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Here is what Mark Robertson, a representative of the noted UK fine wine merchants, Goedhuis & Company recently wrote about the wines we currently have on offer from Château Saint Jacques d’Albas (and, you can meet Graham Nutter and taste these very wines at the Freemen’s An Amazing Evening of Wine Tasting next Thursday; Read all about it and sign up by clicking here) - note, the 2007 Petit St Jacques he mentions has been renamed Clos de Garric:
by Mark Robertson
October 29th 2008
Before I joined Goedhuis two months ago, I was aware that we were a firm that sought out lesser known producers and wine regions and had a canny knack of uncovering hidden gems.
As a ne
w boy, when I have not been studiously working at my desk, making tea, handing over my lunch money to the directors and occasionally being beaten up behind the back of the BMW shed, I have had the opportunity to taste a few of these.
One that has really blown me away is Graham Nutter’s Château St Jacques D’Albas from Minervois in the Languedoc. Graham is a charming Englishman, whose dream of making wine started with an epiphany at Chateau Figeac in the mid-seventies. In 2001 that dream became a reality, and he produced his first vintage.
Directly north of the appellation of Corbières, separated from it only by the River Aude and its companion, the Canal du Midi, lies Minervois. It was awarded its AOC status in 1985. Carignan, Syrah, Grenache and Mouvedre are the most planted grape varieties and are all utilised in different ways to give Minervois a unique character. Red is the predominant colour and rose is following global demand and increasing production. Only a small amount of white is produced.
Like all great wine makers, Graham has tremendous respect for his terrior and an astute understanding that a healthy vineyard will produce the finest fruit. A vibrant, living vineyard must have weeds and birds singing he tells me. If he doesn’t hear the birds, something must be missing.
It is with this perfectionism and dedication that Graham has managed to make some of the finest wine in the region. His entry level Petit St Jacques 2007 has soft berry fruit. It is medium bodied, with a silky concentration, spicy, with a soft white chocolate finish. His Domaine St Jacques 2007 (to be shipped next year) is one of the finest wines for its price I have tried in a long time. It is fresh, with a palate of lingering crushed black fruits, beautifully lifted by cashmere tannins. A delicious wine.
Following on was a flight of his Château St Jacques. These are all very impressive wines indeed. 50% each of Syrah and Grenache, he has managed to harness the often intense heat of the area and create a fresh, complex, creamy and balanced wine with impeccable pedigree. This wine would be outstanding with food and make a great value alternative to Chateauneuf du Pape. A perfect winter wine.
Finally we tried a flight of his La Chapelle 2003-2005. This wine is made from 95% Syrah with a spoonful of Grenache. Taken from a tiny parcel of vines the La Chapelle exudes class. It has been described as somewhere between the northern Rhone and Margaret River (in Western Australia). However this wine is certainly not schizophrenic and has beautiful individual characteristics. I love this wine. It is rich, powerful and hedonistic, but not heavy, with a body of softest velvet.
And, here’s what the Wine Spectator says about the wines from Domaine Roger Sabon that many of you ordered:
95 Le Secret de Sabon 2005 $250 Has gorgeous mouth-feel, with a racy, fine grained structure supporting exotic spice, sweet earth, sandalwood and black tea notes, while a core pf blackberry and fig fruit waits in reserve. The finish is super fleshy. Drink now through 2027. 230 cases made.
94 Prestige 2005 Very silky and focused, with a beam of dark fig and plum fruit layered with cocoa, spice and mineral notes. Seems forward at first glance, but there’s a solid grip that should help this age nicely and allow the extra incense and black tea notes to develop fully. Drink now through 2025. 1,125 cases made.
91 Les Olivets 2005 Stylish, with a alluring raspberry and loganberry fruit woven with sandalwood, cinnamon and fig aromas and flavours that glide through the fine-grained finish. Very Burgundian in style, with some power in reserve. Drink now through 2020. 2,580 cases made.
Cheers,
Jim Walker
Arthur Sellers & Company
jaswalker@arthursellers.com
www.arthursellers.com
