The Vancouver International Wine Festivals host country this year was France and what a fantastic showing of exciting wines. I attended an excellent lecture from the leading French producers on the subject of terroir, which most people would agree has been best defined by the French, for their history, culture, and wines, all seamlessly held together by the idea of a “Sense of Place”.
Phillipe Zinck of Zinck wines in Alsace almost brought me to tears with his eloquent description of terroir and what it means to him to be a winemaker, First is humility, then patience, to wait for the roots to dig through the meters of soils, granite, limestone, to create life in the soil, touch it , breathe it, be near it. Each slope will have its own identity and taste, with the grape variety the vector of the soil. Many are going back to the way their grandfathers farmed, not their fathers. After 15 vintages he commented that “ if at the time of pressing there is little taste from the juice then no matter how much money, or fancy equipment you employ there will be little taste in the wine”.
In the words of the infamous biodynamic winemaker from the Rhone; Michel Chapoutier; “not to employ the policy of death with ides; herbicides, fungicides; if you have no life in the soil, you have no life in the wine. Let the soil speak.”
This of course will vary year over year, not always in ways we want, but none the less a variation of its distinctive time and place. This is the challenge first of the viticulturist then the winemaker, though some producers believe that there should be minimal intervention, let what will be will be.
I tasted 10 different wines, all were glorious expressions of their unique terroir, all of them delicious and unique, some restrained, feminine and elegant, while others a bolder expression; big, round and heavy with flavours and aromas of the land that they are from.
While some of these wines may seem expensive, first consider that they are the result of grapes nurtured on mature vines, in vineyards generations old, by people more concerned with preserving terroir and the integrity of the grape, the soil and tradition than they are by the allure of a cute name and market domination.
Domaine Joseph Mellot, Sancerre, La Chantellenie, Loire, 2012 $38.99
Pale straw colour with pronounced aromas of gooseberry, lemon, green apples, hints of herbaceousness and minerality. The palate had clean bright flavours of gooseberry, citrus, flint and green tree fruits which are well integrated and concentrated showing complexity with lively acidity and a long length.
100% stainless steel fermentation
Single vineyard grown , on 100% flint soils
Prestige Cuvée , 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Domaine Zinck,
Alsace, Riesling, Pfersigberg, Grand Cru, 2010 $35.99
Light Lemon straw in colour, with aromas which are deep, and pure, but somewhat shy in its youth, elegant citrus notes, subtle minerality, light leafiness. The palate shows feminine elegance with a depth of flavours of green apples, pomello, with mouth watering acidity and a long fine minerality on the finish. Serve with scallops, fish, lobster
Drink now but can cellar for 10 years
Maison Louis Latour, Chablis, Simonnet-Febvre, 2012 $24.99
Pale straw colour, with focused notes of lemon and minerals. The palate is crisp with flavours of citrus, granny smith apples and steely minerality, with a slight salinity from the Kimmeridgean clay on which it is grown (oyster shell fossils). This is a pure and age worthy expression of the Chardonnay grape from Chablis, an excellent value wine to drink now or hold onto for a few years.
Maison Louis Jadot, Volnay 1er Cru, Clos De La Barre, Bourgogne, 2010 $ 84.99
Ruby in colour, soft and light aromas of red berries, leather, mushroom and earthiness. The palate has soft round tannins, with flavours of strawberry and cherry, a light earthiness with a lifted minerality showing its feminine and classic pure Pinot Noir style.
Well structured, balanced and a lovely long lingering finish. 2010 was a great vintage, powerful, rich and classic. Drink now but put some away to enjoy in a few years.
The wine is from vines that are 70 years old aged in 20% New French oak, with very low yields, organic and biodynamic methods are employed.
Maison Louis Latour, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Bourgogne, 2010 $199.99
Bright lemon colour, with pronounced aromas of golden apples, pear, toast, oak, citrus fruit. The palate is a more powerful style with a fuller body, but a backbone of minerality to highlight the delicate flavours of ripe apple, fresh citrus and well integrated oak. The finish is long, buttery and soft. Drink now but it will only get better in 10-15 years if you can wait that long.
Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Château d’Armailhac, Bordeaux, 2009 $87.24
Dark garnet colour, rich deep aromas of black fruit, cassis, leather, tobacco, mushrooms, game, cigar box. The palate is full bodied, with mouth coating firm tannins, bold flavours of blackberry, black cherry, wild game and well integrated alcohol with a long lingering finish. This wine is well structured and meant for long ageing potential. Its drinking well now but can be cellared for another 10 years. Serve this with wild game, rich meat dishes.
Romaine Duvernay, Hermitage, Rhône 2009 $70.00
Deep inky purple colour, plush aromas of blackberries, black cherry, dried herbs. The palate is earthy, full bodied with full mouth coating tannins, rich dark fruits, herbaceous notes and a long length.
Only 5000 bottles made, aged 12 months in 30% new French oak.
Gérard Bertrand, Corbières-Boutenac, La Forge, Languedoc, 2011 $82.99
Deep ink purple, with aromas of cassis, clove, caramelized black fruits, fig, leather, cedars and floral notes of violets. The wine is full bodied with mouth coating tannins with flavours of cassis, blackberry, black raspberry, fennel and hints of truffle. The wine is powerful with loads of complexity and concentration, coming from the 100 year old Carignan vines which have been grown on soils rich in iron. Grapes are handpicked twice a day at their optimal stage of ripeness. This is a wine for the ages, almost too young to drink now; it wants time to age and integrate. The wine comes from organic and biodynamic vineyards
Famille Perrin Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château Beaucastel, Rhône 2011 $92.00
Dark Ruby colour, deep and complex aromas of red and black berries, cranberry, bouquet -garni, sweet spice, kirsch, bitter cherry, smoke, pepper and a rich earthiness. The palate has intense minerality and is full bodied but soft, with flavours of ripe black fruits, black cherry, leather, cedar and licorice, with a warmth of alcohol and long finish. This is a young wine which will only get better with age. You can drink now but it would be best with 3-5 years cellaring – is able to hold an additional 20 years. This is one of the few Châteauneuf-du-Papes that use all of the 13 permitted grape varieties; 30% Grenache, 30% Mouvèdre which gives the aging capacity, backbone and structure plus an additional 11 varieties which are planted, harvested, and vinified separately then blended together, which can take up to 9 weeks to complete the harvest.
