Posts Tagged ‘biodynamic’
MWG April 17th tasting (3/6): Dry and not so dry
Alto Adige 2012, Gewürztraminer, Kastelaz, Elena Walch ($40.25, 12142559)
100% Gewürztraminer from the steep Kastelaz vineyard, which has been devoted to the variety for generations. Manually harvested in two passes. The destemmed grapes are crushed, cold-macerated for six hours and pressed. The resulting juice is refrigerated and clarified by sedimentation. Fermentation, with selected yeasts, takes place at 18°C. The wine is kept on the lees for several months. 6.6 g/l residual sugar, 14.5% ABV.
Aromatic nose of rose and, yes, spice, not to mention juniper, orange blossom and a whiff of alcohol. Quite extracted but fresh and unheavy due to the bright acidity and relatively low residual sugar. The flavours echo the aromas and are joined by a hint of gin and tonic. Good depth and a lasting if heady finish. I’m not normally a fan of northern Italian Gewurzes but this is excellent, a wine that would make a good ringer in a flight of Alsatian grand crus. (Buy again? Yes.)
Alsace 2012, Gewürztraminer, Vignoble d’E, Domaine Ostertag ($31.75, 00870493)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Gewürztraminer from several parcels located around the winery in the commune of Epfig (whence the Vignoble d’E moniker). As the wine is always made in a moelleux style, the grapes are picked late in the season. Manually harvested. Whole-cluster pressed and vinified in stainless steel tanks. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. 50 g/l residual sugar, 12% ABV.
Textbook Gewurz nose dominated by floral and lychee aromas. In the mouth, the wine is pristine, dense but still fluid, fruity but not too, quite sweet and rather long. Lovely in its slightly cloying but not caricatural way. (Buy again? If looking for a fruit-forward, luscious and definitely not dry Gewürztraminer, yes.)
After tasting the wines on their own, we tried them with a fine stinky Muenster from Yannick, which the Walch handled with aplomb and which redeemed the Ostertag.
MWG April 17th tasting (2/6): Good and grand
Alsace 2012, Riesling, Vignoble d’E, Domaine Ostertag ($25.25, 11459984)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Riesling from 15-odd parcels located around the winery in the commune of Epfig (whence the Vignoble d’E moniker). The manually harvested whole clusters are pressed in a pneumatic press. The long fermentation with indigenous yeasts and maturation on the lees take place in stainless steel tanks, the entire process lasting just under 12 months. 5.5 g/l residual sugar, 13% ABV.
A decidedly grapey nose with dried fern, lemon-lime and lactic notes. So sleek, so fruity and so dry. Alive with acidity. Floral overtones perfume the palate while minerals stay in the background until the finish, where granite and faintly saline chalk outlast the fruit. Lovely now and capable of ageing at least another five years. (Buy again? Gladly.)
Alsace 2010, Riesling, Grand cru Muenchberg, Domaine Ostertag ($49.00, 00739821)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Riesling from Ostertag’s 1.6 hecatres of the 17-hectare grand cru Muenchberg vineyard. The manually harvested whole clusters are pressed in a pneumatic press. The long fermentation with indigenous yeasts and maturation on the lees take place in stainless steel tanks, the entire process lasting just under 12 months. 8 g/l residual sugar, 14% ABV.
Complex, elegant and deep nose of minerals, candied lemon and pit fruit with floral and petrol notes. Not so much mouth-filling as mouth-inhabiting: richly textured, firmly structured and tightly focused yet somehow also ethereal. Layer upon layer of minerals and fruit are carried on a gushing stream of acidity that slow-fades into a nearly endless, slightly salty-sweet finish. Young and somewhat closed, though chewing the wine reveals its potential. Already spellbinding, this will only improve over the next decade or two. (Buy again? If I can lay my hands on another bottle, absolutely.)
MWG February 13th tasting (5/5): Vins de beauté
Patrimonio 2009, Clos Signadore ($46.00, 11908129)
100% Nielluccio from 50-year-old vines in a four-hectare plot called Morta Plana (the estate officially began converting to organic farming in 2010 and was certified in 2013). Manually harvested. Macerated and fermetened with inidigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks for 45 to 60 days. Matured in neutral demi-muids for 24 months. Sulphur is added only at bottling. 13.5% ABV.
Effusive bouquet of sweet spice, wood and graphite against a backdrop of red fruit. In the mouth, it’s medium-bodied, fluid and impeccably balanced. Limber tannins provide a supple structure. Spice colours the rich fruit, which persists well into the long finish. Sleek, even a little glossy and definitely the least unconventional of the trio but undeniably a pleasure to drink. (Buy again? Sure.)
Patrimonio 2010, Carco, Antoine Arena ($40.50, 12039560)
Arena doesn’t appear to have a website; see here for a short profile. 100% biodynamically farmed Nielluccio from the Carco vineyard. Macerated and fermented with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled (27-30C) tanks for six to nine weeks with regular punch-downs. Long maturation (up to two years for some cuvées). Minimally sulphured. Unfiltered and unfined. 14% ABV.
Closed but evolving nose: plum, earth, spice, eventually cocoa husks and a faint musky/animale note. Closed but promissing on the palate. A dry, savoury, smooth-textured middleweight. The fruit is ripe, dense and a bit cooked, though more roasted than stewed. Brisk acidity adds welcome tension and brightness; fine albeit pervasive tannins add structure; dark minerals add depth. The finish is long and velvety. Alive, even a little wild yet somehow quite elegant. (Buy again? Yes.)
Vin de table (2011), CN, Domaine Comte Abbatucci ($62.00, 11930140)
The second vintage of this wine, which doesn’t meet the appellation’s grape variety requirements and so is classified a vin de table and not entitled to mention the vintage or the grape variety on the label (Abbatucci prints the vintage on the cork). 100% biodyanmically farmed Carcajolo Nero (aka Carcajolu-Neru) from vines average six years old. Hand-picked, crushed by foot. Maceration and fermentation with indigenous yeasts last 15 days. About one-third of the wine is then matured in neutral 600-litre demi-muids and the rest in stainless steel tanks for eight to ten months. Unfiltered and unfined. 13% ABV.
Pale, clear red, approaching the kind of rubis you sometimes see in Jura wines. Appealing nose of red currant, leather, cedar, maquis and a possibly reductive note that one taster described as “balloon animals.” Medium-bodied, silky textured. The fruit is juicy, like fresh squeezed mulberry, overtoned with sandalwood, buoyed by soft acidity. The supple tannins turn astringent on the long, chocolate-noted finish. Complex if not particularly deep but unique and fascinating all the same. (Buy again? Would love to.)
Victorious
Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico 2010, Azienda Agricola COS ($36.25, 11577391)
A blend of biodynamically and organically farmed Nero d’Avola (60%) and Frappato (40%) from quarter-century vines. Fermentation is with indigenous yeasts and takes place in glass-lined concrete tanks. The varieties are fermented separately: the Nero at 30 to 33ºC, the Frappato at 28ºC. Maturation, which lasts 18 to 24 months, is in oak barrels for the Nero and concrete tanks for the Frappato. Unfiltered and minimally sulphured. 13% ABV.
Dusty cherry and elderberry, sun-baked earth, hints of leather, old wood, tobacco, flowers and licorice. Medium-bodied yet intensely present. The fruit, sweet and silky up front, fades and dries into the mid-palate as tertiary, mineral and earth flavours unspool. The acidity may be low-key but it’s sufficient to keep the wine fresh and buoyant, while the structurally light tannins add a firm astringency. The finish – long, drying and savoury – has an appetizing sour edge. Like all COS wines, this is a model of elegance and balance. The price may be creeping into treat territory but you won’t find a finer, more engaging Cerasuolo di Vittoria. A brilliant pairing for lasagne made from scratch but versatile enough to serve with a wide range of white meats, well-done red meats and deep-flavoured vegetarian dishes. (Buy again? Yes.)
MWG February 13th tasting (2/5): Hushed awe
Domaine Comte Abbatucci’s three flagship wines are grouped under the Cuvée Collection banner. All are blends of little known and, in some cases, nearly extinct Corsican grape varieties with less uncommon varieties like Vermetinu. Each is named after one of the family’s ancestors. The estate has also begun making two mid-range monovarietal wines, one white and one red, both from obscure varieties. As none of the wines qualify for AOC status, all bear the vin de table designation, meaning neither the vintage nor the constituent grape varieties can be mentioned on the label (Abbatucci stamps the vintage on the cork, which is how we knew our bottles were 2011s).
Vin de table (2011), BR, Domaine Comte Abbatucci ($51.00, 11930123)
100% biodynamically and organically farmed Barbarossa, a red-skinned grape variety here given the blanc de noirs treatment. The first vines were planted in the 1960s. The grapes are manually harvested and pressed immediately after picking. Fermented (with indigenous yeasts) and matured in stainless steel tanks. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 2,000 bottles made. 13% ABV.
Initially reticent but eventually deep. Minerally and floral with hint of lemoncello and a faint herby overtone, like maquis or hops. Round yet very fresh in the mouth, the fruit structured by a crystalline minerality and enlightened by acidity. A faint, pleasing bitterness threads through the long finish. Breathtakingly pure and pristine, not to mention unique. (Buy again? Gladly.)
Vin de table (2011), Il Cavalière Diplomate de l’Empire, Domaine Comte Abbatucci ($64.00, 11930191)
A blend of biodynamically and organically farmed Vermentinu (c. 40%) with lesser amounts of Rossola Bianca (aka Ugni Blanc aka Trebbiano), Biancu Gentile, Genovèse and possibly Brustiano (aka Vermentino?!) from vines averaging 50 years of age. Manually harvested. Slow fermentation with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks. The fermented must is transferred to 600-litre used oak barrels for 12 months’ maturation. Unfiltered and unfined. 13% ABV. 1,500 bottles made. Named after Don Jacques Pascal Abbatucci (1765-1851), a childhood friend of Napoleon who served as an Imperial diplomat in Naples and fought at Waterloo.
Complex, nuanced nose of lemon, baked apple, maquis, fennel and wax, among other things. Slightly less dry than the BR. Dense and full, verging on lush but in no way flabby. On the contrary, there’s an enthralling tension and impeccable balance. Minerally and savoury with sweeter hints of stone fruit and a bitter undertow. Long, multifaceted, complete. The kind of wine that sticks in your memory for days. Arguably deserving of a place alongside France’s best whites. As a food pairing, the estate suggests simply prepared lobster seasoned only with a drizzle of fine olive oil. (Buy again? If the budget permits, yes, because, believe it or not, the wine’s if anything underpriced.)
The sketchiness of my notes is due partly to the wines’ being hard to describe; it’s a challenge to pin down what makes them so special. Also, the hushed awe that fell over the table when the first sniffs and sips were taken was soon broken by a distracting burst of comment and discussion, all of it positive. Several tasters expressed astonishment that wines of such quality and refinement could come from Corsica. Even the group’s resident white wine skeptic acknowledged their appeal and took second pours. Tellingly, both bottles were drained on the spot.
Given the tiny quantities produced, it’s surprising that the wines are even available in Quebec, let alone at the SAQ. They arrived at the Signature stores last fall and, though I wanted to include them in a tasting, the opportunity didn’t present itself and I’d assumed they were all gone. Fast-forward to early February, when Kermit Lynch’s monthly mailer showed up in my inbox with four 2012 Abbatuccis on page one. What struck me was the price: the three Collection wines were going for US$98 a bottle. Wondering whether I’d misremembered the SAQ price, I went to SAQ.com, which now lists products no longer in stock. Not only were the prices for the 2011s up to 40% cheaper in Quebec, there were still bottles of the BR, the CN (more on which anon) and one of the Collection whites available for purchase.
Hot stuff
Saumur-Champigny 2012, Terres Chaudes, Domaine des Roches Neuves ($32.75, 12179087)
100% biodynamically farmed Cabernet Franc from 35- to 45-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Macerated two to five days then fermented with indigenous yeasts at 15 to 22ºC for around three weeks in lined concrete vats. Transferred to 60-hectolitre round and 12-hectolitre oval neutral oak barrels for one year’s maturation on the fine lees. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 13% ABV.
Fragrant nose: cherry, blackberry, black currant and graphite along with old cedar, black earth tobacco leaf and a floral note that puts me in mind of iris. In the mouth, the wine is amply but well proportioned. The fruit is ripe and the Cab Franc herbaceousness that some find objectionable is non-existent, though there is a kind of herby freshness reminiscent of chervil. And yet, ripeness notwithstanding, the wine is austere, like Chiantis can sometimes be, possibly due to its bone-dryness and pervasive fine, tight tannins that outlast the fruit on the long finish. Still, the overriding impression is one of purity and finesse. This age-worthy wine is the most accomplished Terres Chaudes I’ve tasted and certainly among the best Loire Cab Francs available at the SAQ, where quantities appear to be limited. (Buy again? Yes, though not without some grumbling about the price.)
The 2010, a few bottles of which remain in the system, retails for $5.65 less. That’s quite the hike – 23% to be precise, which exchange rate fluctuations don’t begin to explain. Who’s pocketing the extra cash? The winemaker? The agent? The SAQ? All of the above?
MWG January 16th tasting (7/8): Bella Stella
Rosso di Montalcino 2009, Stella di Campalto ($51.75, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
The 13.5-hectare Podere S. Giuseppe estate with its 5.5 hectares of vineyards has been certified organic since 1996 and using biodynamic methods since 2002. It makes only two wines (this Rosso and a pricey Brunello), a grappa and olive oil. The grapes for this 100% Sangiovese Grosso were manually harvested, destemmed, transferred into old wooden vats (the winery uses a gravity system) and fermented with indigenous yeasts. The resulting wine was matured 21 months in 225- and 900-litre barrels and nine months in the bottle. Small amounts of sulphur may have been added throughout the wine-making process. 14% ABV.
Wafting Sangiovese nose: terracotta, dried herbs (including tobacco), cherry, a hint of anisette. Medium-bodied and satiny. The fruit is sweet, the acidity bright, the tannins fine and supple. An faint iron note emerges on the long, savory finish. Lean bordering on austere but admirably pure, and the alcohol in no way stands out. While a couple of tasters dismissed it as “crantini,” the only thing holding me back is the price. (Buy again? Thinking about it.)
MWG January 16th tasting (5/8): Biodynamic duo
Bourgueil 2012, Diptyque dernier cri, Domaine de la Chevalerie ($22.25, La QV, 12 bottles/case)
The 38-hectare organic and biodynamic estate is located in Restigné. Each year, it makes a special cuvée for immediate drinking, dubbed Diptyque dernier cri in 2012. Like all Chevalerie wines, this is a 100% manually harvested Cabernet Franc. Fully destemmed and handled gently (no pumping). Temperature-controlled fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Matured in large neutral barrels. Unfiltered. Minimal added sulphur. 12.5% ABV.
Barnyard giving way to pepper, blackberry, slate. On the lighter side of medium-bodied. Dry but full of ripe fruit (sweet at its core), raspy but not astringent tannins and refreshing acidity. Pure and tasty, an easy-drinking vin plaisir. Serve lightly chilled. (Buy again? Yep.)
Vin de Sologne 2010, Élément-Terre, Julien Courtois ($31.75, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
100% Gamay teinturier de Chaudenay, a red-fleshed grape once common in the Loire. The estate is run according to organic and biodynamic principles. Wine-making is non-interventionist. Matured in large oak foudres for ten to 12 months. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 12.5% ABV. As of the 2011 vintage, the cuvée’s name is changing to Éléments.
Spicy/cedary nose of cherry, leather and eventually a hint of bacon. In the mouth, it’s an odd mix of juicy fresh cherry and old leather. Medium-bodied and supple yet somehow chewy, with light rustic tannins. There’s a candied edge to the fruit, especially on the flavourful finish, yet the wine is dry. As one taster pointed out, it’s actually quite Piedmontese in style. (Buy again? It’s a little pricey but sure.)
MWG January 16th tasting (1/8): Loureiro like we like it
La QV’s Cyril Kérébel joined the Mo’ Wine Group for a private import tasting centred around the agency’s newly arrived Georgian wines. We wet our whistles with a Portuguese white.
Vinho verde 2012, Branco, Quinta da Palmirinha ($21.75, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
If the estate, which is located in Gatão in the northern Porto district, has a website, I’ve not found it. The owner/winemaker is Fernando de Magalhães Pinto de Paiva. In any case, this 100% biodynamically farmed Loureiro is manually harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured 12 months. It sees only stainless steel until bottling. Unfiltered and unfined, with no added sulphur (total sulphites: 76 mg/L). Vegan-compatible. 12% ABV.
Attractive nose: chalk, lemon/lime zest, distant meadow flowers, faint hint of ash. Smooth, almost caressing, on the surface but intense at its core, alive with soft-edged yet coursing acidity. Pleasingly broad and long; deep enough too. The fruitiness makes you think there’s some residual sugar on the finish, though in fact the wine is very dry. Similar wines can be had at the SAQ but none quite this charming and delicious. (Buy again? Yes.)
Would love to taste the estate’s red vinho verde, though it looks like I’d have to cross the pond to do so.
Bordeaux blend (ma non troppo)
The remaining sets of Somewhereness 2013 notes will be posted soon. In the meantime, a heads-up on a newly arrived first-timer at the SAQ. There’s not much around and the monopoly is quickly blowing through its stock, so if you’re interested, act soon.
IGT Sicilia 2009, Maldafrica, Azienda Agricola COS ($29.40, 12098228)
Biodynamically farmed Cabernet Sauvignon (45%), Merlot (45%) and Frappato (10%) from vines averaging 16 years old. Fermented at 30ºC in glass-lined concrete tanks with punch-downs and pump-overs. Matured 12 months in tanks and at least six months in the bottle. 13% ABV. Reportedly, only 600 cases are made each year.
Gorgeous, nuanced nose: black currant, dried oregano, sandalwood, hints of red meat, tar and earth. Medium-bodied with a supple, fluid texture, yet also substantial and intense. Vibrant acidity sets the juicy fruit aglow and lightly sours the bitter-edged finish. Fine-grained tannins structure the mid-palate and add terminal grit. Despite the fruit’s inherent sweetness, a savoury wine. Fresh and delicious – if young – now. What will happen in five or ten years? (Buy again? For sure.)
The most un-Bordeaux-like Bordeaux blend I’ve ever encountered? In any case, the kind of pure and racy warm-climate red that should have New World winemakers seriously questioning their modus operandi (looking at you, Napa). Will have to inquire about the origin of the name.
Brett happens 