Domaine Boudinaud 2008 Cotes du Rhone Mataro

It’s amazing how the wines of Thierry & Véronique Boudinaud just keep getting better and better. Not that they were ever disappointing, mind you… Five generations of winemaking and a profound commitment to lifelong professional education allow for a great deal of skill-perfecting, after all.

The Boudinaud estate, located in the tiny commune of Fournès

Spanish bullfighter Jose Tomas faces a bull during the Feria, in Nimes, southern France, Friday, May 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

along the right bank of the Rhone River, has definitely put its best foot forward with their 2008 Mataró Cotes du Rhone, though. The grape here is more commonly known in France as Mourvèdre, though it made its way to the new world in the mid to late 1800s under its alter ego, Mataró – A name taken from a town near Barcelona where the varietal was grown. The Boudinauds decided to use this version of the word, although there are over 50 different names for this grape worldwide, including Balzar, Drug, and Plant De Saint Gilles (To quote Bill S., “what’s in a name?”). Furthermore, their decision to release a 100% Mourvèdre is as impressive as the wine itself. The grape isn’t typically bottled as a single variety, but more often as part of a blend with other Rhone varietals, such as Syrah and Grenache (it’s the “M” in a GSM blend).

As a late-ripening grape that thrives in high heat, it’s not every Dick & Jane winemaker that can handle it in the vineyard, nor tame its meaty flavors and grippy tannins (What’s Bill’s other saying, “if you can’t handle the heat, get out of the vineyard”??). Furthermore, unlike other wines of the 2008 vintage which show a much more plush, fruit-forward profile, the Mataró Cotes du Rhone is a dark, robust wine with a structure more reflective of the attention-garnering 2009 vintage than its own. That’s not to say it isn’t drinking beautifully right now, as a little decanting goes a long way with this one. Deep, dark, and full-bodied, blackberry & currants lurk beneath a savory mélange of leather, black pepper, graphite, and game-like flavors with a dusty, finely-ground-coffee type texture to the finish that is surprisingly approachable and pleasant (I guess that’s where the 2008 part comes in). It is the type of wine that begs to be paired with grilled meats, sautéed mushrooms, and a generous amount of dried herbs and spices to complement its savory and earthy personality. If single-variety releases like this are the future of Mourvèdre in the Rhone Valley, the future is looking mighty bright. – Emily Crichton

2006 Mas Carlot Costieres de Nimes Les Enfants Terribles

Parenting Children and Vines We have been touting the work of tour-de-force Nimes winemaker Diane Puymorin lately, and now we want to raise the flag for our other force-to-be-reckoned-with woman winemaker in Nimes (not to mention fellow champion of our beloved Mourvedre), Nathalie Blanc-Mares. You may already know her bold Grenache/Syrah and Cabernet/Syrah cuvees. However, her 50/50 blend of Mourvedre and Syrah named Les Enfants Terribles always stands out for its deep, meaty richness (if any two varieties resemble blood in a bottle, they are Mourvedre and Syrah, and what a treat to get these two alone together … why am I suddenly hungry for the thick-cut lamb chops in my fridge?!) So, what’s with the name? The story goes that Nathalie, her husband Cyril (who coincidentally heads up neighboring estate Mas des Bressades) and importer Bobby Kacher were shooting the bull one day about their rambunctious kids whilst tasting some tanks and barrels to make final blending decisions. The conversation also raised the topic of the many and various difficulties of growing these wild grape varieties (therein lies the pun). Taken by a particular lot of Mourvedre that seemed like it would harmonize perfectly with a crack batch of Syrah, they couldn’t resist creating a new cuvee. So, we must credit Blanche, Eugene, Olympe, Achille and Alexander for their antics that inspired their parents to fashion this beauty. Dark and brooding in character, with lots of underlying energy, this showcases the pure blue fruit aromas that seem to be part and parcel of both good quality Mourvedre (Boysenberry, black raspberry) and Syrah (freshly plucked blueberries, currants) in counterpoint with smoked meat, beef blood and wild herbs, tamed by a hint of oak-infused cocoa and vanilla. (If this wine at all resembles Nathalie, Cyril and Bobby’s children, they are an intense, serious, impactful lot!) I haven’t said anything about price yet. The vagaries of growing top-quality Syrah and Mourvedre are costly and labor intensive and most often drive up the cost of the wine. But I’m not playing my cards close to my vest, hesitating to drop the bomb about some boutique-priced Languedoc wine. In fact, not only is it a privilege to experience Mourvedre and Syrah in equal parts together, I am happy to announce that this wine only costs you $13.99 per bottle or $11.89 with case discount. Hats off to Nathalie, not to mention her human and vinous Enfants Terribles!– Patrick Mitten

Love Potion

2003 Chateau d’Or et de Gueules Costieres de Nimes Trassegum Rouge Red Wine; Rhone Blend; Languedoc-Roussillon; $21.99

$18.69 per bottle with case discount.

AKA the man with the strawberry and bacon salad. We’ll get to the salad later. Let’s address “love potion.” Trassegum means love potion. It’s funny that a staff favorite has so many less-than-pronounceable words on its label. The 2003 d’Or et de Gueules Trassegum Rouge. Feel free to just ask for the love potion. Feel free to ask in a husky voice. Regardless of the difficulty of pronunciation, these wines are some of these best that we offer. Anya gave up a staff secret when she wrote up their “Select” (the red and gold wine), and that sold out faster than we could secure our stashes. We are trying to get more. The Trassegum sits at a higher level, and beats most every Rhone wine in this price range. We are the only ones in the country selling this blend of Syrah and old vine Mourvedre and Carignane. It is the chateau’s prestige level wine, which they don’t release until it has rested for the appropriate time in bottle. 2005 Chateau Margaux has hit the United States, yet it won’t be ready to drink for decades. Diane Puymorin, who is as close to a rock star as a winemaker can get if you ask me, ages this wine at her estate, at her own expense, and as a result we get something lovely. There are a lot of good reasons to drink this wine, and I will go into some (not all), but the main reason is that it is exceedingly delicious. Seriously. If you like anything about Rhone wine and its myriad of flavors, this is for you. Another reason is that Diane is exactly the type of person we want making wine. She has strong beliefs and opinions, and she’s out there going for it, no matter what people say about big production and money making. She is on the cutting edge, yet there is an intuitive simplicity to the way she works. For example this wine sits in cask (no new wood) for a year in order to develop the mouthfeel. Then she racks into tank, where it sits for two more years, as she wants the wine to age before release, but she doesn’t want too much wood influence. Makes good sense, right? But this is not normal protocol. It’s something she figured out based on what she wanted from a wine. And it shows. The wines give genuine flavor with the fine texture that you expect from the well bred. When a winemaker is truly progressive, and her wines work, I want to support her. Another reason is the sheer breadth of flavor and character. When you smell this, as it washes across your palate, immediately your brain starts running around looking for descriptors. It reminds me of speeding through beautiful countryside. There are many details that are no doubt very interesting, and you can try to concentrate on specific points in your panorama, but it’s much better if you take in the view as a whole. That said there are two flavors that really stuck with me. A beautiful ripe strawberry fruit accompanied by savory meatiness. It’s such an intriguing combo, I am always in danger of drinking too fast when this is in my glass. I wonder how a strawberry and bacon salad would taste? Not strawberries and bacon on salad. The two together, maybe with a light dressing, but that’s it. I think that sounds good. But I know better than to trust myself here. I’m the one who served my wife a balsamico Martini. That didn’t work. Not that it couldn’t, but when a martini looks like it is dosed with iodine, you should rethink your presentation. So I’ll stick with wine and leave the hipster salad and martini making to those gifted in these fields. The point of the strawberry bacon comments is to point out how wine can pull off ultra-dynamic flavors. Even with top Ferry Building Farmer’s Market real estate, I bet the bacon-strawberry-salad man would have a hard time, cursing his creativity as shoppers mull past muttering, “Weird” and “Let’s get a chicken.” Wine is lucky in its freedom. Wine is also lucky to have Diane Puymorin as a creator and Trassegum as a representative. While I can’t promise your date will fall in love with you with this in their glass, they will fall for the wine. You just have to keep giving them more. – Ben Jordan

2003 Chateau d’Or et de Gueules Costieres de Nimes Trassegum Rouge Red Wine; Rhone Blend; Languedoc-Roussillon; $21.99

$18.69 per bottle with case discount.

Tasting Notes
As I mentioned, specific tasting notes are not what this wine is about. It is a full Rhone experience. If you like the flavors of Gigondas, Chateauneuf, and Cote Rotie, this amalgamates them. I was worried that the wine would be too 2003, oversized and brooding, but Diane has a deft touch. She has the components working in unison. There is tannin, but it is rounded by age, and it melts into food. And the wine smells beautiful. Overall the experience well outpaces the price, making this a great buy.

GOLD RED WINE: Chateau d’Or et du Gueules Rouge Select

2005 Chateau d’Or et de Gueules Costieres de Nimes Select Red Wine; Rhone Blend; Languedoc-Roussillon; $14.49

$12.31 per bottle with case discount.

A customer and I got into a long conversation about 2005 Bordeaux wines which ultimately lead to a discussion of wine prices. I admit, I have bought some ‘05’s, and hope to buy more, but none of the blue chip first growths and such for me. No, my pared down lifestyle won’t allow for that. However, as I explained to my customer rather optimistically, as long as there are bang for your buck, complex, and charming country wines out there, I know I will always be drinking well. This interchange came rushing back to me from the depths of my cluttered mind as I took my first whiff of the 2005 Rouge Select from Chateau D’Or et de Gueules. THIS IS IT! This is what I was talking about! Warm, sticky blue/black berry fruit aromas drift out of the glass revealing crushed rock and earthy minerality. At a staff development day, the first taste of this wine unleashed a great big smile from me. I looked to my colleagues for validation and consensus. I was met with equally giddy smiles. Yes, this is good, really good. A little background: Diane Puymorin purchased the estate in 1998 and embarked on a vigorous task of replanting and other such winery improvements. The fruits of her labor are definitely paying off, as her wines go from strength to strength. Her wines are not going unnoticed either. Diane was recently featured in Decanter where they described her wines as “stylish, complex and assertive-much like herself”. A featured Wine House Staff favorite, the 2003 Rouge Select received a whopping 91 pts from the Wine Advocate and virtually disappeared from our store in a matter of minutes (what little we had left from our persistent recommendations). So let this be a warning to you: buy now, you won’t regret it. I am going to go out on the limb and say the ‘05 is even better than the ’03. A blend of roughly half syrah with the balance divided between old vine carignan and grenache, this deeply fruited red has dimension and complexity. There is certainly ample fruit but then there is that added something else that can only be described as that “Chateau D’or et de Gueules thing”. Yes, that is a technical term the Wine House staff has coined. One sip of this wine and you’ll immediately understand. An analogy I like to overuse is that it gives me the same type of pleasure that a true old-vine zinfandel does, not necessarily similar in flavor but it has that combo of gooey fruit matched with soil and herb. And so, Lent is finally over, my family is celebrating Easter and after my fill of vodka and kholodetz (you’ll have to look this one up) my plan is to marinate some Lamb, throw it on the grill and wash it down with this amazing wine! – Anya Balistreri

2005 Chateau d’Or et de Gueules Costieres de Nimes Select Red Wine; Rhone Blend; Languedoc-Roussillon; $14.49

$12.31 per bottle with case discount.

2005 Grenache/Mourvedre

2005 Chateau de Montpezat Cuvee Palombieres Coteaux du Languedoc Red Wine; other red varietal; Languedoc-Roussillon; $13.99

$11.38 per bottle with case discount.

I just realized that I haven’t written about Grenache since the 2004 Les Cailloux Châteauneuf. And I’ve never done an affordable Grenache based wine at all. This is interesting (semi-ridiculous) because the southern French, Rhone-Style wines are one of our specialties, and we work hard to offer great value in this category. I think maybe I’ve ignored them because I drink them so regularly, and I assume everyone already knows about them. Or maybe it’s because many of them are similar, and I needed one that stood out from the pack for it to warrant an email. Well this is that wine. I believe David fell in love with it first, but it wasn’t long before all of us were fawning over the bin that held the 2005 Les Palombieres. I’m not selling our other country French wines short, but this is special. I think it’s the Mourvedre, no I know it’s the Mourvedre. It gives the wine that extra detail layer and spice that makes it about more than soft, sumptuous fruit, though that is nice, too. For those of you who enjoy southern Rhone wine, those of you who love finding extra complexity in their everyday wine, and especially for those of you who fit into both these groups. $11.38 with the case discount makes this a serious contender for the best value Rhone style wine I’ve drunk this year.My wife and I drank this with homemade burritos. Some of you are saying to yourselves, “There are three things wrong with that statement.” One: “Why does he keep writing about burritos in his emails. This is like the 3rd time. What’s wrong with him?” I don’t know. Two: “Who makes burritos at home in San Francisco?” It’s true there are plenty of good burritos to be had for cheaper than it costs to assemble all those ingredients, but there’s something to be said for the ritual of home-burrito-assemblage. Plus they started out as tacos, and my wife switched the wrappings at the last minute. Three: “Who drinks wine with burritos? Aren’t you supposed to drink beer?” No. You are not. We default to beer and think that beer is good until 20 minutes after we reach the end of the burrito. We talk of burrito comas, but I don’t mind a little drowsiness. I fear burrito bloat. San Francisco burritos are big, especially if there is rice involved, and the last thing you need it the expansive property of beer in the equation. Food/beverage matching extends beyond your nose and palate; you have to think about the pairing in the confines of your stomach. Wine is much kinder to your system, and can even protect against burrito bloat. Note: The Wine House does not endorse any claims that wine protects against burrito bloat. This advice is meant only for entertainment purposes, and is not meant to substitute for the advice of a real doctor. If burrito bloat persists, please stop eating burritos. The Palombieres went well with the burrito. The fruitiness of the Grenache allowed the wine to hold its own against the heat, and the Mourvedre brought spice to the spice. My real point in bringing up burritos (and opening myself up for criticism as San Franciscans can be very out-spoken/opinionated re: their burrito habits) is to point out the wine is very versatile. I like to call it a mini-Châteauneuf du Pape though it is not from the Rhone Valley, and it’s definitely not as boozy/extracted as some examples produced from this famous appellation these days, so it’s actually friendly with a lot more food. This is one of those bottles that acts special for those occasions (oversized dinner/holiday parties) that need more than just “house” from your wine, and that is priced low so you can open more than one bottle. You can pour it all night long at this price. – Ben Jordan

2005 Chateau de Montpezat Cuvee Palombieres Coteaux du Languedoc Red Wine; other red varietal; Languedoc-Roussillon; $13.99

$11.38 per bottle with case discount.

I really like that soft, silky strawberry, cherry fruit that emerges from a good Grenache, and I’ve always found these wines function across a wide range of palates. I know Mourvedre is a very late to ripen, but I think this wine is a good argument for including it in as many Rhone blends as possible. It really adds depth to the wine bringing a dark, earthier flavor as well as structure and spice. It certainly makes the wine more serious and complex. The vines are around 30 years and older, and the maturity shows in the depth of flavor here. I recommend it as a wine to drink if you like high quality wine at a great price, but I’d also recommend it if you have an occasion where you know you have a diversity of tastes. There’s plenty of fruit for those folks that subsist on California and Aussie wines, and the earth and garrigue in the wine are classic details that will delight your Euro-phile guests. It’s a wine that everyone can enjoy, and that is important this time of year. Who wants to hear, “Do you have anything else that’s a little more … and a little less …?” It’s hard enough keeping glasses full without having to worry about putting all sorts of different wines on the table.

Have your own burrito philosophy? My email is ben.winehouse@sbcglobal.net and I have a terrible spam filter.

2005 Mourvedre: La Bolida

First things first: She said yes!   Note: This wine is very limited and half of it is being stored at our LA warehouse. Please be patient as the SF stock will be first come, first served. The LA stock is effectively pre-arrival and expected to arrive in a refridgerated truck in two weeks.   You know what? I’m liking David Schildknecht’s palate lately. I may eat those words, or simply contradict myself later, but I’ve agreed with a number of the notes he’s given recently. Last week’s Belliviere and this week’s La Bolida. These are examples of cool, non-mainstream wines that happen to be very good, and he hasn’t been afraid to step out and stand behind them. This 90% Mourvedre (10 Syrah) has been in my queue for a while, and I had written much of this when he came out with his notes last week. After such a positive review, it’s now or never. I’ll say it right now, if you want it, get it now. We have very little, and soon we’ll have none. People have a knack of finding anything with 93 points from Parker’s Wine Advocate even if we say nothing. By the way my 6 bottles are safely behind my desk. Don’t even think about coming in while I’m on my honeymoon and asking our new guy (we have a new guy), “Whose are those? Can I buy those?” I will find you when I get back from France. We have a small number of magnums of the 2004, which is very good as well.   Until last week very few people knew about this wine. Our staff loves it, the restaurant NOPA in the neighborhood of Nopa loves it, and besides that we just hand sell it to a few folks looking for a particularly special bottle. I believe we were bringing as much of this into the country as any other state. Actually, we may be one of a few retailers in the country with the 2005 at this point. Now it has points, and it just might become an allocated wine in future vintages. It’s funny how these things happen. We have been a strong supporter of this estate for a number of years now. John and David (David in particular) recognized the quality the first time they tasted with proprietor Diane Puymorin. More importantly they recognized the inspiration that she applies to her winemaking. These are not your everyday drinkers. These are serious, age-worthy wines, and La Bolida is her top wine made from 90% old vine Mourvedre. Diane’s wines are best compared to the those in Chateauneuf du Pape, Bandol, and the prestigious appellations in the northern Rhone. The biggest difference is the prices are wonderfully low relative to their famous counterparts. Peter, Matt (you all remember Matt, right) and I had the 2004 La Bolida during an epic lunch (eight hours, seven courses) that included the 1990 Montrose, 2003 du Terte, a Chateauneuf du Pape, and a 1998 Gigondas. Guests talked about it as much as any of the other wines, and though the wine was youthful relative to the others, it was many of our ‘wine of the day’. As a side note, none of us were overly full or intoxicated at the end of lunch which is the exact opposite of most of my experiences when I go out to eat. It’s too bad we can’t spend 8 hours every time we have a special meal. Anyway, If you made me choose, I’d say the 2005 has the edge, but the 2004 is so strong, it is a great wine in its own right. I have six bottles and a magnum of that as well. Even though it’s only two vintages, it’s one of the verticals in my cellar I’m most excited about. It’s my Rhone version of Pontet Canet. I want to keep buying it, it used to be under the radar and so far has been very high quality for the price, but if the critics keep scoring it so high, I may not be able to get it anymore! Luckily it’s not experiencing the price inflation that PC is. I wish I had written about this wine earlier when we had more to go around, but it is such a pet property that I think it’s worth it to offer to all of you who have been so supportive and who have the patience to read these offers which, no matter how hard I try, are always longer than I intend. Like last week, my notes and those from David S. for the 2005 are below. – Ben Jordan

Tasting Notes Mourvedre, when handled correctly, yields one of the most compelling “dark” wines of the world. As would be expected, this wine is like night. If Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are light and sunny like a summer day, this is black and haunting. The flavors are intense yet they fleet through across your palate. There is a cloak that opens to violets, game, dark spice, and earth. The fruit is rich and black, ripe and assertive. The acidity of the 2005 gives energy to the aromatics, driving and changing your impressions. Though still in its youth the 2004 has settled into itself, and I expect both wines will need a few more years to really start to vibrate. They will both make their 10th birthdays easily.   “Diane de Puymorin purchased (and renamed) this property in 1998 and is generating wines of amazing richness and complexity for a relative pittance. The 2005 Costieres de Nimes La Bolida is an essence of Mourvedre (with 5-10% Syrah depending on the vintage) aged in barrel and (sadly) rendered in tiny quantities. With an intense nose of plum preserves, well-aged game, bay, bitter chocolate, black tea, and smoked meats, it saturates the palate with sweet dark fruits, pungent brown spices, and myriad manifestations of meat (that’s Mourvedre!). Marrow, smoky and bitter black tea and fruit pit inflections all cut the wines’ basic sweetness of fruit and torrefactive richness so that they never overwhelm the palate, and this satin-textured beauty finishes with real verve. 93 Points.” David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate #173   You may email me at ben.winehouse@sbcglobal.net, but I might not respond for a week or two cause I just got married!