It's been a WHILE! Not to say that I haven't been drinking (let's not get crazy here), I just haven't been writing. I've had this review scribbled on yellow legal pad in my purse for a week- I just needed time to sit down and add it.
 Ok, this week- 2009 Vignoble Terres Falmet 100% Cinsault. This is a Vin de France from the Languedoc region of south east France. This was brought in by a distributor for me and the boys at Crush to taste and I had to write about it here. When I taste wine I am always looking for something different and interesting. Though there is a difference between what I like in a sample and what I can drink multiple glasses of without food, my favorite thing about wines is texture. What the nose leads you to think how the actual liquid will feel on the palate. I prefer wines that are a bit rough around the edges when you first pour them. There is a time and a place for big, soft and round wines... but to catch my attention, I like something that brings the image of scuffed knees when I was a kid, or shag carpet- you get the idea. Something other than silky, velvety curtains (though I enjoy those as well).
  Cinsault is classically a blending grape in the Rhone Valley and Languedoc (who commonly use Rhone varietals). It's a bit more rare to see this grape it on it's own- but it is so great when it is. Tasting these supporting varietals alone allows me to find them in blends and understand what they bring to the combination- how they support other varietals and at the same time how they are supported. But lets start from the beginning...
 The nose is a bit brambly or has hints of garrigue- kind of underbrushy, earthy tones with herbs and spices. There is this light, dry soil aroma which makes me visualize dry brown stones. The fruits I found were along the lines of currant or cranberry on the front but they became dark like black berry or the smell of ripe plum skin. This reminded me of Pinot Noir at times, cherry and other red fruits at the beginning of the sniff and then a touch of that darker fruit to give the nose depth. It makes me think of starting to slide down a hill and you are high at the  peak (light, red fruits) and then it dips down low (enter dark fruits) before you slow at the end of the slope).
 The palate was a trip. This VdF is texture like I've never had in a wine. The fruits were confirmed and the mouth-feel was incredible! Swirling this wine around on my tongue combined with the flavor of light soil, I half expected to bite down on bits of dirt! The tannin was gentle but prickly and brought a very vivid picture of rolling earth around in a glass jar. This Cinsault has a similar weight to a Burgundian Pinot Noir- light with snappy acid and thin but taught tannin towards the front of the mouth. The fresh acidity really allowed the fruit to pop and seem more vibrant than it had on the nose. I did get a small sense of match stick which I chalk up to sulfur which did not dissipate as the wine sat open- by the second day it was still noticeable. On day 2 I also kept thinking purple Popsicle- not in the sense of sugary sweetness, but just fresh and sweet smelling fruit.
 I really got a kick out of this bottle and I hope to see it on our shelves in the Cellar soon. The texture of this bottle will stick with me for a while and I can't wait to bring one home and enjoy it over dinner. I see this being a great food wine- it's acid and tannin will stand up to small game, pork loin with a berry sauce or chicken dishes. I would lean toward an old world style of meat- nothing too clean, but nothing too heavy (not your steak wine). This could be a fun one to try with Coq au Vin.

Three quickies

Here are 3 quickies* I put together for the Cellar Wine Club September allotment:

2009 Flaherty Red (blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo)

With fruit reminiscent of summer berries but spice that screams fall, this wine seems tailor 

made to drink now. This is SO well balanced that it comes across as pleasant,
polite and pretty- the Miss Manners of red wine... not to suggest it's dull... there is
TONS going on in this glass but since one component isn’t sticking out more than the
others it's difficult to differentiate flavors - it just gives you a feeling. Syrah
and Tempranillo are so dominant, the cab is really hidden- lets say it lends its
structure to this red while soft, jammy Syrah and herbal, spicy Tempranillo take the reins
and drive.

2011 Talinay Sauvignon Blanc

This thing is bright, baby! wet, fresh green grass mixed with honeydew, Serrano pepper and
fresh squeezed lime... It's like the A.D.D. kid that missed his meds for the day and he's
giving you everything all at once. This slows a bit on the palate as its surprisingly soft
and round texture allow your senses to slow down and relax. That zippy entry and Sauv
Blanc acid keep this young'n kicking and (dare I say it) makes me think of warm summer
months (in some other state, obviously). Seashell minerals and clean, clean fruit

make this more appetizing than water when you're parched.

2010 Garage Wine Co. Lot #32 Carignan This nose is heady, dense, rich and stewy... not my normal impression of Carignan, but take one sip and the structure reminds you what you're drinking. Tart cranberry makes a quick appearance but falls away to those dark fruits from the nose. This palate takes up space (kind of like throwing elbows in your mouth, but elbows with huge, fluffy pillows tied to them). On the mid-palate, those brighter Carignan notes shine through as well as acid and young fruit tannin. Strawberry popsicle or fruit rollup come to mind but darken a bit to suggest Coppa (cured pork shoulder) with dried fruit notes laced with pepper and a touch of heat. 


*-note, Chad Culley edited my paragraphs so he made a few structural changes

2009 Noceto Sangiovese Amador County, CA-

                                                      

Well, I have the weekend off and the weather calls for 80 mile an hour winds through the weekend. It only makes sense to drink a bottle of wine throughout the day and take a few notes on it. Good plan, I say.
 I was delighted to see this wine show back in the AK market. Cellar Bottle Shoppe carried a previous vintage for a wine club about a year and a half ago and I never saw it after that. Thanks to Stellar Wines for bringing it back.
 As much as I say I'm picky about Chardonnay, I'm even pickier (or more judgmental) about American wines... I can't help it- it's almost embedded in the serious wine drinker mind (or written in our secret credo). SOME American producers (you know who you are) make a product that doesn't speak of its origins, dominates the fruit with tons of oak and kill the palate with 15+ percent alcohol. That's how you know your wine interest goes beyond enjoying a glass- when you find yourself thinking, "Gosh, this would be great if there wasn't so much alcohol in my alcohol". Not to say Old World producers aren't guilty of the aforementioned crimes... I'm just harsh on my own kind.
 Anyway, that being said, I love this Sangiovese. The same grape used for Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino in Italy, this grape found its home in California back in the 19th century from wonderful Italian immigrants who came to our neck of the woods to make some wine and a life. The nose of this wine is recognizably Sangio. Red flowers, dried blood orange skin, dried berries and a hint of fresh tomato. Noceto's expression has this underlying dark base that carries through the nose but allows the lighter aromas listed above to be the first thing you pick up. The dark flavors of mission fig, black pepper and black licorice create the perfect foundation for this velvety red. Despite being a California wine, the nose pays homage to the Old World with the brightness of Chianti Classico and the dark power of Brunello. If Fall had a fragrance it would be this wine. The fruit and spice components are a perfect example of the combination of the smells of changing leaves and Autumn cooking ingredients like spices, pumpkins, red apples and squash. It makes me think of Thanksgiving and it's only September. Going back to this wine a couple hours later, it has become much more perfume-y and herbal- lots of flowers, face powder (the kind your grandmother wore), anise and dried thyme.
 The palate is just as pleasing. You're greeted with that bright Sangio fruit and acid that elevates aromas of flowers, dried cranberry and Bing cherry. The mid-palate transitions into darker flavors of that same mission fig and very apparent black licorice and dark chocolate. The texture is very soft and drinkable due to a kiss of oak that certain California smoothness. Noceto oaks this wine, but I love how they refrain from oaking the grape expression away. The thin, taught tannin of Sangiovese is still offering its structure but is a bit tamed from the barrel. I want to say they use French Oak with a medium char but the spice and herbal character on this wine makes me lean towards some American in there too (their site does not specify). The tannin gives way and allows acid to finish the ride (a Sangiovese trait) but it's gentle in its approach and doesn't leave you with a mouthful of extra saliva. Every component seems to be in place here and I find it to be quite well balanced. I find it exciting to see that in younger wines, as I would pin this around 2008 or so in a blind tasting. It drinks beyond it's years and is in no rush to show you everything it has. If you give this wine the time to open up its really mellow and enjoyable with plenty to smell and taste.