Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  3/13/2008 (link)

  (BAGATELLE Manoir Tete) Two Dear Friends, Two wines you need to have. Well, none of us need to have anything but your everyday life may be enhanced by the consumption of these lovely wines. We’ve offered both in the past so you can look up past verbiage but both have been highly acclaimed by the vast majority of you (and panned by the remainder). Depending upon which side of the fence you sit on, this is either the offer equivalent of a bargain Fort Knox or a pile of fool’s gold...I think you know what side I sit on: 2005 Manoir de la Tete Saumur Rouge “Bagatelle” STRICT LIMIT 6/person I had to raise the price by a few cents - one of the most requested re-order wines we’ve had this year (so here you go). If you are in love with Cabernet Franc and Loire red wine, this will not disappoint. Better check other opinions out there in addition to my own to make sure this is your style...HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for crazy price/value. This is the last of the 2005 - one of those bargains that is hard to believe. 2006 Masson Apremont Savoie “Cuvee Nicolas” STRICT LIMIT 6/person The crown jewel in the Masson stable, from the oldest vines and the most intense material - this is the jagged edge of white wine with buffering material that makes everything oh-so bright, floaty and light. A wine with energy, radiance and magnetic attraction that cleanses your evening meal and is never heavy (only 10%-11.5% alcohol). What does not make the cut for this goes into the Traditionnelle (also an excellent wine but it’s not the Nicolas). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as an alternative to expensive Sancerre or Pouilly Fume - another example I could drink several times per week for its freshness. Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Loire7490 SOFR8120

• By Jon Rimmerman
  9/27/2007 (link)

  (BAGATELLE Manoir de la Tete) 2005 Loire Dear Friends, I had this wine with a few friends (at their house) and was so impressed I went to the source and asked for a tasting so I could really concentrate on it. Usually, I would write an offer around this TN, but here I think it speaks for itself - these are my notes, scribbled down with a broken pencil on a napkin (I’ve added a “the” or “and” here and there in the re-print below because I was abbreviating) - this pretty much sums up the offer: “Exceptional, even great throughout, 12.5-13.2%, biodynamic Cab Franc (100%), eco-sensitive winemaker, wild yeast, no additions, no subtractions, slow fermentation that can take over a year due to no inoculation, deep, dark, wonderful stony and floral aromatic, winemaker mentions something about blood and iron aromatics from the sub-soil and flavor of licorice (will have to check on this?) Vines planted in the early 1970s - the 2005 vintage really shows itself here with a layered presence that may not be there in other vintages (will have to see 2006?), an A+ buy - for Saumur, one of the best 2005 Loire reds I’ve tasted...can age but is quite interesting today. Major find - follow up before next week - exciting” VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ONE SHIPMENT ONLY directly from the winery cellar 2005 Manoir de la Tete Saumur “Bagatelle” (rouge) Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Loire6720