Opinion

Frankly Wines Top 10 Value Whites 2019

After a brief pause, we now head back into the Frankly Wines Top 10s, this time to “Value Whites”.  There are no hard and fast criteria for inclusion (apart from being a white wine, obviously), but the majority are among the less expensive wines to be found on the shelves in independent off-licences, off-licence chains and supermarkets in Ireland. Those which are a little higher priced than the others really earn it with extra deliciousness!

10. Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune 2016

Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Beaune, €14.99

12.5%, RRP €14.99.  Distributed by Lidl Ireland.  Also see related article here.

Low cost supermarket Lidl mainly has everyday low cost wines on its shelves, but supplements them every so often with additional – more premium – wines from countries such as Italy and France.  If you shop at Lidl it’s definitely worth looking out for these wines which are a definite step up from their regular offering.  This oaked Chardonnay is one of the best I’ve ever tried from Lidl, and will improve over the next five years or so if you manage to find (and keep!) any.

9. Vigneti del Vulture “Pipoli” Greco / Fiano 2017

Vigneti del Vulture Pipoli Bianco

12.5%, RRP €17.99.  Distributed by Liberty Wines.  Also see related article here.

Greco and Fiano are two ancient grape varieties that are thought to have Greek origins – with the former, it couldn’t be more obvious – that are now being made into fantastic modern, clean wines in southern Italy.  What better than blending them, in this beauty from Basilicata?  It shows lots of zip and tangy character that make it a pleasure for sipping with lighter dishes or quaffing on its own.

8. Horst Sauer Esherndorfer Silvaner Trocken 2016

Horst Sauer Escherndorfer Silvaner Trocken 2

11.5%, RRP €20.90.  Distributed by Karwig Wines.  Also see related article here.

This bottle is tricky to ship, tricky to show on a wine shop’s shelves and tricky to put into a blog post without taking up lots of room – but the wine is worth it.  Whatever the origins of the bottle shape, it’s nice to see something distinctive which contains something distinctive – Silvaner from its home region of Franken in Germany.  It’s fresh, mineral, tangy, and a delight in the glass.

7. Weingut Rabl Grüner Veltliner Käferberg 2015

rabl gruner kaferberg

13.5%, RRP €24.95. Distributed by O’Briens.  Also see related article here.

Not only does this wine feature in John Wilson’s 2019 Wilson on Wine, it was also one of the favourites at the DNS Wine Club event where we blind tasted and bluffed our way through a selection of the wines from the book.  If you’ve tried and liked regular Grüner Veltliner but you’ve never moved past it, try Rabl’s Käferberg to see how expressive it can be as a grape.

6. Stonier Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2016

stonier mornington peninsula chardonnay

13.5%, RRP €26.95.  Distributed by O’Briens.  Also see related article here.

From the very same event, one of the stand-out producers from Victoria’s under-the-radar Mornington Peninsula.  I suppose you could call this “Victoria’s Secret” if you really wanted.  Reductive winemaking – where oxygen levels are kept low – give this wine a struck-match tang which evokes Burgundy rather than Australia – it’s a ripper!

5. Agusti Torello Mata Xarel·lo “Xic” 2017

augusti torello mata xarel-lo xic

11.0%, RRP €18.00.  Distributed by GrapeCircus.  Also see related article here.

For years I had been misspelling Xarel·lo as Xarel-lo; that’s right, with the floating dot · replaced by the impostor hyphen -.  Now that I’m on the right track I can tell you about this still white wine made with a grape most well known for Cava.  It’s damned delicious and damned drinkable, so go buy it!

4. Plaimont “En La Tradition” Blanc 2016

Plaimont Saint Mont En La Tradition Blanc

13.0%, RRP €15.95 – €16.95.  Distributed by Honest 2 Goodness.  Also see related article here.

When size is a good thing: Producteurs Plaimont are a major presence in south west France, but I’d argue that they are a force for good, both in terms of making and marketing the region’s wines, but also helping to preserve its vinous heritage.  More on that in a future post, but this is a wine available here and now that is really worth seeking out.  It combines succulent stone fruit with some pizzazz from grapefruit and is absolutely stunning value for money.

3. Pequenos Rebentos Vinho Verde 2017

Vinho Verde

11.5%, RRP €15.50.  Distributed by Vinostito.  Also see related article here.

There are lots of different Vinho Verde wines available in Ireland, but of the more moderately priced this is the best I have tasted by a margin.  It has fresh citrus fruit, a touch of sea salt and moderate alcohol, but somehow the fruit is so much juicier that in equivalent wines.  However they do it, you have to try it for yourself.

2. Trisquel Series Origen Semillión 2017

Trisquel Semillon

12.5%, RRP €16.99.  Distributed by SuperValu.  Also see related article here.

This wine deserves its inclusion for two entirely different reasons.  Firstly, it’s a very nice and interesting wine that is well worth the price.  Secondly, it introduces a type of wine to Irish supermarkets that I don’t believe has been seen before – skin contact white wine.  It’s a fairly subtle example, such that an average wine drinker wouldn’t be put off by the additional texture and touch of tannins, but it’s a bold move nevertheless.  There’s a big gap between a lot of the wines sold in specialist independents and those sold in supermarkets here, so the bravery is to be commended.

1. Meinklang “Burgenlandweiß” 2017

meinklang burgenlandweiss

11.0%, RRP €19.  Distributed by GrapeCircus.  Also see related article here.

Anyone who has seen my tweets on this wine over the last year or two won’t be surprised by its inclusion or indeed its ranking.  This is a fantastic Austrian blend that does the most important thing: it’s more than the sum of its parts.  Yes I love Grüner Veltliner, and a dash of Muscat definitely enlivens the aromatics; I haven’t tried enough Welschriesling to have an informed opinion but it all works so well together.  And it’s got a price tag that means you don’t have to save it for a special occasion, even if it tastes special!

 


The Frankly Wines 2019 Top 10s:

  • Top 10 Whites
  • Top 10 Fizz
  • Top 10 Value Whites
  • Top 10 Reds
  • Top 10 Value Reds
  • Top 10 Sweets
  • Top 10 Alsace wines tasted in Ireland
  • Top 10 Alsace wines tasted in Alsace
Make Mine A Double, Opinion

SuperValu Italian Red Duo [Make Mine a Double #44]

In edition #43 of Make Mine a Double I reviewed two whites from the forthcoming SuperValu Italian Wine Sale.  Now I look at a couple of reds from Piedmont and Tuscany which will feature in the same even.  In fact, they are by the same pair of producers as the white wines, so you already know the background to the producers.  Below are therefore just some brief tasting notes

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

Ricossa Barbera d’Asti 2016 (13.5%, RRP €12.99 down to €10.00 in the Italian Wine Sale starting 23rd May at SuperValu)

Risocca Barbera D'AstiIt’s a fairly established truism now that winemakers in Piedmont rarely drink Nebbiolo themselves, even if they produce it.  Barbera is the leading candidate to accompany their evening meal, and to be honest it would be mine too.

This is a damned drinkable example from Ricossa.  It shows warm red and black fruit on the nose, especially fresh and stewed plum, plus a sprinkle of chocolate.  This continues through to the palate which shows the same fruits and a touch of chocolate, plus fine tannins and lip-smackingly fresh cherry on the finish.  This is a belter at the normal price, nevermind the special offer!

Castellani Chianti Classico 2016 (12.5%, RRP €15.99 down to €12.00 at SuperValu)

Castellani Chianti Classico

Given the modest alcohol of 12.5% this wine might be considered a lightweight by today’s standards, but it doesn’t feel like it is lacking.  The body is medium or so and it’s an approachable wine where nothing juts out too much; there’s a little bit of tannin, a decent splash of acidity and lots of juicy black fruit – blackberry and black cherry in particular.  There’s a hint of liquorice for the Sangiovese purists but this is more about being a very drinkable wine than being recognisably Chianti Classico.

It doesn’t live up to some of the much more expensive wines which display the Gallo Nero, but if you take it within its price bracket then it will do very nicely.  This would be great with the Friday night pizza or just on its own as a glass to quaff.

 

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Tasting Events

Fruit and Balance [Alsace Vault Vol. 1]

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Françoise Gilley (L) & Agathe Bursin (R)

Last year, thanks to the generosity of Françoise and Seán Gilley of Terroirs in Donnybrook, Dublin, I had the opportunity to meet one of the young stars of Alsace wine, Agathe Bursin.  And not only meet her, but to have her guide us through a tasting of her wines and then try the wines with the excellent food of Forest Avenue.

Like many people in Alsace, Agathe Bursin had a connection to winemaking when she grew up, although not directly from her parents like some.  In her small infant school she was the only girl along with four boys; that is, four boys who all wanted to be a tractor driver on their family’s vineyards, so it was only natural for the young Agathe to dream of this as well.

Secondly, while her family had been selling their grapes to the local cooperative since 1956, her grandfather did make some small amount of wine for family consumption – and Agathe was fascinated by the equipment and the process.

Fast forward several years to 2000, and she graduated in Oenology, but when her first wines were made back home in accordance with her textbooks, they didn’t feel like her wines at all.  She learnt from this minor setback and took an entirely new approach; stripped back and providing a gentle hand of direction only when required.

Since then she has followed organic and biodynamic practices (though has not sought certification) including the use of herbal teas in the vineyard and only indigenous yeast for fermentation.  Interestingly, it is the yeast present in the cellar rather than the vineyard that usually win the biochemical war that is fermentation.  She neither encourages nor discourages malolactic fermentation, it is simply permitted to happen if it happens.  Thankfully though, it usually happens spontaneously in the red wines and not in the whites.

Agathe’s Domaine now totals around 5.5 hectares, split over the Grand Cru Zinnkoepflé and the Lieux-dits Bollenberg, Dirstelberg, Strangenberg, all around her home village of Westhalten.  The split of varieties is: 5% Muscat, 15% Pinot Gris, 20% Riesling, 20% Gewurztraminer and 20% Sylvaner.  Some of the vines are co-planted – more on which later.

Here are my tasting notes on the wines, with the rider that je ne crache pas les blancs….

mdePinot Noir Strangenberg 2015 is from grapes grown on marl and limestone soil.  The grapes are hand picked then partially de-stemmed (40% – 60% depending on the vintage).  There is no cold soak; fermentation begins in stainless steel tanks with eight days of maceration (longer would lead to the wine being too vegetal) before being transferred into used 228 litre pièces to complete the two months of fermentation.  Maturation is for 20 months.  This Pinot Noir shows bright red and black cherry fruit; it’s a smooth wine that has taken a touch of weight and roundness from its time in oak but very little obvious flavour.

Dirstelberg Riesling 2016.jpgRiesling Dirstelberg 2016 is grown on the highest vineyard in Alsace at 500 metres above sea-level.  The soil is red sandstone, sheltered from the wind but still cool (which Riesling prefers).  The vines are trained as Double Guyot which tends to give small berries.  According to Agathe, with age these wines take on chalky, mineral characters rather than diesel.  At this young age it is racy, nervous and tangy, full of fresh citrus – lime lemon and grapefruit – and orange blossom.

mdePinot Blanc Parad’Aux 2016 is a blend of Pinot Blanc and its close relation Auxerrois.  The former has high acidity (which is why it is so popular in Crémant d’Alsace) whereas the latter is quite floral and has moderate acidity.  The two varieties are co-fermented and the local yeast naturally leaves a little bit of residual sugar (6 g/L) which comes across as roundness rather than sweetness (Agathe believes her indigenous yeast are “quite lazy”).  Soft stone fruits are the order of the day here, with a touch of peach, apricot and nectarine.

mdeL’As de B 2016 is a proper field blend, where the different varieties are all planted in the same plot, are harvested and then vinified together.  Bizarrely, while the different varieties would normally ripen at different times in their own blocks, when planted together they mature together!  The blend is – are you ready for this? – 5% Muscat, 15% Pinot Gris, 20% Gewurztraminer, 20% Riesling, 20% Pinot Blanc and 20% Sylvaner.  The residual sugar for the blend falls between 10 and 20 g/L depending on vintage.  The 2016 shows lots of spice, with the Gewurz and Pinot Gris particularly showing through.   Interestingly, although the blend stays the same from year to year, different grapes seem to come to the fore with each vintage.

mdeL’As de B 2008 shows how well this wine can age – it still shows great freshness as well as development, but is not yet fully mature.  It seems soft and gentle, as though it had settled in to itself with age.

As I speak reasonable French I presumed that “As de B” signified “L’As de Bursin”, i.e Bursin’s Ace, but this is not the case.  The grapes all come from the Bollenberg; the story is that when the blend was first vinified, someone chalked “Edelzwicker” on the tank – the traditional Alsace blend – but as Edelzwicker is not usually a field blend, Agathe didn’t want to use that term.  Instead she preferred “Assemblage de Bollenberg”, but as that was far too long she settled for L’As de B – and the name stuck.

Dirstelberg Pinot Gris 2016.jpgPinot Gris Dirstelberg 2016 is grown on the same red sandstone as the Riesling.  RS is off-dry at 14 g/L which is my preferred style for the grape.  The palate has delicious quince and pear plus exotic spices.  It is rich but nowhere near cloying.

Per Agathe, with age the Pinot Gris Dirstelberg gains notes of smoke, toast and flint – this sounds very intriguing and something I hope to experience for myself in the not too distant future!

mdeGewurztraminer Dirstelberg 2016 is the wine which gave Agathe the most worry.  On the Dirstelberg, Gewurz naturally produces lots of leaves, but as winds tend not to be strong there is a significant risk of bunch rot if they are not trimmed back.  Once harvested, the grapes are given a very gentle pressing over 6 to 8 hours in order to extract only moderate phenolics – this also results in the wine looking somewhat paler than the average young Gewurz.  This is a gentle, restrained Gewurztraminer that really does live up to Agathe’s desire for fruit and balance.  If only more could be like this, I think the grape would have more fans.

mdeRiesling Grand Cru Zinnkoeplé Vendanges Tardives 2015 shows how sweet Riesling can be a magnificent, balanced rapier.  Residual sugar of 65 g/L is the counterpoint to thrilling, racy acidity.

It’s still very young and tangy – and very enjoyable – but has years of magnificence ahead of it.  If I had a case or two, then yes I’d be tempted to dive in now and again, but I think, despite the expletives of joy in my tasting notes, this is one that will be legendary in a decade’s time.

mdeGewurztraminer Grand Cru Zinnkoeplé Vendanges Tardives 2015 is getting on for the longest name of any wine I’ve ever reviewed!  Harvesting took place at the beginning of November, so this is a true Vendanges Tardives.

Obviously sweeter on the palate than the Riesling above – both in terms of higher RS at 89 g/L and softer acidity – this is a mighty fine example of late harvest Gewurz.  Compared to some it’s relatively muted – but as the grape can be such an overblown, blousy, tart’s boudoir, this is not necessarily a bad thing.

 


Post Script: Does Agathe drive a tractor now?  You bet she does!

 

Make Mine A Double, Opinion

Italian White Duo from SuperValu [Make Mine a Double #43]

According to the Celtic calendar, summer starts on 1st May – which is earlier than when summer starts in many other European traditions. It does seem this year that the summer here in Ireland started and finished on the same day, which is quite unusual to say the least. Hopefully the sunshine will return and barbecues will be in action again soon. If you fancy a nice white wine to sip when the sun does return, you could do far worse than this pair from SuperValu, currently in their Italian Wine Sale:

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

Ricossa Gavi 2016 (12.0%, RRP €13.99 down to €10.00 in the Italian Wine Sale starting 23rd May at SuperValu)

Ricossa Gavi

Ricossa have the words “Antica Casa” below their name on wine labels, which (I believe) translates literally as “Ancient House,” but perhaps would be better represented by “Historic House”. Ricossa are based close to the town of Asti in Piedmont (or Piemonte if you prefer) and make wines from the regions’s well known areas – Barbera d’Asti, Barolo and Barbaresco, plus a Barbera Appassimento which is very much en vogue at the moment (or should that be di moda? My Italian is very poor, I apologise!)

Cortese di Gavi is – funnily enough – the DOCG for wines from 100% Cortese made in eleven communes in and around Gavi. Usually just known as Gavi (or Gavi di Gavi if made in the actual commune of Gavi), the wines were granted DOC status in 1974 and then DOCG in 1998.

This is a nice tangy example, with both ripe peach and dry peach stone, flowers, a touch of citrus, and dry herbs. This would be fantastic with a dish using white fish baked with herbs.

Castellani Collesano Vermentino IGT Toscana 2017 (12.5%, RRP €16.99 down to €10.00 in the Italian Wine Sale starting 23rd May at SuperValu)

Castellani Collesano Vermentino

The Castellani family made the move from grape-growers to wine producers in 1903 and haven’t looked back since. They now have a stable of six estates across Tuscany, with Chianti and Chianti Classico being major strengths.

Away from the reds, Vermentino is one of the few white grapes that flourishes in Tuscany. In a broad swathe from Tuscany round to the Languedoc in France – taking in Sardinia on the way – it is well established but with a variety of local synonyms, including: Pigato (Liguria), Favorita (Piedmont) and Rolle (Provence).

This has a lovely nose of aromatic stone fruit, a pinch of spice and a hint of musk. It’s a pleasant easy drinking wine with nice mouthfeel; there’s juicy stone fruit in the mid-palate and a dry but mouth-watering finish.

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