Languedoc-Roussillon (France) Red - 01/24/14

Languedoc-Roussillon is also known as Languedoc. It's a very under appreciated region in southern France. Languedoc is very close to the border between France and Spain, and has great influence by Mediterranean sea. Thanks to the special soil, combined with clay and sand, which made some of vines survived from the "Blight". We can enjoy the old vines in the tasting. Selected wines covers most of major grape verities in Languedoc-Roussillon. (Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and etc)

1.  Syrah-Marselan, Deneufbourg - 2009
   visually purple color, the wine is still young. The wine shows a lots of  red fruits aromas, warm and fresh; subtle aromas of walnut stays in the glass when you finish it. Medium body to full body, smooth tannin; the barely noticeable touch of black pepper still reminds you the wine is mainly made from Syrah. It's most likely unoaked wine, a very exceptional Ven de Pays.
   
2.  Cinsault "Exordé," Clos Mathélisse - 2012
   The wine has some "animal" element; some people said horse and some said ox. I can say it's the element that may use in male fragrance. It also come with some over ripened fresh cut grapefruit and a little bit hint of cherry. feel a little bit carbon dioxide from the natural fermentation. It's very fruity, simple, and refresh.
   
3.  Faugères "Cuvée Courtiol," Clos Fantine - 2011
   The wine has very dark color and some sort of ink smell. It's interesting that the wine is fermented and aged in the concrete vats before bottled. By smelling the wine, you can feel it's very deep. Not surprisingly, the wine is full body, high tannin, and firm structure. Maybe it's not my favorite wine, but it's unique. worth trying.
   
4.  Mas de Daumas Gassac, Rouge - 2011
   This is the first bottle I can sense some vanilla. fresh berries and herbals. It tastes very "Bordeaux style" It's very good quality wine, but too "safe".
   
5.  Fin Amour, Côtes Catalanes - 2008
   Orange color on the rim. Very strong coconut and vanilla aromas; it's definitely aged in new oak. Fresh berries, and the sweetness from the alcohol. It's a very mouth filling wine. For me, I can felt the fight between hundred-year-old vine and the new barrel. It's a little too much for the night.

Oaked White and Unoaked Red

I'm back!! Happy New Year, everyone.

I didn't write any reviews in the second half of 2013. I was busy on my work and traveling. I apologize for that. Thank you for whoever still stays here with me. The first wine tasting of 2014 will start at the end of January. This year, I try to start a new section. It's about my everyday-wines; most likely, "different" type of wines, pairing, some more of my personal thoughts. Again, it's personal. Wine preferences are really subjective. welcome to give me feedback peacefully. 

I usually drink unoaked white wines and oaked red wines, but these two wines are totally opposite from what I usually drink. Red wine is the typical Côtes du Rhône, Grenache and Syrah; white wine is the Gewürztraminer. It's an American wine. 

The red wine is unoaked, and the freshness keep the aroma of the berries, both fruity and peppery(black pepper). It's not very good with my steak, but refreshed my palate from the grease of steak. The white wine is a muscat-like wine, very aromatic. Unlike common muscat, it's totally dry with 14.5% Alc. Creamy and buttery come after floral and fruity aroma.

Red wines, as long as they are not too bad, I like them anyways. However, this white wine, an American white wine, brought up  a question. Why American white wines I've tasted more than 90% are oaked, even they are young and fresh? I asked this question, when I visited wineries in NAPA valley in 2013, . The answer are always the same; there is market for them. I'm not satisfied with that.

I've paid more attention in wine stores; not only looking for wines, but also listen to what other people are looking for. the key words I've heard most are "Bacon" and "Butter", no matter reds or whites. These are from barrels. Therefore I went home and cooked myself a Carbonara, an egg, cheese, bacon based pasta. Not Surprised, food and wine elevate each other to next level. Oak barrels enrich flavor of wines, but they sometimes overkill the characters of grapes. A good wine is about balanced.

The 24nd Wine Tasting (2013-06-15) - Botrytized Dessert Wines

It was an excitement to host this wine tasting. Thanks to Norbert, my friend, who brought back two wine from Hungary and Germany.

" Are dessert wines very sweet?"

Dessert wines are more than sweet wines. Balance among rich and complex aroma, sugar contents, and acidity is the beauty of dessert wines. We tasted the particular type of dessert wines, which is made from the grapes are infected by a grey fungus called Botrytis Cinerea. The infected berries are also known as Noble Rot. This gentle fungus adds unique flavor to wines. It can infect various grapes. For example, we had Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Furmint.

The 23nd Wine Tasting (2013-05-17) - Italy (Super Tuscan)

Sangiovese, is from the Latin sanguis Jovis, which means the blood of Jove. Jove (or Jupiter) is the god of sky and thunder (equivalent to Greek Zeus). It's also the most important grape variety in Tuscany (in Italy: Toscana). We tasted Super Tuscan, an non-official category from Tuscany. Regardless of the Chianti regulation, Super Tuscan wine producers had experimental wine-making to use either 100% Sangiovese, or blend with any number of local or international varieties: for instance, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot.

The 22nd Wine Tasting (2013-05-17) - France (Bordeaux Right Bank)

I had a very tough month, busy at work and defeated by allergy attack. Words can not describe my happiness of survival, and these wines were the best rewards.

The 21st Wine Tasting (2013-04-20) - Hungary - (Red)

Siege of Eger (1552), it was a major victory during the war between Hungary and Ottoman Empire. During the Siege of Eger, soldiers were supported and motivated with food and a lots of red wines. There was rumors among Turkish soldiers saying Hungarians drink bull's blood, so theyare tough and resisted firmly. Finally, the Turkish troops gave up at the moment. No one can explain this mystery victory. As a result, red wines in Eger earned the name, Egri Bikavér (Bull's Blood). Regarding history, Ottoman empire still conquered Hungary few years later.

Tasting Note: Pinot Nior (2013-04-10)

Speaking of my favorite wines, Pinot Noir is always on top of any reds. Four years ago, I was about to get home, and one of my neighbors just opened a bottle of American Pinot Noir. I smelled the most breathtaking perfumed aromas, so I drank my first bottle of Pinot Noir. Then, I started a long journey of Pinot Noir tasting for one year. Some wines are just perfect, but you can't sense its heart; some wines touch your soul with illusion. This is a matched wine I'm looking for.  I don't like the following quote, but it is so true about Pinot Noir: "the most romantic of wines, with so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, and so powerful a punch that, like falling in love, they make the blood run hot and the soul wax embarrassingly poetic." (an American men's fashion magazine)