Posts Tagged ‘Off the beaten path’
Nuragus 101
Nuragus di Cagliari 2013, I Fiori, Pala ($16.70, 12391942)
100% Nuragus from 45-year-old vines growing in southern Sardinia, near Cagliari. The grapes are pressed immediately upon arriving at the winery. The resulting must is allowed to clarify by settling. Fermented in temperature-controlled (15°C) stainless steel tanks with selected yeasts, then clarified (filtered?). Matured in stainless steel vats for a few months before bottling. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Élixirs vins et spiritueux.
White flowers, white fruit and hints of hay and lemon peel. Ripe and densish on the palate. A touch of residual sugar rounds the attack but the yellow apple turns appealingly sour on the bitter-edged, acid-nippy finish. Not complex or deep but unusual, flavourful and delivering good QPR. Uses? Sip while making dinner or, as the winery suggests, serve with non-oily white fish and seafood simply prepared in the Mediterranean style. (Buy again? Sure.)
MWG March 12th tasting: flight 1 of 7.
MWG February 18th tasting: Noddities
The idea for this eclectic flight? Easy-drinking reds, all new arrivals, made from off-the-beaten-path grape varieties. New + oddity = noddity.
IGT Maremma Toscana 2013, Ciliegiolo, Azienda Il Grillesino ($17.85, 12280695)
100% Ciliegiolo from vines grown in stony clay-limestone soil near the Tuscan coast. The grapes were fermented in temperature-controlled tanks for 15 days. Matured for six months. Sees no oak. Bottled unfiltered in the spring following the vintage. 12.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Mark Anthony Brands.
Spice, cherry, black raspberry, lingonberry, hints of chocolate, caramel and, oddly, “white vinegar” (quoting another taster). Fruity, supple and light though gaining a little weight as it moves through the mouth. Tart acidity keeps things refreshing, lightly raspy tannins add texture and a bit of backbone. Simple but quaffable, especially if served lightly chilled and with food. I wish it were $4 or $5 cheaper. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Valle de la Orortava 2013, 7 Fuentes, Soagranorte ($22.10, 12475425)
A 90-10 blend of Listán Negro and Tintilia (which, despite claims that it’s Grenache, Mourvèdre or Molise’s Tintilia, appears to be none other than the Jura’s Trousseau aka Bastardo) from ungrafted vines between ten and 100 years old grown in various parcels at altitudes ranging from 400 to 650 m on Tenerife. The grapes from each vineyard were vinified separately. Manually harvested in early September. Alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts and manual punch-downs was in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Sixty percent of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation and eight months’ maturation in 5,700-litre concrete tanks while the remainder was matured in 500-litre French oak casks. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: Les vins Alain Bélanger.
The bottle at the tasting was irredeemably bretty, reeking of barnyard. The staff at my neighbourhood SAQ reported the same of the bottle they opened. A bottle enjoyed last weekend was funky at first but clean-smelling after a couple of hours in a carafe. Unusual nose of sandalwood, sawdust and spice with whiffs of doner and plum. Supple, fluid and medium-bodied, ripe and fruit-forward but not a bomb. Very dry, with soft, dusty tannins, glowing acidity and a dark mineral underlay. A faint, alum-like astringency marks the saline finish. Unusual, interesting and, above all, drinkable. Food pairing? Well-done red meat, maybe one of those doners. (Buy again? Yes.)
IGP Ismaros 2010, Maronia, Tsantali ($13.00, 12460354)
100% Mavroudi (aka Mavrud) grown in estate-owned vineyards around Maroneia. Alcoholic fermentation lasts eight to ten days, after which the wine is left on the grape skins for another two or three days. After pressing, it undergoes malolactic fermentation and then is transferred to new 300-litre French oak barrels for eight months’ maturation. 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: Amphora.
Jammy plum, sweet spice, sawed wood and “cherry Vicks.” Medium- to full-bodied. The big but not lumbering fruit is structured by soft acidity and round tannins. An undercurrent of tar adds an appealing earthiness. Black pepper and vanilla-caramel colour the finish. Broader than it is deep but, at $13, who’s complaining? A bottle I opened a few days before the tasting seemed lighter and less fruit-driven. Either way, it’s a QPR winner. (Buy again? Sure.)
(Flight: 3/5)
Gossamer yet tonic
Moselle Luxembourgeoise 2012, Premier Grand Cru, Côtes de Grevenmacher, Riesling, Caves Bernard-Massard ($20.50, 10790229)
100% Riesling from estate and/or purchased grapes grown on the west bank of the Moselle, where the river forms the border between Luxembourg and Germany. Manually harvested. Pressed with a pneumatic press. Temperature-controlled fermentation in 60-hl stainless steel tanks. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: Univins.
Smells like Riesling: green apple, lemon, minerals vacillating between chalk and quartz. No petrol though. Light- to medium-bodied. Fruity but, in contradiction to the demi-sec designation on the SAQ’s shelf label, dry, with just enough residual sugar to tone down the high-pitched acidity. The background minerals outlast the fruit on the clean finish. A gossamer wine with little depth and a fleeting presence – like those stars you can see only when looking at them indirectly – yet somehow tonic. Closer in spirit to an Alsatian than to a German MSR, though with a foot in each camp and more insubstantial than either. I like but wish there were a little more to it. (Buy again? Maybe.)
MWG November 11th tasting: Mistelle nouvelle
Well, nouvelle to me in any case. This has been part of Janisson-Baradon’s lineup for at least a decade. Until 2005, only one small cask – around 300 bottles – was made per vintage (the “single cask” designation was originally something of a joke). Production has reportedly since tripled.
Ratafia de Champagne 2010, Single Cask, Janisson-Baradon ($55.25/700 ml, private import, 12 bottles/case)
A vin de liqueur or mistelle — a mixture of alcohol (often marc) and fresh grape juice — similar to Jura’s Macvin or Gascogne’s Floc. In this case, the juicy grapes are Pinot Noir harvested in 2010 (the juice comes from the third and final pressing) and the alcohol is neutral spirits so as not to interfere with the other flavours. Matured two years in 225-litre, third-fill oak casks. Lightly filitered before bottling. At least 140 grams sugar per litre. 18% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Nothing like the insipid industrial vins de liqueur, this looks, smells and tastes like an artisanal product. The impressively complex nose features fig, spice, brown sugar and a hint of milk chocolate. On the palate, it’s rich and sweet but not heavy or cloying, thanks in large part to the lively acidity. Echoing the nose, the flavours are sustained through the long, layered finish. Contemplation-worthy. (Buy again? Yes.)
Like Pineau des Charentes, ratafias are often drunk as an aperitif. This, however, is more appropriate for the end of the meal – on its own as a digestif, with blue cheese or accompanying a rich, spicy, not overly sweet dessert like a cinnamon-scented, nut-rich persimmon pudding. The producer also recommends it as a pairing for foie gras. Why not? Whatever you serve it with, make sure it’s well chilled.
(Flight: 9/9)
MWG November 13th tasting: Blanc de Francs
Vin de France 2012, K. Blanc, Ferme de Mont-Benault ($32.32, private import, 6 bottles/case)
Named after the Mont-Benault lieu-dit in Faye d’Anjou, the 6-hectare estate, 4 hectares of which are in production, was created in 2009 and is owned and operated by Stéphane Rocher. Rocher is a neighbour of Richard Leroy, the winegrower featured in the celebrated graphic novel Les ignorants. Organic farming (AB certification), manual harvesting, light racking, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, conservation of the fermentation gases, no fining and minimal sulphuring (only at bottling) are the guiding principles. Most of the wines are designated vin de France, meaning the labels can state neither the vintage nor constituent grape varieties. This 2012 is a still blanc de noirs made from Cabernet Franc with a dollop (10%) of lees-stirred Chenin Blanc. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Complex, one-of-a-kind nose of minerals, wax and faint pickle juice. Equally inscrutable and intriguing in the mouth, with a certain heft and roundness, fruit tending to pear, underpinning acidity, a vein of flinty chalk and a touch of bitterness on the long finish. Can easily see this working with walleye or other freshwater fish. (Buy again? Yes, especially if in the mood for something different.)
(Flight: 4/9)
MWG October 2nd tasting: Moschofilero, still and sparkling
The tasting began with a challenge. As usual, the wines were served double-blind, with the bottles hidden in bags and no information on their provenance provided. For the first flight, the tasters were told only that the two wines had all kinds of connections. Could they deduce what the connections were?
Mantinia 2013, Moschofilero, Domaine Tselepos ($19.00, 11097485)
100% Moschofilero. The grapes are macerated eight hours at 10°C, then pneumatically pressed. Fermentation with selected yeasts and in stainless steel vats is at 12°C and lasts 20 days with regular stirring. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Aromatic nose: citrus and chalk along with white spice and orange blossom aromas that seem to place it midway between a Muscat and a Gewürztraminer. In the mouth, it’s clean and dry with a faint spritzy tingle. The forward fruit (grapefruit and peach) is held in check by bright acidity and threads of pith-like bitterness and saline minerality. A floral note perfumes the finish. More vivacious than deep (not that there’s anything wrong with that), this QPR winner makes a fine aperitif and is also a natural with Ottolenghi-esque vegetable salads and simple seafood dishes flavoured with aromatics like basil and fresh ginger. (Buy again? Yes.)
Arkadia NV, Amalia Brut, Méthode traditionnelle, Domaine Tselepos ($25.35, 11901103)
The world’s first naturally sparkling Moschofilero. The grapes are picked when their sugar is low and acidity high. Made using the traditional method. First fermentation is in stainless steel tanks and lasts 12 months. The wine is then bottled with several grams of rock sugar and closed with a crown cap. The sugar ferments, producing the carbon dioxide gas that gives the wine its sparkle. At the end of this second fermentation, the bottles are hand-riddled, disgorged and closed with cork stoppers. 12% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Discreet nose: subtle fruit, faint minerals (“dried plaster” noted one taster) and hints of mead and yeasty ginger beer. Clean and dry with a fine bead. The fruit is greener and leaner than the still wine’s, tending more to lemon. The minerality is more pronounced and the acidity zingier. The grape’s intrinsic floral and spice aromas emerge mainly on the finish and even then are subdued. Comparisons with its sibling aside, this crisp and refreshing wine is a pleasure to drink. Can hold its own against any similarly priced sparkler on the market. (Buy again? Yes.)
A few tasters guessed that the wines were made by the same producer – no surprise there. One or two hesitatingly ventured that they might be made from the same grapes. A request to identify the country and region of origin elicited numerous replies, Alsace being the most common, but no one guessed Greece. Even after the bottles were unveiled, the connections between the wines qua wine were not particularly obvious, were ones you had to look for to draw. Still, just about everyone around the table enjoyed both wines, said they were surprising and considered them good buys.
(Flight: 1/6)
A lot of deliciousness for $30
Vino de la tierra de Mallorca 2012, 12 Volts, 4 Kilos vinícola ($29.25, 11852479)
A blend of Callet–Fogoneu (50%), Syrah (30%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) and Merlot (10%) from vineyards in various parts of Majorca. Manually harvested. Macerated and fermented in stainless steel vats – initially at 20°C and rising to 28°C – for 20 days. After malolactic fermentation ended, the wine was transferred to a mix of 3,000-litre foudres (40%) and 225-litre French oak barrels (30% second fill and 30% third fill). 44,000 bottles made. 14% ABV. Quebec agent: Entreprise UVAS.
Beguiling, multifaceted if subdued nose: blackberry, herbes de Provence, sweet spice, dark minerals, sawed wood, leather, kirsch. Smooth and elegant in the mouth. Heady but more medium- than full-bodied. Transitions from sweet-ripe fruity on entry to dry, minerally, old-woody and intriguingly tart on exit, so more savoury than fruit-driven. The silky tannins turn a little astringent on the sustained finish. Not deep but far from superficial, it delivers a lot of deliciousness for $30. (Buy again? Yep.)
The estate’s name refers to the two owners’ start-up stake in the winery (4 million pesetas), the smallness of the sum being explained by the fact that wines were originally made in a low-overhead garage. The wine’s striking label is the work of Gary Baseman.
MWG September 11th tasting: A classic Vranec?
We took a short break from Glou wines to spend some time with a bottle a member had purchased in New York City.
Tikveš 2011, Vranec, Classic, Stobi (US$13, importation valise)
The winery is located in the centre of the country, near the Strobi archeological site, from whence it takes its name. Local and international varieties are used to make four lines of wine: premium, classic, elite and traditional. This 100% Vranac (Vranec in Macedonian) comes from estate-grown grapes. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, matured in very large oak barrels and reportedly vegan-friendly, which may mean it wasn’t fined. The winery boasts of using less sulphur than many competitors. 14.5% ABV.
“Smells like selected yeasts,” were the first words out of sommelier Jack Jacob’s mouth. Other aromas included cedar, cherry and, oddly enough, blackberry yogurt. In the mouth, the wine was full-bodied, dense and coarse. Recalling dark berries and plum, the fruit was rough-framed by rustic tannins and buoyed by soft acidity. Spice notes turned cedary on the heady finish. One-dimensional, this “odd man out,” as one taster put it, was not done any favours by being tasted in the company of such beautiful natural wines that, it should be noted, run two, three or even four times its price. In another context, say alongside a weeknight meat pie, kebabs, stew or casserole (musaka, for example), it might well prove more satisfying. (Buy again? Maybe.)
A year or two ago, the 2010 was sold at the LCBO for $11.95.
(Flight: 7/9)
Grappato?
Finishing off the tail end of a bottle of this impressive pomace brandy, two friends and I brainstormed a collective tasting note. Their contributions are in quotes. This being a new product made in micro-quantities, there’s virtually no mention of it on the Web and no technical information that I’ve been able to find. Even Occhipinti’s website is silent on the subject.
Grappa di Frappato, Arianna Occhipinti ($73.50/500 ml, 12329401)
Distilled from the pomace of organically farmed Frappato grapes. 44% ABV. Quebec agent: oenopole.
Crazy complex nose: “Tequila-like” “agave” then fruitiness (dried cherry, “raspberry jam with lots of pectin,” “russet apple”) then spice (anise, caraway) then “old-fashioned black licorice.” After ten minutes in the glass, the fruit evanesces leaving “green” and spice with hints of “pineapple sake,” dried violet and mastic. Mouth-filling and flavourful on first sip. Clean and polished but with a welcome rustic bite. A “green herbal note” brings “oregano” and “bison grass vodka” to mind. There’s some background cherry too. It’s dry and fiery but not harsh – the alcohol’s warm, not burning – and the finish lasts for minutes. “What distinguishes this is that it evolves so much in the glass.” Also, as another imbiber pointed out, while eaux-de-vie like framboise and mirabelle are made from the whole fruit, this is made from the grape pulp, skins, seeds and stems left over from winemaking and yet, in contrast to many grappas, it manages to retain a definite fruitiness. Literally and figuratively breathtaking. (Buy again? “Yes.” “Yes.” Yes.)
MWG June 12th tasting: A sweet, sparkling, natural Garganega
Veneto 2011, Dolce Racrei, Davide Spillare ($40.00, private import, 6 bottles/case)
100% Garganega from organically farmed (though apparently not certified as such) vines. Manually harvested and placed on wooden frames for about four months to partially raisinate. Fermented in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts for six months. The wine is then bottled unfiltered, unfined and with no added sulphur. In the spring and summer, as the cellar warms up, the wine resumes fermenting, converting some of the residual sugar into alcohol, producing carbon dioxide gas as a by-product and thereby creating the sparkle (see méthode ancestral). 13.5% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV/Insolite.
Hazy pale gold with a fine bead. Intriguing, aromatic nose: orange marzipan, brioche, pear clafoutis and a whiff of something lactic. In the mouth, it’s a softly effervescent middleweight, a tad sweeter than demi-sec but with the sugar checked by abundant acidity. Flavours? Baked apple dominates, hay field and chalk chime in. An orange wine-like hint of bitter tannins colour the finish. Odd but interesting – a great way to end a great tasting. (Buy again? Sure.)
Brett happens 