Andrew Graham sat down and looked at a range of Terroir Selections’ wines.
The full article can be found on his website, Australia Wine Review, here: http://www.ozwinereview.com/2011/08/charismatc-imports-from-xavier-bizot…
The specific wine reviews are as follows:
Ceretto Blange Langhe Arneis 2010 (Piedmont, Italy) 12.5%
A big volume wine apparently but shows all the Arneis good bits.
Green apple fruit, chalky (but lowish) acidity, with good phenolic grip on the finish, softened by some subtle residual sugar. A lunchtime white with character and texture. 16.7/89
Pascal CotatLes Monts Damnés Sancerre 2010 (Sancerre, France) 13%
Barrel fermented in old oak. The Monts Damnés vineyard is a lieu-dit in Chavignol. Pascal owns 1.5 hectares in the higher parts, facing due north, and the vines are around 35 years-old.
Classic Sancerre build this, with that flinty ‘grey’ rocky nose and just the first hint of melon fruit richness. Lovely long palate with a rocky, yet quite generous palate topped off with chalky acidity. Lots of Sancerre heart and style – feels very classic and pure. Very nice wine. 18.5/94
François Lumpp Givry 1er cru Crausot blanc 2009 (Cote Chalonnaise, Burgundy, France)
From the Northern Cote de Chalonnaise. The Crausot Premier Cru is at the top of the hill.
Quite a full nose with mealy fine oak that is just a fraction obvious. Very youthful, estery nose. Lovely rich, whipped cream palate is quite rich but restrained by lovely chalky acidity. Like this. 17.8/92+
François Lumpp Givry 1er cru Pied de Clou Rouge 2009 (Cote Chalonnaise, Burgundy, France)
The Pied de Clou vineyard is located next to the winery on the outskirts of Givry, on the very gentle lower slopes where the soils are deep “argilo-calcaire”.
What a bargain this is. Lovely bright pink/reddish colour. Red cherry nose over a slightly pointed palate
that looks surprisingly sappy and backwards considering it’s station. Fillup of tannins very welcome through the finish. A happily surprising bargain Burgundy this is, if just a fraction lightish. 17.3/90
Ceretto Dolcetto d’Alba Rossana 2009 (Piedmont, Italy)
Juicy, grapey, simple juice Dolcetto style though not without charm. 16/87
Ceretto Nebbiolo d’Alba Bernardina 2008 (Piedmont, Italy)
Washed out brick colours, slow cooked beef and roasted red fruits on the nose. Drying, old school palate with firm tannins that look just a fraction desiccated. Quite classic Nebbiolo if just wanting more weight and flesh. 16.6/88
Ceretto Barolo Zonchera 2007 (Barolo, Piedmont, Italy)
Multi vineyard blend. 2-3yrs in new and old Slovenian oak.
Truffles, merde and an essential Barolo-esque wildness. Slow cooked beef again, the palate is a step up in juiciness, vanillan oak and serious tannins. Unmistakably serious, yet quite quite juicy wine. Rather tasty. 17.5/91
Ceretto Barbaresco Bernadot 2007 (Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy)
Rather opulent after the Barolo, this looks fleshier and pretty even, perhaps too modern and fleshy for very big love, with cherry fruit and softened tannins. Plush and pleasant though not quite breathtaking. 17.1/90
Ceretto Barbaresco Bricco Asili 2007 (Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy)
Vineyard planted in 1974.
An immediate extra layer of oak but also extra fragrance, more roses and red fruit. Lovely tannins, proper tannins. Quite a soft and rounded mid palate before the tannins kick in. Quite regal and even quite pretty wine. Seriously wine. 18.1/93
Ceretto Barolo Prapo 2007 (Barolo, Piedmont, Italy)
A very dense and meaty expression here, edged with creamy vanillan oak. Very young and plush this is rich, creamy and generous with classic tannins and balance. Supple tannins and power. Evenly balanced and proper proportioned. Grown up wine. 18.3/93
Ceretto Barolo Bricco Rocche 2007 (Barolo, Piedmont, Italy)
Rather wildly perfumed and rich, there’s again a wild, almost floral edge to the nose. Very ripe, though not desiccated nose. Generosity on the palate makes this very more-ish, yet it’s also quite backwards and restrained. Firm, yet well integrated tannins are vibrant and classic. Such richness and power! Wow wine. 18.7.95
Ceretto Moscato d’Asti 2010 (Asti, Piedmont, Italy)
The only wine in this lineup I didn’t enjoy. Lovely grape juice nose but the palate just looks a bit flat and flabby. The bottle was a bit warm though, yet I can only judge on what was presented. 15/85
[We are going to get AG a fresh bottle of the Moscato so he can better assess it]