Delicious! — Paroles de vignerons - Vinparleur

A good glass of... Santa Duc Les Quatre Terres Côtes du #Rhône

Permalink, by Sebastian Nickel

No less than four terroirs (Rasteau, Vacqueyras, Roaix and Séguret), six varieties (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, Cinsault and Clairette), and several people (including Yves and Robin) contributed to this stunning red Côtes du Rhône 2012.

And what a red! Ruby, shiny and deep... a true gem in the glass. He welcomes me with a generous bucket of fresh red and black fruit, filled to the top with raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and black currants. Black pepper, bay leaf and rosemary add pleasant freshness and lots of nature. Full-bodied, moderately tannic, pleasantly fresh, straightforward and precise ... You can say what you want, THIS is a real first class “Côtes du Rhône”.

You will love to have this wine in your cellar, because it fits to every occasion requiring a very good bottle of red wine. But be careful. When the word spreads, the number of friends that pay you a spontaneous visit could rise dramatically ...

CARNIVOR SUPPORT: Mediterranean cuisine in all variants: Pork, beef, lamb or chicken, peppered and salted, with grilled vegetables and olive oil.

HERBIVORE SUPPORT: Still Mediterranean cuisine in all its variants, without pork, beef, lamb or chicken... Just a lot of grilled vegetables in olive oil, served with rice or toasted garlic bread.
A GOOD GLASS OF... CHÂTEAU DU CÈDRE #CAHORS 2007

Permalink, by Sebastian Nickel

WOW... 7 years already, with two yeras of which in barrels and five years in bottles. That’s reasonably old, as compared to our usual wine drinking behavior (WINE ENTHUSIAST revealed in 2012 that more than 90% of wine was consumed within 48 hours of purchase, regardless to origin and quality…). But it seems this is still young for this wine from CAHORS (mainly made of MALBEC grapes).

Very intense, it exhales aromas of cherry, tar and toasted hazelnuts, or cherries in syrup, with prunes and smoked bacon, chocolate and caramel… if you prefer. Powerful, its opulence kisses my tongue and is gently caressing the palate. The overall impression though remains tagged by a superbe and delicate acidity, to which the Verhaeghe brothers seem to have found the door, the key, and the secret hideaway. Very fine and still youthful tannins and of nice length. An encouragement to taste, to enjoy and to feast... but without being in a rush. You still have time, it’s (almost) as well in your cellar as in your glass.

CARNIVOR SUPPORT : This wine loves duck !
HERBIVORE SUPPORT : Ratatouille with risolle made of milo and oriental spices, Hokkaido pumpkin & boletus risotto…
A GOOD GLASS OF... PIERRE´s SYRAH LES ASPRES 2004

Permalink, by Sebastian Nickel

A slightly blurred colour of garnet red with a brownish tint at the rim of the glass...It looks like a precious rarity found at antiques shop. An intense fresh nose, showing aromas of cherries, prunes and raspberries and furtheron developing fragrances of marzipan, dried blossoms and undergrowth. In addition several mushrooms, a trifle of pepper and the scent of old books, similar to vanilla. That´s a lot, II must confess, but its an impressive wine.
On the palate: Mellow and well structured thanks to pleasant silky tannins. Fresh, straight, sensual, full-bodied, again with cherries, spices and chocolate.

A wine inviting you to spend a rainy evening, comfortably in an club chair, burying oneself in the adventures by SHERLOCK HOLMES.
A GOOD GLASS OF... BLANDISHING BUBBLES - #CHAMPAGNE PAUL LEBRUN DEMI-SEC

Permalink, by Sebastian Nickel

I admit that I almost got trapped on this champagne. Someone served it out of my attention, while being entirely committed to the discussion with my neighbour at table. So I tasted it blind. After a few sips, the wine challenged me. Having well-recognized the style of PAUL LEBRUN, I was nevertheless unable to determine which of their wines was in my glass. First I took it for GRAND RESERVE, but the wine seemed thicker, softer, despite the many crispy bubbles exploding on my palate. But its perfume was more on red fruits and peppermint, while the GRAND RESERVE will rather go for yellow fruits and flowers, emphasizing its lightness and finesse.

To cut short my suspense, I went to get the bottle in the fridge and checked the label: it was the semi-dry wine of the house, dosed at not less than 37 g / L. If it were a still wine, it would rank among the sweet wines with this amount of residual sugar. In the wines from champagne, however (and in sparkling wines in general), sweetness is challenged by the naturally high acidity of the grapes and the crispy freshness of the bubbles. Therefore sparkling wines appear lighter and more fluid than still wines with the same amount of residual sugar. The semi-dry wine is positioned close to the CARTE D’OR, the “house wine” of Champagne PAUL LEBRUN. Both are made from the unique CHARDONNAY, grown on the Cote des Blancs and the Sézannais further south.

HERBIVORE SUPPORT : Try it as an aperitif, with some GREEN TOMATOE CHUTNEY on toasts. Throw in some FOIE GRAS and you will have a perfect CARNIVORE SUPPORT . You may as well go for a bit of old, dry PARMESAN cheese, he loves residual sugars as much as bubbles...
THE SECRET OF OLD VINES

Permalink, by Sebastian Nickel

Nobody really knows the secret of old vines, but the legends (sometimes urban) are many. It appears for example, they make better wines than the young ones, nevertheles, no one can really prove it. Whatsoever, winemaking is a complex process, just the age of the vines is not sufficient to “do good.”

Fortunately Bacchus happened to meet several key factors: very old vines (CENTENARIANS), a great variety (CARIGNAN), a Mediterranean vintage (2009), a passionate and experienced winemaker (PIERRE).

Garnet red with plenty of light and fire, a powerful nose of gingerbread, figs and prunes with a hint of cherry and brandy. Yes, I dare say the word “brandy” and I know what you’re thinking: there is alcohol... And yes, it is a warm and generous wine, a Mediterranean wine made in a Mediterranean vintage, but it all perfectly fits! Soft palate, even velvety, silky tannins, the whole thing carried by a good background of freshness. It is long in the mouth, even very long, generous and spicy. Although already 5 years old, it can still be kept in the cellar, as the tannins and the flavours promise great potential for development.

HERBIVORE SUPPORT : A pumpkin pie with sesame seeds and some sweet yellow onions to enhance softness would be good for this wine. You may also add TURMERIC, CORIANDER seeds and CARAWAY to face the wines spiciness. I suggest to put some RACLETTE cheese on top, whose taste is more pronounced than GRUYÈRE cheese.

CARNIVORE SUPPORT : A RIBEYE STEAK, a BBQ, some salt and pepper... et voila! I also encourage the choice of EGGPLANT LASAGNE with LAMB MEAT or hot and spicy SQUID.
#Arjolle Equinox 2011 – a precious perl of the #Languedoc

Permalink, by Sebastian Nickel

Sauvignon, Viognier, Muscat... a proud blend! Grape varieties, skin maceration and barrel fermentation (for 70% of the cuvée) are equally responsible for the deep golden colour and intense bouquet of this wine: peach, pear, apricot, butter and a little vanilla, white flowers ...

Dense, rich and fat on the palate with lively acidity and dominating fruit aromas. Appreciable smoky and woody flavours reemerge at at the bottom of the glass, whereas a slight tannic grip enhances and extends the final flavors. A precious wine, powerful and elegant, that stands very well on its own, but loves to accompany your dinner.
A good glass of... Touriga Nacional 2013 from France !

Permalink, by Sebastian Nickel

Only just poured, and already he gets cocky on the glasses edge. It seduces with a lush perfume, as impressive as its dark colour: blackberries and raspberries, some smoke and bay leaves, roasted hazelnuts and cinnamon ...

Touriga Nacional Pierre Cros

I’m really impressed by the character of this Portuguese grape variety that has taken root in the rocky soil of the Minervois. Fresh on the palate, with just as much flavour as odour and a hint of mint that makes the whole thing a little weightless… Its generous and creamy with very long aftertaste. I also find the scent trail of raspberry leaves, sweet and tart at the same time (in my youth I fermented raspberry leaves to make tea from it).

You won’t drink this wine without paying attention. Just sit down and forget about time…
2012 Santa Duc Gigondas Grand Grenache

Permalink, by Sebastian Nickel

While there was not Grand Grenache in 2011 (it was a difficult year for Grenache), the 2012 Gigondas Grande Grenache 66 has loads to offer. A blend of 100% Grenache that comes from around the estate (which is on the flatter part of the appellation), it exhibits gorgeous kirsch, strawberry, licorice and crushed flower-like qualities as well as medium to full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. A beautiful example of the variety, with classy elegance and a gorgeous texture, it should be approachable on release and have 15 years or more of evolution.

The Wine Advocate, Inc. - Jeb Dunnuck (December, 2013)