Today we introduce two new wines from Domaine Bousquet. We have written about Domaine Bousquet wines a few times before and have delved into the history and the story behind the wines. You can read our previous posts here, here, and here, to learn more about Domaine Bousquet and husband and wife owners, Labid al Ameri and Anne Bousquet.
It is no small coincidence, in fact, no coincidence at all, that with Anne’s name on the Estate, the top-tier wines in the portfolio should be named after Labid. Behold, the Ameri line. We were presented with samples of the Ameri Red Blend 2020, and the Ameri Malbec 2020.
The following wines were provided as media samples for review. All reviews, descriptions, and opinions are our own. We received no additional compensation.
The Ameri wines are unique and special. They are made with only the best estate fruit during years of exceptional harvests. Thus, these wines are not made every year. The Red Blend was the first released, with the 2011 vintage. The Malbec followed with the 2019 vintage. The fruit for both wines are sourced from Domaine Bousquet’s estate vineyards located at an altitude of more than 4,000 feet, in the Uco Valley’s Alto Gualtallery zone, in the Andean foothills. As with all Domaine Bousquet wines, the Ameri duo are produced from certified organic fruit. To make these wines even more exceptional, the fruit is not just single-vineyard, but specific-cluster. Only the best clusters of grapes are used in the Ameri wines. So special are they, the bottles are numbered!
With all this hand-selecting and careful handling, you’d think these wines would be prohibitively expensive. You’d be wrong. Both the Ameri Red Blend and the Ameri Malbec have SRPs of $37.00 USD. Some internet sleuthing we did found prices even lower, around $30, at numerous online retailers.
Okay, great, but how are the wines? In a word: Exquisite. These wines punch well above their weight. In terms of price, we tasted before we looked back at the SRP, and agreed that wines of this quality were probably nearly double the actual price. In other words, seek out these wines and try them!
Rich, full bodied, and delicious, we opened these on a the night of an historic, windy storm here in Northern California. Even when the power went out, the Ameri wines kept us cozy all evening through the howling winds and driving rain.
Here’s what we thought about them.
Ameri Red Blend 2020
60% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon,10% Syrah, 10% Merlot. Decanted 1 hour. Inky purple color. Nose of blackberry, blueberry, Marionberry, and earthy notes. On the palate, juicy black cherry, boysenberry, blackberry, and blueberry, with red cherry, cherry cola, chocolate, vanilla, and notes of black pepper. Full body, medium tannins, and vibrant acidity. Long finish of black fruit and spice.
Ameri Malbec 2020
100% Malbec. Decanted 1 hour. Inky purple with a brick rim. On the nose, blackberry, black cherry, cassis, tobacco, and smoke. Flavors of ripe blackberry, bramble, black cherry, black currant, tobacco, smoke, vanilla, and chocolate. Rich, full body with firm tannins and smooth acidity. Long finish of blackberry, black cherry, and baking spice. Very nice structure on this wine.
It’s an understatement to say we loved these wines. Our hope is that you are inspired to find them and try them. Please let us know in the comments how you enjoyed them!
With Christmas still six days away, there’s still time for you to head out to your local wine shop and grab some bubbles for the holiday. There are many regions and styles to choose from: if you want French, you can have Champagne from, well, Champagne, Crémant d’Alsace or Crémant de Bourgogne from (as the names imply) Alsace or Burgundy, respectively. Other options include Prosecco from Italy, Cava from Spain, or sparkling wine from most any region in the United States. Any or all of these are solid choices to add some sparkle to your holiday table.
But what about south of the equator? Allow us to introduce you to two delightful sparklers from Domaine Bousquet, in Argentina.
The following wines were provided as media samples for review. All reviews, descriptions, and opinions are our own. We received no additional compensation.
We’ve written about Domaine Bousquet before, and have really come to appreciate the quality of their wines, and their commitment to environmental and social responsibility. (Go ahead, click the link and read about them. We’ll be here when you get back.)
Like most of the wines from Domaine Bousquet, their quality far exceeds their price point, making high quality wine, including sparkling wine, affordable for pretty much anybody who drinks wine.
The Domaine Bousquet sparkling wines are made using the charmat method. This is the same method used to produce prosecco. In the charmat method, the winemaker produces a still wine to completion, then adds a blend of sugar and yeast, known as the liqueur de tirage. The wine is then moved into a large, stainless steel pressure tank where the sugar and yeast interact to create a secondary fermentation. Since the wine is held under high pressure, the carbonation created by the secondary fermentation is forced into the wine, resulting in the bubbles we all know and love!
Charmat sparkling wines are generally bottled and released directly after the second fermentation has ended, and are not aged. As a result, they tend to be lighter and fresher, with a more fruit-driven character. Perfect for food pairing and celebrating.
A fresh, fruit forward sparkling. Golden color with vigorous, vibrant streams of bubbles. Nose of pear, apple, and citrus. Flavors of green apple, Asian pear, citrus, and minerals. Bone dry with crisp acidity and a clean finish.
Salmon-peach color. The nose is fresh strawberry, raspberry, and cherry, driven by abundant tiny bubbles. On the palate, luscious strawberry, raspberry, peach, red cherry, and citrus. Dry with bright acidity and a zesty finish.
We hope all our readers take some time this holiday season to appreciate and enjoy the joyful things and people in their lives. When you do, we encourage you to raise a toast to health and happiness, with a glass of Domaine Bousquet Charmat!
We wrote about Domaine Bousquet not long ago, when we received a sample of their Gaia Rosé 2020. In that post, we wrote a little about the history of the Bousquet family and the creation of Domaine Bousquet in the Gualtallary Valley, high in the mountains in Argentina, and the fantastic wine. So naturally, we were honored when we were invited to a virtual tasting including discussions with Anne Bousquet, current proprietor of the winery, and Franco Bastias, the winery’s chief agronomist. (What’s an agronomist? An expert in the science of soil management and crop production. Now you know, too.) Of course, to be a virtual “tasting”, one must have wines to taste. We were pleased to receive as samples, six bottles of Domaine Bousquet wine.
The following wines were provided as media samples for review. All reviews, descriptions, and opinions are our own. We received no additional compensation.
In their presentation, entitled “Dishing the Dirt”, Anne and Franco discussed what makes the terroir of Domaine Bousquet so unique. Spoiler alert: The subtitle is “The secret is in the soil.” Anne started us off with some history of the land, family, and winery.
In 1997, Anne’s father Jean Bousquet, moved from Carcassonne, in Languedoc, France, to the Gualtallary Valley, and purchased a plot of land that had never been cultivated. In this arid region, the driest wine growing region in the world, first things must come first, so in 1998, Jean Bousquet dug a 495 foot deep well for irrigation. Meanwhile, in 2002 as vineyards were taking shape, Anne and her husband, Labid Al Ameri, started to invest in the winery, while maintaining their non-wine-industry careers in Boston. The first vintage was released in 2005, and Labid joined full time in the sales department. By 2008, Anne was on board and she and her family relocated to Argentina. Jean retired in 2011, and Anne and Labid, and Anne’s brother, bought Domain Bousquet and assumed day to day operations. In the years since, production has increased, and in 2020, they sold approximately 7 million bottles of wine.
Domaine Bousquet is planted to 618 acres of vines, all of which are organic. In fact, they received their organic certification in 2005, the same year as their first vintage was released. With Domaine Bousquet coming out of the gate as certified organic, they raised the bar for other growers in the region, from whom Domaine Bousquet would buy grapes, and many of them have achieved organic certification as well. In addition to organic, Domaine Bousquet has also achieved certifications as vegan and sustainable.
As good as organic, vegan, and sustainable is, Domaine Bousquet doesn’t stop there. They have launched a “360° Sustainability Commitment”. This includes supporting the community and the people who live in and around the town. This is a three-prong commitment: environmental, social, and economic. We’ve covered the environmental part. On the social and economic sides, Domaine Bousquet is certified “Fair for Life.” This certification is part of a fair trade and corporate responsibility commitment for global change for the better and helping others. As part of this, the winery supports several children’s homes in the area, and has donated more than $113,000 to help those in the community experiencing economic hardship and social exclusion. Those are some causes we can get behind and gladly support by purchasing Domaine Bousquet wines!
Next, we met Franco. Franco’s energy and enthusiasm were immediately evident, and infectious. He gave us some geography lessons, then, in video segments, took us deep into the soil. Literally.
The Uco Valley is comprised of three departments: Tupungato in the north, Tunuyan in the middle, and San Carlos in the south. Domaine Bousquet is located in Tupungato. This area of the valley was originally settled by Jesuit missionaries in the 17th century. By the early 1900’s, orchards, vineyards, and other crops were planted. It wasn’t until the early 2000’s, however, that the wine world started to take notice, as local producers started attracting attention to the region.
The soils in Tupungato vary from rocky to sandy and silt, which flowed down from the Andes mountains. At these elevations, and with the harsh winters there, diurnal temperature swings of up to 59°F can occur, resulting in fresh, fruity wines. One of the other distinctive conditions are calcareous soils, containing concentrations of calcium deposits, which add to the unique character of the wines.
In the video segments, Franco showed us cross sections of the soil conditions in soil pits, which are dug several feet deep directly adjacent to rows of vines. This was fascinating to see, as each of the wines featured have different soil conditions. As Franco walked us through the various soil pits, we tasted along with the wines. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
Domaine Bousquet Sauvignon Blanc 2021
Pale straw color. On the nose, apricot, peach, and pineapple. On the palate, pineapple, citrus, peach, and pear. Bracing acidity, yet very smooth with a soft finish.
Domaine Bousquet Reserve Chardonnay 2019
A very unique and enjoyable Chardonnay. Golden color. Nose of pear, peach, and tropical fruit /mango. On the palate, a tropical paradise: pineapple, mango, with citrus, pear, and just a hint of butter. Creamy mouthfeel, with balanced, vibrant acidity. Medium plus body, with a citrus finish.
Domaine Bousquet Reserve Pinot Noir 2019
Bright ruby color. Cherry, raspberry preserves, and white pepper on the nose. On the palate, juicy fruit flavors of raspberry, strawberry, and red cherry, with cedar, and spice. Light-to-medium body, soft tannins, bright acidity, and a medium red fruit finish.
Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Deep garnet color with a ruby rim. Lots of classic Cab Sauv characteristics. Nose of blackberry, cassis, and black cherry. On the palate, black cherry, plum, black currant, blackberry, and cedar. Medium-plus body, integrated tannins, medium acidity, and a long finish of red fruit, baking spice, and pepper. Fresh & clean so the fruit really shines.
Domaine Bousquet Gaia Cabernet Franc 2018
Inky garnet color. Funky, earthy nose, with red cherry and boysenberry. On the palate, ripe, juicy blackberry, boysenberry, blueberry, and hints of bell pepper and baking spice. Big, full body, with ripe tannins, medium acidity, and a long finish of dark fruit and black pepper and minerals.
Domaine Bousquet Gran Malbec 2018
Wow! Very soft and smooth. Deep purple with a garnet rim. Black cherry, plum, and blackberry on the nose. On the palate, ripe blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, and Marionberry, with hints of cedar, cocoa, and baking spice. Rich, full body with velvety tannins, medium acidity, and a long finish of black fruit and chocolate.
All of the wines are very well structured and balanced. With minimal oak influence, each wine allows the fruit to take center stage and shine. In the days following the virtual tasting, we enjoyed finishing the bottles with our meals. All are very food friendly, yet able to stand on their own as evening sippers. Did we mention value? The SRP for these wines is shocking; they all drink well above their price point!
Domaine Bousquet Gaia Cabernet Franc 2018 / SRP $20
Domaine Bousquet Gran Malbec 2018 / SRP $25
We are very impressed with the wines that Domaine Bousquet is producing, and their commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. We definitely recommend you seek out these wines and enjoy them for yourself.
In 1990, winemaker Jean Bousquet went on vacation to Argentina. A third-generation winemaker from Carcassonne, in southern France, Bousquet immediately fell in love with the Gualtallary Valley, in Mendoza. Though no vineyards existed there at the time, he recognized the winemaking potential in the region. The Gualtallary Valley is in the high mountains, with elevations reaching over 5,200 feet, an altitude many thought too high to grow grapes, but Bousquet felt differently. In 1997, he bought land and planted his first vineyard. In 2002, Bousquet’s daughter, Anne, and her husband, Labid Al Ameri, visited the area and saw the vision, as well. They joined Jean in the project, and in 2009 moved to Argentina full time, assuming ownership of the Domaine Bousquet winery in 2011.
We’ve known of Domaine Bousquet for some time, and have enjoyed many of their wines. So when we received an invitation to sample their debut vintage of a Rosé of Pinot Noir, we jumped at the chance.
The following wine was provided as a media sample for review. All reviews, descriptions, and opinions are our own. We received no additional compensation.
Domaine Bousquet is fully organic and sustainable, with 240 hectares (nearly 600 acres) under vine. At 4,000 feet elevation, these are cool climate vineyards, perfect for producing quality, balanced wines.
The Gaia line of wines is named for the Greek goddess of Earth, the family inspiration for the Domaine Bousquet. The Rosé of Pinot Noir 2020 is made from 100% estate grown Pinot Noir. The family history, now four generations of winemaking, blends Old World tradition with the New World terroir to produce a stunning and elegant Rosé.
(That’s hot! We were only out there long enough to snap these pics!)
Pale salmon color. On the nose, subdued aromas of peach, nectarine, and watermelon. On the palate, soft tannins and bright acidity and medium body, with flavors of white peach, nectarine, watermelon, strawberry, orange zest, and floral notes. Very refreshing on a hot (106F) afternoon. (SRP $20)
We thoroughly enjoyed the Gaia Rosé of Pinot Noir 2020, and will continue to seek out and enjoy wines from the Domaine Bousquet collection.
Appetite for Wine 