Tag: Wine

Domaine Le Clos des Cazaux

I was at a recent Wine Society tasting of the wines of the Rhone valley when I came across the wines of Domaine Le Clos des Cazaux. I enjoyed the wines very much and loved the passion and philosophy behind the wine making that I thought I’d write a short post.

Clos des Cazaux is a family run domaine in Vacqueyras in the Southern Rhone. Established by Gabriel Archimbaud and first planted with vines in the nineteenth century it is run to day by Jean Michel and Frederic Vache. The estate now measures 48 hectares, with 25 in the Vacqueyras appellation. Annual production is around 1300,000 bottles.

Grape varieties are as you would expect for the southern Rhone. For the red wines it is principally Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre. For whites it is primarily old vine Clairette along with some Rousanne, Grenache Blanc and Viognier.

Everything here is done with respect to the land and environment. Biodiversity is encouraged by retaining hedges and trees around the property. Soil health is important and respected using natural composts and products to encourage the development of a healthy microflora in the soil. In the vineyard there is no mechanisation, everything is done by hand including all harvesting. In the winery fermentation is temperature controlled and uses only wild, indigenous yeasts.Maturation is in stainless steel or concrete for at least 18 months. This allows the wines to undergo natural clarification thus eliminating the need for fining and resulting in only a light filtration. Oak ageing for between 12 and 30 months is used only for those wines judged to be capable of the greatest ageing.

Take a look at their website, it gives a good, detailed explanation of their philosophy and wines. There are also some wonderful photographs which make you just want to visit and see the place for yourself.

Les Clefs d’Or. Vacqueyras Blanc. 2016. You don’t tend to see a lot of white Vacqueyras around but at Domaine Le Clos de Cazaux it is a really important part of their portfolio thanks to some old Cairette vines. Made from 70% Clairette and 30% Rousanne with no malolactic fermentation. This wine has a lovely floral, citrus nose and is nicely balanced with a good finish. very nice.

Vieilles Vignes. Vacqueyras Blanc 2016 (Magnum). 50% Clairette, 30% Rousanne and 20% Grenache Blanc. This wine has lovely texture and balance with lemon citrus and a toasty nuttiness. Reminds me of good white Burgundy. An excellent glass of wine.

Wine Society’s Exhibition Vacqueyras. 2016. This has bags of plums and cherry fruit with lots of peppery spice. Excellent value.

Saint Roch. Vacqueyras. 2013. 65% Grenache and 35% Syrah. This is super drinkable Vacqueyras. Soft, round juicy with a touch of savoury pepper.

Grenat Noble. Vacqueyras. 2015. Spicey, peppery black fruit and plum with a lovely freshness and intensity. Drinking really well. Very good.

La Cité du Vin

In 2009 Alain Juppé, the mayor of Bordeaux, proposed that the city built a museum to celebrate the importance of wine to the city and the surrounding region. Furthermore it would also show how wine was important to heritage and culture of peoples around the world. It would be a wine museum like no other.

In 2011 an industrial site by the river and close to the district of Chartrons, where the city’s wine merchants had their cellars, was purchased. Construction began in 2012 and the building was finally open to the public on 1st June 2016. The total cost of the project was 94 million euros.

The design was by means of a competition which was eventually one by a firm of Parisian architects, chosen from a shortlist of five. To many it resembles a decanter but the winning design was not intended to be figurative. Rather the design was to have a roundness and flexibility to reflect the nearby River Garonne. However you look at it the building is stunning and a real contrast to the more formal style of architecture seen in and around the city. Over two thousand aluminium panels have been used to create the swirling base and 940 glass panels in the tower. The public areas are constructed of 524 laminated wooden arches, used to create the impression that you are inside a barrel as you walk through the exhibits.

The easiest way of getting to the museum is by tram. Line B will take you from central Bordeaux to the museum for less than 2 euros. The trams are modern, clean, comfortable and a great way to get around the city. Timing your visit may seriously affect the experience. In winter there may be 300-500 visitors per day but this can rise to 2000=3000 on weekends at the height of summer. You can avoid queues for tickets by purchasing online, a sensible plan if it looks like it might be busy. Whatever the season early in the day is a good time to begin your visit as you can easily spend all day here. On the day of our visit on a weekday in early October the museum was relatively quiet.

The ground floor is devoted to ticketing and cloakroom but there its also a shop, a rather  impressive wine cave and a small brasserie serving some very nice food indeed. It makes an excellent spot for lunch.

The first floor covers workshop space and temporary exhibitions. You can book a wine workshop when buying general admission and they are delivered in English as well as French. There is also a rather fine library and reading room which is open to everyone and the Thomas Jefferson auditorium for larger meetings and events.

It is on the second floor where you will find the permanent exhibition. This consists of 19 different themed areas which you can plan your own route through. The admission price includes an audio guide which is available in eight different languages. Sensors on the exhibits trigger the relevant piece of audio for your own immersive experience.  The exhibition is interactive and multi sensory. A lot of thought has gone into giving you useful information in a fun and engaging way. I particularly enjoyed the video walls showing aerial footage of the worlds major wine regions, the photography here was stunning. There is a series of bell jars from which you can explore the scents associated with wine, an in-depth interactive explanation of cultivating vines and of course an area devoted to the wines of Bordeaux. The best thing about the permanent exhibition is that there is something for everyone, it appeals to all ages and levels of interest in the world of wine.

To end your visit your ticket also includes a wine tasting in the Belvedere Bar at the top of the tower, which also gives superb panoramic views of the surrounding area. You can choose your tasting sample from the sixteen or so wines on offer. The roof of the bar has been constructed from 3800 litre glass bottles and makes quite an impressive sight.

You can take your glass of wine out onto the viewing platform to enjoy the view.

A perfect ending to a great day at a superb museum. The city can be justifiably proud of such a magnificent attraction.

 

Neudorf Vineyards

 

Established 40 years ago, Neudorf is one of the important wineries in the Nelson wine growing region. Never complacent about its position, Neudorf strives for continuous improvement in viticulture and the quality of wines it produces. It has been using organic practices since the 1980’s. Located in the Moutere Hills it has ideal conditions for growing grapes with warm and dry summer months and a low likelihood of damaging winter frosts.

The vintage begins in two weeks or so depending on the weather. Vines are netted to protect grapes from bird damage.

Neudorf Sauvignon Blanc 2017  Sauvignon Blanc is the variety for which New Zealand is best known in the UK. For me many are just a little too much but that is not the case with this lovely and drinkable Sauvignon from Neudorf. Twenty percent of grapes are barrel fermented which then gives some body and nice tropical fruit flavours to the wine. If Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is your choice but you tire of the high acidity in some examples, give this a try.

Neudorf Moutre Pinot Gris 2016 Aromas of tropical fruit, fresh flowers and a hint of citrus.Quite dry on the palate but with lovely balance and elegance. This is the sort of wine that I really like to drink.

Neudorf Rosie’s Block Chardonnay 2016 A wild yeast ferment in barrel of which 15% was new French oak followed by 10 months on the lees. This wine has aromas of tropical fruit, apricot and stone fruits. It is full flavoured with warming notes of vanilla and almond. A great example of New Zealand Chardonnay.

Tom’s Block Pinot Noir 2015 Another wild ferment wine, 100% French oak of which 22% was new. Light cherry red. Aromas of cherry and strawberry. Palate is red fruits, hint of spice, pepper. Tannins give a firmness which make this an excellent food wine. Very drinkable.

The wines of Neudorf are worthy of investigation. Have look at their website