Wine | Postcards From Here and There

Yetti & the Kokonut

In the depths of winter, it’s rather cold and snowing lightly as I type, its good to come across wines that bring a smile to your face and remind you of the heady days of summer. Such are the wines from Yetti & the Kokonut, the nicknames of founders David Geyer and Koen Janssens, who are creating innovative, characterful and beautiful textured wines from the warmth of South Australia. Their philosophy couldn’t be simpler, great wines begin in the vineyard and couple this with respectful treatment in the winery and you are going to make wines that people will enjoy and come back for more. David and Koen began their business in 2015 and it’s is still very much in its infancy but the wines they are producing are growing up quickly. From this tasting the 2018s are looking very good and are well worth investigating.

I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover or a wine by its label but you can’t help but admire the labels on these wines. Colourful, humorous and giving every indication that the wine here is worth your time.

Pet Nat. A blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Meunier. There is a gentle aroma of tarragon about this wine which has a gentle mousse and lovely texture. The acidity is held in check here and the bottle fermentation gives a roundness which makes it very drinkable indeed. As it opens a little in glass there are further hints of almonds and apple.

Pet Nat
Fruit Basket

Fruit Basket 2018. From a 95 year old block in the Eden Valley which contains 13 different grape varieties. Destemmed and then with five days skin contact. Aged in a large wooden vat with a small percentage in small barrels. This is a fruit salad in a glass. You name it it’s here apple, pear, melon. peach, pineapple, elderflower etc. It reveals something different with each mouthful. Cooling, refreshing and very drinkable. What’s not to like!

Savignan. 2018. From the Adelaide Hills and coming in at only 10.4% alcohol, this is a wine for drinking in the sun or to remind you of sunnier days. Aromas of lemon, pear and an almond nuttiness. The palate is dry with nice texture, balance and a lovely lemony finish. Delightful.

Savagnin
Mount Savagnin

Mount Savagnin 2018. Savagnin this time from the McLaren Vale. Grapes had a five day cold soak before pressing. Medium bodied and with nice concentration and texture. Lemon with stone fruit and a touch of tropical fruit. The finish is long.

El Doradillo 2018. The Doradillo grape originates from Spain can mainly be found in the Riverland region of South Australia. This example originates from the Southern Barossa and is delightful. An element of skin contact has produced a wine which bursts with stone fruits and a gentle hint of peppery spice. Low in alcohol and with lovely texture.

El Doradillo
B’Rose

B’Rose 2018. 70% Gewurtztraminer, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Grenache. A higher proportion of Gewurtztraminer than in the previous vintage and it shows. The palate here is red fruit with delicate rose petal and a touch of spice. A serious rosé but easy to drink and with real character. On first tasting the nose was very much of burnt match but this dissipates with aeration and did not spoil the overall wine.

Winter Wine Round Up

I haven’t done a wine round up for several months but the period around Christmas and New Year is always a significant one in terms of bottles opened and enjoyed with family and friends. The festive season provides a good excuse to open special bottles or something a little out of the ordinary and somehow the wines take on an additional significance when they are accompanied by great food and good company. Here are a few short notes on some of those that made a significant impression.

Arnot Roberts. Watsons Road Chardonnay. 2014. Napa Valley. USA. A Californian Chardonnay of such perfect balance. Intense flavours of lemon, stone fruit, almond and a touch of butter. There is a real elegance here. A savoury edge to the finish. Excellent and a real favourite around the table. This wine is a great example of what chardonnay can do in California when it is not overly oaked.

Bergstrom Old Stones Chardonnay. 2015. Oregon. USA. A lovely balance of orange, pear and stone fruits with a touch of gunsmoke. Fresh acidity and a touch of vanilla. Very nice.

Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay. 2014. Hemel-En- Aarde. South Africa. Yellow gold in appearance, clear and bright. Nose is tropical, nutty, lemon citrus and spicy vanilla. The palate is delightful, nicely balanced with good acidity to balance the rich fruit. The mouthfeel is slightly creamy and there are lovely flavours of tropical pineapple and almond marzipan. A lovely lemon zesty finish. Excellent stuff.

Yeti and the Kokonut. Savagnin. 2018. Adelaide Hills. Australia. Pale yellow, slightly hazy with aromas of lemon, pear and a slightly almond nuttiness. The palate is dry with nice texture and balance and a lovely lemony finish. Delightful, very nice indeed. Just wish I was in the Australian sun drinking it!

Chateau de Fieuzal. Pessac Leognan. 2010. France. A great depth of colour and slightly closed on the nose. The palate however is very expressive with black fruits, tobacco and a touch of liquorice. There is a softness and touch of sweetness to the palate. Excellent and very popular.

Chateau La Fleur Petrus. Pomerol. 1995. France. Wonderfully intense nose of black fruits, liquorice and menthol. The palate is full, rich and with lovely balance. An incredibly long finish. Superb.

Grahams 1983. Nose is complex with berries, dried fruit and fig. Drinking beautifully, rich but well balanced with a lingering finish. Wonderful.

Dows 1985. Stunningly good. Expressive, rich, savoury dried fruits with a touch of spice and soft tannins. This is drinking very well.

Chateau Sigalas-Rabaud. Sauternes. 2003. This is absolutely delicious. Such a well balanced wine, it has honeyed sweetness, citrus, almond and an excellent texture. Very very good.

Tast Manchester

Tast is a relatively recent addition to the Manchester dining scene. A venture that involves Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola and CEO Ferran Soriano. Michelin Starred Catalonian chef Paco Pérez is responsible for the menu and the quality here shines through.

On the ground floor is the bar and a communal seating area suitable for those who only need a quick bite. The first floor is for a more formal experience while retaining a casual atmosphere for the diners. There is also a private dining room available on there second floor. I liked the restaurant design, unfussy with lots of wood to give a natural and warm feel.

The menu is based around small plates and it is possible to order any number depending on how hungry you are. We chose the longer of the two set menus on offer as we were in no particular hurry and wanted to sample a good range of dishes.

Duck’n Donut (2012)
Sandwich de Fromatge Trufat

The Duck’in Donut was a truly exceptional start to a meal. Duck liver parfait encased in white chocolate and covered with dried raspberry powder. It sounds bonkers but it works so well, I cold have eaten a whole box of them. The sandwich worked less well but then again it was a hard act to follow.

Oyster with salmon eggs and sodium seaweed

I have never really been a fan of oysters but this was rather special. Served slightly warm on a bed of crushed ice with enticing aromas of the sea it was a delicate and elegant dish.

The salmon was delicious, melt in the mouth and the dill flavoured creme fraiche just added the right amount of richness to balance the delicate fish. Another winner of a dish.

Traditional Catalan Christmas broth, pasta and meatballs.

The success of a dish like this is in the quality of the broth and this did not disappoint. The meatballs were very good, gently spiced and lovely texture.

Next up was a lovely, savoury dish with the most perfectly cooked egg. The flavours here were deep and powerful.

Mushrooms, egg, braised sauce
Scallops, fricando, vegetables

The Wagyu was a little disappointing, lacking a little in flavour but the sauce was excellent. The vegetables were served at table en papillote and were rather good.

Passion fruit sorbet
Chantilly, apricot, sponge cake

The sorbet was so refreshing with intense passion fruit flavour. The sponge cake was light and was an excellent desert, I could have eaten another portion it was so nice.

Two wines to accompany our lunch.

Amic Blanc. Clos d’Agoni. Emporda. 2017. Dry and well balanced with some delicate floral notes and nice texture.

Modernista. Pagos de Hibera. Terra Alta. 2017. Bright red berry fruit with some gentle peppery spice.

Overall an excellent lunch with the tasting menu giving a good introduction to the range of dishes available. Cooking was of a high quality as you would expect and the prices here reflect this. In my view if offered good value.Service was excellent with a very detailed explanation of the menu and individual dishes. It was attentive without being overbearing.