Sancerre Florès 2007 – Vincent Pinard – Alc.13% - (€15 for current vintage).
Following a day after the Prüm (see TN in Riesling WF), this seemed rather simplistic and one-dimensional. Having left it too long in the fridge probably did not help though it emphasised the wine’s crisp and mineral side compared with a bottle about a year ago. This is the sort of simple and invigorating Sancerre which I used to enjoy with a plateau de fruits de mer in Paris brasseries but its present day price is dissuasive for what it is; 14.5/20++.
Côte du Rhône Villages Cuvée Géodisia 2004 - Domaine Chapoton, Rochegude. Alc. 13.5% (c. €10) - made mostly from Syrah.
C: Medium depth.
N: Expressive cherry with a slight metallic edge.
P: Medium/light bodied, deeper, sweeter and more complex than my memory of a bottle a couple of years ago but still very elegant and long with attractive sour cherry fruit and expressive fragrance.
This wine has quite a Northern Rhône profile due, no doubt, to the preponderance of Syrah and to the altitude, 280 metres. The location itself is not particularly northerly, about 15/20 km NW of Cairanne. Not a wine for those who insist that a Southern Rhône red should have body and structure but I like it a lot for its elegance and fragrance; 16/20 QPR!!.
IGT Umbria “Calanco” 2004 – Tenuta Le Velette, Orvieto (€10,90), from Sangiovese 65% and CabSauv.
This beautiful estate located at the top of a ridge with a superb view of Orvieto produces fine aromatic Orvieto whites (particularly the cuvée Lunata) and robust flavoursome, if somewhat rustic, reds and sells them all at very friendly prices. Calanco was the one I liked least when tasting at the estate but I nevertheless bought a few bottles and wrote on my return about a year ago –
showed medium body, dark tangy fruit but rather too much vanilla from its oak ageing for my taste; we will see how it develops; 15/20.
The first bottle consumed at home was also diminished for me by wood flavours, vanilla and dry caramel tannins on the finish. However, patience has been rewarded; this week’s bottle showed deep colour, tangy dark fruit aromas with hints of wet leather and liquorice and a medium/full palate with some depth, vigorous tangy fruit, tar, lively acidity and much better covered tannins with the only residual wood influence being its liquorice tinge; now 15.5/20++.
Crozes-Hermitage Cuvée Louis Belle 2001 – Belle Père & Fils – Alc. 12.5% - (€16 for 2006) was a very nice Crozes. Colour was medium depth red with very little bricking and the nose showed typically attractive Northern Rhône sour cherry with dashes of metal and olive. The palate was medium/light in depth but with lovely shape and aromas, lively acidity and fruit and decent length; an elegant and harmonious wine 16/20.
Anjou Cabernet Franc 2009 – Château de la Roulerie, Philippe & Marie Germain – Alc.13% - (<€7). I have enjoyed the Chenin from this estate, but this one did not go down as easily as I expected. Colour was quite deep with a purple rim, the nose was vigorous with some stalky elements. The palate was robust with dark fruit, a resinous streak and marked tannins. Honest rusticity is not out of place in simple Anjou but this was still a bit harsh. I suspect that the “great” vintage may have had something to do with this lack of approachability and it may be better in a year or so; 14/20 now.