Question: What is the special soil in Friuli that produces those remarkable white wines?

Answer: Very old soils named Flysch (or locally as Ponca) and featuring layers of clay and sandstone, work marvellously to produce structured wines in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeast Italy. Top quality white wines are produced there especially from grapes grown in the Collio hills. Old special soils are important for producing top quality wines; compare the famous soils of the better known Chablis. Check out some of these elegant wines ranging from lively Ribolla Gialla to richer Friulano.

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Wines from long-established, top-quality Burgundy classified vineyards have become unbelievably expensive. We all have been looking for alternatives from that region. Hautes-Cotes have benefited from regional higher altitude vineyards whose Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are ripening better due to climate change. Wines from Maranges village, at the southern tip of the Cote de Beaune, are evolving with often more rustic but solid red fruit. Resurgence of the Aligoté grape’s inherent good acidity now with increased ripeness is becoming more popular.

The whole Cote Chalonnaise is being discovered. Demand for the Mâconnais region has increased, especially the whites from Pouilly-Fuisse & Saint-Veran. However, several new Chardonnays grown near the hot white Burgundy regions of Meursault, Puligny, and Chassagne are worth exploring. Your scribe continues to enjoy more costly Saint- Aubin and has been impressed by recent vintages of Auxey-Duresses including Domaine Jean & Gilles Lafouge. Seek them out. Quite intriguing to me are the BOURGOGNE COTE-D’OR wines being produced by DOMAINE ROUGEOT PERE et FILS in Meursault. Last week, I tasted 3 different ones all 2022 vintage wines during home dinners; they were quite interesting. Especially the “sans sulfite ajoute” notification on the back label, meaning “no added sulphur”. This suggests the winemaker added no SO2 (sulphur dioxide), which usually aids in antimicrobial prevention and preservation of the bottled wine. Also, they are more vulnerable because of the long shipment from France to western Canada for these wines and possible temperature changes. However, this idea must excite wine consumers who are sensitive (and even allergic) to sulfites.

Here are some brief impressions of these three wines all priced in the $70 Canadian range:

2022 CLOS DES SIX OUVREES: 50-year-old vines planted right at the Meursault village with the smallest production. April 2024 bottling of 3,265 bottles. This was the lightest and the most delicate, but it has some structure. Admired the lovely, pure freshness, which was typically citrusy (d’agrumes). Chardonnay definition and quality is surprisingly high. No rush. Delicious dish of Chinook salmon, eggplant, cabbage, and sauteed red onions paired well.

2022 LA MONATINE: 55-year-old vines in a heavier mix of clay-limestone immediately north of Sous La Velle – across from Chateau de Meurault. April 2024 bottling: 3,933 bottles (and 204 Magnums). Early-picked, smaller berries fermented in neutral barrels. It looks quite mature, with a deepening yellow colour. A much more generous Chardonnay with deep, full, smooth textures. Drinking quite openly now. Perhaps this bottle would have benefited from added freshness if some sulfite was added. Will try another one. It stood up nicely to the fresh halibut filets with citrus.

2022 LES GRANDES GOUTTES: 40-year-old vines, the last to be harvested, grow directly south below Meursault Les Charmes bordering Puligny. March 2024 bottling: 5,967 bottles (200 Magnums & 25 Jeroboams). This one has the best body depth with balanced fresh acidity. Quite vibrant and precise. Meursault-like. Developing nicely on a perfect early plateau of enjoyment. Singing matched with amazing fresh wild Spring salmon filets.

These experimental beauties offer good value and are worth investigating, courtesy of Pierre-Henri Rougeot. Look for them to try. A web search yielded some more detailed comments on my wines, four of these are linked here: Burgundy Report: Rougeot Pere et Fils; Uncharted Wines; Juice Imports Domaine Rougeot; Winehog (Steen Ohman)

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Question: What Barossa wines prominently display cassis flavours?

Answer: Your scribe usually thinks of cassis as a prominent note in the early fruit aromas and tertiary bouquet of especially Pauillac & St. Julien wines from Bordeaux. It resembles the French sweet liqueur “crème de cassis,” made from blackcurrants, including some tart acidic flavour notes for overall balance. Cassis can also be found in other wine regions, including the Barossa in Australia. It shows most prominently in some of their Cabernet Sauvignon wines but also in those blended with some Shiraz. Sometimes you find a riper cassis fruit with some minty chocolate. Similarly, Shiraz and GSM blends can show cassis, but for me it seems styled differently, leaning more towards sweeter blackcurrant jam in character. Check out some of the Torbreck wines – like The Laird Shiraz – to see if you enjoy that rendition of cassis. A lot depends on how you define cassis in your own tasting experience. Suggest you taste more different Barossa wines to find your cassis nirvana.

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Your scribe has been fortunate to study the 2015 vintage of red Bordeaux at two horizontal tastings within a month. The first of nine wines for the March 17 IWFS Vancouver event is linked here, with more details. A second selection featured six higher classification wines with three each from the Right Bank and the Left Bank. La Commanderie de Bordeaux Vancouver organized the event on April 17 at The Vancouver Club, led by Le Maitre Fred Withers and Cellarmaster Alvin Nirenberg. The first session, featuring more affordable wines gave an impression of freshness with variability though the star was a Margaux Fourth Growth Chateau Marquis De Terme. Again, the Margaux appellation showed regional favour in 2015 with an excellent Chateau Kirwan. Look for additional Margaux wines from the 2015 vintage!

This black tie affair started with 2013 Joseph Perrier La Côte à Bras Brut Nature Vintage Champagne from a six generation House in Chalons-en-Champagne, founded in 1825. Since 2007 they have focused on this single, south-facing vineyard in Cumières, which has clay-limestone soil: 100% Pinot Noir planted in 1982 in Parcel A H 83. The 2013 vintage, which arrived mainly in October, favoured the Chardonnay grape but this production of 7568 bottles of Pinot Noir shows well. With zero dosage and long aging on the lees, it displays peachy salty fruit plus citrus & orange acidity—all interesting combinations. The dessert wine was 2008 Chateau Coutet (derived from the Gascon word for “knife”) from Barsac, 14% ABV, with freshness & subtle minerality paired appropriately with the pear tart.

The main 2015 feature was in two flights with my brief comments:

2015 CHATEAU CANON-LA-GAFFELIERE SAINT-EMILION Premier Grand Cru Classe from Comtes von Neipperg, composed of organically farmed 55% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 17 months in 55% new oak at 14% ABV. It was highly applauded upon release, ranking #2 on Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year Top 100 List. Young dark look with prominent, open Cabernet aromas, featuring accessible, round, plush plums in a modern style. Attractive and deliciously drinkable.

2015 CHATEAU CANON SAINT-EMILION Owned by Chanel since 1996, this Premier Grand Cru Classé is composed of 72% Merlot & 28% Cabernet Franc aged 18 months in 70% new oak at 15% ABV. Nicolas Auderbert and his team grow this on the clay-limestone plateau of St. Emilion in a more classic balanced style. This impressive, ripe velvety Merlot shows rich, round, complex cherry notes and spiciness, with full structure provided by the Cabernet Franc. It shows elegance and finishing length. Development will continue. Group favourite.

2015 CHATEAU LE GAY POMEROL Vignobles Pere-Verge picked this highest 90% Merlot & 10% Cabernet Franc from Pomerol between September 27 and October 8; it spent 18 months in 100% new oak at 14.5% ABV. Lovely, but it seems less fragrant, less densely opulent, and less charming than expected for a top Pomerol in this vintage. More oaky herbaceous notes for me. Enjoy it now. Not in the league of outstanding quality from an exceptional 2015 Pomerol group that includes Vieux Chateau Certan, La Conseillante & L’Evangile.

2015 CHATEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE PESSAC-LEOGNAN Double celebration vintage for the 650th anniversary of SHL & the 25th Vendange of the Cathiards. Sadly Daniel Cathiard passed away this past January but the fantastic Florence brilliantly carries on, along with their longtime winemaker, Fabien Teitgen. This vintage is a great tribute to the whole team and their outstanding dedicated development success of this amazing Estate. They used 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot with 65% new oak for this 14.5% ABV beauty. Shows some typical sous bois but with many more exotic cherry, plum, mocha, and graphite notes, all so creamy lush. Congrats!

2015 CHATEAU LYNCH BAGES PAUILLAC Famille J-M Cazes used 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, and the remaining 6% for Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot in 75% new oak at 13.5% ABV. This big powerful Pauillac has acidity and tannins well structured for further aging. Nick Wright found it “a bit tighter.” St. Estephe had Fall weather issues in 2015 and Pauillac & St. Julien were more variable but this is a good one. Your scribe likes the rich minty classic character of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Patience.

2015 CHATEAU KIRWAN MARGAUX Schroder & Schyler, managed by Jean Henri Schyler until his death in 2016, is now run by his three children: Yann, Sophie, and Nathalie. Here: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc & 5% Petit Verdot, aged for 18 months in 50% new oak at 13.5% ABV – for the first time in the new cellars. Picking commenced on September 18 with yields just over 50 hl/ha with Eric Boissenet as Consultant. This Kirwan improves every time I try it, confirming the top quality seen in 2015 due to favourable weather conditions for the Margaux AC – just like in 1983. Admire the flowers, spice, and classy elegance all in harmony. Balanced. Well done indeed. It is not as big or silky a wine as the opulent 2015 Marquis de Terme. Try some interesting 2015 red Bordeaux.

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Question: Is there a difference between wines made from Blaufrankisch and Kekfrankos?

Answer: Not really as they are the same grape. They use the name Blaufrankisch in Austria, Kekfrankos in Hungary, and Lemberger in Germany. There are terroir differences between the growing regions to explore but both wines have good fresh acidity, tannins, and spicy notes. They are often used in blends rather than as a single variety. For example Kekfrankos has an increasing role in the well known blend of Egri Bikaver (Bull’s Blood), replacing the Kadarka grape. Blaufrankisch is really making a name for itself in Austria especially in Burgenland. I suggest you do a comparative wine tasting of both grapes to learn more.

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