Le Caveau - Wine Tasting - 11/12/2011

Special Guests: Greg Schlagdenhauffen, the North American Market Manager for Kuentz-Bas and Olivier Savoye of Northeast Sales were at Le Caveau Saturday, showing the following wines: 1) 2009 Kuentz-Bas Alsace Blanc The cuvée is a blend of 60% Sylvaner, 15% Muscat, 15% Auxerrois and 10% Chasselas and straddles the line of both rich and light. The Sylvaner and Chasselas grapes add to the precision and definition of the blend, while the Auxerrois and Muscat lend aromatic intensity and a lush texture. This wine is dry, but bold and full in flavor with roasted apples, lemon custard, flowers and an exotic spice tone. 2) 2008 Kuentz-Bas Muscat An explosive nose expresses aromas of white peach, flowers, herbs and apricot .The palate is clean, crisp, full of fruit and finesse. 3) 2009 Kuentz-Bas Riesling Wine Spectator 92 points: "A firm Riesling, with razor-sharp acidity backing fruit flavors of Granny Smith apple, juicy tangerine and pink grapefruit, underscored by stone and smoke notes and a hint of fresh earth. It's all deftly woven together in a focused, elegant package, with a mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2020. " Le Caveau staff showed these Red Wines also: 4) 2008 Domaine Vincent and Sophie Morey Maranges 1er Cru La Fussière This wine has an elegant nose elegant nose with notes of red raspberry and cherry fruit that is echoed on the palate balanced by bright acidity and a wonderfully stony finish. Sophie and Vincent Morey both come from families of wine-growers. They set up their own domaine in 2006 and had their first harvest in 2007. When Vincent's father Bernard Morey, a leading personality in the village of Chassagne-Montrachet, took his retirement, Vincent took over the a part of the holding. In the same year Sophie was making her first vintage for the Ménager-Belland domaine in Santenay. 5) 2009 Pascal Lambert Chinon "Les Terraces" Made from a bio-dynamically farmed vineyard, this 100% Cabernet Franc is free of sulphur additives. This is terrific Chinon with dark cherry, blueberry, and herbs on the nose. It is showing and rich dark and ripe red fruit on the palate with crisp acidity and great length.

Le Caveau Tasting 09/10/2011

1) "2008 Domaine de Triennes Viognier "Sainte Fleur" Vin de Pays du Var
100% Viognier
The wine has pale straw color, with apricot, honeysuckle and an orange rind quality on the nose. It has a powerful mid-palate with stony mineral edge on the long finish.
Two of Burgundy's greatest names - Jacques Seysses, founder of Domaine Dujac, and Aubert de Villaine, co-owner of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti – are the partners behind this pioneering property in Provence. It is Fermented and aged 100% in steel tanks; some of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation, while the rest is blocked at an earlier stage to retain its freshness."
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$17.99
nice icicle legs, smooth and silky in the middle, then slight edge at the end of the palate. yum. pairs well with stronger cheese, maybe a brie? Eric says French Viognier's are dryer than Californian ones. Californian Viogniers do not have the acidity to stand up to food.
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2) 2009 Dr. Deinhard Deidesheimer Mäushöhle Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken
100% Riesling
This wine has a medium golden color, with a very exotic nose of pineapple, and herbs. The palate is juicy and refreshing, with suggestions of crushed stone and a long, succulent, dry finish.
The name of this site has nothing to do with a mousehole but is derived from the sloping vineyard site owned by a family named 'Maus'. The German word 'Halde' for 'Hang' (slope) became 'helde' and finally changed to 'Höhle' (hole). The hallmark of the vineyard is the tropical fruit aromas that the wines show.
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$19.99
pronounced dine-hard, die-des-hi-mer, mouse-hole-ah, kabi-net halb-trok-ken. Halbtrocken means half-dry. this guy owns the other 2 wineries in the area. The three of the wineries used to belong to an estate in the 1800s, but when the owner died he split it between his children (who did not get along very well), but now the 3 wineries are reunited again. this one is also aged in 100 Liter oak barrels, rare for German winemaking. this was Matt's first Reisling tasting!
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3) 2010 Domaine Fougeray de Beauclair Marsannay Rosé
100% Pinot Noir
With a gorgeous pink color, this wine shows strawberry overtones on the nose and the palate delivers with cherry fruit with subtlety and crisp acidity. This is one of the more structured rosé wines we have that will be perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.
This Domaine was established in 1986, and although quite young, comprises 20 hectares of 50+ year old vineyards stretching from Savigny-les-Beaune to Marsannay.
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$22.99
pronounced doe-man, foo-juer-ray, day, bow-clair, mar-soe-nay, Rose-ay. this one is very close to Dijon area, and these are the only Rose's you can age. Matt says this is his FAVE Rose so far.
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4) 2008 Demarie Nebbiolo Langhe DOC
100% Nebbiolo
This wine has a medium ruby color, with an intense nose that shows leather, violets, and ripe Morello cherry. The palate shows musky cherry fruit with lively acidity with a bit of star anise on the finish.
Nebbiolo is thought to derive its name from the Piedmontese word nebbia which means "fog." During harvest, which generally takes place late in October, a deep, intense fog sets into the Langhe region where many Nebbiolo vineyards are located.
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$13.99
white grape version is "arnies", region is pronounced Lawn-gay, Piedmont is in the North of Italy, top left of the boot if you are looking at a map. Barbaresco and Barollo also made from this red grape.
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5) 2005 Le Ragnaie Brunello Di Montalcino DOCG
100% Sangiovese Grosso
This wine has a bright, medium garnet color and a very expressive nose displaying sour red cherry and floral aromas along with smoke. The palate is bright and fresh, with flavors of red fruit, tobacco and earth. This wine is supremely balanced and long on the finish.
Though owner Riccardo Campinoti also owns a vineyard called Petroso and other vines in the Castelnuovo dell'Abate area, the 2005 Brunello was made exclusively from the estate’s holdings at Le Ragnaie, close to Poggio Antico, and among the highest-elevation vineyards in Montalcino. Roberto forgoes significant monetary gain as he makes only one wine and he blends his reserve barrels and regular barrels together. This single expression is, in his opinion, the epitome of the year.
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$51.99 for this vintage
or $26.99 for the 2007 Rosso.
brick red amazing. that's all I have to say. WOW!
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Reisling - August 6th, 2008 - Hostess: Ms Mina

Reisling - August 6th, 2008 - Hostess: Ms Mina

Wikipedia: About Reisling. White Wine.
Food Pairings: crabcake, baked ham, blue cheese, gouda, jarlsberg, smoked salmon, proscuitto, melon, clam chowder, others

Abbie's Tasting Notes:
1) 2006 Ulrich Languith German Reisling - $6.99 Trader Joes
pale, straw yellow, clear, weak aroma, youthful, no smell, sweet/dry taste, light body, fresh acidity, weak flavor, finish short, light - I like it.

2) 2006 A to Z Reisling $11.99 -88 pts
pale, gold yellow, clear, bell pepper aroma, weak, youthful, no aroma, medium dry, lively body, moderate tannins, weak/astrigent, moderate flavor, medium finish, crispy/sparkly

3) 2006 Saint M Reisling - $11.99 at Pearson's
pale, yellow, slight haze, weak aroma, youthful, no smell, dry, light body, tart acidity, moderate tannins and flavor, medium finish, sparkly and zingy

4) 2005 Way Kuhl Dry Reisling Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Region Reisling - $13.99 - Costco
pale, yellow/green, clear, moderate, youthful, nothing for aroma, off-dry, light, tart, no tannins, moderate flavor, medium finish, nice, MY FAVE, flowers/citrus wine

5) Staats Weinguter Kolster Eberbach Reisling - $15.99
Medium color depth, amber, clear, weak aroma, youthful, no smell, tastes of green apple, sweet, medium body, fresh acidity, med/soft tannins, moderate flavor, medium finish, apple.