Tag Archives: Grenache Blanc

Oddball Wine of the Week: Côte Est 2007 Catalan

This was just a random pickup at Whole Foods one day. The label design caught my eye, then I noticed the blend, then “Catalan” on the label. Wait, doesn’t Catalan refer to Spain… as in Catalonia? But this is French. That was interesting enough for me to plunk down my $11. I wasn’t sure when I bought it if I would use this for the Oddball series or not. “Catalan” was a new French appellation to me, but something made me think this might be more well-known than I thought. Then I looked it up in the Bible, I mean, the Oxford Companion to Wine (3rd edition) saw that there was no listing for it. That’s Oddball enough for me! I did finally find a one-sentence reference to it in the entry for Roussillon, by the way.

Côté Est 2007 Catalan

Producer: Maison Lafage

Grapes: 50% Grenache Blanc and Gris, 30% Chardonnay, 20% Marsanne

Appellation: Côtes Catalanes (Vin de Pays, France). This appellation is a region within Roussillon that sits on the other side of the Pyrenees from Catalonia, Spain. It’s a maritime terroir

Vineyards: The Grenache comes from 80-year old vines, the Chardonnay from 20 year old vines and the Marsanne from young vines. The name Côté Est refers to the fact that the vines are planted east-west, which they say keeps the grapes cooler, preserving the acidity and fruit.

Vintage: 2007

Winemaking: Stainless steel aging.

Alcohol: 13%

Price: I paid $10.88 at Whole Foods in Austin

My tasting notes: Really lovely nose on this wine, like a blend of pear and peach, highlighted by zesty orange and lime and floral notes. And the palate doesn’t disappoint either. More pear/peach and lime with a mineral streak. Really nice texture, too. Almost plush, though the fruit stays bright. Finishes clean and long.

Overall impression: I’m very glad I took a chance on this wine I knew absolutely nothing about. It’s a very enjoyable little bottle, and I’d definitely recommend you pick up if you see it. B+

Free association:

I can’t find the original source of this image. It’s all over the internet, but it’s not mine.

More info:

Imported by Eric Solomon.

Parker scored this 90 points.

Some reviews on CellarTracker and Corkd.

Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare 2007 California

VinGrisCigare07_bottle_600pxh_300dpiMaybe because I had just posted about the Bonny Doon Mourvedre, I picked up this bottle on a recent replenish-the-stock-of-everyday-wine trip to the wine shop. I don’t drink much of the pink stuff, generally. It has a top-of-mind awareness problem with me. I just don’t think about it very often. When I go to the wine shop or grab a few bottles at the grocery store, I tend to think of value reds from Spain or Portugal or the Rhone, Argentine Malbec, Sonoma Zins. Or whites like New Zealand SBs, Albarino, Vinho Verde, various Alsace whites. Rosé as a category just doesn’t cross my mind.

I opened this one for one of our “grazing dinners” as my wife like to call them: prosciutto and melon, caprese salad, olives, some cheese, etc. Let’s see how it did.

Producer: Bonny Doon Vineyards

Grapes: 47% Grenache, 27% Cinsault, 14% Syrah, 7% Grenache Blanc, 5% Roussanne

Appellation: California (though it’s hard to tell from the label — it just says “Pink Wine of the Earth”)

Vineyards: unknown

Aging: unknown

Alcohol: 13.5%

Price: I don’t remember exactly what I paid, but it’s in the $12-14 range.

My tasting notes: Beautiful color. Strawberries and a distinct balloon aroma on the nose. On the palate, it has nice fruit leaning toward strawberry and cherry and possibly peach. Hints of earth and herbs. There is a really great texture to this wine; good weight. Am I imagining a little bit of an oily quality? Finishes dry and delicious.

Assessment/grade: I really like this. Beautiful color, nice aromatics, great mouthfeel and flavor. What’s not to like? Why don’t I drink this more often? B

Free association:

credit: D Sharon Pruitt (flickr account: Pink Sherbet Photography)
credit: D Sharon Pruitt (flickr account: Pink Sherbet Photography)

More details on Bonny Doon’s sell sheet for this wine here.