PAUL HAERLE'S
VINO FINO TASTING
of
1999 LANGUEDOC & ROUSSILLON REDS
One of the newer members of the group assembled a very
interesting set of wines featuring Syrah-based reds from various producers.
We found far finer quality today than we'd experienced in these wines many years
ago. New vineyards featuring finer grape varieties and serious
quality-oriented winemakers have gone a long way towards this improvement.
The Brown-Bagged Bottles.
| The Wines |
Gerald's Rank |
GROUP RANK |
TOTAL POINTS |
1sts/2nds/
Lasts |
ERMITAGE du PIC
SAINT-LOUP
1999 Coteaux du Languedoc
$11.50 |
8 |
8 |
57 |
0/0/5 |
MAS CHAMPART
1999
St. Chinian
$16.95 |
3 |
4 |
41 |
0/1/1 |
MAS CHAMPART
1999
Coteaux du Languedoc
$13.95 |
2 |
5 |
43 |
1/1/0 |
GILBERT ALQUIER et Fils
1999
Faugres
$12.95 |
5 |
7 |
54 |
0/1/2 |
DOMAINE De PUECH CHAUD
1999
Coteaux du Languedoc
"Langlade"
$28 |
4 |
6 |
44 |
1/0/1 |
CHTEAU LA ROQUE
1999
Pic Saint-Loup
$11.25 |
7 |
3 |
33 |
1/3/0 |
CHTEAU LA ROQUE
1999
Pic Saint-Loup
"Cupa Numismae"
$17.50 |
6 |
1 |
21 |
4/2/0 |
CHTEAU de LASCAUX
1999
Pic Saint-Loup
"Les Nobles Pierres"
$17.50 |
1 |
2 |
31 |
2/1/0 |
Tim and Ernie.
8th Place: ERMITAGE du PIC SAINT-LOUP "Coteaux du
Languedoc"
Bad bottle. Corked. Smelled like a cellar and a salt air
breeze. Woof. Four tasters didn't rank this last! Imagine that.
7th Place: GILBERT ALQUIER et FILS "Faugres"
Mild berry notes and a touch of spice...This is a rather standard
quality wine, seemingly made of Grenache and Carignane. Moderately
tannic. Nothing wrong with this wine, but not terribly exciting, either.
6th Place: DOMAINE de PUECH CHAUD "Coteaux du
Languedoc" -Langlade-
I suppose this is more costly because it's the work of a famous
winemaker from another part of France. There are some elements which are
interesting and enjoyable, but you might not be appreciative of the smoky,
burnt, smells-like-they-had-a-fire fragrances. One taster thought it has
the acrid burn of SO2, while I overheard
someone else describe this as "vegetal." The leathery, smoky,
meaty features are interesting and bold, but so is the price.
5th Place: MAS CHAMPART "Coteaux du Languedoc"
I found the famous "garrigue"-like notes to the fragrance of
this wine (and it's in the other wine from the same producer). Hints of
rosemary on the nose...nice flavors with a touch of spice. Fairly elegant
and drinkable now.
4th Place: MAS CHAMPART "St. Chinian"
This wine had a bit more spice than the basic Languedoc bottling.
The wine shows rosemary and lavender spice notes to its fragrance, with a touch
of anise on the palate, as well. There's a fair bit of structure here, so
you'd want to serve it with something substantial, food-wise.
3rd Place: CHTEAU LA ROQUE "Pic Saint-Loup"
I marked this down because of the "stewed fruit" or raspberry
jam notes...a matter of personal taste, I suppose. Many people found this
to be likeable. I found the flavor to be superior to the
aromas,
2nd Place: CHTEAU de LASCAUX "Pic Saint-Loup" --Les Nobles
Pierres--
For me, the
wine of the tasting! Head and shoulders above the rest of the crowd, this
is a special bottling that's dominated by Syrah. A few months in oak don't
hurt, either! The wine had a wonderful cedar, sandalwood fragrance with
plummy, ripe fruit and a bit of spice. There's a light touch of anise on
the palate, as well. Beautifully balanced,
1st Place: CHTEAU LA ROQUE "Pic
Saint-Loup" --Cupa Numismae--
The group favorite is a special bottling from La Roque. Much like the
other wine of this property, "Cupa Numismae," named after an ancient
coin found on the estate, is also a fairly jammy, somewhat over-ripe affair with
sweet fruit elements and a bit of tannin. Nothing special in my book, but
others enjoyed it.
VINO FINO TASTING ARCHIVE
2007 RUSSIAN RIVER PINOT NOIRS February 2010
A
RANGE OF FRENCH CHABLIS WINES January 2010
HOLIDAY DINNER
& WINE MARATHON December 2009
ROSÉ
SPARKLING WINES November 2009
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS October 2009
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS September 2009
GREEK
RED WINES August 2009
2005
BUDGET BORDEAUX July 2009
CAMPANIAN
WHITE WINES June 2009
MIXED
BAG OF CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIRS April 2009
RIOJA
WINES, MOSTLY FROM THE 2004 VINTAGE March 2009
NORTH
COAST PETITE SIRAHS February 2009
SYRAH
& PETITE SIRAH COMPARISON January 2009
A
VINO FINO CHRISTMAS December 2008
MOSTLY
2005s: NAPA CABERNETS November 2008
SONOMA
COUNTY PINOT NOIRS October 2008
SANTA
RITA HILLS -2006 VINTAGE- PINOT NOIRS SEPTEMBER 2008
NEWLY
RELEASED ZINFANDELS August 2008
WHITE
RHÔNE VALLEY WINES JULY 2008
LOIRE
VALLEY SAUVIGNONS JUNE 2008
FRENCH
CHABLIS 2005-2006 MAY 2008
NORTHERN
RHÔNE SYRAHS APRIL 2008
SANTA
CRUZ MOUNTAINS PINOT NOIRS January 2008
ANNUAL
HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS DINNER December 2007
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS November 2007
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ October 2007
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO WINES September 2007
SONOMA'S
2005 VINTAGE ZINFANDELS August 2007
CURRENT
RELEASE (2004-2005) ZINFANDELS July 2007
ROS
WINES FROM ALL OVER June 2007
ITALIAN
LAGREIN WINES May 2007
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS April 2007
SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE PINOT NOIRS March 2007
MOSTLY
2004 CABERNETS February 2007
CRU
BEAUJOLAIS January 2007
A VINO
FINO CHRISTMAS December 2006
CALIFORNIA
ZINFANDELS November 2006
PINOT
NOIRS of VALUE-PRICING October 2006
WORLD
OF SYRAHS TASTING September 2006
AUSSIE
CABERNET-SHIRAZ BLENDS August 2006
ALEXANDER
VALLEY (California) and MARGARET RIVER (Australia) CABERNETS July
2006
CALIFORNIA
PETITE SIRAHS June 2006
2004
NORTH COAST PINOTS and a FRENCH INTRUDER May 2006
AGLIANICO
: BASILICATA & CAMPANIA'S MAJOR RED WINE April 2006
NERO
D'AVOLA - A TASTE OF SICILIA March 2006
UNDER THE
VINO FINO RADAR ZINFANDELS January 2006
HOLIDAY WINE
TASTING & DINNER December 2005
BUBBLIES FROM AROUND
THE WORLD November 2005
NORTH
COAST PINOT NOIRS October 2005
STATE
OF CONFUSION CABERNETS September 2005
TIM
ZAINER'S SIDEWAYS LOOK AT MERLOTS August 2005
LOIRE VALLEY CABERNET
FRANCS June 2005
CALIFORNIA
SYRAHS March 2005
2002
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS February 2005
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY WINE MARATHON December 2004
CHARDONNAYS
OF MODEST PRICE November 2004
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO October 2004
2002
CENTRAL COAST PINOT NOIRS September 2004
AUSSIE
SHIRAZ-CABERNET BLENDS August 2004
GEWRZTRAMINERS
FROM ALSACE July 2004
2001
SOUTHERN RHNES (7 Chteauneufs & a Vacqueyras) June 2004
AGLIANICO
WINES FROM CAMPANIA & BASILICATA May 2004
MONTEPULCIANO
WINES FROM THE ABRUZZO & MARCHE REGIONS April 2004
SONOMA
ZINFANDELS February 2004
1997
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO January 2004
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA 2003
2001
CTES du RHNES September 17, 2003
2000
OREGON PINOT NOIRS August 20, 2003
WEST
COAST SYRAHS July 16, 2003
2000
Bordeaux June 18, 2003
2000
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS May 21, 2003
OFF
THE BEATEN PATH SYRAHS APRIL 16, 2003
2002 NEW ZEALAND
SAUVIGNON BLANCS March 19, 2003
1999
California CABERNETS February 19, 2003
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA December 4, 2002
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ August 21, 2002
CHAMPAGNES
& SPARKLERS July 17, 2002
Interesting
Paired CHARDONNAYS
May 15, 2002
2001
Southern Hemisphere SAUVIGNON BLANCS Feb. 20, 2002
1999 ZINFANDELS January 16, 2002
HOLIDAY
SEASON BACCHANALIA
December 5, 2001
1999-2000
New PINOT NOIRS November 14, 2001
1999
CALIFORNIA ZINFANDELS October 17, 2001
1998
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 19, 2001
1999
LANGUEDOC REDS August 15, 2001
1997
SAUTERNES July 18, 2001
Mostly
1998 NEBBIOLO June 20, 2001
1999 PINOT NOIRS May
16, 2001
1996
SAINT-MILION Tasting April 18, 2001
CARNEROS
CHARDONNAYS March 21, 2001
1984-1985
NAPA CABERNETS/John Vignau Memorial Tasting October 20, 2000
1997
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 20, 2000
1998 CALIFORNIA
CHARDONNAYS August 16, 2000
WINES
FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE: CLARETS June 21, 2000
WINES
FROM UNDER THE TUSCAN (and Umbrian) SUN Aprile 19, 2000
1997 BORDEAUX: MEDOC May 17,
2000
