Posts Tagged ‘Organic’
MWG January 16th tasting (2/8): Brave old world
Most ampelographers and wine historians consider the South Caucasus region – and more specifically, the part occupied by modern-day Georgia – to be the birthplace of wine-making, with archeological evidence stretching back some 8,000 or 9,000 years. Although modern-styled Georgian wines can be found, the most interesting continue to be made using traditional techniques. The grapes – some of the hundreds of indigenous varieties found in Georgia – are picked and trod. The resulting must is transferred, along with the skins, ripe stems and seeds, to large qvevri, terracotta jars lined with beeswax and sunk into the cool ground, where it ferments (with indigenous yeasts) and matures. The process, from start to finish, is nicely summarized in this recent video.
The resulting wines are full of character – they’ve got guts, as Hugh Johnson puts it – and are unlike any other. Like Jura wines, they aren’t to everyone’s taste and even those of us who are fascinated by them may find themselves forced to abandon their usual appreciation criteria and descriptors, taken out of their comfort zone and questioning what it is they want from a wine. It’s a brave new old world and one we’re glad to have the opportunity to explore.
Kakheti 2011, Mtsvane, Pheasant’s Tears ($31,00, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
100% organically farmed Mtsvane. 12.5% ABV.
Candied peach, “scrambled egg sticking to the skillet,” a lactic whiff of cheese or whey. Fruity but dry. The sleek acidity comes out on the long finish, where it’s joined by a faintly tannic rasp and a hint of oxidation. Intriguing. (Buy again? Yes, maybe to serve with the grilled trout stuffed with green onion, lemon and tarragon from The Georgian Feast.)
Chardakhi 2011, Chinuri, Iago’s Wine ($35.20, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
Chardakhi is a village located in Kartli province near the ancient city of Mtskheta, about 20 km north of Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. This 100% organically farmed Chinuri clocks in at 14% ABV. See this Alice Feiring blog post for background on the 2009.
Unfortunately, ours was an off bottle, though you could still tell this is rich, powerful orange wine with structure and dimension. (Buy again? Yes.)
Kakheti 2011, Chinuri, Pheasant’s Tears ($27.25, NLA)
100% organically farmed Chinuri. 12% ABV. A last-minute replacement for the off Chardakhi.
Constantly evolving nose marked by dried dill and pine resin. Medium-bodied, dry and crisp. The flavour is an odd but not unpleasant combination of fresh rainwater and oxidized fruit (pear and citrus?). A bit tannic on the finish, though fundamentally fleet. Not much changed from a year ago. (Buy again? Moot but I’m glad I have another bottle left.)
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.
Somewhereness 2013: Southbrook Vineyards
Located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the peninsula’s sunniest and warmest micro-climate (whence, one assumes, the rare focus on Cabernet Sauvignon), Southbrook Vineyards purchased its first 75 acres of land in 2005 and added another 75 in 2008. The estate has been certified organic and biodynamic since 2008 and uses only indigenous yeasts. The sleek, LEED Gold-certified winery building was designed by Jack Diamond, architect of Montreal’s new symphony hall.
Chardonnay 2012, Triomphe, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($24.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
100% Chardonnay. The pressed juice of the grapes from the Reimer and Gemmrich vineyard was allowed to cool-settle for 12 hours, then racked into stainless steel tanks for spontaneous fermentation and ageing on the lees. Meanwhile, Southbrook Estate grapes were whole-cluster pressed, cool-settled and racked into French oak barrels for spontaneous fermentation and ageing on the lees. Selected barrels were blended with the stainless steel lot, filtered (but not fined) and bottled. Screwcapped. Vegan-compatible. 12.5% ABV.
Lemon, peach, oak spice. A creamy-textured middleweight in the mouth. The bright fruit (apple and stone) is noticeably sweet, a bit more than necessary to take the edge off the lilting acidity. Solid finish whose freshness is tempered by faint caramel. (Buy again? At the Ontario price of $21.95, maybe.)
Winemaker’s White 2011, Whimsy, Niagara Peninsula VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($34.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
A blend of Chardonnay (58%), Sémillon (27%) and Muscat (15%). Harvested on the same day, the three varieties were combined and pressed. The must was racked into old oak barrels for spontaneous fermentation and maturation. Bottled filtered but unfined. Screwcapped. Vegan-compatible. 13% ABV.
Fragrant nose: preserved lemon, tropical fruit and, a bit incongruously, wool. Fruity (not to excess) and off-dry, the sugar effectively counterbalanced by underlying acidity. The long, browning apple finish gains some citrus pith and a hint of wax. Well made but not really my style. Plus there’s the issue of price: hard to swallow when $35 gets you, say, Huet’s beautiful 2011 Clos du Bourg and a loony in change. (Buy again? Probably not.)
Cabernet Franc 2010, Triomphe, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($24.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
Cabernet Franc (85%) and Merlot (15%). Manually harvested. Destemmed then 50% crushed. Spontaneous fermentation in oak vat with a total maceration time of four weeks, followed by pressing, settling and 12 months in barrels. Selected barrels were blended, filtered (but not fined) and bottled. Vegan-compatible. 13% ABV.
Red and black berries, spice and a green tobacco note. Medium-bodied. The sleek fruit is energized by bright acidity, darkened by graphite and ruffled by fine tannins that give this fundamentally supple wine welcome grain and a velvety astringency. Clean finish with lingering spice. (Buy again? Sure.)
Winemaker’s Red 2007, Whimsy, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($34.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
No tech info found. Going by other vintages, this is probably a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
Evolved, complex, tertiary nose: cassis and black raspberry, underbrush, tobacco and graphite. Medium-bodied, smoothly textured and resolved though not over the hill, with enough acidity to keep the fruit bright and frisky. Round tannins linger into the finish, whose lightly candied fruit intertwines with more savoury flavours. Well made if a little anonymous. (Buy again? Maybe.)
Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Triomphe, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($24.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
No tech info found. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Vegan-compatible, which probably means it’s unfined. 14.1% ABV.
Candied cassis, sawed wood and spice. Medium-bodied. Ripe and fruity. Tart acidity and gritty tannins provide textural/structural interest. Faint tobacco and vanilla scent the long finish. Straightforward, versatile and fun. (Buy again? Sure.)
Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Whimsy, Niagara-on-the-Lake VQA, Southbrook Vineyards ($34.95, Trialto, 12 bottles/case)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Manually harvested. Destemmed, 50% crushed, fermented with indigenous yeasts in an oak vat (four weeks’ total maceration time), then pressed, settled and racked into mainly French oak barrels (71% new). After 13 months, the barrels were selected, blended, lightly filtered (but not fined) and bottled. Vegan-compatible. 13.3% ABV.
Appealing set of aromas and flavours: dark fruit, spice, crushed stone, tobacco leaf, discreet oak. Medium-bodied. Polished and evolved, with smooth tannins and acidity. Less fruit-driven and more savoury than the Triomphe, with an added layer of minerals and depth. Long, astringent, earth- and herb-inflected finish. The most Bordeaux-like Ontario wine I’ve tasted. (Buy again? Yes.)
So Tissot
Arbois 2011, Chardonnay, Domaine André et Mireille Tissot ($24.95, 11194701)
100% organically and biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from vines more than a quarter of a century old. Manually harvested. Pneumatically pressed. Fermented with native yeasts and matured for 12 months in oak barrels that are kept topped up so the wine doesn’t oxidize. Lightly filtered. A miniscule amount of sulphur dioxide is added at bottling. 13.5% ABV.
Pear, lemon, chalk, faint dried herbs, distant smoke. Intense on the palate, the richness cut by bracing acidty. The wine’s tension, fruit and crystalline minerality are reminiscent of Chablis but the flavours are otherwise: earthier and showing hints of oxidized butter (probably salted), white spice and something vaguely floral like chamomile or fennel pollen. The long, clean finish is tangy in that way that almost requires you to take another sip. Stupendous QPR. (Buy again? Oh, yes.)
MWG October 17th tasting (4/5): Poor man’s Priorat?
Montsant 2011, Cellers Can Blau ($22.95, 11034644)
A new project started by the owners of Bodegas Juan Gil. Carignan (40%), Syrah (40%) and Grenache (20%) from vines averaging 40 years old. Manually harvested. Matured 12 months in French oak barrels, 30% new. 14.5% ABV according to the SAQ; 15.5% ABV according to the label. This flight’s Cellier New Arrivals wine.
Oak, spice, vanilla, slate and eventually toast. Grew in interest as it breathed. Rich and chocolatey on the palate. Fruit (black and blue) marks the attack, minerals the mid-palate and spice the finish. Hides the alcohol well but the combination of soft structure, low acidity and ultraripe fruit makes for a wine that’s more flaccid and lethargic than ideal. (Buy again? Meh.)
Montsant 2010, Vespres, Celler Dosterras ($23.90, 11667361)
A blend of Grenache (80%) and Samso (aka Carignan) from 20- to 50-year-old vines that are farmed organically, though the estate doesn’t appear to be certified. Manually harvested. Macerated and fermented in stainless steel tanks, then transferred to oak barrels for malolactic maceration. Matured 11 months in 300-litre French oak barrels. No clarification or stabilization until bottling, when it is very lightly filtered. Bottle-aged at least three months before release. 14% ABV.
Appealing nose: leather, old wood, dried earth, slate, blackberry and raspberry. A tasty if concentrated mouthful of spicy red and black fruit with redwood and spice, structuring tannins and enlivening acidity. Very dry for such a juicy wine. Long. The best of the three. (Buy again? Quite possibly.)
Montsant 2011, Jaspi Negre, Coca i Fitó ($18.50, 11387351)
Jaspi is the label for the estate’s entry-level Montsants. The red is made from Grenache (45%), Carignan (25%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Syrah (15%) from organically farmed 15- to 90-year old vines. Manually harvested. Matured three to four months in French and American oak barrels. 14.5% ABV.
Candied cherry, marshmallow, hints of cinnamon and licorice. In the mouth, it proves relatively simple, dry but intensely fruity. Saved from bombdom by a sour/bitter current, dark mineral substrate and sufficient if subdued structure. The fair finish brings some roasted coffee and chocolate but not the expected alcoholic flare. Would probably show better at the dining – not the tasting – table. (Buy again? Maybe.)
oenopole workshop: charcuteries + uve italiane (3/3)
The tasting ended with a gorgeous orange wine, the first to be sold at the SAQ.
Sicilia IGT 2011, Ramì, Azienda Agricola COS ($27.25, 12024237)
Biodynamically farmed Inzolia (50%) and Grecanico (50%) from vines averaging ten years old and growing in calcareous soil. Yield: 50 quintals per hectare. The grapes are manually harvested in 12 kg cases, destemmed, soft-crushed and macerated on the skins and pips for ten days. Temperature-controlled fermentation (with indigenous yeasts) and maturation take place in concrete tanks. The wine is filtered before bottling with a 2-micron filter. No sulphur is used during the wine-making but a small squirt of sulphur dioxide is added at bottling. 12% ABV.
Another beautiful, wafting nose: straw, spice, beeswax, hints of dried apricot and sandpaper. The texture is smooth and full, while the sweet and savoury fruit has overtones of dried orange peel, nuts (more almond or pine than hazel) and faint, faint gingersnap. Bright acidity and ghostly tannins add firmness and tension. Long, balanced and remarkably fresh. A haunting beauty. (Buy again? Most definitely.)
As was noted at the tasting, orange wines’ savour, weight and structure tend to make them vins gastronomiques – wines that show best with food or even demand food. Yet while the Ramì proved to be an excellent pairing for the porchetta di testa, it was equally delicious on its own. Its freshness, lightness and barely noticeable tannins mean it’s a far from radical example of the style – a beginner’s orange wine, as it were – but on its own terms it is wholly satisfying, a testament to the winemaker’s craft.
oenopole workshop: charcuteries + uve italiane (2/3)
The workshop’s raison d’être was the second flight and its centrepiece, a long board covered with an impressive array of charcuterie made by Ségué Lepage of Le Comptoir charcuteries et vins: buttery pork liver mousse, dried sausages flavoured with fennel seed or cumin, coppa, soppressata, porchetta di testa (slices of a large rolled sausage, the Italian take on headcheese), pâté de campagne, chorizo and a couple I’m forgetting. Accompaniments included cornichons, pickled fennel and Le Comptoir’s irresistible cumin “mustard,” though the quality of the salumi was so high they seemed unnecessary, like gilt for a lily.
Sangiovese di Romagna 2011, Scabi, San Valentino ($18.00, 11019831)
The 28-hectare estate is located just inland from Rimini on Italy’s Adriatic coast. 100% Sangiovese from decade-old vines. Manually harvested, destemmed, macerated at low temperature for eight days then fermented with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Half the wine is matured in stainless steel and half in second-fill oak barrels for six months. Sulphur is added only at bottling. 14% ABV.
Dired cherry, spice, background leather, turned earth and terracotta and a kirschy high note. Velevty texture. Fruit forward but not a bomb, thanks in part to the coursing acidity. Dark minerals and just a hint of oak add depth. Fine tannins lend an astringent edge to the finish. The best vintage of this wine to date and a definite QPR winner. (Buy again? Yep.)
> Handled the crazy delicious pork liver mousse better than any other wine in the flight. Ditto the chile-spiced sausages, probably due to its juicy fruit. Still, this food-friendly wine is arguably even better suited to fare like grilled meats and vegetables and savoury, tomato-based pasta dishes (spaghetti with meat ragu or pesto rosso, for example).
Langhe 2011, Nebbiolo, Produttori del Barbaresco ($23.10, 11383617)
100% Nebbiolo from young vines, all of which are located within the Barbaresco DOC. Fermented with selected “Barolo” yeasts at 28ºC in stainless steel tanks. Macerated on the skins for 24 days. Matured six months in very large oak barrels. No fining, light filtering, minimal sulphur dioxide. 14.5% ABV according to the label; 13.5% ABV according to the SAQ (I suspect the label is closer to the truth).
Cherry, underbrush, slate, old wood, hints of truffle and kirsch. Smooth and silky, with clean fruit, bright acidity and fine, supple tannins. Underlying minerals give depth. Good length and beautiful balance. As predicted, this has come together in the months since it first appeared on the SAQ’s shelves. Unbeatable QPR. (Buy again? Of course.)
> Best with the very fresh-tasting pâté de campagne and coppa. It also played interestingly with the spice in the cumin saucisson, whose saltiness brought out the wine’s fruit.
Cerasuolo di Vittoria 2010, Classico, Azienda Agricola COS ($33.75, 11577391)
Biodynamically farmed Nero d’Avola (60%) and Frappato (40%) from 25-year-old vines. Temperature-controlled fermentation with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats. Aged in barrels for 18 to 24 months. Bottled unfiltered. 13% ABV.
Beautiful wafting nose: dried cherry and cranberry, garrigue, sun-baked earth, air-dried beef. Medium-bodied with a silky, almost Burgundian texture. The fruit, as savoury as sweet, glows with a soft acidity. Slatey minerals and fine but lightly raspy tannins add texture and interest. Long and, above all, remarkably fresh. (Buy again? Yes, despite the 15% price increase from last year’s 2009.)
> Probably the most versatile wine of the bunch. Didn’t clash with anything, was relatively unfazed by the chile-flavoured sausages but went especially well with the fennel sausage.
Barolo 2009, Serralunga, Principiano Ferdinando ($39.75, 11387301)
Principiano’s entry-level Barolo. 100% Nebbiolo grapes from 3.5 hectares of young vines. The hand-picked, crushed grapes ferment with indigenous yeasts and no added sulfur for about a month. Matured 24 months in 20- and 40-hectolitre barrels and then in bottle. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. Vegan-compatible. Annual production: about 20,000 bottles. 14% ABV.
Cherry, a bit candied (PEZ if you must know), mowed field, old wood, iron dust, hint of vanilla and violet. Medium-bodied. Richly flavoured but fresh, a mouthful of satiny fruit with soft spicy overtones, lacy if drying tannins and sleek acidity. Elegant, complete, a pleasure to drink. A second bottle opened two days later came across as a little less special (bottle variation? different context?) but still attention-worthy. Not a long ager though it won’t suffer – and may well benefit – from a year or two in the cellar. Another QPR winner. (Buy again? Yes.)
> Achieved synergy with the superb prochetta di testa. Surprisingly good with the liver pâté. Handled the cumin and fennel sausages with aplomb though the coppa let more of the wine come through.
Barolo 2008, Fratelli Alessandria ($41.25, 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% ABV.
A nose more tertiary than the Principiano’s: coffee and cherry with hints of chocolate, licorice, raw meat, truffle, fresh herbs, tomato. The richest and roundest of the Nebbiolos though still medium-bodied. Savoury fruit, plush, firm tannins, chugging acidity and a long, vaporous finish. In contrast to the nose, still a bit primary on the palate, though far from inaccessible. (Buy again? Yes.)
> Worked best with the mildly flavoured dried sausages, the porchetta di testa and the cured meats. The chile-spiced sausages brought out the tannins and the liver mousse give it a faintly metallic taste. Would probably be more at home with a rabbit and mushroom ragu served over pappardelle and showered with Parmesan.
The wines’ lively acidity and savoury character meant they all paired well with these fatty, salty foods. For me, the most unexpected aspect of the tasting was seeing how the different Nebbiolos worked – or didn’t – with a given charcuterie, in particular the pork liver mousse. That said, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the higher-end wines were a bit out of place, that, however convincingly, they were slumming a little. A fascinating exercise, then, but one I’d love to repeat with more rustic wines, like certain Barberas, Dolcettos, Pelavergas and Ruchès.
oenopole workshop: charcuteries + uve italiane (1/3)
A group of wine writers, bloggers and broadcasters were recently summoned to oenopole world headquarters for another of the agency’s workshops devoted to food and wine pairings (previously: oysters, Greek wines with non-Greek dishes). This atelier focused on charcuterie and Italian grape varieties. As the group assembled, a nearly Italian white was poured to wet our whistles.
Corse Figari 2010, Blanc, Clos Canarelli ($40.00, 11794660)
Based in Figari, the southernmost wine-growing region in Corsica and the sunniest in France, Yves Canarelli today has 28 hectares of vineyards in production and makes his wines in a spanking new gravity-fed facility. His white Corse Figari is 100% organically and biodynamically farmed Vermentinu (aka Vermintno). The grapes are manually harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts and allowed to undergo partial malolactic fermentation. Matured six to eight months on the lees in neutral foudres and barriques. Lightly filtered before bottling. 13% ABV.
Waxed lemon, crushed rock and a hint of herbs. Smooth and satiny, dense but balanced and fresh. Acidity streams quietly beneath the sleek surface. A faintly bitter vein snakes through the mineral substrate. The long finish is inflected with preserved lemon and salt. Perhaps even finer than the 2011. Though this worked surprisingly well as a aperitif, it’ll really sing with fish or Corsican cheeses. (Buy again? Yes.)
MWG October 3rd tasting (7/7): Blue moon
IGT Toscana 2010, Luna Blu, Fattoria di Caspri ($28.50, La QV, 6 bottles/case)
There’s hardly any information to be found on this wine. It appears that two versions are made: one a standard white, the other an orange wine. This, the latter is a blend of organically and biodynamically farmed Trebbiano and Malvasia that have been macerated on their skins (standard procedure for red wines, not whites), which extracts colour, aromatic compounds and tannins. 13.5% ABV.
Gorgeous nose evocative of spiced peaches, dried herbs and straw. Smooth and fluid in the mouth, with light tannins, pronounced, almost biting acidity and a sweet-and-sour quality to the fruit. Not as hard core as some orange wines but yum… uh, what was I saying? Olif of the eponymous blog has, of course, not only tasted the wine but spoken with the winemaker, whom he reports as recommending that it be cellared until 2017. While you can’t but wonder how much better so accessible and delicious a wine can become, it’ll be fun checking out whether he’s right. (Buy again? Yes, yes, yes.)
Brett happens 