|
Versant blanc 2017, Vin du Québec certifié
I really have a soft spot for the red and white wines in the Versant range. Not that they're overly complex, but at under $15, they both offer a frank, fruity expression of the hybrid grape varieties grown in Quebec. This one highlights the liveliness of the vidal, the volume and tropical flavors of the frontenac gris, the berry flavors of the frontenac blanc and the elegance of the st-pépin. A great everyday white to serve chilled, but not too cold.
Discover the product
|
|
Versant rouge 2017, Vin du Québec certifié
In 2017, this blend of frontenac noir, marquette, petite perle and pinot noir offers everything you could hope for in a thirst-quenching red: fruit, supple tannins, a velvety frame and acidity that leaves the palate refreshed and thirst-quenched. At $15, we'll buy it with our eyes closed.
Discover the product
|
|
Chardonnay 2017, La Plage, Vin du Québec certifié
This Chardonnay from the estate's young vines is fermented without wood, but with sustained contact with the lees. In 2017, this results in a voluminous white, bursting with ripe pear and pineapple, with a hint of butter and pastry aromas, attributable to the lees work. Nothing complex, but at less than $20, a full-bodied, well-made Chardonnay that's worth many vintages produced elsewhere in the world.
Discover the product
|
|
St-Pépin 2017, Réserve
The Robert family looks after both an orchard and a vast vineyard, which is divided between hybrid and vinifera varieties. Tasted side by side with the estate's vidal Réserve, the latter gave me the impression of a more finished wine. The st pépin seems to benefit more from barrel ageing; caramel aromas are present, but compete with a mineral framework and a sensation of salinity that give it a certain depth.
Discover the product
|
|
Pinot gris 2017, Certified Vin du Québec
The Robert family grows their Pinot Gris on the last slopes of the Rougemont mountain, where it benefits from full southern exposure. This geographical element is no doubt not unrelated to the volume on the palate of this 2017. The nose is discreet, but the attack is ripe, fat and nourished by the work of the lees, in the absence of structure. Lovely perfumed finish.
Discover the product
|
|
Le Grand Coteau 2016, Vin du Québec Certifié
Marquette (80%) and Frontenac Noir plunge their roots into pebbly soils on the southwestern slopes of Mont Rougemont. Oenologist Patrick Fournier has produced a gourmet red, in which the toasty scent of oak mingles with fleshy, ripe fruit. The style is a little conventional, but the technical mastery is unmistakable. Revisit in a year or two, when the woody aromas have faded. In the meantime, air it in a decanter for an hour.
Discover the product
|
|
Frontenac gris 2013, Vendanges Tardives
Coteau Rougemont's Late Harvest surprises at first glance with its almost brown color. A bouquet of baked apple and tea leaves heralds a wine that is now ripe. Perhaps not the most elegant of the sweet wines reviewed in these pages, but the palate is sup-ported by a pleasant vivacity and bitterness II that make you salivate. Original; drink within the year.
Discover the product
|
|
IGP Ice wine 2014, Vidal
Golden color, accents of pineapple, apple and exotic fruit. Ample and creamy on the mid-palate, not particularly lively on the attack, but the natural acidity of the vidai tickles the cheeks on the finish, highlighting seductive aromas of caramel and bon-bon au beurre. Very well done overall.
Discover the product
|
