I haven’t written a wine round up for some considerable time despite enjoying some very nice wines. I have no excuse except that sometimes life and travels get in the way. I have been fortunate to try some different wines in recent weeks so it seems appropriate to officially record some of them. Despite the fact that its summer here in the UK there is no summery theme to the wines I have been drinking. The variability of our weather means while you might be drinking a light, summery rosé one day the next may see a heavier red do help deal with the wet and damp. The wines are in no particular order but all were very good and thoroughly enjoyable.
Pittnauer. Perfect Day. Burgenland. Austria. 2017. With 15 hectares of vines Pittnauer has been certified as biodynamic since 2009. Minimum intervention, wild ferments and no additions except perhaps for a little sulphur these are wines which have a purity and a true expression of terroir. Perfect Day is a blend of Chardonnay, Muscat Ottonel, Gruner Veltliner and Traminer. All are vinified and aged separately in barriques for six months prior to blending. Crisp and fresh with citrus and some peachy stone fruit, nice structure and balance.
Etna Rosso. Fondo Filaria. Nicosia. Sicily. 2016. A blend of Nerello Mascalese (80%) and Nerello Cappuccio (20%) from an organic vineyard at an altitude of 650m on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. The altitude gives a cooler climate producing a vibrant and fresh wine with delightful red berry fruits, cherry and warming spice. Medium bodied and with lovely balance.
Villa Barthenau. Vigna S Michele. Pinot Bianco. Hofstätter. Alto Adige. 2016. From a gentle sloping vineyard at an altitude of 450m in the Adige valley. Vigna means single vineyard and the estate has been making this particular wine since 1987. A short maceration before grapes are pressed and the juice put into large oak casks for fermentation. Maturation occurs on lees in oak for 15 months followed by 6 months ageing in bottle before release. This is a delightful wine, the nose is complex with stone fruit, citrus, almond and a hint of floral. The palate is medium with great balance and structure. A refreshing wine which is to be taken seriously. Great stuff.
Barolo Cannubi. GB Burlotto. Piemonte. 2014. Wines have been made here since the middle of the eighteenth century and wine making is very traditional. Much of the estates holdings are in the commune of Verduno but they do have around 2.5 hectares in Barolo of which 1.5 hectares are in the famous Cannubi vineyard. This is a seductive, ethereal wine with red fruit, cherry and savoury mushroom. Lovely structure and great depth with a great long finish. There is much to admire here, a truly great wine.
Verve Chardonnay. Oceans Eight. Mornington Peninsula. Victoria. 2015. Cool climate chardonnay from the Mornington Peninsula just 60 miles south of the city of Melbourne. A sublime nose of citrus with hints of tropical fruit and green apple. The palate has lovely balance and a dry marzipan finish that lasts and lasts.
Bernoota. Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon. Lake Breeze. Langhorne C reek. South Australia. 2016. Growing grapes for over 130 years and producing wine since 1987 Lake Breeze is an award winning winery about an hours drive from Adelaide. Bernoota is an Aboriginal word which means ‘camp among the gum trees’ and it was the original name for the house built on the property. This wine is a blend of Shiraz (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) from the Follett family vineyard. It has been matures for twenty months in a mixture of French and American oak. Black fruits with a touch of cooling eucalyptus and some warming peppery spice. It is soft and round and is a lovely drink now but it is youthful and can only get better.
Chateau La Canorgue. Luberon. 2011. I don’t think I have ever had a bad bottle of this wine and it drinks very well either young or with a bit of age. Furthermore it is always such excellent value for money. The property produces red, white and rosé wines from a 35 hectare estate which is farmed organically near the Provencal town of Bonnieux. The red is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and old vine Carignan and has dark berry fruits, a gentle touch of dried herbs and lovely savouriness on the nose. The palate is medium bodied, well balanced and soft. There is a long gamey, spicey finish.
Garrigae. Domaine Ollier Taillefer. Faugères. 2014. A family owned property of 36 hectares in the appellation of Faugères in the Languedoc region of southern France. Vineyards are managed organically. I know very little about this wine, which I came across in a supermarket on a recent visit to the area, but I did enjoy it very much. The nose is wonderful with red berry fruits, dried herbs and wild flowers. The palate is medium bodied with soft red fruit and a gentle savouriness that supports but doesn’t dominate. The finish is long.
Rosso di Sera. Poggiopiano. Toscana. 2013. Nine hectares of vines owned and managed by the Bartoli family since 1993 and located just south of Florence in the Val di Pesa. This supertuscan is a blend of Sangiovese and 10% Colorino and is rich, dark and seductive. Dark cherry, chocolate and the lightest touch of mint. It is generous, with lovely balance and finish of lingering dark cherry.
Mas de Daumas Gassac. Vin de Laurence. 2011. Only made in exceptional vintages, this is only the fourth since 1997. Produced by a double fermentation, firstly with Serial grapes and then with late harvested Muscat Petit Grains. The blended wine is then aged for between 8 and 10 years in oak barrels. Sherry like with masses of sweet peach, apricot, honey and orange marmalade. The Serial gives it a lovely freshness. Complex and very drinkable .Excellent.
Classic Muscat NV. Stanton & Killeen. Rutherglen. New South Wales. Making wines for seven generations, they produce a range of wines that are well worth investigating, if like me, you enjoy this particular style of sweet wine. There are toffee, figs and raisins a plenty here but it is clean, fresh, well balanced and not at all cloying. A very long finish of dried figs with a feint touch of cinnamon.