Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants

Another weekend in Paris, another wine expo!  What a culmination to what has proved to be without a doubt the unofficial Month of Wine in Paris.  This time around the expo lasted for 5 long and arduous days, from the 27th of November to the 1st of December, and it was held at the Porte de Versailles Paris Expo.  I’m ashamed to admit it but honestly I just made it to two of the five days.

For those of you needing a little refresher on your French (mine still has a long ways to go for sure!), “Vigneron Indepéndant” means independent winemaker.  Basically everything from the vineyard to the bottle must be owned and operated by the same proprietor, in order to be recognized as such.  So naturally a lot of the big names would not qualify.  “Indepéndant” wine tend to be much more affordable, although certainly many extraordinary wines are to be found within the classification.

I went with Haruka on Day 1 and Ricardo on Day 2 and throughout the festivities I ran into Big Tim, Anand, Cynthia and her Hubbie.  Once again Jura stole the show due to the unforgettable factor and the unrelenting yet very pleasant onslaught of nuts.  We tasted a few bottles from Jean-Luc Mouillard.  The Vin de Paille and Vin Jaune are must buys.  Additional winners in my book were Domaine Léon Heitzmann Kaefferkopf Sélection de Grains Nobles Gewurztraminer; Domaine des Forges Quarts de Chaume Sélection de Grains Nobles; Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey Sauternes; and in the rouge section, Domaine de la Vivonne Bandol.

Quick anecdote… it wouldn’t be a successful wine expo without some innocent white trash action now would it?  Since John and I recently kicked off the MPA Wine Club, the one thing that was clearly lacking was a set of wine glasses.  So immediately upon arrival at the Salon des Vins, a giant symbolic light bulb began flashing above my head.  The way it worked was that each entrant received one free tasting glass in exchange for one event pass.  Since I had about 12 free event passes in my pocket that I cut out of the local Parisian newspaper, it didn’t take me but 2 seconds to mastermind the grand heist.  By simply entering, exiting and re-entering with a new pass, multiple times, by the end of day 2, I was the proud owner of 22 brand new and pretty decent tasting glasses.

So without further ado…

Bourgogne…
1)    Domaine Bernard Delagrange & Fils, Meursault Vielles Vignes, blanc 2004: mold, chocolate nose; dry palate (1/4)
2)    Domaine Bernard Delagrange & Fils, Meursault Vielles Vignes, blanc 2006: citric nose; orange, lemon palate (1/4)
3)    Domaine Bernard Delagrange & Fils, Meursault Charmes Premier Cru, blanc 2007: spice, herbs, strong rose nose; lemon peel, citric palate (2/4)
4)    Domaine Sangouard, Les Rochettes Saint Veran, blanc 2007, 7.80€: cheese nose; lemon palate (1/4)
5)    Domaine Sangouard, Les Rochettes Saint Veran, blanc 2006, 8.10€: grapefruit nose; orange peel palate (1/4)
6)    Domaine Sangouard, Les Brûles Saint Veran, blanc 2007, 9.20€: mineral (1/4)
7)    Domaine Sangouard, Au Goulia Pouilly Fuisse, blanc 2007, 11.50€: flower, mineral, orange, citric peel (1/4)
8)    Domaine Sangouard, Hautefreche Pouilly Fuisse, blanc 2006, 14.20€: floral, silky, clove nose; citric palate (2/4)
9)    Domaine Pagnotta Père et Fils, Clos de Bellecroix Rully, rouge 2006, 9.20€: strong earth and rock (1/4)
10)    Domaine Pagnotta Père et Fils, La Bussière Mercurey, rouge 2007, 9.70€: strong earth and rock (1/4)
11)    Domaine Pagnotta Père et Fils, Clos Voyens Mercurey Premier Cru, rouge 2006, 11€: more subtle, chocolate (1/4)
12)    Domaine Pagnotta Père et Fils, La Fussière Maranges Premier Cru, rouge 2006, 11€: more subtle, chocolate, raspberry, leather (1/4)
Jura…
13)    Jean-Luc Mouillard, Côtes du Jura chardonnay, blanc 2006, 7€: orange, spice nose; clove, nutcracker palate (1/4)
14)    Jean-Luc Mouillard, Côtes du Jura savagnin, blanc 2005, 11.50€: hazlenut, almonds, it’s NUTS! nose; strong pecan attack, a Galloway Christmas palate (2/4)
15)    Jean-Luc Mouillard, L’Etoile Selection, blanc 2005, 8€: flor oxidation, walnut, fig, citric
16)    Jean-Luc Mouillard, Château-Chalon Vin Jaune, blanc 1997, 27€ (620ml): hazlenut, dates, walnut, almond, World War of Nuts! A nut explosion (2/4)
17)    Jean-Luc Mouillard, Macvin du Jura, blanc NV, 13€: drunk raisins (1/4)
18)    Jean-Luc Mouillard, Vin de Paille, blanc 2004, 19€ (375ml): overwhelming subtlety, ethereal nose; fig, almond, Christmas nut bread, prune sneak attack on the finish palate (3/4)
Savoie…
19)    Domaine Eugène Parrel et Fils, Jongieux, blanc 2007: grapefruit, spice nose; citric peel palate (1/4)
20)    Domaine Eugène Parrel et Fils, Roussette de Savoie, blanc 2007: cream, lemon (1/4)
21)    Domaine Eugène Parrel et Fils, Marestel, blanc: light compte cheese, apricot, mango (2/4)
Alsace…
22)    Domaine Mittnacht Frères, Récolte Riesling, blanc 2007, 7.50€: mineral, floral, peach (1/4)
23)    Domaine Mittnacht Frères, Récolte Gewurztraminer, blanc 2007, 9.50€: lychee nose; slightly overripe mango palate (2/4)
24)    Domaine Mittnacht Frères, Osterberg Récolte Grand Cru Riesling, blanc 2006, 15€: guava, peach nose; apple palate (2/4)
25)    Domaine Mittnacht Frères, Rosacker Récolte Grand Cru Gewurztraminer, blanc 2005, 15.50€: lychee, mineral nose; overripe mango (2/4)
26)    Domaine Mittnacht Frères, Vendange Tardive Récolte Gewurztraminer, blanc 2003, 19.50€ (500ml): strong spice, apricot nose; syrupy palate (1/4)
27)    Domaine Léon Heitzmann, Gewurztraminer, blanc 2007, 8.50€: lychee (1/4)
28)    Domaine Léon Heitzmann, Kaefferkopf Gewurztraminer, blanc 2007, 13.80€: lychee, floral (2/4)
29)    Domaine Léon Heitzmann, Vendanges Tardives Gewurztraminer, blanc 2006, 23.20€: apricot, lychee, peach (2/4)
30)    Domaine Léon Heitzmann, Kaefferkopf Sélection de Grains Nobles Gewurztraminer, blanc 2005, 45.20€: honey, lychee (3/4)
Champagne…
31)    Vely-Rasselet, Carte Noire, brut blanc NV, 14€: watermelon, bread, jam
32)    Vely-Rasselet, Carte D’Or, brut blanc NV, 15€: strong yeast, lemon
33)    Vely-Rasselet, Rosé Brut, 16€: baby diapers but not unpleasant nose; bread, earth palate
34)    Vely-Rasselet, Blanc de Blancs, 16€: bread
Roussillon…
35)    Domaine Bonzoms, Cuvée Olibèdes, rosé, 4€: red cough sryup, Chambord liqueur, starfruit
36)    Domaine Bonzoms, Cuvée Costes, blanc, 4€: straw, tropical, watermelon, very pleasant floral, asian pear, grape
37)    Domaine Bonzoms, Rivesaltes Tuilé, rouge doux, 8€: wood, sweet, strong tannins, raspberry
38)    Domaine de Vénus, Côtes du Roussillon, rouge 2004, 9.90€: cherry, pepper (1/4)
39)    Domaine de Vénus, Côtes du Roussillon Villages, rouge 2003, 11.75€: pepper, vegetable, leather
40)    Domaine de Vénus, Côtes du Roussillon Villages, rouge 2004, 12.25€: gamy, cherry, currant
Bordeaux…
41)    Château Haut-Bommes, Suaternes, blanc 2005: sweet, apricot syrup and compote (1/4)
42)    Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey, Suaternes Premier Cru, blanc 2006: apricot, orange, mineral tertiary (2/4)
43)    Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey, Suaternes Premier Cru, blanc 1998: honey, apricot, very subtle wet stone (1-2/4)
Provence…
44)    Domaine de L’Olivette, Cuvée Spéciale Bandol, rosé 2007: aromatic green herb, watermelon, spice nose; spice, strawberry palate (1/4)
45)    Domaine de L’Olivette, Cuvée Spéciale Bandol, blanc 2007: green apple, orange nose; watermelon palate (1/4)
46)    Domaine de la Vivonne, Bandol, rouge 2001, 19€: more subtle, black fruit, bittersweet chocolate (2/4)
47)    Domaine de la Vivonne, Bandol, rouge 2003, 17.50€: more spice, black cherries, chocolate (2/4)
48)    Domaine de la Vivonne, Bandol, rouge 2004, 16€: a little more earth and black fruit, leather (2/4)
49)    Domaine de la Vivonne, Bandol, rouge 2006, 14.50€: very fresh, cherries, spice (1/4)
Val de Loire…
50)    Domaine des Forges, Anjou, blanc 2006, 7.20€: very peculiar, sharp, raisin, rice vinegar nose (1/4)
51)    Domaine des Forges, Moulin du Gué Savennières, blanc 2006, 9.40€: mineral, peach, more elegant (1/4)
52)    Domaine des Forges, Roche aux Moines Savennières, blanc 2007, 12€: peach jam, silky nose; apricot palate (1/4)
53)    Domaine des Forges, Quarts de Chaume Sélection de Grains Nobles, blanc 2006, 27€: “car factory” (Haruka), noble rot, dates nose; very syrupy, cough syrup, almonds (2/4)
54)    Domaine des Forges, Quarts de Chaume Sélection de Grains Nobles, blanc 2007, 27€: floral, pear nose; tangerine, jam palate (2/4)
55)    Domaine des Forges, Quarts de Chaume Sélection de Grains Nobles, blanc 2005, 27€: white flower, apricot nose; melon, pear (2/4)
56)    Domaine des Forges,  Sélection de Grains Nobles, blanc 1997, 50€ (500ml): strong raisins, fig, molasses nose; an entire box of Sun Maid raisins palate (2/4)
57)    Château Lacour Jacquet, Haut-Medoc, rouge 2003, 11€: strong animal and barnyard, too acidic (1-2/4)
58)    Château Lacour Jacquet, Haut-Medoc, rouge 2005, 10€: chocolate, spice (1/4)
59)    Château Lacour Jacquet, Haut-Medoc, rouge 2006, 9€: molasses, black fruit, subtle leather (2/4)
60)    Domaine Rougeyron, Bousset d’Or Côtes D’Auvergne, rouge 2006, 4.80€: cherry, unripe red fruit, earth (1/4)
61)    Domaine Rougeyron, Vieilles Vignes Côtes D’Auvergne, rouge 2006, 5.10€: cherry, unripe red fruit, earth (1/4)
62)    Domaine Rougeyron, Fût de Chêne Côtes D’Auvergne, rouge 2006, 6.10€: more tannic (1/4)
63)    Domaine Rougeyron, Bousset d’Or Côtes D’Auvergne, blanc 2007, 5.10€: light orange peel, mango nose; orange, tangerine palate (1/4)
64)    Domaine Rougeyron, Bousset d’Or Côtes D’Auvergne, rosé 2007, 4.80€: strawberry nose; orange, strawberry palate (1/4)
65)    Albane & Bertrand Minchin, Le Claux Delorme Valençay, rouge 2007: green vegetables, mushroom nose; acidic, cherry palate (1/4)
66)    Albane & Bertrand Minchin, Franc du Côt-Lié Touraine, rouge 2007: spice nose; yeast palate (1/4)
Côtes du Rhone…
67)    Château Tour des Genêts, Cuvée Tranquille Côtes du Ventoux, blanc 2007: vegetal, strange, vanilla nose; mineral, lime palate (1/4)
68)    Château Tour des Genêts, Cuvée Genêts Côtes du Ventoux, blanc 2006: mineral nose; bone dry, citric palate (1/4)
69)    Château Tour des Genêts, Cuvée Funny Rosé Côtes du Ventoux, rosé 2007: strong manure, strawberry nose; strawberry palate (1/4)
70)    Domaine du Val des Rois, Côté Lance, blanc 2006, 6.10€: (1/4)
71)    Domaine du Val des Rois, Côté Lance, blanc 2007, 6.10€: (1/4)
72)    Domaine du Val des Rois, Roi Rosé, 2007, 5.90€: herbal, unripe strawberry (1/4)
73)    Domaine Le Pont du Rieu, Vacqueyras, rouge 2006, 7.10€: cherry (1/4)
74)    Domaine Le Pont du Rieu, Vacqueyras, rouge 2005, 7.40€: spice, pepper (1/4)
75)    Domaine Le Pont du Rieu, Vacqueyras, rouge 2004, 7.70€: currant (1/4)
76)    Domaine La Coste du Puy, Lirac, rouge 2004, 8.20€: cherry, blackberries, spice (1/4)
77)    Domaine La Coste du Puy, Lirac, rouge 2006, 8.30€: wet wood (1/4)