What Would Robin Hood Drink (WWRHD) if he were around today? What would make his men merry? I put it to you that he would enjoy the fine wines of SherwoodEstate and Ken Forrester!
Robin likes the “straight as an arrow” acidity of Sauvignon Blanc
These two fine producers make wines from several other varieties, but for comparative purposes I will review their equivalent Sauvignon Blancs:
Sherwood Estate Waipara Sauvignon Blanc 2018
No outlaws were harmed during the making of this wine
One mistake many people make is too assume that all New Zealand Sauvignons are from Marlborough. Yes, the north east of the South Island is the biggest Sauvignon producing region and has become the ambassador for Kiwi wine, but Nelson (north west of the South Island), Wairarapa (south of the North Island) and Waipara (north of Canterbury on the South Island) also make some great examples.
In 1987 – still the early days of the modern NZ wine industry – Jill and Dayne Sherwood dived headlong into producing wine at West Melton, just west of Christchurch. The industry was in turmoil at the time, but they were successful enough to survive and outgrow their West Melton property. They then moved around an hour north into Waipara which was an area full of unrealised promise. With their drive and perseverance they turned Sherwood Estate into one of the largest independent New Zealand wineries.
The firm now has six different vineyard sites around Waipara including Glasnevin, named after a famous district of Dublin. Their wine offerings have also branched out (pun intended) to four different ranges plus two different sparklers. The Sherwood range wines “are premium, everyday wines, made in a ‘hands-off’ style with little interruption in the winery” and consist of five varietals:
Chardonnay
Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir
Riesling
Sauvignon Blanc
The Sauvignon Blanc we have here is unoaked and made conventionally. The juice undergoes a cool fermentation for three weeks. The must is then left on the fine lees for three months which adds depth. The finished wine combines green (herbs, bell pepper, grass) and fruit (lime, lemon, grapefruit and passion fruit) notes. This zesty wine shows how good Sauvignon Blanc can be outside Marlborough.
Ken Forrester Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2018
Robin sympathizes with Ken’s status as a legend
Ken Forrester is something of a legend in Stellenbosch and South Africa as a whole. He and his wife Teresa bought a derelict farm in 1993, though the property was created as far back as 1689.
All the pruning and harvesting work in the vineyard is done by hand for two reasons. Firstly, it allows the vineyard team to pay very close attention to detail for quality reasons. Secondly, it offers more employment for people in the local community.
There are currently four separate ranges which each have several blends and varietals:
Icon: The FMC (Chenin), The Gypsy, (Rhône blend), T Noble Late Harvest (Chenin)
Cellar door exclusives – Sparklehorse MCC, Three Halves (Rhône blend), Roussanne, Dirty Little Secret TWO (Natural Chenin)
The grapes for the Reserve Sauvignon come from three are sourced from 3 vineyard sites scattered across the coastal region: Stellenbosch, Elim and Darling. Some – though not all – are old vines, increasing concentration and depth of flavour. After fermentation the wine spends eight weeks on fine lees.
For many years I have regarded South African Sauvignons as being stylistically half way between Loire and NZ styles, but I think it’s time we (I) forgot the comparisons and just regard them as their own thing. This one has lots of green notes, but is not under-ripe; mangetout is then joined by some juicy stone fruit and the finish is long, crisp and clean. Unlike some other SA SBs I’ve tried, the alcohol is fairly restrained at 13.0%.
In these unusual times, we all need a lift from time to time. As a change to my usual wine reviews I’ve decided to start a fun and irreverent series on matching wine and music. The basic idea is that I give participants:
A piece of music –> they suggest a wine to go with it, with an explanation
A wine –> they suggest a piece of music to go with it
It’s all for fun, so please don’t slag off anybody’s taste music (or wine!) Thanks to Michelle Williams for the inspiration – she has been matching songs to wine for years on her Rockin Red Blog.
My guest for this tenth post in The Frankly Wines & Friends Wine & Music Series is Cara Rutherford, a great friend whose knowledge and passion for Italian wine and loud trousers really puts me in the shade (though I might have an advantage on loud shirts). Cara and I have a lot in common when it comes to wine but even more when it comes to music – I think we are of a similar vintage, but I would never ask a lady her age!
The Cure’s music has defied easy categorisation over the years, but has encompassed goth (a term they dislike), straight up pop (Friday I’m In Love) and rock (Shake Dog Shake). I’ve been a fan of The Cure since the late ’80s. Initially it was Standing on a Beach / Staring at the Sea which I had on repeat and then Disintegration, the best album ever per Kyle Broflovski. The previous album Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me had passed me by somewhat, but my favourite track from that album – Just Like Heaven – was played all three times I’ve seen them in concert (1992, 2002 & 2019). It manages to be a really hooky pop song while still preserving The Cure’s sensibility. Check out this analysis by Rick Beato.
While Cara’s main vinous focus is Italy, she also reviews plenty of wines from other countries – especially if they are made a low intervention style. I’ve already chosen one wine from Suertes del Marqués in this series, but as I’m such a fan of their wines and had the pleasure of meeting Jonatan Garcia Lima earlier this year, I thought I’d chose their fabulous ‘7 Fuentes’ red which Cara had already reviewed and was familiar with.
The Cure – Just Like Heaven
I was delighted when Frankie sent me ‘Just Like Heaven’ to pair with a wine for his Wine & Music Series. Even though I’ve only had the pleasure of hanging out with Frankie one fantastic evening, he clearly sussed out my post-punk origins and general angst vibes.
As a GenXer, the Cure is one of the bands that not only changed but assisted in formulating and developing who I am. Robert Smith’s lyrics introduced and beckoned me into the existential cosmos of Nietzsche, Sartre and Camus. A philosophy that became my backbone growing up in the wasteland of upstate NY.
The otherworld, velvet flanger layers of his guitar, his imploring, flirtatious, angst saturated voice and words, his cascade of birds’ nest hair. The avante-guard Tim Pope videos that allowed an innocent, silly facet to shine through.
And the memories, I could go on and on; the thousands of times I made my saint of a grandmother watch the nearly 2 hours of magnificence that is The Cure in Orange with me in the afternoons after school. She was from London, so I rationalized that she would of course want to watch it over and over and over again with me……stockpiling Mary Quant liquid eyeliner when in London [I had read in an interview somewhere that was the brand he used]…..the years I lived in Dublin where I had the opportunity to track down the 7” & 12” records with their cool pastel or translucent vinyl bearing the ultimate in Cure treasures; ethereal b-sides that were held in god-like esteem for those fortunate enough to have actually found them.
So back to the pairing. ‘Just Like Heaven’ was one of the Cure’s biggest singles, with many accolades and perhaps the song that officially established them in the States.
‘Just Like Heaven’ is a glistening love song filled with dizzying iconography and shimmering melody. Looking for the same character in a wine, I immediately knew it would be sparkling and French, rooted in devotion and otherworldliness. It had to be Jean-Christophe Jezequel ‘Mademoiselle’ Vin de France 2018.
Credit: Cara Rutherford
Jean-Christophe Jezequel passionately cares for his 5 hectares of old vine vineyards in Faverolles-sur-Cher in the Loire Valley. He recovered and rehabilitated old, abandoned vineyards with vines dating back to 1945, none of which have ever seen chemicals. His grapes traditionally were sold to iconic ancestral method/pet-nat winemakers Pascal Potaire and Moses Gadouche of Domaine Les Capriades. In 2019, he released his first wine, ‘Mademoiselle’ the 2017 vintage, on his own label. Just a year later, he has 5 more wines in production.
Grapes are from old vines in clay, sand, and silex over limestone soils, harvested at the beginning of September. Followed by direct pressing of the two varieties together, then fermentation in fiberglass vats with multiple rackings. After a month of fermentation, the wine is hand and gravity bottled in early October, aged a little over a year on its lees.
Coral pink in colour, with delicate aromas of strawberry, rose petal, dusty earth and a wisp of frankincense. Red currant, wild strawberry, lemon, hibiscus flower and chalky minerality are buoyed by packed, tiny bubbles and tangy acidity. Pink grapefruit and green apple linger on the fizzy, mineral driven finish. Bright, engaging and refined.
Suertes del Marqués ‘7 Fuentes’
Credit: Cara Rutherford
Frankie’s wine choice was Suertes del Marqués ‘7 Fuentes’ Valle de la Orotava DO 2017, a favourite of mine that holds a place in my ‘house wine’ rotation. Jonatan Garcia Lima has 11 hectares of vineyards on the slopes of Teide, an active volcano in the northern part of Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
He is dedicated to low intervention, organic and sustainable practices in both the vineyards and cellar. 7 Fuentes is composed of 35 plots from area winegrowers and from the estate vineyards with vines ranging from 10 to 180 years old, at elevations 250 to 800 meters above sea level, in volcanic soils. Each plot is vinified separately. Fermented in concrete and stainless steel with native yeasts, 70% aged in concrete while the remaining 30% aged in used 500-liter oak barrels for nine months, unfined and unfiltered.
Dark ruby red in colour with engaging aromas of campfire, tarry earth, ash, grilled herbs, black cherry, candied violet and a wisp of burnt marshmallow. Silky layers of black cherry, raspberry, cranberry, red currant, clove, coriander, rose petal and grilled herbs are wrapped in saline minerality and drape across a framework of tangy acidity and firm tannins. Smoke, tarry earth crushed black peppercorn, roasted rosemary and baked cranberry linger on the plush finish. Striking, complex and velvety.
I felt only a Foo Fighters song would be able to echo the sinuous fusion of boldness and silky symmetry whirling through every sip of 7 Fuentes. Enter ‘The Line’, with exhilarating guitars, heart pounding drums and Dave’s legendary angst driven screams that meld seamlessly with blissful, dreamy melody and charged lyrics. Dave Grohl has stated that the song expresses “a search for hope in this day and age where you feel as if you’re fighting for your life with every passing moment, and everything is on the line.” The centuries old, braided vines set into a prehistoric, other planet looking environment of black volcanic earth at dizzying elevations have fought many battles and come out on the other side victorious.
Cara Rutherford
Cara Rutherford has been exploring and writing about wine for nearly a decade. Over the years her expertise has become razor-focused on Italian wines and the people who craft them. Having a Master’s in applied art and background in ancient art, she honed her art criticism and writing skills whilst working at Christie’s in New York City. Certified 3iC Central Italy Specialist, she is currently pursuing additional 3iC Specialist certifications [Italian International Indigenous Wine and Food Studies Center] under Ian D’Agata. Additionally, she holds a Highest Honors Italian Wine Scholar certificate, along with WSET 2 designation, with distinction. Check out her website caravino.net or follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Five Fantastic Sparkling Wines – Guest post by Frankie Cook Here are Five Fantastic Fizzes from Marks & Spencer to put some zip into your life! They include Cava, Champagne, Kiwi fizz, Crémant de Bourgogne and English sparkling wine (for which ESW seems to be the new TLA). La Cave des Hautes Côtes Crémant de…
The Abruzzo region is geographically in the centre of Italy* but is considered to be part of southern Italy for cultural and historical reasons. Grapes are grown throughout all four provinces of this hilly region: L’Aquila, Teramo, Pescara, and Chieti – with the last being the most productive, ranking as the fifth highest wine producing province in Italy.
Abruzzo within Italy (Credit: Gigillo83 (Wikipedia))
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is the main white wine of the region and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the main red. At this point I feel duty bound to include the standard remark that the latter is not to be confused with the Sangiovese-based Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Under DOC regulations Montepulciano d’Abruzzo must be composed of a minimum of 85% Montepulciano with up to 15% Sangiovese for the balance. Standard DOC wines must be aged for a minimum of 5 months prior to release with Riservas requiring 24 months, of which at least 9 months must be in wood barrels.
Although we think of Abruzzo as being the home of Montepulciano, it is in fact used throughout a large swathe of Italy from Emilia-Romagna to Puglia (see left).
It’s success is due to it being relatively easy to grow and producing high yields, yet still plenty of colour from the thin skins. Acidity tends to be moderate and tannins are present but not too harsh.
Here’s a cracking Montepulciano d’Abruzzo which I tried recently:
Disclosure: bottle was kindly provided as a sample, opinions remain my own
Tor del Colle Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva 2016
Tor del Colle is a label used for wines from Abruzzo, Molise and Puglia, three regions along the Adriatic Coast. The brand is owned by the Botter group who trace their origins to 1928 Venice.
Grapes were fully destemmed and macerated for 7 to 8 days before temperature-controlled alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Maturation is for 12 months in barrels (size & age not given) and 12 months in steel tanks.
The wine pours a bright cherry red, though not that deep. The nose is intensely aromatic with alpine strawberries and cherry, plus cinnamon and other spices in the background. The palate is rich and lithe, full of red and black fruit. It’s a soft and supple wine; tannins are present but ripe.
Due to its ubiquity and relatively low price we are used to Montepulciano d’Abruzzo as a great glugging wine – probably the first wine that springs to mind when we’re asked to suggest a wine to go with pizza. Although it’s not expensive, this wine shows that it can be so much more than that. It retains the fresh flavours, balanced acidity and soft tannins of an everyday Montepulciano d’Abruzzo but adds additional layers of complexity which don’t weigh it down.
This is a lip-smackingly good wine, the best value red wine I’ve had so far this year!
In these unusual times, we all need a lift from time to time. As a change to my usual wine reviews I’ve decided to start a fun and irreverent series on matching wine and music. The basic idea is that I give participants:
A piece of music –> they suggest a wine to go with it, with an explanation
A wine –> they suggest a piece of music to go with it
It’s all for fun, so please don’t slag off anybody’s taste music (or wine!) Thanks to Michelle Williams for the inspiration – she has been matching songs to wine for years on her Rockin Red Blog.
Our ninth contributor to this series is the magnificent Melanie May. Amongst other wines she mentioned that Riesling is her favourite white grape so of course I had to select an Alsace Riesling. But not any Alsace Riesling, Sipp Mack’s Grand Cru Rosacker which has been a favourite of mine for the best part of a decade. The 2011 was an amazingly big and heady vintage (at 14.0%!) which will remain in my top wines tasted, but the 2014 is a more elegant and subtle expression at 13.0%. At around €30 in Ireland it is sensationally good value for money.
On the music side I chose a perennial favourite from the mid ’80s which straddled the rock and goth genres. Billy Duffy’s powerful riffs help propel the song forward but for me it’s Nigel Preston’s pounding drums which really make the song excel. This was Preston’s last track with The Cult, and didn’t even feature in the video as his replacement Mark Brzezicki featured instead.
Sipp Mack Alsace Grand Cru Rosacker Riesling 2014
Credit: Melanie May
When Frankie asked me to contribute to his wine and music blog series I jumped at the chance. Not only because it gives me an opportunity to combine my love of writing, wine and music, but also my love of psychology too.
A little background, I used to take photographs of musicians and travelled around the UK snapping bands like The White Stripes, Razorlight, Stereophonics and The Libertines. My life revolved around going to gigs and backstage parties. Of course, that rock and roll lifestyle is well behind me now but my love of music is still as strong as ever.
Nowadays, I am a food and drink and travel writer and I have a WSET Level 3 Award in Wines. Before becoming a full-time writer though, I was studying to become a Clinical Psychologist and did my dissertation in Neuroscience.
Through my studies in psychology, I became aware of how different sensory experiences complement each other. There has been a few studies showing how music effects the perception and taste of wine. Did you know that people will buy significantly more expensive wine if classical music is playing than if the Top 40 is on? Apparently classical music encourages consumers to look for quality wines. Try it in your wine shop and see!
So, this pairing wine and music challenge is right up my street! I love this stuff.
I told Frankie that Riesling was my favourite white. So, when he asked me to pair a song to the 2014 Sipp Mack Riesling Grand Cru Rosacker my mouth instantly started watering. I had not tried that particular wine before, but knowing Frankie’s love of Alsace wine, I knew this was going to be a cracker.
And I was right. What a beautiful wine.
On the nose, the wine is floral with loads of juicy apple and bright citrus notes and a hint of petrol coming through too. The flavours are granny smith apples, cut red apple and baked apple too, lemon and lime. There is a wonderful chalky minerality to it too. It has an elegant mouthfeel and a long finish. It is super delicious.
The bright acidity and citrus notes of this wine are well matched to an upbeat pop song. The minerality and high acidity give this wine great structure, so I picked a song with a similar tight structure. The wine, with its delightful floral aromas and fruity flavours, is playful on the palate and even though it is high in acid it is quite smooth too. So, again, the song I chose is playful and smooth. The wine also has a great purity, it’s not encumbered with oak or other interfering wine making techniques, much like the matching song.
The song I paired with the 2014 Sipp Mack Riesling Grand Cru Rosacker is Good Day Sunshine by The Beatles – quite possibly my all time favourite band.
Good Day Sunshine is a bight and breezy, structured pop song – it is one of just a handful Beatles songs to use contiguous choruses. It is a pure pop song with no exotic instruments or tape loops. It is just Paul singing, Lennon harmonising and a piano and drums and very little guitar on the backing track. So, like the wine, it is bright, has great structure and is pure in taste and style.
Both the wine and the song capture the essence of carefree sunny days and both are good-mood enhancing. What a combo.
This wine is perfect for a barefoot picnic in the grass and this feel-good song is a magic, musical accompaniment.
I truly believe that when you pair the right wine with the right music, you get a heightened sensory experience that hits all the right notes. Maybe, one day, wine labels will say: ‘pairs well with shellfish and The Beatles’.
She Sells Sanctuary – The Cult
When Frankie asked me to pair a wine with the song ‘She Sells Sanctuary’ by The Cult I knew exactly what wine to choose: Château VincensLes Graves De Paul Cahors 2014
Credit: Melanie May
She Sells Sanctuary has been described as ‘a goth milestone’ and ‘quite possibly the most famous goth-rock song’. So, a fitting pairing is a ‘black’ wine. Well, I was hardly going to choose a Champagne, goths aren’t exactly known for being bubbly now, are they?
Black wine is Malbec from Cahors in France and its dark colour is caused by a high concentration of polyphenols from the Malbec grape skins.
This particular wine I choose has a dark label and gothic script – goths love flourishes like that. This bottle will therefore co-ordinate perfectly with their crushed velvet jackets and the writing is big enough to read though all their eye makeup.
This wine tastes best if you let the air at it for a little while, so pour it into your best chalice or goblet and leave it to breathe whist you go write some awful poetry.
When you listen to She Sells Sanctuary you’ll notice the soft build-up of the intro and then Ian Astbury’s impassioned vocals before the drama of the instrumental break hits. There is a great structure to this song and that’s thanks to pop producer Steve Brown, he worked with Wham!.
The wine also follows a similar trajectory. When you first sniff you get a soft build up of aromas like dark fruits, bramble, tobacco and woody spices. Then, when you first sip, you taste the fruit but it is balanced out with lovely savoury, smoky and spicy flavours. Then the drama of the mineral backbone, hint of oak and smooth tannins hit. This wine is intense, rich and elegant with great structure. Just like the song. As for the impassioned vocals? Well, this is a heartfelt wine with a sense of place. You can taste the terroir. It also has a restrained power, much like the vocal style of the lead singer.
Like most goths, this wine isn’t fully mature. The oak and tannins means you could age it for a few more years. I think ageing would smooth everything out just a tad more and let those lovely savoury flavours develop too.
With a wine this intense and rich you can pair it with big intense food. I chose to pair mine with steak because of its high iron content, cause, let’s face it, most goths look anaemic.
I think pairing a goth-rock song with a black wine helps keep the proper morbid mood, don’t you think? However, as this particular song has expressive pop overtones, I think this expressive, fruit-driven wine with smooth tannins and good structure is a harmonious match.
Overall, it’s a rich, complex and age-worthy wine that is delicious to drink now but could be something even more special if left to age for a few more years. It might even get a cult following!
It’s not hard to see why some wines from Cahors have a cult following! Get it? Cult? The Cult?
I’ll get my coat.
Melanie May
Melanie May is a food and wine writer and travel journalist from Dublin. She won the ‘Best Newcomer’ award at the 2019 Travel Extra Travel Journalist of the Year Awards and she is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers and is a Guild of Fine Food, Great Taste Judge.
Her love of wine began in her early 20s when she worked in a wine shop in Dublin and she has been developing her palate and tasting skills ever since. She has a WSET Level 2 Award in Wines & Spirits and a WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and uses this knowledge to inform the wine articles she writes for her blog, Travel Eat Write Repeat.
You can also follow her gastronomic adventures on Twitter and on Instagram.
For those of us living in the UK or Ireland it is rare to think of international borders moving. Yes, there’s the Northern Ireland border between the two sovereign states, but that hasn’t moved since its inception a century ago and is hopefully fading away. Because we live on islands even the concept of driving to another country seems a little strange for many, never mind that border moving over time.
The movement of borders has created some unusual situations for wine folk, such as the Becker family in Germany’s Pfalz – whose vineyards run into Alsace – and also the Gravner family – whose lands were in the Austro-Hungarian Empire at one point but now lie (just) in Italy.
This all came to mind as I was thinking about a pair of wines I tasted earlier in the year. They are based on the same geological set of hills (Gorizia Hills in English, Collio Goriziano in Italian or Goriška Brda in Slovene) but in different countries. The drive between them is less than an hour an a half:
So now for that pair of wines:
Gašper Rebula 2016
First things first: Gašperis the name of the producer (literally, as Gašper Čarman is the gentleman who own and runs the place) and Rebulais the grape variety. The latter is better known to most of us as Ribolla Gialla in Friuli but it is a major variety in Brda.
Gašper’s vines are planted in “opaka” soil (silica-calcite sedimentary rock) on terraces between 80 and 200 metres above sea level. Both altitude and proximity to the sea help to retain aromas and freshness in the wine.
This Rebula is made with 16 hours skin contact – far more than more white wines but nowhere near as long as orange / amber wines. Fermentation is in huge (4,000 litre) casks, temperature controlled to preserve fruit characters and freshness. Maturation takes place first in old French barriques (1 year) then in old, large big format Slavonian oak casks.
The time spent on skins adds a real depth of colour to the wine – it deserves the “Gialla” (yellow) descriptor in its Italian name. The nose shows bright citrus – lemon, grapefruit, orange – and mixed citrus peel. The palate is soft, not too shouty with great texture. The fresh and dried fruits are joined by a certain creaminess and they resolve in a clean, fresh finish.
Gašper himself told me that the wine has great ageing potential – and I have every reason to believe him.
After two World Wars Friuli’s agriculture and viticulture was significantly diminished and almost abandoned by the flight from countryside to city. Livio Felluga was one who had a great vision of restoring Fruili’s proud tradition of winemaking. He bought up old vineyards planted new ones and over the course of decades reinvigorated the region. He has long been acknowledged as the driving force behind the restoration of Friuli and as an ambassador for its wines.
Illivio was created as by Livio’s children to celebrate his 85th birthday. It’s a blend of Pinot Bianco (60%), Chardonnay (30%) and indigenous variety Picolit (10%). Picolit was traditionally used for sweet wines as it has a good balance between sugar and acidity, with a flavour profile not too far form Viognier, and had a cult following in the 1960s and ’70s.
The wine is fermented in small oak casks then left on the lees in those barrels for 10 months. While oaked Chardonnay is of course very common internationally, oaked Pinot Blanc is mainly an Italian thing – but it can make for excellent wines.
Illivio pours yellow in the glass, though not from skin contact as the Gašper Rebula above, but rather from the influence of oak. The nose is intense, as floral and fruit notes compete with rich smoky notes from the oak. The palate is rich yet tangy, with buttered brioche and juicy fruit exquisitely mixed. This is a serious wine, but seriously nice!
In these unusual times, we all need a lift from time to time. As a change to my usual wine reviews I’ve decided to start a fun and irreverent series on matching wine and music. The basic idea is that I give participants:
A piece of music –> they suggest a wine to go with it, with an explanation
A wine –> they suggest a piece of music to go with it
It’s all for fun, so please don’t slag off anybody’s taste music (or wine!) Thanks to Michelle Williams for the inspiration – she has been matching songs to wine for years on her Rockin Red Blog.
Part 8 of this series is in the capable hands of James Hubbard, a fellow wine tweeter who also wrote a guest piece for me in 2017. The track I chose for him is a modern blues-rock classic from the onetime Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore (who I saw “support” BB King in 2006). Parisienne Walkways contains the lines:
I remember Paris in ’49 The Champs Elysee, Saint Michel And old Beaujolais wine
which was a chance for James to run with a Beaujolais, but he resisted the easy score as you will see below.
James posts up some cracking Australian wines on Twitter and Instagram so I though I’d go with a real big-hitter: Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, one of their very top red wines and named after the Boeing 707. The 1998 707 is still the best red wine I have ever tasted.
Gary Moore – Parisienne Walkways
So when Frankie contacted me to ask if I would like to take part in his Wine and music series, I jumped at the chance. What fun! I’ll get a piece of Italian opera, maybe. Easy, right?
Then Frankie sent me the song: Parisienne Walkways, by Gary Moore. Mind. Blown. What on earth can I pair with this?? A 9-minute opus (well, live anyway) full of ridiculously long guitar notes. I mean it’s iconic, it’s brilliant but at the same time rather self-indulgent (or at least that’s how I remembered it).
However, as I listened to it several times, it all fell into place. I could easily have gone with a Beaujolais – Paris, steak frites and some bojo, right? I mean he even mentions it in the song, for goodness’ sake! And my goodness I love Beaujolais. Gamay rocks, as apparently does Gary Moore. But that would be too easy. Come on, James. Work a bit harder than that. As I delved deeper, I realised that what I used to think of as self-indulgence is actually self-knowing. Yes it’s a serious piece of music but it’s actually not taking itself too seriously. Then the penny dropped.
Bonny Doon ‘Le Cigare Volant’, from the amazing Randall Grahm.
Just like the song, there’s a bit of everything in there (usually about 5 different grapes, a real Rhône Ranger) but the blend is just spot-on. It opens up so early and so well and it hits all the right notes throughout (unlike Morecambe and Wise, in the right order as well). This is an incredible wine. It’s earthy, rich yet playful, full-bodied yet perfectly balanced. Above all, it’s a wine that demands your attention but ultimately doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon
For my music choice, I was invited to find an appropriate accompaniment to Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon. Wow. This is a wine that can live forever and is somewhat in the shadows of its more-famous sibling, but sorry Oasis you’re not coming in on this occasion. I need something more refined. Bin 707 is Tom Finney to Stanley Matthews’ Grange. Less lauded but the professionals always knew who was the greater.
Step forward the one, the only Bob Dylan. ‘One More Cup of Coffee’.
A song about unrequited love, taken from one of Dylan’s lesser-known albums. As with wine tastings, this is best enjoyed live and the version from Dylan’s Bootleg Series 5, The Rolling Thunder Revue is my personal favourite. Just like the 707, this has such a rich tapestry. It’s long and hauntingly beautiful. Once heard, never forgotten yet rarely spoken about in the same breath of some of Dylan’s other work.
Oh and whilst you’re at it, come for one more cup of coffee and stay for the entirety of the Bootleg live album. Just like delving into Penfolds’ catalogue and discovering other incredible wines you’d never realised were there, you’ll discover genius that truly will live forever.
James Hubbard
James Hubbard is a passionate wine amateur with an eclectic collection and a vastly inferior palate to that of his wife. A Europhile, he works for a major FMCG company as their EMEA Head of Talent Acquisition (a fancy way of saying ‘recruitment’). Lover of virtually all sports (particularly cricket, rugby union and American Football). You can follow him under @jameshubbard113 on both Twitterand Instagram.
The Domaine dates back to the 1600s but gained its current name when Marc took over in 1971. His son Antoine has been involved for over 20 years and took over running the Domaine in 2007. The total area under vines is now 13.5 hectares including four Grand Cru sites in the vicinity of their Andlau base.
Here’s an extract from the Alsace Wine Route map to help you get your bearings:
Andau, Eichhoffen and Mittelbergheim are just below the town of Barr.
One of the defining features of Alsace is its mosaic of thirteen soil types, the result of complex geological activity over time. The term mosaic is particularly apt as the soils can change over very short distances.
There are, however, some groupings which can act as a guide. The Sub-Vosges hills have six of the thirteen soil types and Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss has several across its small holdings.
From their website:
The diversity of the soils is an added advantage for the wines. The vineyard is planted 80% on slopes or half-hills, in south-south-east exposition.
The soil composition is complex, with pink sandstone, granite, schist gray/blue or black, sediment, limestone that bring finesse, minerality and freshness to the wines.
The vineyard is located in a radius of 10 km around the village of Andlau, but also to the neighboring villages as Eichhoffen, Mittelbergheim and Barr.
Like most Alsace producers they make sweet wines (Vendanges Tardives (VT) and Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN)) and spirits, but still dry wines are the focus. There are three main ranges of wines, in ascending quality:
Fruit [Driven] Wines:
Kritt Pinot Blanc
Andlau Riesling
Lerchenberg Pinot Gris
Kritt Gewurztraminer
Kritt Klevner
Pinot Boir Alsace Blanc (a white blend)
Pinot Boir Pinot Noir
Terroir wines
La Fontaine aux Enfants – Pinot Blanc
Stierkopf (Pinot Blanc & Riesling)
Clos Rebgarten (Gewurztraminer)
Clos du Val d’Eléon (Riesling & Pinot Gris)
Clos Rebberg (Riesling)
Grands Crus
Wiebelsberg Grand Cru (Riesling)
Moenschberg Grand Cru (Pinot Gris)
Kastelberg Grand Cru (Riesling)
Kirschberg de Barr Grand Cru (Pinot Noir)
The Fruit and Terroir wines are made from their own grapes and those of close friends, but the Grands Crus are entirely Domaine grapes.
In terms of viticulture they have nearly a full house of postmodern winemaking terms: Organic, Biodynamic and Natural. Conversion to biodynamics started under Marc himself in 1989, with certification from 1991.
I have tried the Kritt Gewurztraminer several times (and liked it), so when I spotted a bottle of the Andlau Riesling I had to extend my empirical knowledge of the producer:
Marc Kreydenweiss Andlau Riesling 2017
This Riesling is made from grapes of the Domaine and from growers André and Yann, over 2.2 hectares in the foothills abutting the Grand Cru Wiebelsberg. The sub-soil is a pink sandstone known as “Grès des Vosges” which is known to impart a minerality to Riesling. The wine is certified Organic by Demeter and certified Biodynamic by Biodyvin.
On pouring it is clean and clear, a light lemon colour and a little lighter than the Kritt Gewurz. The nose is a big surprise, given the conventionality of the Gewurz: it has a distinctly “natural” aspect. For those not familiar with natural wine, it often has a certain rawness or earthiness which defies easy description but is very recognisable. Beyond that there are juicy stone fruit aromas.
The default flavour notes for Riesling are lime and lemon, but this wine is different – fleshy stone fruit appear again, with suggestions of fruit sweetness but actually resolutely dry. The finish is long, mineral, slightly sour (though not unpleasantly so). I found this wine improved over the course of an hour so it needs a bit of air and not to be drunk too cold.
Conclusion
This wine may be a little strange for the uninitiated, but if you already like natural wines or are willing to be a little adventurous then this is an excellent example to try.
In these unusual times, we all need a lift from time to time. As a change to my usual wine reviews I’ve decided to start a fun and irreverent series on matching wine and music. The basic idea is that I give participants:
A piece of music –> they suggest a wine to go with it, with an explanation
A wine –> they suggest a piece of music to go with it
It’s all for fun, so please don’t slag off anybody’s taste music (or wine!) Thanks to Michelle Williams for the inspiration – she has been matching songs to wine for years on her Rockin Red Blog.
Paul Moran is a personal friend and former colleague of mine. When working together I was always happy to let Paul choose the music we listened to as our tastes have a significant overlap; furthermore, as Paul did not have the same eight years of sleep deprivation (aka “kids”) he was always able to introduce me to new things.
The track I chose for Paul is one of my favourite dance music tracks (Rez) from a band (Underworld) who both performed live and released albums (not the norm on the dance music scene). Funnily enough Rez was not originally included on an Underworld album, but was on 1994’s Junior Boy’s Own Collection. One of the criticisms levelled at dance music by people who don’t like it has been that it lacks the emotion of music made by “real” instruments; Rez obliterates this judgement as it’s one of the most emotive pieces of music I’ve ever heard – judge for yourself below!
The wine I chose is also something of a rule breaker. This time it’s my own rule of thumb: if a wine region or grape is known for making something different, e.g. sparkling or fortified wine, or even brandy, then the chances are that the regular wines from the region or grape are pretty ordinary. Suertes del Marqués’s white wines are predominantly made from Listán Blanco which is treasured in Jerez for its neutrality under the synonym Palomino. However, in Tenerife’s Valle de La Orotava it produces wine such as Trenzado, an amazingly complex wine which, while it might not be to everyone’s taste, can be everything to those who like it.
A moment of sensory reflection, the nostalgia of a forgotten tune or half remembered flavour. Whether it’s wine or music, both pursuits seem like they flex the same mental muscles.
The similarities between music and wine have struck me before: having studied music at university and now, a decade later, working in wine, I’ve often considered the parallels. But when actually requested to pair a wine with a piece of music (and vice versa), then explain my rationale, I initially found it a little hard to articulate.
Underworld – Rez
The track Frankie has asked me to pair is the devastatingly simple rave classic Rez by Underworld. Starting with an arpeggiated chord progression, it builds and builds to a series of monstrous climaxes but never loses the iron focus at its core. My first instinct, when seeking a wine to accompany it, was that acid was required — lots of it. Rez needs a wine that’s layered and complex but also fun and thrilling in equal measure, something to make the hair on your arms stand on end and send a shiver down your spine.
My mind immediately went to Jura Savagnin and, in particular, Premice from Les Dolomies. Much like those opening chords in Rez, as the wine hits your palate the mouth-watering acidity shocks your taste buds to attention. That’s followed by layer after layer of citrus peel, crushed rocks, nutty oxidation and struck match reduction. Each is perfectly in balance; as soon as you notice one aroma or taste, it is beautifully eclipsed by something else — only to shift back into focus later on.
Both the track and wine exhibit a certain alchemy, a masterclass in nerve and poise that adds up to more than the sum of its parts. I can’t think of a better wine to drink while imagining reaching for those lasers.
Suertes del Marqués Trenzado
The wine I was asked to match to a piece of music is the excellent Trenzado from Suertes del Marqués in Tenerife. It’s a fascinatingly complex wine that I think takes people aback at first; those that it converts tend to become devoted fans. There is a huge amount going on in the glass here and as with the wine above, it’s distinctive in terms of how many layers of complexity there are. This is where the similarities end however; this wine opens up to reveals itself very differently.
The first thing that strikes me on the nose is an intense smokiness, followed by citrus. The palate is then surprisingly broad and I’m immediately struck by the texture rather than any single flavour. There is green apple and butter, a bit like a weird, edgy cousin of white Burgundy. I take my first sip straight from the fridge but over the next hour it opens up to reveal stone fruits, salty seaweed, honey, herbs and a persistent smoky finish.
It took over an hour for this wine to open fully so it felt only appropriate to pick a piece of music that takes time to show its true form. Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians is a rich tapestry of instruments and voices, layered into a constantly shifting and undulating soundscape. When I saw this piece performed live by Reich a few years ago, I was completely awestruck by the experience.
Wine and music both represent a journey through the senses. A moving piece or magical bottle takes you to another place psychologically. An otherworldly plain, where the normal world momentarily melts away.
Paul Moran
Paul Moran is Business Development Manager for Findlater & Co in North Dublin.
Having originally studied music, Paul spent ten years working in Project Management before jumping into wine full time last year. Despite feeling out of his depth much of the time he’s not come to regret the decision (yet).
You can follow him on instagram under the moniker @selected_ambient_yeasts [itself a reference to both wine and music].
In these unusual times, we all need a lift from time to time. As a change to my usual wine reviews I’ve decided to start a fun and irreverent series on matching wine and music. The basic idea is that I give participants:
A piece of music –> they suggest a wine to go with it, with an explanation
A wine –> they suggest a piece of music to go with it
It’s all for fun, so please don’t slag off anybody’s taste music (or wine!) Thanks to Michelle Williams for the inspiration – she has been matching songs to wine for years on her Rockin Red Blog.
For Part 6 of the Frankly Wines & Friends Wine & Music Series we return to Dublin and the choices of the bubbly (-lover) Nirina Plunkett. The song I chose for Nirina is Jamiroquai’s Space Cowboy, though not the original version; while that has its appeal as a funky, soulful track it’s rather downbeat – if I want depressing I’ll listen to The Cure or The Smiths, thank you very much! Instead this is the result of a major reworking by the legendary David Morales of Def Mix Productions, turning in into upbeat, uplifting dance floor classic.
The wine choice for Nirina was dead easy – she was an enthusiastic participant in Alsace Wine Week in Ireland last year, including the live Twitter tasting where she extolled the virtues of Wolfberger Crémant d’Alsace!
My good friend and fellow wine enthusiast Frankie invited me to take part in his new Frankly Wines & Friends: Wine and Music Series, and naturally I accepted! It’s no secret that I am a big wine fan, and always love exploring and learning more, and also that I LOVE music. I literally listen to music every day, when I’m blogging, writing, cooking, doing my makeup and even as I fall asleep. I’m kinda obsessed!
Therefore this series is pretty ideal for me as it brings together two of my favourite things. Today I’ll feature two different songs matched with two wines and a little chat about them. One of each has been chosen for me by Frankie, and I’ve then paired them with my own choices.
“Space Cowboy” (David Morales Classic Club Remix) By Jamiroquai
This remixed song choice from Frankie sure takes me back to when I was in my early twenties, and seems like it’d be hard to match with wine. But because of its party vibe, it’s got to be a bubbly choice for me. This Bottega Gold Prosecco, which hails from the Valdobbiadene hills in Northern Italy, is one of my favourites.
This sparker is made from a tasty blend of the varieties Moscato, Glera (Prosecco), Pinot Nero, and Raboso Piave, and together they give this Prosecco a fresh and fruity aroma. And then there’s the sweet fizz and the gorgeous gold bottle – ideal for any party occasion! I can picture myself and the gals with a bottle of Bottega Gold Prosecco as the club soaks up the atmosphere with this song blasting away. Plus popping any bottle of bubbly instantly puts a smile on my face, it’s my favourite sound!
Wolfberger Crémant d’Alsace Brut
I do love a good bottle of fizz, and this Wolfberger Brut Crémant d’Alsace is such a beauty. I was fortunate enough to try this last year but I will always remember it for its lively and light floral notes. It’s made with five traditional varieties of the Alsace region as well as the Chardonnay grape, that altogether give a slight apple finish. I do find this Wolfberger more elegant than the aforementioned Prosecco, and therefore with such a bubbly brut, I’ve chosen this classic Rihanna song “Diamonds”
I feel it’s the right song to sip on this sparkling wine, played extra loud, of course. I can picture myself out the back garden as dusk settles, with my best friend, chatting the night away and pouring glass after glass of this Wolfberger with a minimal cheese & cracker platter.
Nirina Plunkett
Nirina Plunkett, 29, is from Dublin and of Irish and Malagasy ethnicity and has been a blogger and website owner since she was 10 years old! Nirina’s blog Killer Fashion celebrates 10 years this year, while she started Cookie FM in 2015, a food & lifestyle blog, to explore herlove for food, music and adventures even more. Nirina loves trying new recipes, dining out, tasting new cuisines, learning about wine and having delicious cocktails. If you want to drop Nirina an email about anything contact KillerFashionNP@gmail.com
