Opinion

Frankly Wines Top 10 Fizz of 2015

As I wrote several articles for Glass Of Bubbly Magazine in 2015 I had an understandable focus on fizz during the year, and I was fortunate to be invited to a number of excellent sparkling wine tastings.

Here are ten bottles of bubbles which impressed me during the year:

10. Cordorníu Anna Blanc de Noirs (€10, Madrid airport)

Cordoniu Anna Blanc de Noirs NV
Cordorníu Anna Blanc de Noirs NV

There is so much ordinary Cava around, especially in supermarkets, that’s it’s easy to look past the category completely.  The market is dominated by two large players, Freixenet and Cordorníu, whose everyday bottles are…everyday quality, at best.  Part of this is due to the indigenous grapes usually used, which are rarely seen in a bottle of fizz outside their homeland.

Cordorníu’s Anna range is a significant step up in quality, using Chardonnay for a Blanc de Blancs and Pinot Noir for a Blanc de Noirs.  In my Francophile eyes, using the two most renowned Champagne grapes for superior bottlings is no coincidence.  Pinot gives it some lovely red fruit flavours, and time on the lees adds beautiful brioche notes.  I was lucky to receive this as a present and shared it with wine blogger friends in early 2015.

9. Man O’War Tulia Blanc de Blancs 2009 (€37, O’Briens)

Tulia

Because of the importance attached to time spent on the lees in Champagne and other quality sparkling wine regions it is easy to forget that there is an alternative – time maturing in bottle after disgorgement.  It doesn’t give the same results, but here is an example of a delicious fizz which has had only nine months on the lees but a further five or more years in bottle.

Chardonnay is often lean and clean when used in fizz but Man O’War’s Waiheke Island grapes give Tulia sumptuous, ripe exotic fruit flavours.  This often sells out soon after a consignment arrives, so grab it while you can.

8. Champagne Oudinot Brut NV (€39, M&S)

Oudinot

One of the plus points of 2015 was getting much better acquainted with Marks and Spencer’s wine range, as I’ve only had the odd bottle from them previously.  This is their house Champagne (though not a private or own label) but deserves to be taken seriously as a wine.

The info from M&S states that it is 100% Chardonnay, though to me it tastes quite a bit richer than I’d expect if that were the case.  It does have crisp acidity and bright citrus notes which make it versatile and very drinkable.

7. Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Sublime Demi-sec NV (N/A in Ireland)

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One of the surprises for me at the Grandes Marques Champagne tasting held in Dublin was the number and quality of the sweeter styles of Champagne.  So much so, in fact, that it inspired me to write a Glass Of Bubbly article titled “Sugar, Sugar – The Divergence of Sweetness in Champagne” (you know how I like a cheesy title).

Piper-Heidsieck’s offering in the sweeter category is dubbed “Sublime” – and it’s an apt moniker as it’s probably the best sweet sparkling I’ve ever tried.  Cuvée Sublime is assembled from over a hundred different base wines, aged and blended over four years. There’s something of a Danish pastry about it – candied fruit, pastry and sweet vanilla, just sumptuous!

6. Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2010 (Liberty)

Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2010 (credit: Nyetimber)
Nyetimber Classic Cuvée 2010 (credit: Nyetimber)

The 2009 vintage was hailed as the best yet for Nyetimber, especially since the wife and husband team Cherie Spriggs and Brad Greatrix took charge of winemaking.  Hearing that 2010 was even better still made me a touch wary of hype, but on tasting it I had to agree!

This is delicious now but I’m looking forward to tasting it with a little more age behind it.

5. Drappier Brut Nature Sans Soufre (POA, The Corkscrew)

BrutNatureSansSoufre

The Côtes des Bar is sometimes looked down upon by the Champenois of the Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs, but in the hands of a great producer the vines down here can create magic. Champagne Drappier is one such producer, and although they have a majority of Pinot Noir vines, they also specialise in making Champagne from some of the almost forgotten – but still permitted – grapes of the region, including Arbane and Petit Meslier.

Furthermore, they have much lower sulphite levels than most other producers, requiring extremely fastidious handling and hygiene.  This bottle goes even further – it has no dosage, so is bone dry, but also no sulphur added at all.  Wonderfully aromatic on the nose, it is fresh and dry – though not austere – on the palate.  Brut zero Champagnes are often slightly out of kilter, but this doesn’t miss the sugar at all – the true sign of a great Champagne that lives up to the motto of “Vinosity and Freshness”!

4. R&L Legras Cuvée Exceptionelle St Vincent 1996 (€147, BBR)

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As Champagne vintages go, the debate over whether 1995 or 1996 was the better still continues.  This wine makes a strong case for the latter!  Old Chardonnay vines help produce intensely concentrated citrus flavours and aromas – and although it is now 20 years old it still tastes youthful – it should see out another 10 years without a problem.

R&L Legras is a small Grower based in the north of the Côte des Blancs, probably my favourite subregion of Champagne.  The quality of the wines is reflected in the number of Parisian Michelin starred restaurants which list them – the purity of the fruit is incredible.

3. Gusbourne Estate Late Disgorged Blanc de Blancs 2007 (Gusbourne Library)

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Although its first vintage (2006) was only released in 2010, Gusbourne Estate of Kent is already part of the top echelon of English sparkling producers, and is gradually expanding the range of wines it produces.  In addition to the regular Blanc de Blancs, Rosé and traditional blend, they also put aside a few bottles of their 2007 Blanc de Blancs for later disgorgement, i.e. it spent an additional three years in bottle on the lees on top of the normal three year ageing period.

Tasting it alongside the regular 2008 BdB showed the additional time made a huge difference to the wine – softer in acidity and sparkle, yet more textured, and oodles (technical term that!) of brioche character.  It was obviously still a sparkling wine yet had transcended that, just like mature Champagne does in its own way.

I feel privileged to have tried this and I look forward to more “experiments”!

2. Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé 2005 (€150, O’Briens, Mitchell & Sons)

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Bollinger La Grand Année Rosé 2005 standing out from its stablemates (Credit: R Magnier)

Even fans of Blankety Blank fizz like myself can’t help but love Bollinger with its richness and red fruit.  It has a fantastic reputation and image, yet unlike some Grandes Marques it delivers on those promises.  The non vintage Special Cuvée is probably the best big name NV you can get without spending silly money, and the prestige vintage La Grande Année (LGA) measures up well to the likes of Dom Pérignon at less than two thirds the price.

The Irish launch of LGA 2005 was held at the trendy Marker Hotel in Dublin.  To my surprise the LGA was actually outshone by another wine – its rosé counterpart!  I don’t normally choose rosé Champagne but this was outstanding – gingerbread, spice, strawberry and lemon plus toasted brioche.  Just a fabulous wine!

1. Krug Grande Cuvée NV

Krug

Krug is possibly the most prestigious sparkling wine in the world.  No ordinary NV this – Krug prefers the term “multi-vintage”.  In fact, this wasn’t even an ordinary bottle of Krug – it was one that I had been keeping in my wine fridge for several years and decided to crack open to celebrate my second blogaversary – I had been writing for two years to the day – just before the opening of new wine bar The Cavern.

Sipping it in the sun, watching people go by, was one of the most relaxing experiences I could imagine.  I managed to interpret the serial numbers on the bottle to find that it was bottled at least four years previously, which was reflected in the more mature notes coming through.

I love mature Champagne, and now I can say that I love mature Krug!

 

Also check out the Frankly Wines Top 10 Whites of 2015.

 

 

 

Tasting Events

Lidl French Reds for February

As well as their permanent range which has an emphasis on good value bottles for everyday drinking, discount supermarket Lidl also offer limited quantities of slightly more upmarket wines at different points during the year.

22nd February 2016 will see the Ireland launch of their special French wines, only available while stocks last – and some will be so limited that you’ll have to strike up a friendship with someone from Lidl Customer Services!

Here are 5 reds which impressed me, all from Bordeaux:

Château de Francs, Francs-Côtes de Bordeaux 2011 (€12.99)

Ch de Francs Francz-Côtes de Bordeaux 2011

Of the five I’ve chosen this is perhaps the most traditional in character, coming from a cooler year.  However, the producer has obviously gone to great lengths to make a fruit forward wine – blackcurrant, blackberry and plum compete for your palate’s attention, along with classic notes of pencil shavings and cedar wood.  Of the wines I’ve picked this has perhaps the most noticeable tannins, so it would shine with a steak!

The label shows 14.0% which is significantly higher than the vast majority of Bordeaux was when I cut my teeth on it in the early 90s – though that’s a story for another day.  It does give you an idea of the body and power this wine has – not for shrinking violets!

Fronsac Château de Carles 2008 (€17.99)

Ch de Carles 2008

Fronsac is close to St-Emilion and while it doesn’t have its neighbour’s cachet it is capable of producing some excellent wines, often priced favourably.  2008 was a good but not great year in general, but is often overlooked as the following 2009 and 2010 vintages were excellent.  Predominantly Merlot fruit gives big ripe plum and blackberry flavours; the tannins are very soft making this very drinkable indeed.  Would keep for several more years but at its peak now.

Château Cos Fontaine Francs-Côtes de Bordeaux 2010 (€12.99)

Ch Clos Fontaine Francs Cotes de Bordeaux 2010

Ripe fruit – mainly plum and blackberry – suggest a majority of Merlot in this right bank red.  At just over five years of age it is showing some development, so tannins have softened and fruit is settling in.  Being from the fantastic 2010 vintage helps to make it seriously drinkable, and a great bargain at that.

Josephine de Boyd Margaux 2009 (€24.99)

Josephine de Boyd Margaux 2009

Margaux is probably the most celebrated appellations of the Médoc, at its best producing silky feminine reds based on a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon but with a good proportion of Merlot and other minor players.  This is the second wine of Château Boyd Cantenac which was awarded Third Growth status in the 1855 Classification – obviously some time ago but still has some relevance today.  In a great year like 2009 it makes sense to go for a second wine as there is so much quality fruit on each estate that the second wine gets plenty rather than just whatever is left over after making the Grand Vin.

This is a great example of Margaux, silky and seductive, well structured and classy with a very long finish.

Fleur Quercus Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2010 (€24.99)

Fleur Quercus Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2010.jpg

Wow!  Another beauty from 2010, but this time a few rungs up the quality scale.  Saint-Emilion is a world famous part of Bordeaux (and a lovely little town to visit if you ever get the chance), which means some producers can cash in on the cachet.  Not here though, it is fully deserving of the appellation.

Intense black berry fruit is complemented by anise and other spices.  It’s soft, seductive and dangerously easy to drink – even at 14.0%.

Money no object, this was my favourite red of the whole tasting!

Also check out my Top 5 Whites from the same tasting.

Tasting Events

Lidl French Whites for February

As well as their permanent range which has an emphasis on good value bottles for everyday drinking, discount supermarket Lidl also offer limited quantities of slightly more upmarket wines at different points during the year.

22nd February 2016 will see the Ireland launch of their special French wines, only available while stocks last – and some will be so limited that you’ll have to strike up a friendship with someone from Lidl Customer Services!

Here are 5 whites which impressed me:

Ernest Wein Alsace Pinot Blanc Pfaffenheim 2014 (€9.99)

Ernest Wein Alsace Pinot Blanc 2014

An underrated and understated grape; round in the mouth and very pleasant drinking, lovely apple and lemon fruit.  Great to drink on its own or with white fish or poultry.  A versatile wine that should please nearly everyone – and a steal at a tenner!

Roesslin Alsace Riesling 2014 (€9.99)

Roesslin Alsace Riesling 2014.jpg

If the Pinot Blanc was round then this is spiky – lots of fresh acidity with zippy lemon and lime fruit.  It’s not the most intense Riesling I’ve come across, but it’s a great introduction for newbies – and it’s varietally true enough to keep Riesling lovers (such as myself) happy.

P. de Marcilly Chablis 2014 (€12.99)

P de Marcilly Chablis 2014

WOW!  One of the best  AOP Chablis that I’ve tasted in a long time – it’s an appellation that often disappoints as bulk producers trade on the famous Chablis name, but this really delivers – textbook minerality with citrus fruits, and a little more body than I’d expect. Excellent value for money!

Chablis Premier Cru 2014 (€19.99)

Chablis Premier Cru 2014

This has all of the above and more – more concentration, more minerality, more body, more fruit…altogether a superior wine – it’s up to you whether you think it’s worth the €7 premium over the baby brother – if possible you need to try both at the same time to arrive at an informed decision.

André Saujot Pouilly-Fumé “Les Grandes Chaumes” 2014 (€14.99)

Andre Saujoy Pouilly Fume LesGrandes Chaumes 2014.jpg

So now to the Loire, and one of the most celebrated areas for Sauvignon Blanc. Gooseberry, grapefruit and grassiness are the dominant notes, with some stony minerality at the core. It doesn’t have the passionfruit tropical notes of a Marlborough savvy, but it’s tangy and delicious in its own right.  A great example of Loire Sauvignon.

 

Also check out my Top 5 Reds from the same tasting.

Opinion

Frankly Wines Top 10 Whites of 2015

2015 has been an excellent year for wine in Dublin, especially from a personal perspective.  As well as the usual trade tastings, which one can never take for granted, I have been lucky enough to be invited to several excellent wine dinners and receive samples from many new suppliers and retailers – thanks to all.

Here are ten of the white wines which made a big impression on me during the year.  The order is somewhat subjective – this is wine tasting after all – and I’m sure the list would look a little different on another day.

10. Domaine de Terres Blanches Coteaux du Giennois AOC “Alchimie” 2014 (€14/€10, SuperValu)

Coteaux du Giennois Blanc-Alchimie
Coteaux du Giennois Blanc Alchimie 2014

A fruit driven Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire, just outside Sancerre, which is just so damned drinkable. It has some of the explosiveness of a Marlborough savvy but more restrained, so it wouldn’t be out of place at the table. It’s well worth the regular price but is a total steal when on offer.  See more here.

9. Domaine de Maubet Côtes de Gascogne 2014 (€14.99, Honest 2 Goodness)

Domaine de Maubet
Domaine de Maubet Côtes de Gascogne 2014

Whites from South West France continue to impress me with their intense, but balanced, flavours from mainly indigenous grapes – and all at keen prices.  This is one of the best I’ve ever tasted from the area.  See more here.

8. Château Mas “Belluguette” Coteaux de Languedoc 2012 (€20.95, Molloys)

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A premium white wine from the Languedoc, but without a silly price tag. This was one of the biggest surprises of the year – I just hadn’t been expecting such an exuberant white wine from the Languedoc.  The blend is: Vermentino 40%, Roussanne 30%, Grenache 20%, Viognier 10%, with each grape variety is vinified separately in oak barrels for a month.   50% of the blend goes through malolactic fermentation and it is blocked for the remainder. The final blend is then aged in 2/3 French and 1/3 American oak for 4 months.

Molloy’s wine consultant Maureen O’Hara dubbed this a “Dolly Parton” wine – I’d have to say it’s got a lot of front!

7. Two Paddocks Picnic Riesling, Central Otago (€19.99, Curious Wines)

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Although owned by a famous actor, this estate does not make “celebrity wine”. Pinot Noir is the speciality of Two Paddocks, with excellent premium and single vineyard bottlings, but they also make a small amount of Riesling, benefitting from the cool (almost cold!) climate of the southerly most wine region in the world.

“Picnic” is their more accessible, everyday range, for both Pinot and Riesling, and here we have the latter.  It’s just off-dry with lots of Golden Delicious apple, honey and citrus, with a fresh streak of acidity through the middle.  It actually reminded me of a still version of Nyetimber’s 2007 Blanc de Blanc, one of my favourite English sparklers!

6. Argyros Estate Santorini Atlantis 2013 (€15.49, Marks and Spencer)

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Argyros Estate Atlantis Santorini 2013

An excellent Assyrtiko based-blend from the Greek Island of Santorini, linked to the legend of Atlantis.  Old vines and steep slopes contribute to excellent intensity, with lemony flavours and floral aromas.  Such a drinkable and versatile wine.

See more here.

5. Soalheiro Alvarinho Reserva DOC Vinho Verde 2012 (€35.99, Black Pig, JN Wine)

Soalheiro
Soalheiro Alvarinho Reserva 2012 (Credit: Via Viti)

Yes you read that correctly, this is a €35 Vinho Verde!  However, although it shares geography and grape variety with many Vinho Verdes, it is made in a totally different style.  It retains the central fresh core of Alvarinho (aka Albariño in Galicia) yet has a creamy complexity from oak and lees stirring.

In one of the first DNS tastings of 2015 this was tied neck and neck with Rafael Palacios’ famous As Sortes – it’s that good.  See the full article on The Taste here.

4. Hugel Pinot Gris “Jubilee” 2000 (€52 in West Restaurant @ The Twelve Hotel)

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Hugel Pinot Gris “Jubilee” 2000 (Credit: Hugel)

 

One of the highlights of 2015 was a trip away to The Twelve Hotel in Barna, just outside Galway City, to celebrate my wife’s birthday.  It’s our favourite hotel in Ireland, and one that we choose for special occasions. Check out their full wine list here.

Hotel Restaurant wine lists can often be very dull / safe / boring, depending on your point of view, so it warms the cockles of this wino’s heart to see such a well put together list.  It was General Manager & Sommelier Fergus O’Halloran who first got me into Pecorino (see here), but on this occasion it was something else which was really worth writing home about.

Hugel is one of the two large and well-known family producers in Alsace, the other being Trimbach which also sports yellow labels on its bottles. Both are located in achingly pretty villages and have excellent ranges. Jubilee signifies Hugel’s premium range, made from fruit in their Grand Cru Sporen and Pflostig vineyards.  As a general rule I like Pinot Gris to have some sweetness to go with the distinctive apricot & honey flavours and oily texture – this doesn’t disappoint!  Getting a fifteen year old wine of this quality for €52 in a restaurant is amazing!

3. Albert Bichot Domaine Long-Depaquit Chablis Grand Cru “Moutonne” Monopole 2012 (€109.95, The Corkscrew)

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This was the highlight of a focused burgundy tasting given upstairs at Stanley’s by Ben and Barbara of WineMason. As a big fan of Chablis, especially Premier and Grand Cru, I was excited to taste the area’s famous “eighth Grand Cru”.  There are seven Grands Crus recognised by the French national appellations organisation (INAO), though those names appear after “Appellation Chablis Grand Cru Contrôlée”.  La Moutonne is recognised, however, by the Chablis (UGCC) and Burgundy (BIVB) authorities.

The majority of the Moutonne vineyard (95%) is in the Grand Cru Vaudésir with a small part (5%) in Grand Cru Preuses, so you’d expect it to taste almost identical to Albert Bichot’s Grand Cru Vaudésir, which is made in the same way – but it doesn’t!  This is put forward as a reason why Moutonne deserves its own Grand Cru status – but equally it might indicate that several Chablis Grand Crus are not homogenous across their climats.  An interesting debate which needs further research – and I volunteer!

Whatever the nomenclature, it’s a stunning wine – beautifully intertwining minerality, citrus, floral notes and a light toastiness from 25% oak.

2. Gulfi Carjcanti 2011 (€35 – €38, JN Wine and others)

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From South east Sicily comes something unlike anything you’ve tasted before – at least, a single wine containing all the flavours and aromas expressed by this wine.  Tasted with family member Matteo Catani, this is a truly remarkable wine – it showed anise, almond, citrus, apple, and a hint of oxidation which added interest but did not detract from the fruit.

When many producers are churning out identikit Cabernets and Chardonnays, wines that are different and interesting like this really grab the attention.

 

and finally….

1. Craiglee Sunbury Chardonnay 2011 (€33.95, winesdirect.ie, also available by the bottle and by the glass at Ely Wine Bar)

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If you read my favourite White Wines of 2013 or 2014 then the fact that my favourite white tasted in 2015 is a Chardonnay shouldn’t be a surprise.  I might be predictable, but it’s my favourite grape so I won’t apologise.

From a less well known part of Victoria, it shows butterscotch and toasty vanilla round a citrus core.  It’s not the most expensive wine in my listing, and probably not the “finest”, but it is beautifully balanced and the one that I would most fancy opening at anytime!

Also check out the Frankly Wines Top 10 Fizz, Top 10 Sweet wines and Top 10 Reds of 2015.