In the wine shop, after the noontime rush of the bubbles-for-brunch shopping traffic, the day mellows out, making it an ideal time to open a couple of bottles from inventory to taste. Although we sample things regularly, Sundays are the day when we can banter back and forth about what to try and when we finally come to consensus, spend some time discussing whatever we crack open. Hard work, I know.
This weekend's lineup:
Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Grande Reserve, 2011, France
"Crisp" was a word that came to mind with this wine. Tart lime and citrus were immediately evident on the nose along with some stony minerality. After sitting for a bit (and warming up slightly) a few tones of underripe pineapple came through. On the palate, the same citrus flavors appeared, along with granny smith apple and some flinty tones on the finish. This was a medium bodied wine with medium acidity. It was an interesting contrast to the other French Sauvignon Blanc we tried last week as this stylistically tasted more like a New World, New Zealand wine.
Lini 910 Labrusca, Lambrusco Bianco, Emilia, Italy
Oh, white lambrusco, you are funky and weird. The nose was incredibly yeasty with prominent odors of sour cream and greek yogurt. Overripe golden delicious apple was the only fruity note on this strange brew. On the palate, there was a sensation of tasting the bubbles more than feeling them as this lambrusco was definitely light on the frizzante. The same flavors were on the palate like some strange bakery experiment. I kept going back to it trying to decide if I liked it or not.
Chateau de Pennautier, Cabardes, 2011, Languedoc, France
Historically, much of the wine in Southern France has been made for bulk production and lacked much of the finesse of other French regions. However, there have been recent movements to improve the quality these wines. This Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Malbec/Syrah/Grenache blend from Languedoc is making an effort. On the nose, it was rather spicy with pepper, pine needles and sap making way for black cherry. The same foresty notes were also present on the palate, along with black pepper. Fruit came through as black cherry and raspberry. It was of medium body and showcased a bit of astringency. I'm not sure if this is a wine I would naturally gravitate towards but it's a great value option.
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