Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

No wonder the French got upset

We spent a week in 2018 touring around Epernay in the heart of Champagne. Each day we hopped onto a mini bus that took us to tour and taste at champagne houses I'd never heard of. Some were simply houses in villages with cellars and production facilities that must have extended under all the neighbour's houses. We wandered around Epernay where many of the larger producers offered tasting flights for around 10 euro. 

The number one thing I learnt is no-one can afford to produce bad champagne. The Champagne Police keep a close eye on things. Plus he price of land is so high it virtually dictates a minimum price for the stuff . And as we all know, that's not cheap. Unlike Carrington which always seemed to be available somewhere at $4.99.

So I had to laugh when I came across this ad in a 1980 issue of TIME magazine. No wonder the French got upset even though it doesn’t excuse nuclear testing in the Pacific. Champagne is made in Champagne, not Australia or anywhere else in the world. Not even in other parts of France. Ironically a French multi national, Pernod Ricard, took ownership of the company and the brand a few years ago. The word champagne was rightfully dropped from the label a few years prior to that. 

New Bargain Rose From Aldi

RESERVE DE LA FAMILLE DROUET CABERNET FRANC ROSE

This is a new addition to Aldi's shelves and it's a beauty. It's crisp and dry with delicious fruit on the nose and palate. Palate weight is light and yet there's enough to make this a really satisfying wine.
Cabernet Franc is THE red grape of France's Loire Valley and used to make all types of styles from full flavoured reds to sparkling wines. And of course delicious roses.
Very highly recommended.

GRAPE VARIETIES: Cabernet Franc
VINTAGE: 2018
REGION: Loire Valley, France
A/V: 12%
PRICE: $7.99
FROM: Aldi
RATING: 5/5 from me

Thursday, December 13, 2018

WOOLLIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO BETTER THAN THIS

PAUL MAS 2017 SAUVIGNON BLANC
This is one of their controlled import labels found on the Dan Murphy shelves. That it's not the noted region for SB in France should be no excuse as this just doesn't measure up. Once again it's drinkable but if you didn't know better this would put you off ever trying French savvies again. 


GRAPE VARIETIES: Sauvignon Blanc.
REGION: Languedoc, France
A/V: 12% 
PRICE: $7.60
FROM: Dan Murphy
RATING: 2/5

Friday, December 7, 2018

PURE CLASS AT A BARGAIN PRICE

The Loire Valley is responsible for some of the finest sauvignon blancs in the world. From the steely, austere, aristocratic Sancerre to the more populist Touraines. This is a stunner that has a flavour profile that fits nicely between the two. Please give it a try if you want a change from the sometimes overwhelming similarity of New Zeakand offerings.

RESERVE DE LA FAMILLE DROUETT LOIRE VALLEY 2017 SAUVIGNON BLANC
GRAPE VARIETIES: Sauvignon Blanc
REGION: Loire Valley, France


A/V: 12% 
PRICE: $7.99
FROM: Aldi, Australia
RATING: 5/5 from me 

Saturday, June 9, 2018

MARK THESE DATES IN YOUR DIARY

6th and 7th April 2019
If I was anywhere near the south of France [say within a few thousand kms] I'd be heading to the village of Chateauneuf du Pape for their spring wine tasting.

I've been going to these types of events for years and the 2018 tasting we attended was up there with the best ever. Anywhere. For a mere 10 euro we had the opportunity to taste 100s of wines from close to 100 producers.

Impossible to recommend highly enough.




Thursday, April 12, 2018

SOMETIMES YOU GET LUCKY

Lucky enough to be in France's vastly underrated Languedoc region, lucky enough to read an article recommending a visit to Chateau le Bouis and lucky enough to have a range of outstanding wines shown to us by the charming, knowledgeable Audrey. We've lost count of the number of Cellar Doors we've visited around the world but this experience, thanks to Audrey and the wines, was up there with the best.


In a truly impressive line up these four impressed us most. If we lived in Europe we'd be buyng dozens of them. As it is we're enquiring about shipping costs to Australia.  But for the time being we just bought a few bottles of each for some upcoming tastings we have planned.

All wines scored 5/5 from me. They're all quite different in their style with a variety of winemaking techniques applied to different combinations of varieties. This is reflected in their labelling which unusually lacks any common cotporate branding theme. 

2014 Cuvee R ... a blend of Grenache, Carignan and Shiraz [14% a/v] 9.95 euro
2014 Cuvee Zoe ... mostly Carignan that's gone through carbonic maceration [14.5% a/v] 12.70 euro
2011 Cuvee Arthur ... mostly Shiraz with 12% from old Carignan vines [14% a/v] 15.50 euro
2011 Cuvee K ... mostly Shiraz with 6% Carignan [15% a/v] 25 euro


You may struggle to find these anywhere but from the winery:
Chateau le Bouis
Route Bleue, 11430 Gruissan 
ph 04 68 75 25 25
                                                            contact@chateaulebouis.com

Monday, November 6, 2017

NOT ONE OF OUR FAVOURITES

LES CARACTERES SAUMUR BRUT METHODE TRADITIONELLE 

If you love your sparkling wines with a bit of aged character you'll rate this far higher than we did. Colour is quite golden and there's a pronounced honey character on the developed, quite heavy palate. 
It's perfectly sound but I suspect would surprise and disappoint most as there's no way of knowing that it's this style.


A/V: 12%
PRICE: 4.9 euro
FROM: E.Leclerc
RATING: 2.5/5 from me 

Saturday, November 4, 2017

TIME FOR ANOTHER ROSE CHALLENGE?


Both these are from an extensive range we found at the stunning E.Leclerc St Vincent Tyrosse. Both are dry, both have a 4.5/5 recommendation and interestingly both are blends of three different red varieties. Their biggest difference is probably geographic coming from opposite southern corners of France. 

LARCISSE 2016 ST MONT ROSE
Never have I knowingly encountered a rose made from Tannat before. I associate that variety with huge thunderous reds - from Mclaren Vale in South Australia. For what it's worth Pinenc is also known as Fer.
GRAPE VARIETIES: Tannat, Pinenc, Cabernet Sauvignon
REGION: Saint Mont, Gascgone
A/V: 12% 
PRICE: 3.95 euro 
FROM: E.Leclerc
RATING: 4.5/5 from me



CHATEAU SAINT HIPPOLYTE 2016 ROSE
From the renowned Provence in the south east comes this beauty. Very pale salmon colour and searingly dry. Won't be to everyone's taste but we loved it
GRAPE VARIETIES: Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault
REGION: Provence
A/V: 13.5% 
FROM: E.Leclerc
RATING: 4.5/5 from me

Thursday, November 2, 2017

OUTSTANDING WINE TASTING NUMBER ONE

Chateau Bellevue Medoc : Vintages 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015
October 8, 9 and 10 - 2017




The starting point for understanding wine is drinking the stuff. We in the wine biz used to say "we had a look at that wine" or "have you seen it?".It meant have you tasted it? And that's just like drinking although you may spit. 

I can't see the point of spitting if you've only got four wines and you're planning to taste them over three days. This tasting was inspired by the opportunity to buy four sequential vintages of the same label. We wanted to see the extent of vintage variation and how the wines evolved once the cork was pulled.

The vintage variation was HUGE!
2012 was the strongest performer on Day 1. A little bit all over the place but a big opulent wine offered plenty of optimism for Day 2. Sadly it had fallen over by then and never got back up. If you have some, drink now

2013 was by far the lightest bodied and the biggest surprise. It evolved each day in a positive subtle way. Medium cellaring should be fine.

2014 was oak dominated and didn't show anything but oak for the life of the tasting.

2015 not surprisingly opened as a young wine and evolved really well each day into the best of the line up. Enjoy it over the next three years.

The wines were all around the 9.5 euro mark. I wouldn't jump up and down about any of them but for under 40 euro this was a priceless tasting experience.

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

ALBERT SCHOECH 2016 VIN d'ALSACE RIESLING

There's a lot to like about this starting with the gloriously busy, bright retro label. It's classic Alsace riesling, dry appealing, though slightly, subdued fruit. A crowd pleaser. 


A/V: 12.5% 
PRICE: 4.75euro 
FROM: E.Leclerc
RATING: 4.5/5 from me 


EXTREME BARGAINS AT LIDL ROCHEFORT VOLUME 2


TERRES d'EXCEPTION 2016 BORDEAUX  

If you've got room in the trailer it's worth stocking up on this as well. It's a dry, savoury little number that I reckon would benefit from a few years in the cellar. So much better than the price suggests

A/V: 12.5% 
PRICE: 1.89 euro per bottle by the 6 pack
FROM: Lidl, Rochefort France
RATING: 4.5/5 from me 

EXTREME BARGAINS AT LIDL ROCHEFORT VOLUME 1

OUSTALET 2016 COTES  DU GASCOGNE

I walked into their store at Rochefort, France and as much as I admire Lidl, this was something else again. It was huge, had a beautiful layout with a booze section to salivate over. Think Dan Murphy with food and any Australian will immediately understand.

I could have spent all day there. But time was short and we just needed some quaffers so I grabbed a box of this. I should have bought a few more. This is a classic dry white style - crisp clean and dry with a refreshing acid zing. I haven't seen it at any other Lidl since but it is such an outstanding bargain it's worth the drive.       
Wherever you are.




A/V: 11.5% 
PRICE: 1.26 euro a bottle by the 6 pack
FROM: Lidl, Rochefort France 
RATING: 5/5 from me 

Friday, October 27, 2017

LES PARCELLES DE VENTENAC 2016 CHENIN COLOMARD

This is beautifully crafted dry white. Drink now
and enjoy the lifted citrus fruit, touch of spritzig and all round drinkability. 


GRAPE VARIETIES: Chenin Blanc, Colombard
REGION: Languedoc
A/V: 12% 
PRICE: 3.90 euro 
FROM: E.Leclerc
RATING: 4.5/5 from me 

THIS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE SHELVES AT THIS PRICE

CHATEAU LA LOUVIERE GRAND VIN DE BORDEAUX

This was a huge disappointment. It opened a little dull and stayed that way. By Day 3 it was completely oxidised. Time to special this out, well under 10 euro.

GRAPE VARIETIES: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
REGION: Pessac-Leognan [Bordeaux/Graves]
A/V: 13% 
PRICE: 24.30 euro
FROM: E.Leclerc
RATING: 1/5 from me 

LOVE THE NAME, LOVE THE PRICE, DRANK THE BEER

FINKBRAU LAGER

How crazy is this? As much as I enjoyed it, beer should not be this cheap. This is a very quaffable malt driven lager that can handle quite a chill. Every bit as a good as far better known brands.

PRICE: 5.99 euro for a box of twenty four 250ml bottles
FROM: Lidl, France
RATING: 4.5/5 from me 

WOULD YOU BUY WINE FROM THE BACK OF THE TRUCK?



You would if you met Jean-Claude Berezanski from Chateau Bellevue Bordeaux. 
We met the charming, ebullient Jean-Claude at a market at Monlivet a town on the coast west of Bordeaux. 
He had lots of interesting wines to sample and fortunately his English was so much better than our French. He had four sequential vintages of his Chateau Bellevue red so what an outstanding opportunity for an Outstanding Wine Tasting, We bought the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. 
Under 40euro for the lot. 

Tasting results to follow.



Thursday, October 26, 2017

WHEN ALSACE RIESLING TASTE LIKE HOME

REBMANN 2016 VIN D'ALSACE RIESLING

This equates to well under AU$7 so forgive me for getting so excited. It's a little more developed than I'd expect from a 2016 but that's easy to forgive. This is DRY with a steely lip smacking minerality that has you reaching for the glass. It's so quality ageing Clare Valley with a combination of youth and bottle development. Beautifully balanced and the absolute perfect lunchtime companion.

A/V: 12.5% 
PRICE: 4.29 euro 
FROM: E.Leclerc
RATING: 5/5 from me 


Wednesday, October 25, 2017

LaCHETEAU SAUMUR BRUT CUVEE "EPHEMERE"

Not in the same class as the Ladubays and Ackermans, we discovered last year, at the same price. But it's still a very pleasant sparkler with a bit of palate weight and complexity



REGION: Saumur 
A/V: 11.5% 
PRICE: 8.03 euro 
FROM: Cave L'Avant Garde Margaux 
RATING: 4/5 from me

LES CARACTERES METHODE TRADITIONELLE CREMANT DE LOIRE

Lovely little sparkler. Clean, crisp and dry with a fine long lasting bead. No depth of character but perfect crowd pleasing fizz at this price. 


REGION: Saumur
A/V: 12% 
PRICE: 5.49 euro 
FROM: E.Leclerc
RATING: 4/5 from me 

NOBODY MAKES A WHITE LIKE THIS BY ACCIDENT

CHATEAU SARANSOT-DUPRE 2015 SEC

Mango! Never have I tasted a wine with such a definitive fruit character. There's no nuances, hints or suggestions. It's just full on mango - about a tray's worth from Sydney Markets as the new season begins.
So we did something unusual with our white tastings and whacked it back in the fridge. 
Day Two: Mango! Back in the fridge
Day Three: While the mango was still going strong there were other complex characters wafting around the glass and it had evolved into a really fascinating wine. Still in great condition with no oxidisation.

The verdict? At first I thought this was impossible to rate but on reflection this is the perfect 4/5 rated wine. You will love or hate it. There is no room for a wishy washy opinion. . If you're an experimenter this is a must. If you want your sauvignon blancs to taste like Marlborough, avoid at all costs.

REGION: Bordeaux
A/V: 13.5% 
PRICE: 12 euro 
FROM: Cave L'Avant Garde Margaux 
RATING: 4/5 from me