Marquis Wine Cellars

you've all heard me preach about Marquis Wine Cellars, and their fantastic brigade of wine fanatics... many is the time I've walked in, slightly in distress, and been rescued by a bottle of this or a half-case of that.

Need to understand minerality? Marquis taught me about Muscadet and Albarino@!

Anyways, when they invited me to the First Ever Bloggers, Writers and Social Media Friends Tasting - I was honored. Here come the wines:

WINE A

n/v Domaine Brut Petaillant from Domaine Huet

• pale gold
• clear nose with light moderate dusty straw, vanilla & butterscotch
• moderate palate of crisp green apple & honey.
• It has a beautiful rich body & creaminess. This is a luvly example of Vouvray!

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WINE B

2005 Le Chene Marchand (Sancerre) from Francois Crochet

• utterly pale in its appearance
• nose of rich lilies, limestone minerality, honeyed apricots
• crisp clean dry acids, fantastically long structure of pears and lemon

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WINE C

2006 Gruner Veltliner Langenloiser Spiegel, Kamptal-osterreich from Alfred Loimer

• utterly pale
• nose of moderate+ rich stonefruit, roses & cherry blossoms
• crisp acids initally give way to solid vanilla, grass and young stonefruit
• (IMHO) beautiful richly developed wine with long structure and develops on the palate

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WINE D

2008 San Vincenzo, IGT Veneto Bianco from Roberto Anselmi

• color of pale straw
• moderate papaya nose
• incredibly well balanced acids - flavors of crisp green apple and lemon

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WINE E

2006 Chants des Vignes Juracon from Domaine Cauhape

• pale gold
• very light lemony nose runs to prarie wild flowers and rich minerality
• incredibly rich minerality from the silica... dusty long palate is enriched by lemonbalm
• I love Muscadet. I love Juracon.

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WINE F

2006 Saint Joseph Blanc "Silice" from Domaine Coursodon (100% Marsanne)

• very pale yellow
• light nose of little wild flowers, french oak (vanilla & butterscotch)
• wonderfully crisp and tart acids that give way to caramelized apples, a touch of autumn spices and mild black pepper (maybe pink peppercorns?)

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WINE G

2007 Malvasia, Rioja Alta from Abel Mendoza

• pale yellow
• bouquet of rich stonefruit, vanilla, butterscotch, honey & minerality
• moderate acids and full body with long palate of oystery minerality and mild meyer lemon

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WINE H

2007 Estate Viognier, Edna Valley, San Luis Obispo CA from John & Lorraine Alban

• pale yellow
• wow. uberly rich floral and honeyed bouquet... reminiscent of Muscat
• wow.wow. stunningly developed palate of stonefruit, well balanced by long acids and rounded by a rich creamy body
• this man is my new hero of New World Viognier

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WINE I

2008 Bourgueil Rose (Cab Franc) by Domaine Des Ouches

• light cherry centre with pale rim
• nose of strawberries and wild flowers
• light crisp acids with moderate tannin and palate of cherry, rose, red plum and minerality

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WINE J

2008 Touraine Rouge "Cuvee Albert Denis" by Domaine de la Renaudie

• (100% Cot or Malbec)
• bruised plum centre with little or no rim
• moderately+intense nose of dark fruit, spices & chalky terroir
• moderate++ acids, moderate tannin, palate of plum, cherry and sage, chalky terroir
• I found the acids crisp with alot of the red fruit coming early in the palate - leaving a bit of anise

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WINE K

2008 Moulin-a-Vent (Gamay) from Domaine Richard Rottiers

• very pale garnet centre with watery rim
• chalky nose of cherry, black plum and leathery oak
• moderate--acid, moderate++tannin, full rich long palate showing oak and young red fruit
• (IMHO) I think -even though it's Gamay - it could still stand another 6 to 12 months in bottle to balance out the wine. Although, god only knows, it could have been sensory overload for my palate

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WINE L

2005 Bourgogne, Burgandy (Pinot Noir) from J.F. Coche-Dury

• pale garnet centre turning to a brickish rim
• typical Pinot nose of light red fruit - a touch heavy on the oak - with some black floral
• light cids, moderate+ tannins, with a palate of strawberry and black floral
• the tannins in this are long, rich and velvety. a wine you want to savor and contemplate

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WINE M

2007 Crozes-Hermitage (Syrah) from Domaine Des Lises

• deep plum centre with slight watery rim
• deep long spicy nose with jammy black fruit
• moderate++ acids, moderate tannin, palate of chalky terroir, oak and long red fruit

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WINE N

2005 Grand Grue Glacee, Vins de Pays Des Collines Rhodaniennes, Rhone Valley from Domaine Francois Villard

• (merlot and Cab Sauv based)
• garnet centre paling to strawberry-brickish rim
• moderate+ intense red fruit on the nose with a dusty minerality, chalkiness and some black fruit
• moderate-acid, moderate++ tannin, rich body with a long distinguished palate of dusty plums & the terroir

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WINE O

(nv?) Albatro Toscana (Italy) from Ferenc Mate

• (Sangiovese, Cab Sauv & Merlot)
• pale garnet centre with light brickish rim
• moderate+ intense notes of rich dusty black fruit
• moderate acids, full tannins, uberly long developed palate of cherries & saskatoons, but I found the alcohol a bit hot

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WINE P

2004 Bembibre, D.O.Bierzo, Leon (100% Mencia) from Domino de Tares

• deep ruby centre with a slightly gritty, pale brickish rim
• huge bouquet of plums,plums, chalky terroir, red and black peppercorns and plums
• moderate acids, moderate++ tannins, big big body and deceptively soft alcohol for 14%, a true craftsmans structure with long black fruit and exotic florals. What a pleasure to drink!

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WINE Q

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from Robert & Elinor Travers @ Mayacamas Vineyards

• deep plum centre with a light cherry rim
• It is worth noting that I could NOT tell this was 6 years old because of the high level of craftsmanship... ask & I'll explain the lack of brick in the rim
• crazy wild bouquet of immense florals - think a greenhouse - and uberly deep terroir (volcanic soil)
• moderate+ acids, moderate+ tannins, ZING! Incredibly rich body with velvety volcanic terroir, cherry, currants and rosehips
• If I have a bottle of this, I probably won't share it with you - lol -

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WINE R

2006 Fiancee (50% Grenache and Syrah) from Domaine La Barroche

• garnet centre with light cherry-brickish rim
• a long dusty heavy nose rich with decadent port notes
• moderate+ acid, moderate+tannin, palate of crisp red fruit, oak and terroir - a true balance to the heavy nose making it something easy to drink at any time of the year.

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So obviously it was an immensely successful tasting. Vivacious wines and great company - it was a true learning experience for me, and in the best of all possible ways. John Clerides has created a "wine haven" where I can go for advice on a $12 bottle or I can stare with longing at the $500 bottles I will try one day (don't read that part Thyra!). Everyone was very generous with their time (as always) and there was great food from the Hills family.

If only all wine tastings could be so inspiring!