As a lot of you understand, I’m in France this week, however the lifetime of a wine blogger/wine author doesn’t cease, which is why I introduced the next wines with me this week to style and consider alongside the way in which.
In fact, I’m kidding. How many individuals have ever introduced wine to France? That checklist needs to be brief and my title is just not on it.
What is just not a joke is Domaine Bousquet, and whereas the title is French and it owned and operated by French folks, it’s the prime producer of natural wine in Argentina and the wines are among the most persistently good (and good worth) wines in all of South America. The wines are additionally natural and their bottles all get my stamp of approval for being environmentally accountable. What extra might one ask?
2022 Domaine Bousquet Danaus, Spain: Retail $13. Accountable Bottle (599g; 21.1oz). 45% Tempranillo, 45% Garnacha, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Constructed from natural grapes. Underneath cork. I’ve been sampling wines from Domaine Bousquet for fairly a while now, so I used to be excited to get my first glimpse of this enterprise into the Spanish wine scene. Darkish in shade and fairly fruity (even “overly fruity”) that is clearly a New World wine made with Outdated World grapes. As I stated, fruity with a boatload of pink, black, and blue fruit on each the nostril and the palate. Toss in a little bit of acidity and right here we’re. No, this isn’t a wine for getting old, neither is it a wine for “impressing”. It’s a wine for consuming with out a lot time for considering; a wine to look at the sport, a wine to throw right into a pink sangria. Very Good. 88 Factors.
2023 Domaine Bousquet Pinot Noir Gaïa Rosé, Gualtallary, Valle de Uco, Argentina: Retail $18. Accountable Bottle (562g; 19.8oz). Underneath agglomerated stopper. What’s to not love about this wine? Rosé of Pinot Noir. Verify. Natural fruit. Verify. Accountable (but additionally very cool) bottle. Verify (and verify). On a regular basis value? Verify. Tons of fruit as one would hope in a rosé with ample acidity and a bunch of verve. I imagine that is the primary rosé within the Gaia line for Domaine Bousquet and I couldn’t be happier with this effort. OK, that may be a little bit of a fib. Sure, the wine is fruity and enjoyable however I want it had been utterly dry; that 1.29 g/l of sugar is just not, in my humble opinion, essential. However I nitpick. I’m an enormous fan of what Domaine Bousquet is doing and I actually dig this wine. Glorious. 90 Factors.
2023 Domaine Bousquet Rosé, Tupungato, Valle de Uco, Argentina: Retail $12. Very Accountable Bottle (408g; 14.3oz). 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Syrah, 10% Pinot Gris, 10% Viognier. Underneath screw cap. I tasted this wine alongside the Gaia Pinot Noir Rosé and I’ve an analogous response to each: fruity and enjoyable, however a tad an excessive amount of sugar. I get it, actually tart and acidic wines some may discovered off-putting, however these wines have the requisite fruit to fight the zing. Working example. Nice pink berry fruit with a slight floral facet on the nostril with a tangy (though it may very well be a tad extra…) mid palate and a surprisingly prolonged end. I’ve professed my adoration for the Domaine Bousquet ethos and this solely reinforces it. And round ten bucks? No brainer. Very Good. 89 Factors.
NV Domaine Bousquet Brut Rosé, Mendoza, Argentina: Retail $13. Heavy Bottle (688g; 24.2oz). 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay. Natural grapes. 8.2 g/l dosage. Charmat technique (assume Prosecco). Hopefully, I’m again within the common rotation for an annual sampling of this wine because it all the time delivers. No, it isn’t going to make you overlook about glowing wines from different snootier areas (you understand who you might be), however as a weekday infusion of bubbles (and a rosé besides?) this checks all of the bins. Nice pink berry fruit, a pleasant tang on the mid-palate, and finishes only a tad candy (nevertheless it works). Very Good. 89 Factors.
2022 Domaine Bousquet Malbec Lo Ca, Valle de Eco, Argentina: Retail $12. Extremely Accountable Bottle (400g; 14.1oz). Underneath screw cap. 100% Malbec. USDA Natural. I’m not fairly certain how I really feel in regards to the Lo-Cal wines normally, however I’ve been a fan of Bousquet for therefore lengthy now, I approached this wine with gusto. Nicely. This wine had roughly 20-25% fewer energy and is it “price it”? Nicely. I have no idea the entire course of right here, however so far as I might confirm, the decrease alcohol is derived by way of ripening and choosing selections, not by way of manipulation within the vineyard. Sure, the wine is okay, even excellent, however a bit meaty, nonetheless with loads of fruit, and a tart midpalate. I most likely ought to be counting energy, however I’m a approach off from doing that with wine. Very Good. 87 Factors.
NV Domaine Bousquet Chardonnay Lo Ca, Valle de Uco, Argentina: Retail $15. Extremely Accountable Bottle (397g; 14.0oz). Underneath screw cap. 100% Chardonnay. That is now the second iteration of this wine I’ve tried and whereas many of the notes from final yr stay fixed (“Pale straw within the glass with loads of citrus and tree fruit on the nostril. Fairly tart on the palate, as one may anticipate (when one picks for decrease alcohol as an finish outcome, the fruit must be harvested at a decrease sugar stage, which additionally means larger acidity and it comes off as way more Sauvignon Blanc-like, no less than to me. That’s not a nasty factor in any approach, however these searching for a creamy Chard won’t discover it right here.“), this wine comes off as barely tarter, even a little bit on the unripe aspect. Very Good 88 Factors.`
