The Grape Crusader

Winery: Domaine de Montrieux, Emile Heredia

Bottling: 2006 Pineau d’Aunis “Le Verre des Poetes”

Importer: Metropolis Wine Merchants

Region: France

Sub-Region: Loire Valley

Estimated Retail Price: $20

Purchase Details: Purchased for around $20 from Arlequin Wine Merchant in Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, California.

Tasting Notes: In the glass, crimson and violet hues.  Not too much of a perceptible aroma or nose.  I get a little bit of plum, blueberry and an aroma that’s almost synthetic in nature.  In the mouth, the wine is not very expressive as far as fruit flavors go.  It’s a little more mineral and dirt driven.

The intriguing thing about this wine are the flavors I’m getting on the very impressionable finish.  Its a very floral, and again, very synthetic in nature flavor that reminds me of some sort of chemical.  Some minty, herbal flavors are also present.  The wine is very dry and has a very firm and austere mouth-feel.

The wine was a lot more drinkable on the second day and still had a very fresh flavor to it as if it had only been opened a few hours before.

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Unfortunate zuchinni in the background, awaiting their fate.

Winery: Chateau Trinquevedel

Bottling: 2008 Tavel Rose

Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants

Region: France

Sub-Region:  Tavel, Southern Rhone Valley

Estimated Retail Price: $17

Purchase Details: Purchased directly from Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants in Berekeley, California for around $17.

Tasting Notes: In the glass, a saturated and intense, dark pink hue.  On the nose, ripe red stone fruits and ripe strawberries.  In the mouth, flavors of ripe strawberry and spice.  The wine is firm, rich and juicy and has a dry tea like, but surprisingly refreshing finish.  Although the fruit takes center stage here, the wine never seems heavy or cloying and retains a nice fresh quality.

I’m not sure what the grape make up is on this particular Tavel, but the grapes that are typically used include grenache, syrah, cinsault, mouvedre and carignan (not to exceed more than 10%).  Also, not one grape can exceed more than 60% of the blend.

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Winery: Charles Joguet

Bottling: 2007 Cuvee Terroir

Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants

Region: France

Sub-Region: Loire Valley, Chinon

Estimated Retail Price: $18

Purchase Details: Purchased from Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants in Berkeley, California for approximately $17.

Tasting Notes: In the glass, such a beautiful pure color of red and blue hues.  On the nose, wonderful perfumed and sweet aromas of berries, lavendar and spice.  In the mouth, you immediately sense how lively and refreshing the acidity of the wine is, as the fruit flavors seem to come alive.  I taste red and blue fruits like blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and cherries.  The wine is medium-bodied and has just enough tannins to keep the stuffing in place, and they’re also soft enough so one can enjoy this bottling early in its life.

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Winery: Domaine Catherine et Pierre Breton

Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant

Region: France

Sub-Region: Bourgueil, Loire Valley

Estimated Retail Price: $19

Purchase Details: Purchased for $16.99 plus tax at the Redwood City K&L Wine Merchant store.

Tasting Notes: On the nose, stinky blue cheese and dirty athletic socks.  In the mouth, this wine is all about acid and texture.  Juicy dark sour cherry fruit, plum and a kind of briny olive tapenade flavor.  Good grippy tannins that are also silky and caressing.  I can’t get over how alive the wine tastes due to the underlying fresh, palate-cleansing acidity.  A really nice finish that lingers and then fades very slowly.

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Winery: Domaine de Fontsainte

Bottling: 2007 Cobieres Rouge (60% Carignan, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah)

Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant

Region: France

Sub-Region: Corbieres, Languedoc-Roussillon

Estimated Retail Price: $13

Purchase Details: Purchased for $12.95 plus tax directly from Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant in Berkeley, California.

Tasting Notes: In the glass, the wine exhibits a purple and ruby color.  On the nose, dark fruits and fennel.  In the mouth, flavors of dark and red fruits – raspberries, boysenberries, blackberries, charcoal, black pepper, fire roasted herbs and a little meat.  Vibrant acidity, clean, but firm tannins, a medium-bodied texture and weight and a dry finish complete the ride with this wine.  I think we drunk the wine too quickly as it could have benefited from a little more air.  I also think you could lay this down for a couple of years for future enjoyment.

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Winery: Domaine Gachot-Monot

Bottling: 2007 Bourgogne Rouge AOC

Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant

Region: France

Sub-Region: Burgundy

Estimated Retail Price: $20

Purchase Details: Purchased directly from Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant in Berkeley California for $19.95.

Tasting Notes: I’ve seen many roses that have darker hues than this wine.  Very pretty reddish pink tint.  On the nose, aromas of cherry, herb, lavender and roses.  In the mouth more cherry, mineral, strawberry and a really distinct sandalwood, rose water, perfumed finish.

I’ve had several vintages of this domaine’s Bourgogne and their Cotes de Nuits Villages now and they tend to be on the leaner side and have a floral and elegant style that is pretty consistent year after year.  I wasn’t too crazy about them in the beginning because I thought they were too austere, but now I’m really into the style of their wines.

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Winery: Le Pigeoulet en Provence Rouge, F. & D. Brunier

Bottling: 2007 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rouge (80% Grenache, 10% syrah, 5% Cinsault and 5% Carignan)

Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merhcant

Region: France

Sub-Region: Vin de Pays de Vaucluse

Estimated Retail Price: $20.00

Purchase Details: Purchased directly from Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant in Berkeley, California for approximately $16.95.

Tasting Notes: In the glass, a dark red and purple tinge.  On the nose, red and black fruit aromas of raspberries and plum.  In the mouth, flavors of herbs that were roasted over an open campfire, ripe raspberries, cherries and pomegranate.  Medium grained tannins, medium body in weight and food friendly acidity.  A very well balanced wine with no highs, lows or curve balls.  Goes from lips to stomach in a nice seamless fashion.

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Winery: Domaine Rousset

Bottling: 2005 Crozes Hermitage (Syrah)

Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant

Region: France

Sub-Region: Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhone Valley

Estimated Retail Price: $20

Purchase Details: I can’t remember the exact price, but I think I paid $19.95 for this at Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants in Berkeley, California.

Tasting Notes: Brick, red maroon colors sit in the glass.  Aromas of smoked meat, un-cleaned hibachi grill and plum and spice.  In the mouth, this wine is surprisingly feminine and elegant in texture.  Flavors of smoke, red plum, spice, olive, beef and pepper are framed by minimal, caressing tannins.

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"REUILLY" from the Loire, not "RULLY" from Burgundy.

Winery: Domaine de Reuilly

Bottling: 2007 Reuilly Les Pierres Plates (Sauvignon Blanc)

Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant

Region: France

Sub-Region: Reuilly, Loire Valley

Estimated Retail Price: $20

Purchase Details: Purchased for around $19.95 directly from Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants in Berkeley.

Tasting Notes: Pale straw in color with fresh and lively aromas of green apple, mineral and flint.  In the mouth, tangy flavors of green guava, lime, and grass with mineral on the finish.  A very green, herb driven flavor profile.  Crisp, crunchy, mouth puckering acidity and a lean mouth feel.

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Winery: Chateau Soucherie

Bottling: 2008 Rose de Loire (Not sure..Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc or a combination of the two)

Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant

Region: France

Sub-Region: Loire Valley

Estimated Retail Price: $15

Purchase Details: Purchased for $15 plus tax at Arlequin Wine Merchant in the Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco.

Tasting Notes: Pale salmon color hues.  On the nose, faint aromas of strawberries, roses and mineral.  On the palate, flavors hints of strawberries, lemon and citrus juices.  There’s a fair amount of acidity here that makes your mouth pucker and your face contort; in a good way of course.

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