This month we have chosen a Côte Rôtie, two Bordeaux wines to drink young and two wines from the not so known Loire Valley region of Coteaux du Vendômois.
“BKWine Tastes”. It is a collection of wines we have tasted recently. It is often samples that producers have sent us to show us what they do or other bottles that we have come across at tastings or on our tasting table in the office.
The first wine is Côte Rôtie TESS from Domaine Christophe Pichon, a powerful yet accessible wine from one of the prestigious appellations of the northern Rhône Valley. Fabre on the Rocks Malbec shows another side of Médoc, and Château Coquillas 2019 is a classic Pessac-Léognan in a structured but easy-drinking style. The two rose wines from Coteaux du Vendômois are made from the trendy grape pineau d’aunis.
Rhône
Côte Rôtie Tess 2020, Christophe Pichon Père & Fils, Northern Rhône Valley
This wine shows that a Côte Rôtie, despite its formidable ageing capacity, can be drunk with pleasure even when very young. Domaine Christophe Pichon in Chavanay has 23 hectares divided between Condrieu, Côte Rôtie, Saint-Joseph and Cornas. The estate also has a small production of red and white IGP wine. The sons of Christophe, Corentin and Alexis are also working on the estate, having gained experience from vineyards in Australia, where syrah is also the grape par excellence. Corentin has worked in the Barossa Valley and Alexis in Tasmania.
Côte Rôtie TESS comes from a tiny vineyard of 0.6 hectares. Each vine is tied to a pole; a system called an échalas and which the Pichon family thinks provides better sun exposure and airflow. The fermentation takes place at 28–30 degrees C, and total skin contact is 28 days. The wine ages 14 months in three-year-old barrels.
As you can imagine, the wine is powerful and complex with lots of ripe fruit, but still easily accessible and with good freshness. It is also a bit spicy, typical of a Côte Rôtie. The tannins are, of course, present, but the taste is smooth and pleasant. And very long. (~ 55 euros)
Bordeaux
Fabre on the Rocks Malbec 2021, Haut-Médoc, Bordeaux
We see them more and more; Bordeaux wines made in a different style but without totally losing their Bordeaux character. Fabre on the Rocks is a rare 100% malbec from Haut-Médoc. The wine is produced by Domaines Fabre, which is run by the family of the same name who also owns Château Lamothe-Cissac in Haut-Médoc.
Fabre on the Rocks Malbec is light in colour and structure and very fruity. It is a delicious and refreshing wine, quite unpretentious. You drink it now or within a few years. There is no oak here, only fruit. Malbec thrives in the rocky limestone in this part of Haut-Médoc. (~ 13.50 euros)
Château Coquillas 2019 Rouge, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux
The Château de France in Pessac-Léognan has long been one of our favourite châteaux in Bordeaux. Coquillas is the château’s second wine, an excellent and affordable red Bordeaux wine. It is also available in an equally enjoyable white version. Château de France is owned and operated by Arnaud Thomassin. His father Bernard bought the château in 1971, so last year, 2021, the family celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Château de France has 40 hectares divided into 36 hectares of red grapes, cabernet sauvignon and merlot, and 4 hectares of white grapes, sauvignon blanc and sémillon. Maybe Arnaud will plant more white grapes in the future; the demand is growing for white wine, he says. He invests heavily in environmental conservation measures, and this year the château received recognition for its efforts through the award “Vins de Demain 2022” (Tomorrow’s Wines) from Fondation du Vin, a non-profit association.
Château Coquillas is made of 40% cabernet sauvignon and 60% merlot. It is a delicious wine with intense fruit (black currants, blackberries). It is quite light in style, albeit still serious with good tannins, but the focus is on the fruit. The must ferments at a temperature of 30 degrees C maximum and gets 3-4 weeks of skin contact. The wine ages in 2-3-year-old oak barrels (225 litres) for 12 months. (~ 15 euros)
Coteaux du Vendômois and the grape pineau d’aunis
The Loire Valley is a vast wine region with many sub-regions. One of the lesser-known is the Coteaux du Vendômois, located 64 kilometres northeast of Tours and close to the pretty small town of Vendôme. It is a small appellation that makes just over 500,000 bottles a year. The signature grape is the red pineau d’aunis. It is often made in a juicy, easy-drinking style, often as rosé wine (or vin gris as it is often called here), but also used for red wines.
The grape was more common in the past in Anjou and Touraine, but the cabernet franc ousted it, one reason being that its alcohol level was considered too low. Now, however, it is an advantage to have only 12 % alcohol. The grape today is a bit trendy, not least among natural wine producers. We have tasted two vin gris from Coteaux du Vendômois, both from 100 % pineau d’aunis.
Domaine Colin Gris 2021, Coteaux du Vendômois, Loire Valley
Domaine Colin has 25 hectares, mainly chenin blanc and pineau d’aunis. This pale rosé wine is made with grapes from young pineau d’aunis vines and with direct pressing (pressurage direct) to get the really light colour that characterizes a vin gris. The wine has pleasant, elegant cherry fruit and spices; it is fresh on the palate and has a certain structure in the finish. The alcohol level is 12%. Domaine Colin is a biodynamic estate and is Demeter certified. (~ 7 euros)
Le Cocagne 2021, Cave les Vignerons du Vendômois, Loire Valley
Le Cocagne is the name of a well-exposed slope facing east. The grapes are harvested with good ripeness to catch the grape’s aromatic intensity. The light salmon pink colour comes from direct pressing and minimal skin contact. After natural sedimentation in tank for 24 hours (débourbage), the juice ferments at 14 degrees C in stainless steel tanks. This is followed by a few months of ageing on the lees before bottling.
The wine is slightly aromatic with the aromas of raspberries and strawberries. The taste is full-bodied and delicious, very dry and ends with a grapefruity acidity. (~7 euro)
