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| Hello, that is certainly one of our (virtually) each day tastings. Santé! |
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April 10, 2022
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In French, as quickly as some issues, identities, geographical places or else are substantivised, you cease utilizing capital letters. They make armagnac in Armagnac, proper? Until that substantive can be brandified once more or utilized in a headline.
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I agree, let’s strive a couple of…
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Vignobles Fontan *** (40%, OB, Bas-armagnac, +/-2015) 
The youngest, least expensive class, much like ‘V.S.’, however that does not imply that they cannot be good, quite the opposite. Having stated that I don’t suppose they nonetheless make these at Fontan’s, the entry-level appears to have grow to be VSOP. Color: full gold. Nostril: certainly, a fruitier aspect, stuffed with sultanas and peach liqueur, dandelions, nectar, liquorice allsorts, pancake sauce, treacle toffee… Effectively its even fairly complicated, let’s simply hope the low energy will not be a handicap on the palate. Now by design, these wee *** can’t be over-oaked (I do not suppose they already do STR in Armagnac, ha). Mouth: ha, wonderful! No deep espresso and chocolate this time, quite mirabelle jam with slightly liquorice, fudge and toffee, drop of chicory espresso, contact of black tobacco, the compulsory raisins and the no-less compulsory stewed peaches. No weak spot and no nosediving. End: even type of lengthy, a tiny bit metallic, in any other case slightly toasty. In any other case identical flavours. Feedback: not earthshattering, however positively balanced and simply extraordinarily drinkable. Good shock – however it could have been fairly older than simply ‘***’.
SGP:641 – 84 factors. |
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Domaine de Baraillon ‘Eau de Vie de Vin’ 2020/2021 (57%, OB) 
I do not know why they do not name this wee child ‘Blanche d’Armagnac’ as everybody used to do. Maybe aren’t they allowed to make use of the phrase ‘armagnac’ anymore when it is unaged? No concepts… Color: white from White’s, as we used to say within the Nineties. Nostril: it’s a rustic drop for certain, I can not seem to bear in mind whether or not they de-stem the grapes or not earlier than urgent in Armagnac. Having stated that, from grassy and stalky it could go in direction of rambutans and pink bananas, even perhaps litchis, and absolutely caraway, with an aquavit aspect. With water: white agricole, sincere. Mouth (neat): extraordinarily good, with an aniseed aspect, violets, contact of juniper, and ‘herbs we do not know’. I am even discovering notes of white cachaça and white rhum agricole. With water: in direction of williams pears and elderberry spirit. End: lengthy, again on aniseed, caraway and fennel seed. Feedback: fascinating. Sooner or later I am going to attempt to style their numerous grape varietals as ‘blanches’. Proper, as rested new make. I’d quaff this, it certain is much less exuberant than anticipated.
SGP:462 – 86 factors. |
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Domaine Lous Pibous 2005/2021 (56.5%, L’Encantada, Bas-armagnac, cask #193, 621 bottles) 
Some new Encantadas are in, which is a few information pretty much as good as these of The Stranglers happening for a short time. I imply, the rock band generally known as ‘The Stranglers’. Color: golden orange amber. No worries, no caramel in there. Nostril: the vibrancy of youth mingled with the deepness of well-aged armagnacs. Good, that will be praline, quince jelly, pecan pie, a couple of rose petals and a drop of muscat, orange blossom water, then a litre of maple syrup with one drop of peppermint liqueur. Fairly fragrant. With water: the peppermint obtained a tad louder and so did the orange blossoms. Beeswax showing within the aftertaste. Mouth (neat): extraordinarily singular, very liqueury, beginning with rose as they’ve within the Center-East or, I consider, in Cyprus, plus tangerine liqueur. Tangerines are actually operating the present right here. A sense of deep-charred American oak, however I completely doubt this child’s ever seen that type of wooden. With water: going again to its roots, with raisins, peaches, toffee and, there, some tobacco and oak. End: very candy and liqueury when neat, extra on early gray when lowered right down to approx. 45%. Feedback: it is actually humorous how it could have reacted to any addition of water. Nice enjoyable and nice drop, as anticipated.
SGP:751 – 88 factors. |
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Château de Laubade 1992/2021 ‘Brut de Fût’ (50.8%, OB, Bas-armagnac, cask #82075) 
Baco and ugni blanc, from warehouse No.1 and from ‘tirage’ No.1′ (first disgorging). Since we now have the fundamentals, let’s proceed… Color: full gold. Nostril: beautiful. Wisteria, dandelions, fragrant pansies, home made fudge, spearmint, quinces, bergamots (massive time) and, drumroll please, panettone. That is awful web site is slowly turning into panettonefun.com. With water: no water, it could make it a tad tea-ish and produce out some pointless tannicity. And slightly camphor, which is clearly higher. Mouth (neat): how good is that this? Superb spices, liquorice, all kinds of raisins and dried fruits… Astounding drop. It doesn’t totally and desperately want any water, however since we’re at it… With water: no to water. I’ve tried, it is powerful to get it proper. End: at full energy – overlook about water – it is only a quite chic, completely malternative, and maybe even slightly Cognacqy well-aged armagnac. I’s true that it is about to grow to be 30 years previous, I’ve at all times obtained the sensation that something from the Nineties is 10. Pff… Feedback: quite extraordinary certainly. One dangerous factor to say although, even cats like water higher.
SGP:651 – 90 factors. |
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Château Laballe 1990 ‘Ugni Blanc’ (50.4%, OB, Bas-armagnac, +/-2020)
First a query, are the costs for armagnac too low or are the costs for malt whisky too excessive? I imply, the opposite day we tried some new Scotch (Nc’Nean, Daftmill and consorts) which are promoting a 5 for £150, whereas an excellent armagnac 30 would go for £100. There’s an excessive amount of BS on the planet of (generally barely) aged booze, no? Color: crimson amber. Nostril: certainly this one has extra cedarwood, ‘a field of Romeos Cedros’, then piles of dried jujubes, litchis and rambutans; dried goji, in addition to slightly wooden smoke, chocolate and there, our Romeos are again. With water: lime leaves, pistachio halva or turon, a drop of rooster soup… This certain is not some ‘formatted’ armagnac. Mouth (neat): a tad paraffiny at first, surprisingly salty too (bean soup), then all on smooth liquorice and triple-sec. And raisins and prunes, ‘in fact’. Somewhat glorious. With water: a couple of leafy tones, maybe; stalks, tea… This one too may probably not want any waters. End: medium, contact of rubber and orange pores and skin, mint tea, then raisins and peppered marmalade. Maybe a wee bit an excessive amount of oak. Feedback: it is a lot trickier to cut back, or say water down wine brandies than whiskies, I’d say they’d react extra abruptly and uncontrollably. IT’s additionally extra ‘sport’. Anyway, no water to be added to this one.
SGP:561 – 85 factors. |
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Domaine Artigaux 1986/2021 (44.1%, L’Encantada, Bas-Armagnac, cask #16, 235 bottles)
1986, nice classic in Pauillac and extra typically in Médoc, so maybe additional north too? Color: Nostril: oh, mushrooms! I imply morels, truffles and porcinis! All that in some type of Madeira sauce, with a tiny drop of beef bouillon and three spoonfuls of clotted cream. Stew, season, have enjoyable. Forgot to say Caesar’s mushrooms (we are saying oronges). Beautiful nostril, but it surely might occur that with these sorts of bouquets, the palates would head south of the border. Let’s have a look at… Mouth: oh no no no. Superior soupy, vegetal, glutamatey arrival, then very previous raisins that you’d have present in an previous tin field in grandma’s kitchen (I communicate from private expertise), with a drier growth on cigars, black teas and liquorice wooden. And umami sauce. End: quite lengthy, dry, salty, oaky in a wonderful approach, additionally on extra crude chocolate. The aftertaste is saltier but, that is virtually some type of beef inventory. Drop of amontillado within the aftertaste (hurray). And triple-sec (hurray). Feedback: salty and slightly funky and punky right here and there, however bordering perfection. You do get the terroir of armagnac. Maintain on, this child’s 35 years of age, give or take!
SGP:372 – 89 factors. |
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CU for extra armagnac quickly.
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