Drinking in Avignon, wine #8. Yet another Southern Rhone appellation which I have not heard of, Roaix. But while that pretty Seguret made me a fan, this time I was slightly disappointed.
Rhone Cru with age – Alain Jaume & Fils Lirac Roquedon 2012
Drinking in Avignon, wine #7. I bought the bottle at the cellar door, at the end of my visit. There were so many wines available, and I love the producer so I wanted all them, but sadly, I could only carry one bottle with myself. And because the topic that I was most interested on this trip was how Southern Rhone reds age, I chose what the lady recommended: a Lirac at 6.5 years of age, presumably at its prime. Continue reading
Too much? An expensive Mourvedre from La Peira, the 2016 Matissat
Name the top Mourvedre wines in the World! Either you include blends, which have it as a dominant player or count only pure varietal wines (well, ones that are claimed to be), the list probably won’t be a long one. Produced by highly regarded Languedoc estate La Peira en Damaisela – and having a hefty price tag -, Matissat is a contender to be on that list.
Almost a Bandol – Domaine de la Begude, Cadet de la Begude 2017
Petit Bandol. Or something like that. Actually tastes a bit different, which is not surprising when we take a look at the composition: Mourvedre, Grenache and Cinsault, roughly one-third each. Continue reading
Best value – Eje Monastrell 2017, Alicante, Spain
From time to time some extraordinary value appears in supermarket chain Lidl, in the form of Spanish and Italian reds from warmer, less famous wine regions. They don’t pretend to taste like expensive wines, and that’s an advantage – they are pure and honest, and as they are well crafted too, I often find more pleasure in such bottles than in many reds that cost considerably more. Like in this case. Continue reading
Riesling greatness – from Luxembourg, again
After such a fantastic Pinot Gris, it should not come as a surprise that Luxemburg can also excel in Riesling. Yet I was blown away by this wine. Continue reading
Pinot Gris greatness – from Luxembourg
I bet that Luxembourg makes some of the finest Pinot Gris in the World. Here is just another bottle to prove that – it’s not your usual, dilute white wine for sure. Continue reading
A charming and cheap Bandol – Cellier de Cathedra 2016
Drinking in Avignon, supermarket wine #6. Grenache is one of my absolute favorite grape varieties, I love it, and I drink more of it than anything else – but Mourvedre fascinates me even more. The issue with it is availability: while well priced and excellent Spanish versions (the gold standard is Castano’s Hecula for me) are in abundance, it’s not that easy to find French versions. Bandol is probably the most well-known example, but it’s mostly expensive, and only a few big names are available outside France. So to find a Bandol for merely 6 Euros in a local supermarket… I had to try it. And it did not disappoint, in fact, turned out to be better than the majority of supermarket Rhone reds I tasted. Continue reading
A lovely little Rhone red: Domaine Corpet Louvet 2018, Séguret AOP
Drinking in Avignon, supermarket wine #5. After yesterday’s Beaumes-de-Venise, here is another lesser-known Southern Rhone appellation, Séguret. I admit I have never heard the name – but after trying this wine, it’s definitely on my list. Continue reading
Chapelle Notre Dame d’Aubune Beaumes-de-Venise 2017, Rhone Valley
Drinking in Avignon, supermarket wine #4. This is something I really miss at home, in my beloved Budapest: access to lesser known Rhone crus, like Beaumes-de-Venise. It might be just an ordinary, entry level wine for locals, but I’m excited to taste it.