2009 Qupé Marsanne Santa Ynez Valley California USA

QUPÉ

Qupé is dedicated to producing handcrafted Rhône varietals and Chardonnay from California’s Central Coast. Robert Neil Lindquist, a.k.a “Bob”, and his team employ traditional winemaking techniques to make wines, which are “varietally” correct, true to their type and speak of their vineyard sources and Terroir of origin.

Qupé goal is to make wines with impeccable balance that can be enjoyed in their youth, yet because of the good acidity from cool vineyard sites can also benefit from ageing. Bob and his team are committed to sourcing grapes from some of the best and most prestigious vineyards in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

Yet, before I describe the 2009 Qupe Marsanne Santa Ynez Valley California, it will be difficult not to talk about the legendary winemaker behind the label and his very interesting journey in the wine world, which inspired him at an early age and eventually led the way, bouncing from one opportunity to another, to become one of the best winemakers and producers of California central coast.

So here is his story that I simply took and slightly shorten from the winery website at http://qupe.com/

Robert Neil “Bob” Lindquist was born in the Midwest and moved to Southern California with his family in 1964 when Bob was 11 years old. The sixties music scene quickly became a passion of Bob’s as bands like the Beatles, Beach Boys, Kinks, Byrds and Rolling Stones were electrifying the airwaves…rock and roll music still resonates with Bob and in fact the “Kinks” later became a plot device in Bob’s choice to pursue a career in winemaking.

In the early ‘70’s while Bob was in college at UC Irvine he got his first taste of good wine and he was instantly hooked. Bob started hanging out at Hi-Time Cellars, a great wine shop in Bob’s hometown of Costa Mesa, asking a lot of questions and buying whatever wines he could afford…and in 1975, at the age of 22 years old, Bob moved from “SoCal” with his young family to the North Central Coast to pursue a career in the wine business.

Bob’s first job was working the 1975 harvest at the Fortino Winery in the Hecker Pass area near Gilroy. When harvest ended he landed a job at the San Martin Winery tasting room in Gilroy where his enthusiasm and growing wine knowledge quickly got him promoted to assistant manager. San Martin was a dynamic and important player in the growing Central Coast wine business.

When an opportunity to manage a new tasting room in Ventura County came along in 1976, Bob jumped on it. This lead to Bob’s discovery of the potential for wine in neighboring Santa Barbara County, and from his first visits to Firestone Vineyards, Santa Ynez Valley Winery, Rancho Sisquoc and Sanford & Benedict this is where he was destined to be.

On January 1st, 1979, Bob moved to Santa Ynez to manage a retail wine shop in the little town of Los Olivos. This shop was way ahead of its time, and was owned by the son of the owner of Zaca Mesa Winery. Fate intervened (the Kinks) and in September 1979 Bob went to work at Zaca Mesa as their first tour guide just in time for the upcoming harvest. Zaca Mesa didn’t get many tourists in those early days so most of Bob’s time was spent working in the cellar learning to make wine under the tutelage of assistant winemaker Jim Clendenen, who would become Bob’s winemaking mentor.

Zaca Mesa was fertile ground for learning about winemaking in this up and coming region. In 1982, while still working at Zaca Mesa, Bob started Qupé by buying barrels and grapes and traded his time to use Zaca Mesa’s facility. In that first vintage he made 900 cases of chardonnay, syrah and a dry rosé of pinot noir.

After the 1983 harvest Bob left Zaca Mesa and went off on his own, continuing to rent space in other wineries to make the Qupé wines. As the winery’s production grew, Bob decided to focus on Syrah and other varietals of the Rhone, while continuing to make chardonnay, which always helped pay the bills.

In 1989 Bob joined with his old friend Jim Clendenen (who had started his own winery, Au Bon Climat, in 1982) to build a winery facility of their own under a lease agreement with the Bien Nacido Vineyard. The wines continue to be produced in this same facility to this day.

Bob is also a partner in Verdad, a winery dedicated to Spanish varieties produced by his wife, Louisa. In 2002 Bob and Louisa purchased an 80 acre ranch in the Edna Valley near San Luis Obispo, and the following year they moved to SLO with their then 2 year old son Theo. In 2005 they planted 40 acres at what is now called the Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard, where they are starting the next chapter of their life.

In short, Bob Lindquist had an amazing “parcours” and is now a recognized and consulted winemaker, who transmitted his passion for wine and winemaking to most members of his family. Bob’s two oldest sons, Ethan and Luke Lindquist, are also winemakers and spent plenty of time around the ABC/Qupé winery. Daughter Paige runs the Qupé tasting room and wine club.


2009 Qupé Marsanne Santa Ynez Valley California USA
Suggested retail price $15-$18
Distributed by Verity Wine Partners in NYC

2009 Qupe Marsanne Santa Ynez Valley is a blend of 85% Marsanne and 15% Roussanne, including 70% Marsanne from Ibarra-Young, 15% Marsanne from Purisima Mountain and 15% Roussanne from Bien Nacido Vineyards. The Marsanne lots were barrel fermented and aged in neutral barrels, while the Roussanne was fermented and aged in one year old Francois Freres French oak barrels.

The Marsanne lots were picked at the low end of ripeness, 21.2° for the Ibarra-Young and 22.2° for the Purisima, while they still have great acidity and fresh, balanced alcohol levels. The Roussanne holds its acidity better and was picked at riper sugars, 24.4°, which adds richness and complexity to the blend. 848 cases of 750ml and 98 cases of half bottles were bottled in June 2010.

The resulting 2009 Qupé Marsanne Santa Ynez Valley is a classic example of Marsanne from cooler climate in central coast. Yet it is far from the Marsanne wines of the Rhone Valley, which are fatter and denser. This Marsanne has more refreshing acidity, crispiness and balance, and seems less viscous than its Rhone counterpart. Even the color seems paler. The nose exhibits aromas of white core fruit like white peach, but also citrus and fresh almond, with flinty mineral notes. The palate is rich and complex, and lively and racy, with a lengthy zesty finish, rather than being flat and dull like it happens too often with white Rhone when not properly handle and care after, more especially if inexpensive.

Like Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne are difficult grape varieties to work with and the result may sometime be unsatisfying, if not crafted with enough acidity and balance of all components. I must say that Bob isn’t like at his first vintage, and his experience is greatly reflected in his wines, especially this one (and his Syrah, which is for me always a standard of quality).

Although ready to drink now, this Marsanne blend offers texture, structure, balance and great acidity, which should allow it to age nicely for the next 2-3 years, and more (but you know me, I hate speculating about how long a wine will last in the bottle, because there are too many factors that come to play in the life of a wine to really be certain and advance big numbers: how it was stored, oscillating temperatures, etc…).

However, in my opinion, better drink it now than latter to enjoy the full characteristic of the flavors, which encompasses vibrant nuances of peach pit, citrus and green hazelnuts and honey in the lingering finish. Serve it as an aperitif with hors d’oeuvres, but also with fish and white meat dishes.

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

Most info taken and partly edited from the winery website at http://qupe.com/

Step into the Green! Drink more Biodynamic, Biologique and Organic wines and spirits and food) from sustainable culture and respect the environment! Support the right causes for the Planet and all the people suffering all around the globe! Also follow projects and products from the Fair Trade, an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. Also support 1% for the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental organizations worldwide. "Commerce Equitable" or "Fair Trade" is evidently and more than ever a needed movement connecting producers and customers, to be aware of others and their cultural and traditional products based on high quality, natural components and craftsmanship.

Savoie & Adrien Berlioz Cellier des Cray Chignin Savoie France

Savoie

Savoie is decidedly one of my favorite French wine areas with the Southwest of France, Loire Valley, Burgundy and Jura. I have always liked the wines from the northern and southern Rhone Valley, Provence, Languedoc and Roussillon, yet I have discovered that if the wines are too hot, too ripe or present too much alcohol, I’m not into them at all.

As a Bordeaux native, I like Bordeaux wines a lot but I’m relatively picky with the juice from my region of origin. I need to admit that the last 18 years spent tasting between 4,000 to 6,000(+) wines a year from all around the world as a Sommelier and Wine buyer, oriented my palate towards bright, balanced, juicy, harmonious, structured and textured yet vivid red, white and rosé wines with crisp acidity, good minerality and refreshing palate rather than overripe, opulent and oaky fruit bombs.

That is why, I must confess, it is somewhat difficult for me to fully appreciate New World style wines, especially when super oaky and over 14.5 degrees of alcohol. I understand and comprehend them and even realize why some people may like them, as I have to in order to diversify the wine selection on the shelves and offer a wide array of wines in the store to satisfy my customers’ tastes, but I rarely enjoy them: too heavy, too alcoholic, too woody, lacking of freshness and vibrancy.

In fact, I like some of the New Zealand and South-African wines, which can be pretty good and expressive; but also some Malbec from Argentina, Tannat from Uruguay, some Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile and California, some Pinot Noir from Oregon and Washington, and even quite a few Greek and Lebanese wines.

However, whatever I do or taste, it seems that I always come back to the old world, and more especially wines from vineyards located in cooler climate with higher elevation, presenting more minerals and acidity with less alcohol and crispier taste.

Despite my love for Spanish and Portuguese wines in general (the traditional style preferably), fresh and crispy wines from hillsides and steep slopes seems to please my palate more than anything else, and I usually greatly appreciate the wines from Piedmont, Veneto, Alto-Adige, Tuscany and Campania in Italy, and more especially Loire, Burgundy, Alsace, Jura and Savoie in France.

But why Savoie? Is it because I did my army in the “Chasseurs Alpins” in Grenoble and I’m very familiar with the area and enjoy the countless hours of trekking and climbing in the Alps? I don’t know, but one thing is sure Mountainous wines seems to be clean, pure, versatile, complex, vibrant and surely very easy to drink and enjoy. They almost feel like glacier spring water gently and slowly filtered by the rocky soils, taking all the best components the ground as to offer and restituting them in its pure and refreshing and thirst quenching mineral unique way.

For me, Savoie wines reflect their environment of origin: light on their feet and lightly perfumed like a mountain breeze, pure, crisp, vivid, super refreshing, from the most simple to the most complex, they always seem very pleasing and the unavoidable minerality add an extra dimension that is extremely satisfying.

Vin de Savoie is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for wines produced in the Savoie region, which is located in the foothills of the French Alps, central eastern part of France (south of Geneva). The region is divided roughly into three distinct parts: the glacially sculpted terrain along the South shore of Lake Geneva, the hilly country near the northern end of the "Lac du Bourget", and the area bordering the "Massif des Bauges" south of Chambéry.

Savoie's wines: The produced wines are mostly white (more than 70%), made from grape varieties planted mainly on the slopes of the various surrounding Mountain chains (and partly in the valley) around the villages of Chignin, Apremont, Abymes, Jongieux, St Badolph and Cruet for the whites, made with Altesse (also known as Roussette), Jacquère, Chasselas, Chardonnay and also Roussanne for the rare Chignin-Bergeron. There are also some reds (relatively light yet fresh, earthy and aromatic) made from Mondeuse, Gamay Noir and occasionally Pinot Noir, and also some rosés made from Gamay and some sparkling wines.

Chignin: Located about 10 miles southeast of Chambéry, the little village of Chignin resides at the foot of the high limestone escarpments in the southern part of the Bauges massif, central eastern France, in the Savoie region (eastern part of the Rhône-Alpes, bordering the neighboring Switzerland and Valle d'Aosta in Italy).

Chignin (Suite): Overhanging the valley at an altitude of roughly 370 meters on the southwestern slope of the Summit of Montgelas (1300 meters above sea level), this pretty Savoyard village of Chignin can be spotted from a distance due to its 14th century tower and its 19th century chapel dedicated to Saint-Anthelme. Also, due to its location, Chignin offers a fantastic panorama of the mountains of the Chartreuse National Park, especially the "Mont Grenier", located westward on the opposite side of the valley. Moreover, directly opposite of Chignin on the other side of the valley and “niched” on the eastern slope foothills of the summit of the "Pas de la Fosse", you can also see the village of Apremont, one of the other Cru villages from "Vin de Savoie". "Les Abymes" is nestled in the valley, separating the Massif des Bauges to the east and the Massif de la Chartreuse to the west, between Chignin and Apremont.

In a previous post, I was talking about the Quenard, which is a name particularly common in Savoie. Yet, Berlioz seems to take the same road, after Gilles Berlioz (read my previous post at www.ledomduvin.com/2009/08/2008-domaine-gilles-berlioz-chignin), today’s post is all about Adrien Berlioz.

Adrien Berlioz Cellier des Cray Chignin Savoie France

Adrien Berlioz took over the little family estate called “Cellier des Cray” at the beginning of 2006 and made it one of the most prestigious domaine of Chignin. The Domaine encompasses about 4.5 hectares of vineyards in organic conversion, located in a "lieu dit" called "Les Viviers" near Chignin, a small village between Albertville and Chambéry, at about 390 meters above sea level.

All the vines are planted in a warm Terroir composed of rock scree on the surface and calcareous-clay sub-soil. The very steep slopes’ vineyards, with 50% of inclination for some of them, are planted with grapes such as Jacquère and Roussanne for the white and Mondeuse for the red.

Adrien works with respect for the environment using, for now, the “Lutte Raisonnée” method with minimal use of chemicals, only when really necessary. He also uses Organic techniques tending towards Biodynamic, that he adapts to each parcels depending on the treatment needed to obtain the healthiest vines and grapes. Atop of not using any herbicides or inorganic fertilizers, working and plowing the ground are done with small tools to avoid tamping the soil and in the same time allow the upper ground layers and roots to breath. Everything is done mainly by hand and using a tractor will be too dangerous anyway due to the steepness of the slope in certain parcels. By working his vines and soils this way, he is hoping to be soon totally Organic or even Biodynamic.

This young “vigneron” is animated by great passion and rare humility. His wines transcribe the sincerity and detailed oriented attitude of the people from Savoie, but also the richness and complexity of their Terroir of origin. Adrien gives his vines a paternal attention translated into his wines with great attention to produce the best this mountainous land can offer.

Adrien Berlioz “Cellier des Cray” produces about 5 wines including 3 in the US market:




2009 Cellier des Cray Vin de Savoie Chignin Savoie France
Suggested retail price $11-$13
Distributed by Savio Soares Selection in NYC

This 100% Jacquère was vinified in stainless steel tanks and didn’t see any oak. The vines are about 40-45 years of age, planted on clay-calcareous soil, with a density of 8000 vines per hectares and yield averaging about 50 hectoliters per hectare. After manual harvest with transport of the grapes in plastic cases to arrive intact at the cellar, then immediate pressing with no air contact to prevent oxidation, vinification occurred in stainless still vats with regular bâtonnage of the lees for 4-6 months.

It is the pure expression of this indigenous grape producing light, clear, clean white wines marked by their vivid acidity, enhancing minerality and extreme versatility. Fresh, crisp, with a slight effervescence gently titillating your taste bud, what we call “perlant” in French, without being bubbly, this wine offers blossom and white citrus on the nose and on the palate. Quite delightful and refreshing I must say. Serve it cold as an aperitif by hot spring or summer afternoon, but also with crustaceans and light fish.



2009 Cellier des Cray Vin de Savoie Chignin-Bergeron Cuvée "Euphrasie" and Cuvée Tradition Savoie France
Suggested retail price ...(to be confirmed)
Distributed by Savio Soares Selection in NYC

This 100% Roussanne was also vinified in stainless steel tanks. The vines are about 20-25 years of age, planted on clay-calcareous soil topped by scree of rocks, with a density of 8000 vines per hectares and yield averaging about 50 hectoliters per hectare. After manual harvest with transport of the grapes in plastic cases to arrive intact at the cellar, then immediate pressing with no air contact to prevent oxidation, vinification occurred in stainless still vats and oak barrels with regular bâtonnage of the lees for 4-6 months. The ageing on the lees and slight touch of oak intermingled with the character of the Roussanne grape confer this wine great complexity and texture.

The Roussanne being more aromatic, layered and fruitier than Jacquère, the resulting wine is more powerful and expressive, yet it remains elegant and refined with harmonious complexity. The nose and palate are models of refinement with floral aromas, citrus and white fruits complemented by earthy notes. The gently coating palate is expanding nicely towards the inviting lingering finish. It has more ageing potential and support more elaborated dishes like white meat, fish in sauce, cheeses and desserts.



2009 Cellier des Cray Vin de Savoie rouge Mondeuse France
Suggested retail price...(to be confirmed)
Distributed by Savio Soares Selection in NYC

Mondeuse Noire is a red wine grape that is indigenous and grown primarily in the Savoie region of France. The grape can also be found in Argentina, Australia, and California, but it is in the foothills of the Alps in the Savoie region that it is the most expressive.

This 100% Mondeuse was crafted from vines about 50-55 years of age, planted on scree of rocks topping clay-calcareous subsoil on steep soils, with a density of 8000 vines per hectares and yield averaging about 50 hectoliters per hectare. After manual harvest with transport of the grapes in plastic cases to arrive intact at the cellar, then after a cold maceration for 12 hours, fermentation occurred in stainless still vats and the “encuvage” lasted for about 2-3 weeks. The wine was then aged for 6 to 8 months in used demi-Muid(s) of 600 liters (large oak vats) of 2nd and 3rd use (meaning that the barrels were used to make one or two more wine before the current one).

Adrien Berlioz crafts “a mean” Mondeuse that is excellent. Slightly tannic, spicy, powerful yet fairly light and vivid, voluptuous and “charpentée” (meaning structured), this Mondeuse is the unaltered expression of the Terroir intermingled with red cherry fruits, floral and earthy notes. What a lovely wine! Here again, like the Roussanne, it has good ageing potential and food friendly attitude. Pair it with game, venison, hare and Savoie’s cheeses like Tomme de Savoie and Reblochon.


In conclusion, I will say that the passionate Adrien Berlioz, a young "Vigneron-Récoltant Indépendant", crafts some really interesting wines that reflect his personality and the character of their Terroir of origin. They deserve all your attention as they just arrived in the US market and are very promising.

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

Info partly taken and edited from an email from Adrien Berlioz and different other sources to produce a winery technical data sheet for Savio Soares Selection.


Step into the Green! Drink more Biodynamic, Biologique and Organic wines (and spirits and food) from sustainable culture and respect the environment! Support the right causes for the Planet and all the people suffering all around the globe! Also follow projects and products from the Fair Trade, an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability.

2006 Tempus Two "Melange" white Pewter Label Australia

2006 Tempus Two "Melange" white Pewter Label Australia

The roots of this wine are firmly planted in one of Australia’s oldest wine regions, and one of Australia’s best known wine families. Founder Lisa McGuigan is the fourth generation of a dynasty of celebrated vintners, the McGuigans. The iconic cellar door nestled in the foothills of the Hunter Valley’s Brokenback Ranges, just outside Pokolbin, reflects their determination to blend the essence of tradition with the magic of innovation. In 1996, the pull of the vine outweighed Lisa’s determination to strike out on her own, and she returned to the Hunter Valley with a mission – to re-interpret the traditional cellar door, and to provide a tasting experience which was sophisticated, innovative and contemporary.

Her goal was to create a boutique range of wines which stood out from the crowd. Armed with her frontline understanding of what customers really want; Lisa finessed her approach. Launched in 1998 as Hermitage Road, in honor of the street on which Lisa grew up, the brand started small, in the corner of the McGuigan winery. The business grew rapidly, propelled by Lisa’s unique approach to marketing – success which brought the brand into the sights of the French Appellations body which took issue with her use of “Hermitage”, a protected wine region in the Rhone Valley.

And so, Tempus Two, which is Latin for “second time” was born, creating a truly Australian iconic brand. Built on Lisa McGuigan’s passion to create an ultra-premium wine brand, Tempus Two uses innovative winemaking techniques to create modern wine styles. The Tempus Two philosophy of selecting the finest fruit from its most renowned region ensures that the brand applauds those who appreciate quality wine. Award-winning and unique packaging embodies the innovation, elegance and finesse that are the hallmark of Tempus Two.

Tempus Two offers three distinct and unique ranges:

Pewter label: Elegant and pure, the Pewter range with its distinct bottles and unique pewter labels sources its varieties from Australia's premier wine regions to ensure each wine is a benchmark of its style.

Copper label: The handcrafted range with its label of stamped copper represents the combination of new wave winemaking techniques and innovative packaging.

Varietals label: Pristine varietal and regional characteristics define this range of affordable and easy drinking wines.

FYI: 2006 Tempus Two “Mélange” was crafted and sold under the “Pewter label”, and only a few bottles remain on the market. However, it has become somewhat of a collector item, because if you go to the winery website at www.tempustwo.com.au , you will realize that the 2007 vintage “Mélange” was crafted and sold under the “Copper label” and the name was changed to “Mélange à Trois”. Try not to mélange yourself between the two, or get ambushed in a mixed “à Trois”.



2006 Tempus Two "Melange" white Pewter Label Australia
Suggested retail price $17-$19
Distributed by Noble House Wines in NYC

The 2006 Tempus Two "Mélange" white Pewter Label is a blend of 58% Viognier, 37% Marsanne and 5% Roussane. Offering generous fruit, depth and complexity, it tastes like a Northern Rhone white with a bit more acidity and fatness at the same time. Pale lemony yellow in color, it offers opulent aromas of ripe apricots and orange blossom with hints of wild honey. The palate is juicy, rich, balanced and luscious with same mix of apricot, orange blossom, lemon and honey flavors tainted with a hint of minerality. The overall palate is enhanced by a clean fresh lemon acidity giving the wine length and structure. Lovely and creamy with a refreshing attitude and a full mouth-feel. To uncorked with seafood and white meat.
Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

Info partly taken from the winery website at www.tempustwo.com.au and from the following website: www.australianvintage.com.au


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