Our first regular tasting since Covid started. All wines served blind.
NV Domaine Delmas Blanquette de Limoux Cuvée Tradition Brut Mauzac Blend, Mauzac
Doran's. Green apple and almond on the nose and very chardonnayish on the palate (though it contains none). Creamy and dry. Killer QPR for around $16. A perfect opener.
2020 Devison Vintners East of the Sun Rosé Boushey Vineyard Yakima Valley Rosé Blend
Doran's. Quoting myself from this past April, "in a tasting of Provencal roses, this would pass." So Doran brought one and proved it. Very precise notes of white peach, minerals and dust, very dry on the finish. Outstanding.
2018 Domaine de la Mordorée Tavel Cuvée de la Reine des Bois Red Rhone Blend
Mine. A few months ago I thought this was showing drier but this bottle, maybe because of the company, was sweeter. Copper colored with blood orange, tomato, fino sherry, tarragon and a hint of smoke I've never noticed in this before. 14.5% abv. Hmmm.
2020 Château de Roquefort Côtes de Provence Les Genêts White Rhone Blend
Daniel's. 100% rolle (vermentino). Vibrant and racy but lusher than it's typical Italian cousin. 13% abv. Excellent, will buy if I see some.
2020 Domaine Poli Patrimonio Clos Alivu Rosé Corsica Nielluccio, Sangiovese
Jasmine's. Super pale, color of a pink pearl. Wonderful nuanced flavors of guava, ranier cherry and tarragon with a plump texture and racy acidity. Fantastic.
2019 La Fabrique St. George Rose No. 3 British Columbia White Blend
Gabe's. Cloudy/unfiltered looking pink. Sulfur nose with cinnamon and pink grapefruit, lightly sweet on the finish. Gabe wondered if accidentally leaving it in his car on a hot day may have damaged it. Made of 45% ea Pinot Blanc and Gewurz with 10% Cab Franc.
2019 Jadix Picpoul de Pinet Picpoul Blanc
Doran's. Smoke, sea water, lemons and oyster brine. Terrific QPR for just $10. Going to put it on my shopping list.
2018 Château Fortia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Edmée Le Roy Roussanne
Mine. Robust flavors of lemon, lime, orange, quince and yellow stone fruit with strong minerality. Lime notes carry through to the finish. 80% Roussanne, 10% ea Gren Blanc and Clairette.
2010 La Bastide Blanche Bandol Blanc White Blend
Tim's. Older and mildly sherryish, my first thought was Jura. Not uninteresting, but a bit long in the tooth.
2012 Eric Texier Opâle Vin de Pays Viognier
Tim's. A Condrieu Viognier not labeled as such, as the appellation laws won't allow a partially fermented, sweet Viognier labeled as Condrieu. And at 70 g/l residual sugar, this is definitely sweet. My first question was "Is it a Spatlese?" Apparently, that was somewhat Eric's intention, to pay homage to German wines. Intriguingly sweet-sour with notes of grass and limeade.
2018 Mas de Gourgonnier Les Baux-de-Provence Red Rhone Blend
Connie's. Though syrah is one of the lesser constituents in the blend this wine showed as very syrah-forward. Roast beef with bitter greens on the entry, hollow mid-palate and tannic black tea finish, and not benefitting from serving at warm room temp on a very hot day.
2017 Mas de Gourgonnier Les Baux-de-Provence Red Rhone Blend
Vic's. Better, spicier, and more focussed than the '18 that came before it. Berries and plums, very approachable.
2018 Domaine Tempier Bandol Mourvèdre Blend, Mourvèdre
Gabe's. Plummy fruit with tons of cinnamon and other pie spices. I'd forgotten how good a young Tempier can be--loved it.
2018 Château Ksara Réserve du Couvent Bekaa Valley Lebanon Red Blend
Doran's. Dry tannins, strawberries and plums, mild brett and garrique. Quite nice, and a clever ringer for a Southern France tasting.
2011 Del Rio Vineyards Syrah Rogue Valley, Oregon
Tim's. I had only written "high acidity and some green notes" when someone stopped me dead in my tracks by mentioning 'urinal cake' . Girls don't know urinal cake. Nor do they want to!
2011 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée Red Rhone Blend
Mine. Leather, sweaty horse blanket, sweet dark cherries, roasted beets, parsnips, cinnamon. Complex, racy, wonderful, and not even close to fully mature. Thrilled that I have six more.
2012 Domaine Comte Abbatucci Faustine Vieilles Vignes Ajaccio Sciacarello/Nielluccio
Tim's. Taupe-brown color shows some age. On the palate, fig jam, walnuts, red-apple skin and paprika. Pleasant to drink but time to drink up.
2013 Château Simone Palette Red Rhone Blend
Hannah's. Shows its age in a good way, it's vibrant and enjoyable. But all the same I don't see much upside from here: dried cherries, some herbs. Blend of grenache, mourvedre, cinsault and syrah.
