Solo Quinta 2010, Cono Sur Carmenere Reserva 2009 and L’Oustal Blanc Naick 7 rouge

Yesterday I had dinner with my buddies Dan and Alex at a friend’s restaurant so I was able to bring my own wines. I was looking forward for this dinner as I wanted to taste two of the wines I received as samples from Recas wineries (Cramele Recas): Solo Quinta 2010 and 2009 Cono Sur Carmenere Reserva plus a Vin de table rouge from Minervois brought by a friend. So here are my impressions about the wines.

Solo Quinta 2010

Blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Feteasca Regala (Royal Maiden grape), Muscat and Feteasca Neagra (Black Maiden made in white).

The color is pale straw. The nose is clean and fresh with a medium intensity and sweet aromas of tropical fruits, peach, apricot, muscat and rose petals. In the mouth the wine is medium bodied, round, balanced, lively and fresh with a sensation of sweetness and honeyed yellow flowers flavors. The finish is medium with floral and honeyed flavors. A dry wine with great freshness from the beginning to end and much better than the 2009 version. Will be great this summer. (88 points)

The wine was bottled recently so a couple of months more in the bottle will most likely make it even better. I remember tasting this wine in November during the Good Wine fair at Recas booth as they had some tank samples and I can say now this is a completely changed and much improved wine compared to November.

2009 Viña Cono Sur Carménère Reserva

A purple colored wine. The nose is tight with a certain heat and petrol dark fruits. A medium bodied wine with drying tannins, light red fruit and a short finish. (79-80 points)

2007 L’Oustal Blanc (Isabel et Claude Fonquerle) Minervois Naïck 7

An opaque dark red color. The nose is youthful but closed with a light intensity of ripe dark fruits and plenty of heat. In the mouth the wine is medium bodied with firm and dry tannins, red fruit flavors and a short finish with sweet fruity flavors but dominated by alcohol. The wine is unbalanced and the 15% alcohol is dominating this wine. (78 points)

The white wine was by far the star of the dinner and appreciated by all the participants around the table. Most likely the Solo Quinta will develop and be scored higher in a couple of months. Let’s see.

Thanks for reading!