Finally taking the time to post some notes on some wines that I brought over from my trip to San Francisco in May for my birthday. I was really excited to crack into the Mosse but wanted to see if I made some good choices.
**Mosse, Magic of Juju:** 40% Chenin Blanc, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Muscadelle, slow pressed grapes are spontaneously fermented in oak barrels and malolactic fermentation occurs. Purchased from Ordinaire in Oakland.
Aromas of roasted mushrooms, petrol, pungent cheese curds, olive brine, and salt & vinegar chips, it’s very umami on the nose with a touch of a weird funk I associate with the rums I drink/review. Texturally, it is medium weight yet lush and inviting. Flavors of apricot, peaches, pear juice, tepache pineapple, sharp grassiness, that salty chips and a touch of funk that I could only describe as a medicinal brininess. It blows over with aeration to allow the fruit to shine but it’s a real insane sensation I never thought I could get out of wine. Medium high acid, the intensity of the finish isn’t high but it lingers very much so.
**Hobo, La Cave Apicole:** Blend of Grenache, Syrah and Muscat. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, using some of the most “fruit” expressive parcels of the domaine, unfined, unfiltered. Purchased from Ruby Wine in San Francisco.
This production from Sylvain Respaut and Olivier Cros is most certainly glou glou. Aromas of beautiful cherry brandy, raspberry kisses, strawberry jam, dried roses, and cranberry chutney, just all of the berries coming through on the nose. Low alcohol, light bodied, medium tannins, everything is just meant to be quaffable here. The kirsch, floral hibiscus, iris, and roses, crunchy raspberries and a stark mineral component that cleans the palate beautifully.
**Le Coste, Rosso:** Mostly Sangiovese, with small amounts of Ciliegiolo, Cannaiolo and Vaiano. Grapes were destemmed and the wine spent three weeks on skins, before being pressed off to large casks of chestnut and oak for a year of rest. Purchased from Ordinaire in Oakland.
A spicy and floral nose full of dried roses, bright cherries, reduced cranberry sauce, some subtle black pepper and chili powder character, it’s very clean and inviting on the nose. On the palate, minerality driven, tannins are present but are broken up by the fine-tuned acidity that creates that freshness this wine possesses. Flavors aren’t as fruit driven, nods towards red peppers, warm espresso, potting soil, some cherry and cranberry and that ever present encompassing minerality, it’s a great red meant for the table.
—
u/Erriberri has been telling me to try the Magic of JuJu from Mosse for like months and I finally was able to find it at Ordinaire in Oakland and it was worth the entire trip to California. Just an insane mix of sweet fruit, briny savoriness and an almost medicinal quality I associate more with high ester rums than wine, this was my favorite wine of the three, bar none. Probably my favorite Mosse bottling too.
As for the reds, they were really good in their own right as well though they didn’t have as much of a unique factor versus the Mosse. The La Cave Apicole was a fun quaffable entry into my series of reviews for GSM blends that just live up to or exceed their value. The Le Coste was a great red to pair with some burgers or heartier affair as well, not being entirely tannic and savory like Sangiovese based wines can be. I will certainly need to go back to San Fran to pick up more bottles and visit other shops but it was a fine trip indeed.
Erriberri
Eyyy you finally tried the Magic of Juju!!!! So glad you enjoyed it.
Honestly, my tasting notes and experience w the wine and its evolution w some aeration are nearly identical to yours. Love it.
Didn’t know you were big into rhum. I’m actually trying to round out my liquor cabinet w some Agricole rhum so if you have any recs worth sharing let me know! Ideally want to use it in tiki style cocktails but also want to enjoy it on its own as a sipper
komos_
Nice haul (and belated happy birthday!). I have not had any of these wines but I have the Juju in my fridge. Picked it up at a restaurant on a whim. Is the petrol note like what you find in aged Riesling? I must say your description is funky and I am looking forward to opening now.
calculator12345678
That juju is very good I’ve had like 5 bottles in the last year
[deleted]
All three are killer wines. Mosse wines are super delicate and clean.
La cave apicole makes some seriously fun wines.
And le coste- I recco their more economy friendly flight the litrazo/ repazzo. They offer in white , skin contact, and red and are 1L @ 23-27USD in LA. Crush it at a park or over dinner w friends
gamay_for_pay_69
on a related note: i’m heading to SF in a few months. any can’t-miss restaurants/bottle shops?
6 Comments
Finally taking the time to post some notes on some wines that I brought over from my trip to San Francisco in May for my birthday. I was really excited to crack into the Mosse but wanted to see if I made some good choices.
**Mosse, Magic of Juju:** 40% Chenin Blanc, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Muscadelle, slow pressed grapes are spontaneously fermented in oak barrels and malolactic fermentation occurs. Purchased from Ordinaire in Oakland.
Aromas of roasted mushrooms, petrol, pungent cheese curds, olive brine, and salt & vinegar chips, it’s very umami on the nose with a touch of a weird funk I associate with the rums I drink/review. Texturally, it is medium weight yet lush and inviting. Flavors of apricot, peaches, pear juice, tepache pineapple, sharp grassiness, that salty chips and a touch of funk that I could only describe as a medicinal brininess. It blows over with aeration to allow the fruit to shine but it’s a real insane sensation I never thought I could get out of wine. Medium high acid, the intensity of the finish isn’t high but it lingers very much so.
**Hobo, La Cave Apicole:** Blend of Grenache, Syrah and Muscat. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, using some of the most “fruit” expressive parcels of the domaine, unfined, unfiltered. Purchased from Ruby Wine in San Francisco.
This production from Sylvain Respaut and Olivier Cros is most certainly glou glou. Aromas of beautiful cherry brandy, raspberry kisses, strawberry jam, dried roses, and cranberry chutney, just all of the berries coming through on the nose. Low alcohol, light bodied, medium tannins, everything is just meant to be quaffable here. The kirsch, floral hibiscus, iris, and roses, crunchy raspberries and a stark mineral component that cleans the palate beautifully.
**Le Coste, Rosso:** Mostly Sangiovese, with small amounts of Ciliegiolo, Cannaiolo and Vaiano. Grapes were destemmed and the wine spent three weeks on skins, before being pressed off to large casks of chestnut and oak for a year of rest. Purchased from Ordinaire in Oakland.
A spicy and floral nose full of dried roses, bright cherries, reduced cranberry sauce, some subtle black pepper and chili powder character, it’s very clean and inviting on the nose. On the palate, minerality driven, tannins are present but are broken up by the fine-tuned acidity that creates that freshness this wine possesses. Flavors aren’t as fruit driven, nods towards red peppers, warm espresso, potting soil, some cherry and cranberry and that ever present encompassing minerality, it’s a great red meant for the table.
—
u/Erriberri has been telling me to try the Magic of JuJu from Mosse for like months and I finally was able to find it at Ordinaire in Oakland and it was worth the entire trip to California. Just an insane mix of sweet fruit, briny savoriness and an almost medicinal quality I associate more with high ester rums than wine, this was my favorite wine of the three, bar none. Probably my favorite Mosse bottling too.
As for the reds, they were really good in their own right as well though they didn’t have as much of a unique factor versus the Mosse. The La Cave Apicole was a fun quaffable entry into my series of reviews for GSM blends that just live up to or exceed their value. The Le Coste was a great red to pair with some burgers or heartier affair as well, not being entirely tannic and savory like Sangiovese based wines can be. I will certainly need to go back to San Fran to pick up more bottles and visit other shops but it was a fine trip indeed.
Eyyy you finally tried the Magic of Juju!!!! So glad you enjoyed it.
Honestly, my tasting notes and experience w the wine and its evolution w some aeration are nearly identical to yours. Love it.
Didn’t know you were big into rhum. I’m actually trying to round out my liquor cabinet w some Agricole rhum so if you have any recs worth sharing let me know! Ideally want to use it in tiki style cocktails but also want to enjoy it on its own as a sipper
Nice haul (and belated happy birthday!). I have not had any of these wines but I have the Juju in my fridge. Picked it up at a restaurant on a whim. Is the petrol note like what you find in aged Riesling? I must say your description is funky and I am looking forward to opening now.
That juju is very good I’ve had like 5 bottles in the last year
All three are killer wines. Mosse wines are super delicate and clean.
La cave apicole makes some seriously fun wines.
And le coste- I recco their more economy friendly flight the litrazo/ repazzo. They offer in white , skin contact, and red and are 1L @ 23-27USD in LA. Crush it at a park or over dinner w friends
on a related note: i’m heading to SF in a few months. any can’t-miss restaurants/bottle shops?