Moulin De Gassac, Vin de Pays de l'Herault(Pictured)
2004, France 15,000W. Enoteca, Galleria Department Store
Chateau Puech-Haut, Saint-Drezery, Rose
2004, France, 29,000W. Enoteca, Galleria
Morande, Terrarum, Chardonnay
Cassablanca Valley, Chile, 2004. 25,000W Hanam-si wine shop.
3 bottles to report on then, though I won't be going into great detail as I took notes for none of these bottles. It's been a tough week!
The first 2 are both from the Languedoc in the south of France, both come under the more localised appelations than Vins de Pays d'Oc. The white is de l'Herault the pink, Coteaux du Languedoc.
Both were very pleasant little wines.
The Gassac was a Sauvignon Blanc from old vines(Vielles Vignes), the older the vine the lower the crop the better the wine. So, I was hoping this would be great. It was good. A crisp, clean, understated Sauvignon with a touch of minerality. It is on offer at 15,000w and offers a nice contrast to the big, brash, New Zealand SBs. Much more subtle but perhaps a little too subdued to be a memorable wine.
The rose was a hot day purchase. Why I think a rose is going to be refreshing on a hot day I don't know. I am seduced by the pink I guess. It is a lovely salmon pink as well. It really is appealing in the glass. The nose is nice and fruity and ever so slightly confected, there is almost a candied cherry character to it. On the palate it is a tale of sour cherries with some of the confection coming through. Interestingly I served it too cold and it really opened up as it warmed up in the glass. Not bad then but perhaps a little expensive for what you get.
The final wine was a reward for a stressful Friday. It is a nice ripe Chardonnay. Melon, yes, fat juicy melon, on the nose and a nice creamy mouth feel. A little citrus, plenty of tropical fruit and some well integrated oak, there is just a touch of vanilla. This can probably be found much cheaper in Seoul and if so is well worth picking up.
There you go, short and sweet. 3 bottles that might be worth your time. Roast beef for dinner today so I hope to pick up an Argentinian Malbec. We will see.
I have been reading one of my many Wine and Spirit publications today and it has really brought home to me the dire state of the drinks industry here. From the beer through the the spirits it is a tale of mass produced, foul tasting, drunk making beverages. I will admit to being ignorant of the more traditional spirits however(something I would love to remedy). If I can find the time and energy a close look at the drinks business here might be in order.
6 comments:
I went to a Wine and Women wine tasting and dinner last night in Gangnam. Do you know about this group? I had a great time sampling some Chilean wines, and had a lengthy conversation with reps from the Terra Mater winery (the Export Manager and head wine maker were both in Seoul this week). I'm gonna write up a full review of the event on my site hopefully tonight.
A little birdy told me about this "must read" South Korean wine blog. And bugger me if I don't know someone else who uses the same Squirrelandgman email address as you. He also lives in S Korea and he too had roast beef on sunday! What a crazy world! Bloody good it was too, surprisingly theless crispy 'tats were the best!
Hope you don't mind me reading all your deepest, darkest wine secrets. I too have a blog (as I now know you know) and it's a little embarrassing. Forgive me if you've ever wasted your time reading it.
Now the porngraghic pictures of your bottles makes more sense.
I've just found out that I too had at some point signed up to this blogging site when I arrived. Very odd!
"mass produced"?? "drunk-making"?? Call me a cab I'm off to the airport. All I thought there was to drink out there were all these far-too-sophisticated-for-me wines. Now I know they speak my language I may well descend.
Steve: Yeah, I am aware of the Wine and Women group and have thought of contacting them myself. I am ashamed to say the name did put me off a bit. I am currently talking to WSET in Korea and am hoping that it might lead to some tastings. If so I will post up about it. Might be interesting to you too....
thomas: nothing wrong with a bit of wine porn
bb: See the picture on the new posting. 2 in the afternoon that was. 2 blokes. Obviously had a grreat morning.
I can understand about not liking the name. I address the name briefly in my review, which I am still drafting... it was a really busy weekend...
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