Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2012

Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2012 Tasting Notes

Tasted in September 2019, the appearance was clear, dark ruby.  The tears were lightly stained ruby. Aromas consisted of black currant, red plum, pencil lead, red peppercorn, herbs, spice, chocolate, and wet leaves.  The wine is still developing, with mostly primary and secondary aromas.  

On the palate, the wine was dry, with medium (+) acidity, medium (+) fine-grained tannins, medium (+) alcohol, medium body, pronounced flavor intensity.  The wine had a long finish of black currant, chocolate, and herbs.  

In conclusion, the quality was very good.  One could drink now but it has the potential for aging another five or ten years.  The price point is over $50. We drank the wine over a period of three days. The tasting notes were taken on day two - the wine was much more opened up on the second day.  On the third day, the wine still had the same intensity.  

Why does the Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2012 taste like this?

This wine comes from the Pessa-Léognan AOC, which is nestled to the west, southwest, and southern borders of the city of Bordeaux, FR.  The red wines from this AOC are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot that grow on typically well-drained gravely soil.  

This particular estate grows 44% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The particular aromas and flavors, high acidity and medium (+) alcohol levels in this wine are the results of this blend (e.g. predominant Merlot and Cabernet Franc profile) as well as the cool maritime climate.  Lastly, the wine is aged for about 8 months in 80% percent new oak. This wine does have more fruit-forward aromas than expected because 2012 had a very warm, dry summer.  

If you like more fruit-forward vintages from Bordeaux, you might like wines like this.  If you like the presence of both primary (grape, fermentation) and secondary (post-fermentation) aromas and flavors, you will like this 2012 vintage from this region now as some of the tertiary (maturation) aromas are just starting to emerge in 2019.  

Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2012 Food Pairing

This wine’s Merlot and Cabernet Franc flavors makes it flexible to pair with a variety of meat and  fish like tuna and salmon.

Classically, these blends are paired with with grilled foods, as well as dishes that could be described as earthy. Other good pairings might be soft cheese, smoked meats, and charcuterie.

Many people may not like this wine paired with strong blue cheeses, spicy foods, or delicate dishes.

Where to Purchase Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion Wine

We purchased this wine from a bottle shop in St. Emilion, France.  It can also be purchased at the estate.

You likely won’t find this wine at a local bottle shop in the US as this estate produces around 35,000 bottles per year.  However, a wine shop may be able to order it for you online or through a distributor.  

Testardi Syrah 2012

The wine’s appearance is clear, with deep intense ruby color, and ruby stained tears.

The wine was clean, medium (+) intensity aroma.  Aroma characteristics were primarily blackberry, bramble, olive, black pepper, licorice, savory and cinnamon.  This wine was still developing when tasted in September 2019.

On the palate, the wine was dry, medium (+) acidity, medium tannin, medium (+) alcohol, medium (+) body, medium (+) flavor intensity, and a medium finish.

The quality level is very good, you can drink it now but it has the potential for aging a couple more years.  

We took our tasting notes about an hour after the wine was opened and served.  When we tasted the wine right after pouring, we noticed it would benefit from decanting.  As the evening progressed, the wine continued to open up and the aromas were primarily blackberry and olive.  We enjoyed this wine with a slow-roasted pork shoulder, rice and beans. Most of the wine was consumed that evening.  The one glass of wine left over still held up well the next day.    

Why does this Brazilian Syrah taste like this?

The Vale do São Francisco Valley is a unique environment within which to grow Syrah.  It’s a tropical region, spanning the states of Bahia and Pernambuco in northeast Brazil.  Growing grapes in tropical regions are rare, however, in this region producers know a lot about agronomics and growing grapes in this unique environment. 

Since it is so hot in this region, the style of Syrah is somewhat between that of Syrah-predominant blends of the warm Southern Rhone and what Australians call Shiraz style of Syrah wines.  In summary, all these wines are fruit-forward and made for easy drinking. There are just a few wineries like Vinicola Ouro Verde as part of the Miolo Wine Group with a focus on fine wine expression of Syrah in this area of Brazil.    

If you like the flavors of “Rhone Rangers” wines from Paso Robles or Syrah-forward wines from the Southern Rhone and Languedoc you might like wines like this. If you find most Shiraz wines from Australia to be too strong or robust, you may like wine like this.

Testardi Syrah Food Pairing

The wine’s medium-high acidity, higher alcohol and heavier mouthfeel make it a good pairing with red meats and vegetarian dishes that emphasize heavy beans like black beans.

Classically, Syrah wines are paired with grilled red meats, smoked meats or BBQ as the char that comes with these cooking methods plays nicely with the pepper and savory aromas of the wine.   

This wine is too robust for delicate fish or poultry dishes.  The intensity of the wine is too much and will overpower most fish and many chicken dishes.  

Where to Purchase 

After reading about this region in Wines of South America by Evan Goldstein, I was happy to receive one of these wines from a former employee in a bottle exchange while visiting Brazil.  

Want to learn more about this region?  Check out this blog from a local.

And here is one of the best resources on wines from South America:

Wines of South America: The Essential Guide

By Evan Goldstein

Buy on Amazon

Wines from this region are difficult (but not impossible) to come by in the US.  Check with your local bottle shop if you find this wine interesting.

Famille Perrin La Gille Gigondas 2016

The wine’s appearance is clear, with medium color intensity ruby color, and lightly ruby stained tears.

The wine was clean, medium (-) intensity aroma.  Aroma characteristics were primarily red cherry and strawberry, black pepper, clove, and bread.  This wine was still developing when tasted in September 2019.

On the palate, the wine was dry, medium (+) acidity, medium tannins, medium (+) alcohol, medium body, medium flavor intensity, and a medium (+) finish.

The quality level is good, you can drink it now but it has the potential for aging.  

This was an easy-drinking wine, just right for a warm September evening and a grilled pork chop.  It disappeared after 2 hours, so we’ve no report on how this wine faired over a period of a couple of days after opening.  

Why does this Gigondas taste like this?

The Gigondas AOC is just north and west of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the sunny Southern Rhone Valley. Gigondas is also very close to the beautiful Dentelles de Montmirail mountains.  Around 99% of the grapes grown in Gigondas are red. Wines are primarily a blend of Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre grapes. These grapes are exposed during the day to sunny, hot conditions then cool down at night when the cool air from the mountains descends to the vineyards in the valley.  

The aromas and flavors, as well as medium-high acidity, medium-high alcohol and lighter-than-expected mouthfeel result from a combination of the grape varieties (80% Grenache and 20% Syrah), the hot Mediterranean climate in combination with the cooling effects of the Dentelles, a terraced vineyard with a north-west aspect, and ageing in neutral foudres or barriques.  These neutral vessels impart very little if any oak aromas to the wine.

If you like the flavors of Grenache and cool climate New World Pinot Noir, you might like wines like this.   If you find most wines from Chateauneuf-du-Pape to be too strong or robust, you may like wine like this.

Famille Perrin La Gille Gigondas Food Pairing

The wine’s medium-high acidity, medium to high alcohol and lighter mouthfeel makes it fairly flexible for pairing.

Classically, Gigondas wines are paired with hearty stews and lamb.  However when the blend is primarily Grenache, many will find too hearty of dishes overwhelming the wine.  The fruitiness and lighter mouthfeel of this particular wine might pair better with roast chicken and mashed potatoes or potato salad.  This would be a good picnic wine to serve slightly chilled with grilled bratwurst. Or served with a brunch with turkey sausage and hashed browns.  Staying with that theme, it would be a good wine for a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner.  

Some people don’t like the taste of aged Grenache since it is prized for its bright cherry aromas and flavor and made to be consumed within a few years of release.  The wine can turn dark after about a decade - an almost brown color that might be off-putting to some.

If you are serving Gigondas with a higher alcohol % - over 13.5%, some people may find the alcohol level to be too high for spicy food pairings.  Grenache can also be unpleasant with simple green vegetables like broccoli. Imagine your favorite dark green steamed vegetable and putting cherries with it - if it does not sound good to you, this wine might not be a good pairing with that green vegetable.     

Where to Purchase Perrin La Gille Gigondas

We purchased this wine at Chapel Hill Hyatt Place for a teambuilding event.  So, if you are staying at a Hyatt Place you may find it by the bottle.  

Otherwise, this wine is fairly well distributed in the United States.  Check with your local bottle shop.

Also, if you’re interested in other wines from this region, check out our guide to the Rhone, its region of origin.

Pride Mountain Vineyards Syrah 2013

The appearance was clear, a deep intense ruby with ruby stained tears.

On the nose, the wine was clean, with medium intensity aromas of blueberry, black olive, lavender, black pepper, and chocolate.  When tasted in July 2019 the wine was still developing.

On the palate, the wine was dry with high acidity, medium (+) tannins that were fine-grained, medium (+) alcohol, medium (+) body, and had pronounced flavor intensity.  The wine had a good balance and a long finish.

In conclusion, the wine was of very good quality.  The price point is super-premium - over $60. One could drink it now or let it age further.  We decanted the wine for about 30 minutes before tasting and proceeded to enjoy the wine over a period of three days.  

Why does Syrah from Pride Mountain Vineyards taste like this?

Syrah in the Sonoma County area is typically selected from north-facing and cooler slopes.  The aromas and flavors, as well as the high acidity and moderate to high alcohol levels of these types of wine result from the combination of the grape variety, cooler exposures in a Mediterranean climate.  In the cellar, winemakers manage the high tannins through techniques like micro-oxygenation and modifying how long the grape skins are left in contact with the grapes.

When Syrah spends time in oak (in this case 16 months) the oak barrels are older and neutral.  If aged in new oak barrels one might taste primarily the oak and not the brambly dark fruit the grape is known for.  

If you like the flavors of Australian Shiraz or Syrah from Paso Robles and are looking for a little more subtle expression of Syrah from California, you might like this wine.  

Pride Mountain Vineyards Sonoma County Syrah Food Pairing

Syrah from warmer vintages like 2013 typically has more black fruit flavor characteristics, while cooler vintages or cooler locales like Sonoma County might have both black and red fruit flavor characteristics.

The high acidity, pepperiness, and mix of black and red fruit flavor characteristics make it a good classical pairing with red meats and poultry as well as ‘meaty’ vegetarian dishes containing black beans or polenta.  These wines are also enjoyed with meaty stews and chili.

Many people may not like Syrah paired with delicate and subtle foods.  The intense flavors and pepperiness of the wine can overwhelm most fish and mild cheeses.  Also with its higher alcohol level, not everyone likes high alcohol with spicy food together.  Last, vinegar-based sauces might not be a pleasant combination with Syrah from the New World.    

Where to Purchase Pride Mountain Vineyards Syrah Sonoma County

We purchased this wine on a visit to Pride Mountain Vineyards.  The wine can be purchased from the winery, from select bottle shops upon request, and can be found on some restaurant lists.  

2012 Cade Estate Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

The wine was tasted in August 2019.  The appearance was clear, deep garnet intensity, stained tears.

The nose was clean, medium intensity.  Aroma characteristics of violet, black plum, blackberry, black cherry, cinnamon, licorice, black pepper, cedar, and mint.  The wine was still developing.  

On the palate, the wine was dry with high acidity, high tannins, high alcohol, medium (+) body, pronounced flavor intensity.  The tannins were fine-grained. The wine was balanced and had a long finish.  

The quality was very good.  One could drink this now or it is suitable for further aging.  This is a super-premium wine, over $50.

Drinking the 2012 vintage in 2019 or 2020?  I’d recommend decanting for an hour.  

Why does Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon taste like this?

The aromas and flavors, as well as high acidity and high alcohol levels of this wine result from the combination of the elevation at which these grapes are grown (1600 to 2200 feet in elevation), warm Mediterranean climate of Napa Valley with high temperatures in the day and cooler mountain temperatures at night, warm fermentations and maceration period (how long the grape skins remain in contact with the crushed juice).  This wine is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot - the addition of Merlot adds some hints of red fruits, chocolate as well as softness and suppleness. 

When the grapes are picked, most of them go through a fast fermentation in stainless steel, while a minority (about 15%) ferment in French oak barrels.  Following malolactic fermentation, the wine goes into new French oak from a variety of prestigious cooperages.  

The wine is crafted by the winemaker to highlight the brambly dark fruits of Howell Mountain, the ‘seasoning’ of high-end French oak barrels, and ready to drink when it is released or to age up to 15 - 20 years.  

If you like Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and are interested in grapes grown organically and wineries LEED-certified (green, energy-efficient), you might like wines like this.

Cade Estate Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Food Pairing

This wine’s high acidity, high alcohol, and pronounced flavor intensity make it difficult for pairing with a wide variety of foods.  Classically, Cabernet Sauvignon like this wine is paired with stronger meats like ostrich, lamb, and beef. When there is a little bit of charring on steak, as well as some black pepper - those bold flavors helps in foiling potentially bitter tannins found in younger wines.  

Many people may not like Cabernet Sauvignon paired with delicate dishes like fish - the intense flavor masks the flavor of more subtle dishes.  Spicy foods with this wine might make the wine taste or feel more astringent.  

Where to Purchase Cade Estate Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon?

We purchased this wine at the estate itself. It can also be purchased on the winery’s website. It can be purchased at some wine shops. Since the wine is part of the PlumpJack Group, it is widely distributed in the United States and can be found on wine lists. 

Chȃteau Guiraud Sauternes 2010

The appearance was clear, medium intensity gold, with thick, clear legs.

The nose was clean, medium (+)  aroma intensity. The aromas were characteristic of orange blossoms, orange zest, apricot, lychee, honey, pastry, ginger, marmalade, and spice. The wine was still developing.

On the palate, the wine was sweet, but not cloying.  The acidity was medium (+), low tannin, medium alcohol, medium (+) body, pronounced flavor intensity with a pleasantly long finish.

The quality was outstanding.  Drink now with potential for aging.  The price category is premium, over $30 a bottle.

We enjoyed this wine over a period of 7 days. Only on the 7th day did it start to show some signs of fatigue.   

Why does Sauternes taste like this?

Sauternes wines come from the Sauturnais region southwest of Bordeaux, France.  The wines are comprised of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc, with most of the blend comprising of Sémillion.  

The Sémillon grape is susceptible to a disease called Botrytis Cinerea.  Botrytis is a fungus that lives in the soil.  In the fall, it infects the grapes. The infection is desirable and brings spiciness and tropical fruit aroma to the wine.  The hyphae (tentacles) of the fungus penetrate the skin of Sémillon and cause liquids to ooze from the grape. Once the grape are sufficiently infected, the partially desiccated grapes are picked by hand and placed in these crates and taken to the wine cellar for fermentation.

Following fermentation, the grapes are aged in oak barrels.  When the wines are young (typically 3-5 years old, they taste primarily of fruit and honey.  As the wines age (they can age for many years - some vintages can age for 100 years or more), they develop secondary and tertiary aromas like nuts, smoke, and honeycomb.

Chȃteau Guiraud Food Pairing

Classically, Sauternes pairs well with tree and stone fruit desserts like peach pie, poached fruits, mousse, custards, and blue cheeses.  Sauternes are also frequently paired with fois gras and other fatty, rich organ meats.

Sauternes does not pair well with ddesserts that are sweeter than the wine, most people will find that very sweet desserts paired with wines will make the wine taste sour and not good.  

Where to Purchase Chȃteau Guiraud

We purchased this wine on a trip to Chȃteau Guiraud during our 2018 visit to Bordeaux.

Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Brut Blanc de Blanc Champagne, Cuvée Cuis 1er Cru

The appearance was clear, pale lemon with petite bubbles.  The nose was clean with medium aroma intensity. Aromas consisted of yellow apple, pear, biscuit, lemon, and pineapple.  The wine was still developing when we tasted it in August 2019.

On the palate, the wine was dry, with high acidity, low tannin, medium alcohol, medium (-) body, medium (+) flavor intensity, well balanced.  The bubbles were quite delicate.

The quality was excellent.  One could drink now or age for 3-5 more years, perhaps longer.  The price point is over $30. We drank the wine over a period of 16 hours.  We used a champagne stopper - the wine lost only a little of its effervescence during that period.

Why Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Brut Blanc de Blanc Champagne Cuvée Cuis 1er Cru?

This wine is a good introduction to grower-producer champagne.  Vignerons such as Pierre Gimonnet & Fils who own vineyards within the Premiere Cru (1er) and Grand Cru classification have made a go at keeping their own fruit and vinifying it themselves rather than selling to the large Champagne houses.  

This wine is grown and produced in the Côte des Blancs, between the villages of Épernay and Mont Amié.  The cellars are located in the village of Cuis just outside Épernay. This region seems almost tailor-made for Chardonnay.  The soils are white and chalky, with a bedrock of chalk as well. Many of the slopes are north and north-east-facing near Cuis - good for catching some morning sun in this northern region of France.  North-east facing slopes are not as warm as east and south-east-facing slopes, so wines from this Cuis area often give the feeling in the mouth of higher acidity and freshness.  

Most of the champagne from this Côte des Blancs region is Chardonnay, and champagne made from Chardonnay is called Blanc de Blancs.  This specific wine is NV - Non-vintage - which means it is a blend across Chardonnay from a few years but all from the same Cuis sites.  

At harvest, clusters are placed in small containers to prevent damage to the fruit.  The fruit is pressed using traditional vertical Champagne presses. Each parcel of the vineyard is vinified separately.  Following malolactic fermentation, the wine is cold-treated and filtered for stabilization. The still wine is then blended to make the cuveé and bottled.  Then a mixture of yeast/wine/sugar is added (“liqueur de tirage”) - secondary fermentation occurs and the bottles age in the cellar for 18 to 24 months. Gimonnet & Fils uses manual bottle turning (“rumage”) to prepare the wine for removal of the yeast plug following the secondary fermentation.  Once the yeast plug is removed, the displaced liquid must be replaced with “liqueur d’expédition” which is comprised of old wines from the estate.  

If you enjoy champagne and want to learn more, check out our 14 Fun Facts about Champagne article.

Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Brut Blanc de Blanc Champagne Cuvée Cuis 1er Cru Food Pairing

Like many other high acidity, medium alcohol wines, champagne pairs well with a number of foods.  

In the US we’ve come to associate champagne with aperitifs, toasts, and celebrations.  Consider purchasing a bottle of champagne and sticking with it through an entire meal and let us know what you think.

Many people find they like champagne with fatty foods like French fries and potato chips - and foods with a creamy texture like hummus.  We like it with sushi. Try it with milder Asian dishes, egg dishes or creamy soups.  

Really spicy or powerful tasting foods tend to not pair well with champagne since they overpower the wine.    

Where to Purchase Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Brut Blanc de Blanc Champagne Cuvée Cuis 1er Cru

We purchased this wine at Hope Valley Wine and Beverage in Durham, NC.  

Not in Durham, NC?  This wine may be available at a beverage shop near you, or online ($25 off your first order of $100 or more with code TWENTYFIVE).

Albariño Pazo de Rubianes Garcia Caamaño 2015

Albarino Pazo de Rubianes Garcia Caamaño 2015 Tasting Notes

The appearance was clear, pale lemon.  The nose was clean, medium intensity. Aromas consisted of lime, grapefruit, pineapple, honeysuckle, and herbs.  The wine was still developing when we tasted it in August 2019.  

On the palate, the wine was dry with high acidity, low tannin, medium alcohol (13%), medium body, with pronounced flavor intensity.  In addition to the aromas, upon tasting there were pleasant hints of yeast and saltiness.

The quality was very good.  Drink the wine now, it could age 1-2 years more. The price point is over $30. We drank the wine over a period of three days and stored the bottle in the refrigerator.  On the third day, the flavor did start to lose its freshness and intensity.  

Why does Albarino taste like this?

This wine comes from the Rías Baixas region of Northwest Spain (Galicia), also known as the “green” region of Spain.  One can see the Atlantic Ocean from many of the vineyards in this region of Spain.

The aromas and flavors, as well as high acidity and moderate alcohol levels of this wine result from the combination of the grape variety, cool maritime climate, and fermentation by native yeasts.

There have been significant investments and technology improvements in this region in the past 30 years that have helped Albarino gain popularity as a crisp, dry, fragrant white wine.  These advancements include selective harvest in small trays to increase quality and reduce grape damage, crushing as soon as possible after harvest - in a matter of hours, good temperature control from harvest to crushing, fermentation in stainless steel tanks with native yeasts, and aging the wine on the lees for a few months.  

If you like the flavors of Pinot Grigio or Riesling, you might like wines like this.

Albarino Pazo de Rubianes Food Pairing

This wine’s high acidity, medium alcohol makes it flexible for pairing with a number of foods.

Classically, Albarino is paired with octopus, sushi, fried oysters, shellfish, and simply prepared saltwater fish, like a grilled red snapper common to the waters of the Southeast USA. 

Many people may not like Albarino paired with sweet food or strong-flavored foods like Indian curry - those foods might overpower the Albarino or make it not taste so fresh.  If you drink Albarino with green veggies and you don’t like the pairing, consider squeezing some fresh lemon on the green veggies and see if you like that.  

Where to Purchase Pazo De Rubianes Wines

We purchase this wine on a visit to the Palace in May 2018 - we joined expat friends on a week-long trip to Spain and Portugal in mid-2018.  We just happened to be at the Palace and Winery for a release party. One can tour the vineyards, palace, and botanical gardens, as well as do a wine tasting at Pazo de Rubianes.

In addition to purchasing this wine at the winery, one can purchase this wine online from the winery and a few other online retailers.

2010 Couvent des Jacobins Grand Cru Classe

2010 Couvent des Jacobins Grand Cru Classe

Meet this week's wine, the 2010 Couvent des Jacobins Grand Cru Classe. For those seeking a sub-$60 old-fashioned St-Emilion Grand cru Classe, this is the ticket. Where this grape is grown, the 11 hectares of vineyard estates are dispersed, however the winery is within the village of St-Emilion (learn about this village in our guide to Bordeaux!). The vineyards are comprised of about 85% Merlot, 14% Cab Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Here are our tasting notes:

Appearance: Clear, medium intensity, garnet color, faintly stained legs.
Nose: Clean, medium intensity. Aromas of fresh plum, red and black cherry, cloves, vanilla, licorice, cedar. pepper.
Flavor: dry, high acidity, high tannins, medium (+) alcohol, medium (+) body, medium (+) flavor intensity, well balanced. Medium (+) finish.
Conclusion: Very good. Too young, needs 2+ hours decanting in 2018. Premium wine, over $30.