Uncorked: Under this heading, we collect various wines that we have tasted, and liked, recently. It can be wines that we have had during dinner at home, at wine tastings, press lunches, visits to vineyards, or other occasions.
We describe the wines just with a few short sentences, tasting notes that we hope will give you a short but accurate impression of what we thought of the wine, without delving into finer points tasting notes.
Some inspiration for more wine discoveries! As well as a perspective on what to expect from older wines.
This month:
Top white wines from South Africa, an unusual gewurztraminer, exciting wines with a natural wine character, complexity from Roussillon, several cabernet franc wines that show how delicious this grape is, Moldova, Beaujolais, Béarn and a some more.
Want more inspiration? Read more about what we have tasted, often unusual and always interesting in all Uncorked back issues. Click the link to read more!
White wines
Grenache Blanc 2018, Piekenierskloof, Citrusdal, South Africa
An excellent and typical grenache blanc, full-bodied, even with a bit of fatness, and with apricots and other stone fruits in the aromas. Long and intense flavours with a crispy finish. Citrusdal Mountains is located 50 kilometres north of Swartland, so it is one of South Africa’s northernmost wine regions. The vineyards are at an altitude of 750 meters with hot days and cool nights. We bought this wine for 10 euros in a wine shop in Cape Town.
Piekenierskloof is a “ward” in the Citrusdal “district” of the Olifants River “region” in the “geographical unit” of Western Cape in South Africa in the South African Wine of Origin system. It is two hours’ drive straight north of Cape Town.
Dark Side of the Moon 2015, Limestone Rocks, Springfontein Wine Estate, Walker Bay, South Africa
This is a superb wine, a blend of chenin blanc (43%), pinotage (38%) and chardonnay (19%). Winemaker Tariro Masayit calls it a Cape White Blend. The wine is wild fermented in open small oak barrels and then aged in French and Hungarian barrels. It is full-bodied with texture, honey and apricots. An incredibly long finish and great complexity. Bought on the estate for ~23 euros.
Jurançon Sec, Clos Lapeyre, 2018, Southwest, France
An intriguing wine with 100 % gros manseng The colour is intense, and it felt slightly sparkling at first, a bit like natural wine. It made me also think of artisanal cider. I didn’t recognise it as a Jurançon, but I like it.
Ericka 2017, Château Laffitte-Teston, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec, South West
The grape blend is 70% petit manseng, 20% gros manseng and 10% petit courbu. This is splendid wine, full-bodied with honey notes, peaches and quite concentrated aromas. The oak is discreet.
Stark-Condé Field Blend 2019, Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch, South Africa
A superb blend of chenin blanc, roussanne, verdelho and viognier. Crispy, tasty and with discreet oak ageing in neutral barrels that give texture and mouthfeel but no oaky aromas. Jonkershoek Valley is one of the emerging “wards” in Stellenbosch.
Domaine de l’Aigle Gewurztraminer 2017, Gérard Bertrand, IGP d’Oc, Languedoc
We rarely drink gewurztraminer; we often think they are a bit too overwhelming. But this one was well balanced with a good body and only a little residual sugar. It tasted great with our choucroute. Domaine de l’Aigle is beautifully situated in Limoux in the southern Languedoc. ~13 euros.
Red wines
Trigone by Le Soula No. 18, Vin de France, Roussillon
Le Soula is an exciting estate in Roussillon which was created with the help of the great Gérard Gauby. Trigone is an easy-going wine (alk 12.5%) bit still in a complex style. Despite the heat down in Roussillon, it feels northern with crisp fruit and a smooth and intense taste. The grapes are syrah and carignan. ~16 euro
Terre d’Argence 2016, Château Mourgues du Grès, Costières de Nîmes, Rhône Valley
Syrah is the main grape, and a little mourvèdre is added to this fabulous wine. It has a distinct personality that comes from the energy and vitality of the fruit and the acidity, an excellent wine.
Essencial 2018, Domaine des Schistes, Côtes du Roussillon Villages
The nose is filled with fresh herbs is this characterful wine with structure and lots of dark fruit. The grapes used are carignan, grenache and the close relative lledoner pelut. Domaine des Schistes is a family estate in Tautavel of just over 50 hectares. The young and very passionate Mickaël Sire is the winemaker.
Le Tourbillon de la Vie 2016, Vin de France, Maison Padié, Roussillon
This is a charming wine in the category vin de soif (meaning easy-drinking) but with a certain structure. The grape is 100% carignan. Maison Padié is a small negociant run by Jean-Philippe Padié at Domaine Padié in Calce.
Brouilly l’Enfer des Balloquetes 2017, Robert Perroud, Beaujolais
Lovely Beaujolais, aromatic, juicy and refreshing. The grapes come from a steep slope (hence the name of the wine). Robert Perroud is a small, ambitious grower. 11.50 euros
Saumur-Champigny 2018, Domaine Filliatreau, Loire Valley
Typical cabernet franc with its herbal nose but unusually full-bodied and even with warm fruit and ripe raspberries. Nicely structured.
Les bras m’en tombent, Cuisine en Famille, Vin de France
Organic wine in the light style from Claire and Adrien, both winemakers at different estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Together they have created a small negoce company called Cuisine en Famille. They only buy organic grapes. Delicious, juicy and unpretentious from grenache and cinsault. 9 euros at Monoprix.
Le Pur Fruit du Causse 2018, Château Combel la Serre, Cahors
A somewhat different Cahors with lots of fruit. It is powerful, colourful, juicy, refreshing and well structured. The owners, Sophie and Julien Ilbert, belong to the recent crop of winemakers in Cahors. ~ 10 euros
Château Ollieux Romanis Cuvée Classic 2018 rouge, Corbières, Languedoc
A superb Corbières in a powerful style but still balanced and nuanced with good fresh acidity. It is made from syrah, carignan and grenache.
Domaine Lapeyre 2017, AOP Béarn, Southwest
Winemaker Pascal Lapeyre has made a full-bodied, dense and concentrated wine of 70% tannat and 30% cabernet sauvignon. But the balance is there. Béarn is a small region near Madiran and Jurançon. It has given its name to the famous sauce, although the recipe is said to have been created in a Paris restaurant and not in the South West. Also known as Domaine Lapeyre-Guilhemas.
Negru de Purcari 2018, Château Purcari, Stefan Voda, Moldova
Moldova’s most prestigious wine, Negru de Purcari, is made with 70% cabernet sauvignon, 25% saperavi (known from Georgia) and 5% rara neagra, a Moldovan and Rumanian variety. It is a full-bodied and tasty wine with ripe fruit, possibly too soft and slightly international in style, but liked by many.
Negre 2017 Fautor Winery, Valul lui Traian, Moldova
Fautor is one of the largest wine estates in Moldova. This wine made with local grapes feteasca neagra and rare neagra is excellent, fresh, fruity and intense.
Galichets 2011, Domaine de la Chevalerie, Bourgueil, Loire Valley
A superb wine from one of the top producers in Bourgueil. Full-bodied with typical herbal cabernet franc features. Complex and elegant. Rounded tannins. ~ 15 euros
Exigence Grenache Noir 2018, Domaine Vaquer, IGP Côtes Catalanes, Roussillon
A genuinely fantastic grenache wine that made me think of an elegant pinot noir. Bright in colour and with very intense aromas of red berries. Easy-drinking and complex at the same time. From the talented Frédérique Vaquer in Les Aspres in Roussillon.
Exigence Grenache Noir 2018, Domaine Vaquer, is also a brilliant example of that a wine can be beautifully balanced, and elegant with lots of nuanced fruit although it has a quite high level of alcohol. One should not bother too much about the alcohol level in the wines, but more on the balance.
Segna de Cor 2018, Le Roc des Anges, Côtes-du-Roussillon
Domaine Le Roc des Anges can make light-style, fruity and incredibly fresh yet complex wines even though the vineyards are in the hot climate of Roussillon. The grapes are carignan and grenache, at least 40 years old but still the estate’s youngest. ~ 16 euros
Domaine Madeloc Serral 2018, Collioure, Roussillon
Domaine Madeloc is owned by Pierre Gaillard up in the Côte Rôtie and run by one of his daughters. A delicious wine with dark fruit, juicy and refreshing. The grapes are 80% grenache, 15% mourvèdre and 5% syrah. ~ 15 euros.
