Yeah, so I never did get around to writing another blog post, or putting up tasting notes while I was in France, but we've ordered our wines based on what I tasted while I was there, so here are a few of the things that're coming in that I'm particularly excited about...
Domaine Fondreche has 3 Rhone reds named Persia, Fayard, and Nadal, all of which I thought were fantastic. I actually tried a bottle of the 04 Nadal last night and it was drinking great. All 3 of these should be priced in the mid-$20's. We'll also be getting Fondreche's 08 rose, which was suuper good, much like the 07, very light, very elegant, beautiful color, and perfumed like strawberries and roses. Fondreche is also producing a new entry-level red called Altitude 1912, a VDP Valcluse blend of Merlot, Grenache, and Syrah. It's a great value wine, should be right about $10, an everyday wine with good acidity and a nice balance of power and elegance.
From Chateau d'Or et de Gueles and Petite Cassagne, we'll be receiving all of our old favorites. The d'Or et de Gueles Costieres de Nimes Select, and the La Bolida were both outstanding, gripping and powerful wines. The Petite Cassagne Rouge is, once again, an outstanding value, the white is, if possible, even better than the '07, and the rose was one of my favorites from the whole trip.
We'll be getting 2 reds from Mas Carlot; the Grenache-Syrah, and the Mourvedre-Syrah "Enfants Terribles." I tasted multiple vintages of both of these and they are really impressive wines. We'll be getting rose from them as well.
The 08 Mas des Bressades Grenache Syrah was particularly impressive for how complete it was in it's youth. Tasting so many young wines, they can all start to blend together in your mind and taste the same. The Bressades Grenache Syrah, however, was very well-integrated, and delicious, with black tea, potpurri, and black raspberry aromatics.
There are alot more than just these, but these are the ones that I'm super-extra looking forward to. There are also Burgs, Chateaunufs, Cote Roties, and some Alsatians that I really loved, but those won't be coming for a bit longer, the wines above will be arriving in mid-May, and I just can't wait!!!
3 comments:
We'll be getting the Mas des Bressades 2008s in to Ireland at some point in April. Because Cyril Marès's wines are so reliable, we are enjoying a (rare enough) mixture of keen anticipation and confidence that they'll be great. Again.
If you haven't tried them already, you should also try the wines from his wife Nathalie, bottled under the label Mas Carlot. She's a great winemaker as well, and I'll be traveling the France this year to help with the harvest!
We met them both at Vinisud last year - his and hers stands, next to each other - but it didn't seem entirely diplomatic to show too much interest in Nathalie's wines! Besides, she already has an Irish importer. I will make an effort to track down a bottle or two of Mas Carlot, though, on your recommendation. I envy you the trip to France (maybe not the work)!
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