#394 Being honest with a friend

There are four brands within Tramontane wines.  Firstly, Coume del Mas, established by the Gard family in 2001, and these wines have already established themselves as some of the finest in the Roussillon.  Then there is Mas Christine, an estate wine that overlooks the town of Collioure, on the southern edge of the Cotes du Roussillon appelation.  Next is Tramontane wines, the negociant arm of the company, and finally Consolation, the strange and wonderful playthings of the company owners and winemakers, Phillippe Gard and Andy Cook.

Now whenever I have tasted wines from Tramontane before, I have always admitted that I know one of the people who makes the wine, but, if I'm honest, I don't really feel the need to.  I've tasted wines many times with Andy, and he, like me, will be honest about what he is tasting.  If it is terrible, he would say so, and if it is great, he would heap praise on them.  So, if these wines are rubbish, I'll say so and then have an awkward chat with him in a weeks time when he is visiting with his family.  The thing is, they aren't rubbish.  In fact, they are rather good.

2009 Tramontane Chardonnay
Bright fresh fruit with a touch of lemon curd.  A lot of light herbs with some more lemon fruit with some floral flavours coming out.  There is a sandstone meets chalk element coming through too. 90pts

2009 Tramontane Grenache Gris
Soft peachy aromas with a really tasty creamy element to it.  There is a tea like element to this wine, some soft creamy flavours mixed with a bright minerality element to it.  A lovely wine. 90pts

2010 Mas Cristine Blanc
Marsanne Roussanne Macabeu Grenache Gris & Carignane Blanc
Lovely fresh citrus meets clay aroma with a soft sweet fruit notes coming through - lychee almost.  There is an initial sweetness and then some savoury Marsanne flavours come out with some peach and a touch of white pepper and melon pith on the finish.  Gorgeous.  92pts

2010 Consolation Filles de Mai Macabeau
A simple, bright fruit with some gentle grapey or yellow peach skin aroma to this.  There is a beautifully soft palate with some slightly oxidised flavours to it.  A little tannin comes through with some spice and a bright underripe fruit.  A lovely wine. 90pts

2010 Coume del Mas Folio Blanc
Bright lemony aromas with some herbs and a little bit of bright fruit.  A nice, slightly oily fruit driven palate that leads onto a creamy, slightly bitter pithy fruit flavour with some creamy textures and a long finish. 89pts

2009 Tramontane Grenache
Big, spicy, lots of chunky leathery aromas with cassis, cassis leaf and a chunk of dark raspberry.  There is a big dark powerful aroma with some gutsy, spicy fruit.  There is a really tasty liquorice, aniseed and leather flavour coming to it.  Gorgeous.  90pts

2009 Tramontane Cotes de Rousillon
Bright, fresh, just a bit of sweet, gummy bear aroma coming off.  There is a strawberry and cherry flavour coming off with some bright, simple fruit. The palate is light with a touch of spice and leaf coming off.  There are floral notes to it, a touch of dark, leathery liquorice, and some spice coming through.  A really beautiful wine.  94pts

2008 Consolation Dog Strangler Mourvedre
Big, sweet, concentrated fruit with a lot of cherry, bramble, some spice and a bit of beef jerky.  There is a darkness, some earthy elements coming through with some spice and blueberries.  Powerful, with lots of dark silky tannin and a sweet note.  This is a stonker of a wine, lots of power, yet with a grace and elegance too.  95pts

2008 Coume del Mas Quadratur
Perfumy violets with some really gentle, stoney aromas.  There is a lot of plum, some subtle creamy spice coming off with a lovely dark berry flavour.  Quite tight, but with a leathery, tannic grip that keeps things going.  93pts

2008 Consolation Armistice
A delightful bright fresh aroma of cherry, raspberry, a little bit of fig and plum coming through too.  There is a gorgeous bright fruit, some cherry, lots of honey and with some very clean, peach skin coming through.  Some blood oranges comes through.  90pts

1996 Consolation Antic Rivesaltes
Lots of honey, bright citrussy and raisined aromas.  A salty note comes off the palate, a nutty, caramelised cashew flavour too.  Some really tasty bright, spiced toffee with spice and almonds.  Seriously lovely, with a long, salted caramel, grapefruit and lemon skin flavour.  94pts

2008 Consolation Coume del Mas Banyuls
A lot of honey coated brambles with a lot of cherry jam and a little bit of chocolate.  Lots of grape sweetness with a very well balanced, slightly leathery aroma, some cinnamon chocolate, a little dusty spice and with some honey notes coming through.  A lovely balance with super spice on the finish. 94pts

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