I am sitting at the first US Wine Bloggers Conference in Santa Rosa, CA and we are about to do a live blogging wine tasting. You could call this speed tasting. We get 5 minutes with each wine. Many of these wines are over the price range we typically do here.
Disclaimer: My normal process for reviewing wines takes 20-30 minutes per wine. The results in this post are quick impressions and were not evaluated with the same vigor as most ratings on this site. Here are the results.
Bonterra – The McNab
60% Merlot 26% Cab, 14% old vine Petite Syrah. Made with biodynamic wines. Strong raspberry, cherry and cedar, plus a bit of leather on the nose. It is very dry on the palate with loads of blackberry and raspberry fruit, plus there is loads of spice. The finish is loooong.
Wine: Bonterra – The McNab
Varietal: Red Blend
Vintage: 2004
Rating: 89
Price: $45
Weir Vineyards – Bink
Soft and earthy nose that I would describe as cherry and straw. It comes alive on the palate with cherry and strawberry flavors. It is hot and spicy with a bit of black pepper. The finish is medium in length, but very interesting. I like the structure in this wine.
Wine: Weir Vineyards – Bink
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2005
Rating: 89
Price: $40
Clos LaChance – Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Blackberry and bramble on the nose. Rich and velvety on the palate. Great structure. Blackberry, black pepper, cherry. Outstanding chocolate on the mid-palate and long finish. There’s quite a bit of heat in this one too.
Wine: Clos LaChance – Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2005
Rating: 91
Price: $30
Boho Chardonnay
This is a boxed wine and there’s the equivalent of 4 bottles of wine per box-3 liters. Wine stays fresh for weeks after opening. Lots of banana on the nose, which is in general rather tropical. There’s also a strong oak quality. The palate has a good acidity, but the structure is a bit weak.
Wine: Boho
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2006
Rating: 80
Price: $24 (3 liters)
James David – Muscat Blanc
Bright tropical fruits on the nose–pineapple, citrus, pear (I know that’s not tropical). Great acidity. The tropical flavors continue on the palate with mango, pineapple, pear also. But it is not too sweet. This is a very refreshing wine.
Wine: James David – Muscat Blanc
Varietal: Muscat
Vintage: 2006
Rating: 87
Price: $18
Twisted Oak – The Spaniard
This is a blend of… you guessed it, Spanish varieties. Earthy and complex nose. Cherry, blackberry, and bramble. Awesome palate. Big raspberry and blackberry flavors and earthy oak, black pepper. In the picture is winemaker (and wine blogger) Jeff Stai, proudly holding the bottle.
Wine: Twisted Oak – The Spaniard
Varietal: Red Blend
Vintage: 2006
Rating: 92
Price: $49
Dark Horse
The rep called this a cowboy wine and appropriately so with a smoky nose like a campfire. Along with blackberry aromas. A bit jammy on the palate. Not too spicy for a zin.
Wine: Dark Horse
Varietal: Zinfandel
Vintage: 2006
Rating: 87
Price: $34
Small Vines Wines
This wine is produced from biodynamic vineyards. Raspberry and bramble with a hint of black pepper. It’s a little tight on the nose. But the palate is bright and lively. Big raspberry and great black pepper spice.
Wine: Small Vines Wines
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2006
Rating: 93
Price: $65
Cupcake Chardonnay
Apple, lemon aromas on an oaky palate. It’s like mild apple cider on the palate. Decent acidity. Rather quick finish. Decent for the price but not great.
Wine: Cupcake
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2007
Rating: 85
Price: $11.99
Kanzler
This wine was a treat. It has not been bottled yet, but we got an early taste. Cedar, vanilla, cherry, coffee on the nose. The nose is a bit tight when it was poured, but will be better if decanted. Very lively on the palate. Raspberry, cherry, and black pepper. Nice cocoa in the mid-palate and finish.
Wine: Kanzler
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2007
Rating: 92
Price: $48
Lionheart Wines
Banana, peach and tropical aromas. Nice crisp acidity and good roundness from malolactic fermentation–giving it a creamy mouth feel. Nice long finish with a touch of minerality. (Is that a word?)
Wine: Lionheart Wines
Varietal: Roussanne
Vintage: 2007
Rating: 89
Price: $30
Sean Minor – Four Bears
Lively and exciting nose. Raspberry and spice. Hints of cocoa. Big spicy raspberry flavors. This is an excellent wine for the price. All their wines are under $20. This is an exceptional wine for the price. I am a new fan.
Wine: Sean Minor – Four Bears
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2006
Rating: 92
Price: $17
Yellow and Blue
Organic grapes in a tetra pak. I’ll admit it, I’m not a fan of the tetra-pak yet, but this is probably the best red I’ve had from one. Rather tight on the nose for a Malbec, but the aromas are good: Plum, coffee, cocoa and cherry. Good cherry, blackberry, cocoa and black pepper on the palate. Medium finish.
Wine: Yellow and Blue
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2007
Rating: 86
Price: $11
My bags are packed and tomorrow morning I will head to Sonoma, CA to attend the first Wine Blogger Conference. This conference will bring together over 100 wine bloggers, as well as attendees from the wine industry.
Over the next few days you’ll see updates from me at the conference as I explore ideas from other bloggers and taste an inconcievable number of wines. The first event at this conference is live blogging, which will challenge me to review wines at a quick tempo. My typical approach to reviewing wines is quite time consuming. I usually spend a half hour or more studying a wine and taking notes on the characteristics. In the live blogging, I’ll have about 5 minutes per wine to do my reviews. It should be interesting.
Check here throughout the weekend for my updates. You can also follow me on Twitter for even more frequent play by play.
Cheers.
Over the past several weeks, I’ve been sharing the wines I’ve explored from the Côtes du Rhône region and now it’s time to summarize the results. To be clear, I did mix some Côtes du Rhône with some Côtes du Rhône Villages in this summary. If you don’t like that, too bad. My blog means my rules. Seriously though, the difference between a wine with the “Villages” designation and those without is going to be subtle at best. I didn’t think it was worthy of a separate series.
For years I avoided French wines. I knew there were good ones out there and I wanted to know more about them, but I was just intimidated by all the options. I didn’t know a lot about the regions of France and the language barrier made it even worse. But by focusing on a specific region and exploring it in depth, you can learn a lot about the wines from that area. If you’re interested in French wine but don’t know a lot about them and have a limited budget, Côtes du Rhône is the perfect place for you to start.
For those of you new to French wines let me give you a quick overview of Côtes du Rhône. It literally translates to mean “the hills of Rhone” and it refers to an appellation in the Rhone river valley in southern France. The Côtes du Rhône appellation is spread across various areas in the southern and northern Rhone valley. Some areas within this region have their own appellations which are considered superior to Côtes du Rhône, such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Côte Rôtie, Gigondas and Vacqueyras. There is also an appellation named Côtes du Rhône Villages which is considered a step up in quality from the broader Côtes du Rhône appellation.
The wines from Côtes du Rhône are mostly red wines and typically blends. In the northern Rhone, Syrah is usually the dominant variety in the blend, as Grenache is in the south. There are several other varieties also included in these blends such as Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, Counoise, Terret Noir and others. These are usually medium-bodied reds and easily pair with foods.
Of the 15 we tried, there were no total duds. Most ended up with scores in the mid-eighties, some higher some lower. In general, wines from Côtes du Rhône are going to be decent wines.
Top Pick
Our favorite was the only wine in the group to score a 90. Domaine André Brunel Cuvée Sabrine 2005 is an excellent example of what can come from this region. Not surprisingly, this is from the Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation. But we should note that the only other wine we tried from this appellation, Château Beauchêne Vignoble De La Vialle, only scored an 84. Read the full review of André Brunel Cuvée Sabrine.
Other Top Pics
Two other picks, both scored a solid 88 but they are quite different from one another. The first one is Domaine du Vieux Chene Cuvée des Capucines 2005 for $12.99. This is a classic southern Rhone blend with 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah. The presence of the fruit is outstanding in this wine. It also has some very nice vanilla aromas and a bit of spice on an exceptionally long finish.
The other 88 goes to the Layer Cake Côtes du Rhône, which (as you may guess from the name) is much more “new world” in style than the other wines. In fact, the grapes in this wine are 100% Syrah. It is a blend of Syrah from four different vineyards. Ironically, while Syrah dominance is indicative of a wine from the northern Rhone, this one is from the southern Rhone. While we did give this wine an 88, it is stylistically different than other Côtes du Rhône wines. Argueably, it shouldn’t be in this line up, but it is a good wine and again… my blog = my rules.
Best Bargain
Since many people come here looking to find the best deals I like to highlight the best pick for a great bargain and that goes to Jean-Luc Colombo Les Abeilles at $6.96. While it only scored an 84, that’s still a very drinkable wine and a steal at under $7. This is definitely a lighter red wine on the palate, but the bouquet is bountiful.
The Scoreboard
As I mentioned, there were no duds. All of these wines are good deals.
Although this wine is technically a Vin de Table, I’m calling it a Côtes du Rhône. Vin de Table is considered the low end of French wines, but Chante Cigale Cuvée de la Génestière is a wine of good quality despite this categorization. It technically doesn’t qualify to be a Côtes du Rhône because the wine producer used Tempranillo in this blend, a grape that isn’t allowed in Côtes du Rhône wine. In fact, there is quite a lot in this blend: 50% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Marselan, 10% Tempranillo, 5% Carignan, 5% Counoise, and 5% Terret Noir. I believe that Marselan, a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, is also not permitted as a Côtes du Rhône grape variety.
Chante Cigale is actually a very well known winery for their (you guessed it) Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and in a way they thumbed their noses at tradition to release this wine as a Vin de Table… a very bold move. They could have easily changed the blend to comply with the rules and get a more respected Côtes du Rhône designation, but winemaker Alexandre Favier did it his way despite the designation. I’m one who often has admiration for rebels, so I wanted to include this wine in my Côtes du Rhône series.
The characteristics of this wine are similar to good Côtes du Rhône wines. The nose is nice and earthy. Leather, cherry and a touch of barnyard make this one up. The palate is lively and fruity. It has great cherry and plum flavors, coupled with a peppery spice and soft tannins. This is a very enjoyable wine and one that deserves a designation more significant than Vin de Table.
Wine: Chante Cigale Cuvée de la Génestière
Varietal: Côtes du Rhône (almost)
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 86
Price Paid: $12.99
Domaine Brusset was established in 1947 by André Brusset and is currently run by his son and grandson. They produce a number of different wines from the Côtes du Rhône region, and in particular they have a number of wines from Cairanne which is one of the best regarded areas with the Côtes du Rhône Villages designation. They also produce a couple wines from Gigondas, a Côtes du Ventoux and this Côtes du Rhône.
Laurent B. is named after the winemaker Laurent Brusset, grandson of founder André Brusset. It is fitting that this young, drink now wine is named after the youngest winemaker in the Brusset family.
The make up of this wine is 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Carignan and 10% Mourvèdre. 20% of the wine was matured in barrels and the rest in vats.
Black cherry, blackberry, oak and some poopy barnyard aromas make up the bouquet. Yes, I just said “poopy” as a part of the bouquet. But don’t let that scare you. You’ll find a barnyard characteristic in a lot of French wines and while some people are turned off by it, it can add an interesting complexity. This aroma is typically from a yeast called Brettanomyces, commonly referred to as “Brett.” It is often found in Côtes du Rhône wines at low levels to add character, but if not controlled it can spoil a wine. In this case, it’s a little strong but I don’t think it’s overdone.
The palate is much more bright and acidic than I anticipated from the nose. Strong cherry flavors dominate the palate. It also shows some blackberry and a black pepper spice. It’s a decent and enjoyable wine, but it won’t knock your socks off.
Wine: Domaine Brusset Laurent B.
Varietal: Côtes du Rhône
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 84
Price Paid: $14.99
Find Domaine Brusset Laurent B. on Snooth
The Mas Du Bouquet vineyard, owned by the Manganelli family for over a century, consists of 45 hectares on the plateau Garrigues, just outside the village of Vacqueyras. They are most known for their Vacqueyras appellation wines, but they also release this one with the Côtes du Rhône designation.
I really enjoyed this wine as a fresh, fruit-filled wine. The earthy characteristics found in many other Côtes du Rhône wine are very subtle with this one. But it is still an enjoyable and very affordable wine.
The blend in this wine is 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre. A fruity and refreshing nose sets the tone with blackberry, plum and hints of strawberry. There is also a leather aspect on the nose. The palate is slightly off balance by acidity, it’s just a touch too tart. There is good plum and blackberry flavor on the palate, with subtle tannins and sharp spice. The alcohol gives a nice heat to this wine. There is a nice combination of spice, tannin and fruit on the finish, which is relatively long.
Wine: Domaine Mas Du Bouquet
Varietal: Côtes du Rhône
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 86
Price Paid: $10.99
Find Domaine Mas du Bouquet on Snooth
A few weeks ago I shared a review of Cuvée Sommelongue from Domaine André Brunel and it was a so-so bottle of wine. But I wanted to share another wine from André Brunel with you that impressed me quite a bit. Indeed, it’s a tasty bottle of wine.
But first, let’s get to know André Brunel. The Brunel family started producing wine in France in 1919. Like many vintners in the Rhone valley region, the Brunel estate, Les Cailloux at Chemin du Bois de la Ville, is most famous for its Châteauneuf du Pape wines. I kind of feel like a broken record mentioning that a producer in the Rhone valley is known for their Châteauneuf du Pape. (By the way, for you 20-something readers… back in the old days we played music on things called records which sometimes would get stuck and repeat a line over and over, hence the expression “broken record.”) Nonetheless, the Les Cailloux Châteauneuf du Pape is renowned.
André joined the family wine business in 1971 and progressively worked toward improving the quality of the wines from the estate. For the past 20 years, the name André Brunel has been one that’s recognized as a dependable, high-quality producer.
The wine I’m sharing with you today is the 2005 André Brunel Cuvée Sabrine, which is a Côtes du Rhône Villages. As I’ve mentioned in the past, the Côtes du Rhône Villages designation is considered a step up in quality and value from Côtes du Rhône. And this proves to be the case with this bottle, as it was the same price as the Cuvée Sommelongue but significantly better.
This wine is a simple blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah. The nose is a bit tight at first, but is very nice once it opens up. Cedar is the dominant characteristic on the nose. There is also cherry, vanilla and a little bit of barnyard. The palate is full but not too fruity. There is some cherry and some strawberry with a super silky mouth feel. The finish is phenomenal. It starts out with an acidic, spicy bite and mellows out to a lingering dark chocolate aftertaste.
This is a very good wine, especially for the price… if you can find it. The one thing I don’t like about sharing this review is that I purchased the last bottle at one of my local wine shops. I’m sure there’s more of it out there somewhere. If you’re lucky enough to come across it, snag it.
Wine: Domaine André Brunel Cuvée Sabrine
Varietal: Côtes du Rhône Villages
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 90
Price Paid: $14.99
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At first glance, the name “Louis Bernard” has a very regal appeal to it. It conjures up images of an old world wine producing family that has passed down the estate and wine-making knowledge for several generations. Ah, but how a name can be deceiving.
Louis Bernard was actually established in 1976 as a cooperative of over 40 estates, centered around Orange, France. They brought together the expertise and labor of numerous producers under a single label. In 1990 the label was purchased Boisset Family Estates, a conglomerate of different labels—mostly French.
Currently, Boisset produces several different styles of wine from the Rhone valley under the Louis Bernard name, which are still produced as a cooperative of numerous producers. Included under the Louis Bernard name you’ll find Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Luberon, Vacqueyras, and Côtes du Rhône to name a few.
The Côtes du Rhône is mostly Grenache, which is typical of wines from Southern Rhone where the warm climate is perfect for this variety. It’s complemented by Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault.
The nose is fairly soft and simple, with plum, blackberry, bubblegum and toasted oak. It’s equally soft on the palate. The flavors are well balanced and enjoyable—mostly plum and blackberry flavors, with mid-palate chocolate. The finish is reasonably long and fruity. There is nothing terribly complex about this wine, but it’s enjoyable and priced right at $9.99.
Wine: Louis Bernard
Varietal: Côtes du Rhône
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 85
Price Paid: $9.99
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As we continue our tour of wines from the Côtes du Rhône region, we try this one produced by Jean and Michel Gonnet. Gonnet is most well known for producing Chateauneuf du Pape from the Font de Michelle estate, which was established in 1950. In 2002 the family purchased additional vineyards in the Gard region, west of Orange, and began producing Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône Villages wine under the Font du Vent name.
The 2003 vintage of this wine received some pretty good reviews. It wasn’t a 90+ wine, but was a very good wine nonetheless. I found that the 2005 was also a decent wine, but not quite as solid as the 2003.
There is an interesting nose on this wine, which I would characterize as salami, blackberry, cherry, black olive, and pepper. The palate has a lot of blackberry, plus some sour cherry, black tea, spice and a touch of alcohol heat—a little bit more heat than I would expect from a wine with a 13.5% alcohol level. The finish packs a big helping of chocolate flavor. It’s fairly well balanced and enjoyable. It’s a sturdy, decent wine but not memorable.
Wine: La Font du Vent – Les Promesses
Varietal: Côtes du Rhône
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 84
Price Paid: $12.99
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The Guigal family has owned vineyards in Côtes du Rhône since 1946, primarily focused in Northern Rhone appellations such as Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie.
The blend in this wine is 55% Syrah, 35% Mourvedre, 8% Grenache and 2% others varieties. With Syrah as the dominant variety, it is characteristic of a Northern Rhone blend. It has more Mourvedre than any other Côtes du Rhône wine I’ve had, although it’s not unheard of to have that much Mourvedre or even more.
Blackberry, plum, orange peel are the dominant aromas on the nose. There is also a subtle cedar. The nose in general isn’t very intense, but it’s nice. The palate shows a soft blackberry, plum, tart cherries and chocolate. It’s slightly flabby (i.e. it could use more acidity to liven the palate.) The tannins are good. It’s a little bit out of balance and not the best pick for a Côtes du Rhône.
Wine: E. Guigal
Varietal: Côtes du Rhône
Vintage: 2004
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 82
Price Paid: $13.99
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