WTN: Sumac Ridge, Brumont.

Tonite after an excellent birding outing, my group visited a local restaurant. I had a glass of the `07 Sumac Ridge Gewurztraminer from the Okanagan.
Sumac usually turns out a very nice aromatic gewurz. and this was no exception. I did find it quite dry so definately a change in house style?
Returning home, I opened a new listing here in Alberta, the `07 Brumont Gros Manseng-Sauv Blanc from Gascony. Only $16 Cdn and an interesting blend, at least to me. Maybe the know-this-one group here can add some insight?

Again a very dry aromatic white and quite some dominance by the SB content. 12.5% alc, good natural cork, quite a watery character I think. Gros Manseng seems to be a very distinct grape variety and as this is from the Gascogne a first for me. Served blind however, I would have guessed 100% SB. Look forward to some thoughts from those here? It did not show any honeyed tones at all.

[Jenise]

Doris, those Gascogne gros manseng blends can be quite interesting. The name 'Brumont' isn't familiar, but there's another producer I've bought here three years in a row and each was quite different. The first year, which I presume was warmer, was quite yellow with big body and bold and striking flavors, a bit pineapple-y but dry. It was like no other white wine I've ever had, and gave me the palate memory to identify a gros manseng blind a few months later at one of Bill Spohn's lunches. The following year, the same wine was a very pale and austere wine, scant fruit and frankly too acidic--didn't seem like the same wine at all. The last one this summer, which I presume was an 08 but don't hold me to the wall on that, was squarely and nicely in between the two in every way, quite balanced and classy with bright yet subtle fruit and a pleasing mouthfeel. Which one's the real gros manseng? Beats me, but I'd hope for the third one.

I would have thought this was the Brumont of Madiran fame? No blurb at all on back label, I will try to find an image of the label. Your bottle #2 was the one I just wrote up.

Here you go....>

http://www.vinivino.com/wine/gros-manse ... mont-2008/

The TN is for the `08 which is the sort of remark I expected from my `07.
I am now thinking I had an "off' bottle?

I would have thought this was the Brumont of Madiran fame? No blurb at all on back label, I will try to find an image of the label. Your bottle #2 was the one I just wrote up.

Here you go....>

http://www.vinivino.com/wine/gros-manse ... mont-2008/

Yes, this is Alain Brumont of Montus fame. His wines are a bit hit-and-miss in my experience. I haven't had the wine you wrote about, but he does have some leanings toward the International side of winemaking in some of his wines.

Mark Lipton