An invitation came into my mail for a fully blind tasting of natural wines from "outside of this universe". Having just been reading Lee Smolin's delightful criticism of string theory, I might not be entirely sure I agree with the physicists who claim that this universe is just one of many, hence I chose a different title - especially as these were practically main-stream wines!
Blind fizz
Our first wine was Jean-Marc Burgaud's Bull'GO ( label ) which is a fizz made from Gamay. IIRC, this was the first and only time it was made (vintage 2007?). I thought it was lovely. It smelled of bread crust and crisp but red toned fruit - an almost Champagne-lookalike. Lovely structure, elegant mousse. This was much fun and I hope J-M Burgaud continues to make it.
Our next fizz was the ever-lovable Jean-Paul Brun FRV 100 ( label ) which is a Gamay of a deep, pink colour. It is only 7,5% abv and naturally sweetish, but the acidity is such that it is wonderfully refreshing. It is more complex and serious in its typical Gamay aromas of earthy, bright red fruit than Brachetto but just as much fun. I could drink bottle after bottle of this stuff!
Blind Whites
The first white was not at all to my taste. The Domaine des Deux Roches (Collovray & Terrier) St.-Veran Vieilles Vignes 2007 ( label ) smelled more of new oak than anything else - but it did have very nice acidity. With so many other wonderful wines on show, I didn't bother to spend much time with this. Not to my taste; everyone else loved it.
The second white, Quinta de Covela Colheita Seleccionada Branco 2006 ( label ) was more to my taste. A blend of Avesso and Chardonnay from Minho, Portugal, it was a hefty 14,5% abv, but that didn't show. It was marked by some oak, but in such well managed amounts that even I enjoyed this wine. Rich, sweet fruit, perfectly adequate acidity, but with such weight and even oiliness on the palate that I was guessing a good Rhône white! Nice wine.
But things went even more to my taste with the unoaked Quinta de Covela Escolha Branco 2007 ( label ) which was a rather unconventional blend of Avesso, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer. The scent was so grapey that my first reaction was a dry Muscat. Apparently there isn't much Gewurz in the blend, but it is amazing how it can dominate the scent. The palate was delightfully crisp and clean - much more so than any Gewurz I have ever tasted. Nice, uncomplicated, cheerful stuff. I like it.
Sadly, I am not at all certain that our bottle of Jean-Paul Brun's (Terres Dorées) Beaujolais Blanc 2007 ( label ) was in good condition. During transport to the tasting, it was accidentally placed just by the heating in the tram and was apparently very, very hot to the touch. I wouldn't have expected such a short trip to destroy a wine, but this sure was weird! It smelled of strawberry yoghurt and something strangely like toffee (but not as in oaky). Fat, disjointed citrussy acidity. It wasn't undrinkable - in fact it was more pleasant than what my words make it seem. Perhaps off?
Blind Reds
Natural Bordeaux isn't something that one sees very often, so it was fun to have three wines from a well-regarded estate in the Côtes de Bourg. The Ch. Falfas 2006 ( label ) was quite a delight. It did show pure Bordeaux aromas: a mix of dark fruit and red berries, some earth. Not much oak in this, which was nice, but it could still use some time to integrate. It was vibrant, refreshing, had plenty of grip and also plenty of substance. The Ch. Falfas 2005 was very similar in aromas to the 2006 except the oak had fully integrated, and the acidity wasn't quite so bright (still plenty of it for an '05) but the tannins were palate-cleansing and the whole was extremely pleasing. Very pleasant wines (unlike the "special cuvée" that came later...).
Not all wines can please everyone. The Quinta de Covela Colheita Seleccionada 2003 ( label ) was one such. It smelled so strongly of cranberry jam that I was certain this was Chilean Cabernet (except one that doesn't have the usual lashings of new oak). But no, this was a blend of Touriga Nacional, Cab Sauv and Merlot from Minho. Not much to see here.
On the other hand, their unoaked red, the Quinta de Covela Escolha 2005 ( label ) was a great deal of fun. I could see the family resemblance to the '03, but this was much better balanced. It wasn't jammy or over-the-top though it was very ripe and fruity. A rather unconventional blend of Touriga Nacional, Cab Franc, Merlot and Syrah. It's a nice wine, but why such a wacky blend when I am sure Portuguese grapes would have made a wonderful (perhaps better) wine, too?
From VdP du Val de Montferrand we had a Domaine Mas de Martin Cuvée Roi Patriote 2007 ( label ) which was a very enjoyable blend of almost everything that grows in that general direction: Merlot, Cabs Sauv and Franc, Grenache Noir, Syrah and Tannat. It showed a lovely, Southern, sauvage character but with some cooler, lifted elements typical of Bordeaux. Sweet and ripe fruit, lively. It developed some very strange and strong liquorice aromas with air. Nice stuff, but I preferred it soon after open.
To finish the event, we had the premium cuvée from Falfas, the Ch. Falfas Le Chevalier 2006 ( label ). It was much too young, and it smelled only of barrique. I much preferred the "basic" Falfas.
Cleaning up wines - also blind, naturally
Domaine Loew Pinot Noir Westhoffen 2007 was a lovely Alsace Pinot! Doesn't Loew do anything badly? I like their Rieslings, but I also love their wines like Pinots Gris & Noir that usually don't appreciate in Alsace all that much. This was deliciously vegetal, light yet fruity; bright red fruit, ripe but light. Lovely structure to match with some lighter food.
Poggerino Chianti Classico 2004 ( label ) was quite a beefy and dark wine for Chianti. I didn't see a purity of Sangiovese fruit like I do with Podere le Boncie's Le Trame, but it was perfectly drinkable, nonetheless.
A palate-cleansing fizz was welcome, too. Jacques Selosse V.O. Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut ( label ), disgorged in April '07, this was a lovely Champagne in a very weighty style but one that we guessed had plenty more age on it: I was thinking of 1989. A scent of fruit-baskets and old oak, oxidative/appley. Full bodied, elegant mousse, not very high in acidity, but it was perfectly adequate to carry all of that weighty fruit. Big boned Meursault with bubbles.
A fun evening, indeed.
