Archive for the ‘Carignan’ Category
Spotlight on Spain: Torres Grans Muralles 2001
Posted by Shea in $60+, Carignan, Excellent, Garro, Grenache, Monastrell, Samso, Spain, Spanish Wine, Spotlights on March 23rd, 2010
Torres is one of the most important wine makers in Spain, having introduced many modern varieties to Penedes and having brought international grapes and an international style to South America (Torres has a notable winery in Chile) when World War II shut off access to European markets. Torres was also, amazingly, a pioneer in bottling his own wines, which helped him to take control of his own branding, which accordingly resulted in some serious market penetration in the North and South American markets.
Torres’ range of wines is truly eclectic and comprehensive, ranging from good value blends of indigenous grapes, to single varietal bottlings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and high end single vineyard field blends of indigenous grapes.
Catalonia as a region has seen some serious change starting from the 1950s, prior to which it originally made oxidized wines known as rancios and vinos de licor. Now, with Torres being a prime influence, Catalonia is making a huge range of wines, from ‘traditional’ to modern, using indigenous and international grapes and from large volume to small artisanal producers. Catalonia is truly a mash up of Spain’s schizophrenia.
This bottling is made with grapes grown in Conca de Barbera, a region just west of Penedes (where Torres is headquartered). Conca de Barbera is known mostly for producing high quality grapes for Cava producers. Soils here are chalky, alluvial ones over limestone bedrock. The region is sheltered by surrounding mountain ranges and produces wines mostly in a modern style, many from international grapes such as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
This wine, however, is not made with international grapes nor is it made in a cheap quaffing style like Cava. This is another beast. A blend of Monastrell, Garnacha Tinta, Garro, Samso, and Carinena, the Grans Muralles is an extremely unique sort of wine made from a single vineyard of the same name. The vineyard is 94 hectares, and 32 of these are dedicated to producing this wine. While the soils in this vineyard are slate and gravel, perhaps the most interesting part of the wine here are the indigenous grapes: Garro being a traditional Catalan grape that nearly disappeared, and the strange Samso, which according to Torres has an “intense pigment, good body and a magnificent structure.” Of course, the other three grapes are also indigenous to Spain, although have since spread internationally.
Putting glass to nose exposes bread, cherry, blackberry and deep scented violets. This is really pleasant and intriguing to smell. The palate was fantastic, with a quite soft and silky structure, lots of earth, underbrush and herbs, and a nice cherry and blackberry fruit presence. The wine is also very floral, and it is this wonderful aromatic component that is so enticing. I might describe this as a cross between a modern Rioja, a classic Bordeaux, and a bracing Southern Rhone/Languedoc wine – really an intriguing and lovely combination. I think wines like this are the exact sort of wines that make Spain exciting and that are a model of how a large producer can and should be a champion of the history and tradition of their region, not only keeping the indigenous grapes alive, but showing their full potential.
Excellent
$90 at BCLDB
Domaine Gauby Cotes de Roussillon Villages Vieilles Vignes 2004
It seems that this Christmas week is a Languedoc week. Technically the Cotes du Roussillon is distinct from the Languedoc, although traditionally grouped in together with it. This grouping reflects that despite the distinct AOCs there is actually quite similar ‘terroir’, or soil and climate conditions, in the two regions, with schist predominating, with bits of gneiss, granite and limestone. However, Roussillon is further south than the Languedoc (or more specifically, the Corbieres sub-region), and borders with Spain right on the Mediterranean.
Domaine Gauby is a 32 hectare biodynamic domaine, and is brought into BC by Farmstead Wines. Yields are low, and harvesting is done by hand at this estate. And, as with all biodynamic estates, this has natural (wild) yeasts and minimum sulpher dioxide. Apparently, Domaine Gauby has eased back on the level of extract in the last few years and aimed at producing more balanced wines. I think they’ve achieved that goal.
This wine, a field blend of many red grape varieties, is very expressive and clear, with a nose of baked earth, tons of bright and pretty red berry fruit, violets, and a hard stony edge. Really, this is an impressive nose, especially at this price point. The palate is also very soft, with tons of bright red fruit and acid – raspberry and strawberry come to mind. Additionally, this is incredibly mineral and stone driven while being exceptionally expressive, soft and pure. With impeccable structure, this is a very impressive wine and an amazing value for the quality. A terroir driven red if I’ve ever tasted one, but with a modern edge. The Languedoc is showing well this Christmas season!
Excellent
$35 at Kitsilano Wine Cellars
La Peira Les Obriers 2005
Posted by Shea in $20-$30, Carignan, Cinsault, Excellent, French Wine, Highly Recommended Values on December 22nd, 2009
La Peira is a relatively new producer in the Languedoc region of France, which is situated south west of the Rhone on the Mediterranean coast. La Peira was started in 2004 by three individuals who believed that the undiscovered Terrasses du Larzac region in the hills of the Coteaux du Languedoc held great potential for grape growing, despite having no history of ‘greatness’ to support that theory. The first wines were bottled as recently as 2008 and were first tasted by U.S. “press” by none other than Gary Veynerchuck of all people – who by the way, loved them. Based on this bottle, I have to completely agree with him here.
To put this producer in perspective, there have been over the last several years as much as four million hectolitres of unsold wine in the Langedoc produced from clumsily machine harvested grapes cropped at high yields. For every Chateau Negly, there are 100’s of innocuous wines produced by wineries or co-ops. The Coteaux du Languedoc is also a massive AOC and much of the region contains sub-regions that, at some point, could become their own AOCs, such is the potential for distinctiveness. If La Peira is any evidence, the Terrasses du Larzac may deserve such an elevation in the future.
I need to put this frankly: this wine is the best red I’ve tasted under $30 in the BC market. It is insanely good for the price. Sure it got some good scores, but forget all that. Think about a wine with power and fruit, but also incredible finesse. If stone could be suave and sultry, then this wine would be stone’s ambassador. Made from a blend of Cinsault and Carignan, this reminds me much of the (much more expensive) top old vine cuvée from Domaine Gauby. The nose has stone, granite, earth, black cherry, and plum. But all those flavours are meaningless, really, since they don’t accurately capture why this wine is great. Moreso than the flavours – which are lovely – it is elegance, balance, and, real personality. That’s right, power (and lots of it) with personality. I cannot believe this is La Peira’s entry level wine. Wow. Oh, and please, don’t go buying all this before I do.
Excellent and Highly Recommended Value
$29 at Marquis ($20 USD at various stores, including K&L Wine Merchants)
