Month: October 2017

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The Fifth Element – Part 5

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Fizz and friends from the Quintessential Wines tasting earlier this year:

Druisan Prosecco Colfondo NV (12.5%, RRP €17.95 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda & quintessentialwines.ie)

Drusian Prosecco Col Fondo

A world away from the cheap and (sometimes not so) cheerful industrial Prosecco which is on special offer in the supermarket, this is an entirely different style of fizz.  Whereas the vast majority Prosecco undergoes a second fermentation in a tank, with colfondo this takes place in the bottle.  Unlike the traditional method there is no disgorgement, so the lees remain in the bottle.

This is much more yeasty and smooth than “normal” Prosecco. With no disgorgement there’s no dosage either, but it really doesn’t miss the addition of sugar.  This is a wine of character, far more interesting than other sparkling wines in this price bracket.

 

Loxarel Refugi Brut Nature Reserva  2013 (12.5%, RRP €33.50 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda)

Refugi Brut Nature 2013 Loxarel

On to Spain now, and a fantastic Cava made in the Penedès by Loxarel (who also make the natural orange wine reviewed in Part 3).   This is predominantly made from the local
speciality Xarel-lo; the vines are over 70 years old and a portion of the base wine was fermented in 300-litre old oak barrels which adds texture and longevity.  A touch of Chardonnay is included for freshness.  After the second fermentation the wine spends three years on the lees before disgorgement, with no dosage.  In short, this is bloody lovely!  There’s lots of lovely creamy lees character and a dry finish.

 

Vilmart Grand Cellier Brut NV (12.5%, RRP €64.95 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda)

Vilmart Grand Cellier NV

The final fizz is from France, more specifically Rilly-la-Montagne in the Montagne de Reims subregion of Champagne.  The blend is 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir from two specific parcels: “Les Hautes Grèves” and “Les Basses Grèves”, the upper and lower (river) banks respectively .  Vilmart’s house style involves blocking (or not encouraging) malolactic fermentation for freshness, and ageing the base wines in old, larger-format oak barrels for texture and longevity (through micro-oxygenation).

This is well made, classy, proper Champagne.  There’s a citrus frame (from the Chardonnay) with some red fruit notes (from the Pinot) interwoven.  Biscuit creaminess in enhanced by very fine bubbles and a lively crisp finish.

 

Château de la  Roulerie Coteaux du Layon 1er Cru Chaume Les Aunis 2013 (12.0%, RRP €34.50 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda)

Le Roulerie Les Aunis Chaume

Sweet Loire wines are one of the most overlooked wine categories (closely followed by most of the rest of the Loire) and hence reasonably priced. Chenin Blanc excels in this role as it can produce high levels of sugar while maintaining balancing acidity.

Château de la Roulerie make three different sweet wines; the standard Coteaux du Layon, Coteaux du Layon 1er Cru Chaume (which is the area just around the village of Chaume) and then this wine from a specific vineyard.  All of them have botrytised grapes, but climbing the quality ladder gives increased concentration.  The perfect balance of sweetness, acidity and oak.  Sauternes, eat your heart out!

 

Quintessential and the Fifth Element

The Fifth Element

So finally, in what is fittingly the fifth part of this series, I can explain the jeu de mots in the title, the relationship between Quintessential and The Fifth Element.  In classical times it was believed that everything in the physical world was made up of a small number of elements.  One version according to Empedocles gave four: earth, water, air and fire.  Plato, Aristole and others added a fifth called (a)ether, also known as quintessence.

Over time, quintessential came to mean the more perfect example of a particular type of thing.  Given how I have described some of Quintessential Wines’ bottles as ethereal, I think it’s a perfectly fitting name!

 

The Fifth Element Series:

Tasting Events

The Fifth Element – Part 4

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A medley of reds from the Quintessential Wines tasting earlier this year:

 

Bodegas Mengoba Flor de Brezo by Gregory Perez Mencia 2015 (13.0%, RRP 23.95 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda & quintessentialwines.ie)

 

Mengoba Flor de Brezo

Mencia is definitely a trendy grape at the moment, riding the light red zeitgeist.  It is usually unoaked, fairly moderate in alcohol and high in acidity.  But it isn’t for me – usually!  This is the wine that breaks that rule.  In addition to Mencia it has a good proportion (40%) of Garnacha Tintorera – better known as Alicante Bouschet, a rare teinturier grape with red flesh and juice.

Despite his Spanish sounding name, Gregory Perez is a Bordelais, but he has worked in Bierzo for around fifteen years.  He takes a natural, sustainable approach to his wine making with as little intervention as possible.  This bottle shows how good wines in the area can be.  It shows soft black (and some red) fruit, with a touch of smokiness adding interest.  It’s a supple and approachable wine, with fresh acidity and soft tannins.

 

Mas des Agrunelles Coteaux du Languedoc L’Indigène 2014 (13.0%, RRP €19.95 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda)

Mas Des Agrunelles L'Indigene

Made by the team of Stéphanie Ponsot & Frédéric Porro, this is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, the indigenous grapes of the Languedoc (hence the name!)  Interestingly, among the sites where grapes are selected for this cuvée the plots of Syrah face west and those of Grenache face east.  I would imagine (and I’m happy to be corrected) that this is to tame the Grenache slightly (morning sun tends to have a little less heat) while letting the Syrah ripen more fully with afternoon heat.

This is a powerful, savoury wine which makes you sit up and take note.  It’s fiery and smoky, with black pepper, black fruit and tapenade.

 

Vigne Medaglini Montecucco Sangiovesi L’Addobbo 2013 (14.0%, RRP €24.95 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda)

vegni-medaglini-l-addobbo-montecucco-sangiovese

Montecucco Sangiovesi is one of the lesser known DOCs in Tuscany – it’s not a variant of Chianti and neither is it a Super Tuscan.  Based in the hills around Mount Amiata in the province of Grosseto, it is a historic region for wine, but agriculture is mixed – olives and cereals are also grown.  Whereas Montecucco Rosso DOC has a minimum of 60% Sangiovesi, this DOC requires a minimum of 85% (in line with EU varietal labelling).

The Vigne Medaglini estate borders the Brunello di Montalcino which augers well.  This bottling is 100% Sangiovesi and has typical varietal notes of red and black cherry, tobacco and liquorice, but softened out by the 15 to 18 months spent in a mixture of barriques and (larger) tonneaux.

 

Mahi Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015 (14.0%, RRP €28.95 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda & quintessentialwines.ie)

Mahi Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015

A cool climate makes Marlborough a good bet for Pinot Noir, but the first plantings didn’t work out that well as they were often inferior clones and not planted in the most appropriate places.  Lessons have been learned now and there is growing number of producers who are making excellent Pinot Noir.

The first word I wrote on tasting this Mahi Pinot was “woah!” (am I channelling The Drunken Cyclist?  It’s full of supple strawberries and fresh raspberries; despite the 14.0% abv it’s not at all jammy, though it does have considerable body and power behind it – something I tend to associate more with Martinborough and Central Otago than Marlborough.  Definitely one of the best Pinots from the region.

 

Ar.Pe.Pe. Valtellina Superiore Sassella Riserva “Rocce Rossa” 2007 (13.5%, RRP 76.95 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda)

ArPePe Sassella Rocce Rosse 2007

Ar.Pe.Pe. is one of the most famous producers in the Alpine region of Valtellina, the most northerly wine region of Lombardy.  Nebbiolo is the speciality here, known locally as Chiavennasca but with the higher altitude it is often lighter than the more famous Barolo and Barberesco from Piedmont.

This was the third of three Ar.Pr.Pe. wines shown by Quintessential, and definitely a step or three above the baby brothers (not that they are exactly cheap themselves).  In comparison it is lighter, more delicate, ethereal – just a finer wine altogether.  It still has Nebbiolo’s trademark tannin and acidity – and that’s ten years after vintage – but they are a pleasant framework for the bright red cherry fruit and herbs.  A stunning wine.

 

The Fifth Element Series:

Make Mine A Double

A Pair of Old Friends [Make Mine a Double #31]

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While very privileged to regularly taste new wines that expand the boundaries of my wine knowledge, it’s also nice once in a while to pop the cork on an old favourite; pleasure can come from familiarity as well as discovery.  Here are two old friends of mine:

 

Loosen Dr L Riesling 2015 (8.5%, €14.00 at Morton’s Ranelagh, Jus de Vine Portmarknock, Nolan’s Clontarf)

Dr L Mosel Riesling 2015

Ernst Loosen is one of the bigger producers in Germany’s Mosel, a strong candidate for the best place in the world to make Riesling.  He makes a wide range of wines from different vineyards, up to and including Grosses Gëwachs.  The Dr L wines are blends from different sites designed to make an approachable, everyday style.  There is a dry version but this is the off-dry to medium one with only 8.5% and a fair bit of residual sugar (43.2 g/L).  Of course there’s plenty of acidity in the wine’s backbone so the sweetness enhances the racy lime and lemon fruit rather than being just sugary.  The perfect introduction to Mosel Riesling!

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Peter Lehmann Clancy’s Barossa Red Blend 2013 (14.5%, €12.99 at Londis Malahide, Morton’s Ranelagh, O’ Donoghues O/L Cork, The Drink Store Manor Street, Nolan’s Clontarf)

Peter Lehmann Clancy's Barossa Red Blend 2013

I’m a long-time admirer of Peter Lehmann wines as their varietal Barossa range were a treat for me when I got into Aussie wine in the mid to late 90s.  More recently I’ve been lucky to taste the premium wines in the range, but this entry level red blend is still an enjoyable pour.   The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, and Merlot – all from the Barossa Valley, and the relative proportions I’m sure change depending on the vintage.

While Cabernet is a slight favourite of mine ahead of Shiraz, the later does a good job of filling the hole in the mid palate which Cab can sometimes have (it’s not called the “doughnut grape” for nothing!)  There’s lots of juicy blackcurrant and blackberry with spice and a mocha finish.  This is a very appealing wine with a price that means you wouldn’t mind sharing it with “red wine drinkers” (people who say they love red wine but can’t name more than a handful!)

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Disclosure: both bottles were kindly given as samples, but opinions remain my own

 

**Click here to see more posts in the Make Mine a Double Series**

Tasting Events

The Fifth Element – Part 3

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A pair of funky “whites” from the Quintessential wines tasting earlier this year:

 

 

Pierluigi Zampaglione Don Chisciotte Fiano 2015 (12.5%, RRP €26.95 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda & quintessentialwines.ie)

Fiano

This actual colour of this wine is why these wines are described as “whites” and not whites – it’s orange, which is a whole new category and kettle of fish.  In simple terms, orange wines are made with white grapes but using red wine instead of white wine production methods – the major difference of course being the time that the juice has in contact with the skins (where the colour comes from).  It’s also a natural wine as the grapes are farmed organically, wild yeast is used and intervention during winemaking is minimal.

Pier Luigi Zampaglione makes this wine from a 2 hectare vineyard at 800 metres above sea-level in Campania – the altitude results in high acidity levels which help with ageing and make for a fresh wine.  The number of days of skin contact varies from year to year depending on the quality and style of the grapes harvested – in some years it can be apparently as long as 20 days (2011) but was 6 days for the 2016 vintage.

Ignoring its origins for a moment, this is just a thoroughly enjoyable wine.  It’s not the most extreme orange wine around so it would serve as a great introduction.  The key flavours for me were almond and ginger biscuits!

 

Loxarel A Pèl 2016 (12.5%, RRP €22.50 at Quintessential Wines, Drogheda & quintessentialwines.ie)

Loxarel a Pel

If the Fiano above would serve as a moderate example of a natural, orange wine then this is a no-holds-barred full-on example.  Again it’s a 100% varietal, but this time with Catalonia’s Xarel-lo, better known as one of the three traditional Cava grapes.  As before the grapes are grown organically, but also biodynamically; wild yeast are used for fermentation and there is skin contact, but much more than in the A Pèl.  With no fining or filtration the wine ends up somewhat cloudy in the bottle.

Quintessential Wines are known for having some unusual wines in their portfolio and I would suggest that this is the most left-field of the lot!  Aromas and flavours are not so much about the grape or the soil, but more about the natural microbial environment.  It’s definitely not for everyone but it really brings the funk and so deserves to be tried.

 

The Fifth Element Series:

Tasting Events

Another Brick In The Wall – Part 6

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Château Tayet is a 10 hectare estate located at the south east corner of the Médoc peninsula, in the commune of Macau.  As it’s just south of the Margaux appellation it is simply AOC Bordeaux, or AOC Bordeaux Supérieur (which is not that meaningful in itself).  However, the potential of the property is definitely greater than its simple appellation would indicate.

The name itself only dates back to 1994 when it was taken over by the people behind Château Haut Breton Larigaudière in Margaux itself; it was previously known as Cru de Noë and then Château Les Charmilles.  1994 was also the start of the Cuvée Prestige, made with the best fruit and matured in a mixture of new and old oak for six months.

The vineyards are planted to Merlot (55%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and Petit Verdot (5%).  While the Médoc is though of as Cabernet country, it tends to be the Crus Classés of Pauillac which are very Cabernet dominated (over 80% in some vintages); Margaux is less so, and Haut-Médoc wines are often a 50% Cabernet – 50% Merlot blend.  That perspective shows that Château Tayet is aiming for a certain style and quality of wine.

At the WineMasons tasting earlier in the year I had the opportunity to taste two vintages back to back:

Château Tayet Cuvée Prestige Bordeaux Supérieur 2009 (13.0%, €21 at The Corkscrew, Blackrock Cellar, D-Six, Green Man Wines & McHughs)

Tayet 2009

2009 was a fabulous year for Bordeaux, so much so that some commentators said it was hard to make a bad wine in such a vintage.  The richness that is so typical of 2009 really comes through, with soft, velvety fruit that’s very approachable and rewarding.  There’s still power there, even eight years after vintage – in fact I’d say this is at peak drinking right now.

Château Tayet Cuvée Prestige Bordeaux Supérieur 2011 (13.5%, €19 at Drinkstore)

Tayet 2011

2011 was a cooler vintage in Bordeaux and in general was rated a few notches below 2009.  The cooler year means that richness is dialed back a little, and savoury characters fill in the gap.  Black fruit is joined by black olive and tobacco notes, and prominent acidity gives freshness.  In other words, this is more of a classic claret.

Decisions, Decisions

So which is better?  At the tasting I wrote “you pays your money, you take your choice” as these are both very good wines, though different in style.  If all depends what you like, and particularly if you plan to drink the wine on its own (go for 2009) or with food (go for 2011.  My personal preference is for the 2009, so grab it while you can!

 

Another Brick in the Wall series:

 

Tasting Events

Another Brick In The Wall – Part 5

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It was a real pleasure to meet Gerhard Pittnauer and taste his wines at the WineMason tasting earlier this year.  Weingut Pittnauer is based in Austria’s Burgenland, at the north east corner of Lake Neusiedl (the Neusiedlersee: area 9 in the map below); the body of water prevents winters being too harsh so it’s great for producing red wines.

Austrian wine regions
1: Wachau 2: Kremstal 3: Kamptal 4: Traisental 5: Wagram (bis 2006: Donauland) 6: Weinviertel 7: Carnuntum 8: Thermenregion 9: Neusiedlersee 10: Neusiedlersee-Hügelland 11: Mittelburgenland 12: Südburgenland 13: Wien 14: Vulkanland Steiermark (bis 2015: Süd-Oststeiermark) 15: Südsteiermark 16: Weststeiermark [Credit: Robert Kropf]
These are the wines which impressed me most:

Pittnauer Pitt Nat 2016 (10.5%, RRP €32 but currently only in restaurants)

Pitt Nat is a pun on Pét-Nat, the trendy slang for Pétillant-Naturel, a naturally sparkling style of wine that predates Champagne, Prosecco and the rest.  Rather than sugar and yeast being added to an already fully fermented wine, the wine is bottled before it has finished its primary fermentation, and thus the carbon dioxide produced is dissolved into the liquid.

2016 is only Pittnauer’s second vintage of this wine but it’s so successful I hope they retain it in their range.  It’s a light rosé made from 90% Zweigelt and 10% Blaufrankisch, slightly cloudy from remaining yeast.  Fruity with a touch of pleasant sourness, it finishes dry (as their is no dosage, of course).  Very nice drinking!

 

Pittnauer Pitti 2015 (13.5%, RRP €19 at Baggot St Wines, Blackrock Cellar, Mitchells, Redmonds & SIYPS)

Pitti is the all-rounder red of the range, made of 50% Zweigelt, 40% Blaufränkisch and 10% Merlot.  It shows a little red but mainly black fruit – blackberries in particular.  There’s also something of the other in there – pepper and black olive – which add savoury notes to the fruit.  A great introduction to red Austrian wine.

 

Pittnauer Zweigelt Heideboden 2015 (13.5%, RRP €21 at Red Island, The Corkscrew, 1601 Kinsale & SIYPS)

Zweigelt is an Austrian-born cross of St. Laurent and Blaufränkisch which is now the country’s most widely grown black grape.  It’s not the only varietal Zweigelt made by Pittnauer, but it’s from a single village and is more intensely fruity and structured.  A mixture of new and old oak was used to add a little heft, but it doesn’t obscure the delicious black fruit – nor the hint of liquorice.  Acidity is present and correct; this is a great food wine.

 

Pittnauer St Laurent Dorflagen 2015 (12.0%, RRP €25 at 1601 Kinsale, The Corkscrew & Redmonds)

Pittnauer St Laurent Dorflagen

Saint or Sankt Laurent is the most widely plated black grape in the Czech Republic, second in Slovakia and third in Austria.  Its origins are uncertain but it can be loosely thought of as Pinot Noir with a bit more oomph!  Compared to the other Pittnauer reds this is a lighter  wine – the 12.0% abv gives a clue – with red and black fruit sharing the stage.  Fresh acidity and light, crunchy tannins complete the picture

 

Another Brick in the Wall series: