Maxime Magnon Rozeta 2018, Corbières, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 🇫🇷

🍇 Carignan 40%
🍇 Grenache 30%
🍇 Cinsault 30%

🧐 Alcohol 13.5%

 🍁 My Score 90 Points

🧩 50-60 years old vines, grapes are fermented together, aged wine in previously use Burgundy barrels from a producer in Chassagne-Montrachet, natural, organic and biodynamic, neither fined or filtered and no sulphur added at bottling

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Beautiful nose with aromas of red cherries, raspberries, blueberries, floral, peppery and light earthy notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, very fresh with an elegant texture, silky tannins and crisp acidity. The finish is medium length with savoury and slightly tangy flavours lingering.

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Lovely dining experience at Damas restaurant in Montréal this last Monday. Like always, I research the wine list before arriving at a restaurant. Unfortunately it was a waste of time since the wine list was out of date 🤷‍♂️ None of the wines which had caught my attention where available. Now, I did take up the offer for the Sommelier to review the wine list and help with my selection. Good wine list, mostly from France and Italy, with many natural wines. I was very happy with the wine selected, it went beautifully with our mix grilled platter. The food and the presentation as usual, was amazing. Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Domaine Guisset Côtes du Roussillon 2016, Languedoc-Roussilon, France 🇫🇷

🍇 Syrah 66%
🍇 Carignan 20%
🍇 Grenache 14%

🧐 Alcohol 14.5%

🍁 My Score 91%

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Great nose with aromas of ripe berry fruit, plums, red currants, spices and light floral notes.  On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, dry, beautiful texture, flavourful with silky tannins and fresh acidity.  This finish is medium length, smooth with flavours of spices, stony minerality and soft seductive fruit.

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First experience with this producer and it won’t be the last.  Lovely blend, really enjoyable wine, flavourful with fine texture and harmony.  The quality price ratio is well in your favour. Enjoyed over two evenings and just as delightful on the second night.  Strongly recommended my wine friends.  Cheers 🍷

Gabbas Lillové Cannonau di Sardegna 2017, Sardinia Italy 🇮🇹

🍇 Cannonau di Sardegna (Grenache) 90%
🍇 Other local grapes 10%

🧐 Alcohol 15%

🍁 My Score 90%

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A very expressive nose with aromas of raspberries, wild strawberries, plums, violets,cinnamon and peppery notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied and bursting with bright flavours, silky tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is long, the alcohol is more noticeable at this stage with lots of spicy red fruit flavours lingering.

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When attending a wine trade tasting, it’s normal that after a three hour tasting some wines are going to stand out. Like this Grenache, my favourite of the reds during an afternoon with the IVSA. A beautiful ruby red colour but the star 🌟 is the incredible aromatics, talk about a bright and lively wine, the mouthfeel is very flavourful. It’s not shocking to see a Grenache at 15% alcohol that is still balanced. There is so much going on and the acidity gives it a nice lift. As for serving temperature, too warm and the alcohol seems higher but slightly chilled it’s beautiful. The red fruit comes alive and alcohol is not as noticeable. Perfect temperature? Around 16 C  🙂 Cheers my wine friends 🍷

Palacios Remondo La Montesa 2010, Rioja, Spain

75% of this Rioja is made with Grenache, and in a supporting role Tempranillo at 20% and Mazuelo at 5%, maturation in mostly French oak (90%) with the remaining 10% American oak and alcohol comes in at 14%.

Ruby red in the glass with a tings of violet this wine opened up with aromas of red berry fruit, plums, leather, spices and light cedar and vanilla. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied with spicy bright flavors, lively acidity and well integrated fine tannins. Good energy and length on the finish with flavors of sweet and tangy berry fruit lingering. Another great wine from Alvaro Palacios, showing lots of charm and personality. I can almost describe this as a spicy Pinot Noir, strongly recommended score 89 points.

Purchased September 14, 2013 at the SAQ (10556993) at $19.65    

Pinyolet Garnacha 2011, DO Montsant, Spain

This wine is 100% dry farmed and organically grown Garnacha (Grenache) from 50 (plus) year old vines, aged completely in stainless steel on its lees for 6 months (no oak barrels) and alcohol comes in at 14%. 

This wine opened up with ripe aromas of strawberry-raspberry fruit, soft leather, herbs and spices with a stony minerality notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, dry, spicy and very flavourful with fresh acidity and silky tannins. This Grenache has a juicy fruit driven finish with loads of energy and length. A great summer wine, but I can’t emphasize enough that this wine is better served slightly chilled (around 16 to 17 °C). As it was warming up it almost felt like a different wine, with the ripe fruit character of this Grenache turning slightly tart. Overall a charming and very interesting wine, score 89 points.  

Purchased July 6, 2013 LCBO Vintages New Release (271791) at $17.95

Les Halos de Jupiter Côtes du Rhône 2010, AC Rhône, France

This wine is a blend of mostly Grenache, at 85%, with Syrah at 10% and Mourvèdre at 5% with alcohol coming in at 15%.

This wine opened up with aromas of plumy-wild berry fruit, licorice, incense, toasty and black pepper notes. On the mouthfeel, dry, medium-full bodied and smooth with concentrated flavours, savoury, mild acidity and firm tannins. The finish is medium length with flavours of black fruit, savoury herbs and spicy. This is exactly what I expect from a nice Côtes du Rhône, easy drinking with great flavours, and at this price, a great buy. Strongly recommended, score 89 points.  

Purchased June 8, 2013 LCBO Vintages New Release (276956) at $17.95

Domaine de la Charbonnière Les Hautes Brusquières Cuvée Spéciale Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2007, AC Rhône, France

From the very good 2007 vintage, this wine is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. Each varietal is aged separately before blending and alcohol comes in at 15%.

This wine opened up with aromas of blackberry, plum, cherry, light licorice, fresh herbs, floral, earthy and sandalwood notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied with delicious soft seductive fruit, herbs and spices flavours, mild acidity and fined grained tannins. Good length on the finish with flavours of sweet berry fruit, gentle wood spices, fine tannins but the last thing lingering is some hot alcohol heat. I enjoyed this wine with friends and we were all unanimous on the verdict, exquisite aromatics, great almost silky and spicy texture in the mouth but hot alcohol finish that was a real bummer. Just enough to score 90 points, but can’t see myself matching Robert Parker Jr. 95+ given in October 2009.

Purchased from the LCBO Classics Collection February 2011 (579581) at $54.00

Ateca Atteca 2010, Aragon, Calatayud, Spain

This wine is 100% Garnacha (Grenache) from 85 to 125 years old vines with maturation in French oak for 10 months and alcohol coming in at 15%.

Beautiful deep ruby in color, this wine opened up with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, wild strawberry, cedar, vanilla and spicy notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied with ripe fruit flavours and spicy, fresh acidity and silky tannins. Loads of energy, length and bright spicy flavours on the finish. This very flavourful and well made Grenache hits all the right notes for me, just as enjoyable has I remember it from the Vancouver Wine Show, absolutely delicious and a superb value, score 92 points.


Purchased March 1, 2013 at the Vancouver Wine Show for $26.99

Domaine Cros de la Mûre, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Massif D’ Uchaux 2007, Rhône Valley, France

 

This wine is a blend of mostly Grenache and Syrah with Mourvèdre and Cinsault in a supporting role, maturation for 30 months in oak barrels and alcohol coming in at 14.5%.

A deep purple in color, this Rhône blend opened up with aromas of blackberry, plum, garrigue, spices, meaty, peppery and light floral notes. On the mouthfeel, a medium-full bodied wine with rich and concentrated flavours, detectable oak influences, low acidity and fined grained tannins. This wines finish is long, very smooth with spicy, fresh herbs and pruny flavours. We enjoyed this wine, with several foods, cheese (oh my god, the blue cheese from Vermont was so good), a charcuterie platter and it worked well. I think that this wine would have been much better without as much oak, but overall, very enjoyable, score 88 points.

As for my experience with Terroir Wine bar, I found it to be a very cozy and charming space. A decent but challenging wine list, the food was excellent, great small plates and very friendly staff. We actually went there twice over our five night stay in New York. A great and inexpensive way to enjoy a casual meal and I would go back tomorrow if I could, strongly recommended.

Enjoyed at Terroir Wine Bar at 413 E 12^th St. New York City restaurant price $67.00

Domaine Cros De Romet Cairanne Côtes Du Rhône Villages 2010, Ac Rhône Valley, France

This wine is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah with alcohol coming in at 16%. (No other info from the vineyard)

Deep opaque purple in color, this wine opened up with aromas of black cherry, dark plum, dried herbs, peppery and smoky and earthy notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, hot with flavours of black fruit, spices and charred wood, low acidity and firm tannins. This finish is medium length, hot with baked fruit and a stony minerality texture. After tasting a number of 2010 Rhône wines, I started to think that they were (for the most part) un-balanced, lacked finesse, with high alcohol and low acidity. For my palate, Domaine Cros De Romet Cairanne Côtes Du Rhône Villages 2010 has nice flavours but the whole package is over the top for me, the fruit feels baked, the alcohol is crazy high and the lack of acidity is not helping. Disappointing, score 86 points.

Purchased October 27, 2012 LCBO Vintages New Release (42986) at $21.95

Domaine Grand Veneur Les Champauvins Côtes Du Rhône 2010, Ac, Rhône, France

This wine is a blend of mostly Grenache at 80% and Syrah with the remaining 20%, soil type is clay-gravel soil covered with rolled stones, wine is lightly filtered and alcohol comes in at 14.5%.

Pouring a deep purple in color, this Rhône blend opened up with aromas of blueberry-plummy fruit, new leather, vanilla, licorice, dried herbs and spicy notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, dry, delicious forward fruit and spicy flavours, fresh acidity and well integrated tannins. Loads of energy and length on the finish with blueberry-plum puree fruit and spicy notes lingering. Les Champauvins 2010 is showing well right now, an easy drinking wine, made in a crowd pleasing style and at this price, a great value. Strongly recommended, score 90 points.

Purchased February 2, 2013 LCBO Vintages New Release (76331) at $18.95

Nekeas El Chaparral De Vega Sindoa Old Vines Garnacha 2010, Do Navarra, Spain

It’s a wine like this one which makes the enjoyment of wine so interesting. This wine is 100% Grenache from old vines (over 70 years old), maturation taking place in a combination of French and American oak barrels for 8-10 months with alcohol coming in at 14%.

Lovely aromatics in this Grenache with aromas of raspberry, plum, cranberry, spicy, licorice, vanilla, light cedar and herbal notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, dry, spicy with slightly tart flavours of red fruit, bright acidity and light dusty tannins. Medium length on the finish, very edgy and intense with sour edge flavours of cherry and plum, spices and light herbal note lingering. My favourite element of this wine is its aromatics; the mouthfeel is a little tart. Slightly chilled, highlights the sweeter character of the Grenache and tames the sour flavours, but I still find this wine to be very interesting. Not all wines need to be sweet to be enjoyable, this wine is more like a spicy Pinot Noir then it is an old vines Grenache.  Now, this is not a wine for everyone but definitely makes for an interesting conversation piece over dinner. Overall, I quite enjoyed this wine, score 88 points.

Purchased November 10, 2012 LCBO New Release (291997) at $18.95

Alain Jaune & Fils Terrasses de Montmirail Gigondas 2009, Rhône, France

 

The majority component of this blend is Grenache with 80% with the remaining 20% Syrah. The Grenache sure comes through on the nose with attractive aromas of plum, cassis, raisins, exotic spices, floral, vanilla and light cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied (with alcohol coming in at 14.5%), savoury spices and ripe berry flavours, balanced acidity and silky tannins. Very good length on the finish, seamless texture with ripe spicy berries flavours lingering.

 

This is definitely the style of Rhône blend I enjoy the most, with a high proportion of Grenache, with little or no Mourvèdre. The biggest strength of this Gigondas for me is its mouthfeel, so smooth and very stylish. I have always enjoyed wines from Alain Jaune & Fils, you can sense the attention to details in every one of their wines, like Domaine Grand Veneur Clos de Sixte Lirac 2009, reviewed on my blog in November 2011. If you ever have the opportunity to taste their Châteauneuf-du-Pape, do not miss out, an absolute treat. As for Alain Jaune & Fils Terrasses de Montmirail Gigondas 2009, a very enjoyable wine and strongly recommended, score 92 points.

Purchased at the SAQ (11095973) in Montréal December 2, 2011 at $27.40



Domaine Thunevin-Calvet Cuvée Constance 2008, AC Côtes Du Roussillon Villages, France

This wine is a blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Carignane from the very warm Mediterranean coast in South eastern France, aged in concrete and bottled unfined and unfiltered. This Grenache comes through on the nose with aromas of ripe cherry, red plum, raspberry, licorice, minerals and dry herbs. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, alcohol slightly high at 15%, balance acidity and interesting fine grain tannins. Very good length on the finish, sweet and bitter red fruit and earthy, rustic flavours, with some alcohol heat. An interesting and different wine for  sure, very enjoyable and fairly priced. Score 89 points. 

Purchased March 3, 2012 LCBO New Release (168690) at $18.95 

Torres Salmos 2007, Priorat Spain

Full disclosure here, I have always enjoyed the wines from Torres and this one is no exception. This wine is a blend of Grenache, Carinana and Syrah with a fantastic and very inviting bouquet of strawberry, cherry pie flavour, vanilla bean and toasty notes. Medium to full bodied (with alcohol coming in at 15%), flavours of strawberry jam and minerals notes on the mouthfeel, balanced acidity and silky tannins. Medium length on the finish, fruit driven, well integrated oak flavours and drinking at its best. You can add me as one of those who give this wine a score of 90 points. 

This wine was purchased October 16, 2010 LCBO New Release at $33.95