Happy New Year 2012!

After neglecting this blog for a couple months, followed by a hack job on my wordpress (seriously?), I’ve finally come around to getting the site back up and running again. Just in time to wish everyone a great new year! I’ll still be very busy and may not ramble on as much as I used to, but I still feel like I should get some short Vimpressions up from time to time to keep myself in the bath, as we say in France. And what better way to get back on that horse than with a series of great holiday wines!

La Grange des Pères 2007 VdP de l’Hérault

My first encounter with this renowned Languedoc producer located near Aniane. The wine is youthful and concentrated, with structured though well polished tannins. A ripe vintage, but keeps a minty freshness from the high Cabernet Sauvignon percentage, which is the reason the label doesn’t carry the AOC.

Impression (+)

A very impressive wine that delivered everything I expected: warmth, tension and a solid frame. Almost like a father figure in fact, this “father’s barn” wine carried me on its shoulders as I relived a sunny stroll down the California shore many years ago. But can such a figure ever really live up to its status? This sturdy yet gentle red did, and only a certain childlike defiance kept me from truly releasing myself to its embrace. That and the 60+ euro price tag, though I would still recommend it.

Clavelier 1992 Clos Vougeot

I wasn’t expecting this red Bugundy to offer much honestly: born in a mediocre vintage from one of the more uneven Grand Crus. This 20 year-old bottle still had some life in it however.

Impression (-)

Ripe berry fruit flowed along the mellow texture with only a touch of herbal notes hinting at the less then optimal growing conditions. Still, the wine remained quite pleasant despite the adversity, and while it was not Grand Cru level, it was a  worthy companion for our turkey lunch.

Vincent Dauvissat 2005 Chablis 1er cru La Forest

Another big name, this time in Chablis. Dauvissat, along with Raveneau, is considered one of the very best of the appellation. From a ripe, yet balanced vintage, I wasn’t really sure what style to expect from this producer.

Impression (++)

The first nose gave away intense honeyed notes with ripe apple. There is already a touch of evolution on this premier cru, which I wasn’t necessarily expecting. Chablis does tend to mature relatively quickly, even at this level, but what I’ll take away from this experience is the pure sea shell minerality which emerged in the glass over time. Overshadowing even the deepest white fruits on my nose and palate, this luscious yet precise wine was unmistakably Chablis in character. No oak, and the hallmark acidity was there, though time (or is it the sunny vintage?) had softened its edges, leaving a solid streak across the tongue, without ever cutting in. Very impressive! I’d really like to try this wine from a more recent vintage such as 07, as I tend to prefer the fresher style.

Inniskillin 2008 Niagara Ice Wine Riesling

My brother brought back some fancy ice wine from Montreal. I already had a positive encounter with this wine at a tasting, and it was a nice chance to enjoy it in a more casual setting.

Impression (++)

And what a beauty! The piercing acidity on this very concentrated dessert wine had my taste buds dancing an evocative number around this bright metal pole, their full yet firm flesh swiftly swinging and leaping across my palate. And despite the raw, primitive pleasures it conjured in me, I could not help but applaud the wine as one might an opera or a piano recital.

Just as impressive, the red from Cabernet Franc tried the next day was also a huge success. I highly recommend it!

Here’s hoping 2012 brings even more of such encounters!