Please excuse the lack of updates for the months of January and February. At this time, I am overseeing the biggest project of my life. Its success will be something that I will be proud of for a long time to come. It's because of this, that I must put all of my energy into doing it right. The V.I.P. Table will continue updates as soon as possible.
Thank you all, and I look forward to continuing my work here, and at Snooth, in the coming months.
Eric Guido
* 2-15-13 Update: As everything has been going as planned, updates should continue in the next couple of weeks. Thank you so much for your patience.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Friday, December 28, 2012
Serious value from Pays d'OC
By Eric Guido
There has been a lot of buzz lately about the value wines that are coming out of southern France. Up until recently, I had very little exposure to these wines, with a few entrants from the Languedoc Roussillon. However, I was recently invited to a tasting that featured the wines of Pay d’OC, and I immediately jumped on the invitation, knowing that I needed an education on this region and with hopes of discovering what all of the buzz was about.
In the end, I’m certainly glad I did, because the quality across the board was excellent, especially when you take the price of these wines into account. The great thing about Pays d’OC is that producers are given freedom to experiment with 56 varietals across a region that spans over 100 miles of French coastline with just about every form of terroir you can imagine, from sandy Mediterranean to vineyards that would fool you into thinking you were in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. There are no strict blending or aging rules, and no one is expected to model their wines after some trophy bottle that costs ungodly amounts of money.
The only thing you have to fear is the amount of wines to choose from. I will say that, although I would enjoy any of the wines listed below, I would be weary of buying anything without tasting it first or reading the review from someone I trust, simply because I wouldn’t know what to expect. In the end, these are all affordable, highly enjoyable wines that would make great everyday drinkers and, in some cases, could even be enjoyed as a trophy all it’ own. I picked my four favorites that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.
On to the wines:
2011 Foncalieu Les Fontanelles Sauvignon Blanc - Lemon and stone were the first things that came to mind as I took my first sniff of the Les Fontanelles, followed by a hint of green stems and raw pastry dough. The bouquet was pleasant and very pretty. On the palate, it showed a lean, dry body with juicy acid zing that ushered in flavors of sweet citrus. The finish was dry and long with just the right amount of tart citrus. This is a great value Sauvignon Blanc. (89 points)
Find it on Wine-Searcher!
2011 Delatour Cuvee Premier Grenache Rose - The nose on the Delatour Rose was what sold me, as a bouquet of apple, fresh strawberry, rose petals and minerals wafted up from the glass. On the palate, it was clean and pure with white cherry and juicy stone fruits. Inner floral notes defined the dry finish with a hint of cherry. (90 points)
Find it on Wine-Searcher!
2010 Jeff Carrel Puydeval (Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot) - The Puydeval kept me coming back to the glass with a bouquet of spicy vanilla, ripe red berries, tobacco, coffee notes and gravelly earth. On the palate, it was dry but intense with pure black and red fruits and cheek-puckering tannins. The spicy red berry finish was slightly short but honestly, I think this wine just needs another year or two before it really blooms. (91 points)
Find it on Wine-Searcher!
2010 Domaine Gayda Figure Libre "Freestyle" (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon) - The nose was wild on the Gayda Freestyle, with spicy mixed berry fruits, chalky minerals, graphite, pepper and something notably alpine. On the palate, it had a great mouth-feel with velvety dark fruits and pepper notes. The finish was juicy with notes of tobacco and a hint of tannin. (91 points)
Find it on Wine-Searcher!
In the end, I’m certainly glad I did, because the quality across the board was excellent, especially when you take the price of these wines into account. The great thing about Pays d’OC is that producers are given freedom to experiment with 56 varietals across a region that spans over 100 miles of French coastline with just about every form of terroir you can imagine, from sandy Mediterranean to vineyards that would fool you into thinking you were in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. There are no strict blending or aging rules, and no one is expected to model their wines after some trophy bottle that costs ungodly amounts of money.
The only thing you have to fear is the amount of wines to choose from. I will say that, although I would enjoy any of the wines listed below, I would be weary of buying anything without tasting it first or reading the review from someone I trust, simply because I wouldn’t know what to expect. In the end, these are all affordable, highly enjoyable wines that would make great everyday drinkers and, in some cases, could even be enjoyed as a trophy all it’ own. I picked my four favorites that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.
On to the wines:
Monday, December 17, 2012
Winemaking on The Edge: Cinque Terre
By Eric Guido
From the beginning, as I started to learn about Italian wine, there would always be small mentionings of the excellent, yet difficult to find, wines of Liguria. It always piqued my interest, especially when I heard that esteemed Barolo producer, Elio Altare, had begun working on a project in Ligura to produce white wines from traditional varieties (Bosco and Albarola grapes) under the Cinque Terre DOC. However, with all the times I read about these wines and with all the interest I had in tasting them, somehow, I never seemed to have the chance—until now.
So why was this wine so obscure? For one thing, there really isn’t much of it made. Imagine if you will, a wine that is produced on steep slopes overlooking the Italian Riviera. Slopes that were terraced over centuries by sandstone rocks, held together with dirt, crushed stone and without mortar. These terraced vineyards must be maintained by hand, making it extremely difficult. I can only imagine the determination that a winemaker must have to continue to produce these unique wines.
And that’s really what it’s all about, isn’t it? With all of the great wines of Italy, these wines represent a sense of place and a tradition of its people. Coming from one of the most beautiful (yet dangerous) locations on earth, the Campogrande Cinque Terre is made in a very traditional fashion and really comes to life as the bouquet begins to bloom. Whereas the Telèmaco, having spent time in small oak, is more polished and sexy on the first pour but loses a small amount of the unique “sense of place” that I loved about the Cinque Terre.
They both demand your attention as you pour the first glass. I felt I simply couldn’t do these wines justice in my tasting notes. I found myself trying to explain the finish, as they seemed to dry my palate completely with a bitter twang, only to suddenly find my mouth watering and craving another sip. In the end, these wines were absolutely worth the hunt.
On to the wines:
2009 Campogrande Cinque Terre - The color was yellow-gold and very pretty in the glass. On the nose, I found apricot, grapefruit, and a spritz of lime, followed by wet minerals, herbal tones and raw almond. On the palate, it seemed almost weightless carrying the floral notes from the bouquet into the mouth, with notes of grapefruit, orange peel and a bitter twinge that puckered the cheeks. The finish started dry with a bitter citrus note, but soon made the mouth water and left me feeling completely refreshed. (90 points)
Find it on Wine-Searcher!
2010 Campogrande Liguria di Levante Telèmaco - The nose showed pear and white floral notes followed by pineapple, wet minerals and a hint of undergrowth. On the palate, it started lean, with young kiwi, tealeaves, and saline minerals that lasted into the finish, which started dry; yet after a few seconds, it became mouthwatering, fresh and clean. (90 points)
I could not find this wine at retail. If you're interested, ask for it by name, and maybe your local retailer can work some magic.
** Cinqueterre Campogrande website!
They both demand your attention as you pour the first glass. I felt I simply couldn’t do these wines justice in my tasting notes. I found myself trying to explain the finish, as they seemed to dry my palate completely with a bitter twang, only to suddenly find my mouth watering and craving another sip. In the end, these wines were absolutely worth the hunt.
On to the wines:
** Cinqueterre Campogrande website!
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