A quartet of naturals
Among the many attractions of SAT’s Foodlab is the short, constantly changing selection of natural wines, most of them available by the glass. (Among the few downsides of SAT’s Foodlab is the stemware: heavy and small, meaning the glasses are filled nearly to the brim and allow no room for the wine’s bouquet to develop.) We ordered four to accompany this week’s excellent Russian Easter menu, the high points of which were a clear borscht, a coulibiac of halibut and salmon and the dessert, a slice of dry, cardamom-perfumed cake and a slice of a pressed cheese obelisk garnished with candied fruit and almonds.
Bourgogne Aligoté 2010, François Mikulski (c. $25, Vini-Vins)
100% Aligoté from two Meursault parcels planted in 1929 and 1948. Initially muted (possibly the fault of the glasses). The nose’s white peach, quartz and hint of lemon are joined by green fruit (gooseberry?) in the mouth. Acid-bright but not sharp; indeed, it sits softly on the palate. Finishes on a faintly lactic, ashy, leafy note. Not profound but wonderfully drinkable.
Burgenland 2009, Blauburgunder, Meinklang ($25.30, La QV)
100% biodynamically farmed Blauburgunder (aka Pinot Noir). Extroverted nose: berries, beet, cola, earth and smoke. Medium-bodied (13%) and intensely flavoured, the ripe fruit sharing the stage with spices, slate and dried wood. Fluid texture. Light, firm tannins turn astringent on the finish. A vibrant Pinot Noir, not at all Burgundian yet very true to the grape. A winner.
Cour-Cheverny 2009, La Porte Dorée, Domaine Philippe Tessier (c. $28, Vini-Vins)
100% Romorantin from 40- to 90-year-old vines; 85% is aged ten months in demi-muids and barriques. Dry but lightly honeyed. Round, supple and fluid. Acid blossoms on the deliciously sourish finish. Minerals galore and a preserved lemon aftertaste. Pure, clean, long. A beauty.
Colli Piacentini 2010, Dinavolino, Azienda Agricola Denavolo ($27.04, Primavin)
Hazy bronze to the eye. Wafting nose of honey-candied yellow fruit, spice and a whiff of musk (not knowing anything about the wine, I wrote “Malvasian,” so it’s true to type). Quite intense on the attack – fruity, grapey, semi-sweet – it downshifts radically on the mid-palate, fading and drying to rainwater and minerals with a hint of tannins. Intriguing.
Quebec agent Primavin provides the following information on the wine, which is penned by the owner-winemaker, Giulio Armani, who is also the winemaker at La Stoppa:
Located at 500 m high, the vineyard DENAVOLO, named after the mountain upper the cellar and the locality where the vineyard is planted, spreads over 3 hectares in the Colli Piacentini area.
The vines are grown on limestone soil, the climate is hot and dry, but at this altitude, the temperature fluctuations between night and day are more than 10°C, explaining that freshness and minerality in the wines.
We only use local grapes : 25% Malvasia di Aromatica Candia, 25% Ortrugo, 25% Marsanne grapes and another not identified yet.
DINAVOLO and DINAVOLINO are produced as if they were red wines, the grapes are de-stemmed, crushed and then stay several months in skin maceration to release in the wine all the aromatic and phenolic components which are in the skin. The wines present a beautiful orange colour, a mineral and lightly flowerish nose, the mouth is well-structured with tannins and a good length.
The main difference between both cuvée comes from the location of the grapes in the vineyard. To produce DINAVOLINO, I selected grapes only located in the downer part of the hill, those grapes keep more acidity and the wine produced is completely different, freshner, younger and more aromatic.
Quick tastes
Short notes (from memory) on small pours of three new arrivals.
Not every 2009 white Burgundy is heavy on tropical fruit and light on acidity. Case in point: the Bourgogne Vézelay 2009, La Piécette, Domaine de la Cadette ($22.70. 11589691). Almost shockingly brisk, tingling with minerals and finishing on a tart note. Grabs you by the palate and doesn’t let go. Was served over-chilled; it might well come across as richer, less citric and bracing if warmer. Whatever. I like.
The Rubicone IGT 2010, Alta Marea, San Valentino ($17.55, 11579994), a blend of Chardonnay (80%) and Trebbiano (20%) that’s aged in stainless steel tanks, was rounder and denser on entry, the fruit sweeter but also a little blander (I guessed it was 100% Trebbiano), the background flavours tending to straw rather than minerals, the acidity present but not electrifying. About halfway through, it did a quick dissolve into rainwater. Probably not done any favours by being tasted after the Piécette but enjoyable enough.
The nose of the Vosne-Romanée 2008, Les Champs Perdrix, Bruno Clair ($86.25, 00880534) couldn’t be more Burgundian: red berries with hints of forest floor, beet, cola and burning leaves. On the palate, the wine’s poise, purity, structure, oak treatment and length leave no doubt as to its thoroughbred status. And yet the fruit is nearly devoid of sweetness and not revealing much depth, the tannins are almost too firm, the finish is way smoky. Obviously in need of time to resolve and integrate but not quite making a believer out of me, especially at that price.
MWG March 16th tasting: report (4/4)
Finalmente!
In this flight, only the Zýmè was from the March 15th Cellier release.
Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso 2008, Acinatico, Stefano Accordini ($26.15, 11027954)
Corvina (60%), Rondinella (20%), Covinone (15%) and Molinara (5%). Refermented using the skins of Amarone grapes. Matured 12 months in new French oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered. Pleasing nose of root beer, beet, burnt sugar, plum and vanilla custard. Smooth, creamy, bordering on unctuous texture. Rich fruit, soft tannins, refreshing acidity. Perceptible residual sugar but not sweet. Spicy finish. Lovely. (Buy again? Yep.)
Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2008, Dell’Anniversario, Serego Alighieri ($26.45, 10543404)
The anniversary in question is the 650th of the purchase of the first wine-growing estates by Dante’s son, Pietro Alighieri. Corvina (70%), Rondinella (20%) and Molinara (10%). Refermented with semi-dried grapes from the same varieties. Matured 18 months in Slavonian oak casks and four months in large cherry barrels. Initially odd nose (“a bit skanky” in the words of one taster) of dried pine needles, segueing to herbaceous cherry and spice. Drier than the other two wines. More savoury, too, with flavours reminiscent of stewed cherries and plums, cocoa, sweet spice and herbs. Full-bodied but medium weight and fluid. Lingering earth, tea and dried wood notes. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2007, Zýmè ($32.75, 11587151)
Corvina (40%), Covinone (30%), Rondinella (25%) and Oseleta (5%). Given the ripasso treatment using the skins of Amarone grapes. Matured three years in large Slavonian oak casks. Deep yet fresh nose: plum, spice, gingerbread, eventually basil. Round and richly textured, with ample fruit, plush tannins and soft but sufficient acidity. Long sandalwood and red fruit finish. Highish residual sugar may edge it out of savoury food territory, though it paired beautifully with crémeux du Jura cheese. (Buy again? In lieu of a port to go with cheese, sure.)
MWG March 16th tasting: report (3/4)
Wildass Red 2008, Niagara Peninsula, Stratus ($24.00, 11601143)
A hodgepodge of a dozen or so grape varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Tempranillo. Complex if not particularly deep nose: black cherry, shoe leather, turned earth, leaf mould, sawed wood, volatile herbs. Smooth and fluid from start to finish. Structured but not rigid. Spicy fruit, racy acid and a slatey finish. Pure and appealing. One of the most drinkable Ontario reds I’ve tasted; too bad it doesn’t go for $20. (Buy again? Yes.)
Colli Euganei IGT 2006, Gemola, Vignalta ($43.50, 11581074)
Vignalta’s flagship wine. Mainly Merlot with some Cabernet Franc, grown in volcanic soils. Red fruit with notes of tomato paste, cola and tobacco leaf. Medium-bodied, velvet-textured. Rich but vibrant: sweet dark fruit and a touch of vanilla shaped by firm tannins and keen acidity. Long, savoury finish. Lots of class. (Buy again? Quite possibly.)
Toscana IGT 2006, Pergolaia, Caiarossa ($23.55, 11604619)
Biodynamically farmed Sangiovese (90%), Merlot (7%) and Cabernet Franc (3%). Fermented with native yeasts. Sulphur is used minimally and added only after malolactic fermentation. Aged 14 months in neutral barriques and botti. Textbook Sangiovese nose, albeit fresher than a Chianti’s: black cherry, savoury spice and terra cotta with herbaceous and graphite notes. Medium-bodied, with sweet fruit, tight, drying tannins and coursing acidity. Fairly long, tobacco-scented finish. Straightforward, nothing profound but pure and enjoyable. (Buy again? Yes.)
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2001, Vigneto St. Ercolano, Carpineto ($50.00, 11566464)
Sangiovese (85%) with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, all from a vineyard planted in 1995. Fermented in cement vats with indigenous yeasts. Matured 13 months in new French and American oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered in 2003, then cellared for five years before release. Suave nose of plum, cedar, spice and cigar box. The fruit starts smooth and silky but dries on the leathery finish. The lightly astringent tannins are mostly resolved. Not much depth or dazzle for a $50 wine. (Buy again? Unlikely.)
MWG March 16th tasting: report (2/4)
Dogliani Superiore 2007, Bricco Botti, Pecchenino ($30.50, 11605494)
100% Dolcetto. Macerated on the skins for 25 days at 28ºC, matured 24 months in large oak casks. Nose of sawed wood, black cherry, forest floor and a faint resin note that, with the cherry, had some tasters declaring “Robitussin.” Plush texture with light but firm tannins. The rich dark fruit hides the alcohol (14.5%) except on the kirschy finish. Impressive in the context of a tasting but I wonder how well it would fare at the dining table. (Buy again? Pricey and not my style, so probably not.)
Dolcetto d’Alba 2010, Fratelli Alessandria ($19.95, 11580186)
100% Dolcetto. Fermented and macerated for six to eight days in stainless steel tanks, matured in stainless steel and cement tanks. Appealing nose of red berries, spice and quartz. Leaner, suppler and fruitier than the Doglaini; purer and more refreshing, too. Raspy tannins kick in on mid-palate. Spice and minerals flavour the clean finish. Just about perfect in its low-key way. (Buy again? Already have.)
Barbera d’Alba 2008, Tre Vigne, Vietti ($25.80, 11580178)
100% Barbera from three vineyards (whence the name). Fermented in stainless steel, matured in Slovenian oak casks, French barriques and stainless steel tanks for ten months. Bottled unfiltered. Velvety cherry, slate and oak on the nose. Smooth and suave in the mouth with rich, dry fruit and soft tannins and acidity. Oaky vanilla marks the long finish. Few around the table objected to the oak but I found it distracting. Barbera doesn’t need to give itself airs. (Buy again? No thanks.)
Pinot Noir 2008, Beamsville Bench, Malivoire ($31.25, 11593614)
100% organically farmed Pinot Noir from three Beamsville vineyards. Fermented in open-top oak vats, then aged in 23% new French oak barrels for 11 months. Screwcapped. Reductive aromas – cedar and plastic – blow off, leaving an earthy nose of red berries and spice. Supple, fluid and lightly tannic, with bright acidity. Fruit is light and not very sweet but obviously ripe. Bitterish/astringent finish. A bit rustic, which only adds to the appeal. (Buy again? All that’s holding me back is the QPR.)
MWG March 16th tasting: report (1/4)
Sketchy notes on the first of four flights. All wines except the Falanghina are from the March 15th Cellier release.
Falanghina 2009, Taburno, Fattoria La Rivolta ($19.95, 11451851)
100% organically farmed Falanghina. Fermented at low temperatures, aged in stainless steel. Mercurial nose: chalk, lemon, minerals, flowers, then white coral, then nougat and shower curtain, then lard and banana. Light and rainwatery on entry but building as it goes along. Bright acid. Dry but full of sweet fruit. A little citrus pith on the chalky finish. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Soave Classico 2010, Prà ($19.50, 11587134)
100% Garganega. Fermented at low temperatures, aged in stainless steel. Yellow fruit with chalk, grapefruit and lime notes. Very present: weightier and fruitier than the flight’s other wines. Fruit tends toward citrus. High acidity rounded by the fruit and a little residual sugar. Bitter finish with a hint of nuttiness. A Soave very much in the mould of Pieropan’s or Imana’s basic bottlings. (Buy again? Sure.)
Roero Arneis 2010, Mauro Sebaste ($18.55, 11579986)
100% Arneis. Fermented in stainless steel, aged three to four months in the bottle. Flowery bath powder, then sweet lime, then white peach and crushed leaves; that said, it’s not what you’d call exuberantly aromatic. Dry, smooth and suave on the palate. Initial white fruit turns more acidic and bitter toward finish. Improved as it breathed, gaining crystalline mineral notes. Would make a good aperitif or accompaniment to delicate pasta and fish dishes. (Buy again? Yes.)
Manzoni Bianco 2010, Fontanasanta, Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Foradori ($28.90, 11580004)
100% Manzoni Bianco, a cross of Riesling and Pinot Bianco. Aged 12 months in acacia casks. Sweaty funk on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied. Fruity but dry, with strongish acid and a bitter-edged finish. Fair length. Given the winemaker and the wine’s enthusiastic reception by critics, I was expecting more. Perhaps our bottle was slightly off? (Buy again? Only to give it a second chance.)
Get ’em while the getting’s good
New vintages of two wines that knocked the MWG’s collective socks off last year have shown up on the SAQ’s shelves.
The 2008 Etna “Rosso di Verzella” from Azienda Vinicola Benanti ($22.00, 11348459) is far from what most people would consider a typical Sicilian red: the texture and weight are too Burgundian, the fruit isn’t overripe or jammy. While perhaps a tad less beguiling than last year’s 2006 (or maybe it’s the 2008’s relative youth), the same description applies: “A blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio given about ten months in small casks. Wafting nose of dried black cherry, baked earth, rosemary. Round, smooth and savoury. Medium-bodied. Lively acid gives freshness. Round tannins provide structure. Soft, long finish. A charmer.”
On the other hand, the 2009 Montsant “Dido” from Venus la Universal ($24.10, 11376994) seemed less approachable and more serious than the 2008. Sleek, dark, brooding and barely budging in the hour or so it was open, this is a wine that will benefit from a few years in a cellar or, failing that (and to go by the 2008), several hours – even 24 – in a carafe.
Both wines are widely available, though few outlets received more than a case or two. In other words, get ’em while the getting’s good.
MWG March 2nd tasting: report (4/4)
Valpolicella Superiore Classico 2002, Giuseppe Quintarelli ($81.00, 10811253)
A blend of old-vine Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara with smaller percentages of Negara, Cabernet, Nebbiolo, Croatina and Sangiovese. Five or six months after initial fermentation, the wine is refermented, using the ripasso method, in most years with the lees from the estate’s Amarone (but not in 2002, when no Amarone was made). It is then aged for six years in Slavonian oak.
A heady, gorgeous bouquet: ripe red and black fruit, sandalwood, spice and so much more. Opulent and velvety yet supple and fluid. Wave after wave of flavour. Soft and caressing on the surface but with cushy tannins and power in reserve. Infinite finish. Magnificent. (Buy again? Yes. Gulp.)
Amarone della Valpolicella 2006, Marion ($87.50, 10665057)
Corvinone (45%), Covina Gentile (25%), Rondinella (20%) and Croatina and other varieties (10%). The grapes are semi-dried for three months before pressing. Aged about three years in Slavonian oak barrels.
An Initially odd nose (pickled fruit, plastic) blows off, leaving a complex bouquet of plum, red berries, chocolate and graphite. Rich, heady and layered in the mouth. Sweet fruit, slate. Alcoholic but not hot – warming, rather. Mouth-coatingly astringent but somehow not tannic. Endless, coffeed finish. So engaging that time seems suspended as you smell and taste it. (Buy again? If I can scrape up the cash, yes.)
Valpolicella Superiore 2007, Marion ($38.00, 10710268)
Corvina Grossa (60%), Rondinella (20%), Corvina Gentile (10%) and Teroldego and other varieties (10%). Soime of the grapes are semi-dried for about 40 days before pressing, while others are late-harvested and then pressed. The wines are aged separately in small oak barrels for about 30 months before blending and bottling.
Subtle, complex, profound: modelling clay, red and black berries, spice, crushed leaves. Soft and supple on the palate, the texture velvety, the flavours complex and lingering. Long. Very fine. (Buy again? Yes.)
All the wines in this flight were superb. Usually, as an evening progresses, tongues loosen and the noise level rises. But in this instance, after the three wines were poured and people began swirling, sniffing and sipping, an awed hush – broken only by the occasional soft moan of pleasure – fell over the room.
Despite the wonders of the Marions, the Quintarelli stood out for everybody. It is easily one of the best if not the best of their VSCs that I’ve tasted – surprising since 2002 is widely considered a rotten vintage due to heavy rain. Could it have something to do with the fact the estate made no Amarone in 2002, in theory freeing up the superior grapes for the lesser wines? Hard to know, as there are almost no reviews or discussion of the wine on the Web (though SAQ haters take note: it’s listed at Columbus Circle Wines for US$85+ vs. C$81 here, and the NY price doesn’t include sales tax).
MWG March 2nd tasting: report (3/4)
Colli Berici 2008, Montebelvedere, Dal Maso ($19.95, 11581007)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from 12-year-old vines. Fermented in stainless steel, aged 12 months in second-vintage Allier oak barriques and botti. Identifiably Cabernet nose of cassis, mint/celery and cedar wood. Medium-bodied and balanced, with a core of sweet fruit and no greenness. Not very tannic. Fair length. A bit simple and anonymous but definitely drinkable. (Buy again? If in the market for a $20 Cab, sure.)
IGT Toscana 2008, Cabernet Sauvignon, San Fabiano Calcinaia ($25.95, 11546914)
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot. Spent 15 months in first and second-vintage barriques. Umami nose: tamari, cordovan leather, shaved wood. Medium to full-bodied. Quite tannic. Dark and inky palate not showing much fruit. Plum, cocoa and iodine-scented finish. Needs another year or two in the bottle. (Buy again? If in the market for a $25 Cab, sure.)
IGT Umbria 2005, Rosso Outsider, Arnaldo Caprai ($30.25, 11580821)
A 50-50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 18 months in French oak barrels. Brooding nose of plum and clean sweat, developing cedar and graphite notes. Somewhat closed (or maybe just austere by nature) but also tasting far more Italian than the other two bottles. Chewy but not heavy fruit, rustic but ripe tannins. Long, dark finish. Straightforward, close to the earth, appealing. (Buy again? Yes.)
Brett happens 
The Schwartza as miracle fruit
with 3 comments
The Schwartza is the flagship pizza of Jane, a down-home Italian resto/upscale pizzaria on Notre Dame a few blocks west of Guy. Topped with mustard sauce, smoked meat, dill pickle slices and a surfeit of cheese, the pie manages to be true to both its Montreal Italian and Montreal Jewish heritages. It shouldn’t work but somehow it does (this from someone who wouldn’t go out of his way for a smoked meat sandwich and who has never recovered from a traumatic childhood experience with deli-style pickles). That said, I suspect that, for me at least, once is enough, especially when the resto’s other pizza toppings beckon. Also, at $24 it’s pricey. Then again, the two of us couldn’t quite polish it off.
What wine goes with a Schwartza? Glancing through the list, we spotted a 2009 Langhe Nebbiolo that turned out to be from Produttori del Barbaresco ($50 at the restaurant, $22.85 at the SAQ – 11383617 – though good luck finding any at the monopoly at this late date). Without much forethought, we ordered it, and a good thing we did. Delicious and food friendly, albeit a little tight, it paired well enough with our starters of meatballs and panzanella. But with the pizza, it bloomed: the cheese softened the tannins, while the mustard and pickles sweetened the fruit – a transformation so radical, it was like we’d chewed a miracle berry before sipping the wine. And what about that fruit? Black cherry, the go-to flavour for smoked meat. A match as definitive as it was fortuitous.
The restaurant itself is a pleasant space: a storefront in an old building with high ceilings, wood floors and tables and a warm glow. The menu and wine list are chalked on blackboards. The list is about 40 wines long, and many are available by the glass. Incredibly, only the appellation/grape variety and price are listed; the producer’s name is nowhere in sight. What’s more, when I asked our waiter who made the Langhe we had our eye on, he had no idea. What a joke!
The food was decent and sometimes a little more. The meatballs were close to perfect: tender, moist, cohesive, mild yet savoury, and unfortunately oversalted. The tomato sauce was a delicious foil. If you set aside any notions of the classic dish, the panzanella was tasty enough – arugula, tomato, bell pepper and red onion, dressed with a mild vinaigrette and generously sprinkled with parmesan – but it lost points for the prefab croutons and drizzle of sweet balsamic vinegar. Dinner for the two of us, including wine, two espressos, taxes and tip was $140.
Written by carswell
March 21, 2012 at 11:50
Posted in Commentary, Reviews, Tasting notes
Tagged with food pairings, Piedmont, Restaurants