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On Sauvingon Blanc and Villa Maria's Cellar Selection Sauvignon
There is an issue with Sauvignon Blanc. When it's cheap, it's nasty, rough, acidic and one dimensional. Even modest examples can lack complexity and a layering of flavour that should be there to tamper the inbuilt high acidity. Wine makers can rely on rounding it out with the addition of Semillon of course (i.e. Bordeaux) or call on the terrior providing a level of minerality to supply interest (i.e. Loire). But it is easy to tire of wines that give a little more than an acidity punch lined with gooseberries or a green grassiness. New Zealand has built its reputation on stunning Sauvingons vibrantly punchy with gooseberry and asparagus but even from here you can find wines lacking in body and texture (wines that needs a brave man to drink down the throat rasping juice!).
Last week the good wine folks on twitter indulged with a day of tastings and discussions on Sauvignon Blanc. The tag to read through is #sauvblanc. My plan was to tweet this Villa Maria offering in conjunction with the 'event'; but being run and dominated by Americans it didn't kick off until way past my bedtime and anyway a few friends dragged me out to the pub with the evening ended with a Chinese takeaway and laughing at the ridiculous pap put out by various TV stations of an evening...
I did sample a Sauvignon while out (in our drinking hole of choice, the Old Post Office) and had planned to sample a sauvignon with some goats cheese. The tweets were limited to: #sauvblanc in old Post Office Wallingford Riscal lovely honeyed acidity minerality to fore, quite full so different from a kiwi version
Then #sauvblanc ooooh baked pineapple
And discovering the pre-purchased Pouilly Fume - pont du milieu pouilly fume 08 dosent go with chinese takeaway #sauvblanc
In regards to food matching the classic pairing of Sauvignon is with goats cheese, rather than a mixed plate of Cantonese take-away. Try topping cut rounds of thick walnut bread, topped with goats cheese and walnuts, warmed though in the oven, and served with slices of pear and lambs lettuce. Drizzle the dish with walnut oil. Paired with the Villa Maria Sauvignon this made for a stonkingly good lunch (equally it would be a classy starter).
Wine Tasting Note: Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc, 2009, Marlborough, New Zealand.Stockist: Majestic and Tesco Price: £9.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Pushy grapefruit acidity - passion fruit - lime - straw - herbaceous - herby edge - weighty palate - punchy - crisp - mouth watering - green beans - juicy. Alcohol 13.5%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Eight Portuguese Wines - A Snapshot of Portugal
If there is one thing that hasn't changed at all over the intervening years it is the dreadful packaging on many of the wines. What sells in suburban Lisbon really doesn't cut it on the shelves of Waitrose, Threshers or the independent. This may go some way in explaining why, despite the critics raving over the wines, Portugal remains on the lower rung of players in the UK wine scene.
A few days ago I plonked my arse down at a 'refresher' tasting hosted by Sarah Ahmed, Portuguese Wine Writer of the year 2009. Really aimed at restaurateurs and merchants the background given on the wines was a little perfunctory but with limited time I guess it was about all that could be imparted without the session becoming a fact-laden, eye-lid dropping, school lesson.
It was an opportunity to sample some great wines, some new, some previously enjoyed and offering an overarching snapshot of the styles available.
Wine Tasting Note: Quinta das Arcas Arca Nova, 2008 Vinho Verde, Portugal.
Stockist: Waitrose
Price: £6.95 [More: Adegga / Snooth] Pitched as an alternative to Muscadet and Sauvignon - certainly not lacking in the crispness department, ctric, lifted with a floral character,someone mentioned a cucumber character to the nose. A little bit of skin contact adds a little oomph. Alcohol 11%.
Scribblings Rating - 88/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Falcoaria Branco, 2007, Ribatejo, Portugal.Stockist: Waitrose Price: £9.64 Peter Osborne Wine [More: Adegga / Snooth]
100% Fernao Pires from old vines. Crisp acidity, fresh, some finesse, white pepper. A single vineyard wine with a 50-50 blend of oak/unoaked with battonage adding layering to the flavour.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Quinta de Chocapalha Red, 2006, Estremadura/Lisboa, Portugal./span>Price: £9.49 Corney and Barrow [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Superb. Touriga Nacional, Syrah and Tinta Roiz playing a food-friendly palate-tantalsing game. Lots of tannin and marked acidity, thus needs food. Tobacco, licorice characters, dark chocolate and wounderful dark fruits. Alcohol 14%.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Quinta da Bacalhôa Branco, 2007,Terras do Sado, Portugal.[More on Adegga / Snooth]
A mix of Semillon (50%) with Albarino and Sauvignon (25% each). Lovely weight and delicious flavours combining orange peel, apricot, plump mid-palate. A touch of oak.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Zéfyro Tinto, 2007, Alentejo, Portugal.Price: £9.49 Waitrose Online Only [More on Adegga / Snooth]
Juicy, inky, long fruity length and great balance. A sweetness to the fruit. A superb little (actually quite big) wine. A mix of varieties - Trincadeira, Touriga Nacional, Syrah, Alfrocheiro Preto, Aragonês and Alicante. Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Quinta da Pellada, 2006, Dão, Portugal.Price: £32.95 [More on Adegga / Snooth] Expensive, still too young, but incredibly classy. Big and dense, firm structure with a dusting of cedar adding to the huge complex fruit flavours. Alcohol 13%.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Symington Chryseia, 2006, Douro, Portugal.Price: £44.50 Fine & Rare Wines [More on Adegga / Snooth]
Another huge wine but wonderful all the same. Lots of tannin, plums, and a wildness to the flavours. Warm, long finish. If you can afford it - buy to keep.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
A selection of superb reds, even those blessed with premium prices, each certainly worth hunting down but it was the whites that garnered most conversational interest post-tasting. The combination of freshness, pure drinkability and alluring flavours from those all those captivating grape varieties were a delightful surprise - who thought Portugal was merely red wine country? This imminent trip of mine is going to be exceptional.
After the tasting a meal where the Smoked Salmon starter was lovely with a glass of citric-fresh, lightly honeyed, Esporão Reserva Branco, 2008, Alentejo. The Roasted Belly Pork, Flageolet Bean Casserole for mains came with the robust Luis Pato Vinhas Velhas Tinto 2005, Beiras, delicious in its plummy depths. FInally the dessert, an Apricot and Fig Frangipane Tart with clotted cream, was a marvel with Blandy's Late Harvest Malmesy Madeira, 2001.
Continue reading "Eight Portuguese Wines - A Snapshot of Portugal" »
The Wine Society - Brief Notes from a Tasting
While I imagine a fare number of the Wine Society's customers are more than content with the copious listings of Chateau this and that (as the large number of own-label Bordeaux bottelings and the highlighting of a £99 'Everyday Bordeaux' case at this tasting demonstrates) I have to admit to being stunned by a number of really non-traditional wines (and a couple of excellent more modern styled old-school offerings); all new to the Wine Society list and each unique and gorgeous in their individuality.
Wine Tasting Note: Sadie Family Sequillo, 2007, South Africa.Stockist: Wine Society Price: £15.50 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A magical blend of principally Chenin Blanc with Marsanne, Roussanne and a touch of Viognier. Creamy edged, full, textural, weighty reminiscent of a Pinot Gris but with more of a crisp finish. Very food friendly. Alcohol 14%
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 94/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine La Réméjeanne Les Arbousiers, 2007, Cotes du Rhone, France.Price: £9.50 Wine Society [More on Adegga / Snooth]
Coffee hints on the finish with integrated, complex, spice-led fruit. Can only be a Shiraz-Grenache blend. Full bodied, warm. Alcohol 15%.
Rémy Klein farms just under 100 acres of vineyard north of Tavel. This part of the Gard is well adapted to making fine and elegant syrah-based wines. This is 40% syrah and 60% grenache, all raised in tank. It is full bodied, richly fruity without any heaviness."Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Tissot Arbois Rouge, 2005, Jura, France.Price: £18.50 Wine Society [More on Adegga / Snooth]
Trousseau is the same as Portugal's Bastardo variety; interesting palate, plenty of tannins, dry finish a delicious intensity, full-flavoured, cherry. Would love to try this with a simple roast chicken as the Wine Society wine list suggests.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Villa Calcinaia Chianti Classico Riserva, 2006, Tuscany, ItalyPrice: £16.00 Wine Society [More on Adegga / Snooth]
Sangiovese as its most supreme. An age since I've had such a perfectly structured, ripe, balanced Chianti coupling a softness with copious velvety fruit. Alcohol 14.5%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Bóhorquez, 2004, Ribera del Duero, SpainPrice: £17.95 Wine Society [More on Adegga / Snooth]
Stinkingly good Iberian red; lashings of cedar-tinged fruit, a complexity provided by a little bottle age and a very stylish long lasting, mouth-feel. Alcohol 14%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 94/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Andrew Peace Felix Australia Sagrantino, 2005, Swan Hill, Australia.Price: £15.50 Wine Society [More on Adegga / Snooth]
An Italian grape variety given the Australia block-busting treatment. Ripe and powerful with flourishes of blackberry, spice and raspberry. Vibrant. Violet hints. Very interesting combination of texture and flavour. Alcohol 14%.
A fantastically mellow and exotic-tasting red made from the Italian Sagrantino grape. Full-bodied and complex with savoury flavours backed by ripe fruit."Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Founded in 1874, The Wine Society's aim was, and remains, to introduce members to the best of the world's vineyards at a fair price. Holding a share in The Wine Society gives you a lifetime membership with no annual fee and no pressure to buy. The cost of a share is £40.
Many thanks to Ewan and his team for the tasting and texting me the grape details of the Sequillo after the event; most appreciated.
Deiss : Premier Cru or Not Premier Cru
Alsace has 51 officially designated grand cru plots, it's only a little region but all seem to agree that 51 is a rather large number. Whichever hill side you scramble up or roadside you halt by to snap a picture of Grand Cru Pfersigberg, Schoenenbourg or Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé you have to wonder if they are all as Grand as each other.
And why has Alsace, uniquely, only two rungs on the quality ladder - Gand Cru and 'others'? Why no Premier Cru level? Just imagine the 'negotiations' to down-grade some of the lesser Grand Crus to Premier Cru status! Merdi.
Thing is you can actually find Premier Cru on Alsace wine bottles. From just one, solitary, producer - Deiss.
It is all unofficial and has rankled/upset/annoyed more than one fellow wine producer. Viewed by many as a dangerous maverick Marcel Deiss is certainly unconventional and at times confrontational. But you "have to make a noise to be heard". What you cannot complain about though is the quality of the wines.
Deiss wines come from 27 hectares of vines producing 220 parcels of wine amounting to some 80-100,000 per year bottle production, depending on the harvest. All are biodynamically produced, although that is not used as a marketing proposition on the label. Deiss have been touting the idea of Premier Cru for years and have produced nine - Burlenberg, Gruenspiel and Grasberg for example. Along with the three Grand Cru wines they produced the Premier Cru wines are grouped under 'terrior', leaving 'wines of fruit' and 'wines of time and patience' as the other ranges.
I've been struggling to encapsulate the style and flavours of the Deiss wines, with little printable success. A certain Mr Wood came through on twitter with this sub-140 character gem:
Deiss - like the flavour has passed from soil to palate after being strained through Agent Provocateur
Which I think translates as 'slightly soiled lingerie'!
Grand Cru: each with the magnificent, way over-the-top, labels
Wine Tasting Note: Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim Grand Cru, 2005, Alsace, France.
Stockist: Found the 2004 at Lea and Sandeman £47.75 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A blend of 13 varieties and needs at least an hour opening to become fully expressive. Crystallised lemon, ginger, honey, creamy exotic fruits, peach and vanilla. A richness in texture and extremely elegant. High residual sugar but a steely backbone gives the impression of less.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Marcel Deiss Mambourg Grand Cru, 2005, Alsace, France.Stockist: The 2004 is listed by Lea and Sandeman £53.95 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A fascinating aroma that really left us stumped to describe - lanolin, meaty, over-ripened bananas, leather. Very complex and intriguing. Minerally texture, depth. Dry with 'single digit residual sugar' Alcohol 14%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 94/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Marcel Deiss Grand Cru Schoenenbourg, 2005, Alsace, France.[More: Adegga / Snooth]
What a contrast to the Mambourg; light but with poise and concentration. Pure orange on the nose. 100% Rielsing. Dry finish but 71g residual sugar, but perceived sweetness is much, much lower. Alcohol 11.5%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Marcel Deiss Engelgaten Premier Cru, 2005, Alsace, France.Stockist: Lea and Sandeman £26.95 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A field blend of mostly Riesling (80%) but includes Pinot Gris (15%), Beurot, Muscat and Pinot Noir. Apparently to get all these different varieties to ripen at the same time you just have to pack them closer together in the vineyard (high density planting). Rich but that distinctive underlining mineral acidity gives the impression of being quite dry. Very long finish. Alcohol 12.5%
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
The Grand Cru wines are very expensive; sadly of the wines available in the UK only the Engelgaten was tasted during the visit. Plenty of others were tried - Burg 2005, Gruenspiel 2002, Schoffweg 2005, Rottenberg 2004...
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Artisan & Vine : London's Best Wine Bar
You can't fault her passion, her drive or her enthusiasm. Kathryn, manager of Artisan & Vine, has also a rather good palate - the wine list is superb. 'Natural' is the philosophy - wines made as naturally as possible (if that means biodynamic, organic or made in the old cow trough then that is good enough for Artisan & Vine) or wines that are locally produced.
Our private lunch time tasting - just five wines - lasted way into the afternoon. I can think of worse things than being in good company, drinking a personal selection of stunning wines and regaled with stories on each. If the wine doesn't have a 'story' or Kathryn hasn't detected your 'passion' your wine just isn't going to be listed.
"At artisan&vine our objective is to bring your taste buds as close as possible to the fantastic produce of artisans and vineyards. To do this, all of our 120+ wines are either naturally or locally produced. We think you'll taste the difference this proximity to the grapes brings and we are proud to be London's first wine bar to specialise in local and natural wines.With around 20 English wines and liqueurs, we think we could have London's longest English drinks list. With the remainder of our wines and liqueurs being all natural or biodynamic (more than only organic) we have one of the longest and most interesting natural wine lists in the capital too."
No English wines at the tasting, although I noted two from my local vineyard, Brightwell, on the shelf.
Wine Tasting Note: Casa Coste Piane, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, 2004, Italy.Price: £29 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Light and playful but appley, citrussy with some weight. Very fine bubbles with a "hazy, natural appearance". Long lasting yeastiness. Alcohol 11%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Bret Brothers La Soufrandière Pouilly Vincelles, 2006, Burgundy, France.Price: £31.10 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A wonderful 100% Chardonnay. Palate has a richness that is quite delicious, barrel fermented, lovely texture, a big wine with elegance and structure. Touch of ripening strawberry to the flavour. Delicious. Alcohol 13%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Alain Caux,Tir a Blanc, Le Casol de Mailloles, Vin de Table, France.Price: £35.60 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Unusual in the extreme; a blend of Grenache Blanc and Maccabeu that is so distinctive on the nose that my initial reaction was met with hoots of laughter by those who had already tried it! Extremely 'cider-like', straw, apples, hawthorn, pears. Weighty, Exceptionally long aftertaste. Distinctive and I'm sure will have its detractors but, after initial scepticism, enjoyment ensued to the extent of drinking a glass or two rather than the Pouilly Vinzelles. Alcohol 13.5%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Frank Cornelissen Rosso Contadino 5, 2007, Vino da Tavola, Sicily, ItalyPrice: £28.10 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Another controversial bottle, but a huge talking point none-the-less. A blend of white and red varieties Carricante, Inzolia, Catarratto, Nerello Mascalese, Alicante,... 100% natural, no added sulphites; non-filtered. With the aroma evolving with every sip it was clear the wine is different (and doesn't hold up well after a day being open). The volcanic soils that give the grape a foothold on the mountainside also supply individuality - a combination of freshness and a Pinot Noir-like lightness that gives sweet rose-hips and darker, mixed fruit jam, gives way to darker, blacker fruit flavours and a tannic structure. Alcohol 13%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Cuvee 51, Le Clos Perdus, 2007, Corbieres, Languedoc, FrancePrice: £28.50 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A wine with character - gorgeous generous, black fruits and tobacco. A wine "that refuses to behave in the mouth". A blend of Grenache, Carignan, Mourvedre. Alcohol 14%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
All prices are 'drink-in' bottle price. All wines are available, cheaper, to 'take-away', there are even plans for a full internet wine shop. Fingers crossed! More photographs of the wine bar are on SpittoonExtra and pictures of some of the wines on flickr. Rob at The Wine Conversation has also written a post on the tasting.
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Continue reading "Artisan & Vine : London's Best Wine Bar" »
Prosecco - Two New Versions (Brown Brothers and Bisol)
We all know Brown Brothers as Australian pioneers of the unusual grape variety - amongst the usual shelves of Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet you'll find more esoteric bottlings of Vermentino, Tempranillo, Albarino and Sangiovese all from Brown Brothers.
New to their range is a Prosecco, the Italian sparkling wine (made from the grape of the same name). Plantings of this grape in Australia are miniscule. In fact, I wasn't aware there was any Prosecco grow outside of Italy until this sample arrived.
"This is the first release of the Brown Brothers Prosecco. The wine is part of our limited release range and will be available at Cellar Door and restaurants for this first release. The Prosecco is another example of Brown Brothers innovation and experimentation as we bring more and more styles of wine to our portfolio. The Prosecco has a pale gold colour with subtle green hues and a delicate nose displaying citrus, apple and pear characters. These characters follow through to the palate which is fresh and crisp with tight natural acidity from the cool climate fruit. Prosecco is made to drink young while at its light and delicate best."
Wine Tasting Note: Brown Brothers Prosecco, 2008, King Valley, Victoria, Australia.Available from Christopher Piper Wines £11.13 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Delicate fizz of the first order.. Lovely deep colour and firmer palate than an Italian version. Fresh, bubbly, apple, a litte citrus and flowery. A fine aperitif. Stylish packaging too. Alcohol 12%.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Bisol is one of the largest Prosecco producers in Italy; but a producer that retains quality and finesse in its large range. Has it really been two years since I enjoyed the Bisol dinner at l'Ortolan? Some superb Prosecco and Food matches that evening. Just added to the Bisol range is a rosé:
Wine Tasting Note: Bisol Jeio Rosé, NV, Veneto, Italy.Available from Bibendum Wines £10.01. [More: Adegga / Snooth]
As with all decent rosés it is the colour that attracts; here its a firm rose colour with hints of orange. Delicate cherry and rose aromas and flavours and a great mass of refined bubbles. Light, fresh and delicate. Citrusy, a touch of sweetness countering the acidity. New to the UK. Alcohol 11.5%.
The Bisol was designed with food matching in mind; so recommended as an awesome match with shrimp, lobster, seafood in general and salami. For me though a vividly coloured Baked Beetroot Risotto made for a rather scrumptious match.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
UPDATE: Technically the Bisol is not a Prosecco; it is not made from the Prosecco grape but from a mix of Pinot Noir (95%) and Merlot (5%) which accounts for the colour! All the grapes are frm Bisol owned vieayrds and it is made in a similar way.
Italy Abroad recently posted details on Prosecco being bottled in Germany and the various DOCG/DOC labeling rules that now apply; if that is your bent.
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Brief Notes from a Tasting: Vergelegen, South Africa
It is a wonderful spot for visitors; even if you have only a passing interest in wine - there's the oldest oak tree in Africa (a hollow Old English Oak believed to be 300 years old) and gardens aplenty (rose, herb, camellia, fynbos, hydrangea). The homestead is open to visitors and is full of classical Cape Dutch furniture and there are picnic areas too (although you don't bring your own food but buy pre-packed boxes at the estate) and, for posher-nosh, the Lady Philips Restaurant.
We were there for the wines though. A pouring of the Sauvignon Blanc was served alongside fresh oysters - to general acclaim of my compatriots, but not moi as I 'don't do' oysters. But my 'line fish' in the Lady Philips restaurant, later, was beautifully moist and accompanied the lightly oaked Vergelegen Chardonnay 2008 superbly [picture].
Wine Tasting Note: Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, Western Cape, South Africa.
[More: Adegga / Snooth]
97% Sauvignon with the remainder being Semillon. Lovely crisp, frim fruit, fresh. Touches of fig, gooseberry and a pleasant leafy-ness (straw, green peppers, peas) Alcohol 13.5%. Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 88/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Vergelegen Chardonnay, 2008, Western Cape, South Africa.
[More: Adegga / Snooth]
Medium bodied by design, 60% in oak giving a subtle oak-complexity, not too heavy either (medium bodied). Pear, cream, apple flavours; a typical Chardonnay.Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 88/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Vergelegen Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, Stellenbosch, South Africa
[More on Adegga / Snooth]
A single vineyard wine - the 2 hectare vinyard on the lower Schaapenberg. More complexity here with a little lees contact giving a creaminess to the flavour and a more rounded texture. Floral touches enliven the herbaceous palate. Minerals, peach stones and citrus play around too. Beautiful. Alcohol 14.5%.Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Vergelegen Cabernet Reserve, 2005, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Price: £9.99 [More on Adegga / Snooth]
Cabernet dominates here (91%) with Cabernet Franc and Merlot splitting the remainder. Superb berry aroma - very, very Bordeaux-like. Savoury depths, touches of herbs. Firm palate, but smooth until the great burst of tannin led blackfruits hits the tastebuds. The grapes were selected from Vergelegen's Stonepine, Rondekop, Rooiland and Kopland Vineyards. Alcohol 14.5%. Age worthy; a 2004 was also sampled.Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Continue reading "Brief Notes from a Tasting: Vergelegen, South Africa" »
Ingenuity Blends from Nederburg
The Distell brands will be familiar - Obikwa, Two Oceans, Fleur du Cap, Nederburg and many more. Can't say many of these will get the wine lover excited however. We plowed through the various ranges dimly aware of the passage of time... I even started doodling as our host tried to inspire interest over a particularily unexciting Chardonnay... but wait that last one was rather good...
Under the Nederburg label two blends in swanky bottles - and you know what; our host didn't really push these, or seem to want to discuss them. I'll put it down to our groups obvious inertia and post-picnic lunch slump; sorry chap I did try and stiffle that yawn...
Wine Tasting Note: Nederburg Ingenuity White, 2008, South Africa.Stockist: SAWinesOnline Price: £15.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Apparently features more varietals than any wine in South Africa (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Semillon, Rhine Riesling, Verdelho and Nouvelle)
It is led by Sauvignon Blanc (40%) sourced from Groenekloof & Durbanville, offering herbaceous aromas and crisp, minerally green flavours. The next biggest components are Chardonnay (20%) and Viognier (15%) both from Durbanville and super ripe bush vine Chenin Blanc (10%) from Darling. The balance is made up by Semillon (6%), Nouvelle (3%) and Rhine Riesling (3%) & Verdelho.
Eight varieties for eight wine makers. Alcohol 14%.
A marvellous combination of green floral notes, a creamy texture and clean cut acidity. Oak edges and spice. Superb.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 94/100 [ out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Nederburg Ingenuity Red, 2006, Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Tuscany, Italy
Stockist: SAWinesOnline Price: £17.99 [More on Adegga / Snooth]
Italian varietals here - 45.5% Sangiovese, 45.5% Barbera, 9% Nebbiolo aged in Romanian oak barrels. Rather dry and savoury on the finish; food needed. Quite intense on the palate with plenty of complexity.
The Sangiovese was grown in dryland vineyards in Groenekloof, Darling, the source of some of the country's leading quality grapes, while the Barbera came from the cool-climate area of Durbanville, and the Nebbiolo from the high slopes of Simondium. All the fruit was hand-harvested and hand-sorted at the cellar.
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
There I go again - raving about blended wine!
Ken Forrester FMC Chenin Blanc 2007 Stellenbosch, South Africa
I did make it back for a brief hello and a slurp on the stunning Ken Forrester FMC Chenin Blanc. Ken plonked a delicious Almond Croissant in my hand - which was a stonkingly good match. There is a little residual sugar in the FMC that made it such a superb match with the pastry. I'd also try it with Chinese and other oriental foods; and try it you must for it is excellent.
Sorry for the red colour-cast this is due to the red umbrellas shielding this part of the food hall.
Wine Tasting Note: Ken Forrester FMC Chenin Blanc, 2007, South Africa.
Stockist: Waitrose Price: £17.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
In The Company of Wine People: brief notes from a tasting
Now Arniston Bay may well be one of those ubiquitous brands that clog the wine aisles; but actually the wines are not too bad. Look out for the Reserve bottling of the Sauvignon Blanc (fresh, crisp finish, touches of lychee, soft, upfront sweetness) and those offered in innovative pouches.
Sometime ago I received a sample of an Ariston Bay Chenin-Chardonnay in a pouch and, to my annoyance, neglected to write anything about it. It's the packaging that offers the interesting story, but the wine itself was surprisingly drinkable for a mid-week slurp.
Developed at some cost by the Company of Wine People the pouch is a world first in terms of packaging.
The pouch offers an environmentally friendly solution to wine packaging, creating 80% less environmental impact from cradle to grave than the equivalent volume in glass bottles, 90% less waste and takes up less space in a landfill than two glass bottles. It is also 20 times lighter than a wine bottle and preserves the wine for up to a month once opened.
"We have worked hard to create a packaging solution to redefine the boundaries of sustainability in the wine industry and make people think differently about the cradle to grave lifecycle of wine"
They are available in Chenin/Chardonnay and Pinotage Rosé styles from branches of Tesco, Asda, Waitrose and Morrisons priced at around a tenner for 1.5 litres.
Incidentally the Arniston Bay website offers a little downloadable book detailing recipes for Governer's Trifle, Peri-Peri Chicken Mozambique Style, Tomato and Prawn Bredi, Egg Plant, Date and Cashew Nut Briyani and Chilled Butternut, Orange and Cumin Soup - all designed of course to complement one of their wines.
The Kumkani Range is a step up in price and interest. Kumkani is a word derived from the Xhosa word translated as 'King' - you have to practice the tongue click on word Xhosa; Isabel demonstrated and despite a few half-attempts we all spectacularly failed at replicating. Anyway the Kumkani range comprises single varietals, dual varietals, the Reflections range and award-winning single vineyard wines.
Particularly noteworthy is the stunning Kumkani Sauvignon Blanc Lanner Hill with grapes sourced from a single vineyard - Groenekloof in the Dorking region. A lovely slice of 'green gooseberry' intensity with a mineral, flinty complexity (listed by Majestic £11.99)
Great pleasure and hums of excitement - well you can't say much with a mouthful of wine - greeted the Kumkani VVS 2005. This has stonkingly good complexity and superb balance/intensity coupled with a fascinating aroma from an unusal mix of grapes - Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdelho. There's a touch of oak in their somewhere too.
"This unique wine is the first white wine blend in South Africa to have Verdelho as a blending component. All the components - 40% Viognier, 40% Verdelho and 20% Sauvignon Blanc - of this wine were fermented separately before blending. The Viognier and Verdelho fermented in 20% first fill, 40% second fill and 40% third fill 300-litre French oak barrels. Kept on fermentation lees for eight months, batonage two times a month. The Sauvignon Blanc component was fermented in stainless steel tanks. No wood treatment on this component, kept on fine lees for eight months."
Our sample was the 2005 vintage, the initial release, so a little age development. Currently the 2007 is available but I'm still waiting details of UK stockists.
The Kumkani Cradle Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, proved to be a damn delicious, serious wine. Hefty tannins, so give it another year or so or bring on the Springbok! Rich and classy. The Kumkani blog suggests pairing with Rump of Beef Cooked Slowly in Red Wine and provides the recipe. As with the equally superb Kumkani Shiraz 2007 I'm lacking details of stockists or prices sadly.
Isabel is a fascinating person; shame we didn't have time to chat longer. Prior to demonstrating her beautiful singing voice (in
Continue reading "In The Company of Wine People: brief notes from a tasting" »
Iona Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, Elgin, South Africa
While flicking through the Reuben's Cooks recipe book a mention of the Iona Sauvignon as an ideal accompaniment to one of the salad dishes - and by the fact that the wine is readily available at Waitrose - led to its purchase.
The salad, (Avocado Salad With Toasted Pine Nuts, Rocket, Parmesan and Balsamic Syrup) a superb starter or with added bread a lighter lunch, is simplicity to prepare. Using the freshest and highest quality ingredients of course, the dish was a most joyous match - about as perfect as you could wish - even if the use of rocket was usurped by pea shoots.
Wine Tasting Note: Iona Sauvignon Blanc, 2008, Elgin, South Africa.
Stockist: Waitrose SAWinesOnline Price: £9.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A super example of a classy, restrained, refined, Sauvignon Blanc. An edge of fig and peach stones lifts the complex mineral-led palate. Lovely balance- crisply done on the finish married with a weighty feel and nice - not overly assertive - acidity. Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Domaine Saint Ferréol Viognier, 2006, Vin de Pays d'Oc, France
For the smaller merchant the excessive use of 'finest vintage ever', 'amazing value' and so on can verge on the desperate. The Flying Corkscrew hawked this Viognier shortly before Christmas as 'fabulous' and resorted to various press quotes to extol its wonderfulness. In this case though, they are correct. It's an absolute star.
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Saint Ferréol Viognier, 2006, Vin de Pays d'Oc, France
Stockist: Flying Corkscrew Berry Brothers Price: £11.50 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Lovely complexity and a richness that is perfectly balanced by the acidity. Nutty with hints of apricots, orange pith, peach blossom and vanilla. Smooth and highly drinkable. Alcohol 12.5%. No flabbiness, no excessive floweriness just excellent poise, balance and flavour. While others have compared this to the best Condrieu Viogniers it doesn't quite have the depth and texture of the great Rhone wines, but as it stands it is a stonker and well worth the eleven quid.
Scribblings Rating - 94/100 [ out of 5]
Seafood, butter sauces, rosemary and nuts are regularly pushed as ideal partners for Viognier ; so you would expect a dish of Rosemary Seared Scallops With Pancetta, Salad and Hazelnuts to be a sublime match; and it was!
Other foods to try would include crab, chicken, cream sauces, and lightly spiced dishes with cinnamon, cumin or nutmeg.
A Touch of Bordeaux Class - Chateau de Malle, M De Malle, 2005, Bordeaux, France
Wine Tasting Note: Chateau de Malle M de Malle Graves, 2005, Bordeaux, France.
Stockist: Bordeaux Undiscovered Price: £11.73 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A touch of class here - from the blossom and wax aroma through to the 'tinged with the exotic' palate. A combination of softness, a gentle rounded mouthfeel with a complex wax and citrus burst on the finish. Dry. That citric burst finality comes complete with a hint of herb and a gravelly texture.
The wax references are courtesy of the Semillon component in the wine, the addition of which also tempers the forcefulness of the majority Sauvingon adding a touch of richness along the way. The blend, for those like me fascinated by such wine geekery, is 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon. Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
Is there also a hint of tarragon in the wine or is that just the mouth-watering aromas eminating from the kitchen? For Bordeaux Undiscovered recommend M de Malle Graves with chicken in a Tarragon Sauce to accompany. Rather than frying chicken breasts a hole poisson, stuffed with fresh tarragon was roasted and served with a sauce of chicken stock, roasting juices and Dijon mustard. A delicious match.
Nick Stephens, MD of Bordeaux Undiscovered, has a great report on the company blog of Chateau de Malle (an actual Chateau dating from the 17th century, more famous perhaps for its Sauternes and Italian style gardens rather than its white wines) in addition to the recipe details.
Alain Voge 'Fleur de Crussol' Saint-Péray, Rhone, France
dismisses the region with little more than a quarter page entry and three producers but does state that it is "one of the best sparkling wines in France"; so something to look out for.
Saint-Péray lies across the river from Valence in the Rhone, if you have been reaching for your wine maps. Marsanne and Roussane being the grape varieties grown. Incidentally Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Book 2009 (Pocket Companion)
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Alain Voge 'Fleur de Crussol', 2007, Saint-Péray, Rhone, France.
Stockist: Contact Bibendum Price: around £20 [More: Adegga / Snooth ]
Classy and rather refined. Smoothly textured and offering plenty of complexity to the flavour. Minerality obvious on the finish with a long, lingering aftertaste. Flavours of stony fruits, peaches, plenty of Tangerine/ Clementine with citrus pith and white flowers. Delicious. Alcohol 14%.
This is 100% oak-aged Marsanne, the grapes harvested from Voge's oldest vineyard (70+ years). Recommended for up to 10 years aging.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Food match: Served with a Salmon and Potato Bake. Sublime - even though this particular sample is a pre-release 'straight from the barrel' sample (hence the hand-written vintage year; they haven't printed the labels yet!). I was so impressed with this and have to ask - what is it going to be like with some age!
Sorry for the red-wine splattered bottle in the photo. It would appear that the shipment suffered a casualty - not one single bottle escaped some damage.
Cellar Cal Pla Mas D'En Compte Blanco, 2006, Priorat, Spain
"Full, rich concentrated and creamy with a succulent tropical nose. Harmonious, powerful, fresh, complex palate overlaid with well-tailored oak and a racy elegance on the finish"?
The 2006 is now listed by Jeroboams, for it was this vintage that one the Best White over £10 award and the accolade of best wine of show. And damn delicious it is too.
They were a bit vague on the grape components that were squeezed into this wine - a little Grenache Blanca perhaps? Bourboulenc? Picpoul? A little Viognier or Muscatel? You could be talking southern France rather than Spain!*
What I do know though is that this is a delicious wine that will be gracing my table this Christmas - the fresh tang on the finish makes this a superb food wine.
Wine Tasting Note: Mas D'En Compte Blanco, 2005, Priorat, Spain.
Stockist: Jeroboams Price: £19.95 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A stunning aroma - aromatic, flora hints, a 'coolness'. The palate, perfectly balanced, offers texture and layers of flavour in abundance. Lemon, white blossom, spice and hints of apricot, orange and vanilla. The acidty adds a little raciness on the finish. Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 96/100 [ out of 5]
* The Jeroboams website gives specific details that the shop staff did not - Garnacha Blanca 50%, Picapoll Blanco 20%, Pansa (/Xarel-lo) 15% Macabeo 15%.
Good With Seafood - Bodegas Fariña Malvasia, 2007, Toro, Spain
A recurring event - a wine that ranks as 'just fine' by itself is raised in ones estimation when coupled with food. This nicely weighty white from Spain is another such example where a succesful match brings added pleasure to a meal.
Wine Tasting Note: Bodegas Fariña Malvasia, 2007, Toro, Spain.
Stockist: dunno [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A light simple nose - a touch of herbs, a smidge of yeast and a layer of lemon. More activity on the palate though with a gentle lemony start giving way to a sherbet, grapefruity palate and a tang of acidity. Pleasant enough and very drinkable but seldom is Malvasia ever going to knock yer socks into a cocked-hat (or something). Unoaked. Alcohol 12.5%.
Its clean, fresh crispness was a joy though with some crispy Calamari rings dunked in mayonnaise. While the squid wasn't the best - it was frozen rather than fresh and certainly not as good as the mammoth sized rings myself and Douglas devoured with passion at a local Italian last week - but the wine worked wonders. When they say 'good with seafood' this partnership is what they have in mind.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
By way of proving that I don't just make these food and wine matches up, a picture of the very same calamari. And yes, they were cold by the time I had finished taking pictures!
A Not Too Sweet Dessert Wine - Farina Val de Reyas 2005
Designed as an aperitif the Farina Val de Reyes Vino Semi-Dulce is recommended with foie gras, pates and soft cheeses. Back in May of 2007 a bottle (of the previous vintage, 2004) was matched with delicious results with a Melon, Pecorino and Culatello Anti-Pasti.
A requirement for a wine to accompany Little Windfall Apple Tarts resulted in this being opened as a proper dessert wine.
Wine Tasting Note: Fariña Val de Reyes, 2005, Castilla y Leon, Spain
[More: Adegga / Snooth]
The Botrytis effected Moscatel is really evident on the aroma with hints of orange, honey, pear and a heady honeysuckle edge. Is it the botrytis that gives that nice weight to the palate in addition to the sweetness? A good long spicy finish is clean and fresh from the citric acidity. Behind that spice is there a dimension not too dissimilar to that of autumn - well-kept apples, damp leaves, wild mushrooms and all? Alcohol 13%.
It is not a rich, sickly dessert wine being more fresh and lively than many. With the Little Windfall Apple Tarts it was rather scrummy with a lemon dimension matching the tarts lemon curd. With desserts you need the wine to be sweeter than the food; this match worked perfectly.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [ out of 5]
Continue reading "A Not Too Sweet Dessert Wine - Farina Val de Reyas 2005" »
Brief Notes from the Top 100 Vins de Pays 2008
Of the 1,214 samples submitted to the competition tasting there were 520 red wines, 518 white and 176 rosé. Of these wines 14 trophies were awarded to six white wines, one rosé and seven reds.
"So how did the Top 100 pan out this year? As you'd expect, Vin de Pays d'Oc had the largest number in the winners' enclosure, with exactly half the wines selected - although statistically speaking, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne had a better hit rate (15 wines out of 95 entries). "
"The judges were impressed by the diversity and overall quality of the top 100, and most were surprised by what the much criticised 2007 vintage had produced. Most of them singled out rosés as the area of greatest improvement. The Merlots were also a lot better than last year, although several judges felt it was the red blends that really stood out."
From my tasting of the top 100 (not all of the 100 were tried, I should mention) it was the red blends that stood out for me. Stockist information and links are included but most wines are now out of stock; you might be able to secure stocks of follow on vintages.
White Wines
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine de la Coche, 2007, VdP du Val de Loire
[More: Adegga / Snooth]
Winner Sauvignon Blanc Trophy. 100% Sauvignon Blanc grown in Retz south of Nantes. 12% Alcohol. Grassy, green aromas. Very pure, gravelly, palate complex hints of orange. Alcohol 12%.
Wine Tasting Note: Rive Haute Sauvignon, 2007, VdP des Côtes de Gascogne
Stockist: Adnams Price: £8.49 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
£8.49 Adnams. Rounder than the previous (south, warmer climes) good, long length. Alcohol 11.5%.
Wine Tasting Note: M&S Grenache Blanc, 2007, VdP d'Oc
Stockist: Marks and Spencer Price: £5.49 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Grenache Blanc Trophy and Best Wine of Show
Grenache Blanc grown around Carcassonne. Delicious stone-led palate, zesty, lemony, floral hints. A little oak aging adding complexity. 12.5% Alcohol.
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine le Roc Anges Les Vieilles Vignes, 2006, VdP des Pyrénées-Orientales
Stockist: Les Caves de Pyréne Price: £11.85 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A blend of Grenache Gris (80%) and Macabeu (20%). Crisp, toasty flavours, orange and lime rind. Excellent length. Alcohol 14%.
Wine Tasting Note: Vignoble Guillaume Chardonnay Collection Réservée, 2004, VdP de Franche-Comté.
[More: Adegga / Snooth]
Chardonnay Trophy Winner. Chardonnay from 28 year-old vines. Honeyed, buttery, peachy palate. Unfiltered. Alcohol 13%.
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine L'Hortus Grande Cuvée Blanc, 2006, VdP du Val de Montferrand
Stockist: Les Caves de Pyréne Price: £12.40 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
£12.40
A mix of Chardonnay (80%), Viognier (15%) and Roussanne (5%). Crisp but rounded, full of flavour and great length. Alcohol 13.5%.
Wine Tasting Note: Producteurs Vignoble de Gascogne Fleur de Givre Florenbelle, 2007, VdP des Côtes de Gascogne
Stockist: Waitrose Price: £7.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]. - Gros Manseng Trophy Winner
£6.99 Late harvested. Lingering, cleanly fresh, exotic was one word overheard as a description. Alcohol 11.5%.
Red Wines
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Py Merlot, 2007, VdP d'Oc
Price: £5.49 [More on Adegga / Snooth]
- Merlot Trophy Winner
From a 32ha at the foot of Mont Alaric in the Corbières region. Deeply coloured with a open, straw and blackcurrant and leaves led nose, creamy, rounded, good structure, good price.
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Paul Mas La Forge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007, VdP d'Oc
Price: £7.49 [More on Adegga / Snooth]
- Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy Winner
Heavy weight bottle, full, rich, lashings of raspberry and blueberry. Great length. Alcohol 13.5%.
Wine Tasting Note: Camplazens Syrah, 2007, VdP d'Oc
Stockist: Majestic Price: £6.49 [More on Adegga / Snooth] - Syrah Trophy Winner
Deep, deep, colour, wonderful bacon edge aroma, violets and similar on a gorgeous palate. Plenty of cassis laced with inky fruit. Super. Alcohol 13%.
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Familongue, Le Carignan de Familongue, 2007, VdP du Mont
Price: £5.99 [More on Adegga / Snooth] - Carignan Trophy Winner
Excellent packaging. 100% Carignan from 50-60 year old vines. Juicy. Not as heavy as the colour would suggest, deeply flavoured.
Wine Tasting Note: Camplazens Marselan, 2007, VdP d'Oc
Stockist: Majestic Price: £6.49 [More on Adegga / Snooth]
£6.49 Majestic. Very deeply coloured, nice lifted aromas and a rather tasty, curranty, palate.
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine de La Jasse Vieilles Vignes, 2006, VdP d'Oc
Stockist: ay and Wheeler Price: £9.95 [More on Adegga / Snooth]
Red brick in colour but a lovely balanced palate and lingering flavours.
Wine Tasting Note: Domaine Phillippe Nusswitz Miratus, 2005, VdP d'Oc
[More on Adegga / Snooth] - Best Red Wine of Show
Striking packaging. Blend of Syrah (60%), Grenache (20%) and Mourvèdre (20%) vines are grown in the foothills of the Cevennes between the Languedoc and the Rhône. Wonderful nose, gorgeous palate, complex but not heavy. Sadly no details of stockists or price.
Caldora Colle dei Venti Pecorino 2007, Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
Wine Tasting Note: Caldora Colle dei Venti Pecorino, 2007, Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy..
Stockist: Planet of the Grapes Bon Coeur Fine Wines Price: around £10 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Lemons, nectarines, minerals, lime rind, orange pith, fresh, clean and quite full. Summery. Long lasting, dry, interesting, complex. Delicious. Alcohol 13%
A superb match with the Ricotta-stuffed Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (recipe below).
Sadly the notes neglect to mention who supplied this bottle - it was neither of the stockists listed. It might even have been Waitrose.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
Pecorino, the grape variety, is so named due to the resemblance of the grape bunches to a head of a sheep and has nothing to do with the cheese. Colle dei Venti translates as the Hill of Breeze.
Continue reading "Caldora Colle dei Venti Pecorino 2007, Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy" »
Quinta de Covela Escolha, 2005, Minho, Portugal
While the label can't really be described as attractive, stylish perhaps in hip and happening down-town Lisbon circa 1980, the blend is the thing with the Covela 2005. Take a little Chardonnay, pour into a vat of the local Avesso and add 'others' (which the Waitrose website details as Gewürztraminer).
Avesso is a Vinho Verde grape; so one would expect a high level of acidity. The region this comes from, Minho, is also where Vinho Verde originates.
Wine Tasting Note: Quinta de Covela Escolha, 2005, Minho, Portugal.
Stockist: Waitrose Price: £9.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
An upfront crispness, a weighty Chardonnay-led, mid-palate and a minerally 'wet stones' finish. Add the complex flavours of unripened pears, a touch of greenness, a little lemon, a hint of sandpaper and plenty of tropical fruit medley and the result is the delicious Covela. Dry and full. Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 94/100 [ out of 5]
The other joy of this wine malarkey is matching these interesting and tasty wines with food. Here I suggest Breast of Chicken with Pancetta and Creamed Leeks - where the wines acidity counters the creamy richness. Chardonnay is very chicken-friendly; just ensure they are free-range and they will get along brilliantly!
Alsace Wine with Food - thoughts from the Hugel Twitter Tasting
With each course to be as simple as possible a couple of matches were easy: with the Gewürztraminer a foie gras (with toast and a little fig chutney) and with the Pinot Blanc an Alsace speciality (or the closest we could locate) an onion tart. I read somewhere that coconut macaroons were a sensational match to sweet Gewürztraminers, so that was the final dish sorted which left a course for the mixed grape blend and another for a top-notch Riesling. The host, Rob, insisted on a pork dish and I came up with Pork Medallions with Mustard Mash with Apple and a Cider Reduction. A triumphant match as it transpired. Scallops from Borough Market formed the opening course; which I was unexpectedly asked to cook!
A few shavings of fresh ginger, a little garlic, slithers of a mild, fresh red chilli and a sprinkling of dried coriander were added to the pan before the scallops turned rubbery. A splosh of white wine and a pinch of pepper, a quick shake of the pan and a squeeze of lemon and then out to the expectant guests. To be honest I thought I had overdone the spice but nods all round seemed to indicate a success!
Continue reading "Alsace Wine with Food - thoughts from the Hugel Twitter Tasting" »
La Monacesca Verdicchio di Matelica, 2006, Marche, Italy
Wine Tasting Note: La Monacesca Verdicchio di Matelica, 2006, Marche, Italy.
Stockist: Waitrose Price: £7.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
Wonderful deep golden colour, none of your wishy-washy, thin, bland Italian whites here thank you very much. Not much to the floral aroma but a weighty palate that matches wonderfully with the food. Flavours are laced with a touch of honey, a minerally texture, and plenty of stony fruit that power right through to the herby finish. Refreshingly crisp acidity on the finish. Elegant.
Alcohol 13.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [ out of 5]
100% hand-picked Verdicchio grapes from a great estate in the upper Esino Valley. The difference between Verdicchio grown just a stones roll from Umbria and that grown down near the coast (Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi) is substantial. In the highlands the climate is cooler, the growing season longer and slower. Down by the coast the Adriatic plays a part with harvesting often 10 days earlier than those nearer the Apennines.
Clos des Rochers Pinot Blanc, 2006, Moselle, Luxembourg
Like I real clot I've forgotten to mix in the spinach. Having just spent ten minutes washing and dry-frying it there really isn't any excuse (I can hardly claim jet - lag) apart from being an idiot of course. With the pies half way through cooking it's a touch late in trying to add the 'vital' ingredient!
The Spinach and Feta Pies with Toasted Pine Nuts, with the recipe in yesterdays Sunday Times, were selected specifically to accompany this interesting wine I picked up in Waitrose. A Pinot Blanc from Luxembourg of all places.
Unaware that Luxembourg actually produced wine in exportable quantities it is quite a find; hearty back-slaps and raucous cheering for the Waitrose team who tracked it down.
Wine Tasting Note: Clos des Rochers Pinot Blanc, 2006, Moselle, Luxembourg
Stockist: Waitrose Price: £8.99 [More Adegga / Snooth]
A spritz to the creamy, full-ish, palate. While weighty there is also a delicacy to the fruit and texture. A touch of lime, a smear of pear, a little apple and, on the finish, a subtle nuttiness and a creamy texture. Just a hint of sweetness I think.
In style a cross between Alsace and German; picking the best bits from each! Must be the first wine from Luxembourg I have tried. Very enjoyable it was too - both on its own and with the Spinach and Feta Pies with Toasted Pine Nuts.
Alcohol 12%.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [4 out of 5]
Bellingham The Maverick Winemaker Chenin Blanc, 2007, Coastal Region, South Africa
No great debate in selecting a wine to accompany a Lentil and Bean Salad with a Chive Dressing - a Sauvignon Blanc would have been an obvious choice but I fancied something a little different. Thoughts of cress aromas sometimes discovered in Chenin's led the way to this little beaut from South Africa. With the food a great success.
Wine Tasting Note: Bellingham The Maverick Winemaker Chenin Blanc, 2007, Coastal Region, South Africa.
Available from Waitrose for £8.99.
One of the most perfectly balanced and gorgeous Chenin's it has ever been my pleasure to drink. Some lovely complex flavours going on in the full-bodied palate. 'Lavishly refined'. A creamy element combines with spicy, tropical fruit flavours and a long aftertaste. All good Chenin's have the capacity to age, this should do wonders with a little time in bottle. Alcohol 14.5%. (No cress! Very disappointing; but superb with the salad)
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [3.75 out of 5]
To his friends and family, he was 'Pod', (Bernard Podlashuk, founder of Bellingham) but to the cape winelands he was the Maverick Winemaker. Never quite satisfied to be just ordinary, he is recognised for his daring version, sheer audacity and unabated drive that helped place South African wine on the map."
The previous vintage of Bellingham The Maverick Chenin Blanc 2006 was placed second in a recent Wine Magazine Chenin Blanc Challenge. Out of 122 wines only 34 went through to the second round and only 6 were chosen as finalists. The 2006 is still listed at Waitrose Wine Online.
Fortnum and Mason Sauvignon Blanc, 2007, Martinborough, New Zealand
It seems an anathema mentioning own-label and Fortnums in the same sentence. You really can't get any more up-market than the famous London department store but like every major perveyour of alcohol they do offer own-label products.
I've yet to get to see the newly revamped, and critically acclaimed, Food Hall. This is where, I assume, the wine department is located and where you pick up a bottle of this beautiful Sauvignon.
Wine Tasting Note: Fortnum and Mason Martinborough Sauvigon Blanc, 2007, Martinborough, New Zealand
Available from Fortnum and Mason for £10.50.
Like all own-label wines someone (other than the seller) has to produce it; in this case step forward the talents of Alana Estate. in short this is vibrant, juicy, pure and delicious! There are edges of red peppers (capsicum) to the nose and a streak of minerality running though, the nicely complex, palate. Hints of passion fruit, herbs and un-ripened pears can all be found.
It's a text book New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and worth every posh penny.
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [3.75 out of 5]
Protero Viognier and Chardonnay
Two stonkingly great wines to start the week - both whites and both from the same producer.
I brought six different wines from Cooden Cellars a few weeks before Christmas, these two join the stunning Durif under a 'must buy' heading!
Can't say a lot of effort has gone into the packaging though.
Wine Tasting Note: Protero Gumeracha Viognier, 2005, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
£9.99 Very Limited Stocks from Cooden Cellars [more]
Incredible. Real power on the palate - full of flavour but balanced by great acidity, long, long lasting flavour. Intense flavours combining nuts, apricot kernals, pear, a quality oak influence, a lemon twist. A wonderful hazelnut finish. Weight, texture, length and balance - what more do you need?
Alcohol 14.5%.
Scribblings Rating - 96/100 [4.5 out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Protero Gumeracha Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia.
£9.99 Very Limited Stocks from Cooden Cellars [more]
Limey nose, complex with hints of melon. A full-on lime edge to the palate with sherbet, stone fruits and a smidgeon of herbaceousness. Pears too. Good concentration on the palate with a buttery finish. Unoaked. reat length. Alcohol 14.5%
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [3.75 out of 5]
Protero vineyard lies on a stony ridge to the east of the road between the historic towns of Gumeracha and Lobethal in the Adelaide Hills.We say historic with some wry irony: while the Silesian refugees settled these towns some time ago, they were a mere one or two billion years after the PROTEROZOIC geological epoch, during which the oldest basement stones of our ridge were formed. From the greatly-weathered remnants of these stones, comes some of our soil.
Proterozoic literally means "former life" or "the life which came first", referring to the fact that during this tumultuous age, which stretched from 570 million years back to 2.6 billion years, the first types of multi-cellular life began to form. In contrast, the famous Kimmeridgean chalks below, say, Chablis, are 60 million years old."
Protero Wines
Two Own Label Wines from the Wine Society
Wine Tasting Note: The Society's Australian Semillon-Sauvignon-Blanc, 2006, Western Australia.
Wine Society Own Label £6.50
I dunno; this was nice enough - perfectly drinkable form one of the top producers in WA it just seemed o lack a little something. Balance, simple rounded flavours, crisp acidity but lacking in a little something. Unoaked and gentle, a pleasant enough drink at a reasonably good price.
This classic blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc has become a speciality of Western Australia, the broad texture of Semillon is perfectly balanced by the zesty tropical fruit of Sauvignon Blanc. Unoaked and full of flavour, this a lovely wine to enjoy with friends."
Produced and bottled by Plantagenet Wines. 12% Alcohol.
Scribblings Rating - 84/100 [3 out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: The Society's New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, 2007, New Zealand.
Wine Society Own Label £8.50
This is much more like it - zesty, punchy aromas following through on the palate. Super grassy, herb and gooseberry exuberance that you expect from a decent Marlborough Sauvignon. It compares well with similar wines and hits the right price point too.
Unoaked this wine is aromatic, zesty full of flavour and highly refreshing. A classic partner for fish and chips, Thai-style dishes and goats cheese salads or equally good on its own."
Produced and bottled by Villa Maria Estate, New Zealand. Alcohol 12%
Scribblings Rating - 90/100 [3.75 out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Beblenheim Pinot Gris Reserve, 2006, Alsace, France
Always amazing how few people consider Alsace when selecting their wines. OK, so they come in those suspiciously Germanic-looking bottles (with all those negative associations) but at least they have the grape variety on the label. Maybe Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris are too closely related to the poorer quality (generally) of Pinot Grigio.
This superb Pinot Gris is certainly not a Pinot Grigio!
Wine Tasting Note: Beblenheim Pinot Gris Reserve, 2006, Alsace, France.
Available from Waitrose for £7.99 (£6.64 online).
Weighty - a little sweetness perhaps - but a dry finish. Honeyed with a hint of greenness in the lightly spiced, musky palate. Delicate and stylish. Apple and quince flavours with a nutmeg edge apparent.
Highly recommended with chicken (flambéed with Apple Brandy) served with a rich cream sauce mixed with butter-fried apples, topped with a little grated nutmeg to emphasise the flavour in the wine. Absolutely delicious. With he acidity cutting through the cream, the flavours of spice and apple complimenting each other the whole match worked wonderfully. Even the steamed green beans served with the chicken worked, with a little green complexity appearing.
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [4 out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Laporte Le Bouquet de Laporte Sauvignon 2005, Loire, France
Laporte Le Bouquet de Laporte Sauvignon 2005, Loire, France
WineRack/Threshers £6.99
Not hugely aromatic, despite the rear labels claim of a 'enticing gooseberry and lime aroma'. The palate though is rather good, with a strawberry complexity to the apple, melon and sweet lime flavours. A dry finish, good long nettley length, medium-weight, good balance and a mineral-edged, if soft, texture.
A perfectly cooked risotto - creamy, delicately flavoured with fresh herbs, a little bite remaining to each individual grain of rice, enlivened with pan-fried leeks and topped with slices of slowly melting Goats Cheese. Sauvignon Blanc and Goat's Cheese: a 'tried and tested' classic combination, confirmed by this sublime food and wine pairing. (A full recipe for the risotto is in the September issue of Delicious magazine).
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [4 out of 5]
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Devaux Ultra D Champagne
Wine Tasting Note: Devaux Ultra D Champagne, NV, Champagne, France.Available from independents and Surf4Wine £43.50.
Is this the 'ultimate food champagne' as the producers claim? Not far from the truth to be honest. It has an intense combination of maturity and freshness. Elegant, complex with a delicate finish. At a recent function I attended it was served with a mix of Canapés: Crostini with Seared Salmon and Pickled Cucumber, Foie Gras Mousse with Peppered Pineapple (delicious) and Feta Cheese and Red Onion Marmalade Filo Parcel.
A superb match to all. I was well impressed!
Surprised at being served North Sea Cod for the main lunch course - I thought it was so endangered it was no longer being eaten - I managed to snaffle another glass of the Devaux to try alongside. The flavours were totally different than with the Canapés, no doubt altered with the wilted Spinach and Mussel Broth served alongside. A different complexity entirely and just as delicious.
Stylishly packaged with a minimum of 5 years bottle ageing. A mix of Pinot Noir (66%) and Chardonnay (34%).
Scribblings Rating - 92/100 [4 out of 5]
Wine Tasting Note: Franz Haas Manna, 2005, Alto Adige, Italy
A wine tasting session to select new additions to a merchants list. The Italian white wine section was looking a little drab, unexciting and neglected. This gorgeous white stood out. Not cheap mind.Wine Tasting Note: Franz Haas Manna, 2005, Alto Adige, Italy.Around £18 a bottle.
Not sure what the grape varieties are in this - Gewürztraminer for sure, as the nose has a delicious edge of lychees and Turkish Delight. But there is more here - a rounded edge, a touch of oak perhaps? Delicious with weight, concentration, refinement and class.
There could be some Riesling in the blend, maybe something weighty like a Chardonnay. Whatever it all combines into a superbly interesting wine. Alcohol 13.5%.
Franz is notoriously difficult to please when it comes to his own wines. This dissatisfaction manifests itself in levels of angst that wouldn't be out of place in a Russian novel. But it also produces wines of rare purity and balance, such is his desire to grow good grapes and preserve the flavours during winemaking. "
Scribblings Rating - 94/100 [4.25 out of 5]
Established in late 2005 Bordeaux Oxygène is a dynamic group of young producers and château owners who are determined to inject some passion and excitement into the world of Bordeaux wines.
Julicher Rosé, 2006, Martinborough, New Zealand.
Dinner was Organic Roast Chicken with Oranges and Winter Herbs lifted from the November issue of Delicious served with Baked Onions with Parmesan and Cream (Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries) and Petite Pois. The bird is marinaded for 5 or 6 hours with the juice and skins of four oranges plus rosemary and 
Coincidentally just a couple of days after selecting this dish as the basis for 
My soon to be housemate, he of French origin and prolific swear words (the quotes above are toned down), points out a nicely presented bottle and translates 'Terroir de Silex' as the stone that makes sparkles... I think he means sparks and assume he means flint.. which fits in nicely, if I remember correctly, with the flint and clay soils of the region. But what I hadn't come across before is 'Coteaux de Gennois'. This, the little rear label map helpfully shows, is just north of and on the other side of the river to that most famous of Loire towns, Sancerre.
Wine Tasting Note: Etienne de Loury Terre de Fumée Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, Coteaux du Gennois, Loire, France.
The great and the good of the UK wine world (and no that doesn't include me) tasted a few wines earlier in the year and came up with the Top 100 Vin de Pays. More than a few wines actually; more like over 1,000. As last year the winning wines were available for tasting at the London Wine and Spirits Fair last week. Reflecting the poor quality harvest in 2004 the 16 judges chose not to award trophies for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Viognier. As the white wines were mostly from the 2005 vintage they showed better.
Wine Blogging Wednesday #21 and Is My Blog Burning #26 (two of the grand ol' dames of the food blog world) combine this month in a wine and food matching exercise. 
The scrum around the Iconic Australia tasting table was not the most conducive to serious sampling and note writing; being interrupted by some ol' fart comparing this bottle with last years vintage, that bottle with what so-and-so made four years ago and such-like didn't help either. God, I hate that sort of conversation. I don't bloody remember if I even sampled half the wines last year let alone have the memory capacity of a Cray in comparing them. I leave such malarkey to the Bordeaux and Burgundy specialists; for the finest of wines not for sub-tenner bottles.
Wine Tasting Note: Cecchi Litorale Vermentino, 2004, Tuscany, Italy.
Served on Boxing Day with a starter of 
Served at lunch with 
This is a wine about which I can tell you little. The website listed on the label (
When you go into a shop, profer a question to an assistant, who then disappears into the storeroom to elicit help from the branch manager, do you really expect to hear snorts or derision from the recesses? No, I think is the answer. They are renowned for their arrogance are Oddbins staff. I certainly wasn't going to argue with them over whether the company listed a Pinot Gris from the Loire or over the local rules 'prohibiting' the planting of this specific grape outside of Alsace... I flicked though their latest catalogue and with triumphant pointy finger, highlighted the listing of this wine. 
Six wines I have sampled today; and they were all pants. Apart from one. Over-doing it at a Hallowe'en shindig last night didn't help; tequila rosé and me do not mix. But with six mixed provenance bottles sitting on the counter-top I was still uninspired and frankly disappointed. This white isn't too bad actually, certainly lifted itself above its drossy neighbours.
Wine Tasting Note: Rex-Goliath Pinot Grigio, 2004, California.
The biggest South African tasting in the UK ever I believe. A mass of producers from every region offering wine in all the permutations you can think of. Confronted by the huge number of producers and wines I stuck to the generic tasting tables - those covering the Platters Guide Top Ten, Chenin Blanc and stickies.
Wine Tasting Note: Heartland Viognier/Pinot Gris, 2005, Langhorne Creek, South Australia.
Wine Tasting Note: Margrain Pinot Gris, 2004, Marlborough, New Zealand.
The second 'discovery' at the Explore Chile Tasting was the range of wines presented by 
Wine Tasting Note: Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc, 2004, Western Cape, South Africa.
Wine Tasting Note: Mermoud Sauvignon Blanc de Lully, 2002, Geneva, Switzerland.
I cant think of a nicer wine than the one I have just drunk with my lunch. Maybe its the combination of sun and alcohol? But then the wine only rates a lowly 10.5%.
Domaine Zind Humbrecht Circle of Wine Writers Tasting 14th June 2005
