News: August 2008
We've been touring winemakers in
France and there is much 'news' to be posted on some linked
pages
over the next few weeks. It will include details about our meetings
with winemakers from Alsace to the Languedoc to the Loire, tasting
notes and some of the challenging issues that the rapidly
changing and consolidating world of wine is creating -- particularly
for small producers and their representatives. Nowhere are these
challenges more pertinent than the recently imposed changes made by the
LCBO to the Consignment Program through which our wines are made
available here in Ontario.Please see: Tales from the Wine Trail
Releases this month:
Auvigue Pouilly-Fuissé 'Les Chailloux' 2006 (1/2 and full bottles) — limited stock of this highly regarded vintage 2 Gold Medals) of classic Fuissé from the Frères Auvigue. Generous nose, lovely concentration of white fruits & flowers, very, very good length. (JPO/DMO Macon July 08.)
Auvigue Macon-Solutré Heretiers 'Cuvée Naturele' 2007 — limited stock of this wonderfully pure bottling showing brioche toast on the nose, clean and fresh flavours throughout , excellent bright structure, super length -- non-certified 'organic'. (JPO/DMO Macon July 08.)
Grès Saint Paul Coteaux du Languedoc 'Costa Santene' 2005 — Classic Languedoc flavours of garrigue and spices on nose, follows onto the palate with black fruits, well sgtructured, very good length (JPO/DMO Lunel July 08.)
Grès Saint Paul Coteaux du Languedoc 'Antonin' 2005 — Nose of kirsch and red fruits, good concentration on palate, elegant structure, very very good length. (JPO/DMO Lunel July 08.)
Chateau Mas Neuf Rouge Tradition 2006 - fabulous nose of garrige, concentrated palate of spice & garrigue, huge structure, very good length. (JPO/DMO Gallacian July 08.)
Maison Mallard Gaulin Chablis 2006 — last allotment of this excellent vintage - shortages of Burgundy whites in general and Chablis in particular are vaulting prices and together with the Euro exchange rate this may well mean that we do not order the 2007 vintage at all -- stock up!!
Maison Mallard Gaulin Pinot Noir 'Chanceroy' 2006 — lovely fruit (berries & cherries) and herbal notes on the nose, medium body, beautifully balanced with delicate structure, finishes long with very fine tannins. (JPO March 2008)
Domaine du Terme Cotes du Rhone 2005 - Back in Stock!! — nose of spice and fruits, lively and full-bodied on palate, trés genache, very good length. (JPO/DMO Gigondas July 08.)
RECENT RELEASES:
Domaine du Terme Vacqueryas 2005 - lovely black fruits and provençal spices on the nose, lifted and balanced on the palate with dusty tannins that promise a future, very good length.
Domaine du Terme Gigondas Réserve 2003 - dark black fruits on the nose, follows on palate, quite big and a bit broody still with bright tannins leading to very good length. Some smoke.
Mallard-Gaulin Chablis 2006 –— tree fruits (apple/pear) on nose, quite sumptuously fruity on palate, good snap and structure on finish.
Mallard-Gaulin Pinot Noir ‘Chanceroy’ 2006 — beautifully focused red fruits on the nose follow onto medium-bodied palate, deft structure and flavour focus throughout, very good length.
Pascal Granger Chénas 2006 — Spice, bright fruits on the nose, lovely fruit attack on the palate w/hints of smokey bacon, excellent concentration, black fruits, supple tannins, very, very good length. (JPO/DMO Juliénas June 2007)
"This is always one of the very best wines of the Chénas Cru, and received two recent Coup de coeurs (2003 and 2005). The 2006 offers complete satisfaction. Intense ruby in colour, the wine expresses nuances of flint and the scents of flowers and blackcurrant. In the mouth it shows a rich and ample flesh and one finds a palace of floral and mineral tonalities with a persistant length." Two Stars -- 2008 Guide Hachette
Bressy-Masson Rasteau "A la
Gloire de
Mon Père" 2003 — Gorgeous nose of dark cherry, other
black fruits and smoke, carries to the palate with generous fruit, a
hint of peach on finale, wonderful finesse, excellent structure, very
complex. ***** (JPO/DMO Rasteau June 2007)
“Impressive. Structured with loads of tannin as well as a big
sweet,
chocolatey nose with notions of scortched earth, ripe black cherry
fruit and a candied sweetness, this is an opulent, full-throttle Cotes
du Rhone-Villages with soft tannin and high glycerin, alcohol and
structure. It is a blend of 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 15% Mouvedre
that should drink well for a decade." Rating 90-92 (Robert Parker
Jr. The Wine Advocate)
NEW RATINGS for MAS NEUF from Robert PARKER Jr. in March 2008 issue of the Wine Advocate:
Mister Parker has published his ratings for vintages 2005 & 2006 : “Chateau Mas Neuf is one of the best estates in this up-and-coming region, known for high quality and fair prices.”
Mas Neuf Rouge Tradition 2005 (IN STOCK): 87 points “The 2005 Costières de Nîmes Tradition is a straightforward, bistro-styled red with notes of Provencal herbs, cherries, strawberries, and licorice. This medium-bodied wine should be drunk over the next 2-3 years”
Mas Neuf Compostelle Blanc 2006 (now exclusively at Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar, Toronto): 88 points “The serious 2006 Costières de Nîmes Compostelle blanc is much more exotic, with notes of poached pear, apricot, peach, lychee, and plenty of honeysuckle. It is medium-bodied, but at the same time refreshing and elegant”
Mas Neuf Compostelle Rouge 2005 (IN STOCK): 90 points “The 2005 Costières de Nîmes Compostelle is an outstanding wine that has a deep ruby/purple color, a beautiful nose of black chocolate, creme de cassis, and blackberry, followed by full-bodied, lush, intense flavors that are pure and savory. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.”
Also noted in DECANTER, April 2008: **** “Rich, polished, ageworthy 70% Syrah-30% Mourvèdre blend with suede-like tannins, aged for 12 months in one-year-old barrels acquired from Bordeaux classed growths.”
Mas Neuf 'Avec des Si Rouge' 2005 (IN STOCK): 90 points “ 'Avec Des Si...' is superb. Yields were only 25 hectoliters per hectare, and the wine exhibits a dense purple color, sweet floral and creme de cassis notes with hints of blackberry, melted licorice, and pepper. The wine is ripe, lush, heady, and best drunk over the next 5-7 years”
Mas Neuf 'Armonió' 2005 40% Grenache Noir, 30% Merlot, 30% Cabernet.
This wine results from Luc Badet's association with Louis Mitjavile, an exceptional vigneron at Tertre Roteboeuf (Saint Emilion) and Roc de Cambe (Cotes de Bourg) in Bordeaux. The terroir consists of two vineyard blocks classified as AOC, but presenting a specific micro-climate that is characterised by cool nights, offering ideal conditions for the slow maturation of the two great northern grape varieties. There are no concessions made in the vineyard or the sacrifices necessary to reach full maturation of the grapes. Then, Louis controls the technical choices in the cellar. A careful vinication -- cold settling (4°C), running off of the wine into barrels that have been used in the Sauternes (Château d'Yquem) for a period of 6 months. Alcoholic fermentation occurs in these barrels at a controlled temperature (18°C). This is followed by maturation in especially selected barriques -- 100% new, with a special toasting carried out on order. After 18 months, the barrels deliver a wine of remarkable maturity and power.
Exclusively at Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar, Toronto.
We attempt to maintain (near) continuous supplies of our best
selling wines
incuding:
Crémant Rosé Brut, Château du Coing
Classique & Coing de Sèvre Muscadets,
Aurore Chardonnay, Rasteau Cuvée Souco d'Or,
Pouilly Fumé
Boisfleury, Terme's Côtes du Rhône &
Gigondas.
(DISPLAY PROBLEMS: We've discovered that our new website doesn't display as intended in Internet Explorer on Windows PCs. To wit: the menu of 'Winemakers' that should appear as a column on the right-hand side of your browser appears below the main text. This doesn't occur in Netscape on PCs (or at all on Macs). I'm trying to figure out how to fix things but meantime do explore our winemaker pages by scrolling down until you see the menu!!