WTN: Sunday Night Wines (Mostly French)

Quite pleasant evening with my friends Joe and Donna and their friends.

Woodbridge Creek Winery (Oregon) Pinot Noir Rose 2007. Brought by Joe's friends. Absolutely zero about this winery that I could quickly find on the net, but this Rose was crisp, refreshing, lower in alcohol, and very dry. Solid 87 points! Delicious with the caprese salad.

As was the Schiopetto 2005 Collio Tocai Friulano. Very minerally, with citrus notes. "pear" was also mentioned. Only ding is this wine showed a touch of heat. Very very classy. I love northeastern Italian whites! 89 points.

Chateau Redoitier Beaunes de Venise Cotes du Rhone Villages 2000. Ferry Plaza Wine Merchants had this beauty as a special offer. First older CdRV I've tried-I guess one CAN age these wines!!! Dark plum , strawberry, and plenty of olive, meat, and garrigue. Delicious and smooth. Great, palate-cleansing acidity, despite the hot vintage. 91 points given the QPR ($17) "Buy me a case" was the comment around the table tonight

Stephane Tissot Singulier 2005. Je suis l'Arbophile! Decanted at the party. Richer than the 2004, with more plum flavor than the cherry. Mouthwatering acidity. The earthy base of this wine is still in place. Maybe some licorice. This is such a great food wine. 92 points.

Clos Siguier Cahors 2005 (Jenny and Francois under $12) 12.5% alcohol. What a bargain. The lightest and simplest wine of the evening. Probably should have been tasted first! I don't think this sees ANY oak. Dark color, with some ruby rim. Somewhat reticent, fruity nose. Dark cherry, blueberry. Very light (12.5% abv), this is a delicious quaffer that was very enjoyable. Given that most California wine at this price range is industrial plonk.... 86 points.

Clos Siguier Cahors 2005 (Jenny and Francois under $12) 12.5% alcohol. What a bargain. The lightest and simplest wine of the evening. Probably should have been tasted first! I don't think this sees ANY oak. Dark color, with some ruby rim. Somewhat reticent, fruity nose. Dark cherry, blueberry. Very light (12.5% abv), this is a delicious quaffer that was very enjoyable. Given that most California wine at this price range is industrial plonk.... 86 points.

The Cahors region is producing quite a lot of very nice entry level wine like this as well the more austere and strappingly tangy and tannic stuff with which it is associated. This is another reason why I have doubts about the appellation's marketing slogan "Black Wine".

I agree, Tim. The Cahors was very approachable-even for relative "novices."
(Unless said novices have been raised on sweet oak soup Cali wines! )

The Cahors region is producing quite a lot of very nice entry level wine like this as well the more austere and strappingly tangy and tannic stuff with which it is associated. This is another reason why I have doubts about the appellation's marketing slogan "Black Wine".

Well, I don't know that emphasizing the "Black Wine" necessarily implies that is the only style of wine produced in the region. Instead, depending on how it is enacted, "Black Wine" may make sense as a way of emphasizing what is unique about the region and what makes it different from other regions. Which could eventually lead to premium prices for premium "Black Wines" while estates also sold entry level wine alongside that.

Clos Siguier Cahors 2005 (Jenny and Francois under $12) 12.5% alcohol. What a bargain. The lightest and simplest wine of the evening. Probably should have been tasted first! I don't think this sees ANY oak. Dark color, with some ruby rim. Somewhat reticent, fruity nose. Dark cherry, blueberry. Very light (12.5% abv), this is a delicious quaffer that was very enjoyable. Given that most California wine at this price range is industrial plonk.... 86 points.

The Cahors region is producing quite a lot of very nice entry level wine like this as well the more austere and strappingly tangy and tannic stuff with which it is associated. This is another reason why I have doubts about the appellation's marketing slogan "Black Wine".

Hi Tim.

Current Decanter has a Cahors suppliment!!

Bob

The Cahors region is producing quite a lot of very nice entry level wine like this as well the more austere and strappingly tangy and tannic stuff with which it is associated. This is another reason why I have doubts about the appellation's marketing slogan "Black Wine".

Well, I don't know that emphasizing the "Black Wine" necessarily implies that is the only style of wine produced in the region. Instead, depending on how it is enacted, "Black Wine" may make sense as a way of emphasizing what is unique about the region and what makes it different from other regions. Which could eventually lead to premium prices for premium "Black Wines" while estates also sold entry level wine alongside that.

Rahsaan, the Cahors wine business is keen to emulate the commercial success of Argentinian Malbec and has latched onto "Malbec" and "Black Wine" as marketing slogans, the latter partly to differentiate the Cahors product from the Argentinian product.

The difficulty for Cahors is that it cannot produce quality at such high yields as Mendoza, which has the additional advantage of much lower labour costs. My take is that Cahors can succeed with more powerful up-market offerings for which "Black Wine" is arguably an appropriate slogan (though for me "black" has negative connotations) and also at the lighter but often delicious QPR level of the wine reviewed in this thread, for which "Black Wine" is inappropriate in every way. Furthermore, I fear that emphasizing "Malbec" may confuse potential consumers of the latter category because the flavour profile bears no resemblance to the much heavier weight Argentinian product which the world associates with "Malbec". I like Cahors wine and I hope that they succeed in their quality and marketing ambitions but I have reservations about their marketing slogans.

Hi Tim.

Current Decanter has a Cahors suppliment!!

Bob

Bob,

Is that the April number with the Antony Rose survey? That edition of Decanter was included in the journalists' pack distributed at the Cahors Malbec Days by the organizers. A very good survey, IMHO.

Or is it something new which has not yet landed in my letter box?

Tim

My take is that Cahors can succeed with more powerful up-market offerings for which "Black Wine" is arguably an appropriate slogan (though for me "black" has negative connotations) and also at the lighter but often delicious QPR level of the wine reviewed in this thread, for which "Black Wine" is inappropriate in every way..

Ok, I can see that. But it doesn't mean Black Wine is a bad slogan, it just means they need another one for their lighter style of wine.

As was the Schiopetto 2005 Collio Tocai Friulano. Very minerally, with citrus notes. "pear" was also mentioned. Only ding is this wine showed a touch of heat. Very very classy. I love northeastern Italian whites! 89 points.

Brian,
I'm glad you like it now, but to view this wine in its full glory, many more years of cellaring is required. Schiopetto's Tocai (er Friulano...ahem) is one of the world's best. I've heard its slow growth blamed on hyper-ox and the like, but the bottom line is: buy another bottle and forget about it for a while.

Cheers,
Bill

Thanks, Bill, for the advice. I had no idea this was meant to be aged.
I was even a little worried that I had let it go too long! Everyone was very happy with how balanced and elegant the wine showed Sunday night. It probably merits more than the 89 I gave it.

I'm not sure Dan at Back Room Wines has any more. I'll check.

Edit: Have you ever tried Scarpetta? It's 100% Tocai Friulano even though it's labelled as a Vino de Tavola Bianco.

The Cahors region is producing quite a lot of very nice entry level wine like this as well the more austere and strappingly tangy and tannic stuff with which it is associated. This is another reason why I have doubts about the appellation's marketing slogan "Black Wine".

Well, I don't know that emphasizing the "Black Wine" necessarily implies that is the only style of wine produced in the region. Instead, depending on how it is enacted, "Black Wine" may make sense as a way of emphasizing what is unique about the region and what makes it different from other regions. Which could eventually lead to premium prices for premium "Black Wines" while estates also sold entry level wine alongside that.

Rahsaan, the Cahors wine business is keen to emulate the commercial success of Argentinian Malbec and has latched onto "Malbec" and "Black Wine" as marketing slogans, the latter partly to differentiate the Cahors product from the Argentinian product.

The difficulty for Cahors is that it cannot produce quality at such high yields as Mendoza, which has the additional advantage of much lower labour costs. My take is that Cahors can succeed with more powerful up-market offerings for which "Black Wine" is arguably an appropriate slogan (though for me "black" has negative connotations) and also at the lighter but often delicious QPR level of the wine reviewed in this thread, for which "Black Wine" is inappropriate in every way. Furthermore, I fear that emphasizing "Malbec" may confuse potential consumers of the latter category because the flavour profile bears no resemblance to the much heavier weight Argentinian product which the world associates with "Malbec". I like Cahors wine and I hope that they succeed in their quality and marketing ambitions but I have reservations about their marketing slogans.

Perhaps Cahors can take a marketing cue from the Germans:

http://www.vizinity.com/hello/883083/320/blacktower-2005.11.05-16.49.26.jpg