Le Caveau - Last Tasting of 2011 - 12/17/2011

Le Caveau - Last Tasting of 2011 - 12/17/2011
1) 2010 Domaine Du Vieux Chene - Viognier - 14% alcohol
sweet and lemony

2) 2009 François Chidaine Vouvray Clos Baudoin Sec - $28.99
94 Points Fine Wine Review: With each passing vintage the Clos Baudoin bottling from Domaine Chidaine gets better and better and the 2009 is an exceptional bottle. The ripeness here is even a tad higher than in the les
Argiles, as this just tops fourteen percent alcohol, but again there are no overt signs of this additional ripeness in the finished wine. This is by a fair measure the most concentrated bottling from Clos Baudoin that I have yet
tasted since the Chidaines took over this great vineyard, as the wine soars from the glass in a mélange of lemon, apple, delicate notes of honeycomb, a complex, chalky signature of soil, a hint of pineapple and a lovely, floral
topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and really rock solid at the core, with fine framing acids, impeccable focus and depth and simply stunning length and grip on the reserved and classy finish. Great juice. 2015-
2040+." - John Gilman

3) 2007 François Chidaine Montlouis Sur Loire "Les Tuffeaux" Demi Sec - $24.99
François Chidaine got his fame from making wine out of the Montlouis appellation, which is 400 hectares and only a river separates it and Vouvray. It actually used to be a part of Vouvray until 1937, when it was granted AOC status. The soils are very similar in Montlouis and Vouvray with sand and a base of tuffeau (marine sedimentary rock unique to the Loire Valley of France). There is a slightly higher percentage of sand and rocks in Montlouis which many say gives the wine a more lean character. These are stunning values as the world has not quite caught up to the magic that the Chidaine's produce every year.
92 Points Wine Spectator: Still a touch tight, with a core of Bosc pear and Jonagold apple notes in reserve, finishing with hints of orange blossom, quince, cardamom and green almond. -James Molesworth

4) 2009 Chateau du Hureau Saumur-Champigny "Tuffe" - $22.99
This Cabernet Franc-based wine is crafted from 15 different batches of old and young vines grown on the distinctive free-draining "tuffeau" soils of the Loire. Scents of wild flowers and thyme meld with sweet mulberry fruit to produce a flavorful palate and a lingering finish. Deeply colored yet almost without tannin, this is a soft, sumptuous and thoroughly enjoyable wine that should age for up to 6 years.

5) 2008 Agnès et René Mosse Anjou Rouge - $23.99
A red blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Very nice fruit, dark mixed berries, and tangy minerality from the schistous soils. Very structured, yet very accessible. This is a fresh, clean, terroir-driven red wine to enjoy any time. Organic and unfiltered.
Prior to purchasing the estate in Anjou, Rene Mosse had a wine bar/bistro in
Tours with his wife, Agnès where you could drink a bottle in house or take it to go. This led to meeting a bunch of vignerons from the Loire, most notably François Chidaine . They became friends, hung out and eventually Rene
was inspired to attend an oenology program for adults and eventually worked in Burgundy for a year and a half.

6) 2004 Bodega y Cavas de Weinert Gran Vino - $26.99
40% Malbec, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot
With nice dark garnet color, the nose shows black currant, tobacco, and smoked meat. The seamless palate is echoes the dark fruit on the nose with silky tannins, nice acidity and a persistent finish.

Weinert was founded in 1890 by a Spanish Immigrant family and to say they make wine in traditional ways may be understating the case. This is one of the few wineries in Mendoza (Argentina) where you will find no stainless steel tanks for fermentation. All the wines are fermented either in epoxy lined concrete tanks, or in large oak casks. If wines are aged in oak, they are really aged in oak – typically 3+ years and only in large old oak barrels ranging from 800 gallons to 3000 gallons in capacity.