I have already reported on the Loire wines shown at last Sunday’s tasting of TGVins. Here are the rest with my succinct manuscript notes being supplemented by fading memory.
Domaine Jean Rijckaert, Mâcon and Jura
Brightly focussed and mineral 2007s from the former partner of J-M Guffens in Verget. Unfortunately most of his wines offered in the French and Belgian markets are bottled under the synthetic Nomacorc, although some bottlings under screwcap are being done for the US and UK markets. Rijckaert admits that, in comparative tastings, screwcaps give the most consistently good results but they are nevertheless not acceptable in his core markets.
Some of the wines (with an orange capsule) are made from bought in grapes and others (with a green capsule) are made from the domaine’s grapes; the Beaune was bought in wine. All the following except the Beaune are whites made from Chardonnay, except one from Savagnin.
Bourgogne L’Épinet 2007 (€12) was freshly citrus, mineral and crisply acidic with a dash of cream; 15/20.
Mâcon-Lugny Les Crays vers Vaux VV 2007 (€15) added a caressing mouth-feel, greater complexity with even more flinty minerals; 16/20 QPR
Pouilly-Fuissé Vers Chânes 2007 (€22) was more floral and slightly richer but I liked it no better than the previous; 16/20.
Côtes du Jura Les Sarres 2008 (€11) was a touch more rustic and also fleshier than the Mâconnais offerings with substance, very crisp acidity and decent length; 15.5/20 QPR.
Arbois En Paradis 2005 (€14) was fleshier, richer and smoother with lively acidity and minerality; 16/20 QPR!
Côtes du Jura Les Sarres Savagnin 2006 (€15) showed touches of kirsch and honey in addition to the usually tangy and mineral laced Savagnin fruit and was perhaps closer to Swiss Païen/Heida than any I have previously has from the Jura; 15.5/20.
Beaune 1er cru Les Avaux 2005 (€31) was an elegant medium weight Burgundy with lively acidity and nice cherry and mineral laced Pinosity; 16/20.
Domaine François Lumpp, Givry
Elegant wines here with 2007 reds lightish but good for immediate drinking. Although the estate uses a lot of new wood, I never felt it obtrusive. Prices are creeping up; there was very good QPR when they were all below €20. In this appellation the reds are from Pinot Noir and the whites from Chardonnay.
Givry Les Vignes Rondes (W) 2006 (€20) was rounder, fleshier, less citrus and more peach than the Rijckaert range but showing nice minerality and lively acidity; 15.5/20.
Givry 1er cru Petit Marole 2007 (€22) was light/medium in body but appealing aromatically with cherry notes and attractively fresh for early drinking; 15.5/20++ now.
Givry 1er cru A Vigne 2008 (€23) was more backward and tense with greater substance and body, quite crisp acidity and good minerality; 15.5/20 with +++ potential in ageing.
Givry 1er cru Crausot 2007 (€23) was again more forward and supple with attractive fruit and more structure than Petit Marole; nice drinking now; 15.5/20++.
La Marfée, Coteaux du Languedoc (“CdL”)
The wines of this estate have a gutsy, liquorice and leather character. In previous showings I have been bothered by excessive wood but I was not conscious of it on this occasion. However, I find the prices too high in comparison with other Languedoc producers who IMO are at least as good.
VdP de l’Hérault Frissons d’Ombrelles (W) 2007 (€15), 70% Roussanne, 30% Chard, had nice Mediterranean flavours but was rather oily in texture; 14.5/20.
CdL Les Gamines 2007 (€13), Syrah 50%, Mourvèdre 40% and Grenache 10%, was also somewhat oily and funky to boot with nice tangy fruit and liquorice touches; 14.5/20.
CdL Della Francesca 2007 (€19), 85% Mourvèdre and 15% Syrah, show robust tangy dark fruit, liquorice and leather; 15/20.
CdL Les Vignes qu’on abat 2006 (€28), 90% Carignan VV, 10% Mourvèdre, was gutsy, old book and leathery with again an oily touch; 16/20.
CdL Champs Murmurés 2007 (€28), Syrah 67%, Mourvèdre 33%, was a lot more polished, overtly fruity and refined but lacking the tang and originality of the previous; 15.5/20.
Domaine de l’Hortus, Valflaunes, Coteaux du Languedoc (“CdL")
I already tasted this range in November and wrote a note then which is still largely valid.
This is not one of my favourite Languedoc estates as I have sometimes been too conscious of a sophisticated wood patina not in keeping with my idea of Languedoc. This time that patina was only in evidence on the last wine.
VdP Val de Montferrand Bergerie de l’Hortus blanc 2008 (€9), from Chard, Sauvignon and Roussanne, was fresh and fleshy with citrus and fennel touches; 15/20 QPR.
CdL Grande Cuvée blanc 2008 (€16) was even fleshier but still fresh with burnished touches; 15.5/20.
CdL Pic-Saint-Loup Bergerie de l’Hortus rouge 2006 (€9), from Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre, showed aromas of tangy plum, minerals, good depth and tannic structure; 15.5/20+ QPR.
CdL L’Hortus Pic-Saint-Loup Grande Cuvée 2007 (€16), from Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache, was deeper, sweeter fruited and smoother with good depth but with touches of dry caramel on the finish which may integrate with time; 15.5/20+.
It is interesting to report that, after only 4 months, the dry caramel notes on the red Grande Cuvée 2007have already receded and I now noted that the wine had acquired tang and elegance; 16/20+.
The red Bergerie was now shown in the 2008 vintage which brought more expressive and refined aromatics but less depth.
Domaine Yves Cuilleron, Condrieu
In past tastings I liked the entry level cuvees better than the top Saint-Joseph and the Côte Rôtie because of heavy handed oak treatment on the last two but this time the wood was much better integrated. Cuilleron confirmed that he has indeed changed his approach using more carefully selected and more neutral barrels. It was a fine range, except for the second, but unfortunately there was no Condrieu was on show.
Saint-Joseph Bois Lombard (W) 2008 (€22), 100% Marsanne, was very meaty and round with sufficient balancing acidity for freshness; 15.5/20.
VdP Syrah Signé 2008 (€14) showed sour cherry and flinty mineral spoiled by a medicinal taste towards the finish; 13/20.
Saint-Joseph Les Pierres Sèches 2007 (€19), a past favourite of mine, was well up to standard showing quite rich but fresh cherry lined with steel, minerals and spice with good depth and length; 16/20.
Saint-Joseph Amarybelle 2007 (€22), showed a supplement of depth and structure but was less open needing more time; 16/20 with ++ potential.
Saint-Joseph Les Serines 2007 (€34), was another step up in terms of depth and richness with its 70% new wood content contributing a silky feel but none of that dry caramel as in the past; 16.5/20 with ++ potential.
Côte Rôtie Madinière 2007 (€43), was aromatically quite closed but showed substance, lively acidity, depth, structure and length; potentially 17/20+.