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white wine review is a lovely, certified sustainable, and vegan-friendly white wine blend that is predominantly Grenache Blanc and Viognier that arrived at the LCBO a couple of weeks ago in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.
Les Dauphins is one of several wine brands produced by Union des Vignerons des Côtes du Rhône (UVCDR), a co-operative winery that was founded in the southeastern French region of Drôme Provençale in 1965 by a group of local grower co-operatives. Together, they specialize in the production of an extensive range of AOC Côtes du Rhône, Villages, and Cru wines, thanks to the wealth of terroirs and grape varieties cultivated by their growers. The wines of UVCDR are crafted with the aim of encapsulating the beauty of their landscapes and the fabulous diversity of their Rhône Valley vineyards.
With its colourful, retro-style label, the Les Dauphins brand captures the "Joie de Vivre" of Paris in the Roaring 1920s, at a time when Paris was the festive capital of culture, and creativity was at its peak. The brand's origins go back to the 1920s, when family winegrowers in the region of Dauphiné joined forces in a co-operative style. The wines quickly became very popular because of their fruit-forward and palate-pleasing style.
The name "Les Dauphins" pays tribute to the terroir of the former Dauphiné province in southeastern France, where these wines originate from. The area, which has some of the Southern Rhône's best plots of vineyards, is bordered by the French Alps to the east, the Rhône River to the west and Provence to the south. The climate in this area is typically warm and sunny with little rainfall, while the soils range from stony clay-limestone to sandy soil.
Today, Les Dauphins wines are crafted by the new generations of winegrowers in the southern Rhône Valley as they work together with care and dedication to their terroir and by practicing environmentally-friendly viticulture. To obtain the unique style of Les Dauphins wines, the winemakers of Les Dauphins wines first select the plots among their vineyards, guide the vinification at their facilities, then select, blend, and age the best wines that will adorn the Les Dauphins label.
This white wine is a blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 40% Viognier, and 10% Marsanne. The grapes were grown in a vineyard situated in the southeast of France, around the village of Tulette, within the old historic region of Dauphiné, on two different soil types: clay-limestone soil formed of sedimentary rock and pebbles, and stony soil with a sandy subsoil. With careful attention throughout the winemaking process, the grapes were grown in carefully selected plots and picked at dawn in order to preserve a pale colour, crunchy aromas, and freshness. It was aged for 4 months to increase drinking pleasure and soften the wine.
The 2023 growing season in the southern Rhône was very good for white wine varieties. The season began with a very dry start from January to March. Bud burst was relatively late (early April), while the Mistral winds were often influential from early April to flowering in mid-May. Following some welcoming late-spring rains in May and June, the summer months were warm and arid, reaching a climax of 43°C on August 22nd, and the fierce heat remained until the end of the month. White varieties were picked from mid-to-late-August. It was a season well-suited for vines planted in clay soils, rather than sandy soils. Let's see how this 2023 Côtes du Rhône Blanc is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
LES DAUPHINS RÉSERVE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2023 - Sustainable, Vegan, AC, France (#18600) (XD) - $14.95 Screw cap. Blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 40% Viognier, and 10% Marsanne. The medium+ to medium-high intensity nose is open and ripe with lovely yellow apple, pear, and lemon citrus aromas nuanced with white peach, melon, mealy, leesy, and vanilla. The dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied has good weight with delicious, ripe yellow fruit, apple, pear, citrus, leesy, spice, white peach, and vanilla flavours. Gently spicy on the mid-palate along with fresh and juicy acidity. Yellow orchard fruit and leesy notes with touches of vanilla linger on the long, very satisfying finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts
Other delicious Les Dauphins wines are available at the LCBO, and can also be ordered through their Agent - Churchill Cellars Ltd.
At the end of , Arterra Wines Canada held their quarterly tasting for the media at their head office in Mississauga, Ontario. This was my first "The Quarterly Pour" tasting, and it featured a curated lineup of estate-driven and milestone wines, along with a few lifestyle-led selections from their Better for You portfolio. All the wines were crafted using grapes from Ontario. The tasting was broken down into 4 categories:
Better for You Selection - zero-sugar, low- and no-alcohol wines
LCBO VINTAGES Release Wines
Surprise Pours - A special preview of wines that were just recently released or will be available in the near future
Inniskillin 50th Anniversary Spotlight
While I didn't taste everything in the Better for You Selection, there were a couple of wines that stood out, and they are in the last group in the list below.
I expected the quality of the LCBO VINTAGES Release Wines (the first three wines in the list below) to be very good, and was really impressed with the Chardonnay as it had improved somewhat significantly since I first tasted the wine last year. The Jackson-Triggs wines were all delicious, high-quality, and premium wines with a price to match.
The surprise of the tasting were the three Inniskillin Reserve wines, especially the Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay, as they offered a great quality-to-price ratio and just arrived at the LCBO last month as widely-available General List wines with special pricing to celebrate Inniskillin's 50th Anniversary.
Pretty much all the wines listed below (except the previews) are readily available through one or more of their retail sales channels - LCBO, Great Estates Niagara, or Wine Rack.
LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY 2021 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#20455) (XD) - $30.00 91+ pts
white wine review is an excellent Marsanne from the Beamsville Bench appellation in Niagara that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month as part of the feature on Ontario Wines in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.
It is produced by Kew Vineyards, a boutique winery focused on small-batch production that is located in the heart of Niagara on the Beamsville Bench, an area known for its limestone-rich soils. Situated on a 160-year-old estate, Kew Vineyards epitomizes country style and grace. The winery stands in the Kew homestead, a house which was built by William Kew. The Kew family lived in the home and operated a successful carriage making company from the house. Historically, the Kew homestead was known for mixing business with pleasure, and where the Kew family's chapter ends is when the story of Kew Vineyards begins.
In 1975, Mr. Hermann Weis brought his own clones from the Mosel Valley in Germany and planted some of Niagara's first Riesling vines on the estate at Kew Vineyards. Unknowingly, Mr. Weis became a true pioneer of Ontario's wine region, even while he was relentlessly met with skepticism as the community said he could never do it. Today, most of Niagara's Rieslings are based on the Weis Clone.
Kew Vineyards' prides itself on its unique vineyard, which includes some of Ontario's oldest vines, along with a few varietals that are rare for the region. The Marsanne vines at Kew Vineyards are special, unique, and continue to thrive in the cool-climate of Niagara and the challenges it presents. This white wine is one of the few, and perhaps only, Marsanne from Niagara, and almost always contains small amounts of other varieties. For the 2020 vintage, this is a blend of 95.2% Marsanne, 2.4% Viognier, and 2.4% Pinot Gris. To craft this wine, it was fermented for 10 months in larger French oak.
The 2020 growing season in Niagara delivered near-perfect conditions which benefited a wide spectrum of grape varieties. The growing season got off to a slow start, while the summer was hot and dry, resulting in clean and intense fruit. The grapes exhibited brightness, character, acidity, and energy due to cool weather early in the season, but they also displayed the depth of a warm vintage. Overall, it is a great vintage with many great wines across the board. Let's see how this 2020 Marsanne from Niagara is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
KEW VINEYARDS MARSANNE 2020 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#485334) (XD) - $19.95 Enclosed by Stelvin screw cap, this is mainly Marsanne with a splash of (2.4%) Viognier and (2.4%) Pinot Gris. Fragrant, open, and slightly perfumed, the medium-high intensity nose offers lovely and complex lemon citrus, ripe apple, herbs, and stony-leesy mineral aromas with touches of white floral. It is impressively weighted on the well-structured, medium+ bodied, textured, and dry palate with touches of vanilla oak and spice notes joining the lemon citrus, ripe apple, stony-leesy mineral flavours. It's very nicely balanced throughout with crisp, refreshing acidity, while the length is excellent with persistent leesy-stony mineral notes lingering on the savoury, long, and crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91+ pts
Limited quantities of other fine wines by Kew Vineyards are available at the LCBO, while the entire portfolio can be purchased directly from winery online or by visiting them in Beamsville, Ontario, or through their Agent - Arterra Wines Canada.
A perennial favourite of mine that seems to get better every vintage, white wine review is this lovely wine from Roussillon that arrived at the LCBO today as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
M. Chapoutier is the legendary producer from Rhône whose origins go back to the year 1808. In 1990, the renowned Michel Chapoutier took over the reins of the family business. In 2000, he forayed into Roussillon when he purchased his first estate in the region. Michel set up Domaine de Bila-Haut in Latour-de-France, Roussillon, an area with an intense, forceful, and sometimes violent past with contoured terraces, stony soils, and a rich geology. Michel's children, Mathilde and Maxime, have since joined the family business to form the next generation of the Chapoutier family to perpetuate the family's tradition and vision to craft biodynamic wines which express the full potential of its terroir and true character of the soils.
I enjoyed the 2020 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc last November, and while the 2021 growing season was a tough year across France where most regions experienced record rainfall, Roussillon suffered its most severe drought in the last 10 years. However, Chapoutier's use of biodynamic practices helped save the day! A cold winter led to later than normal budburst, while frost only affected a few of Chapoutier's plots on the plains and lower valleys - their Domaine is actually located in the upper reaches of the Agly Valley. Cool weather continued into late spring, and summer was not as hot as recent years, with no scorching hot days. This worked out well given the lack of water.
In Roussillon, the growing season runs counter to the rest of the winegrowing regions where the lack of water, combined with biodynamic growing practices, avoids any cryptogrammic pressure and they were able to bring in a perfectly healthy crop. When there is a lack of water, biodynamic compost, fermented forest litter help to invigorate the soil, and horn dung, allowed Chapoutier to produce an average harvest in terms of quantity, where much of Roussillon is recording the smallest harvest in its history. 2021 produced a later than average harvest due to some rain at the beginning of September. The grapes ripened during the second half of September, without excessive heat, and produced a very fine vintage.
This delicious white wine continues to be a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu. The grapes come from two places - limestone, clay soils and gneiss in the Agly Valley, and granite soils at higher altitude (500 metre), later ripening sites. The grapes were manually harvested early in the morning to preserve freshness, and hand-selected to protect the aromas. At the winery, after pressing, the must is cold-settled. It underwent fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, followed by ageing for a few months (on its lees) in order to preserve freshness and enhance minerality. Let's see how this 2021 Côtes du Roussillon Blanc is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
M. CHAPOUTIER BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC 2021 - AP, Midi, France (#485656) (XD) - $16.95 Composed of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu. Elegant, yellow floral, herbs, waxy, and lemon pith aromas rise out of the glass with hints of grapefruit and smoke. It's medium-full bodied with a rich mouthfeel and ripe flavours of lemon citrus, grapefruit, yellow floral, orange, white peach, and herbs with melon and mineral undertones. Acids are fresh and lively. Some spiciness and a subtle chalky texture on the mid-palate. Nicely balanced with a satisfyingly long, crisp, minerally finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts
You can get other lovely wines by M. Chapoutier at the LCBO and through their Agent - Dandurand.
This white wine is produced by the legendary Rhône producer M. Chapoutier. The origins of this company go back to the year 1808, but today it is owned by Michel Chapoutier who took over the reigns in 1990. In 2000, Chapoutier purchased its first estate in Roussillon and this particular wine is from Domaine de Bila-Haut, a domain that Chapoutier founded in Latour-de-France, Roussillon. Today, Mathilde and Maxime, the children of Michel, form the next generation of the Chapoutier family to join business, and together they perpetuate the family tradition and vision to craft wines based on the concept of terroir.
For this vintage, the blend remains a mix of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu. The grapes come from limestone, clay soils, and gneiss in the Agly Valley, as well as from granite soils at 500 metre higher altitude, later ripening sites. There were manually harvested early in the morning and hand selected to protect the aromas, following by pressing and fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. It was aged for a few months in order to preserve freshness and enhance minerality. Despite record-low yields in what was a challenging growing season, the 2020 vintage, in general, produced wines exhibiting the perfect trilogy of elegance, freshness and complexity. Let's see how this 2020 Roussillon Blanc is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC 2020 - AP, Midi, France (#485656) (XD) - $15.95 This lovely blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu has fresh, elegant, ripe, and honeyed aromas of floral, lemon citrus, orange blossom, and apple rising out of the glass with hints of grapefruit and smoky notes. On the medium+ bodied, slightly creamy palate, it has very good concentration with lovely, ripe, honeyed flavours of floral, lemon citrus, grapefruit, and leesy minerals in a dry flavour profile. It's very well-balanced and nicely textured with fresh acidity, while leesy minerals, with touches of white florals and citrus lingering on the long, flavourful, and slightly spicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts
Other lovely wines from M. Chapoutier are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Dandurand.
wine reviews are a pair of lovely wines from Washington State. The Cabernet Sauvignon arrived at LCBO outlets across Ontario this weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release, while the 2019 vintage of the Sauvignon Blanc also arrived in the same Release, but only at Flagship stores in limited quantities.
These two wines are produced by Hedges Family Estate, a family winery whose story begins when Washington State native Tom Hedges marries Anne-Marie Liégeois in her hometown in Champagne, France. With a passion for authenticity and a deep connection to the land in Washington, the Hedges family began shipping their wines to Taiwan in 1986, and a year later Hedges Cellars was born. In 1989, Tom and Anne-Marie purchased 50 acres of land on Red Mountain in the Yakima Valley and planted forty hectares of Bordeaux varieties. With continued success, the Hedges family broke ground in 1995 on their new Chateau on the coveted Red Mountain.
Tom and Anne-Marie's children - Sarah and Christophe - worked in the vineyards and at the winery, eventually earning prominent roles in the family business. In 2005, Christophe Hedges was promoted to Director of National Sales and Marketing, while Sarah Hedges Goedhart followed a year later to become Assistant Winemaker and became the Head Winemaker in 2015.
In 2008, the Hedges Estate Vineyard was converted to biodynamic farming, and by 2019 all five of their vineyards were converted to biodynamics. The Hedges family also sources fruit for some of them wines, including the two reviewed below, and ensure that these vineyards meet their requirements for sustainable farming. The family fosters a true homegrown approach to farming and viticulture, while also uniting the past and present, and evolving tradition for generations to come. Their winemaking philosophy is of less intervention and filtration
Tasting Notes:
HEDGES CMS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2020 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#20496) (XD) - $24.95 Screw cap. This white wine is a unique blend of 78% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Chardonnay, and 2% Marsanne with a fragrant, medium-high intensity nose delivering an attractive and unique bouquet of passion fruit and guava aromas mingling with ripe apple, pear, butter, grapefruit, citrus, and touches of floral characters. The ripe, full palate is slightly creamy with bright acidity and stone fruit, ripe apple, grapefruit, and citrus flavours with underlying guava and white floral notes. Subtle chalky texture on the mid-palate, while lemon peel and leesy mineral notes linger on the long, crisp, lip-smacking finish. Chill and enjoy! Score: 90 pts
HEDGES CMS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#20491) (XD) - $29.95 Blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 8% Syrah. The medium-high intensity nose offers dark fruited blackberry and plum aromas accented with savoury, cocoa, wet earth, and touches of black pepper spice and brett. It's full-bodied, structured, and chewy with smooth, refined, and supple tannins and fresh, juicy acidity that supports the dark fruit, blackberry, cocoa, and earthy flavours. Some peppery spice, tobacco, and dried herbs add complexity on the mid-palate. Savoury cocoa notes linger on the long finish. Recommended buy. Score: 90+ pts
wine review is this lovely Australian white wine made with Rhône varietals that newly arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the feature on Australia in the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
Turkey Flat was established on the edge of Tanunda in the Barossa Valley in 1847 by Johann Fiedler. The name "Turkey Flat" is derived from a large, native bird that frequented the rich flats by Tanunda Creek. However, this bird was not a turkey - it was actually an Ardeotis australis, or known locally as the Plains Bustard, a bird rarely seen now. Fiedler was one of the first Prussian Lutherans to make wine in the Barossa and is noted for his early efforts in experimenting with grape varietals (he planted at least 72 varietals in the vineyard!) to test the viticultural viability of the new settlement.
Since the 1860's, the Schulz family have been the custodians of Turkey Flat and they have continued the legacy laid down by Fiedler to grow vines and make wines that suit the landscape. Today, Christie Schulz is the fourth generation of the family to become caretaker of this remarkable estate. With the extensive viticultural research undertaken in the vineyards, Christie and her team have been able to sensitively blend traditional Rhône varietals that express their sense of place, such as this Barossa Valley White.
In the vineyard, Turkey Flat aims to optimise the ecological system and using natural influences to control vegetative growth and yields. One of their biggest successes is the use of permanent cover crops in all their vineyards, an approach which shifts the vineyard from a monoculture to a managed ecosystem. All aspects of Turkey Flat Vineyards are committed to reducing their environmental footprint.
This exact composition of this blend of Marsanne, Viognier, and Roussanne blend changes every year. The 2017 vintage, which was another exceptional growing season, consists of 45% Marsanne, 33% Viognier, and 22% Roussanne that was sourced from the Bethany and Stonewell regions of the Barossa. Traditional to the Turkey Flat style, the Marsanne was picked early and pressed lightly. The Viognier was handpicked, chilled, crushed and saw 48 hours on skins, and then pressed lightly, while the Roussanne was a little riper when handpicked and subsequently whole bunch pressed. After fermentation, including partial malolactic fermentation, 45% of the wine was aged in large puncheon barrels, 50% new. Let's how this white wine is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
TURKEY FLAT BAROSSA VALLEY WHITE 2017 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#17646) (XD) - $17.95 Screw cap. Blend of 45% Marsanne, 33% Viognier, and 22% Roussanne that was partially oak aged. The medium-high intensity nose offers lactic and vanilla-infused aromas of stone fruit and citrus with touches of sweet herb and floral. On the medium+ bodied, creamy palate it has lovely stone fruit, buttery, lactic, and sweet herbal flavours with floral touches. It has fresh, juicy acidity and a fine, slightly chalky textured, minerally finish, with excellent length. Recommended buy and enjoy nicely chilled. Score: 90 pts
Although there's one other Turkey Flat wine available at the LCBO, the rest of the wines from their portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.
white wine review is a lovely Côtes du Roussillon Blanc by M. Chapoutier that returned to the LCBO as part of the recent LCBO VINTAGES Release.
The origins of this historic and highly-acclaimed winemaking company date back to the year 1808, with the Chapoutier name entering the picture in 1897 and Marius Chapoutier becoming the sole owner of the company in 1922. In 1929, Marius created the new winery at the foot of the Hermitage hill. Upon the passing of Marius, his son, Marc, took over the family business and changed the name to what we see today - M. Chapoutier.
In 1990, current owner and legendary Michel Chapoutier became the head of the company and began to apply the principles of biodynamic cultivation. In 2000, Chapoutier purchased its first estate in Roussillon. This particular wine is from Domaine de Bila-Haut, a domain that Chapoutier founded in Latour-de-France, Roussillon. At first, there were a couple of wines created to express this terroir, then followed by six years of reflection, observation, and analysis. Over time, more wines were added to the portfolio, as well as adding other sites in Roussillon.
Today, Mathilde and Maxime, the children of Michel, form the next generation of the Chapoutier family to join business. Together, they perpetuate the family tradition and vision to craft wines based on the concept of terroir.
I enjoyed the 2015 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc back in and am delighted to open the 2018 vintage tonight. This bottling is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu varietals that were grown on sites belonging to Domaine de Bila-Haut. Some of the grapes come from limestone, clay soils, and gneiss in the Agly Valley, while the rest were from granite soils located on higher altitude (500 metres elevation), later ripening sites. The grapes were manually-harvested and hand-sorted to protect the aromas, while vinification occurred in stainless steel tanks, and ageing lasted only a few months to enhance freshness and minerality. Let's see how this white wine from Roussillon is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC 2018 - AP, Midi, France (#485656) (XD) - $15.95 This blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu has lovely floral, lemon citrus, grapefruit, and ripe apple aromas of medium+ intensity with touches of smoky mineral. The dry, medium+ bodied palate is slightly fleshy with fresh, crisp and lively acidity to support the ripe lemon citrus, grapefruit and white floral flavours, with fine mineral notes arriving on the long, crisp finish. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts
Other lovely wines from M. Chapoutier can be found at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Dandurand.
The of our wine tour through the southern Rhône Valley took us through Lirac and Tavel AOCs. This day followed visits to Luberon and Ventoux, Cairanne, and Costières de Nîmes earlier in the week.
Tavel is located on the right bank of Rhône River. It achieved AOC status since 1937 and was actually the second to establish Cru status, right after the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This southern Rhône Valley Cru is also unique in that it is the only Cru where all appellation wines must be rosé wine.
Vines have been cultivated in Tavel since the 5th century BC, first planted by the Greeks and then expanded by the Romans. The name "Villa Tavellis" first appeared in 13th century writings, eventually becoming Tavel. From 1737, a royal edict made it illegal to add foreign wines to those from Tavel and winemakers were also required to mark their barrels with "C.d.R." (Côte du Rhône), thus setting the precedent for what would become the AOC. In 1902, Tavel vineyard owners and winemakers formed a union to build the reputation of their rose wines. This eventually led to winemakers from Tavel petitioning the Gard to officially define the production area and become an AOC in 1937.
The soils in Tavel are mainly composed of alluvial, sandy, marly limestone, and crystalline & gravelly limestone, while the climate is Mediterranean where the sun and mistral winds are dominant. Nine grapes are permitted in Tavel, and no more than 60% of one varietal can be included in the final blend. Thus, all Tavel wines are blends, with Grenache often being the base. Traditionally, Tavel wines typically have a darker red colour due to the longer maceration times, where the grape skins have more contact with the must and creating wines that are more powerful and even somewhat tannic. However, there is a trend currently towards lighter rosés from Tavel due to the success of the lighter styles from Provence.
The introduction to Tavel actually began , during a lovely dinner at the Michelin-starred Entre Vigne & Garrigue with Thomas Giubbi of Vignobles & Compagnie, and Guillaume Demoulin of Château Trinquevedel. We tasted some of their latest Tavel wines, as well as got to try a 2014 Tavel that showed how well Tavel wines can age.
Vignobles & Compagnie was formed in 1963 when the growers of the department of the Gard came together with the aim of promoting Rhône Valley wines. The cellar, which was strategically located near the Pont du Gard, was also created at this time, is still in use today, and recently gained Heritage Status. The company has changed hands over the years, with Jean-Marie Berteau taking over the reins in 1972 and remaining in charge for 34 years. It was during this period that site underwent modernization and experienced major economic growth. In 1990, the Taillan Group took over activities and formed partnerships with local winegrowers. In 2011, Thomas Giubbi became the Managing Director at Vignobles & Compagnie and worked on grape supply to improve the quality of the wines, a task he continues to work on as he forges partnerships with many vineyards across the southern Rhône Valley. Vignobles & Compagnie is committed to working alongside its partner winegrowers to support, develop, and secure the future of these family estates by providing assistance in the vineyard, vinification, and the ageing process. The also help these estates market their wines. Thomas and his team are working towards exporting their wines to Ontario.
Guillaume Demoulin is the 4th generation of his family to farm the vineyards at Château Trinquevedel. His great-grandfather, Eugène, founded the 13th century estate in 1936 and began to the revive the site that was overrun with wild weeds. By 1960, the grapes were finally producing wine worthy of bottling. Today, there are 32 hectares of estate vineyards located in the hills Montagne Noire and planted to varietals such as Grenache, Cinsault, and Clairette. Soils consist primarily of sand and quartzite rounded stones. Wines are crafted to show typicity and quality of the Cru while using traditional and innovative wine growing techniques, while also respecting the environment.
In addition to the roles at their respective company's, Thomas and Guillaume are also co-presidents of the Syndicat Viticole de l’Appellation Tavel winemakers association. Among their more recent activities is the introduction of a new, modernized coat of arms that will be embossed on the neck of Tavel wines. This was a 2-year project that will finally be realized beginning with the 2018 vintage.
Entre Vigne & Garrigue is a small, family-owned bed & breakfast and restaurant created in a charming 17th century stone farmhouse located in the Rhône Valley countryside. The surroundings were quite serene and peaceful. The gourmet dinner was lovely and included a cheese cart like I've never seen before!
After a restful night, it was another early start, with more wet weather as we toured Tavel and Lirac. The first stop of the day was at the historic Tavel producer Château d’Aqueria. The fascinating history of Château d’Aqueria begins in 1595, when Louis Joseph d’Aqueria purchased the area of Tavel known as "Puy Sablonneux" from the monks at the Abbey in Villeneuve les Avignon. His son, Robert d'Aqueria, built a home that was transformed in the 18th century into the Château as it stands today. The estate has changed hands many times since the 18th century, all the while maintaining winegrowing activities because the terroir is very suitable for winegrowing. The estate has been in the same family for three generations now, when Jean Olivier purchased the estate 1919, and his son-in-law Paul de Bez began managing the estate in 1943, followed by his grandsons Bruno and Vincent de Bez, who today continue to run the estate.
Today, there are 60+ ha of vineyards surrounding the Château with light, sandy-clayey soils that are ideal for the production of rose's, while the limestone scree soils on their property just east of the Château in Lirac help produce white wines with outstanding fruit and depth. Château d’Aqueria practices organic fertilization and is High Environmental Value (HVE) certified, a system that promotes biodiversity and an environmentally-friendly agricultural approach involving pesticides, fertilization and water resource management. We met up with Vincent who gave us a tour of the facility, followed by a tasting of some of their latest wines. More wet weather lingered in the area, so we did not get a tour of the vineyards. However, Vincent told us we could drive to one of their nearby vineyards and it was amazingly littered with thousands (!) of rounded pebbles that allow the vines to grow in the best possible conditions thanks to the natural soil filter.
The next stop was at Domaine Coudoulis, a winery in Lirac located on a terrace overlooking the village of Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres. The family-owned and -operated estate winery was purchased by Bernard Callet in 1996 because he knew the site had fabulous soil. After 10 years of observing and learning about the site, Bernard called upon Patrick Hilaire, a man who had worked on some of the most famous vineyards, to create terroir-driven wines worthy of the Domaine. As Bernard explained, the vineyards have existed on this site since the 1960's on old terroir with its alluvial terraces that are rich in round pebbles - similar to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Since that time, the building was rebuilt in 2011 into a modern facility with large concrete vats for fermentation and ageing, all the while transitioning their 25 hectares of vineyards to organic winemaking. Unfortunately, they do not make any rosés - as the rosé wines from this site are too dark compared to the current trend of light coloured rosés. They also currently do not make any white wines. However, there are plans to make some white wines as they planted some Grenache Blanc in 2017. Thus, after tasting their fine selection of red wines we took a tour of their modern winemaking facility and barrel cellar. We'll have to check back in a few years to see how Domaine Coudoulis fared with their Grenache Blanc.
Lunch was in the heart of Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres at Restaurant Le Papet and we were joined by Edouard Guerin, Director of Wines and Vineyards at Ogier, and Stéphane Soulier, Sales Manager at Les Vignerons de Tavel.
The story of Ogier begins with Ogier the Dane, an eccentric man who went off to fight in Basque country around 800 A.D. and on his way back home stopped in Massif Central. His stop became permanent and the Ogier name spread throughout the Rhône Valley. Antoine Ogier is a distant descendant of Ogier the Dane and he acquired an old cooperage in 1859. The main winery is in Chateauneu-du-Pape, where an old cooperage was converted into maturation cellars and is the largest in the Rhône Valley with its walls bearing witness to a history dating back to the Middle Ages. In 1995 with the arrival of Didier Couturier, the winery undergoes renewal, establishing relationships with winegrowers, and giving rise to the Ogier style - purity of fruit, freshness, and depth. During this time, a precision approach from vine to winemaking with a minimal interventionalist approach becomes the Ogier hallmark. Edouard was personable, friendly and showed plenty of passion for wine during lunch. I hope our paths cross again someday as the wines from Ogier were lovely. The Lirac Blanc and Tavel wines, one of each, we tasted from Ogier during lunch were fresh and delicious, especially the unreleased-at-the-time Lirac Blanc that ended up being one of my favourite wines of the day.
The cooperative cellar Les Vignerons de Tavel was founded in 1937, one year after the birth of AOP Tavel, when a few winemakers from decided to unite. France's first cooperative was inaugurated by the President of France, Albert Lebrun, in 1938 and was declared to be part of France's national heritage in 2013. Just weeks after my visit to Rhône, the cooperatives Les Vignerons de Tavel merged with the Cave des Vins de Cru in Lirac to become Cave des Vignerons de Tavel and Lirac that now represents 90 vine growers, 880 hectares of vines, and 35,000 hectolitres of production within AOC Tavel and Lirac, and other southern Rhône Valley appellations.
After lunch, we navigated the narrow streets of the village of Montfaucon, on the right bank of the Rhône River in Lirac, to visit the historic Château de Montfaucon. The first inhabitants of the exceptional Montfaucon rocky hill located across Châteauneuf-du-Pape can be traced back to the pre-historic era. In the 11th century, the castle's first watchtower was built as the Rhône River was a border between the French Kingdom and the Holy Roman German Empire. After the castle was extended in the Middle Ages, the King of France gave title to the first Baron of Montfaucon to the powerful Laudun family in 1420. 100 years later, a winery is built at the bottom of the Château and wine was made here until 1936, when it was converted to a barrel cellar for ageing. Between 1936 and 1995, even though the family cultivated the vines, the grapes were sold to a cooperative.
Current owner, Rodolphe de Pins, took over the family estate in 1995, rebuilt the winery, and began producing wine. His ancestors, the de Pertuis family, acquired the castle in 1766 and Joseph Gabriel de Pertuis became the Baron de Montfaucon. Joseph's son, Eugene, had a son named Louis who would become Baron Louis de Montfaucon. As they discovered with old wine labels with the name "1829 Vin de Monsieur le Baron de Montfaucon", they found that both Eugene and Louis were amateurs in wine. Baron Louis restored the Château and left the estate upon his death in 1910 to his young niece, Madeleine, since he never married or had children. When Madeleine married, she became Comtesse de Pins. She is also Rodolphe's grandmother.
Today, Château de Montfaucon has more than 60 ha of vines, including a recent purchase of a 7 ha Cru Lirac vineyard that has a plot containing 140-year-old Clairette vines. The vineyards of Château de Montfaucon have a diversity of soils - calcareous pebbelstone on silty sandy soil, soil with clay, and sandy soil - and exposures. Rodolphe has a natural approach to winemaking with minimal intervention, allowing the fruit to express its flavours. He also likes to make wines that have elegance, finesse, and complexity, while also being enjoyable and easy to drink.
White wines make up 10% of the production at Château de Montfaucon and all of the wines we tasted in the 500 year old cellar with Rodolphe were delicious, including a lovely back-vintage 2012 Clairette and 2011 Lirac white cuvée. Unfortunately, once again due to the rain, we were not able to see any of the vineyards. Rodolphe also invited us for a quick visit to his home - the Château (i.e. the real castle) located some minutes walking distance from the Domaine that was perched atop the village of Montfaucon, but the rains and lack of time would not allow it. All in all, this was a very fine visit that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Lirac.
Lirac is located just north of Tavel and sits across the river from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, sharing many of the same characteristics as its famous neighbour. The area is very Mediterranean with plenty of sunshine and Mistral winds. Moreover, many of the vineyards in Lirac are laid out in terraces on hillsides among garrigue scrubland. There are three main soil types - limestone plateaus that covered with red clay and pebbles, ancient alluvial terraces made up of quartz pebbles and red clay atop a bed of sand, and sand laced with small pebbles. Due to soil diversity, many different grapes thrive here. Lirac achieved Cru status in 1947, making it the third oldest Rhône Valley Cru. At the time, it was known for producing easy drinking rose. Today, however, only 3% of the appellation's production is devoted to rosé (and 10% to white wines.)
The history of winemaking in Lirac goes back more than two thousand years. The small, nearby town of Roquemaure and its port became quite prosperous and powerful as it exported the wines of Cote du Rhône to Paris, England, and Holland. In the 16th century, the wines from Lirac gained a reputation for high quality wines that were served in the royal courts of France and abroad. In 1727, Lirac wines were the first from Rhône to be branded as C.d.R. to certify their origin, thus making Lirac Cru the original appellation. As mentioned earlier, the C.d.R. branding was applied to Tavel in 1737, and was later given to all wines from Côtes du Rhône.
The final winery visit of the day was in the heart of Tavel at Domaine Lafond Roc-Epine. The Lafond family has a rather long history of wine growing that began in 1780 with Pascal Odoyer, the governor of Tavel, was one of the first wine growers in his village and also the great-uncle of Jean-Pierre Lafond. In 1948, Valéry Taulier, the grandfather of current owner Pascal Lafond built the first private cellar of Tavel and contributed greatly to the growth of the Tavel appellation. In 1970, Jean-Pierre Lafond, Valéry Taulier’s son-in-law and a lover of race horses names his wine estate "Roc-Epine" in memory of the famous race horse, and Domaine Lafond Roc-Epine was born. In 1978, Pascal and his father Jean-Pierre Lafond begin bottling their own wines. Fast forward to 2009, they begin organic certification and eliminate the use of pesticides, herbicides and other chemical products, while only using copper and sulphite to protect the vineyards from the disease. In 2012, they received their organic certification and an emphasis to produce wine in the vineyard was strengthened. In 2015, the next generation of the Lafond family begins work at the winery with the arrival of Jean-Baptiste Lafond, Pascal's son, after he completed his BTS Viticulture-Oenology studies in Beaune. In addition to Tavel wines, they also produce Lirac appellation wines. In total, 3 hectares of vines are devoted white grape varieties, while 23 hectares are planted with red varietals, with soils consisting of mainly white rocks, sandy soil, and pebbles (alluvial soil). In terms of whites and rosé wines, they had a Lirac Blanc and two Tavel Rosés, and all three were delicious.
A fine day of wine tasting in Lirac and Tavel concluded at Entre Vigne & Garrigue, where Frédéric Grasset of Château de Ségriès joined us for dinner and to present his wines. Frédéric is the son-in-law of owner Henri de Lanzac. In 1994, Henri purchased the domain that included a partly ruined mansion from the 17th century that belonged to the noble Regis de Gatimel family since 1804. This makes Château de Ségriès one of the oldest estates in Lirac. Three generations of the family work at the Château, including the 75-year-old Henri. His son, Laurent, is the viticulturist and winemaker, while his daughter Anna, wife of Frédéric, also works at the winery. Together, they manage 58 ha of old vines averaging 80 years of age on mainly clay-limestone soils. Only a small portion of this acreage is devoted to AOP Lirac white wines, while 11 ha in a single vineyard in Tavel. Château de Ségriès only makes one Lirac Blanc and one Tavel wine, so it was nice to try the two most recent vintages of each wine during dinner.
Looking back on this day, Tavel was everything I expected it to be - traditionally deeply coloured, fruity and dry, high quality rose wines, with some having slightly tannic and structured characters that some might even call light red wines, while others were made in the more trendier Provençal style that is pale coloured and fresh. Tavel can be enjoyed on its own or paired with salad, poultry, or hearty fish.
Lirac, on the other hand, was an eye-opener for me. It is one of the least known Crus, and even I didn't know much about it before arriving. Lirac appellation white wines are made primarily with varietals such as Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne, and Bourboulenc, and sometimes includes Marsanne, Viognier, or Picpoul. The white wines were fresh and clean, with some minerality and structure, and could be aged for a number of years. All-in-all, I was very impressed with the white wines from Lirac.
Overall, I was very happy with my visit to the Southern Rhône Valley. I learned many new things over the four days while also meeting some fine individuals who are shaping the future of the wines from Luberon, Ventoux, Cairanne, Costières de Nîmes, Tavel, and Lirac.
Tasting Notes:
VIGNOBLES & COMPAGNIE DOMAINE MÉJAN LES MUSES TAVEL 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (XD)
Blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 5% Mourvedre, 3% Syrah, and 2% Clairette from sandy soil, clay, and rolled pebbles, alluvial deposits. Medium+ intensity nose offers red fruit, red cherry, strawberry, and herbal aromas. The medium+ bodied palate is spicy with fresh acids and pleasing red berried aroma replays. Lightly tannic, dry, with some structure, and very good finish length. Score: 88 pts
VIGNOBLES & COMPAGNIE RÉSERVE DES CHASTELLES TAVEL 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (XD) - 12 €
Grenache and Syrah blend from gravel, clay and quartz pebbles soils. Medium-high intensity nose with plenty of red fruits - currant, strawberry, cherry and some red pepper nuances. It is full-bodied, dry and structured on the palate with candied red berry flavours. There's some tannic structure and the finish length is very good. Score: 89 pts
Agent: N/A
CHÂTEAU TRINQUEVEDEL TAVEL 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (#729947) (XD) - 12.5 €
Blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Clairette, Bourboulenc, and Mourvèdre, this has fruity medium+ intensity aromas of rhubarb and strawberry. It is medium-full bodied, dry and spicy on the palate with fresh acids and nice aroma replays joined by hints of orange. Structured with some tannins. Very good finish length. Score: 89 pts
CHÂTEAU TRINQUEVEDEL LES VIGNES D'EUGÈNE TAVEL 2014 - AC, Rhône, France (XD) - 15 €
Blend of Grenache, Clairette and Syrah from 80-85 year old vines and one-third oak aged, this has a subtle orange, red berry and spice nose with touches of floral. It is medium-full bodied and nicely integrated on the palate with balanced acids, and pretty rose floral and cherry characters. Somewhat structured and the finish length is very good. Holding up quite well at this age. Score: 89+ pts
CHÂTEAU D'AQUERIA LIRAC BLANC 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (XD) - 12 €
40% Grenache Blanc, 25% Bourboulenc, 16% Clairette, 12% Roussanne, and 7% Viognier from limestone scree soils. Open, fragrant and fresh with herbally, lemony, and anise aromas. Medium-bodied with a slightly oily texture. Nice aroma replays on the palate plus notable anise, fennel, and pear notes. There's some structure a nice chalky mineral mid-palate. Shows finesse on the finish, with excellent length. Score: 89 pts
CHÂTEAU D'AQUERIA TAVEL 2017 - AP, Rhône, France (#319368) (XD) - $23.95
45% Grenache, 20% Clairette, 15% Cinsault, 8% Mourvèdre, 6% Syrah, 4% Bourboulenc, and 2% Picpoul from sandy clayey hillsides. The subtle nose is fruity and a touch candied, offering red berry, cherry, currant, and citrus aromas. It's medium-full bodied with nicely balanced citrusy aroma replays. Acids are very good. The long finish is crisp and spicy with a fine mineral note. Score: 89 pts
DOMAINE COUDOULIS EVIDENCE LIRAC 2016 - AP, Rhône, France (XD) - 9 €
Blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre (15%), Carignan, and Cinsault. Medium-high intensity nose is meaty with floral, dark cherry, blackberry, licorice, and black spice aromas. The spicy medium+ bodied palate has nice dark cherry/berry and oak spice notes. Well-structured with refined tannins. Nicely balanced overall with good acidity. Finish length is very good. Score: 89 pts
OGIER LOU CAMINÉ LIRAC BLANC 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (XD)
First vintage of this wine. Blend of Clairette and Grenache Blanc from 5 to 80 year-old vines that was barrel-fermented and barrel-aged. It has medium-high intensity aromas that are clean and elegant with mineral, lemon/lime, herbs and anise notes, all of which come through on the medium+ bodied palate with hints of saline minerality. Acids are fresh and the finish length is excellent. Score: 90 pts
OGIER ETAMINES TAVEL 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (XD)
Pretty, medium-high intensity nose of strawberry, spice, currant, and cherry aromas. It is medium-full bodied with spicy aroma replays on the palate, fresh acids, and very good finish length. Score: 88 pts
DOMAINE DU VIEIL AVEN TAVEL 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (XD) - $18.70
Medium+ intensity nose is spicy with red currant, cherry, and strawberry aromas. The palate is full-ish with gentle tannins and juicy acids that support the nicely dry aroma replays. Very good finish length. Score: 88 pts
DOMAINE DES CARTERESSES TAVEL ROSÉ 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (#739474) (XD) - $18.95
The medium-high intensity nose is fresh has ripe aromas of strawberry, cherry, and rhubarb. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with a rounded mouthfeel. Touch candied cherry flavour, plus aroma replays on the flavour profile. Juicy acids, smooth tannins, and very good length on the finish. Score: 88 pts
CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON COMTESSE MADELEINE LIRAC BLANC 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (XD) - 13.5 €
Just bottled. Blend of Marsanne (40%), Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul, and Viognier. Medium-high intensity aromas are fresh and ripe with white and yellow florals, and key lime pie. On the medium-bodied palate, it has nice, ripe aroma replays supported by bright and lively acids. Anise, herbs, and lime notes linger on the long finish. Barrel-fermented and aged, yet oak is very subtle. Should drink well for at least half a dozen years. Score: 89 pts
CHÂTEAU DE MONTFAUCON VIN DE MADAME LA COMTESSE LIRAC BLANC 2012 - AP, Rhône, France (XD)
Limited production. 100% Clairette barrel-fermented from a small 1.3 acre vineyard first planted in 1870 - one of the oldest in Rhône Valley. Complex, medium-high intensity nose is exotic and a touch oxidative with nutty, pear and fennel aromas. Spicy palate is still showing freshness with very nice aroma replays and some mineral notes adding complexity. Shows finesse on the long, intense finish. 2012 was the first vintage of this wine. Score: 91 pts
DOMAINE LAFOND ROC-ÉPINE LIRAC BLANC 2017 - AP, Rhône, France (XD) - 10 €
This blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, and 20% Viognier that has medium+ intensity aromas of fennel, anise, lemony citrus, and herbs. Acids are fresh and bright on the medium-bodied palate with nice aroma replays on the flavour profile. Clean and crisp with hints of mineral on the long finish. Score: 88+ pts
DOMAINE LAFOND ROC-ÉPINE TAVEL 2017 - AP, Rhône, France (#950709) (XD) - 10 €
60% Grenache with equal parts Syrah and Cinsault. Medium-high intensity nose is pretty with freshly picked, ripe strawberry, rhubarb, and cherry aromas. The medium+ bodied palate is fleshy, a touch candied, but dry, with nice aroma replays. It has juicy acids, a spicy mid-palate, and very good finish length. Score: 88 pts
CHÂTEAU SÉGRIÈS LIRAC BLANC 2015 - AC, Rhône, France (XD) - 12 €
A blend of 50% Clairette, 30% Ugni Blanc, 10% Roussanne, 5% Bourboulenc, and 5% Picpoul that is 30% barrel-fermented. Subtle herbs, fennel, and lemon aromas. It is medium-full bodied and creamy with nice pear and herbals flavours. Crunchy fruit with fresh acidity. Finish length is very good. Score: 89 pts
CHÂTEAU SÉGRIÈS TAVEL 2016 - AC, Rhône, France (XD) - 12 €
Blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, and 10% Clairette. Medium+ intensity nose offers cherry, strawberry, and currant aromas, with much of the same on the spicy, full-bodied palate. It has some tannic structure, while acids and finish length are both very good. Score: 89 pts
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
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