Posts Tagged ‘sweet wines’
First-rate second growth
Sauternes 2008, Château Doisy-Védrines ($25.50/350 ml, 11843177)
A 2ième cru classé de Barsac (Barsac is one of five Sauternes communes; its AOC wines can be labelled Sauternes or Barsac at the producer’s discretion). Sémillon (80%), Sauvignon Blanc (17%) and Muscadelle (3%). Manually harvested in multiple passes through the vineyard. Gently pressed then fermented for three to four weeks in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Matured 15 to 18 months in French oak barrels, around two-thirds of which are new. Filtered and fined before bottling. 13.5% ABV.
Classic nose: peach, citrus (orange? Meyer lemon?), hints of tropical fruit, honey, butterscotch, sweet oak and botrytis. Lush but not heavy, sweet but not cloying, in no small part due to the lively acidity. The fruit hasn’t totally lost its connection with the grape – not a given in Bordeaux’s sweet wines. Otherwise, the palate echoes the nose. A light wash of coconut and vanilla colours the long finish, which is blessedly free of the solvent notes that occasionally show up in Sauternes. Not as deep as some overachievers but with stuffing and balance enough to age for at least a decade. For now though, it’s delicious on its own and will surely accompany traditional pairings like Roquefort and foie gras to a T. (Buy again? Yes.)
oenopole’s Greek spring workshop (6/6)
Italians claim vin santo (aka vino santo) as their own invention. After all, they say, the name means holy wine. That no one can offer a convincing explanation of the wine’s holy connection is conveniently overlooked. Greeks tell a different story. They claim the name is a contraction of vino di Santorini and that the style is basically copied from the Greek island’s legendary sweet wine that was first brought to the Italian peninsula by seafaring traders.
Despite the similarities – both wines are made from partially dried grapes, usually white – there are plenty of differences: different grape varieties, drying methods, maturation methods, aging requirements and sweetness levels, with the Greek version almost always being quite sweet. The spelling of the name is also different: Italian vin santo, Greek vinsanto.
Vinsanto, 20 years, Domaine Argyros (NLA. When last sold at the SAQ, the price was north of $100 for a 500 ml bottle.)
A blend of Assyrtico (80%), Aidani (10%) and Athiri (10%) from very old vines, some in excess of 150 years. The grapes are dried in the sun for 12 to 14 days, pressed, fermented with ambient yeasts and aged 17 years in French oak barrels and another three years in the bottle. 14% ABV.
Clear brown with orange glints. Complex, fresh and lifting nose of raisin, fig, caramel and orange peel. Rich and dense in the mouth, sweet but, due to the huge acidity, not saccharine or heavy. The mouth-filling flavours echo the nose and have a savoury edge. Astoundingly long. Big yet a sipper, not exactly subtle yet a vin de contemplation. Impressive in so many ways. (Buy again? If the budget permitted…)
MWG April 18th tasting (9/9): Black Sea White Muscat
White Muscat 2008, Massandra ($18.40, 11800548)
Located near Yalta in the Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, the Massandra winery was founded in 1894 to supply the summer palace of Nicholas II, Russia’s last tsar. This fortified wine is made from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains and matured in oak barrels for two years. 16% ABV.
Gold tending to amber. Wafting nose of candied white fruit, golden raisins and orange peel. Sweet but not saccharine, rich but not heavy, in no small part due to the vibrant acidity. The faintly oxidized, nose-echoing flavours also include peach, dried fig and spice, a pith-like bitter note and an earthy mineral streak. Lingers long. A pleasure to drink – not quite a vin de contemplation, but definitely getting there. Outstanding QPR, though I can’t say that without also noting that the 2009 vintage is available at the LCBO for $15.95. (Buy again? Absolutely.)
Brett happens 