Francois Lurton Tasting at Le Select, Sept 10, 2009

The Time and Date: Thursday, Sept 10, 2009  11:30AM to 3 PM

The Event: a Francois Lurton tasting, with Diamond Estate agency and Francois himself leading the Powerpoint discussion.

The Venue: Le Select

The Target Audience: wine writers

The Availability/Catalogue: we were able to taste about 23 wines. Not all are in the Ontario market, but many (and others not tasted) have been submitted to the LCBO.

The Quote/Background: The wines come from different countries, and from within, different regions: France, Spain, Portugal, Chile, and Argentina. Lurton makes about 70 different wines, and he makes more white wines than red. He uses grapes from his own or contracted vineyards.

The Wines:

 

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-F. Lurton Quinta do Malho 2007 Douro, about $100 – blend of port wine varieties, brimming with fruit and character

-F. Lurton Gran Lurton Corte Friulano 2007 Uco Valley Argentina - +66829, $19.95 Vintages – softy caramel nose, woody palate, floral muscat tones from the Tokay Friulano grape.

-F. Lurton Gran Lurton Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Uco Valley Argentina, +980334, $20.95 Vintages – lots of character at this price point.

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-F. Lurton Terra Sana 2008 V d P de Vignobles de France, about $15, organic syrah grapes.

-F. Lurton Les Hauts de Janeil 2008 V de P d'Oc, $12.95 – mid-November – syrah and grenache

-F. Lurton Mas Janeil 2006 Cotes du Roussillon Village, $19.95 – Grenache, syrah and carignan.

-F. Lurton El Albar Barricas 2006 Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon, $20-25 – Tempranillo variant.

-F. Lurton Pilheiros 2005 Douro, $19.95 – Port wine grape varieties

-F. Lurton Vina Hacienda Araucano Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Chile Central Valley, $13.

-F. Lurton Vina Hacienda Araucano Pinot Noir Chile Central Valley, $16

-F. Lurton Le Chateau des Erles Fitou, $45

-F. Lurton Alka Gran Vino de Carmenere 2002 Colchagua, $89.

-F. Lurton Chacayes 2006 Gran Vino de Argentina Uco Valley, about $100

-F. Lurton Gran Araucano Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Colchagua Valley, $30

 

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-F. Lurton Les Fumees Blanches Sauvignon Blanc 2008 V d Pays du Comte Tolosan, +472555, $11.45 – 4 million bottles produced.

-F. Lurton La Recaoufa du Chateau des Erles 2004 Corbieres - $24.95, syrah, grenache, carignan

-F. Lurton Hermanos Lurton Verdejo 2008 Rueda, $13.

-F. Lurton Campo Alegre Gran Vino de Tinta de Toro 2007 – Tempranillo variant.

-F. Lurton Barco Negro 2007 Douro, $14.95 – Port wine grape varieties

-F. Lurton Humo Blanco Pinot Noir 2008 Chile Lolol Valley, $20-25

-F. Lurton Clos de Lolol 2007 Chile, $20-25

-F. Lurton Bodega Lurton Pinot Gris 2009 Uco Valley Argentina, +556746, $10.95 General List

-F. Lurton Pilheiros Alvarinho Vinho Verde 2008, $25

 

The Food: we had a variety of expensive wines with the lunch, but wine service was erratic. There was just one white wine, followed by heavier reds, and those who had ordered a salmon were out-of-luck in cross-tasting food and wine. The Pilheiros Vinho verde Alvarinho 2008 we had went terrific with the opening mesclun salad, but its price point of $25 made one pause. The four reds went marvelously with the steak and/or mushroom risotto – they were about $45 to $100 in price.

The Downside: we started late due to a late arrival of some wine writers. Also, because we covered five countries with different regions, and because Lurton is a terroirist, much time was spent on discussing climate and soils in terms of the wine. Lunch was for 1 PM, but it was after 2 PM before we started – and several wine writers had already left.

The Upside: a great opportunity to catch a house style through several different wine regions of the world. I'm glad I stayed.

The Contact Person: agreen@diamondwines.com

The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 84

 

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com