Brett happens

The first of four sets of notes from a tasting based on the May 24th Cellier release.

Vinho Verde 2010, Muros Antigos, Anselmo Mendes ($20.25, 11612555)
100% Alvarinho grapes treaded with the stems, then vertical-pressed and macerated for 48 hours. Fermented and matured for four months in stainless steel. Unlike Mendes’s Muros de Melgaço cuvée, this sees no oak.
Light lemon morphing into honeydew melon with a hint of sawdust and a vaguely floral note. Broader than your usual Vinho Verde, the winey texture softening the high acidity. Favours tend to lemon and quartz. Very dry with a pithy, puckery finish. Really delicious. An excellent pairing for grilled seafood (think squid), this also worked well with the Spanish-inspired salmon recipe you’ll find after the jump. (Buy again? Yep.)

Alsace Riesling 2010, Réserve Personnelle, Domaine Weinbach ($29.05, 11639053)
100% biodynamically farmed Riesling from young vines in the Clos des Capucins vineyard.
Effusive nose of potpourri, chalk, faint lemon/lime. Medium weight yet fluid. Intense flavours (lemon, minerals) and tingly acidity. Fruity and a little sweet on the attack, dry and a little sour on the finish. Fine enough though, like so many Weinbach wines, sweeter than I like and pricey compared with, say, Schueller or Frick. (Buy again? Maybe.)

♦

Roasted Salmon with Herb Vinaigrette (adapted from a Bobby Flay recipe)

Preheat oven to 200ºC (400ºF). For each serving, brush a plate-size baking dish with olive oil. Cover with slightly overlapping 1 cm (1/4 inch) slices of peeled Yukon Gold or russet potato. Brush the slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make a sharp vinaigrette using red wine vinegar, a little Dijon mustard, a little minced garlic, chopped fresh herbs (flat-leaf parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, tarragon, basil, etc.), salt and pepper and olive oil. Remove potatoes from the oven. Set a 175 g (6 oz) slice of skinless salmon fillet on top. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and return to oven. Reduce temperature to 120ºC (250ºF) and bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately in the baking dish.