Château du Chatelard Cuvée Les Vieilles Vignes

It’s summer so, for me, it’s Beaujolais time. With the hot weather I prefer lighter wines with fruity berry flavors.  This time it’s the Chateau du Chatelard Cuvee Les Vielles Vignes.  This wine is from old vines and aged in concrete tanks for 4 months according to the LCBO website.  Lacking a wine fridge, I chilled the wine in a regular refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes just before drinking.

Wine:  Chateau de Charteland Cuvee Les Vielles Vigne Beaujolais-Village 2014

Location: France

Alcohol content: 12.5%

Sugar content: 5g/L

Price: $17.95

Vintages number: 445320

As advertised, this medium-bodied wine has the strong strawberry and cherry flavors I like in wines made with Gamay grapes. This wine is smooth with a clean finish.

This wine compares very favourably to my standby Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages. The Charteland is probably more complex and may be preferred by connoisseurs but I give the edge to the Duboeuf because of the slightly stronger berry flavors. It is close but the Duboeuf is also $4 less a bottle which erases any doubt for me. All things considered, this is a fantastic Beaujolais-Villages and I will gladly drink it again. 

Recommendation:    Uncork

Rating:                     9.0 out of 10

Chateau Ksara, Reserve Du Couvent 2012

The Reserve Du Couvent is a red blend from Lebanon. It is produced by Chateau Ksara which has been producing wine since 1857 and is the largest winery in the country. It was described as medium-bodied and fruity which is in my wheelhouse, but the main reason I purchased this wine is because I had never tried a wine from Lebanon. Until now.

Wine:  Reserve Du Couvent 2012

Location: Lebanon

Alcohol content: 13.0%

Sugar content: 5g/L

Price: $14.95

Vintages number: 443721

With a dark red colour, the Reserve Du Couvent has an odor of tobacco and blackberry. Upon first tasting, the flavous are of mild blackberry, slight mineral with strong tannins. The finish is mostly clean with a slight mineral flavor and the tannins releasing their hold.

Overall, this is a pleasant, refreshing wine and I have now tried one from Lebanon. I had no idea what I could expect, but after this experience, I look forward to the next offering from this country. I would gladly drink the Reserve Du Couvent again. 

Recommendation:  Uncork

Rating:                   8.0 out of 10

Vylyan Belzebub 2012, Blaufrankisch Blend

The Vylyan Belzebub is a red wine from Hungary. It is made largely with Blaufrankisch or Blue Frankish grapes.  This variety is also known by a number of other names including Frankovka and Lemberg among others. It is known for rich tannins and a spicy character according to Wikipedia.

Wine:  Vylyan Belzebub 2012

Location: Hungary

Alcohol content: 13.5%

Sugar content: 7g/L

Price: $14.95

Vintages number: 437350

The Belzebub is a deep red colour with an aroma of black cherry.  At first, the flavors are extremely mild of light cherry and mineral components.  The finish is slightly astringent and spicy, consistent with the description of the Blue Frankish grape. Despite the finish, there is only a slight aftertaste of the mineral detected at first.

This is my first time trying a Blue Frankish wine. I don’t think it will make my preferred grape list but I will definitely try more wines made from this variety. The Belzebub is a solid effort.

Recommendation:  Uncork

Rating:                   7.5 out of 10