WTN: Two fine Cahors drunk at home.

Château Haute-Serre AOC Cahors 2004 – GFA Georges Vigouroux – Alc. 13.5% - (€ 11,50).

C: Deep.
N: Dark woodland fruit, liquorice with some jam and vanilla.
P: Powerful and austere splendour and good dark fruit with similar aromas to the nose, quite angular liquorice covered tannins and good length.

Bought partly to put in the sauce of a Cahors regional duck dish, Germaine finds it too tannic for her to enjoy her share of the remaining two-thirds with the meal. I am more tannin tolerant, so can enjoy it at present and think that in a few years it could be a fine bottle once the jam, vanilla and tannins are tamed; 14.5/20 now with ++ potential.

(After writing this note, I discover that the 2007 edition of Guide Hachette has given this wine ***; their top award.)


Château Lamartine AOC Cahors “Expression” 1999 – Alc. 13% - (€ 21 ex cellar for 2005).

This wine is currently made from 100% old Malbec wines and is matured for 20 months in new Tronçais and Allier barrels.

I had this bottle in reserve and, two hours after writing the above, I am glad that we set aside the Haute-Serre because this one was excellent and is exactly what the Haute–Serre should aspire to become in 5 or so years time. (The Haute-Serre made a superbly virile and concentrated “black” sauce with the duck and the remainder will go into a Cahors wine and cassis sorbet recipe given, like the duck recipe, in a Quercy magazine handed out during the Malbec days.)

C: A superbly deep carmine purple with no signs at all of bricking.
N: Dark fruit, sour cherry, wet leather and some liquorice.
P: Virile with austere splendour and darkly fruity like the Haute-Serre but with all the youthful exaggerations and rough edges fined down; quite smooth mouth-feel on entry and mid-palate building up to a more austere, noble, structured but slightly bitter climax at the rear of the palate with good after-glow. After 9 years the new oak aromas which I found on the highly promising 2005 have become perfectly integrated to the point of being scarcely detectable; 16.5/20 with still some + potential, I think.

Splendid though this wine is I doubt whether its typically Cahors style will ever be very popular. This is a commercial difficulty which the Cahors region has to face. I do hope that they will not be tempted by dumbing down.

[David M. Bueker]

I've had Haute-Serre (the 2002). I like it. Never had the other.

Really enjoyed the post Tim. This an appellation that definitely deserves wider attention.

I'm just 75 pages into "Families of the Vine" by Michael Sanders and feel compelled to drink and learn more about Cahors. I recommend the book for those who want to discover the region, the wines and it's history. It is not written from the perspective of a wine expert, but is nevertheless enjoyable and packed with great insight. Fairly current too (published in 05).

The selection in Ontario of Cahors is farily limited (Quebec is well stocked next door) but The Haute Serre 04 you enjoyed will be released here this weekend and I'll have to pick up a bottle or two to stash away for a few years. Sounds like it is very good based on your tasting note and the Hachette rating that I was unaware of.

I also recently picked up an 05 Chateau Crozes de Pys Prestige that I hope will be enjoyable in a few years. Ever tasted anything by them? There is also another Cahors presently available by Chateau St Didier Parnac 04 Prestige but I haven't been able to uncover much information about this producer.

Cheers,
Steve

I also recently picked up an 05 Chateau Crozes de Pys Prestige that I hope will be enjoyable in a few years. Ever tasted anything by them?

Hi Steve,

Did you see my recent tasting notes on a visit to Cahors? viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15225

I loved Crozes de Pys 05 but it was their basic cuvée, I think. It was already drinking well in a more supple style than a lot of Cahors but may go into a closed phase. By and large the 05s struck me as exceptionally good. Crozes de Pys was absolutely new to me but I will now be looking out for it in the future.

Like quite nearby Madiran, Cahors gives gutsy wines with lots of personality. You should get to Quebec to sample a bigger selection. Is inter-state shipment difficult like in the USA?

Re: Ch. Lamartine Cahors "Expression" 1999 - Postscript

24 hours later and about to tip the heeltaps into the sink, I took another sniff at the bottle. The aromas were, if anything, even finer; violet with a touch of tar and anis and with none of the expected incipient oxidization or vinegar. This is another small illustration of the remarkable stability of Malbec which caused its mediaeval reputation.

Right Tim- there are no options to ship across Provincial boarders in Canada unless you employ the services of a 3rd party. That being said, I have friends who can bring me bottles from Quebec every couple of months so I'll have to make a point to pick a few Cahors next time. http://www.saq.com is the website, they have about 50 products listed in varying quantities.

Thanks for the link to your previous post- I missed that one. That Crozes de Pys sounds like it should be good. LCBO will also release the 05 Haut-Monplaisir Tradition in June which shold be great too.

Also found a few bottles of the 03 Chateau Lagrezette ($26 CDN) remaining here at the LCBO but I hear that these wines are not very represenative of Cahors- perhaps due to Michel Rollands influence and/or the plan to seek high Parker/WS ratings...

Steve

[David M. Bueker]

Also found a few bottles of the 03 Chateau Lagrezette ($26 CDN) remaining here at the LCBO but I hear that these wines are not very represenative of Cahors- perhaps due to Michel Rollands influence and/or the plan to seek high Parker/WS ratings...

I don't know of hteir actual intent, but the two bottles of Lagrezette I have drank were the most "modern" Cahors I have ever tasted.

I brought three different bottles of Lagrézette back from Cahors and one is a 99, I think, and so should be close to its peak. I'll give it a whirl one of these coming days with some suitable food.

[David M. Bueker]

I had the '98 while I was in Figeac last month. It seemed as ready as any Cahors would ever be.