I’ve abandoned the usual Sunday morning croissant and a listen to the Archers omnibus today. Instead I’m heading to that London and the RAW Fair (open Sunday 19th and Monday 20th May 2013). Natural wines all the way today and, I daresay, quite a few of the orange variety. These are white wines made in a red wine style with extended skin contact to garner that extra colour, aroma and concentration. Some can be sensational. Others more akin to cider in aroma and flavour. With luck a few of the former, as delicious as this Orange Wine in the Vineyard was. The wine discovery continues…

This weeks Sunday Wine Shot is one such orange wine, taken in the Batic vineyards in Slovenia.

I’ve tasted wine in many places. There’s the standing in front of a table pressed in by trade and journos followed by the scrummage to locate a spittoon. There is the shivering and cold tasting in some dark, dank cellar or the spitting of tank samples in a cavernous echoing chamber surrounded by gleaming stainless steel tanks. I’ve been relaxed at informal winemaker dinners and terribly on-edge and nervous at highly formal ‘reverent’ meals too. I’ve also been bored senseless at lunches with a never-ending run of speeches often in a foreign language… while the food gets cold and the wine sample was long ago drained. I’ve also sipped huge numbers of wines in functional boardrooms with rolling vineyards spread out below, just visible through dusty windows. But I’ve never, ever, tasted wines in the actual vineyard the grapes grew in.

Until a trip to Slovenia earlier this year.

The suggestion to visit and consume IN a vineyard caused a certain amount of consternation and frantic reorganisation: chairs were piled into the back of a car, over-sized glasses plonked into wickerwork and trays of food cling-filmed and slid onto the backseat. But it was certainly worth it.

Warm sun, luscious greenery, spring-growth on the vines and a view of distant mountains, picturesque farm buildings and a slightly manic-looking winemaker, Ivan Batic, taking us through his array of ‘natural’ wines. Certainly ‘worth it’.

I rather liked the concentration to the Batic Chardonnay, not that convinced by the odd, unique bottle it comes packaged in mind. But the wine offered a pure rendition with a mineral texture and tropical fruit freshness.

Photo Gallery: Wine Tasting Slovenian Style: In the Vineyard

Interestingly Batic use over-ripe grapes, having thinned the vineyard during the summer and also allow fermentation to run at “unregulated temperatures” for three days. The wine eventually ends up in Slovenian oak barrels for over a year. Amazing then that such freshness is retained. No surprise though at the weighty mouth-feel and complexity.

The Batic Pinela was equally as interesting. It’s a local grape variety originating on the Italian (Friuli) side of the border that, given the quality, one wonders why it isn’t grown and known more widely. Here the Pinella gives a lighter style of wine with layers of straw-like flavours, hints of herbs, pears and apples (although not in that off-putting cideresque way) and a distinct nutty edge. Dry and orange in hue.

Being a huge fan of white blends (the sum being better than the individual) the Batic Zaria 2007 was wonderful. Take Pinela add Zelen (another local variety), Rebula, Vitovska, Klarnica, Chardonnay and Yellow Muscat and you have Zaria. Full and rich, deep yellow in colour and a complexity on the palate that is at once intriguing (as in trying to tie down the various strands of flavours) and delicious. Straw was mentioned, although I tended to the spicy led over-ripened tropical fruit end of the flavour array. Ivan referred to the wines ‘živahna’ – vivaciousness.

How much of my enjoyment of the wines and the afternoon stemmed from being in the vineyard; standing next to those Klarnica and Pinela vines; lapping up the sun, enjoying the local cheeses and enjoying the company of fellow wine lovers? Certainly beats yet another bloody stainless steel tank.

The Raw Fair – an excellent place to sample Natural Wines – aka The Artisan Wine Fair takes place in London 19-20th May 2013. The Fair is open to general consumers and not just the wine trade. The Batic Estate will be at stand 152 showing the Angel 2007, Pinot Gris 2011 and Zaria 2010.
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Two European trips in quick succession – Slovenia followed by Tuscany. Never been to either before. Both were rapidly-scheduled press trips but they did yield quite a few photographs in spite of rain/dull weather in Tuscany. This shot, of a vineyard in Tuscany (taken in the early stages of the Cycling In Tuscany day) has been cropped and given the once over with a Topaz Adjust ‘Painting-Venice’ filter. I rather like the result…

Tuscan Vineyard – is this weeks Sunday Wine Shot.

On the edge of old town Chianciano Terme, luckily a short if uphill stroll from the agritourismo, is the cellar and shop of Fontanelle. Refreshing to have a wine tasting with non-experts; wine drinkers obviously but how to detect acidity or tannins, rather a step too far.

Here as part of the Local Living experience hosted by G Adventures, a wine tasting stop here is viewed as a vital portion of the package.

Like many families the three brothers specialise in different disciplines; one brother, Valerio, took us through a little olive oil tasting (regretting not buying a bottle to bring home to be honest) while another – Riccardo – handles the wine side of things.

Opening with the ‘basic’ wines he was almost apologetic at their simplicity. Personally I found them a delight; no idea of price at the time (the top of the range comes in at a very reasonable €20 cellar door) but to a bottle these ‘lesser’ wines were lovely, offering a balanced richness, a true regional acidic streak in the RI.VA.LE Chianti and a touch riper, softer palate to the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

The ‘step-up’ gave us the Fontanelle Ri.Va.Le. Chianti Riserva 2007. Chianti being so ubiquitous I tend to overlook it, especially in light of the thin, sharp renditions I’ve experienced in the past. With the Riserva a resurgence of interest as this wine, that uses the same grapes as the standard Chianti, demonstrated what a little extra aging can do to a wine. There is still the underpinning luscious fruit but it is melded with a mellower shell and added complexity. Stunning with a plate of meats – made by the third brother Valerio – including fennel tinged salami, prosciutto and lardo.

The star though was Riccardo’s dalliance; the Fontanelle super-Tuscan the Stiglianses 2007. So good I came home with a bottle. The concentration and richness here is very compelling. A surprise though that the Agricola Fontanelle Stiglianses II 2007, to give the wine its full name, is a 100% Sangiovese wine, with not a touch of foreign interlopers to sully the pure Tuscan expression (or some such…).

Tasting over – the non-wine experts in the group having grown glassy eyed with my more technical enquiries – a return to the Agritourismo and a chance to relish the Stiglianese with some sizzling steak… locally reared, obviously.

Wine Tasting Tuscan Style at Agricola Fontanelle is part of the G Adventures Local Living tour that includes a day Cycling In Tuscany too.

Photo Gallery: Wine Tasting Tuscan Style at Agricolla Fontanelle

Having a hearty penchant for such desserts rather surprised I haven’t attempted to make a Torta Della Nonna myself. It’s a traditional Tuscan dessert that combines pastry, a light custard filling and toasted pine nuts where everyone’s Nonna makes a variation.

A rather splendid version was served at a little Chelsea-based Italian restaurant and accompanied the Nino Franco Cartizze Prosecco sublimely. Has to be one of the most perfect food/wine matches I’ve enjoyed. The steep Cartizze hill produces the ‘cru’ wines of Prosecco. Generally these are made with a higher sweetness and therefore perfect with lighter desserts. I have a feeling my Italian Carrot Cake would also make a sublime accompaniment.

Nino Franco Cartizze Prosecco is this weeks Sunday Wine Shot.

This little place, the Slovenian equivalent of neighbouring Italy’s Agriturismo, has the most stunning view. Just below the veranda vines hug the hillside. Across the valley the rumble of a tractor and the echoes of vineyard workers silence the village chickens. The view down the valley reaches across vineyards aplenty, over blossom-drenched cherry trees, olive plantations and down the valley to mist drenched reaches.

This is Brda, a land of plump cherries (Briške Cešnje), rustic hotpots (Kúhnje), veal stew (Žvarcet) and cake stuffed with walnuts and raisins (Hubánca). And also an important centre of Natural Wine production.

Now natural wine raises some controversy. It seems you either like the styles – a result of minimalist, ‘natural’, organic, wine production processes – or you find them too extreme and away from ‘proper wine’. Extended skin contact gives an orange colour to white wines for example. They can also be cloudy (less filtration) and should offer a more intense rendition of the grapes used than ‘normal’ wine. But many of the wines can degenerate into something akin to cider both in taste and aroma; it is these wines that cause the ‘issues’ and I have to say are really not for me either. A wine really shouldn’t taste or look like a cider!

During the visit to Slovenia several of these cider-esque examples were offered. And they stood out against other examples that were wonderfully coloured and intensely fragrant.

Photo Gallery: Natural Wines In Slovenia

Klinec Estate Wines

A small range of wines are produced – all biodynamic – the Klinec Malvasia (Malvazija) 2009 [Adegga / Snooth was a crisp delight, with an intenseness that worked beautifully with a few slices of the estates own dried meat. Deeper and more intense on the palate than a ‘usual’ Malvasia due to the extended skin contact enabled during the winemaking process. A showcase example for natural wines, one of the orange variety.

It was the Klinec Móra 2006 [Adegga / Snooth] that totally impressed however. This dark, chocolate tinged, ripe beauty is made only from the very best harvests. A mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc (10%) sees a long period in cherry barrels and a further year in bottle before release. I’m sure it doesn’t come cheap and I note with sadness that it isn’t being shown at the RAW Fair. Shame.

The few days in Slovenia was enlivened and impassioned by having Isabelle Legeron MW as host and guide.

The Raw Fair – an excellent place to sample Natural Wines – aka The Artisan Wine Fair takes place in London 19-20th May 2013. The Fair is open to general consumers and not just the wine trade. The Klinec Estate will be at stand 150 showing 5 wines from their range.

Another spread of Klinec vines in deepest Slovenia. Having seen off the unwelcomed approach of camera toting Douglas Blyde, this goose returns to the 10 strong gaggle, with triumphant calls and Napolonic swagger. Douglas made a justifiable, slightly undignified, strategic retreat. Wouldn’t you?

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An angry goose in Slovenia (at Klinec vineyard). It terrified me, frankly. #RawTrip twitter.com/DouglasBlyde/s…

— Douglas Blyde (@DouglasBlyde) April 18, 2013

A vineyard, in this case one in Slovenia, owned by natural wine producer Klinec Medana. In addition to being a top producer of natural wines they run a lovely, unpretentious guest house overlooking these vines. They also do a fine mobile-return service if you are ever foolish enough to leave one in your room… or so a friend tells me.

Klinec Medana will be showing five of their wine range at the 2013 RAW Fair (London, 19 – 20 May 2013).

Klinec Vineyard Slovenia – this weeks Sunday Wine Shot.

There really is a blue oak tree in this southern Rhone wine estate. An ancient oak presiding over the 87 acre vineyard, restored medieval priory and forests in the foothills of Mount Ventoux. Its dead now sadly but imaginatively preserved.

“During the great drought of 2005, this mighty oak was rescued and transformed by Marc Nucera, a young Provencal tree sculptor of international repute. He protected and preserved oour majestic oak tree by treating its branches with bouillie bordelaise, the blue-green solution used to protect organic vineyards around the world. The tree’s blue extremities highlighted its beautiful shape, as well as the enduring inner strength of its architecture – thereby revealing a unique an arresting piece of natural art”

This majestic oak graces, in stylised form, the labels of the Chêne Bleu estates wines.

They produce just a few different wines making full utilisation of the high altitude of their vines to produce biodynamic wines in the southern Rhone region of Ventoux with more than a nod to the styles of the northern Rhone. The plantings of Grenache and Syrah have had smaller plantings of Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Clairette and Mourvedre added over the years; totally typical to this region of France.

What isn’t so typical is the supreme quality and excellence of the wines. Expensive yes, but so worth sampling if you see them on a restaurant wine list. They are predominantly found in restaurants although one or two smaller independents might be lucky to secure a few bottles (Hedonism Wines were mentioned as one London stockist). Production is minuscule with no more than 600 cases of each wine produced each year.

Momo, the acclaimed Moroccan/North African restaurant just off Regents Street in London, lists one of the Chêne Bleu range. It was here I met up with one of the estates marketing team to sample the range and experiment in matching the wines with the Moroccan dishes.

It’s a fine place is Momo, elbow-crunchingly close tables, atmosphere and décor setting the theme and high prices for some of the wines. Online reviews were generally praise-worthy although service was mentioned as not being a strong point. Can’t say we had experienced any issues. The food can’t really be faulted.

To start a most interesting dish – a surprisingly sweet Wood Pigeon Pastilla (£9.00). “Fine filo pastry filled with sweet and lightly spiced wood pigeon, almonds and cinnamon, served with an orange confit”. Sweet enough to be a dessert! Most wines are going to struggle with the mix of meat and sweetness but, I have to say, the Chêne Bleu Heloise, the richest and sweeter-fruited of the two reds was a delightful accompaniment.

The white, Chêne Bleu Aliot 2009, and the rosé, Chêne Bleu Rosé 2011, were on the table during the opening food salvo. Tuna Tartare (£10.50) brought out some wonderful complex notes in the rosé and I thoroughly enjoyed matching it to the Octopus (with roasted peppers, smoked paprika and warm ratte potatoes £10.50). The Aliot also shone with the Octopus. This wine, a blend of Roussanne and White Grenache with a splash of Marsanne, has lovely flavours of tropical fruits and positively exploded with flavour when sampled next to the seafood.

The mains – the three of us generously shared our selections. Me first with a Lamb Tangine (£22.50), served under a traditional conicalled terracotta dish, meltingly good lamb tussled with pears, sweet prunes, almonds and onions. Such flavours are going to decimate a dry white but the rosé held it together nicely. More acceptable, perhaps, were the two red wines – the Heloise 2007, mentioned before, was the richer, sweeter of the pair. The Grenache/Syrah blend in the Abelard 2007 was also a grand match.

With my dining compatriots picking the Momo Grill (roast honey quail, lamb cutlet, merguez, chicken kofta with roasted veg £28) and Vegetarian Couscous (Barley wheat, stuffed spinach, artichokes, sautéed vegetables and split pea sauce) our sampling of the culinary delights of Morocco was complete.

The reds, rather obviously, were superb matches for the mixed meat grill with the Abelard, with a lighter more aromatic touch, revelling in the exotic spices. The vegetable dish saw the rosé coming into its own yet again and, while the cheapest of the range at around £15 retail a bottle, revealed a near perfect multi-dish accompaniment.

Many thanks to Lizzie for showing the wines and introducing me to Momo; a grand evening with some fabulous wines. From the versatile rosé through to the two stunning reds there wasn’t a disappointment in the line-up. Dougie-boy was there too.

Photo Gallery: Reviewing the Wines of Chêne Bleu at Momo Restaurant, London

The conditions in Momo – the darkness predominantly and the rather cramped positioning of our table, precluded the ability to take many meaningful photos. Hence the lack of any photographs of the food. [Although a photo of Wine Glasses at Momo was posted yesterday]

A slightly derogatory comment from Dougie-boy over the wine glasses at Momo; personally I thought them a few steps above the 1970′s petrol station give-aways to which he alluded. They performed their function well enough – holding the evenings wines and also provided a decent photo-op.

Wine Glasses at Momo – this weeks Sunday Wine Shot.