WTN: flabby, flabby Minervois

2004 Domaine de Courbissac Minervois-La Liviniere Pandora

Picked this up at a local store on a whim, largely because the name was Pandora and I just watched Avatar. Yes I'm a nerd. But on a side note, I would not have bought these wine if it had had a picture of a 14-foot tall blue cat person on the label.

Colour: Very inky dark. There was some moderate sediment - should probably have decanted it first, but it was all shaken up from the ride home anyways.

Nose: It smelled like southern France, or at least how I envision southern France to smell like: earthy leather and warm savoury herbs (rosemary, thyme, maybe some lavender) overlaying dark fruit (cherry, plum, hint of liquorice). Some spice rounding it out, along with a touch of toastiness. A little hot.

Palate: Round and full, a little rustic, with a touch too much alcohol. Tannins were well-integrated with the fruit and earth tones, but there wasn't enough acidity for my liking - I enjoyed the first few sips quite a bit but after that it started feeling distinctly flabby. At the end of the first glass I was desperate for some water, or perhaps a lovely crisp Riesling, to refresh and cleanse my palate.

Overall not a bad wine, but I'd say it was way overpriced - I paid $30CDN for it.

Is flabbiness a typical trait of Minervois? I honestly haven't had enough of them to really know for sure - but I know that in any hot climate, this is a fairly prominent danger.

At half the price, it would have seemed positively svelte.

No, what you found is not typical of Minervois. Sounds like a producer trying to make something rich and slick to score points and appeal to new-world palates. If you can find Chateau d'Oupia wines in your market they are reliably good and probably cheaper than the Pandora (the regular bottling can be found for $12 US in the NYC area).

Thanks for the tips, guys. I didn't think it was typical, but I wanted to get some more opinions on that. Maybe they were trying to go for a big and fat, high point style. If that's the case, that makes me sad. Seriously, with just a little more acidity it would have been beautiful. Halving the price would have also made me like it a lot more.

Some new Minervois downtown Mel, from importer Richmond Hill of Calgary..........Domaine Borie de Maurel.

`05 Reve de Carignan.
`08 Esprit d`Automne.
Also I saw the high-end (only $25) Le Feline.

http://www.boriedemaurel.fr

http://www.terroirlanguedoc.co.uk/terro ... -de-maurel

Bob have you tried any of those new ones? I'm curious to hear about them. Also what are the prices like?

Bob have you tried any of those new ones? I'm curious to hear about them. Also what are the prices like?

The prices are quite reasonable, the high-end wine is only $25. Not tasted yet so stay tuned!

Btw, I have just opened the same `04 flabby wine you have posted on. Might be interesting to see if we differ (grin)?!! I am decanting for an hour. Stinky cheese on the nose for sure!

WTN: 2004 Domaine de Courbissac Minervois-La Liviniere Pandora.

I was keen to try this wine after reading Mel`s TN but I have to say right away we have a classic story of bottle variation here as well as poor wine-making. As usual, I try to save half a bottle for day 2 and in this case I shared with some of the crew at DeVines downtown.

14% alc, good natural cork, guess purchased from same store as Mel? Opened and decanted for one hour, no sediment noted in my bottle.

Color. Medium inky centre with purple rim. No sign of age but questionable lighting?

Nose. Stinky cheese right off! Dark fruits, bit of heat, some leather too but there is something else here I cannot nail? Like Mel, some spice, earthy and meaty a good call. Bit like a N Rhone red to me.

Palate. Initial entry impression is that this has syrah? Earthy, rustic style, off-dry, tea notes on the finsih. No fruit here the way Mel sees it, not flabby to me. I think this is a strange bottle for sure and looking at some CT notes......." intriguing.....awash with fruit....ripe sweet fruit". I could go on. Not bitter but something is up. So-so acidity, lets see tomorrow?

******* Day 2, "acetone on the nose" noted by a couple of good tasters. Is that the stinky cheese I noted? The finish sure has not evolved, poor wine-making perhaps a fair comment.

Anyone here care to join in?

Bob, the stinky cheese sounds like an off bottle; I've had some expensive bottles from prestigious appellations showing the same fault; I don't know what causes it. Mel's bottle sounds better but the lack of acidity and flabbiness is off-putting. FWIW I can find no reference to this estate in the three French 2010 guides which I have and these reports don't encourage me to experiment with it.

Thanks Tim. Over on the UK place, there is a comment from Jonathan that wine might be over the hill? Marc Tempe is involved in this winery....>

http://www.courbissac.com/_pages/index_en.php