Abouriou
Daumas Gassac
Haute Vallee du Gassac Red Blend 2018
Fascinating red blend produced by Mas de Daumas Gassac coming from the St Guilhem-le-Désert – Cité d'Aniane IGP in the Languedoc region of Southern France. 🇫🇷
Mas de Daumas Gassac is known for its unique red glacial soils that are well-draining and rich in mineral oxides (iron, copper, etc.), helping to nourish but also stress (in a good way!) the approx. 42-year-old vines, which can enhance concentration of fruit character. It is also known for its philosophy of respecting the land it farms and honoring the ecosystem of the Gassac Valley. 🌳
When I say fascinating blend, I mean, look at the list of varieties comprising this wine, based upon the winemaker’s tech sheet:
76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Pinot Noir, 2% Malbec, and 4% rare grape varieties, including: Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Montepulciano (Italy), Armigne (Switzerland), Arenie, Areni Noir (Armenia), Bastardo, Souzon (Portugal), Saperavie (Russia), Tchkaveri, Tchekavesi (Georgia), Brancalleo (Galicia), Carmenere, Abouriou (old French grape varieties) and Plavac Mali (Croatia). 🍇🍇🍇
👀This wine has a medium purple hue and noteworthy staining and tearing on the glass.
👃On the nose, it has youthful and robust, primary notes of ripe black fruit, such as black cherry, plum, blackberry bramble, also anise, violet, dried lavender, licorice,
pipe tobacco, also secondary notes of dark chocolate, nutmeg, and cedar. The intensity is medium(+).
👄On the palate, this wine is dry. It has medium(+) acidity, a full body, high alcohol (14.1%), and medium(+) tannins that are supple but very present. The intensity of flavors is medium(+) and more tart than ripe, but otherwise consistent with the nose. The finish is medium(+).
👏👏👏 This wine is delicious and could age for many more years, but even in its youth, it’s delightful, complex, and full of intense dark fruit character. — 3 years ago
Old World Winery
Reserve Abouriou 2011
Finally opened this special bottle to try with my wine posse. Simple label. My favorite color scheme of red and black. From a 4 acre block that is the only known planting in CA. Aged 12 years. Hint of rust on the edge of the lip, but still pretty dark and bright for its age. Smells like attics, old books and cherry scones. Maybe a hint of horehound candy? Flavors are very old world. Savory fruit paste (membrillo coated in olive oil, black olives without the salt, herb and fruit liquors, licorice). There is also a cherry streak. Like halfway between fresh and dried black cherries. This is a wine for folks who want it strange and unpredictable. And with aging it’s even more in that vain. Would like to see what the younger vintages are like, but this would be hard to beat. — a year ago
Elian Da Ros
Le Vin est une Fête Côtes du Marmandais Red Blend 2013
Vintage 2017 | made from 40% Cabernet franc 40% Abouriou and 20% Merlot. From the relatively unknown Côtes du Marmandais. The wine has a smell with hints of red fruit, predominantly minerals and also some cedar/cigarbox. Very quaffable wine with a velvety structure ánd character. Good effort! | Paired with a Tunafish starter and Risotto Porcini afterwards. — 4 years ago
Old World Winery
Bloom Sonoma Abouriou Blend 2021
Nice sweet and tart balance…Real jolly rancher vibes. Light body and easy drinking. This’ll be a go to summer wine for sure. — 2 years ago
Emilien Jean
Be Api Côtes du Marmandais Merlot Abouriou 2017
Côtes du Marmandais, https://www.emilienjean.com/, 2017. 75% de Merlot et 25% d’Abouriou. Very pleasant and drinkable — 5 years ago
Peter van den Besselaar
Vintage 2011 | In praise of the cooperatives ☺️ This wine from Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Abouriou was really hard when young. And now after 12 years it reveals its qualities: cherries and spices in smell, smooth velvety taste, very vibrant and still with tannins present. It gives joy. Paired with spaghetti garlic, anchovies and parsley. — a year ago