Chateau de Cayx 2010 Cahors, France

Chateau de Cayx 2010.

Wine review

3 of 5 stars

A good wine

Fitting for Cahors, this wine is almost black. The dark, deep ruby hue has a drop of purple in it. Scents of dark berries and fruits, plum, blackberries and black cherries are pronounced and fresh. Forming a more developed background to the fruit, there is plenty of spice, as well as some leather and farmyard aromas. Not entirely pleasant to my nose, a certain river-stone minerality with a hint of algae or moss character is perceptible. Finally, an elegant cigar smoke aroma is revealed following an hour in a decanter.

Having a full body and very powerful, concentrated acidity as well as medium tannins, this wine has plenty of aging potential. Dark plums and black berries dominate the aromatic palate. Nevertheless, the spice and smoke are evident as well, now intertwined with chocolate and liquorice nuances. Tannin quality is round and velvety already now in 2015. The spicy finish is medium length and pleasant. Although there is interesting aromatic complexity, an abundance of fruit and mostly pleasant tannin, the balance of this wine steers somewhat to the bitter and acidic side. Bottle age will integrate the structure further and show the potential of this still relatively young wine.

Aromatically complex and high in acid this wine would benefit from pairing with acidic foods as well as aromatic dark meat dishes, for example game or lamb with herbs. Decanting is good idea as there might be some deposit.

A good, concentrated, quality Malbec from Cahors.

Info in a nutshell

Price examples:

DKK 175 (EUR 24)  webshop vildmedvin.dk (ships also abroad)

DKK 170 wine shop Vinspecialisten, Copenhagen, Denmark

Country and region: Cahors, France

Grape: Malbec 100%

Alc vol: 14,5%

Producer: Chateau de Cayx

Background

Fascinatingly, Chateau de Cayx is owned by His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark.  Considering this and the fact that I’m an admirer of boldly structured wines, I could not resist this particular Cahors Malbec when I ran into it. The wine-merchant told me that HRH Prince Henrik has developed the chateau significantly during the recent years, aiming at excellent quality. A highly skilled enologist and winemaker has been brought in and the vineyards have been replanted.

Cahors is historically known for its black wine, or vin noir de Lot - Lot being synonymous for Malbec. Eventhough Cahors wines are not made by evaporating water from the Malbec juice anymore, and hence are not black, still a minimum of 70% of Malbec is required for Cahors AOC. Small percentages of Merlot and Tannat are often blended to Malbec to make these wines more approachable. They benefit from bottle age due to Malbec’s high tannin and acidity, and can be quite tight when opened too early. Chateau de Cayx 2010, however, is made of 100% Malbec.

P-U-R Beaujolais-Villages 2013, Beaujolais, France

P-U-R Beujolais-Villages 2013.

Wine review

4 of 5 stars

A very good wine

Should you be bored with Beaujolais candy-potions, this wine presents you with an opportunity to taste a different style of Beaujolais. 

True to the nature of Gamay variety, this wine is pale, clear, ruby in colour. However, the nose is a different story. From a Beaujolais, I would ordinarily expect some fresh banana and candy-like strawberry aromas due to carbonic maceration but these are non-existent. The surprisingly multifaceted, medium intensity aroma profile is first accentuated by flowers followed by red fresh berries and finally some farmyard funk. Violets, red cherries, raspberries and cranberries form a fresh scenery that is elegantly intertwined with a backdrop of subtle animalistic depth.

On the palate, high acidity and abundant fruit depict the first strike. Very fine grained, light tannins and crisp acidity generate a light and etherial mouthfeel. Although Gamay usually gives low-tannin wines, in this case these light tannins are clearly perceptible. In tandem with vivid acidity, they enjoyably balance the complex red fruit and animalistic aromas of the mid-palate. Finishing with a medium length cranberry aftertaste, this wine leaves a pleasant impression.

Vibrant, fruity and fresh, this Beaujolais is best enjoyed now or during the next few years. Its light, acidic nature invites vegetable based dishes like grilled zucchini. Fish and light meat dishes could also be paired successfully with this light, acidic, floral red wine.

A graceful example of Beaujolais-Villages natural wine. 

Info in a nutshell

Price examples:

USD 14 at Brooklynwineexchange.com

EUR 7.50 per glass and 47.50 per bottle at Gastropub Tuulensuu, Tampere, Finland

Country and region: France, Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages

Grape: Gamay 100%

Alc vol: 10,5%

Producer: Product Unique Rebelle, P-U-R

Background

P-U-R (Product Unique Rebelle) is a negociant owning a few hectares of vineyards and buying the rest of their grapes from organic farmers. Adhering to strictly natural winemaking style for P-U-R doesn’t mean taking risks in terms of wine faults. High quality is not a laughing matter to P-U-R, although they sure like to make rebellious fun of wine world phenomena. P-U-R’s Finnish importer told me that a while ago P-U-R aptly placed a banana smelling sticker on their Beaujolais wine’s label as a comment on the direction taken by aromatic development of wines in the area. In my opinion, an aromatically versatile, interesting and pleasant wine like P-U-R Beaujolais-Villages is a statement on the subject in itself.

Andréa Calek Chatons de Garde 2012, Ardeche, France

Chatons de Garde 2012.

Wine review

4 of 5 stars

A very good wine

The colour is clear, medium ruby with a slight tint of purple. Tearing in the glass hints towards high alcohol content. The nose is aromatically multifaceted with pronounced intensity. There are autumnal ripe dark berries and fruits: cherries and cassis, as well as fresh and dried plums. Animalistic aroma components of delicate sweat and leather are also present. Fallen leaves and black pepper complete the bouquet. An image of Rhone vineyard landscape glowing in the gold of autumn sun forms in my mind.

On the palate the first strike is full bodied, fruity, and round. However, the mid palate reveals high acidity, high alcohol and great deal of tannin. The bold acid structure is well in balance with the fruitiness. Tannins are mouth filling and velvety. They can be felt on the tip and the sides of the tongue the most. The aromas on the palate follow the impressions of the nose. The fruity after taste is long and pleasant.

This wine would be beautifully complemented by an aromatic game stew. However, it would work just fine with a good steak and dark sauce, or mixed grill and vegetables.

A well integrated, balanced wine. I warmly recommend.  

Info in a nutshell

Price examples: 

USD 26.99 per bottle at Union Square Wines

EUR 49.50 per bottle at GastropubTuulensuu, Tampere, Finland

Country and region: France, Ardèche, Alba la Romaine

Grape: Syrah 100%

Producer: Andréa Calek

Background

Andrea Calek was born in former Czechoslovakia and currently lives and works as a winemaker in Ardéche, France. You could call him a bit of a bohemian of the  wine making world, I guess, since he makes wine with a hard core natural wine philosophy and lives in a trailer close to his five hectare vineyards.

He came to France in the end of the 80’s, making his way from behind the iron curtain, which proved to be a challenge. The story involves a military service in Czechoslovakia, an especially lucky opportunity to make a trip to France, falling for France, a doctor’s certificate as an attempt to get discharged from the army, which didn’t work, a return to Czechoslovakia and military service, and finally finding love in France, which gave Calek finally an opportunity to return. As a delightful result of his all this, we now have a chance to enjoy the fruits of his painstaking natural wine production.   

Calek aims at tending to the vineyards and vinifying the wines so that the outcome would be a seamlessly expressive reflection of the grape variety and the terroir. Everything that might be considered manipulating the wine is avoided. Hence, no new oak, no commercial yeasts – you get the picture. Having tasted Chatons de Garde (eng. Kittens patrolling), (and having ordered a second glass right away), I have to say that Syrah is downright glowing in this wine. Calek’s products speak for themselves.