Rulo Winery: Worthy of the Cellar

I have been drinking the wines of Rulo Winery for a few years.  Typically I drink the Syrca and Syrah, usually in my hotel room in Seattle.  With Maryland allowing direct shipping I thought it would be fun to tasted a range of their wines back home with Jenn.  Rulo Winery is the product of Kurt and Vicki.  They built the winery with their own funds, vinifiy the wines themselves, and even distribute them.  The fruit is sourced from strong vineyards and I think this shows in the quality of the flavors.  What also shows in the red wines are an ample dose of very fine, powerful tannins.  It is true that this may be distracting at times but it is best to let these age for the short-term.  If you must try a bottle then do so with food.  These wines were purchased from Rulo Winery.

2011 Rulo Winery, Grenache Blanc, Boushey Vineyard, Yakima Valley – $25
This wine is 100% Grenache Blanc sourced from the Boushey Vineyard.  Alcohol 13.2%.  The color was a very light straw.  The light to medium nose was evocative of Sauvignon Blanc with its vibrant, fresh grassy aromas.  In the mouth there were similarly crisp flavors of pink grapefruit, vibrant acidity, and a tangy finish.  It revealed some ripe texture in the aftertaste.  ** Now.

2011 Rulo Winery, Chardonnay, Birch Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley – $20
This wine is 100% Chardonnay sourced from the Birch Creek Vineyard.  Alcohol 14.1%.  The color was a very light yellow straw.  The light nose was of white and yellow fruit along with some toast.  There was bright white fruit in the mouth which slowly built controlled ripeness.  There was creamy weight, spices, and texture along with vibrant acidity.  With air peach flavors came out and some juiciness.  This showed good integration of acidity and spices.  *** Now-2016.

2009 Rulo Winery, Syrca, Columbia Valley – $16
This wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Red Mountain and Horse Heaven Hills and 30% Syrah sourced from Red Mountain.  It was aged for 26 months in 50% new French oak.  Alcohol 14.5%.  The color was a medium purple, black cherry.  There was tight, dark red fruit in the mouth which left a sense that the wine was firming up.  There was a hint of vanilla, good acidity, and very fine, powerful tannins which coated and dried the cheeks.  **(*) 2014-2018.

NV Rulo Winery, WCF, Columbia Valley – $25
This wine is a blend of 64% 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from The Benches in Horse Heaven Hills and 36% 2009 Syrah sourced from Clifton Vineyard in Wahluke Slope.  Alcohol 14.5%.  The color was a medium+ purple, grapey darkness.  The nose was light and tight with savory aromas of vanilla and black fruit.  In the mouth the Cabernet Sauvignon comes out with black red fruit.  The wine is weighty and a touch savory as some vanilla comes out.  It becomes bigger and riper as a wave of flavor fills the mouth.  There were very fine, tannins which, though riper than the Syrca, still dried the mouth in the aftertaste.  *** Now-2017.

2009 Rulo Winery, Syrah, Columbia Valley – $25
This wine is 100% Syrah sourced from River Rock in Walla Walla, Ranch at the End of the Road in Red Mountain, and Clifton Hill Vineyard in Wahluke Slope.  Alcohol 14.5%.  The nose preceeds the mouth with its slightly creamy blue and black fruit.  There was a little vanilla flavor before spicy tannins from oak came out.  It showed more structure with air in the way of very fine, powerful tannins.  The finish mixed a dark note with Big Red spices.  Stick this in the cellar.  **(*) 2018-2030.

2009 Rulo Winery, Silo, Clifton Hill Vineyard, Columbia Valley – $30
This wine is 100% Syrah sourced from the Clifton Hill Vineyard.  Alcohol 14.7%.  The color was a medium+ black cherry with a purple rim.  The start was a little tart with fresh red and black fruits, showing some controlled ripe, red fruit in the middle.  There were concentrated black fruit and minerals that were well integrated with salivating acidity on the sides of the tongue.  The minerally and steely finish made way to an aftertaste with very fine, powerful tannins.  Despite this dose of tannins the fruit readily absorbed it.  *** Now-2025.

Cloudy Bay: An Intimate Lunch with Ian Morden

Vineyard, Image from Cloudy Bay

Captain Cook set sight on Cloudy Bay on Wednesday, the 7th of February 1770.  In his journal he noted, “…the snowy Mountain S.W. being…abreast of a Deep Bay or inlet called Cloudy bay…”.  Some 200 years later in 1985 the Cloudy Bay Vineyards was founded by David Hohnen.  Cloudy Bay quickly became infamous for its Sauvignon Blanc.  It was served aboard the first British Airways round-the-world flight of the Concorde. Unfortunately, after departing Christchurch a tail rudder incident caused those glasses of Sauvignon Blanc to fly about the cabin.  The trajectory of its popularity continued to ascend such that we find Jamie Goode commenting in 2000 that it was so popular in England that wine merchants were finding all sorts of ways to ration the wine.  Less than one decade later Ian Morden became Estate Manager of Cloudy Bay.

Ian Morden

I was quick to accept an invitation from Maria Denton, the Moet Hennessey Portfolio Manager at Washington Wholesale Liquor Company, to join her and Ian for a lunch at The Blue Duck Tavern.  I had it in mind I was attending a luncheon tasting with others in the business and I was the blogger.  With bag and Nikon slung over my shoulder I announced to the hostess that I was present for the Cloudy Bay Tasting and Lunch.  She was perplexed, there was no big tasting scheduled.  It began to dawn on me, I was having lunch with just Ian and Maria.

The Blue Duck Tavern was an apt choice for lunch.  With a menu full of locally sourced ingredients it reminded Ian of Forage Cloudy Bay.  In this event four groups set off in cardinal directions to gather ingredients for a meal.  At the end of the day all of the items are placed on a giant table so that the chefs may get to work. The food, of course, is complimented by the wines of Cloud Bay.  One effort to prevent cellar palate is the annual Pinot at Cloudy Bay.  In this event one to dozen Pinot Noirs sourced from around the world are served to an array of international guests in discrete tasting sessions.  Ian certainly drinks diversely and more than once per year.  He was quick to ask Maria and I for suggestions on local wineries he should visit and try.

We started our lunch with two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc both of which are sourced from the same vineyards.  The traditional Sauvignon Blanc was very aromatic and textured, what I would hope for from this wine.  But the mouth was surprising for it contained more texture and weight than I had expected.  Ian believes that Sauvignon Blanc should not just be about aroma and flavor but also of texture.  I can appreciate that desire as I like to pay attention to the feel of the wine on my tongue, gums, cheeks, and throat.  The structural component has been achieved in the last several vintages through barrel fermenting a small portion of the wine in old oak.  Barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc is not new to Cloudy Bay, it has been practiced for many years and is fully expressed in their Te Koko.  Legend has it that the explorer Kupe pursued a giant octopus across the Pacific Ocean ultimately killing it in the Marlborough Sounds.  For food Kupe dredged up oysters with a scoop in Cloud bay.  The Maori called this bay Te Koko-o-Kupe or Kupe’s scoop.  This wine is primarily barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc using indigenous yeasts.  Some of the lots took up to eight months to complete fermentation.  Whereas the traditional Sauvignon Blanc expresses itself best at a cool temperature, the Te Koko blossomed with air and warmth.  I kept my glass around for one hour and it was lovely, truly complex.

Ian is responsible for the management and strategy of Cloudy Bay.  He is also part of the four-person team responsible for the blending of the wines.  Tim Heath, Senior Winemaker, and his team of Nicholas Blampied- Lane and Sarah Burton are responsible for the wine making.  The strength of this team is evident in the first glass of Sauvignon Blanc.  The 2012 vintage was described by Tim Heath as “nerve-wracking”.  After a great start this vintage went on to experience the coolest temperatures and least amount of sunlight in eighty years.  The fruit took two weeks longer to mature but went on to experience one of the sunniest autumns.  Yields were reduced by 25%.

2012 Cloud Bay, Sauvignon Blanc –
This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc which was primarily fermented in stainless steel with 3% fermented in old French oak barriques using inoculated yeast.  Alcohol 13.5%.  The color was a very light straw with a hint of yellow.  The medium strength nose was aromatic with textured passion fruit.  As it warmed up the aromas became more pungent with notes of grass.  There was a crisp but weighty start to the flavors before the wine fully developed weight and texture midpalate.  There was a long aftertaste which left some citrus notes and fine acidity on the sides of the tongue.

2009 Cloudy Bay, Te Koko, Marlborough –
This wine is 100% Sauvignon Blanc which was fermented using indigenous yeast in 90% used French oak barrels then underwent malolactic fermentation.  It was then aged on the lees.  Alcohol 14%.  The color was a light golden-yellow straw.  The light nose was more heavy with floral and salami aromas (sounds strange but is good).  There was very fresh fruit in the mouth with watering acidity and lifted berry notes in the middle.  The acidity came out on the sides of the tongue.  The finish brought flavors of white nuts, ripe tannins, and some tang.  This continued to develop in the glass over the course of lunch.

Their Chardonnay followed, which was a first for me.  The Chardonnay is sourced from Mendoza clones which provide many small berries that provide a higher skin to juice ratio.  Cloud Bay has already released the 2011 vintage but you should have no fear.  I thought the 2007 vintage drank quite well displaying balance between bottle age, barrel influences, and acidity.  I imagine it should drink well for another few years.

2007 Cloudy Bay, Chardonnay, Marlborough –
This wine is 100% Chardonnay which was fermented using indigenous yeasts in mostly barrels with some stainless steel tanks using inoculated yeasts.  It was then aged for 12 months in 25% new French oak barrels.  Alcohol 14.0%.  The color was a vibrant light gold.  The light nose revealed heavier, honied aromas with a touch of lees.  There was gentle dense weight to the flavors which were matched by building acidity.  There were slight barrel toast notes and a sense of maturity as stone flavors came out in the mouthfilling finish.

Barracks Block Vineyard, Image from Cloudy Bay

With our entrees arriving it was time to move on to Pinot Noir.  Cloudy Bay has been bottling Pinot Noir since 1989.  They source fruit for all of their wines from four estate vineyards and also growers.  Some of the growers have been providing fruit for over 20 years.  Over the years they have been exploring vineyard sites throughout Marlborough.  This has led them to the free draining soils of the Wairau Valley plains where the Sauvignon Blanc vineyards are located to the clay based soils of the Southern Valleys.  As a result the estate vineyards expanded in 2004 to include the Barracks Block Vineyard.  This was virgin soils which had never seen a vine so there was natural curiosity to taste the results.  They planted the entire vineyard with Pinot Noir choosing to use Burgundian clones.  The estate vineyards generally lie on alluvial gravels with some clay and they experience a maritime climate.  The fruit is cropped at 6 tons per hectare.  The Te Wahi, Maori for The Place,  is produced from vineyards in Central Otago.  Here the soils contains glacial schist with the climate being continental.  The fruit is cropped around 4.5 tons per hectare.  This was an interesting comparison.  The Marlborough Pinot Noir was brighter and redder than the perfumed Te Wahi which was savory with blacker fruit.

2009 Cloudy Bay, Pinot Noir, Marlborough –
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir which was destemmed and fermented using indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks.  It was lightly pressed then aged for 12 months in 50% new French oak barrels.  Alcohol 14.1%.    The color was a light to medium garnet cherry.  There was bright red fruit in the mouth then dark red fruit flavors with integrated acidity.  There was long powdery texture and ripe flavors in the finish.

2010 Cloudy Bay, Te Wahi, Central Otago –
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir which was 95% destemmed then fermented in open top stainless steel tanks.  It was lightly pressed then aged for 14 months in 40% new French oak.  Alcohol 13.7%.  The color was a medium dark ruby, more intense than the previous wine.  The black and red fruited nose was very finely textured with aromas of stone and perfume.  There were firmer flavors of hard candy along with black and red fruit.  With air savory herbs developed along with perfume.  This is a young wine with strong potential.  Beautiful.

With our entrees cleared it was time for coffee, sugar cookies, and dessert wine.  If I may sum up their Late Harvest Botrytis Riesling it really tastes like Riesling from New Zealand.  The fruit which is harvested is mostly botrytised.  Whereas the Sauvignon Blanc may be harvested in March the Riesling will be harvested in May or even June.  Some of the fruit is unaffected and used for acidity.

2008 Cloudy Bay, Late Harvest Botrytis Riesling, Marlborough –
This wine is 100% Riesling of which most was botrytised.  The fruit was pressed overnight then fermented for 10 months in old French oak barrels.  Fermentation was arrested with sulphur.  TA 8.8 g/l, 3.2 pH, RS 128 g/l, Alcohol 11%.  There was a light gold color.  The light to medium nose was aromatic with citrus and grass, combining a sense of New Zealand but clearly Riesling.  There was good acidity in the mouth, textured flavors, and a little fresh, citrus note.  There was gentle botrytis flavor, perhaps tea, and acidity which came with a lifted citrus finish.

The wine caps feature a logo inspired by the dolphins which swim nearby.  Cloudy Bay even produces a sparkling wine named after Pelorus Jack, a dolphin which famously swam in the Cook Straight one century ago.  He was so beloved that he was protected by law.  Cloudy Bay is an historic winery which embraces local history.  With the newer vintages I think it is evident that Ian has balanced respect and change to subtly create new wines.

Pelorus Jack, Image from the State Library of South Australia, 1912. (Flickr Creative Commons License)

Four From France

I need to clear out some recent tasting notes.  This is a good thing for these four wines were all enjoyable.  The Domaine Clos du Rouge Gorge was purchased at Chambers Street Wines with the rest at MacArthur Beverages.

2011 Terrasses du Frigoulet, Coteaux du Languedoc – $11
Imported by Monsieur Touton.  This wine is a blend of 35% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre.  The color was a light, grapey ruby.  The light nose was fresh and young with grapey fruit aromas.  The mouth follows the nose with some density, integrated acidity, and black berries.  There were some fine, spiced ripe tannins in the finish.  It shows some lift and good power.  *** 2014-2018.

2011 Domaine de Fondreche, Fayard, – $15
Imported by Robert Kacher Selections.  This wine is a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 20% Mourvedre.  Alcohol 14%.  The light to medium strength nose came out of the glass with pungent aromas of berries.  There was ripe, almost sweet, mixed fruits in the mouth. It was a mouthful of flavor which was a little spicy, mixing with the robust berries.  The flavors turned blacker with some raciness.  Drying, ripe tannins came out in the sweet, spicy finish.  The aftertaste carried a spicy cinnamon note.  **(*) Now-2019.

2011 Domaine Clos du Rouge Gorge, Cotes Catalanes – $18
Imported by Fruit of the Vines.  This wine is 100% Grenache sourced from 25-year-old vines.  It was pressed by foot, vinified for three months in old wooden vats, then aged for eight months in stainless steel.  Alcohol 13%.  The color was an almost medium grapey ruby.  The light nose bore purple, grapey fruit and cherry perfume.  The mouth had grapey fruit with a medium bodied, young nature.  There was some lightness which matched the acidity on the tip of the tongue.  The flavors became drier towards the finish.  It eventually takes on a little, attractive earthy note.  **(*) 2014 – 2018.

2005 Tardieu-Laurent, Vieilles Vignes, Vacqueyras – $25
Imported by Bacchus Importers.  This wine is a blend of 90% Grenache sourced from 90+ year old vines and 10% Syrah sourced from 30-year-old vines.  It was aged for one year in old oak barrels.  Alcohol 14.5%.  The nose was light with black fruit and smoke.  In the mouth there was blue and black fruit along with Big Red flavors.  Despite the healthy dose of wood this was an attractive wine with its spicy oak notes.  There were fine, strong coating tannins and a little warmth in the finish.  It firmed up with air with the fruit becoming dense and leaving impressions of rough, wood box flavors.  *** Now-2023.

Tasting My First White Wine From Domaine de Mourchon

You will find tastings notes about Domaine de Mourchon throughout this blog.  Despite a good familiarity with this domain I had never tasted their white wine until the other week.  This bottle of 2010 La Source was pretty good!  This wine was sampled at MacArthur Beverages.

2010 Domaine Mourchon, La Source, Cotes du Rhone –
This wine is a blend of 55% Viognier, 25% Roussanne, and 20% Clairette and Bourboulenc sourced from 25-30 year old vines.  Alcohol 13%.  The color was a very light straw.  The light nose was floral with white fruit and honeysuckle.  The mouth follows the nose revealing white and stone fruits that have some weight.  There was fresh acidity throughout in this focused, clean, stone accented wine.  The flavors were mildly ripe with a touch of spice in the finish and decent grip.  It became chiseled with air.  *** Now-2014.

A New Vintage of La Grange de Piaugier

Bottles of La Grange de Piaugier appear frequently in our house.  With the 2011 vintage now available we tried a bottle alongside the previous vintage.  I first wrote about the 2010 vintage in my Two More 2010 Cotes du Rhone post published in May 2012.  Mostly recently the ripe fruit has subsided with the structure more obvious.  It appears to be going through a closed phase.  The 2011, on the other hand, is all about the fruit with almost lush berry flavors.  Tasted side by side you can tell these are sister wines and in a sense, very similar.  I prefer a bit more grip in a young Cotes du Rhone so despite being somewhat closed, I nod my head to the 2010.  If you enjoy the wines of Piaugier like us then drink the 2011 over the next year while the 2010 rests in your cellar.  These wines were purchased at MacArthur Beverages.

2011 Domaine de Piaugier, La Grange de Piaugier, Cotes du Rhone – $12
Imported by DST Trading.  This wine is a blend of Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, and Syrah sourced from 15-45-year-old vines. The varietals are co-fermented with indigenous yeasts  in concrete vats before aging for 8 months in concrete vats.  Alcohol 14%.  The color was a light to medium ruby garnet.  The light to medium nose seemed reductive with pungent Grenache aromas.  The berry flavors remain strong in this young flavored wine.  It was a touch lush with plenty of juicy fruit, some texture, and grapey ripe tannins.  It eventually developed a tobacco-like note.  The structure is less evident and is not revealed until the end.  ** Now-2017.

2010 Domaine de Piaugier, La Grange de Piaugier, Cotes du Rhone – $12
Imported by DST Trading.  This wine is a blend of Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, and Syrah sourced from 15-45-year-old vines.  The varietals are co-fermented with indigenous yeasts  in concrete vats before aging for 8 months in concrete vats.  Alcohol 14%.  The color is a medium ruby purple.  The flavors start with red and black fruit.  Grapey tannins build from the start, covering the gums and lips, letting the structure show.  With air the wine becomes integrated as black fruit, tannins, and good acidity show balance.  **(*) 2014-2018.

A Twist on the Wines of Maury

I had seen bottles of Orin Swift D66 wine on the shelves of Pete’s East Lake in Seattle.  I never bought a bottle but knew it was some sort of red wine from Roussillon.  If it were not for the price I would have tried this Roussillion wine made by the Californian winemaker Dave Phinny for I rather like the region.  Little did I know I was tasting another of Dave’s wines last week for in my mind D66 and Shatter were produced by two different winemakers.  Though Dave worked on both wines their pedigree is a little bit different.  Dave went on to build a winery in Maury and subsequently told Joel Gott about the region.  According to the website Joel became interested by the unique terroir and the incredibly concentrated fruit which could make the darkest of French wines. Thus excited Dave and Joel created Shatter with the involvement of Trinchero Family Estates.

Maury, Image from Shatter Wines

I was not confused at first for the initial sips revealed a concentrated wine with intense fruit flavors and a black, mineral finish which clearly needed to be chilled down. It showed potential.  With air there was a distinct highly extracted, dried fruit quality to the wine.  It was not the sort of wine you could drink much of, it really was strong stuff.  Why would you make a wine with these sorts of flavors?  Surely this came from the 30 day period the fruit was cold-soaked before fermentation.  Descriptions of “intensely concentrated flavors” in the grape clusters and “further concentrate the wine” are found in the Fact Sheet.  This describes vinification more than intent.  The real answer lies with Maury, the region in the Roussillon where the fruit is sourced from.  Maury is known for fortified vin doux natural produced from primarily Grenache Noir, I make the distinction because Grenache Blanc, amongst others, is allowed as well.  Maury is vinified similar to Port in that fermentation is arrested through the addition of spirits but the initial aging period takes place in glass demi-johns.  After which it may be aged in wood.  A proper Maury must have an alcohol level of at least 15%.  Descriptions of raisin, prune, and fig may be found.

One of Dave’s Vineyards in Maury, Image from Shatter Wines

Dave originally purchased 30 acres of vineyard then expanded his holdings to some 300 acres.  These are old vineyards which include vines planted between the two World Wars.  His yields are low, down to half a ton per acre.  The name of the wine Shatter is an English term for Coulure which is a carbohydrate deficiency in vines that causes the vine to conserve resources instead of developing the fruit.  Grapes may be dropped and sugar levels are reduced thus lowering yield.  I am unsure if they actually produce wine from Coulure affected vines nor if this type of deficiency makes good tasting fruit.  If  both are true then the name of the wine and label are interesting.

I think I approached this wine wrong.  I was not tasting a red wine, I was tasting a twist on the traditional fortified wines of Maury.  In Jancis Robinson’s article The archivist of Roussillon you may read that a Maury wine may not change even after two decades in barrel.  This is different.  It is evocative of Maury but may be drunk young and will certainly last for many days once the bottle is opened.  Do not try this with dinner for you will be perplexed.  Instead you should end your evening with a glass.  This wine was sampled at MacArthur Beverages.

2010 Sarl Fractured, Shatter, VdP Cotes Catalannes
Imported by USA Wine West.  This wine is 100% Grenache which was aged for 12 months in 75% new French oak.  Alcohol 15%.  The nose is eventually of dried fruit, cranberry-raspberry, and extracted aromas.  The flavors are an intense mixture of Christmas spice and berries with a underlying red fruit and blackness.  There were minerals and a little salty, weighty aspect which went with the cherry chocolate note.  I picked up a  dried fruit, concentrated feel.  The tannins were very smooth and ripe making way to a very long aftertaste.  This should last at least one decade.

The 2013 Wine Blog Awards Are Accepting Nominations

The 7th Annual 2013 Wine Blog Awards are now open for nominations.  If you enjoy reading this blog then please consider nominating it at Submit Your Favorite for any appropriate category.  Nominations will be accepted through March 31st.

The 2011 Vintage Tasting of the German Wine Society

Lou and I ended our week by attending the 2011 Vintage Tasting of the German Wine Society, DC Chapter. Long-time member David Wendler organized the tasting which was tutored by Phil Bernstein of MacArthur Beverages. It was hosted by Marilyn at the National Harbor Club Room.  For this tasting Phil and David picked 10 different wines from the 2011 vintage which were arranged in five flights of two. All of these wines are available at MacArthur Beverages. There were three bottles of each wine and Dave made sure to open the bottles ahead of time so that they could breathe. As a special treat James Wright of Wine Monger provided three bottles of Gut Hermannsberg Grosses Gewächs to start off the tasting. This year’s vintage tasting was quite large with some 46 or 47 people in attendance. I saw familiar faces from the 2010 Vintage Tasting along with those of Annette and Christian Schiller (www.schiller-wine.blogspot.com), Jace, and Chris Bublitz.  Be sure to check out my post on The 2010 Vintage Tasting of the German Wine Society.

Phil has been tutoring the annual Vintage Tasting since the 2008 vintage.  He feels that 2011 is a generally riper vintage with a little lower acidity.  Of the last four vintages he finds it most similar to 2009.  Going further back in time 1983 or 1971 may be mentioned but 1971 produced many more Trockenbeerenauslese.  Please find Phil’s comments at the beginning of each flight after which appear my tasting notes.

Flight #1 – Gut Hermannsberg

James Wright provided a bottle each of these three wines when he read about the 2011 Vintage Tasting. Having just met James and tasted the Estate Riesling and Schlossböckelheimer Riesling I imagined we were in for a treat.  For background information on the estate please read my post  A Vineyard Born of a Copper Mine.  Given that there were four dozen of us, David only poured small amounts for those who were interested and asked for these to be shared amongst two people. We started with the Bastei GG and Kupfergrube GG. The Bastei GG is produced from a 1.2 hectares site on volcanic soils at the foot of the Rotenfel mountain face. Bathed in sunlight this rock face stores a large amount of heat which continues to warm the vineyard through the evening. The Kupfergrube GG is sourced from the old terraced copper mine site. This was the youngest and most backward of the three. Its volcanic foundation and slate soils show through on the nose. Lastly the Hermannsberg GG is from a monopole providing gorgeous acidity. Despite the tiny pours the differences of these three vineyard sites clearly shown through. They deserve to be revisited. For more information please check out James’ das Terzett post on Wine Monger.  Phil found these three wines to be very young and in retrospect they should have been decanted.  But this was not too surprising as the pair he tasted previously were drinking very well after four days.  These wines might have originally been labeled as Auselse Trocken for they come from very ripe fruit which was fermented dry, hence the higher alcohol levels.  These dry wines are extremely popular in Germany so much so that Christian Schiller says you may typically find at most one sweet wine on a Berlin restaurant wine list.

2011 Gut Hermannsberg, Traiser Bastei Grosses Gewächs, Nahe
Imported by Wine Monger. Alcohol 13.5%. The nose was captivating with more ripe floral aromas and sweet spices. In the mouth there was focused weight before the flavors became creamier in texture. There was some ripeness to the fruit, integrated acidity, and a mouth which follows the nose. Really quite nice.

2011 Gut Hermannsberg, Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube Grosses Gewächs, Nahe
Imported by Wine Monger. Alcohol 13.5%. There was an initial musky complex nose with stone note then it tightened up with air. The aromas are evocated of the indigenous fermentation. In the mouth there was brighter, tighter fruit, perhaps tighter as it progressed, tart acidity, and apple like flavors in the finish. Clearly in need of age.

2011 Gut Hermannsberg, Niederhauser Hermannsberg Grosses Gewächs, Nahe
Imported by Wine Monger. Alcohol 13.5%. The nose was floral with a subtle perfume and sweet spice. There was white fruit in the mouth with focused acidity before the flavors expanded in the mouth. There was vibrant acidity on the tongue and a slate like finish.

Flight #2 – Scheurebe

It has been some time since Sheurebe has been featured at a Vintage Tasting. Phil is a big fan of this grape which is a cross between Riesling and Sylvaner.  He finds they age interesting because it does not change much.  The Gysler was quite tasty, surely the most unusual whereas the Kruger-Rumpf showed more Riesling-like flavors.

2011 Gysler, Scheurebe Halbtrocken, Rheinhessen – $15 (1 Liter)
A Terry Theise Selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines. Alcohol 11.5%. The nose was aromatic with herbs then became somewhat tight. The flavors were vibrant on the tongue then sweet sage and fruit came out. The flavors of fresh herbs continued as the wine took on some glycerine. Unique!

2011 Kruger-Rumpf, Scheurebe Spätlese, Nahe
A Terry Theise Selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines. Alcohol 8.5%. This had a brighter nose which played it close. There was lively fruit in the mouth with ripe spices and a little vibrancy on the tongue. There were more sweet spices and herbs in the finish which had drier flavors and stone-like notes.

Flight #3 – The Most Expensive Wine Tonight is a Kabinett

The Dönnhoff was made is a fruitier style which made it the most accessible of the two.  It was quite attractive.  The Egon Müller, Scharzhofberger is from very steep vineyards with a cool climate.  It is a wine to take your time with, this bottle had been opened some six to seven hours ahead of time and had barely budged.  So perhaps it is best to stick it in the cellar.  To Phil this is what a classic Kabinett should taste like.

2011 Dönnhoff, Riesling Estate Qba, Nahe – $19
A Terry Theise Selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines. The nose bore riper fruit which was more forward. In the mouth the riper fruit was up front with plenty of vibrant acidity to match. It was a little racy, drier towards the finish, and notes of dry stones.

2011 Egon Müller, Scharzhofberger Kabinett, Mosel – $55
Alcohol 10%. The nose was tight with a little petrol. The mouth followed the nose but remained very tight, structured, and young. There was white fruit followed by a little ripe berries in the finish. The aftertaste brought citrus and dried stones. This has a long, fine life ahead.

Flight #4 – Willi Schaefer, Graacher Himmelreich

This was an interesting pair of wines to taste because people often assume a Spätlese will taste more sweeter than a Kabinett.  But this is not the case.  The fruit is certainly riper but what Phil found is that the Spätlese had more texture and richness without tasting much sweeter.  These are more cerebral wines which do an excellent job of reflecting the vineyard.  On being asked what to drink these with, someone in the audience responded, “Friends!”

2011 Willi Schaefer, Graacher Himmelreich, Riesling Kabinett, Mosel – $25
A Terry Theise Selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines. There was a light nose of white fruit and something else. In the mouth the flavors had a particular delicacy which went with cinnamon spice and some vibrant acidity. The fruit was pure and clean. The lifted finish was followed by sweet spices in the aftertaste.

2011 Willi Schaefer, Graacher Himmelreich, Riesling Spätlese, Mosel – $35
A Terry Theise Selection imported by Michael Skurnik Wines. This bore a darker nose. There was more weight in the mouth to the white fruit. Again weight, a little watering acidity in the end, and overall more intensity. It became a bit tart in the aftertaste.

Flight #5 –  Schäfer Fröhlich, Bockenauer Felseneck

Another interesting pair of wines to taste from a producer who has grown in prominence over the last decade. The Gold Capsule was produced from a selected lot chosen based on the must. The fruit is sourced from a particular area of the vineyard with deeper more particulate soils.  This is not done with every vintage but as this lot was tasting significantly different it was bottled separately.  Phil found this wine riper and richer than the Willi Schaeffer pair and for him, the Nahe provides the best of both worlds.  I must admit I really like the Gold Capsule.

2011 Schäfer Fröhlich, Bockenauer Felseneck, Riesling Spätlese, Nahe – $32
Imported by Rudi Wiest. Alcohol 7.5%. The nose mixed aromas of grass, herbs, and white fruit. There was good, weighty fruit in the mouth which were dense and vibrant on the tongue. It took on white fruit and citrus flavors which became drier towards the finish. It was softer at first then enlivened by citric acidity in the aftertaste.

2011 Schäfer Fröhlich, Bockenauer Felseneck, Riesling Spätlese, Gold Capsule, Nahe – $44
Imported by Rudi Wiest. Alcohol 7.5%. This nose was a little yeasty from the fermentation. The flavors were more intense at first with dried herbs, dried fruit, and an earthy nose which mixed with sweet Mandarin oranges. It showed more acidity in the finish followed by a long aftertaste of sweet spices. This flavors had good persistence which will surely help this wine age for some time.

Flight #6 – Fritz Haag, Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr

For Phil the best wines to age are Auslese and above.  While you may age a Kabinett or Spätlese they lose the energy which  makes them so attractive in youth.  These may be a little more opulent that Willi Schaefer but they are well made, can be a little austere, and age very well.

2011 Fritz Haag, Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr, Riesling Spätlese, Mosel – $37
Imported by Rudi Wiest. Alcohol 7.5%. The tight nose bore some fermentation aromas. In the mouth there were good, weighty ripe fruit and sweet spice flavors. The wine was a little chewy with vibrant acidity and midpalate weight. The flavors stood up in this balanced wine which is structured for age.

2011 Fritz Haag, Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr, Riesling Auslese, Mosel – $55
Imported by Rudi Wiest. Alcohol 7.5%. The nose was of light fruit and ripe white floral aromas. There was a riper, vibrant burst of fruit at first. The flavors softened up a bit but there was balanced with a little citric acidity. The aftertaste brought tropical and floral notes.

David and Phil

The 2013 Bacchus Importers Portfolio Tasting: Individual Wineries

For the second post from the Bacchus Importers Portfolio tasting I have focused on individual wineries.  It is always a bit tricky to take any substantive notes during a portfolio tasting.  So please treat these as a general overview of what was going on.  Below you will find my notes arranged in the order I visited the winery tables.  Within that the wines are presented in the order tasted.

Brewer-Clifton and Palmina

Toby Oshiro

Brewer-Clifton is the project of Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton who also produces Palmina.  The fruit for Palmina is sourced some several vineyards including Homea and Walker Vineyards.  The Homea Vineyard was planted with Italian varietal specifically for Steve.  Across the street is the Walker Vineyard which is owned by the Walker family but farmed by Steve.  This year’s Brew-Clifton lineup includes the Machado Pinot Noir.  This is the newest vineyard to be sourced from.  It is located on the arm coming off of the Kessler-Hawk Vineyard.  Steve and Greg took a land-lease of this 15 acres of  bare earth to plant Pinot Noir and a little Chardonnay.  The vineyard is only a couple of years old so the 2010 bottling is the first pure Machado vintage.  The Palmina wines are of strong value and I particularly liked the Dolcetto.  If I had to pick one Brewer-Clifton wine the Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills was lovely.

2010 Palmina, Arneis, Santa Ynez Valley
This wine is 100% Arneis sourced from the Honea Vineyard.  The nose was fresh with citrus, white fruit, and floral aromas.  The flavors were a little richer in the mouth with yellow fruit along with some orange and lemon flavors which took on weight.  There was acidity and a little drying nature at the end.

2010 Brewer-Clifton, Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills
This wine is 100% Chardonnay sourced from multiple vineyards in Mount Carmel, 3-D, Gnesa, Sea Smoke, and Zotovich.  The nose was heady, yeasty, and a touch earthy.  In the mouth there were fresh apple and white fruit flavors followed by tart apple with green acidity.

2011 Palmina, Dolcetto, Santa Barbara County
The nose was pretty god with purple aromas and a little grapey, inky note.  In the mouth there was good, fresh fruit, grapey flavors of black and purple fruit, along tannins and acidity all in balance.  There were grapey tannins in the aftertaste.

2010 Palmina, Barbera, Santa Barbara County
The light nose bore dark red strawberry aromas.  In the mouth there were cranberry, pomegranate, strawberry type fruit with more acidity towards the finish and a puckering quality.  The finish brought acidity and black fruit.

2011 Brewer-Clifton, Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from three vineyards in Mount Carmel, 3-D, and Machado.  There was a beautiful nose of red fruit, orange, and ink.  The youthful mouth follows the nose with an orange hint and serious profile. Nice.

2010 Brewer-Clifton, Pinot Noir, Machado, Santa Rita Hills
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from the Machado vineyard which was planted in 2007.  The nose of youthful Pinot Fruit doesn’t have the depth of the Santa Rita Hills.  In the mouth there was bright red fruit, citrus, and a yeast note.  The flavors show some weight and depth as spices come out in the finish.  There was a grapey, young, spicy tannin touch.

Burly

Hank McCrorie

Burly stems from Hank McCrorie’s college football nickname.  The fruit is sourced from the Simpkins Vineyard.  The 2008 vintage saw a devastating frost which destroyed two-thirds of the Cabernet Sauvignon crop.  This did not diminish the remaining one-third from making a tasty wine.

2010 Burly, Sauvignon Blanc
The nose was subtly grassy with white fruit.  In the mouth the white fruit had weight but was also lively on the tongue.  There was some creaminess, flavors of pastilles, and tannins.

2008 Burly, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The dark nose revealed earthy black fruit and some greenhouse notes.  In the mouth there was coiled up power to the red and black fruit.  The tannins and acidity were integrated.  There were chocolate notes and a good midpalate of roast and spicy notes.  This will develop but can be drunk now.

Soter Vineyards

James Cahill

Tony Soter is the founded of Etude Wines.  Soter Vineyards is a family winery located in Oregon.  We tasted three tiers of wine.  Planet Oregon is focused on good value, young Oregon Pinot Noir, sourced from and produced at certified sustainable properties.  The North Valley wines focused on producing fruit from vineyards located in northern Willamette Valley such as Yamhill-Carlton, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, and Ribbon Ridge.  Finally the Estate Wines use fruit sourced solely from the 30 acre Mineral Springs Ranch.  James Cahilll is the winemaker who previously worked at Beaux Feres and Elk Cove Vineyards.  The North Valley rose was a beautiful, captivating wine and the North Valley, Pinot Noir was very good with earth and black fruit.  The Soter, Mineral Springs Pinot Noir was a confident treat and I liked how the Proprietary Red Wine was a balance between Oregon and California (and it includes some Malbec!).

2011 North Valley, Chardonnay, Willamette Valley
This wine is 100% Chardonnay which was barrel fermented in 10% new French oak, 30% used French oak, and 60% stainless steel barrels.  One quarter of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation.  Alcohol 12.8%.  The tight nose bore sweet white floral fruit and some yellow fruit.  In the mouth there was tart weight to the fruit which was crisp, with lots of feel on the tongue.

2012 North Valley, Compass Cuvee, Rose, Willamette Valley
This is a blend of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir which was just bottled.  The nice aromatic nose revealed strawberry and raspberry aromas.  In the mouth there were acidity driven flavors of raspberry and pastilles with a drier finish.  This was very crisp with nice acidity. Nice.

2011 Planet Oregon, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir.  The nose was muted.  In the mouth there were acidity driven flavors with a little citrus note to the light, red fruit.  There were youthful tannins and some spice.

2011 North Valley, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir which was fermented with 15% whole clusters and aged in 10% new French oak.  Alcohol 13.6%.  The nose had more depth.  In the mouth there were earth and red fruit flavors, nice.  It was weightless with a little black fruit and ink in the finish, along with very fine ripe tannins.

2010 Soter, Pinot Noir, Mineral Springs, Yamhill-Carlton District
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from the Mineral Springs Ranch.  The fruit is destemmed then undergoes malolactic fermentation and is aged for 12-15 months in 33% new French oak.  The nose was younger but more confident.  There were red fruits in the mouth which became blacker with focused ripeness.  The tannins and acidity were subservient such that the aftertaste left an earthy note.  This should age well.

2007 Soter Vineyard, Proprietary Red Wine, Napa Valley
This wine is a blend of 2007 and 2006 vintages featuring 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Malbec.  It is Tony Soter’s last Californian wine and was produced in Oregon.  There were black fruit flavors, minerals, acidity, and a focused aspect.  The tannins were balanced as dark flavors pervade the aftertaste; drying on the lips.

Adelsheim Vineyard

Margeaux McLain

Adelsheim Vineyards was founded by Daivd and Ginny Adelsheim in 1971.  The estate has grown from the original 15 acre vineyard at Quarter Mile Lane to 11 vineyards encompassing 190 acres.  The Elizabeth’s Reserve is a barrel selection meant to produce a wine capable of aging.  The Bryan Creek is the only single-vineyard wine aimed for the East Coast.  I thought it too would age and it would be fun to taste these two several years down the road.

2011 Adelsheim, Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley
This wine is 100% Pinot Gris which was gently pressed then fermented with cultured yeasts or which 15% of the wine was fermented in older neutral French oak barrels.  It did not undergo malolactic fermentation.  Alcohol 13.2%.  The nose had fresh white fruit with a  little honied note.  The flavors were white and tart in the mouth before taking on some ripeness.  The finish was drier and tart.

2011 Adelsheim, Chardonnay, Willamette Valley
This wine is 100% Chardonnay which was whole cluster pressed then 82% fermented in stainless steel tanks with 18% in neural barrels.  It did not undergo malolactic fermentation.  Alcohol 13.2%.  This was crisp and focused on the nose followed by a similar mouth with powdery notes.  There was apple like acidity.

2011 Adelsheim, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir which was destemmed, fermented with inoculated yeast then aged 10 months in 20% new French oak barrels.  Alcohol 13.0%.  There was a light, tight Pinot Noir nose.  In the mouth tart red fruit was on the tongue tip before turning redder with acidity and some chewy texture.  There were mouth coating tannins then a finish with blacker fruit and citrus.

2009 Adelsheim, Pinot Noir, Elizabeth’s Reserve, Willamette Valley
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir which was destemmed, fermented with inoculated yeast then aged for 10 months in 34% new French oak barrels.  Alcohol 13.4%.  There was a good nose with some depth.  The mouth was tight with red fruit, some of it tart, a little grip, and an overall ability to age.

2010 Bryan Creek, Pinot Noir, Chehalem
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from the Bryan Creek Vineyard which were destemmed then underwent malolactic fermentation in 30% new French oak barrels.  There was a pure Pinot Noir nose.  There were red and black fruits, minerals, a racy aspect then black fruit and citric notes.  The acidity was cool.  This was rugged in a sense, leaving minerals and the notion it will age.

2009 Adelsheim, Syrah, Chehalem
This wine is 100% Surah sourced from several rows of Syrah next to the tasting room.  Alcohol 13.6%.  There was some black fruit then red tart fruit.  It was a little racy with structure, citric tannins, and a spicy firm finish.

Summers Estate Winery

Bob Mazzola

Summers Estate Winery originated in 1987 when Jim Summers purchased 28 acres in Knights Valley.  This holding was expanded by 25 acres through an additional purchased in 1996.  Summers Estate produces the largest amount of Charbono in California.  Bob suggested if we could only taste one wine then to try the Charbono.  I’m glad we did.  I also liked the Zinfandel, it showed balance.

2009 Summers, Charbono
This wine is 100% Charbono which was aged for 18 months in 50% new oak of which 50% was American and 50% French.  Alcohol 13.7%.  There was a tight, inky, black nose.  The flavors were focused in the mouth with old-school flavors.  Though dense it was approachable with very fine tannins.  Neat.

2009 Summers, Cabernet Sauvignon, Knights Valley
This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon which was aged for 19 moths in 60% new French oak.  Alcohol 14.1%.  There was a black, licorice nose, smells like Knights Valley.  The flavors were focused in the mouth, similar to the nose but a bit haunting.  This was young with focus and watering acidity.

2008 Summers, Zinfandel, “Four Acre Zin”
This wine is 100% Zinfandel which was aged for 16 months in 70% American and 30% French oak.  The nose was more expressive with good fruit.  The fruit was balanced in the mouth with mixed berry flavors, sweet spice, and a young, good finish.  There was some depth along with clean, strong, spicy tannins.

The Four Graces

Rebecca M. Oliver

The four Graces originated in 2003 when Steve and Paula Black purchased a 110 acre vineyard in Dundee.  The winery is named after their four daughters.   I particularly liked the Pinot Gris both on the nose and in the mouth.

2011 The Four Graces, Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley
This wine is 100% Pinot Gris which was whole clustered pressed then fermented in stainless steel tanks.  Alcohol 13.1%.  There was a pretty nose of floral, ripe fruit.  The crisp start bore flavors of floral, sweet white fruit.  It was a little chewy with sweet spices in the finish.

2011 The Four Graces, Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley
This wine is 100% Point Blanc.  Alcohol 13.3%.  The nose was tight with nutty aromas and a light texture.  In the mouth the fruit was again up front with texture from the acidity then it flattened out.

2011 The Four Graces, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir which was aged for nine months in 25% new French oak barrels.  Alcohol 13.8%.  There were aromas of toast, popcorn and roast.  In the mouth the firm black fruit flavors mixed with toast as dry, powerful tannins came up.  The finish was lighter in flavor with a very dry aftertaste.

DuMOL

Tom Pillsbury

I looked forward to tasting the wines of DuMOL again this year and I was not disappointed.  There is a step up in quality with the various bottlings with the Clare Chardonnay and Estate Pinot Noir showing the most complexity.  I should like to see how these develop over the short term.

2010 DuMOL, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
This wine is 100% Chardonnay sourced from Dutton Ranch, estate, Heintz, Ritchie, and Hyde vineyards.  The fruit was whole-cluster pressed, barrel fermented with indigenous yeasts, underwent malolactic fermentation then aged for 15 months in 40% new French oak.  There was a citrus driven nose with some toast and lees.  The flavors were rich in the mouth, expansive with yellow fruit in the finish, complexity, and some ripe notes.

2010 DuMOL, Clare, Chardonnay, Carneros
This wine is 100% Chardonnay sourced from the Hyde Vineyard.  The fruit was whole-cluster pressed, barrel fermented with indigenous yeasts, underwent malolactic fermentation then aged for 15 months on the lees in 50% new French oak.  The nose was more complex with less lees.  The mouth was lovely with rich but assured fruit that was younger in a sense.  The tart yellow fruit balanced acidity and tartness.

2010 DuMOL, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from the seven vineyards.  The fruit was barrel fermented with indigenous yeasts, underwent malolactic fermentation then aged for 11 months in 40% new French oak.  There was a good Pinot Noir nose which was expressive with black cherry aromas.  The fruit was riper in the mouth with minerals, structure, and tart red fruit with weight.  There were red citrus flavors left on the back of the tongue.

2010 DuMOL, Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
This wine is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from the estate vineyard.  The fruit was fermented with indigenous yeasts, underwent malolactic fermentation, then aged for 14 months in 55% new French oak.  The nose was tight with ripe, sweet spiced aromas.  There was more specific fruit flavors in the mouth with good expansive but light in nature.  The spices mixed with young fruit, making way to a long aftertaste.

2010 DuMOL, Syrah, Russian River Valley
This wine is 100% Syrah sourced from six vineyards.   The fruit was fermented with indigenous yeasts, underwent malolactic fermentation, then aged for 15 months in 35% new French oak and 2 months in tank.  The nose was tighter with sweet, blue fruit.  The flavors were lively in the mouth with black minerals, fine, strong tannins.

The 2013 Bacchus Importers Portfolio Tasting: De Maison Selections

When Steven Alexander of DeMaison Selections mentioned tasting the wines of Clos Cibonne and Mencos & Conde de Hervias I just knew I had to attend the Bacchus Importers Portfolio Tasting.  This year’s tasting was held in the Azur restaurant space located in downtown Washington, DC.  Spread over three floors the selection of wines appeared edited to reflect the tight space.  The event certainly became crowded and even hotter as one ascended the levels but everyone was in a great mood.  With spit cup and elbows tucked in, Lou and I tasted through a wide selection of wines.  I took a number of tasting notes which I shall slowly publish over the next several days.

De Maison Selections

Shane recommended I start upstairs before the crowds arrived and I knew I wanted to taste the De Maison Selections wines while still fresh.  André Tamer’s energy and determination is apparent in person.  It is also reflected in his portfolio with Clos Cibonne and Mencos & Conde de Hervias being discovered gems from well-known regions.

Clos Cibonne

Claude Deforges

We would not be drinking the wines of Clos Cibonne if it had not been for an encounter between André Tamer and Eric Texier.  In discussing favorite rosé wines Eric mentioned Clos Cibonne, a domain which André had never heard of.  Thus captivated André set out to visit the domain.  Clos Cibonne is an ancient domain dating back to 1797 when the Roux family purchased it from Jean Baptiste de Cibon.  The name was eventually feminized to Cibonne and the estate began to exclusively produce wine at the beginning of the 20th century.  It was modernized in the 1930s by Andre Roux who ripped up the Mourvedre vines and replaced them with Tibouren.  The estate was revitalized again in the late 1990s when his granddaughter and her husband Claude Deforges took over the estate.  Today 80% of the production is from Tibouren.  These rosé are unique because when they age in the old foudres they are not topped off.  This head space allows a thin layer of yeast or fleurette to form allowing for controlled oxidation.  The vineyards are located in a gentle bowl which receives maritime breezes being located some 800 meters from the coast.  Palm trees dot the vineyards in the photographs I saw in the domain booklet.

Claude comments that he likes to drink an older rosé with a meal but by the poolside he prefers a younger vintage.  When Steven visited the estate he had the chance to taste many vintages of rosé back to 1975.  For him the peak of maturity was reached at 12 years of age.  Inspired by the Vignettes development with age and the general lack of people cellaring these wines, André will start cellaring the Vignettes himself for later release.  It is natural to age a Bandol rosé so an educated customers might start doing so with these wines as well.  I enjoyed all three wines with the traditional rosé more fruity and forward.  The Vignettes showed more nut flavors and complexity along with the potential for future development.  The Rouge is a newer wine designed to highlight Tibouren when vinified as a red wine.  It is a youthful wine to drink outside.

2011 Clos Cibonne, Rosé, Cotes du Provence
This wine is a blend of 90% Tibouren and 10% Grenache sourced from 30+ year old vines on schist soils.  It was fermented in stainless steel then aged on the lees for 12 months under fleurette in 100-year-old foudres.  The nose was light with delicate fruits and citrus.  There was lovely fruit in the mouth which was racy and minerally.  There was a long after taste of stones.  The acidity was well-integrated and so was the texture.

2011 Clos Cibonne, Cuvee Speciale des Vignettes Rosé, Cotes du Provence
This wine is 100% Tibouren sourced from 60+ year old vines on schist soils.  It was fermented in stainless steel then aged on the lees for 12 months under fleurette in 100 year old foudres.  The light nose bore slightly heavier fruit.  The flavors were a little more nutty was density and complexity.  Tastes young.

2012 Clos Cibonne, Cuvee Speciale Tibouren Rouge, Cotes du Provence
This wine is a blend of 90% Tibouren and 10% Grenache sourced from 40-year-old vines on clay-calcareous soils.  It was aged on the lees for four months.  There was some bright fruit to the nose followed by pungent black cherry.  In the mouth there was a grapey start to the focused flavors which turned to black fruits as it mixed with lots of acidity.  It was a little chewy in the end with fine, citric grapey tannins.

Mencos & Conde de Hervias

Iñigo Manso de Zuñiga Ugartechea

Though the wines of Conde de Hervias have 21st century origins the vines from which the fruit is sourced from date back to the 19th century.  These wines are produced by Iñigo Manso de Zuñiga Ugartechea.  It was his great-great-grand-uncle Don Nicanor Manso de Zuñiga, The Count of Hervias and his brother Don Victor Cruz who founded the oenology research station at Haro and planted the oldest vineyard. Originally an experimental vineyard the research station documents date the oldest vines back to 1870.  Mildrew and phylloxera spread throughout Europe in the 1860s and 1870s devastating many vineyards.    Iñigo knows of a few other pre-phylloxera vineyards in Rioja Baja but his vineyard is the only documented one in Rioja.  What saved this particularly vineyard is a surrounding belt of sand through which the phylloxera could not get through.  Some of these vines have started to die from age, the trunks are thick and start to form holes.  To maintain the vineyard offshoots from old vines are trained to the ground which form their own roots.

Iñigo attended the University of Bordeaux and began to bottle his own wines in 2004.  He seems to blend the traditional and the new by fermenting in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts then aging in both new and used French and American oak.  In focusing in on specific vineyards Iñigo appears part of a trend of focusing on reflecting specific sites in Rioja as opposed to a house style of Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva.  Check out the De Maison Selection videos on Rioja towards a new place-based perspective.  His Condes de Hervias wines are named after his ancesters the Counts of Hervias who have been located in Torremontalbo since the 11th century.  While the Conde de Hervias is produced only in the best years and the Torre del Conde de Hervias in the other years, Iñigo says there are no hard rules against producing them both in the same year.  The Mencos label was created in 2010 as a complement.  They are pure Tempranillo wines produced from younger vines aged 35-50 years.  I really liked all four of these wines.  They reflect Iñigo deft hand with stainless steel and oak, for the flavor of the wines are the focus.  They deserve to be revisited.

2010 Mencos, Rioja
This wine is 100% Tempranillo sourced from 30+ year old vines on chalky clay soils.  It was fermented in stainless steel then bottled without age.  There was focused black and red fruit on the youthful nose. In the mouth there was good acidity to the black fruit, fine powerful tannins, a clean finish, and the ability to age for the short-term.

2006 Mencos, Reserva, Rioja
This wine is 100% Tempranillo sourced from 50+ year old vines on chalky clay soils.  It was fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts then aged for 16 months in used American oak barrels which had seen Conde de Hervias.  The nose was dark, earthier, pungent, and savory.  In the mouth there was rounder bright red fruit, earth, and mouthfilling flavors.  It was a little racy with a black bit.  There is focus and I particularly like the balance of tannins and acidity.  It becomes even more mouthfilling and flavorful with air before the finish with black minerals and a spicy note.

2006 Torre del Conde de Hervias, Rioja
This wine is a blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano sourced form 80-140+ year old vines on sandy clay soils.  It was fermented in stainless steel then aged for 14 months in 80% French and 20% American oak.  There was a beautiful complex nose with spices and wood box. The flavors were youthful in the mouth showing red fruit, citric notes, and everything clearly in balance.  The deep, dark fruit made way to fine, grippy tannins which coat the teeth.

2008 Conde de Hervias, Rioja
This wine is a blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano sourced form 80-140+ year old vines on sandy clay soils.  It was fermented in stainless steel then aged for 16 months in new French oak.  There was a dark, deep, inky nose.  The flavors have gentle depth and expand in the mouth.  There was good acidity, drying tannins, and black minerally, inky flavors in the finish.  There was a spicy note.  This was a lovely wine with a lovely aftertaste.  It is approachable young but will benefit from age.