Baux Geste

O

Oswaldo Costa

Oswaldo Costa
Arrived in the Provençal town of Paradou yesterday for a two week stay. Dinner was at the picturesque medieval town of Baux, from which both the AOC Baux de Provence and the mineral Bauxite derive their names [Bauxite was first mined here, just as Denim (aka De Nîmes) was first mined in Nîmes]. Anyway, this charming hamlet, which even sports ruins of Roman sports, is perched high on a craggy and striated hilltop, to better protect its ancient inhabitants from marauding brigands. Repast was at a restaurant with awesome views of the waning sun, mediocre food being, alas, the corrolary of visual plenty. But a 500ml of the nearbly 2010 Chateau Romanin Rosé 12.5% peformed its modest duties with considerable aplomb. Unlike this evening's 375ml of the also nearby 2010 Mas Sainte Berthe Rosé AOC Baux de Provence 13.0%, whose sweet candied edge seemed to derive from a mixture of the additional 50 basis points and multiple personality disorder springing from a mix of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault. More to follow.

Disclaimer: the AOC authorities have promised me, in exchange for writing about my adventures in the region, the right to bear the prestigious honorary surname of Bauxman.
 
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originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Baux Geste Repast was at a restaurant with awesome views of the waning sun, mediocre food being, alas, the corrolary of visual plenty..
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Two meals some years ago at L'Oustau de Baumanière were excellent. Fully deserving its 2 etoiles.
 
Had a very good lunch at Le Patio in Fontvielle on a cycling trip through the area a few years back.

Also a mostly pleasant dinner at Le Serre in St. Remy. The husband of the couple at the table nearest ours became aware we were Americans and proceeded to vent his animosity of Bush at us. We were to blame for inflicting Bush on the world. Apparently not only as a nation but us personally. He was not willing to allow that we shared his perspective and had done what we could to prevent him getting into office. His wife was
more understanding and embarrassed by his behavior if not even slightly mortified. Eventually she calmed him down but he continued to shoot distrustful glances our way while mumbling what I suspect were further dark imprecations. I couldn't help but be amused by the whole thing, we're easily left of liberal and had no disagreement with him. I don't think he was prepared for friendly agreement.

I recall the wine list being local and interesting but not specific names. There's a fair number of potentially worthwhile dining experiences around there; that's what I can offer in the way of suggestions.
 
Planning on visiting Hauvette, Milan and Trevallon. I like Gourgonnier too, so maybe I'll add that, if my girls don't mutiny on the bounty.
 
I have loved the Ousteau in the past, but it's pretty traditional. We just had a wonderful meal at Chez Bru. Everything was spot on. Everything on every plate was there for a reason. It all made sense, and each course flowed logically, even the dessert. Prices were high (esp., alas, for wine), but the quality was there.
 
On the way to St. Rémy we stopped at Mas de la Dame for some of their esteemed olive oil. I quite liked their 2010 Rosé du Mas 13.0% and their 2008 Réserve du Mas 14.0%, a non-oaked blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Both were quite aromatic, the red having some nice feral notes mixed with fruitiness and pleasant tannins. Good stuff, and inexpensive at 8 and 8.7 Euro, respectively. Declined to try their oaked cuvees, a feeble blow against the empire.

Lunch was irrigated by an undenominated vin du pays de Vaucluse that was extremely pleasant at 3.5 Euro the carafe. The sort of unpretentious goodness I only find in France.

While traipsing around St. Rémy, the Hamptons of Provence, we stepped into the fancy Chateau d'Estoublon shop. While Olivia sampled several delicious varietal olive oils, I liked their 2010 rosé, robust and flavorful, with good balance, despite a hint of excess ripeness. Also tried their AOP Les Baux de Provence 2006, 2007 and 2008 reds, all more or less agreeable, despite some oak. Liked the 2007 best, not coincidentally the one with lowest alcohol.
 
I really liked a red from Mas de la Dame the last time I checked in, about 10 years ago. For some reason I never see the wines from this producer in New York.
 
Yesterday we walked sur le pont d'Avignon and visited the contiguous humongous Pope's Palace. To recover, in the PM I surveyed the contents of an extremely fine, English-owned wine shop called Vins Fins de la Crau. Passing over a 1904 Colares, I chose a half bottle of 2001 Chateau Simone (17.50 Euro) as dinner sidekick.

2001 Chateau Simone Palette 12.5%
From the brobdingnagian estate of the lilliputian AOC Palette, this exhibits a palette of leather, blood iron and quinine. Tastes young, with fine acid/sweet balance and vibrant, medium grain tannins. Induces in this drinker a state of considerable contentment.
 
I have to admit that I am not a fan of the latest release of the red Simone in my neck of the woods, the 2005. No vibrancy, too deep, and too much wood. I tasted it blind, from decanter, and was a little startled to find out that a wine that I often really like was this way.
 
Mike Berry, the owner of Vins Fins de la Crau, said that the owner of Chateau Simone had died a few years ago and his son had changed things for the worse, and had recently sold it. I'll ask when he thinks the style changed.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
I really liked a red from Mas de la Dame the last time I checked in, about 10 years ago. For some reason I never see the wines from this producer in New York.
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Rimmerman does an offer or two a year of them, so they make it to the west coast. I agree, I was really impressed by a couple bottles of their basic red in the last year or two. They had not been a producer on my radar.
 
This morning we visited Domaine de Trévallon, arguably the most blue chip (and certainly the most expensive) in the Baux de Provence area, though the winery has opted out of the AOC system because of the higher than permissible amount of cabernet sauvignon in its reds.

Producing natural wines since 1973, on new vineyard land planted by Eloi Dürbach, they don’t destem or add yeasts, or use clones, chemical fertilizers, temperature control or filtration. Reds are fined with egg whites, whites with clay. Yield is below 25 hectoliters per hectare and only the small output of whites sees a small amount of new wood. There is only one red cuvée (50% cabernet sauvignon and 50% syrah), and one white cuvée (45% rousanne, 45% marsanne, 5% chardonnay and 5% grenache blanc). The percentages correspond to the relative plantings of each variety.

We were amiably shown around by Ostiane Dürbach, who took us down to the cave to taste the three red vintages currently on offer (the 07, 06 and 05 being shut down):

2008 Domaine de Trévallon VdP 13.0%
Bottled six months prior. Expressive aromas of blackberry, blood orange, menthol, herbs and olives. Excellent balance, complemented by fine tannins.

2003 Domaine de Trévallon VdP 13.5%
Opulent, but less complex. Shows surprisingly fresh, citrusy acidity, with fine tannins. Not at all over-ripe, perhaps because the Domaine’s slopes all face north. A pleasant surprise, though still my least favorite. Ostiane says this only recently reopened.

2001 Domaine de Trévallon VdP 14.0%
Lovely ripe aromas, dominated by rosemary. Lovely acidity and fine tannins. At first, aromatically less expressive than the 2008, but evolves in glass, gaining considerably in complexity, while maintaining a lightness belying its alcohol. Harmonious and fine, with much time still ahead of it.

Overall, I liked the wines quite a bit, but not enough to allay the reticence inspired by the 40 to 55 Euro price range (depending on vintage).
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
This morning we visited Domaine de Trévallon... in the Baux de Provence area...shown around by Ostiane Dürbach...
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Those crazy Provençal names!

Mark Lipton
 
I remember liking Trevallon very much back when I could get the 89 and 90 for something like $15 a bottle. I now know why I no longer see them in the market.
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Mike Berry, the owner of Vins Fins de la Crau, said that the owner of Chateau Simone had died a few years ago and his son had changed things for the worse, and had recently sold it. I'll ask when he thinks the style changed.
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That's too bad on multiple levels. The wines were great and unique; one thing that's changed for sure is price, which has exploded lately.
 
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