co. Kerry; Pat Fitzgerald’s (Centra), Dingle Co. Kerry; Grape and Bean, Portlaois; The Wine Pair, Clanbrassil Street; Blackrock Cellars; Gleeson’s, Booterstown Ave

Bodegas Señorio de Iniesta “Colección 34”  La Tierra de Castilla Petit Verdot 2018

Bodega Iniesta is a relatively new venture – very new in Spanish terms! – as the winery was only built in 2010.  Located an hour an a half’s drive west of Valencia, the Bodega has in excess of 300 hectares of vines, including both Spanish and international varieties.  They make a wide range of styles and quality levels – and even offer olive oil.  Petit Verdot is an unusual variety to plant, but I’m glad they did because it really works!

In the glass it pours a dark red with a purple rim.  On the nose it shows an array of ripe black fruit: blackberries, blueberries and blackcurrant, but with delightful violet aromas floating over the top.  These notes all continue onto the velvety palate with vanilla also appearing.  Pleasant, slightly drying tannins integrate well into the long finish.  Although it’s not sweet like a dessert, for me this wine evokes blackberry crumble with vanilla custard – just delicious!

  • ABV: 14.5%
  • RRP: €14.95
  • Stockists: Boutique Wines, Barnhill stores Killaney/Dalkey; Mortons, Ranalagh; Listons, Camden street; The Wine House Trim; Emilie’s, Glenbeigh Co. Kerry; Pat Fitzgerald’s (Centra), Dingle Co. Kerry; Grape and Bean, Portlaois; The Wine Pair, Clanbrassil Street; Blackrock Cellars; Gleeson’s, Booterstown Ave

Conclusion

These are both well-made wines – at any price point.  When the prices are taken into account then they offer remarkable value for money.  I’d be very happy with either wine but the Petit Verdot is outrageously good for €15 in Ireland, so that would be my pick of the two.

 

1 Bill S. Preston Esq. and Ted “Theodore” Logan are – of course – known better as just Bill and Ted

2 Thanks Sinéad!

 

**Click here to see more posts in the Make Mine a Double Series**

Opinion

Five Festive Flagons

admin

As we roll on towards the festive season, despite the pandemic. many of us are starting to plan which wines we want to have in stock for drinking over the Christmas period (Christmas don’t care ’bout Covid!)  Here are five wines that you should consider this Yule:

Disclosure: bottles were kindly sent as samples, but opinions remain my own

Perelada Cava Reserva Brut

I reviewed this wine just over three years ago and the salient points of that article remain valid:

  • There’s a lot of very ordinary Cava out there, at very low prices (often €12 or less)
  • Small-scale, renowned producers such as Llopart and Raventos i Blanc are available from around €30 upwards in Ireland (and are usually better than any Champagnes down at that price)
  • That leaves a big gap in the market between the two price points which is neatly filled by Perelada

This Reserva Brut bottling is made from the traditional three Cava grapes: Macabeo (30%), Xarel·lo (45%) and Parellada (25%) with 15 months maturation on the lees – significantly more than the nine months minimum for Cava.  It’s highly aromatic, just a delight to sniff, but very attractive on the palate with apple, pear and citrus notes.  The finish is crisp, perhaps a little dry for some tastes (though not mine).

When to drink: This would be a great start to Xmas morning, good enough to sip on its own, with nibbles or even a smoked salmon starter.

  • ABV: 11.5%
  • RRP: €20
  • Stockists: The Drink Store, Stoneybatter D7 / Higgins Off Licence, Clonskeagh / Jus de Vine, Portmarnock, Fine Wines O/L Group.

Fontanafredda Gavi di Gavi 2019

Amongst a group of my friends we have a running joke that one (Gosia) would often select Gavi di Gavi from a wine list when there were other, more interesting, options available.  This wine shows that joke to be hollow as it’s a cracking wine, full of flowers and spicy pear on the nose, sensual texture on the palate and soft stone fruit flavours.  There’s a racy acidity to the wine but it isn’t lean, just refreshing.

When to drink: With shellfish, white fish or even lighter poultry.

  • ABV: 14.5%
  • RRP: €20 – €21
  • Stockists: Redmonds of Ranelagh; Martins Off Licence, Fairview; D-SIX Wines, Harolds Cross

Trapiche Malbec Reserva Malbec 2019

Trapiche have several different quality levels within their line-up, including the excellent Terroir Series Ambrosia Single Vineyard Malbec which I reviewed here.  This Reserva is a more of an everyday wine, but is true to its variety with bold plum and blackberry fruits and a touch of vanilla.  It’s an easy-going red that doesn’t hit the heights but hits the spot with a steak.

When to drink: With red meat or just with your feet up in front of the TV

  • ABV: 13.5%
  • RRP: €13 – €15
  • Stockists: Dunnes Stores; Nolans Supermarket, Clontarf

Mommessin Domaine de la Presle Fleurie 2018

Fleurie is Ireland’s favourite Beaujolais Cru by some distance, perhaps helped by the easily pronounceable name.  It’s a relatively light Cru so sits as a happy medium in depth of colour.  The nose shows a variety of cherries, blueberries and red table grape skins.  On the palate we find freshly-made home-made jam from a variety of red and black fruits, a little garden thyme and pencil shavings.  On it’s own I thought it a good but not great wine, but when my wife tried it with extra mature cheddar she though it magnificent – the fruit of the wine counters the saltiness of the cheese and the cheese softens the acidity of the wine.  As a non-cheese eater I will take her word for it!

When to drink: With hard cheese, charcuterie, wild boar sausages, venison, duck, or nut roast

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €18 – €20
  • Stockists: Fine Wines Off Licence; The Drink Store, Stoneybatter; Nolans Supermarket, Clontarf; Kellers Carry Out, Nenagh.

Boutinot La Côte Sauvage Cairanne 2017

Cairanne only became a named village or Cru in its own right a few years ago, though 20% of the land was effectively demoted at the same time (1,088 hectares of the original 1,350 survived the increased standards).  Being in the Southern Rhône this is a GSM blend, consisting of Grenache Noir (60%), Syrah (20%), Mourvèdre (10%) and Carignan (10%).  The minor grapes add considerable colour as the wine is darker than many Grenache based wines.  Their influence is felt on the nose, too, which has rich black fruit and spice, something like blackberry crumble in a glass.  These notes continue through to the palate which is velvety and powerful.  This is heady stuff, perfect for Xmas or winter celebrations.

When to drink: With friends, family, or on your own.  Treat yourself!

  • ABV: 14.5%
  • RRP: €23
  • Stockists: Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; La Touche Wines, Greystones; Martins, Fairview; The Drink Store, Stoneybatter; Fine Wines O/L Group

 

Wine + Music

The Frankly Wines & Friends Wine & Music Series #15 – Liam Mycroft

admin

In these unusual times, we all need a lift from time to time. As a change to my usual wine reviews I’ve decided to start a fun and irreverent series on matching wine and music. The basic idea is that I give participants:

  • A piece of music –> they suggest a wine to go with it, with an explanation
  • A wine –> they suggest a piece of music to go with it

It’s all for fun, so please don’t slag off anybody’s taste music (or wine!) Thanks to Michelle Williams for the inspiration – she has been matching songs to wine for years on her Rockin Red Blog.

Our 15th guest contributor in The Frankly Wines & Friends Wine & Music Series is someone with an accent that is hard to pin down, but that makes perfect sense when you head his bio!  Liam came into wine geekery later than some others but has been making up for lost time, devouring wine knowledge (and wine bottles?) at a hectic pace.  After meeting at several consumer tastings he joined us in the Dublin North Side (DNS) Wine Club despite being a southsider.  After a few tastings he threw hit hat into the ring to present a tasting, and the favourite of the group that night is the Garzon which I picked for him below.

For music I picked a track from an artist we both love – Eric Clapton – but not one of the most obvious.  Bad Love is from his long hair period and is definitely more rock than blues, but it’s a classic.

It is with excitement and trepidation that I answer the request from Frankie to play a part in the wonderful Music and Wine Collaboration series. Excited to be asked, for sure, but the trepidation comes from following such illustrious giants from the Wine Gliteratti as James Hubbard & Jim Dunlop amongst a host of others. Frankie asked me a few weeks ago, but I had been tied up on a work project, meaning I didn’t have a lot of spare time to do justice to the cause, and lo and behold, the literary, musical and all round Wino genius, Lee Issacs, got in before me with his wonderfully descriptive scribblings. While Lee and I have never met in person, largely due to the present travel restrictions we find ourselves in, we share a common love of Argentina, and we both found our life partners roaming the Pampas, and this might explain our mutual love of Malbec, more of that to follow, as I now have to follow his words…

My musical tastes are very eclectic. Something to do with my advancing years, in that they range from the 60’s, the Beatles obviously (far better than the Stones!), through my formative years of the 70’s, with psychedelic sounds, before punk emerged, followed by a constant return to the 70’s as I got stuck in a time warp of music from that era. I still listen every week to Johnny Waler’s Sounds of the 70’s every Sunday afternoon. I have had a detour in recent years to embrace Country Music, yes, I know! It all came about from spending a few months working every year in the US back in the ’90s, and I fell for it… But I digress…

Eric Clapton – Bad Love

The Track that Frankie selected for me comes from one of my All Time Heroes, Slow Hand himself, Eric Clapton. Perhaps one of his lesser known tracks, from the 1989 Journeyman Album, “Bad Love”. Although it charted around the world, you don’t often hear it on the radio, and to be honest, although I have the album, I had forgotten the track over time. A pleasure to be reacquainted, and the lyrics rang very close to home. (This is where I turn sloppy and sentimental, which features from here on in, sorry).

The lyrics talk about being sad for the lonely people who walked through life alone for so long, as I did, but now having found their one true love, there would be no more Bad Love in their lives. This resounds with me, having met my wife late in life, after a failed marriage, and relationships in my younger days, but with all that behind me, having met Paula, my Argentine Rose, this song has new meaning.

Obviously as it reflected my life and how I had found my “Good Love” in Argentina, the wine I have selected to pair with the song, to remind me of every glorious moment, is of course, an Argentine Wine. Having been able to live just outside Buenos Aires for four years between 2009 and 2013, wines from the country became a staple, and I fell in love with Malbec as well as the woman.

I have selected a Malbec available here in Ireland, from Kaiken, ironically headed up by a Chilean, Aurelio Montes, from the Uco Valley in Mendoza. A truly memorable wine, the Kaiken Ultra Malbec is bright red in colour with an intense aroma emanating of spice and floral elegance, before the black fruits, so typical in a quality Malbec shine through. Smooth, soft tannins give way to a lengthy finish, and take me back to sitting outside in Buenos Aires as my brother in law stoked the Parilla (BBQ) and cooked an Asado to be washed down by a smooth Malbec.

Bodega Garzón Albariño

Of course, the journey doesn’t stop here, and Frankie, knowing my affection for South America, has selected an Albariño from Bodega Garzón in Uruguay for me to come up with a musical side dish to accompany this maritime delight. Albariño wines from Rías Baixas and Galicia have become very popular in Ireland in the past few years, and this Uruguayan version certainly reaches the giddy heights of the top Albariño’s Worldwide.

Pale yellow in colour, with a greenish tinge in the glass, on the nose the peachy summer fruit comes forward, with a hint of salinity, taking me to the seaside, and seafood. Citric flavours mingle with the pear in the mouth, and a long aftertaste reminds me of the smell of seaweed and brine as you walk along a coastline.

For some strange reason, my sentimentality came back to me every-time I thought about a musical pairing to go with this wine. The sea-salt took me to the Ocean, and a more local musician, with a song, not really about the ocean at all, but about life being a Voyage, and to Christy Moore, and his wonderful rendition of the Johnny Duhan penned song. The song talks about how life is an ocean, and love is a boat, and through troubled waters it keeps us afloat.

I’m not sure how a few bottles of Albariño would fare as we sail through life, but it took me back to finding my true love back in Argentina, and how we sailed the ocean back to Ireland (Ok, we flew, but its far more romantic to think of the journey being in a boat – romantic licence), and here we are, gathering around us our own crew of friends, making our life complete.

So there you have it. Two songs, two wines. The wines are linked, being both from South America, but the songs are dramatically different in their style, but are linked by their appreciation of Love and Life, hope you stayed the course.

Liam Mycroft

Having set sail for Liverpool as a 5 year old, before returning home at 40 plus, Liam has lead a roaming life, taking him from County Down to Dublin, via Liverpool, Salford, San Diego, Rhode Island, and Buenos Aires. He is a Civil Servant by day, and in recent years, a wine nerd at night and weekends. After a lifetime of living a cliché of drinking the same wines, because he liked them, upon his return from Argentina in 2013, he decided to learn more about the Grape, taking a local course with Leslie Williams, which enthused him to go down the road of the WSET exams, and, so far, he has passed Levels 2 and 3 with Merit. Next up for this self-confessed nerd is the Italian Wine Scholar Programme, as he has fallen in love with the myriad of wines from the Boot of the Mediterranean, and aims to kick on with his knowledge in the future, sharing his views via Twitter (@Liam3494) and blogging his personal wine thoughts at www.thelongwineroad.com.

The Frankly Wines & Friends Wine & Music Series
No. Guest Name Music to pair Wine to pair
15 Liam Mycroft Eric Clapton – Bad Love Bodegas Garzon Albariño
14 Lee Isaacs The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter Domaine Jones Fitou
13 Sharon L Souls Of Mischief –  93 ‘Til Infinity Penfolds RWT
12 Tim Milford Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man Nyetimber Classic Cuvée
11 Mags McKee U2 with BB King –  When Love Comes to Town Pittnauer Zweigelt Heideboden
10 Cara Rutherford The Cure – Just Like Heaven Suertes del Marqués ‘7 Fuentes’
9 Melanie May The Cult –  She Sells Sanctuary Sipp Mack GC Rosacker Riesling
8 James Hubbard Gary Moore – Parisienne Walkways Penfolds Bin 707 Cab Sauv
7 Paul Moran Underworld – Rez Suertes del Marqués Trenzado
6 Nirina Plunkett Jamiroquai – Space Cowboy Club Remix Wolfberger Crémant d’Alsace
5 Penny Sadler Fleetwood Mac – Dreams Bollinger Special Cuvée
4 Jim Dunlop The Beatles – The Long And Winding Road Man O’ War Valhalla Chardonnay
3 Avril Kirrane McMorrough Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why Joseph Cattin Riesling Reserve
2 Tim of Soliciting Flavours Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings Viña Tondonia Blanco
1 Sinéad Smyth Stardust – Music Sounds Better With You Mullineux Syrah
Wine + Music

The Frankly Wines & Friends Wine & Music Series #14 – Lee Isaacs

admin

In these unusual times, we all need a lift from time to time. As a change to my usual wine reviews I’ve decided to start a fun and irreverent series on matching wine and music. The basic idea is that I give participants:

  • A piece of music –> they suggest a wine to go with it, with an explanation
  • A wine –> they suggest a piece of music to go with it

It’s all for fun, so please don’t slag off anybody’s taste music (or wine!) Thanks to Michelle Williams for the inspiration – she has been matching songs to wine for years on her Rockin Red Blog.

For the 14th episode of The Frankly Wines & Friends Wine & Music Series we head back to England with the irrepressible polymath Lee Isaacs.  Not only does this bloke live and breathe wine, he also has a fabulous collection of shirts and plays a mean axe!  By axe I mean guitar (and probably other instruments, knowing Lee).  If anyone was the most apt person to write a guest post in this series, it’s Mr Lee Isaacs.

Now I’m not a diehard aficionado of The Stones, but their standout track for me is Gimme Shelter.  This is the group that absorbed The Blues through imported LPs and ended up taking it back to the Americans, both in their own music and the limelight they shared with Blues legends.

Lee spreads the gospel about wine over several social media platforms – which gives us mere mortals an opportunity to enjoy his shirts and his music – but he’s also generous in praising other communicators including Katie Jones, so I thought this would be the perfect wine to pick for him.

I was chuffed when Frankie asked me to write a piece matching wine and music for his site, for two main reasons. Usually the only form of writing people ask me to do for them is filling in those legal forms the prevent me from playing the guitar within a ten mile radius, but also because wine and music are two of my greatest loves in life. They are both uniquely subjective and conjure up emotions and memories beyond our control. They have the power to weaken us at the knees or make us feel like anything is possible. Wine and music both have an incredible power over our soul and…I’ll stop; you get my drift.

The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter

Frankie’s opening musical gambit came in the form of The Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter, from their 1969 album (also their best) Let It Bleed. The song sees Keef playing a portentous riff in open G while Mick Jagger and Merry Clayton trade ever darker lyrics about an impending storm of violence. This is The Stones at their very best; more than just dirty, grimy (so wrong, it’s right) blues, but deep and searing social commentary. The song is the death cry of 1960s peace and love and a dark vision of the dystopia that lay around the corner. It could have been written yesterday. Mick’s refrain of ‘If I don’t get some shelter, I’m gonna fade away’ could be any of us right now. It opens gently enough with an inviting, almost light, blues motif but it quickly builds to something much more brooding and enveloping. By the end of the song you need a breather, a chance to reflect on exactly what it all means.

But what wine to pair with this greatest of Stones tracks? Malbec may well be a superstar today, but that’s not always been the case. It was not Argentina’s most planted variety until 2006. In fact, previous to that it had been a bit of a workhorse, a variety that had yet to find it’s truest expression and was in danger of fading away without some shelter. That shelter was provided by Nicolás Catena Zapata. He gave it shelter by taking it as high as he could, planting his Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary at a breath taking altitude of 1,500 m.a.s.l. This was a call to arms for other producers to not only revisit Malbec but also to take on the challenge of high altitude grape growing. Nicolás saw a hard future ahead but made a stand and changed Argentine wine forever.

This Malbec is just as brooding and intense as Mick & Keef’s lyrics. It opens with a violet scented perfume while some subtle mineral notes invite you in before it quickly builds with deep black fruit and cassis flavours. Before you know it, you’re awash with dark chocolate, coffee, smoky vanilla and earthy spices. But then there’s a refrain; the violets and minerals reappear and bring you back from the blackcurrant precipice as you realise that perhaps there’s more to everything than it first seemed. By the end of the bottle one can only sit and reflect.

Domaine Jones Fitou

Frankie took his opening gambit and doubled down with the classic ‘Fitou Strategem’ first used by Francis of Gaul all those years ago. It’s a fine call as I’m a fan of the inimitable Katie Jones and her magnificent wines. It’s well documented that Katie met with some rather unfriendly locals who doubted her commitment & motivations. This only further emboldened Mrs Jones in her quest, and today she makes characterful wine with a huge sense of place. Katie takes a central theme for each wine she makes and then slowly and confidently builds to a wonderful driving crescendo.

This Fitou is a blend of Grenache, Syrah & Carignan with some of the contributing vines being over 100 years old. This brings to the wine an incredible concentration of deeply structured figgy, spicy and smoky fruit. There’s a wonderful rusticity to the wine; it’s filled with garrigue, warm herbs, roasting meats and the most alluring black fruits…all supported by melt in the mouth tannins and a fine seam of acidity. It feels like this wine, its style, its flavours, its structure…it feels like its always been here. Every time you drink it, you wonder why you drink anything else.

Led Zeppelin also met with some backlash. Indeed it’s the very origin of their name. They remained steadfast, and, building on the history that lay before them, they built something new and wonderous. It’s easy to get caught up in Stairway but Led Zep IV’s When The Levee Breaks is one of those tracks that is absolutely magical & timeless.

It is of course driven by the eternal, powerful & mesmerising drum work of John Bonham. That sound, that rhythm…it’s always been here, since the beginning of time. Jimmy Page eschews the standard I-IV-V blues tradition, instead opting for a modal approach. He takes a central theme and builds, builds, builds, to an incredible and long lasting crescendo. This song has history but also incredible depth and sophistication. Like Fitou it’s often overlooked in favour of more prestigious and well known names…but this just keeps getting better and better. Every time you hear it, you wonder why you listen to anything else.

Lee Isaacs

Lee has been around wine since the age of 5 and when he turned 18, he passed up a place at university to study law and politics in favour of working in the wine trade. His bank manager has still not forgiven him. An Oddbins refugee, he ran one of the UK’s best indies for 5 years before becoming Head of Education for Oxford’s oldest wine school. A WSET Diploma holder, Lee has taught and lectured all over the world for MWs and MSs. Widely travelled, he specialises in Argentina, a country he visits almost every year, and Italy, a country he has travelled around extensively. Published by a variety of media, Lee continues to educate, entertain and immerse himself in the world of wine, running around 100 tastings every year (pre-Covid obvs). He now works for a multinational business in training, buying and marketing. When not doing something with wine he can be found failing to play the guitar and writing dreadful stand up comedy.

The Frankly Wines & Friends Wine & Music Series
No. Guest Name Music to pair Wine to pair
14 Lee Isaacs The Rolling Stones – Gimme Shelter Domaine Jones Fitou
13 Sharon L Souls Of Mischief –  93 ‘Til Infinity Penfolds RWT
12 Tim Milford Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man Nyetimber Classic Cuvée
11 Mags McKee U2 with BB King –  When Love Comes to Town Pittnauer Zweigelt Heideboden
10 Cara Rutherford The Cure – Just Like Heaven Suertes del Marqués ‘7 Fuentes’
9 Melanie May The Cult –  She Sells Sanctuary Sipp Mack GC Rosacker Riesling
8 James Hubbard Gary Moore – Parisienne Walkways Penfolds Bin 707 Cab Sauv
7 Paul Moran Underworld – Rez Suertes del Marqués Trenzado
6 Nirina Plunkett Jamiroquai – Space Cowboy Club Remix Wolfberger Crémant d’Alsace
5 Penny Sadler Fleetwood Mac – Dreams Bollinger Special Cuvée
4 Jim Dunlop The Beatles – The Long And Winding Road Man O’ War Valhalla Chardonnay
3 Avril Kirrane McMorrough Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why Joseph Cattin Riesling Reserve
2 Tim of Soliciting Flavours Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings Viña Tondonia Blanco
1 Sinéad Smyth Stardust – Music Sounds Better With You Mullineux Syrah
Tasting Events

Lidl’s September Wine Cellar – Other Reds

admin

Lidl Ireland are introducing some limited release French wines in their stores from Thursday 24th September 2020 in what they are calling their “September Wine Cellar”. I tasted the majority of them at the first press tasting since Covid first hit and can give them all a thumbs up. They aren’t likely to win any major awards but they are very good value for money and give wine drinkers a chance to try something representative of a style they might not have tried before.

Here are my brief notes on four more reds included in the event:

Val de Salis Syrah Pays d’Oc 2019

Syrah’s home is in the northern Rhône where it is the only black grape used; it is also an important component of southern Rhône blends where it provides aromatics and a backbone to Grenache.  Such is the standing of Syrah in France that planting it in the Languedoc has been positively encouraged by the French wine authorities who deem it to be an “improving grape”, i.e. better than many others planted there.  This Val de Salis Syrah is mid to dark in the glass with a youthful purple rim.  The nose shows bountiful blackberry along with sweet / savoury liquorice.  This is a warming wine to taste (despite the reasonable alcohol) with tasty red and black fruits.  There are also interesting notes of spice, liquorice and black olive giving a nice savoury finish.

  • ABV: 13.5%
  • RRP: €8.99
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland

Val de Salis Syrah Viognier Réserve Pays d’Oc 2019

In my reference to the northern Rhône above I stated that Syrah is the only black grape permitted there.  While this is 100% true, it’s not the full picture; some red wine AOC regulations permit the addition of white grapes(!) when making red wine, either Viognier (Côte Rôtie) or Marsanne and/or Roussanne (Saint-Joseph, Crozes Hermitage and Hermitage).  What the darned heck is that all about? you may ask.  The white grapes serve to soften the Syrah, add their own aromatics to the wine and also help the Syrah’s own aromas to fully bloom.

Like the varietal Syrah above this is  mid to dark intensity in the glass with a purple rim.  The nose is very aromatic, ripe deep black fruit and spice.  There are also hints of oak treatment and some graphite.  It is lovely and round in the mouth, fill of black and red fruit, lots of toasty vanilla and smooth chocolate (think Galaxy).  Such a delicious wine!

  • ABV: 13.5%
  • RRP: €8.99
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland

Château Gabier Cahors 2018

From the Languedoc we now head north west to Cahors (administratively in the south west of France for wine purposes).  Of course Cahors is the original home of Malbec, a grape which has expanded outside its heartland to Bordeaux and the Loire Valley, among other places (I hear reports that some is planted in Argentina).  As you’d expect from the “Black Wine of Cahors” this is dark in the glass, though not quite opaque.  The nose features redcurrants, raspberries and blackberries, wrapped in a seductive smokiness.  On the palate the black fruit comes to the fore, but there are also red fruit notes providing great acidity and freshness.  This is nothing like an Argie Malbec, but it’s worth a try to see if you like this style.

  • ABV: 13.5%
  • RRP: €9.99
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland

Organic Vacqueyras 2019

Information on the front label is again somewhat lacking, though at the top it does tell you that this is a “Cru de la Vallée du Rhône” (which you can hopefully translate for yourselves) and there’s a symbol confirming that it’s certified organic.  The papal crossed keys are deliberately reminiscent of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s crossed keys and tiara – in fact Vaqueyras producers are being a little naughty with this (see this Yapp Brothers’ blog post for a full explanation).  Like most southern Rhône reds Vacqueyras wines tend to be a Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre (GSM) blend.

In the glass this is quite dark for the southern Rhône which makes me think there’s a good proportion of Syrah (which is darker than Grenache) in the blend.  The nose exhibits luscious strawberries and spice.  This is a big and fairly rich wine; voluptuous, but with a certain lightness as well.  Strawberry notes dominate the attack but there is also a dry, herbal finish.  This is a fantastic winter wine.

  • ABV: 14.5%
  • RRP: €14.99
  • Stockists: Lidl Ireland

Star Pick

The amazing aromatics of the Val de Salis Syrah Viognier make this an easy pick of the bunch for me.

Lidl’s September Wine Cellar Posts: