WTNs: Claude Courtois Biodynamic Red w/o SO2 & 2 Riojas

2005 Les Cailloux du Paradis Racines Romorantin (Loire) 12.5%
My first wine from the controversial Claude Courtois, who farms biodynamically and adds no SO2 to his wines. His website does not specify the blend, but the varietals grown on this soil include gamay, cabernet-franc, côt, and cabernet-sauvignon, some on original (ungrafted) rootstock. Maceration is “long” and the wine spends up to 18 months in (old) wood before release. Aromas of strawberry and herbs, reminiscent of some young bourgognes or cru Beaujolais, but in the mouth it tastes more like cab franc because of the characteristic (to me) green twig note. Also quite peppery, reminiscent of syrah, though no syrah is supposedly present, so probably côt. Good acidity and sufficient (light) tannins for astringency and grip. Fresh and vibrant fruit, a pleasure to drink, but not especially memorable. Feels like a composite experience – gamay/young pinot meets cab franc meets syrah pepperiness - but hard to see reason for controversy.

2002 Conde de Valdemar Rioja Reserva 13.5%
Brought by a friend. Raspberry jam and chocolate aromas, reasonable balance between acidity and sweetness, quite tannic, but with short finish and that taste of American oak vanilla which I consistently don’t like. A bit fat in the end. Definitely not my taste.

2004 Conde de Valdemar Crianza 13.5%
Brought by the same friend. Liked this much better that the Reserva. Attractive sweet cherry aromas followed by delicious freshness and balance in the mouth. No faults, everything just right and very pleasurable. Not complex, but fulfils its mission much more successfully that its sibling. Reminds me of how basic malbecs often come through much more successfully than heavily oaked reserva malbecs.

2005 Les Cailloux du Paradis Racines Romorantin (Loire) 12.5%
varietals grown on this soil include gamay, cabernet-franc, côt, and cabernet-sauvignon,
///romas of strawberry and herbs, reminiscent of some young bourgognes or cru Beaujolais, but in the mouth it tastes more like cab franc because of the characteristic (to me) green twig note. Also quite peppery, reminiscent of syrah, though no syrah is supposedly present, so probably côt. Good acidity and sufficient (light) tannins for astringency and grip..

I'm confused. Is this Romorantin? That's a white grape?!?!

Or at least a grape that I've only seen used for whites. I guess it could be a red skinned grape that isn't usually macerated.

Or at least a grape that I've only seen used for whites. I guess it could be a red skinned grape that isn't usually macerated.

It's also a village - I understood this to be the closest village to where he is located... Perhaps it's a mistake and should read Sologne.

Perhaps it's a mistake and should read Sologne.

So the label actually says Romorantin? I guess the operation is really not the slickest.

As far as the controversy, to my understanding it doesn't necessarily apply to every wine. Rather, the debate is whether or not the amount of spoiled bottles justify continued purchases. Fans find the highs to be worth the chase. I have found some of the wines pleasant, but nothing so exciting to justify wading through endless bottles of sour urine (which is what a string of the white wines tasted like).

Perhaps it's a mistake and should read Sologne.

So the label actually says Romorantin? I guess the operation is really not the slickest.

As far as the controversy, to my understanding it doesn't necessarily apply to every wine. Rather, the debate is whether or not the amount of spoiled bottles justify continued purchases. Fans find the highs to be worth the chase. I have found some of the wines pleasant, but nothing so exciting to justify wading through endless bottles of sour urine (which is what a string of the white wines tasted like).

I also picked up a bottle of the Quartz Sauvignon Blanc, and will be opening that sooner rather than later to see if I get cat pee or sour urine...

The label says very little, not even the vintage or the alcohol level, so thinking the region is called Romorantin was likely a mistake based on misreadings of where they are located. I'd go back and change it to Sologne, but that would make Dale's two posts not making sense.

I also picked up a bottle of the Quartz Sauvignon Blanc, and will be opening that sooner rather than later to see if I get cat pee or sour urine... .

Aha. I will be interested to hear what you think.

I'd go back and change it to Sologne, but that would make Dale's two posts not making sense.

And that would differ from my other posts....how?

Feel free to change

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romorantin-Lanthenay

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romorantin-Lanthenay

Good to know!

I'd go back and change it to Sologne, but that would make Dale's two posts not making sense.

And that would differ from my other posts....how?

Feel free to change

I meant your two responses to my post would not make sense any more if I went back and changed Romorantin to Sologne!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romorantin-Lanthenay

Also found this:

ROMORANTIN-LANTHENAY, 67km due south of Orléans, is the biggest town in the Sologne and best visited in the last weekend in October for the Journées Gastronomiques, a major food festival when every restaurant and hundreds of street stalls tempt you with traditional and novel dishes centred on game, wild mushrooms, apples and pumpkins. The rest of the year the only sight of interest is the Musée de Sologne, in the old mills in the centre of Romorantin, which presents the history, ecology and traditions of the area.

I'm confused. Is this Romorantin? That's a white grape?!?!

Romorantin is definitely a white grape. The wine from Henri Marionnet which I have picked for dinner tonight says "Cépage Romorantin", ungrafted specimens to boot; I knew nothing about this variety until just now. Here is a link, in French only, which says a bit about the grape http://lescepages.free.fr/romorantin.html . How Courtois can make red from it is a mystery, so I agree with others that he must be referring to the nearest locality of any size, Romorantin-Lanthenay. Confusing though.

Reminds me of how basic malbecs often come through much more successfully than heavily oaked reserva malbecs.

Couldn't agree more.

Drew