Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  12/8/2010 (link)

  (TOULOUZE Graves de Vayres Grand Vin) Bordeaux: The Other Side of Midnight Dear Friends, Today’s wine is a champion for the underachiever and decidedly unglamorous. As leaders in the new-found franco love affair with collector-worthy box wine (which we will ignore), Chateau Toulouze is bent on rotting the noble quagmire of the grander Bordelaise appellations one 11.5% alcohol bottle at a time. As a small family outsider, they’ve watched the greater Bordeaux area become hamstrung by an impending marketing and EBITDA meltdown that never should have infiltrated Aquitaine in the first place. While many of their grander, classified neighbors find themselves at a crossroads, the lost the plot that hangs over Bordeaux is fuel for their filigreed fire - one that allows them to take a step back in time, to a place where the actual wine was still the most important detail. First of all, when discussing Toulouze, you can toss your preconception of what Bordeaux is out the window. Their wine has nothing in common with “Bordeaux” and nothing to do with Graves or the Left Bank (despite the name of their appellation – Graves de Vayres). Yes, they grow Cabernet Franc and Merlot but that’s where the similarity ends. Often confused and compared to Left Bank properties in Pessac, Chateau Toulouze lies 20-30km east of Bordeaux city, on the “peasant’s right bank” near the town of Vayres (astride of Libourne and much closer to Pomerol than Pessac). This small area, on the south side of the Dordogne River is one of the most exciting emerging sub-districts in Bordeaux with a stony soil base and elevation that is unique. The delicate gravel-rich soils produce delicate wines with a watermelon fruit quality and light as a feather/limpid style that reminds many of Volnay, not Cabernet. Tannins are nearly non-existent but perfume, delicacy and intrigue most certainly are. I’ve watched Chateau Toulouze for over a decade (we’ve offered a few vintages of their other, less expensive wine in the past, not the Grand Vin we offer today – the labels are completely different) but the 2008’s are going to put them on the Burgundian map for good – wait a minute, Burgundy? I meant Bordeaux – or do I really mean Burgundy? You can decide. Grown on a high plateau composed of stone and gravel with a hands-off/natural and barely pressed approach, their calcium-free landscape is built for classic growing years and 2008 played right into their hands. Toulouze performs better in longer/cooler vintages as extended hang-time allows their Cabernet Franc to develop a feline mesh of tannins that can be absent in hot years that require earlier picking (i.e. 2005/2009). That does not mean this wine has any tannins, it doesn’t but it has the faintest whimsical shell of a framework that will delight old-school enthusiasts that crave the everyday style of village Sunday lunch Bordeaux that propped up the region from the 1920’s - 1950’s. So what’s the all the fuss over the 2008? The 2008 is the finest wine Yves and Alain Cailley have ever made at Toulouze and they know it. Full of classic floral and pencil-shaved whiffs and a satin, seductive mouthfeel that barely touches 11.8% alcohol, the red-tinged color reminds the taster of Pinto Noir but the aromas and flavors combine that of Saumur-Champigny and Taillepieds. With oxygen (and especially on the second/third day), the wine deepens but never loses its floaty, lighter-than-air framework that sets this new style of Bordeaux apart from its more structured/masculine peers. What makes the 2008 Toulouze so exciting for me is the initial 75pt impression (and befuddled look of “meh?”) it gives those expecting Pauillac while quickly changing that impression to one that allows the wine to speak ever so softly while carrying a very big stick of change. Don’t blink – this just may be the future of Bordeaux. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as an educational and sigh-inducing exercise that introduces Bordelaise “volnay franc” from a classic year. This parcel is directly from the winery cellar with perfect provenance: 2008 Chateau Toulouze Graves de Vayres “Grand Vin” - Please give us your maximum number up to 24/person and we will allocate accordingly To order: niki@garagistewine.com This parcel is set to depart from Vayres – it will arrive in late Jan/early Feb (please check OARS for local pick up after Feb 15th). It will ship during the Spring shipping season and will be a certain summer favorite for many of you (although it is no hurry of consumption - expect peak in 4-6 years and a drinking window of up to 10). Out of state orders will be held for free under ideal storage conditions (56 degrees/70%humidity) until shipping is possible. Locals may pick up at their leisure. For current local pick up and arrival/ship information, please see your OARS link below (at the bottom of this offer) - don’t know how to access your OARS? Simply click the link and see your account. You can also paste the link into your browser. If you are having trouble with your link or your account, please contact: support@garagistewine.com NO SALES TO RETAILERS OR WHOLESALERS Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Bord6110 Click here to view the status of your orders in O.A.R.S.