The Schlossberg vineyard in Rudesheim, Rheingau. The castle was built in the 11th century.
I have been a bad blogger this week and I apologize, but I have been a great drinker and eater. The above photo may be misleading as I'm not going to talk about any Germany wine, I just thought the picture was pretty and the blog needed another photo...hope you don't mind.
Last Thursday a good friend and supplier of fine wine stopped by my office to taste. He imports beautiful wines from France and I really enjoyed all the wines, but one in particular floored me. It had everything you could ask for in a wine: great aromatics, depth, complexity, ample fruit, earth, soul, structure, and fun. It is a serious wine but not does not take itself too seriously, meaning that for the wine geek there is enough going on and for the drinker it is just damn good.
The wine that gave me goose bumps was Le Clos de Caveau, "Carmin Brillant" Vacqueyras 2006. Vacqueyras is located in the southern Rhone Valley near Chateauneuf du Pape and Gigondas. The wine is a blend of Grenache and Syrah at their best. 2007 in the Rhone is all the rage right now but don't discount the 2006 vintage, I have tried many wines from this vintage and I really like them. They are plenty ripe, have good structure and taste really good right now. The 2007 is steallar but don't turn your nose up at the 06's, or it will be your loss.
I'm not 100% clear if "Carmin Brillant" is a cuvee or a parcel of the estate, but I also tried another selection, "Fruit Sauvage" and it was completely different in every way, color, concentration, aromas, and taste. What makes the "Carmin Brillant" so beautiful is that the wine plays between richness, fruit and terroir in a seemless manner. Each time you raise the glass to your nose you experience the last aroma evolving into the next. The palate is lush, filling and full of ample amounts of baked fruits kissed by a sprig of lavendar. Le Clos de Caveau farms their 50 acre estate 100% organically and believe in as little intervention as possible. They use native yeasts and let the wines do their thing. So go on the hunt and find this wine, if you like rich, full bodied wines that still have finesse and a tender side, this is for you.
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