VITIS AMSTERDAMENSIS WINE CLUB
May’s Marvellous Medley
Wine Tasting 9 May 2008
Vitis Amsterdamensis Wine Club was delighted to welcome Mr. Gilles Faëlens of wine importers Bacchantes to present a selection of wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon area of South West France, bringing some Gallic sunshine to the centre of Amsterdam.
Gilles started off the evening very well as everyone had a welcoming glass (or two!) of his Bulle de Blanquette, Limoux, a very pleasant bubbly to get everyone in the mood!
For the tasting proper, Gilles’ first offering was Le secret d’Eugenie, from Tursan (2006); a very good white wine, light on the tongue tasting of grass and citrus. In our overall scoring, this wine came in with a score of 2.96.
Gilles then offered us a simultaneous tasting of the second and third white wines; both being Chardonnays from Toques et Clochers and both from 2004. The first of this pair was called ‘Oceanique’ and the second, ‘Haute Valle’ and although the terroirs of these two almost identical wines were only 10 km apart, the difference was distinctive, underlining the influence of the sea on one and of the hills on the other. ‘Oceanique’ scored a commendable 3.80 on our score sheet and the ‘Haute Vallee’ came in marginally above it at 3.83. Although the scores do not reflect it, anecdotal conversation during the evening confirmed the ‘Haute Vallee’ as the best of the evening.
Our fourth wine was the star of the evening – a 2007 rosé – Ollieeux Romanis from Corbières at a very attractive price. Scoring 4.21 on our ‘vinometer’ this soft rosé was truly delicious; described by some of our members as a “Sex in the City” drink!
Moving on to the reds, our fifth wine was a wonderful La Vista Côtes du Roussillon (2005), which as the least expensive of the evening’s wines, but nevertheless had lots of dark fruits – “like my mum’s Xmas cake” as someone deliciously described it. Not sure about mum’s Xmas cake, but this great wine scored a very respectable 3.8 on our scoresheet.
Our second red wine and sixth for the evening was a delicious Domaine Pouderoux, Terre Brune from 2005, which was “big and smooth” and scored an excellent 3.9 on the vinometer.
Moving from our usual habit of tasting six wines, Gilles delighted us by completing the evening with a Banyuls Baillaury Grand Cru (1999), which demonstrated to those that turn their noses up at dessert wines, that these can be a delicious way to end an evening. As a group, this scored a very respectable 3.9 on the vinometer, proving that we are an open minded bunch of winos!
As always, Gilles’ wines were complemented by wonderful snacks and cheeses provided by our first-class hosts, Oscar and Farud, who worked with Gilles to ensure that each wine was accompanied by a suitable flavour.
Again, Vitis Amsterdamensis is much indebted to Gilles for his excellent presentation and we are pleased to invite our members to order their wines through his website at www.bacchantes.nl
‘Til next month!