September 30, 2010 - Savio Soares Selections Portfolio Tasting, The Wine Bottega, Boston, MA
Savio Soares was in Boston on Thursday to pour 11 wines from his portfolio. Soares’ portfolio focuses on small family growers, most of whom make natural, organic, and/or biodynamic wines. Many of these wines are made in styles that are out of the mainstream – similar to some of those in the Jenny & François portfolio in that sense as well. There are also quite a few French wines that fall outside of AOC and Vin de Pays regulations, and therefore can only be labeled as Vin de Table.
Overall, I was impressed with the quality of the wines. That said, not everyone will enjoy some of them as much as I did, especially the more oxidative wines.
Schloß Mühlenhof
I drink a fair number of German wines, but was not familiar with this name before last week.
2008 Müller-Thurgau QbA Trocken Rheinhessen
I was expecting to not like this at all, but it was at least decent, though not what I would consider exciting. Light to medium-bodied, off-dry, roundish, and balanced, with apple/pear notes. Müller-Thurgau is certainly not one of Germany’s more interesting grapes, and I would have preferred to try one of the German Rieslings from Soares’ portfolio instead. $17.
2008 Dornfelder QbA Trocken Rheinhessen
Then again, Dornfelder has not impressed me in the past either – the couple that I had tired before have shown too much alcohol. This one (from a 1L bottle) is a good, basic light-bodied red that reminds me a bit of Gamay, with its slightly meaty flavors of cherries, read fruits, and baking spices. Picks up a bit more tannin on the finish. A good QPR for $16.
Domaine Philippe Bornard
The tasting sheet said that Bornard is a "former rock and roll star". Apparently, he is also a good friend of Pierre Overnoy, whose wines I have regrettably not tasted yet.
NV Ploussard Pétillant Naturel Tant-Mieux VdT Français
Light to medium-bodied, fizzy, and rather sweet, yet well balanced. Somewhat stony, with red berry and floral aromas/flavors. Very good – would have been great for the summer. $35.
2008 Arbois Pupillin Trousseau Le Ginglet
Slightly funky nose. Light in weight, nicely balanced, with good underlying acidity, and just a bit of tannin that hasn’t completed integrated yet. Shows notes of cherries, stones, earth, and leather. Very good. $35.
2007 Arbois Pupillin Ploussard La Chamade
Earthy/funky nose. Light in weight, nicely balanced and focused, with good underlying acidity. Earthy and mineral, with cherry and red fruit notes. Excellent. $35.
2006 Côtes du Jura Savagnin Les Chassagnes Ouillé
Characteristic oxidative nose of Jura Savagnin. Medium-bodied, nicely balanced, with oxidized notes of almonds, hazelnuts, earth, and citrus fruits. Excellent. $40.
Julien Courtois
Julien is the son of Claude Courtois. Like his father, he makes wine from grapes that he grows in Sologne, an otherwise obscure town in the Loire Valley.
NV Originel VdT Français
This white wine is a blend of Menu Pineau (a white grape also known, confusingly, as Arbois) and Romorantin from the 2007 vintage. Oxidative nose. Light in weight, nicely balanced, with just a bit of tannin. Very mineral, with lightly oxidized apple and citrus notes. Very good. $35.
NV Ancestral VdT Français
A blend of Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc (aka the “regular” Gamay), Gamay de Chaudenay (a “heirloom” teinturier form of Gamay), and Malbec, all from 2007. Earthy/floral nose. Medium-bodied, nicely balanced, with more weight and tannin than most Gamay-based wines, with the possible exception of some young Morgons or Moulin-à-Vents. Earthy, with notes of red fruits, gravel, and pencils. Excellent. $35.
These three were the only wines from their respective producers:
NV Les Temps des Cerises (Axel Prüfer) Avanti Popolo VdT Français
100% Carignan from southern France. Surprisingly light in weight, and low in alcohol (only 11%!), incredibly elegant for Carignan. Very earthy, with cherry and red berry notes, amid moderate tannin. Very good as of now, though I have no idea how this will really develop. $25.
NV Mas d’Agalis (Lionel Maurel) Yo No Puedo Mas VIII VdT Français
A blend of Carignan, Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre, all from the 2008 vintage. The name “Yo No Puedo Mas” refers to the fact it is illegal to label a Vin de Table with the word “Mas” in the name of the property. Despite the Spanish name, this wine is from the Languedoc.
Nose of black pepper and earth. Medium-bodied, light in tannin, and quite elegant; very earthy, with red fruit notes. Very good. $25.
2007 Cascina Zerbetta Barbera del Monferatto
One of the least eccentric wines of this tasting, but still quite nice. Medium-bodied, moderately tannin, and nicely balanced, with good underlying acidity. Slightly earthy, with cherry and red fruit notes dominating, along with some mixed spices. Very good. $35.