A Fistful Of Schist

Abrente

Napa Valley Albariño 2014

Really nice acid notes, lemon and lime peel. Nice little gravel, schist qualify running through. Rock with a touch of classical. — 10 years ago

Anthony liked this

Rainoldi

Riserva Sassella Valtellina Superiore Nebbiolo

2009 offering from Rainoldi. Amazing stuff, some of the grapes are helicopter harvested. Black coffee and tea nose with a touch of cola. Grapefruit rind, candied orange peel and clove. Medium mouthfeel with brandied bing cherry and bitter lemon.rounded out by wild dagga root, schist and cinnamon apples. Really really different, but entirely satisfying. The depth of an amarone, but light and lively on its feet! — 11 years ago

Nicolas Joly

Clos de la Coulée de Serrant Savennières Chenin Blanc 1998

One of the best examples of Coulée de Serrant from Joly. Earthy, schist, mineral, intense. What a treat! — 11 years ago

Penfolds

Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet Shiraz 1996

17 years mature. Just a treat. No primary fruit left but a fistful of secondary characters — 12 years ago

Marcassin

Marcassin Vineyard Chardonnay 2003

2003. Much better. Nutty with a fistful of white flowers and citrus, and a touch of smoke. — 10 years ago

Bree liked this

Von Schubert

Maximin Grünhäuser Trocken Riesling 2006

The Von Schubertsche Schlosskellerei Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg 2006 offers ample charm. Classic petrol notes give way to dried apricot, pear and clover honey. It’s a lighter style Kabinett to be sure, with some weight that can be attributed to glycerol and sweetness, the rest is pure, racy, unbridled acidity. The sort that ends in a stony embrace, with a dollop of schist, and salinity. AP No. 3 — 10 years ago

Anthony, Velma and 5 others liked this

Michel Guignier

Beaujolais Gamay

Brian McMahon
9.0

Region: Beaujolais
Appellation: Beaujolais
Wine type: Red
Varietals: Gamay
Organic: Certified
Vineyard: The Beaujolais appellation spreads over 30 km between Saône Valley and Haute-Azergues and Haut-Beaujolais hills from North to South. This wine is primarily made with fruit from the Morgon sector.
Orientation: South facing with a slight slope.
Soil: Decomposed granite and crumbly schist referred to regionally as "rotten rock".
Viticulture: The vines are 40 years old; they are pruned quite extensively to limit the yield; all the bunches are picked by hand and then very carefully sorted to retain only the fully ripe, whole bunches.
Vinification: Semi carbonic maceration for up to 7 days. Traditional Vinification temperature: 22° C at the beginning of fermentation and 32° C at the end. On pressing, cooling to 22° C to retain as much aroma and flavor as possible.
Aging: In vats on the lees. All terroirs vinified and aged separately.
Production: 550 cases
Notes: Lacy and charming with a suprising amount of structure for an entry level Bojo.
— 11 years ago

Pierre Gaillard

Les Viallieres Cuvée Unique Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2005

Pierre Gaillard produces wonderfully floral and intense wines from the schist-heavy "Viallieres" vineyard. Nose of fig, violet, and white pepper. White pepper for days in the mouth. A long, round finish. Beautiful. — 10 years ago

Michel Guignier

Bio Tradition Morgon Gamay

Brian McMahon
9.2


Varietals: Gamay
Organic: Certified
Biodynamic: Practicing
Vineyard: From La Roche Pilée vineyard in the heart of the Morgon appellation at the base of the famed Cote du Py hillside (1.70 hectares).
Orientation: South facing with a slight slope.
Soil: "Decomposed granite and crumbly schist referred to regionally as "rotten rock"". Natural composting kick-starts bacterial activity in the soil that is very beneficial to the vines. "
Viticulture: 60-year-old vines with very low yields. Extensive pruning to further limit the yield; No chemical pesticides, fertilisers or herbicides used, giving a totally natural wine; all bunches are picked by hand and very carefully sorted to retain only the fully ripened whole bunches.
Vinification: No sulphur pitched for fermentation. Semi carbonic maceration for up to 12 days. Using an old vertical press, pressing is very slow and gentle, crushing only the fruit and not the seeds.
Aging: In barrels on fine lees between 5 and 13 months. The barrels are old as the aim is to allow the wine to breathe without giving it a woody taste. The end of alcoholic and malo-lactic fermentation takes place in oak barrels. Light sulphur is added after malo-lactic fermentation and at bottling to ensure the wine keeps well over time.
Notes: Bio-Vitis is the name Michel Guignier gave to this wine composed of 100% Agribio-certified fruit from La Roche Pilée, a site located at the base of the famed Cote du Py hillside in Morgon. The wine is a selection of old vines that are barrel fermented in neutral oak. It is the most structured wine in the Guignier lineup with classic red fruit character, sappiness and a seductive, round mouthfeel.
— 11 years ago

Justin liked this
Justin Fetridge

Justin Fetridge

Thanks so much for this.

François Villard

Fruit d'Avilleran St. Joseph Marsanne 2012

Andrew Lampasone
9.4

Family not in the business of winemaking Francois was in cooking school but liked the idea of becoming winemaker and planted his first vines in 1988 then made his first wines in 1991 he makes almost all of the wines available from the north 8 appellations cote rotie condrieu them grilled which is the smallest appellation in France st Joseph coronas st perret they make sparkling therein left are crazes hermitage a hermitage lots of granite except cote rotie schist. Hermitage the soils very complex crazes very similar but not as complex too cold for Grenache in the north. Very pretty bouquet with juicy peach and apricot fruit 100% marsanne varietal this name used to be used for the varietal 20% new burgund barrels more floral and mineral this varietal very pretty white with a smooth creamy textures lovely freshness and balance with pretty floral notes through the finish excellent clementine orange zest — 11 years ago