Lab Rat report for Qupe 2014 75% Marsanne, 25% Roussanne (thank you Casemates!)
First time as a lab rat. Full disclosure, I’m mostly a red guy, and the dr in the house is an unabashed oaky chardonnay fan, the more butter the better.
We cracked the bottle after a movie last night, and the first pour came across with a floral nose (nice!). First sips were fruity, with a somewhat astringent finish. It’s fairly light bodied, with a crisp initial impression. We think it would be great with a turkey dinner with richer foods.
Follow up tonight with another glass about 24hrs later; I thought it was rounder and softer, and less sharp on the finish; I liked it more. The dr still was ready to trade in for her Bread and Butter chardonnay. I’d drink it again with dinner. I’m really interested in trying the 100% Roussanne; I’ve been happy with other bottles of that grape in the past.
(sorry about the sideways pics - they were vertical when I uploaded them!)
Wow, nicely done Casemates! Bob Lindquist is a Central Coast icon and original Rhone Ranger (and a Dodger fan, I might add!) Love me some Marsanne and Roussanne in the cooler months and on the holiday dinner table!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2014 Qupé Marsanne and Roussanne - $45 = 19.99%
This is a lovely and classic vintage of Marsanne, crisp, fresh and with nice mineral and citrus notes. The Roussanne adds richness and depth and also gives the wine some extra weight. Drink now if under screw cap, or put in the cellar for 10-15 years if under cork!
Vineyard
The Ibarra-Young Vineyard has been our main source of Marsanne since 1987, which happened to be the first bottling of Marsanne in California! It is a vineyard that was originally planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1971, and then we leased it in 1986 and grafted it over to Rhone varietals… Syrah, Mourvedre, Viognier and this Marsanne. In 1999 we began farming it organically.
2014 was a very warm vintage, the warmest on record on the Central Coast, only to lose that distinction in 2015! Ripening times were early and didn’t follow normal patterns. We started harvesting Roussanne from La Presa on September 5th, a month earlier than normal…and finished with the Marsanne from Sawyer Lindquist on September 25th, kind of a normal time!
I like to pick Marsanne on the early side of ripeness, while it still has nice fresh acidity and low pH. Grapes for this wine ranged from 20.5° brix for the first
pick of Ibarra-Young, to 25.0° for the last pick of Bien Nacido Roussanne, and everything in between! The majority of the lots were harvested below 22.5° though with great acidity.
Winemaking
This was fermented and aged for 7 months in neutral French oak barrels and also went through its secondary malolactic fermentation. The various lots were blended and bottled in May 2015.
Specs:
Vintage: 2014
Composition:
62% Marsanne from the Ibarra-Young Vineyard in the new Los Olivos District AVA
8% Marsanne from the La Presa Vineyard, also from LOD
5% Marsanne from the Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard in the Edna Valley
13% Roussanne from La Presa
12% Roussanne from the Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley
Appellation: Santa Barbara County
Alcohol: 12.5%
Roussanne, Bien Nacido Hillside Estate, Santa Maria Valley
2014 was a textbook vintage for Qupé Roussanne, with rich notes of Asian pear and quince, balanced acidity and a long succulent finish. This versatile wine pairs beautifully with a variety of savory turkey and vegetable dishes perfect for the Thanksgiving table. Ready to drink upon release, this wine will also continue to age beautifully for another 10-15 years.
Vineyard
This wine is 100% Roussanne from the Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley that was planted exclusively for Qupé in 1997 using the Tablas Creek clone (originally from Chateau de Beaucastel.) It is a west facing Hillside bench just opposite the winery - a cool climate site, with lots of sun.
Winemaking
The grapes were whole cluster pressed, the juice chilled overnight, and then pumped directly to barrel the next day. The juice was then fermented, allowed to complete malolactic fermentation, and aged on the lees for 12 months in one year old used, French oak barrels. The resulting wine was then racked and clarified before returning it to neutral barrels for another 6 months of aging.
Here at Qupé, our wines focus on quality, character, and balance. We specialize in Rhône-style wines from the Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria, that is farmed sustainable, the Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard in the Edna Valley, farmed biodynamically, and the Ibarra-Young Vineyard in Los Olivos, farmed organically. Bob Lindquist’s exacting standards and never-resting-on-laurels attitude, allows Qupé to continually be cutting edge and a benchmark other wineries aspire to be.
Qupé (pronounced kyoo-pay’) is the Chumash Indian word for California poppy. The Chumash are native to California’s Central Coast and Channel Islands; the California poppy is our state flower. Bob Lindquist added the accent to the word Qupé and gave it the pronunciation.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI
@rjquillin
I also love Peter’s Roussanne and Marsanne and I still have some in the cellar. Otherwise i’d be in on these. Great alternative whites for the holidays.
@KNmeh7 Been a drinker of these off and on over the years. Nice wines, great value. Not sure if 2014 was the first year but a switch to Stelvin was made, at least on the Marsanne, don’t follow enough to know the details, but a small amount was also bottled with cork.
@KNmeh7 I know Larry would disagree with that statement. Screwcaps do allow measured amounts of oxygen into the wine, but then again much of the aging process is anaerobic.
@maht87
These varieties tend to be a bit more weighty than Sauvignon Blanc (although the oaked ones can be similar), and more in line with Pinot Gris/Blanc and Chardonnay. At least in terms of heft.
These are all dry, although you may be referring to fruity aromas/flavours rather than sweetness. Both Marsanne and Roussanne are a bit more floral than your references, but there’s a wide variety of fruit flavours possible depending on the growing area, heat, harvest choices, etc. These two will lean more toward tropical aromas/flavours than SB/PG/Chard when all else is equal, based on my experience.
If you want to explore, go for it! These won’t be sweet, but they may be fruity with more tropical notes.
@radiolysis while I’m most definitely a red guy, I’d have to say the Pinot Gris is my favorite of the whites, though I do love a good Chardonnay. I was an avid wine.wooter back when it originally launched (2006ish?). It was there that I learned that there was such thing as a Pinot Gris. I loved how they described it as similar to a Pinot Grigio, but without the car pee smell, lol. My all time favorite was when they offered the Abandon Chardonnay. I bought cases of the stuff to cook with and drink. I’ve never been able to find it since.
I’m super stoked about the rebirth of wine.woot, and I can’t believe I didn’t find this until just a week ago. I am really hoping they continue the holiday tradition of woot labeled wines, though I’m sure it’ll be a different label. I’m glad to be back!
@maht87@radiolysis Another fun one - Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are identical grapes. Just the Italian vs French names. Ditto Shiraz (Australia) vs Syrah (rest of the world). Primitivo (Italy) vs Zinfandel (USA). Lots of similar situations for other grapes as well.
But then some wineries choose which name based on the style of the wine. Pinot Gris labelled wine is likely to be bigger and rounder than one labelled Pinot Gririo, which is more commonly closer to Sauvignon Blanc in heft and acidity.
The Marsanne was fantastic (haven’t tried Rousanne yet) powerful floral and fruit and tropical. My wife, more the white wine drinking favoring sauvignon blanc, wasn’t as taken with it. Good, she thought, but not wow. I was surprised because she likes bone-dry-but-sweet-flavors. I thought, wow. Would this be a red wine drinker’s white? Seems you’d want to have it with something strong?
Lab Rat report for Qupe 2014 75% Marsanne, 25% Roussanne (thank you Casemates!)
First time as a lab rat. Full disclosure, I’m mostly a red guy, and the dr in the house is an unabashed oaky chardonnay fan, the more butter the better.
We cracked the bottle after a movie last night, and the first pour came across with a floral nose (nice!). First sips were fruity, with a somewhat astringent finish. It’s fairly light bodied, with a crisp initial impression. We think it would be great with a turkey dinner with richer foods.
Follow up tonight with another glass about 24hrs later; I thought it was rounder and softer, and less sharp on the finish; I liked it more. The dr still was ready to trade in for her Bread and Butter chardonnay. I’d drink it again with dinner. I’m really interested in trying the 100% Roussanne; I’ve been happy with other bottles of that grape in the past.
(sorry about the sideways pics - they were vertical when I uploaded them!)
Wow, nicely done Casemates! Bob Lindquist is a Central Coast icon and original Rhone Ranger (and a Dodger fan, I might add!) Love me some Marsanne and Roussanne in the cooler months and on the holiday dinner table!
@neilfindswine Lurker!
Show yourself more often.
@neilfindswine Neil is the man.
Qupé Marsanne and Roussanne
4 bottles for $74.99 $18.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $179.99 $15/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2014 Qupé Marsanne
2014 Qupé Roussanne
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2014 Qupé Marsanne and Roussanne - $45 = 19.99%
Marsanne, Santa Barbara County
This is a lovely and classic vintage of Marsanne, crisp, fresh and with nice mineral and citrus notes. The Roussanne adds richness and depth and also gives the wine some extra weight. Drink now if under screw cap, or put in the cellar for 10-15 years if under cork!
Vineyard
The Ibarra-Young Vineyard has been our main source of Marsanne since 1987, which happened to be the first bottling of Marsanne in California! It is a vineyard that was originally planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1971, and then we leased it in 1986 and grafted it over to Rhone varietals… Syrah, Mourvedre, Viognier and this Marsanne. In 1999 we began farming it organically.
2014 was a very warm vintage, the warmest on record on the Central Coast, only to lose that distinction in 2015! Ripening times were early and didn’t follow normal patterns. We started harvesting Roussanne from La Presa on September 5th, a month earlier than normal…and finished with the Marsanne from Sawyer Lindquist on September 25th, kind of a normal time!
I like to pick Marsanne on the early side of ripeness, while it still has nice fresh acidity and low pH. Grapes for this wine ranged from 20.5° brix for the first
pick of Ibarra-Young, to 25.0° for the last pick of Bien Nacido Roussanne, and everything in between! The majority of the lots were harvested below 22.5° though with great acidity.
Winemaking
This was fermented and aged for 7 months in neutral French oak barrels and also went through its secondary malolactic fermentation. The various lots were blended and bottled in May 2015.
Specs:
Roussanne, Bien Nacido Hillside Estate, Santa Maria Valley
2014 was a textbook vintage for Qupé Roussanne, with rich notes of Asian pear and quince, balanced acidity and a long succulent finish. This versatile wine pairs beautifully with a variety of savory turkey and vegetable dishes perfect for the Thanksgiving table. Ready to drink upon release, this wine will also continue to age beautifully for another 10-15 years.
Vineyard
This wine is 100% Roussanne from the Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley that was planted exclusively for Qupé in 1997 using the Tablas Creek clone (originally from Chateau de Beaucastel.) It is a west facing Hillside bench just opposite the winery - a cool climate site, with lots of sun.
Winemaking
The grapes were whole cluster pressed, the juice chilled overnight, and then pumped directly to barrel the next day. The juice was then fermented, allowed to complete malolactic fermentation, and aged on the lees for 12 months in one year old used, French oak barrels. The resulting wine was then racked and clarified before returning it to neutral barrels for another 6 months of aging.
Specs
Price Comparison
$410.13/case (including shipping) at Qupé
About The Winery
Winery: Qupé
Here at Qupé, our wines focus on quality, character, and balance. We specialize in Rhône-style wines from the Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria, that is farmed sustainable, the Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard in the Edna Valley, farmed biodynamically, and the Ibarra-Young Vineyard in Los Olivos, farmed organically. Bob Lindquist’s exacting standards and never-resting-on-laurels attitude, allows Qupé to continually be cutting edge and a benchmark other wineries aspire to be.
Qupé (pronounced kyoo-pay’) is the Chumash Indian word for California poppy. The Chumash are native to California’s Central Coast and Channel Islands; the California poppy is our state flower. Bob Lindquist added the accent to the word Qupé and gave it the pronunciation.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI
Estimated Delivery
Friday, December 7th - Tuesday, December 11th
Two grapes I really like, especially as done well by @PeterW.
@rjquillin
I also love Peter’s Roussanne and Marsanne and I still have some in the cellar. Otherwise i’d be in on these. Great alternative whites for the holidays.
Are we getting this because Qupe was just sold?
I’ve heard a lot of good things about their wines.
@klezman yeah, i’d be curious how long this deal has been in the works.
Yeah, tried these varietals in Wellington cases and was blown away. I want four, and I’ll order a case if any PDX peeps want the other 8!
To quote the writeup: “Drink now if under screw cap, or put in the cellar for 10-15 years if under cork!”
Did the winery bottle the same wine with different closures? The picture shows a Stelvin, so I guess it is drink now?
That recommendation leaves more questions than answers.
@KNmeh7 Been a drinker of these off and on over the years. Nice wines, great value. Not sure if 2014 was the first year but a switch to Stelvin was made, at least on the Marsanne, don’t follow enough to know the details, but a small amount was also bottled with cork.
@KNmeh7 I know Larry would disagree with that statement. Screwcaps do allow measured amounts of oxygen into the wine, but then again much of the aging process is anaerobic.
Is the map dead?
Just CA lit up?
Can’t be.
@rjquillin
Some of us are just slow, I guess. I’m definitely in for roussanne from Qupé.
This may be a dumb question, but is this more on the dry side or sweet? How does it compare to a Pinot Gris, sav Blanc, or Chardonnay?
I haven’t tried these varietals. Just trying to make sure it isn’t on the sweet side before I pull the trigger.
@maht87 my recollection from other winemakers is that its not sweet but can be floral. With a weight like a Chardonnay.
Between those varieties you mentioned, what is your favorite?
@maht87
These varieties tend to be a bit more weighty than Sauvignon Blanc (although the oaked ones can be similar), and more in line with Pinot Gris/Blanc and Chardonnay. At least in terms of heft.
These are all dry, although you may be referring to fruity aromas/flavours rather than sweetness. Both Marsanne and Roussanne are a bit more floral than your references, but there’s a wide variety of fruit flavours possible depending on the growing area, heat, harvest choices, etc. These two will lean more toward tropical aromas/flavours than SB/PG/Chard when all else is equal, based on my experience.
If you want to explore, go for it! These won’t be sweet, but they may be fruity with more tropical notes.
@radiolysis while I’m most definitely a red guy, I’d have to say the Pinot Gris is my favorite of the whites, though I do love a good Chardonnay. I was an avid wine.wooter back when it originally launched (2006ish?). It was there that I learned that there was such thing as a Pinot Gris. I loved how they described it as similar to a Pinot Grigio, but without the car pee smell, lol. My all time favorite was when they offered the Abandon Chardonnay. I bought cases of the stuff to cook with and drink. I’ve never been able to find it since.
I’m super stoked about the rebirth of wine.woot, and I can’t believe I didn’t find this until just a week ago. I am really hoping they continue the holiday tradition of woot labeled wines, though I’m sure it’ll be a different label. I’m glad to be back!
@maht87 @radiolysis Another fun one - Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are identical grapes. Just the Italian vs French names. Ditto Shiraz (Australia) vs Syrah (rest of the world). Primitivo (Italy) vs Zinfandel (USA). Lots of similar situations for other grapes as well.
But then some wineries choose which name based on the style of the wine. Pinot Gris labelled wine is likely to be bigger and rounder than one labelled Pinot Gririo, which is more commonly closer to Sauvignon Blanc in heft and acidity.
Anybody interested in a NYC split?
Thank you for ignoring us hillwilliams in WV, again! (I have more wine than storage space available at this time, tbh!)
Any Chicago folks interested in splitting?
Roussanne is our cult wine, we are constantly on the search for it, but finding 100% is tough. Great deal on great wine.
The Marsanne was fantastic (haven’t tried Rousanne yet) powerful floral and fruit and tropical. My wife, more the white wine drinking favoring sauvignon blanc, wasn’t as taken with it. Good, she thought, but not wow. I was surprised because she likes bone-dry-but-sweet-flavors. I thought, wow. Would this be a red wine drinker’s white? Seems you’d want to have it with something strong?