scottreiner
scott reiner
I was a bit leery when opening the 2008 Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Rose. Every Summer this is one of my favorite roses, but I wasnt sure if the wine would have enough acid to make the journey from last Summer. Boy, was I wrong. While not as fresh as it was last year, there was ample acidity and the fruit was simply lovely.
Next I wanted to have a white, but one that was perhaps bigger that the Bagnol. Enter the 2006 Olek-Mery Chinon Blanc. 100% Chenin Blanc made by one of the Loire Gods, Bernard Baudry. This wine has weight, balance, acidity, fruit, minerals and a sensuous mouth feel. When we opened the bottle it had just come out of the fridge. It was as a result too cold and somewhat muted. After it had time to breathe and warm up a bit it was party time. Chenin may be becoming my favorite grape of the moment
Two lighter reds were called for next, so on to Olivier Lemasson. Olivier makes the wines of Les Vins Contes in the Touraine of the western Loire Valley. The wines are generally light and refreshing and very friendly. Unfined and unfiltered, the wines are generally vibrant and alive. His starter wine is Le Ptit Rouquin, or the Little Redhead. 100% Gamay, this wine is a lighter, fruit focused wine ready for chugging. We started with an older magnum that I found, the 2007 Les Vins Contes Ptit Rouquin VdT. First, a note. This wine is a VdT, or Vin de Table, and as such is not allowed to have a vintage designation. Olivier gets around this by creatively painting the vintage on the label. On this day the wine was very enjoyable, but somewhat dried out. While fun, the astringency had replaced the initial fruit. If you have any of these left, drink up On to the 2009 Les Vins Contes Ptit Rouquin VdT, also in magnum. This was my first time trying the 2009, and I had heard some troubling stories. But, most of the stories concerned the 750s and had something to do with bottling. So, I was disappointed when the wine proved lacking. The basic components of a successful Ptit Rouquin were all there, but the wine was just thin. Really, simply inconsequential. My least favorite vintage of the young Ptit Rouquins. Skip it.
To finish we went for a fuller red, but a red that really works well with a warm weather steak! The 2006 Mas des Chimeres Coteaux du Languedoc is such a wonderful over-performer. Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvedre, like most wines of the region, but this wine is in no way typical. It is much too good for that. Everything about this wine is traditional and old school, from the farming methods to the wine making. But, as they say, the proof is in the punch. Fruit and earth hits you up front, backed up by some tannin and a tactile sense that you can only get when such care is put into making your product. Substantial but at the same time floating on the palate. All for under $20. Amazing.
Next I wanted to have a white, but one that was perhaps bigger that the Bagnol. Enter the 2006 Olek-Mery Chinon Blanc. 100% Chenin Blanc made by one of the Loire Gods, Bernard Baudry. This wine has weight, balance, acidity, fruit, minerals and a sensuous mouth feel. When we opened the bottle it had just come out of the fridge. It was as a result too cold and somewhat muted. After it had time to breathe and warm up a bit it was party time. Chenin may be becoming my favorite grape of the moment
Two lighter reds were called for next, so on to Olivier Lemasson. Olivier makes the wines of Les Vins Contes in the Touraine of the western Loire Valley. The wines are generally light and refreshing and very friendly. Unfined and unfiltered, the wines are generally vibrant and alive. His starter wine is Le Ptit Rouquin, or the Little Redhead. 100% Gamay, this wine is a lighter, fruit focused wine ready for chugging. We started with an older magnum that I found, the 2007 Les Vins Contes Ptit Rouquin VdT. First, a note. This wine is a VdT, or Vin de Table, and as such is not allowed to have a vintage designation. Olivier gets around this by creatively painting the vintage on the label. On this day the wine was very enjoyable, but somewhat dried out. While fun, the astringency had replaced the initial fruit. If you have any of these left, drink up On to the 2009 Les Vins Contes Ptit Rouquin VdT, also in magnum. This was my first time trying the 2009, and I had heard some troubling stories. But, most of the stories concerned the 750s and had something to do with bottling. So, I was disappointed when the wine proved lacking. The basic components of a successful Ptit Rouquin were all there, but the wine was just thin. Really, simply inconsequential. My least favorite vintage of the young Ptit Rouquins. Skip it.
To finish we went for a fuller red, but a red that really works well with a warm weather steak! The 2006 Mas des Chimeres Coteaux du Languedoc is such a wonderful over-performer. Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvedre, like most wines of the region, but this wine is in no way typical. It is much too good for that. Everything about this wine is traditional and old school, from the farming methods to the wine making. But, as they say, the proof is in the punch. Fruit and earth hits you up front, backed up by some tannin and a tactile sense that you can only get when such care is put into making your product. Substantial but at the same time floating on the palate. All for under $20. Amazing.
