France – Castel de Brames Cuvée des Origines Blanc 2015

Domaine and vineyard

The Domaine Castel de Brames is located in the small village of Brames-Aigues, in the South West of France, is the country yard between Toulouse and Albi. We are in one of the most ancient terroir of the AOC Gaillac, exactly on the third slope of the left side of Tarn river.

Terrain here is made of sediments deposed all along the centuries by the river, with sporadic presence of clay or stones.

The hill slope is sometimes very marked and all the vineyards are exposed to South-West. In few words, the perfect mix to give to Gaillac wines the right amount of sun and quality.

The domaine produces grapes over its 30 hectares of property, 20 of them are dedicated to red grapes, with a mix of international and autochthone grapes. In the remaining 10 hectars are cultivated white grapes, following the same principle of mixing international with autochthone. At the head of this business, since 1969, the couple composed of Camille Bauguil and Alain Boullenger, who, from 2007, decided to perform a little internal revolution by eliminating all machinery in the cave to re-discover the ancestral way to produce wine: horizontal tanks, feet to pressure and mix the grapes, in the ultimate aim to recover, in a modern way, the old aromas and flavors the industrial production was erasing.

No organic anyway but a “reasoned” conduction of the vineyard, with no chemical substances, controlling herbs and density of leaves on the vines.

The wine

Castel de Brames Cuvée des Origines Blanc 2015 is a blend of Muscadelle, Mauzac and Sauvignon. The vines are trained in Cordon de Royat system with an average yield of 45 hl/ha. Grapes are harvested at dawn, using machineries. The grapes are pressured at low temperatures (10°C) and undergo the fermentation process at controlled temperature of 16°C. The wine is finally bottled and sent to the market.

Tasting Note

Date	18 October 2016
Wine name	CUVEE DES ORIGINES BLANC	Vintage	2015
Nation	France	Region	Languedoc
AOC-DOC	Gaillac	Grape Varieties	Muscadelle, Mauzac, Sauvignon
Serving temperature	10° C	Alcohol	13
Price (in euro)	6	SO2 (in mg/l)	Nd

Visual Examination		Taste analysis
Limpidity	Limpid	Body	Full
Color	Light Straw Yellow	Balance	Balanced
Consistency	Quite consistent	Soft sensations	Quite Soft
Effervescence	//	Hard sensations	Quite Fresh, Quite Tasty
		Flavors intensity	Quite Intense
Olfactory analysis		Flavours	White flowers, white fruits,
Aroma intensity	Quite Intense		Matured pear
Complexity	Scarcely Complex	Finish/Persistence	Quite Persistent
Quality	Quite Fine	Overall evaluations
Aromas	White flowers, white fruits	Development	Ready
		Harmony	Harmonious

Food pairing

The wine is perfect as aperitif with nibbles and appetizers. Other interesting pairing are with white meats or fish with sauce.

Still new vines grapes varieties in my personal journey in France. In this case we are out of a white who reflects the territory from which it comes with Mauzac, typical of the area joined by the Muscadelle which brings a touch of ripe fruit and Sauvignon.
The color is pale straw yellow. The nose scents are mild, the fruits and white flowers. In the mouth the flavor follows the nose by adding a touch of sweet in the end for a fruity wine with a long finish. A white that can be appreciated.

Official website: www.castel-de-brames.com

France – Clos des Patris Caladoc 2015

Domaine and vineyard

The Clos des Patris is first of all a family business. We are in Caromb, at the foot of Mont Ventoux in high Provence, and in this company, since 2004 by now, the Morard family produces organic wines. A revolution wanted by his patron, Yves, that since then turns around to fairs and markets to advertise its products. Even before his grandfather, one of the founders of the cooperative Caromb produced wine of these lands. Yves, meanwhile emigrated to Lebanon, where for years he has worked in the wine industry. And just at the beginning of 2000 he decided to return home and with his son Cyrille, also enologist, took the lead at the head of the company.The vine covers about 20 hectares, on which are planted different varieties, very typical of the area with Syrah and Grenache to take the largest share. In the vineyard work is meticulous and respectful of nature with minimal intervention and selection of clusters to have reduced yields (we are in the order of 30 hl / ha) but more charges grape aromas and flavors. The vines are on average 50 years.The harvest is strictly manual. Once in the winery winemaking is traditional: the grapes go through a Burgundian press wood, the pride of Yves (found on the label) before proceeding with the fermentation.
The wine 
The Clos des Patris Caladoc 2015 is Caladoc in purity. This variety is born from crossing Grenache and Malbec.

Tasting Note

Date	20 October 2016
Wine name	CALADOC	Vintage	2015
Nation	France	Region	Provence
AOC-DOC	//	Grape Varieties	Caladoc
Serving temperature	16-18° C	Alcohol	14
Price (in euro)	8	SO2 (in mg/l)	100

Visual Examination		Taste analysis
Limpidity	Limpid	Body	Full
Color	Ruby with violet shades	Balance	Balanced
Consistency	Quite Consistent	Soft sensations	Scarcely Soft, Quite Warm
Effervescence	//	Hard sensations	Tannic
		Flavors intensity	Quite Intense
Olfactory analysis		Flavours	Red Fruits, Blackberries
Aroma intensity	Quite Intense
Complexity	Scarcely Complex	Finish/Persistence	Quite Persistent
Quality	Quite Fine	Overall evaluations
Aromas	Blackberries, Red Fruits	Development	Ready
		Harmony	Quite Harmonious

Food and wine pairings
A full-bodied wine and strong flavor that goes well with hearty meat and spicy dishes.

A new grape variety to be added to the list, but certainly not a great product. The wine has a slight effervescence that alters the flavor. The color is a ruby purple is very nice and good consistency. The olfactory and gustatory side are actually sodisfacenti, not exceptional in complexity but good for a table wine. A product that I was not impressed.

Official website: www.closdespatris.com

Francia – Vin & Pic Baco 2014

Domaine and vineyard

The wine company Vin et Pic (also known as Mondon) was founded in 1974 by the passion of Fernand and Daniel Mondon. The company is located in the Loire region, more precisely the plain of the Forez, nestled between the Massif Central and the Loire itself, the volcano of Saint Romain le Puy site.
The vineyards of the company cover a total area of 6.5 hectares, with a total production of about 40,000 bottles a year.
The grape varieties are Gamay, hybrides 54/55 Bacco, Viognier, Chardonnay, Syrah and all of their wine labels have been designed by Philippe LOUISGRAND.

 

The wine

The Baco Noir grapes come from the bowers of the villages in the area rentals around Saint Romain le Puy that, within living memory, has not undergone any treatment. 15 days of maceration and a slight addition of sulphites at bottling are the two moments marking the production of this wine. The grapes are harvested when in an advanced state of maturity in order to eliminate its wild characteristics that remain rather obvious when the harvest comes in due time.
The BACO NOIR is the only grape variety vitis-riparian species have been commercialized. It is a hybrid that was founded in 1902 at the hands of François Baco from the crossing of Folle Blanche and Riparia Grand hairless. From this grape variety we can obtain wines of high alcohol percentage, heavily loaded in color and slightly bitter. 

Tasting Note

Date	05 July 2016
Wine name	BACO	Vintage	2014
Nation	France	Region	Rhone-Alpes
AOC-DOC	//	Grape Varieties	Baco Noir
Serving temperature	15-16° C	Alcohol	12,5
Price (in euro)	11,5	SO2 (in mg/l)	20

Visual Examination		Taste analysis
Limpidity	Limpid	Body	Full
Color	Light garnet	Balance	Balanced
Consistency	Quite Consistent	Soft sensations	Scarcely Soft, Quite Warm
Effervescence	//	Hard sensations	Tannic
		Flavors intensity	Quite Intense
Olfactory analysis		Flavours	Red Fruits, Orange, Grapefruit
Aroma intensity	Quite Intense
Complexity	Scarcely Complex	Finish/Persistence	Scarcely Persistent
Quality	Quite Fine	Overall evaluations
Aromas	Red Fruits	Development	Ready
		Harmony	Quite Harmonious

Food and wine pairings
Plates of cold cuts and cheeses, antipasti.

The Baco Noir was unknown to me. I tasted, in home-made production, both the Clinton and the Noah but this remained a novelty, even more so in commercial production. The wine, although the grapes are harvested overripe to smooth the wild side, maintains a slight initial effervescence misleading analysis of taste. After a moment the wine displays all its true characteristics, with a mix of red fruits and tannins combined with the freshness and the typical bitter touch of this grape variety. An unstable equilibrium in the end, that does not allow to appreciate it all the way.

Official website: www.cave-mondon-demeure.com