Posts Tagged ‘biodynamic’
MWG April 18th tasting (4/9): Mann to Mann
Alsace 2011, Schlossberg Grand cru, Riesling, Domaine Albert Mann ($48.00, 11967751)
100% Riesling from biodyanmically farmed 40-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Slow pressed (pneumatic or horizontal press). Fermentation and maturation take several months, during which time the wine is in contact with its lees. Sulphur in small amounts is the only non-grape product added. 13.5% ABV.
Closed but promising nose: lemon-lime, coriander seed, minerals, a flowery meadow. Smooth and round, with noticeable residual sugar on the attack, though the wine dries as it goes along. The fruit is rich, layered and impressively dense, the acidity gleaming. Chewing reveals an underlying tautness and granitic minerality that lasts through the long finish. It may be a baby but it’s already a thoroughbred, as a decade in the cellar will surely make clear. (Buy again? Yes.)
Alsace 2011, Riesling, Cuvée Albert, Domaine Albert Mann ($27.30, 11449786)
100% Riesling from biodynamically farmed 20-year-old vines in the Rosenberg (Wettolsheim) et Altenbourg (Kientzheim) vineyards. Slow pressed. Fermented in stainless steel and on the lees for several months. Screwcap. 13% ABV.
Reductive nose (probably due to the wine not being carafed but simply opened and poured). After it blows off, a classic Riesling nose dominated by lemon-lime and kerosene. Light and smooth in the mouth. Slightly less sweet and considerably less dense, complex and dimensional than the Schlossberg. Clean citrus and mineral flavours, ripe acidity, impeccable balance and good length add up to a wine that’s easy to drink now but has the potential to age and improve for another four or five years. My only hesitation is the price, which seems high when, if you’re lucky, you can get a private import Schueller Riesling for $4 less. (Buy again? Maybe.)
MWG April 18th tasting (3/9): Vermentinu times two
Corse Calvi 2011, Clos Culombu ($23.10, 11902114)
The estate is in the process of converting to organic agriculture. 100% Vermentinu (aka Vermentino). Destemmed, crushed and cold-soaked on the skins for several hours, then pressed. Stirred after fermentation. Matured on the fine lees for five months. Lightly fined before bottling. 12.5% ABV. Part of the April 18th Cellier New Arrivals release.
Fragrant: peaches in syrup, quartz, white flowers. Dense and waxy in the mouth, peachy and soft-seeming at first, then turning lemony and harder. Long, mineral-tinged finish with a trenchant, almost fiery streak. Enjoyable but coming across as unpolished, even coarse next to the Faustine. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Ajaccio 2011, Faustine, Domaine Comte Abbatucci ($31.50, 11927792)
The Faustine cuvées are named after the winemaker’s daughter. This white is 100% biodynamically farmed Vermentinu from low-yielding, 40-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Following a brief cold soak, slow-fermented at 18ºC. Reportedly not allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation. Sees only stainless steel. 13% ABV.
Complex nose: “charcoal” in the words of one taster, minerals, lemon, wax, hints of clover blossom, orange peel and maquis. Rich but not heavy, mouth-filling yet elegant. Fine layers of fruit are wrapped around a solid mineral core aglow with acidity. Finishes on a saline note. Savoury, balanced and nuanced, a beautiful wine. What’s more, it’s $5 or $6 less expensive than the private import 2010 was. (Buy again? Absolutely.)
Food pairings? Corsican cheeses (Yannick is the best source in Montreal) and, of course, seafood in simple Mediterranean preparations, like the recipe for striped bass flambéed with thyme and Pernod that you’ll find after the jump.
Return of the world’s most drinkable Xinomavro: the sequel
Naoussa 2011, Jeunes Vignes de Xinomavro, Domaine Thymiopoulos ($17.50, 11607617)
An earlier version of this tasting note claimed (as I’d been told) that the wine was made using carbonic maceration. Turns out that’s wrong. Here’s the technical low-down, straight from the winemaker: “10 year old vines from Biodynamically-farmed Xynomavro (Trilofo and Fitia vineyards). Grapes are hand picked and brought to the winery in small cases. 80 % de-stemmed, 20% whole cluster pressed. Very gentle pressing. No pumping over to avoid extracting harsh tannins. Fermented with wild yeasts, maceration takes place for about one week…then aged in stainless steel tanks for about 9 months…bottled unfiltered.” 13.5% ABV.
Cherry, slate and spice. Light to medium-bodied. As smooth and flowing as ever, but this vintage also has a velvety astringency running throughout. The sweet-tart fruit is ripe and sun-drenched but light, not jammy. Darker, more minerally flavours, a faint green streak and a whiff of cherry cordial colour the tangy finish. Think Greek cru Beaujolais. Maybe the most accomplished of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 trio. A simple, joyful, food-friendly wine to buy multiple bottles – if not cases – of. But hurry: it’s already sold out at several outlets. (Buy again? Duh!)
[Edited on April 19, 2013]
Baux? Oui. Beau? Bof.
Les Baux-de-Provence 2005, Château Romanin ($29.95, 10273361)
Like all Baux-de-Provence estates, Romanin is biodynamic. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre (proportions unspecified by the estate or agent; SAQ.com says 30-30-20-10). The grapes are sorted, destemmed and crushed. Fermentation and maceration take place in stainless steel and wood vats, involve daily punch-downs and pump-overs and last ten to 21 days. Maturation is in similar vessels. 13% ABV.
Deep and alluring bouquet of sweet blackberry and plum with hints of turned earth, terracotta, tree bark, strawberry, garrigue. There’s also a Bordeaux-ish cassis and graphite thing going on. Dense yet fluid on the palate. Shot through with dark minerals and brightened by high acidity, the ripe fruit soon loses its sweetness and gets lost in the formidable structure. The tannins appear soft and resolved at first but assert themselves on the long, astringent, drying finish. Lingering aftertaste of tobacco and licorice. Austere and even a little forbidding, this softened and sweetened some with exposure to air, so carafing an hour beforehand is probably a good idea. And maybe that’s a sign it will benefit from a few more years in the cellar. Still, it doesn’t quite come together in the way you expect a $30 bottle to. Not bad but, relative to earlier vintages, a disappointment. A hunk of red meat (think roasted leg of lamb à la provençale) will show it in the best possible light.
MWG March 21st tasting (1/6): Two aromatic whites
To mark the passing of Cellier as we know it, the tasting included only bottles from the Spring 2013 issue of the magazine, nearly all of them from the March 21st release. The still reds were double-carafed an hour or two before we got around to them. Time constraints meant the whites were poured within minutes of opening, which may explain some of the oddness we encountered.
Grüner Veltliner 2011, Wagram, Weinberghof Karl Fritsch ($16.75, 11885203)
The 20-hectare, biodynamic estate is located in the Wagram region, about 60 km west of Vienna. This 100% Grüner Veltliner is fermented and matured in stainless steel tanks. Screwcapped. 12.0% ABV.
Lime zest, chalk, quartz and the faintest hint of white pepper. Denser than expected on the palate. Ripe. Dry but not arid. Tingly acidity. The minerally substrate lasts through the long, citric finish. A bit simple but good clean fun. (Buy again? Yep.)
Colli Bolognesi Classico 2011, Pignoletto, Fattorie Vallona ($20.55, 11876041)
The Pignoletto grape variety is indigenous to Emilia-Romagna and common in the hills around Bologna. It may be related to Grechetto. Technical information on this wine is virtually non-existent. One or two websites claim earlier vintages contained 10% Riesling. In any case, my guess is that this is made entirely in neutral containers, possibly stainless steel. 13.5% ABV.
Candied lemon, rocks, faint dried herbs. Slightly spritzy, slightly off-dry, slightly weighty. White fruit, minerals, a hint of almond skin and a whack of acidity. The long finish is spoiled by an acrid note. (Buy again? Only to give it another chance.)
MWG March 8th tasting (5/5): Jove’s blood
Located a few kilometres east-northeast of Siena, Fattoria di Fèlsina straddles the border between the Chanti Colli Senesi and southern Chianti Classico appellations. The estate is experimenting with biodyanism but has not sought certification. Castello di Fonterutoli, which is part of the Mazzei group, is located entirely in the southern Chianti Classico appellation, a few kilometres more distant from Siena and in a north-northwesterly direction. Besides their proximity, the estates share other similarities: both are around 600 ha in size, have around 100 ha given over to grape cultivation, also produce olive oil and are widely viewed as being among Chianti’s elite producers.
IGT Toscana 2007, Fontalloro, Fattoria di Fèlsina ($55.75, 11269419)
100% Sangiovese from the Fontalloro or Poggio al Sole vineyard in Chianti Classico (rocky limestone and clay with some shale) and the Casalino and Arcidossino vineyards in Chianti Colli Senesi (sandy, loamy and silty). The manually harvested grapes are rigorously sorted, destemmed and pressed. Fermentation is temperature controlled (c. 29ºC) and followed by 16 to 20 days’ maceration, with daily punch-downs and pump-overs. Malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats. The wine is matured 18 to 22 months in new and second-vintage oak barrels, then blended and bottled. Bottle-aged eight to 12 months before release. 14.5% ABV.
Cherry, terracotta, sun-baked earth, graphite, sawed wood, tobacco, sandalwood, cedar. Rich, complex, elegant. Intense and substantial yet so balanced, the high alcohol not at all apparent. Perfectly structured. Savoury. The finish is long and deep. A flawless wine. Delicious now and for years to come. (Buy again? If you can scrape together the bucks, yes.)
Chianti Classico 2008, Castello Fonterutoli, Marchesi Mazzei ($46.75, 11494481)
The estate’s flagship wine, introduced in the 1995 vintage. Technically a riserva, though there’s noting on the label to that effect. Sangiovese (85%) with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot sourced from 50 different parcels. The hand-picked grapes are fermented at c. 29ºC, then macerated for 5 to 18 days. Matured 16 months in French oak barrels, 60% new. Bottle-aged 18 months before release. 14% ABV.
Similar to the Fontalloro but more leathery and plummier, more Chianti-like. Gained dried herb and wood notes as it breathed. Rich and smooth, the fruit both elegant and earthy. Layered and beautifully delineated, not too mention well proportioned. Long, woody (not oaky) finish. Impressive. (Buy again? Yes.)
Chianti Classico Riserva 2007, Rancia, Fattoria di Fèlsina ($38.25, 10268529)
100% Sangiovese from the 6.25 ha Rancia vineyard located entirely in the Chianti Classico DOC. The manually harvested grapes are rigorously sorted, destemmed and pressed. Fermentation is temperature controlled (c. 29ºC) and followed by 16 to 20 days maceration, with daily punch-downs and pump-overs. Malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats. The wine is matured 16 to 18 months in new and second-vintage oak barrels, then blended and bottled. Bottle-aged six to eight months before release. 13.5% ABV.
Cherry, plum, slate/graphite dust, Asian spice, blond tobacco. Smooth, suave and impeccably balanced. Shot through with tannins and acidity, a lode of savoury fruit and minerals runs from the attack through the long finish. Remarkably pure. (Buy again? Unhesitatingly.)
Chianti Classico 2010, Fonterutoli, Marchesi Mazzei ($25.70, 00856484)
Nine-tenths Sangiovese with Malvasia Nera, Colorino and Merlot making up the balance. The fruit is sourced from five estate-owned vineyards. The hand-picked grapes are fermented at c. 29ºC, then macerated for 16 to 18 days. Matured 12 months in French oak barrels, 40% new. 12.5% ABV.
Surprisingly profound nose dominated by leather, minerals and black cherry. Smooth, dapper and pure in the mouth. Sweet fruity for a Chianti, though not in a New World way, thanks largely to the bright acidity, sharp-edged tannins and lingering bitter minerals. Solid. (Buy again? Yes.)
Tuscan Sangioveses often come across as austere and unsmiling at tastings; conventional wisdom is that they need food to show their mettle. But these four wines had the entire table mmming from the get-go. Yes, with their French oak and Merlot and up-front fruit, they’re modern. Yet they also succeed in being true to their roots, in being about much more than just fruit, in maintaining a sense of proportion and a sense of place.
Another interesting thing about the flight was how clearly the wines’ prices – around $25, $35, $45 and $55 – reflected their absolute quality, with each $10 seeming to bring an extra layer of depth or an added dimension.
The Nature of Wine
McGill University’s Centre for Personal And Cultural Enrichment (PACE) has been holding a series of soirées around specific food topics and moderated by writers Sarah Musgrave (Gazette, En Route, etc.) and Maeve Haldane (Hour, Gazette, etc.). The idea is to bring together local experts for a casual evening of conversation to get the real stories behind current trends and issues. The next one, The Nature of Wine: A Hands-on Session to Drinking With Meaning, is happening tomorrow and will focus on the recent upsurge in interest in natural, biodynamic and organic wine (and what those terms even mean). It should be fun: a small gathering led by Theo Diamantis (agent, oenopole) and Etheliya Hananova (sommelier, Lawrence) and including a tasting of three natural wines.
- Where: Gus, 38 Beaubien East
- When: Monday, March 18, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Cost: $39 ($29 for a second person). There’s also reportedly a 10% discount if you email or call the PACE coordinator directly: Alex Megelas alex.megelas@mcgill.ca, 514-398-3627.
MWG February 21st tasting (3/8): Two Mediterranean whites
Bandol 2011, Domaine La Suffrene ($22.85, 11903491)
The estate was created in 1996. This is the first of its wines to be offered at the SAQ. A 50–50 blend of Clairette and Ugni Blanc from vines averaging 35 to 40 years old. Manually harvested. To increase flavour extraction, the crushed grapes are kept on their skins for 12 hours at 8ºC before pressing (aka maceration pelliculaire). After clarification by settling, the juice is fermented in stainless steel vats for around 15 days at around 19ºC, then racked into other vats for fining and maturation. Filtered before bottling. 13% ABV.
Smells like Provence: preserved lemon, acacia blossom, herbs, pear and mineral. Dry in the mouth with a winey verging on unctuous texture, though the acidity and restraint prevent any heaviness. Flavours tend to garrigue and a faint, pithy bitterness. What fruit there is fades on finish leaving ashy minerals. Not a throat-grabber by any means but classic and elegant. Am anxious to try the estate’s red and pink wines. (Buy again? Sure.)
Corse Figari 2011, Clos Canarelli ($39.25, 11794660)
100% biodynamically farmed Vermintinu (aka Vermintino) from vines planted in 1997. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Allowed to undergo partial malolactic fermentation. Aged mostly in large foudres as well as some old neutral barrels. Lightly filtered before bottling. 13.5% ABV. As far as I can tell, the estate doesn’t have a website; for background, see The Vine Route profile.
Outgoing nose of dried herbs, white fruit, a sprinkling of anise seed, a hint of dried banana and some charry ash. Not fruity but weighty on the palate. Not bone dry either, though the residual sugar is counterbalanced by acidity and a fine bitterness. Long, vaporous finish with lemon and mineral notes. Impressive, imposing, a white to contend with, the very definition of a food wine: Grill a sea bass and, just before it’s finished cooking, toss some dried thyme sprigs soaked in Pernod onto the coals under the fish. Serve with a squirt of lemon and a drizzle of fragrant olive oil. You’re welcome. (Buy again? Yes, with sea bass in hand.)
MWG February 21st tasting (2/8): Two Corteses
Gavi 2011, Granée, Beni di Batasiolo ($16.65, 10388109)
100% Cortese grown in the southern Piedmont commune of Gavi, making it a Gavi di Gavi. Pressed, clarified by settling, then fermented at low temperature. 12.5% ABV.
Shy but attractive nose of minerals and lemon with a floral note. Light but with a round, even winey texture. Quite dry. The green pear and lemon fruit is subdued and dusted with chalk. Brisk acidity and a clean, faintly bitter finish round out the picture. Fresh and graceful if a little anonymous. Still, you won’t find a more elegant white at the price. (Buy again? Sure.)
Vino da tavola 2011, Bellotti Bianco, Cascina degli Ulivi ($20.00, Vini-Vins, NLA)
100% biodynamically farmed Cortese grown in the Tassarolo commune neighbouring Gavi. Manually harvested. Fermented and matured in vats and barrels made from either acacia or oak (the estate’s website contradicts itself). No added sulphur. Lightly filtered prior to bottling in September of the year following harvest. 12.5% ABV.
No one would accuse this Cortese of being anonymous. Complex nose: pears poached in white wine with cinnamon and served on a bed of fresh-cut hay. Richer and more rustic than the Gavi yet still fleet. Dry yet fundamentally fruity with only a hint of oxidation. There’s tingly acidity and a whack of minerals, including a salt crystal or two, especially on the long finish. The label proclaims simplicemente vino and there is indeed an appealing straightforwardness and directness about this wine. (Buy again? Yes.)
MWG February 21st tasting (1/8): Tissot’s Indigène
A wide-ranging tasting that featured a mix of SAQ wines and private imports, all of them recent arrivals. We started and ended in the Jura.
Crémant du Jura, Indigène, Domaine André et Mireille Tissot ($27.04, Les vins Alain Bélanger, 12 b/c)
A traditional method sparkler. Biodynamically farmed Chardonnay (55%), Pinot Noir (35%), Poulsard (5%) and Trousseau (5%) from vines averaging 25 years old. Manually harvested, pneumatically pressed. Slow fermentation in stainless steel vats at 16 to 18ºC with indigenous yeasts. The prise de mousse (second fermentation) is achieved using yeasts taken from the estate’s fermenting vin de paille. Matured on the lees in bottles for 13 months before disgorging. No dosage or added sulphur dioxide. If memory serves, the alcohol level was 12.5%.
Apple turnover with cream, lemon zest and chalk. Fine, persistent effervescence. Rich and dry, the flavours tending to pear and yellow apple, crunchy minerals and a honey note. Fresh, pure and bracing, with huge acidity and a yeasty finish. A great sparkler that wakes up your mouth. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Brett happens 