Posts Tagged ‘Mo’ Wine Group’
MWG December 14th tasting (1/4): Two Proseccos and a ringer
The Mo’ Wine Group celebrated its seventh anniversary on December 14. As usual, the tasting featured sparklers, Champagnes, some potentially sublime still wines and an odd bottle or two. We began with two Proseeccos and a mystery wine contributed by one of the group’s original members.
Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore 2011, Extra Dry, Bandarossa, Bortolomiol ($19.50, 10654956)
100% Glera (aka Prosecco). Pressed off the skins, fermented with selected yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Sparkled using the Charmat process, which lasts close to a month. Matured one to three months. 18.0 g/l residual sugar. 6.0 g/l total acidity. 11.5% ABV.
Sliver to the other wines’ yellow-gold. Perfumy nose: bath powder, lemon and a candied note one taster dubbed “Hubba Bubba.” The foam lasted several minutes around the edge of the glass – the first time I’ve encountered that – though in the mouth the effervescence was fine and soft. Drier and more acidic than expected (a good thing) but also shallow. (Buy again? No, not when the far more enjoyable 2011 Bisol can be had for less.)
Vidalsecco 2010, Ontario, Huff Estates ($19.95, purchased at the winery)
100% Vidal Blanc. Sparkled using the Charmat process. Matured in stainless steel vats. 12 g/l residual sugar. 11.5% ABV. 400 cases made. Crown-capped.
Noticeably different nose: lemon and chalk but also mastic, star fruit, chewing gum (“Juicy Fruit” said another taster, continuing the Wrigley theme) and a hint of foxiness. A little like sipping ginger ale, though dry and fine-textured with an appealing tang and a long, clean finish. (Buy again? Sure.)
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore 2010, Extra Dry, Le Rive di Ogliano, Masottina ($23.15, 11791750)
100% Glera. Fermented with selected yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Sparkled using the Charmat process. 13.0–15.0 g/l residual sugar. 5.2–6.2 g/l total acidity. 11.5% ABV.
Perfumy again, though not to the Bortolomiol’s boudoiry excess, with a honeyed edge and a hint of lemon zest. Soft, almost caressing effervescence. Very dry. A certain complexity of flavours, including a floral note on the finish. Tasty. (Buy again? Yes.)
MWG November 22nd tasting (5/5): Three Zins and a Syrah
Like many North American wine lovers, I cut my teeth on California wines. I used to buy them regularly; these days, hardly ever. Part of the reason is my evolving palate. But it’s also true that the wines have changed. With a few blessed exceptions, they’ve gotten bigger, heavier, fruitier, sweeter, oakier, more alcoholic, less refreshing, less food-friendly and, oddly, less characterful. Early vintages of Ridge’s Geyserville, including some legendary ones, regularly clocked in at 13% ABV or less. Martini used to make a light, supple, relatively pale Zin as quaffable as a Beaujolais. Good luck finding wines like those these days. Anyway, when reading these notes, bear in mind that these wines aren’t really up my alley anymore. And, as the tasting showed, people with palates more receptive to the fruit-driven New World style will probably find them more interesting than I did.
Zinfandel 2009, East Bench, Dry Creek Valley, Ridge Vineyards ($29.75, 11817690)
100% Zinfandel (rare for Ridge) from dry-farmed vines planted in 2000 and 2001. Destemmed, crushed and fermented with native yeasts and twice daily pump-overs. Pressed after ten days’ maceration. Matured 13 months in American oak barrels, 20% new. Lightly sulphured at crush and during maturation. Lightly filtered at bottling. 15.2% ABV. This is Ridge’s fourth vintage of the wine.
Textbook Zin. Bramble berries, fresh fig, oak, spice, dried black tea. Rich, smooth and balanced. Fluid despite the weight. Built around an intense core of pure, unjammy fruit, with just enough acidity and tannins to avoid galumphingness. Dry, the high glycerin levels notwithstanding. Flaring finish. (Buy again? Maybe a bottle to go with grilled lamb next summer.)
Lytton Springs 2009, Dry Creek Valley, Ridge Vineyards ($42.25, 00513929)
71% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Syrah, 6% Carignane from dry-farmed vines some planted recently, others as far back as 1901. Destemmed, crushed and fermented with native yeasts and occasional pump-overs. A small amount of tartaric acid was added to a few very ripe lots. Pressed after eight days’ maceration. Matured 14 months in American oak barrels, 18% new. Lightly sulphured at crush and during maturation. Lightly fined”to moderate tannins.” Lightly filtered at bottling. 14.4% ABV.
Plum, spice and a hint of modelling clay. Similar to but deeper, broader and weightier than the East Bench. Pure, savoury fruit. Oak present but in check. Heady but not hot. Good structure and a long finish. Unfortunately, at this point it’s heavy and unrefreshing, less than the sum of its parts. Maybe time will improve things. (Buy again? Nope.)
Zinfandel 2009, Brandlin Vineyard, Mount Veeder, Peter Franus ($38.75, 00897652)
92% Zinfandel, 8% Charbono, Mourvèdre and Carignane from old, dry-farmed vines. Fermented 12 days at a relatively cool 80ºF (27ºC). Macerated 14 days before pressing. Matured 17 months in French oak barrels, 35% new. 15.5% ABV.
Blackberry and peppermint with sweet and savoury spice in the background. Smooth, satiny texture and not a lot of structure: this is mostly about the fruit, which is pure, sweet-and-sourish and given some depth by dried wood flavours. Dry, especially on the long, alcoholic – though not hot – finish. (Buy again? Only if in the mood for a full-bore Zin.)
Syrah 2009, Estate, Santa Ynez Valley, Beckmen Vineyards ($29.20, 11746941)
100% biodynamically farmed Syrah from eight different clonal selections grown in Beckman’s Purisima Mountain vineyard located in Ballard Canyon. The various lots were gently crushed and cold-soaked for two to five days. Fermented five to ten days with native yeasts and thrice daily punch-downs. Basket-pressed. Matured ten months in French oak barrels, 35% new. 14.6% ABV.
Appealing though un-Syrah-like nose: gingerbread, cassis and plum with some slate in the background. Full-bodied but fluid and fresh, due largely to its bright fruit and brisk acidity. Vanilla oak is noticeable but not cloying. To my palate, the flavours evoke a baked plum tart. Decent structure and length. While not a fan of the all-about-fruit style, I admit this has a certain charm. (Buy again? Probably not, though fans of California wines shouldn’t hesitate.)
MWG November 22nd tasting (4/5): Tre rossi eclettici
Sicilia IGT 2011, Frappato, Terre di Giumara, Caruso & Minini ($16.65, 11793173)
Caruso & Minini is a Marsala-based producer of a wide range of wines made from Sicilian and international grape varieties. Could find no technical information about this Frappato, which isn’t even mentioned on the winery’s website, nor have I learned which agency represents it in Quebec. The SAQ also carries one of C&M’s white varietals, the tasty 2011 Grecanico ($16.65, 11793181), whose constituent grape DNA profiling has shown to be the same as Soave’s Garganega. Both it and the Frappato are 14% ABV.
Dusty cherry, a hint of black licorice, faint herbs and not a lot else. Quite extracted but avoiding heaviness. The ripe fruit has a candied edge, though the wine is dry and savoury, with supple tannins and just enough acidity. Dried herbs mark the finish. Easy-going and affable if far from profound. Comes across as a warmer-climate take on the grape than Occhipinti’s and COS’s supreme – and, yes, much pricier – interpretations. A fairer comparison might be the Frappato from Tami, Occhipinti’s négociant label, which beats this on elegance and quaffability but not on fruity/juicy exuberance. (Buy again? Sure.)
Cesanese di Olevano Romano 2008, Cirsium, Cantine Ciolli (c. €20, importation valise)
100% Cesanese di Affile from a vineyard planted in 1953 and located about 40 km east of Rome. Manually harvested. Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with frequent punching down. Macerated ten days, then racked into barrels for malolactic fermentation. Aged in barrels for about one year, bottled unfiltered and aged another two years before release. 14% ABV.
Savoury, even earthy nose: horse, graphite, dried herbs, tobacco. Medium- to full-bodied, more silky than velvety, dry. The dusty red fruit is pure and intense if not remarkably deep. Rough-hewn tannins and bright acidity make for an angular structure. Good length. An appealingly rustic wine that tastes like it might benefit from a couple more years in the cellar. (Buy again? Yes, if I could.)
Barolo 2007, Fratelli Alessandria ($40.25, 11797094)
100% Nebbiolo from six vineyards. Manually harvested. Fermented and macerated from 12 to 15 days in temperature-controlled tanks. Matured 32 to 34 months in large Slavonian and French oak casks, two months in stainless steel tanks and six or more months in the bottle. 14.5% ABV.
A bit of bricking at the rim suggests quick evolution. Raspberry rose, old wood and a hint of tar on the nose; silky, savoury red fruit and dried herbs on the palate. Somewhat austere despite the ripeness, and the tannins are still a little rebarbative. The long, aromatic finish shows some heat. Relatively approachable for a Barolo of this age, though a few more years in the cellar will do it no harm. If drinking now, carafe it at least a couple of hours before serving. (Buy again? If I weren’t so distracted by the Produttori del Barbaresco single-vineyard 2007s…)
MWG November 22nd tasting (3/5): A case study of terroir
While not part of the pioneering “Gang of Four” natural Beaujolais producers (Marcel Lapierre, Guy Breton, Jean-Paul Thévenet and Jean Foillard), Jean-Paul Brun has been making natural-leaning wines for a long time (his first vintage was 1977). Based in Charnay, in the southern Beaujolais, he also owns several cru vineyards in the north. He farms organically, harvests manually, ferments using the yeasts on the grapes’ skins and, preferring naturally lower alcohol levels, doesn’t chaptalize.
His other wine-making practices are more Burgundian than modern-day Beaujolaisian. Many Beaujolais producers favour carbonic maceration of whole clusters. But at Terres Dorées, the grapes are table-sorted, destemmed, placed in open vats and stomped. The resulting juice is macerated for three to four weeks, then transferred to concrete and/or oak vats, all depending on the cru and vintage. The wines are very lightly filtered and sulphured before bottling.
Though Brun’s wines have featured in several Mo’ Wine Group tastings, we’d never had the opportunity to taste side-by-side the three crus carried by the SAQ in the same vintage (Brun also produces a Fleurie that I’ve never seen on the monopoly’s shelves). As the wines are, for all intents and purposes, made identically, any discernible differences should be attributable to terroir. The idea behind this flight was to see what those differences would be.
Morgon 2010, Terres Dorées, Jean-Paul Brun ($19.85, 11589746)
100% Gamay from low-yielding old vines planted in very poor granitic and sandy soil in the Grand Cras section of the appellation, south of the Côte de Py. 12% ABV.
Effusively scented nose dominated by lightly candied cherry and slate. Rich and fluid. The ripe fruit is brightened by tangy acidity and deepened by faintly bitter minerals. The overriding impression is one of purity and freshness. Lovely and accessible, though like the other crus, capable of improving with some time in the cellar. (Buy again? Definitely.)
Côte de Brouilly 2010, Terres Dorées, Jean-Paul Brun ($19.25, 10520237)
100% Gamay from 50-year-old vines planted in blue granitic scree in the Petite Roche and Croix Desseigne sections of the appellation. 12% ABV.
Plummier, with a sappy, ferrous note. In the mouth, similar to – though more fruit-driven than – the Morgon, with the same mineral substrate. Silky texture, crisp acidity, good length. Enjoyable today but probably even better in two or three years. (Buy again? Yes.)
Moulin-à-Vent 2010, Terres Dorées, Jean-Paul Brun ($22.05, 10837331)
100% Gamay from low-yielding old vines planted in granitic soil in the Tour du Bief section of the appellation. 12% ABV.
Dark, inky, elegant nose: a step closer to Burgundy. The texture is smooth and velvety and the wine is the most structured of the three. But it’s also, for now, the most closed and least expressive. Vigorous chewing cracks open the door a little, revealing hints of cherry and black raspberry, forest floor and minerals. The potential is clearly there. Give it at least a couple more years in the cellar and up to ten. (Buy again? A patient yes.)
MWG November 22nd tasting (2/5): Three dry Vouvrays
Vouvray 2011, Les Argiles, Domaine François Chidaine ($25.55, 11461056)
100% biodynamically farmed Chenin Blanc from 40-year-old vines in several parcels. Manually harvested in several passes. Pneumatically pressed, fermented with native yeasts and matured in old wood demi-muids. No malolactic fermentation. 12.5% ABV.
A kaleidoscope of aromas and flavours: chalk, quince, melon, white and yellow stone fruit, citrus, linden, ginger and more. Thrilling balance between rich fruit and vibrant acidity. Long finish with crystalline minerals and a quinine-like bitter note. Wow! (Buy again? Definitely, for drinking now or cellaring up to a decade.)
Vouvray 2010, Clos Naudin, Philippe Foreau ($30.75, 11797220)
100% Chenin Blanc. Manually harvested in several passes. Pneumatically pressed with the stalks. Fermented with native yeasts. No chaptalization, acidification or malolactic fermentation. Matured in old barrels. Bottled with minimal sulphur. 13.5% ABV.
Reticent nose: “green almonds,” green pear, chalky minerals. Lacking coherence on first sip. Very dry with coursing acidity, pale white fruit and a streak of bitter minerals. Gained depth and appeal as it breathed and warmed, hinting at its potential. (Buy again? Only to stick in the cellar and forget about for a few years.)
Vouvray 2010, Domaine Vincent Carême ($23.45, 11633612)
100% organically farmed Chenin Blanc from vines 45 years old on average. Manually harvested. Fermented – full alcoholic, partial malolactic – and matured in old barrels. 14% ABV.
Ripe pear, flower sap, browning apple but the flavours turn cheesy in the glass and the wine falls flat. Different from – and far less attractive than – other bottles of this I’ve tasted and probably defective. The cork on our bottle was wet all the way to the top; since the wine showed well enough when carafed, I poured it; in retrospect, I should have exchanged it. (Buy again? Yes but maybe from another store.)
MWG November 22nd tasting (1/5): Two French sparklers
A tasting of 15 wines, including five from the November 22nd Cellier release and one importation valise. We began with two French sparklers.
Champagne grand cru, Réserve, H. Billiot ($49.75, 11818220)
75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay from up to 18 grand cru vineyards in Ambonnay. Usually a blend of three vintages. Fermented in stainless steel tanks. Does not undergo malolactic fermentation. Unfiltered. 13% ABV.
Browning apple and bread crust. Softly effervescent. Dry but rich, with a ripe-sweet fruit core (yellow apple and dried apricot) and plenty of acidity. A suggestion of brown sugar joins the minerals on the finish. Not bad though more complexity, tension and, well, dazzle would be welcome. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Vouvray mousseux 2010, Brut, Domaine Vincent Carême ($21.70, 11633591)
100% Chenin Blanc. The estate has been farming organically since 2002 and either has recently received organic certification or is about to. Made using the traditional method, with only yeast added for the second fermentation. Zero dosage. 13% ABV.
Complex and appealing nose: sour apple, lees, yeast, barley sugar, a hint of kerosene. Fine, sharp effervescence. The abundant acidity is checked by the faint residual sugar. Not a lot of flavour depth but a crystal-like structural depth. A minerally, faintly bitter streak that one taster described as burnt match lingers through the finish. Earlier bottles of this have shown better; the current shipment is just off the boat and may need a few weeks to settle down. (Buy again? Sure.)
MWG November 9th tasting: report (5/5)
Vacqueyras 2009, Cuvée Azalaïs, Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux ($28.25, 11796420)
70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and Cinsault from 35- to 40-year-old vines, organically farmed but not yet certified as such (the 2010 vintage reportedly will be). Manually harvested. Destemmed. Fermented in concrete vats with native yeasts and daily pumping over. Matured a minimum of six months in large barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 14% ABV.
Plum, garrigue, spice. Fluid and nicely structured, with welcome acidity and fine tannins that linger through the finish. Initial salty plum and fig sweetened and deepened, with leather, minerals and licorice adding savour. Long. An excellent, terroir-driven Vacqueyras, about the best pairing imaginable for a garlic- and herb-scented leg of lamb. (Buy again? Yes.)
Naoussa 2009, Terre et Ciel, Domaine Thymiopoulos ($28.40, 11814368)
This 100% Xinomavro is a blend of organically farmed grapes from three parcels and 40- to 70-year-old vines. Fermented in stainless steel vats with native yeasts. Matured in a mix of Burgundy barrels, 20% new. Bottled unfiltered, unfined and with a small squirt of sulphur dioxide. The estate, which has been in the Thymiopoulos family for generations, used to sell its grapes to Boutari. Now-30-something Apostolo had other ideas: he attended wine school, stopped selling grapes, started making wines under his own name and began converting to biodynamic farming. 14.5% ABV.
We’re not in the Rhône Valley anymore, Toto: marked aromas of V8 juice, black raspberry jam, kirsch and menthol. Rich but not heavy fruit and a velvety mouth-feel. Dry. The initially raspy tannins soften as the wine breathes. Long, black cherry and earthy/slatey finish with spice notes. Not exactly my style but, along with its younger sibling, easily the best Xinomavro I’ve tasted. Will be interesting to see what some bottle age brings. (Buy again? If in the market for an exotically flavoured, fruit-forward but savoury and balanced wine, yes.)
Lirac 2010, La Dame Rousse, Domaine de la Mordorée ($22.00, 11690836)
A 50-50 blend of Grenache and Syrah from 40-year-old vines. Manually harvested. Destemmed and given a long maceration. Fermented for 30 days at 34ºC (93ºF). 14.5% ABV.
Leather, spice, plum and eventually kirsch. Started off well – dry, tannic, structured, ripe – but seemed to take on weight and flatten as it breathed. That heaviness and two-dimensionality together with the alcoholic heat made for a distinctly unrefreshing mouthful. Many people love Mordorée but I’m about ready to give up on it. (Buy again? No.)
Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2009, Cuvée Réservée, Domaine du Pégau ($75.00, 11521354)
80% Grenache, 6% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre and 10% other varieties permitted in the appellation. Manually harvested. Fermented with the stems for ten to 14 days with native yeasts and twice daily pumping over. Slowly pressed. Allowed to settle over the winter, then racked into old oak barrels. Blended just before bottling. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. 14% ABV.
Horsehair, garrigue, turned earth, hint of tar, savoury meat, black fruit. Rich, dense and very ripe yet quite acidic. Structured though the tannins are fine. Long with a little kirschy heat flaring on the finish. At this point early in its life, lacking cohesion and devoid of charm. Unlike the 1995, which was as approachable and seductive in its youth as it was a year ago, this bordered on galumphing. Obviously a thoroughbred and likely to evolve into something impressive. But Pégau used to be thought of as one of the more “feminine” Châteauneufs, and I have a hard time imagining anyone ever using that descriptor for this wine, even 15 or 20 years down the road. (Buy again? Probably not.)
MWG November 9th tasting: report (4/5)
Dolcetto d’Alba 2010, Enzo Boglietti ($20.20, 10856726)
100% Dolcetto. Fermented with native yeasts for seven days in temperature-controlled vats with punching down and pumping over several times a day. Matured for nine months in a mixture of French oak barrels and stainless steel vats. 14% ABV.
Violets, earth, plum and blackberry, a whiff of alcohol. Not expressive at first but opening up. The velvety fruit – lightened by acidity, darkened by a slatey, bitter undertow – cloaks the light but firm tannins. Perceptible in the added sweetness and vanilla note, the oak doesn’t get in the way. Long and pure. Modern but well made and tasty. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Barbera d’Alba Superiore 2007, Scudetto, Giuseppe Mascarello e Figlio ($24.60, 11472361)
100% Barbera from 60- to 70-year-old vines. Floating-cap fermentation for 15-20 days. Matured in used French oak barrels for around 18 months. 14.5% ABV.
Clay, dried herbs, tar and blackberry/black cherry. Soft, round and a bit heavy on the palate, with somber fruit and dark minerals. The weighty feel is balanced only partially by acidity. Light tannins and some alcoholic heat (though not as much as you might expect) come to the fore on the rustic finish. A somewhat glum wine that I found myself respecting more than loving. (Buy again? Maybe in a less ripe vintage.)
Dolcetto d’Alba 2011, Fratelli Alessandria ($19.35, 11580186)
100% Dolceto from vines averaging 18 years of age. Manually harvested. Fermented six to eight days in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Matured six to eight months in stainless steel and cement vats. Unfiltered and unfined. The must is dosed with a little sulphur dioxide, as is the finished wine at bottling. 13% ABV.
Floral (dried rose?), cherry, currant, slate. A fluid and tart middleweight. Bright red and black berries with some earthy/slatey undertones and a bittersweet streak. Light tannins provide a little rasp, while a lingering sourness takes the finish into lip-smacking territory. A leaner, more traditionally styled Dolcetto than the Boglietti, and all the better for it. The pizza wine par excellence. (Buy again? Yep.)
Barbera d’Alba 2010, Punset ($20.70, 10985747)
100% organically farmed Barbera. Manually harvested. Gently pressed and fermented on the skins. Aged in stainless steel vats for several months. 13.5% ABV.
Spicy plum, graphite, earth, funk. Medium-bodied with a velvety texture, pure fruit, a hint of smoke and tar, light tannins and lots of acidity. Good clean finish. An honest and unadorned Barbera not without appeal. (Buy again? Sure.)
MWG November 9th tasting: report (3/5)
Crémant de Loire 2004, Extra Brut, Quadrille, Langlois-Chateau ($28.40, 11791670)
A quadrille is an 18th-century dance involving four couples. Here it refers to the four grape varieties used – Chenin Blanc (50%), Chardonnay (30%), Cabernet Franc (15%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) – and the four Saumur vineyards where the grapes are grown. Manually harvested. Pneumatically pressed. Each vineyard’s produce is vinified separately in temperature-controlled vats and subsequently blended. Made using the traditional method. Matured on the lees for four years. The champagne house Bollinger has owned Langlois-Chateau (spelled sans circumflex, TYVM) since 1973. 12.5% ABV.
Initially odd nose – wet dog and honeysuckle – segues into more appealing sour apple and yeast. Clean and bright on the palate. Straightfowardly fruity but very dry. Fine effervesence and crisp acidity lighten the fairly rich texture. Lingering minerals. Well fashioned, even elegant, if a little short on personality. (Buy again? Maybe, though equally interesting and more characterful sparklers can be found for less.)
Champagne grand cru, Blanc de Blancs, Réserve Brut, De Sousa ($69.25, 11797369)
100% Chardonnay from the Avise, Cramant, Le Mesnil sur Oger, Chouilly and Oger grand cru vineyards. A blend of two or three vintages with a minimum of 25% barrel-aged vin de réserve. Made entirely from tête de cuvée juice (the first out of the press). Vinified in temperature-controlled metal vats. Unchaptalized. 12.5% ABV.
Barley sugar, browning apple, hints of buttered toast. Quite rich and full, with faint oxidized fruit and honey notes. The round bubbles provide lift and ripe acidity keeps things taut. Underpinning crystals and chalk add complexity. Long, tasty finish. (Buy again? Maybe, though equally interesting Champagnes can be found for less.)
MWG November 9th tasting: report (2/5)
Chablis premier cru 2010, Beauregard, Domaine Pattes Loup ($35.75, 11784998)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay (reportedly biodynamic too, though apparently not yet certified as such). Manually harvested, which is quite rare in the region. Fermented (with native yeasts) and aged mostly in neutral oak with a fraction in stainless steel. Left on the lees through malolactic fermentation. Bottled unfiltered and unfined with minimal sulphur dioxide. 12.5% ABV.
Classic nose: lemon, flint and a faint lactic note. Rich, fluid, pure and open. At this point the vibrant fruit seems more of a driving force than the ripe acidity, giving the wine a Beaune-ish allure, though the long, minerally finish speaks with a definite Chablis accent. Elemental and delicious. (Buy again? Yes, but quick – the SAQ’s stocks are dwindling fast.)
Arbois 2010, Chardonnay, Les Bruyères, Domaine André et Mureille Tissot ($35.25, 11542139)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from 30- to 70-year-old vines. Manually harvested, pneumatically pressed, fermented with native yeasts. Vinified and aged in oak barrels, a fraction of which are new. Lightly filtered and sulphured at bottling. 13% ABV.
Complex, and-now-for-something-completely-different nose: banana (including the peel), straw, “Jägermeister,” white lily and, wait, is that popcorn? Rich, broad and dense in the mouth. Oxidized but not nutty fruit with a saline edge – think brined apple and pear – structured by acidity and chalky minerals. Subtle oak and dried honey notes emerge on the persistent finish. Will benefit from a couple of years in the cellar or a couple of hours in a carafe. (Buy again? Yes.)
Brett happens 