A Love Affair In Aromatics – Riesling.

Riesling is one of the ‘noble’ varieties of grapes used to make wine. I believe it to be the King (or should I say Queen?) of the aromatic whites. It is found in most wine producing countries over the globe, and if made by someone with a passion for the variety, they will usually have success. However, Riesling seems most at home in Germany, Austria and Alsace where its ability to transmit the terroir shines through. The best wines of these regions, indeed the best Rieslings from outside these regions too, seem to develop and display personality and soul.

It appears that Riesling as a variety doesn’t seem to capture the attention of the greater drinking public. It seems the domain of ‘wine people’ (heaven forbid we use the term connoisseur). I feel there is a lot to like about Riesling. And of course I’d say that, I’m a wine person! Even a basic Riesling can be lovely. The perfume, elegance and understated nature of the wine with its lovely structure underneath punctuated by fresh and lively acidity. Add to that the lack of oak to mask these graceful characters and all of this adds up to a clean and fresh drink that enlivens the palate. The very best though can charm, intrigue, beguile. They don’t always jump out of the glass and instantly grab your attention like a Sauvignon Blanc may do. But there are layers and nuances that become apparent the more time you spend studying the wine.

One barrier to people enjoying Riesling is that they can range from bone dry through to lusciously sweet. And generally it is hard to tell from looking at the label what you are going to get. When thinking of Riesling its best to consider it in three broad styles; Dry, ‘Dry’ and Sweet. The Dry Riesling styles are truly dry. As in they have little to no residual sugar left after fermentation, high acid, very crisp and clean. Most Riesling from Australia and especially Clare and Eden Valleys fall into this category. So to do Germany’s ‘Trocken’ Riesling. ‘Dry’ Rieslings tend to have a touch of residual sugar that is used to balance high levels of acidity. They are refreshing, fruity and really lovely drinks that you should not be scared of tasting. Kabinett Rieslings, a lot of Alsace and New Zealand Rieslings tend to fall into this category. In Australia we tend to use the term ‘off-dry’ to describe these wines. Sweet Riesling is sweet, can be late picked, botrytised or even ice wines (left to freeze on the vine in winter). The best are truly complex and almost seem too pretty to drink. Like all great wines, the key to sweet Riesling is the balance. No matter how sweet it should have acidity that balances the sugar to make a clean and refreshing wine.

Riesling is a wine that can be drunk on its own, matched with white meats, pungent cheeses, spicy foods and it has been known to out shine even Pinot Noir when you are faced with a plate of lovely duck. It is a wine that is cheap for the quality you get and it is a must for any serious wine cellar. How can one grape bring so much joy? It just proves that there is a lot to love about Riesling.

Riesling Cheat sheet

Flavours

Tropical fruits, citrus, white flowers, stones, slate, white chocolate, pork fat/sausage meat.
With age it can add toffee/caramel, dry biscuits, kerosene, undergrowth, crème brulee.   

Styles

Dry, off-dry, sweet, occasionally sparkling. Does not like oak.

Regions Germany – Mosel (esp sweeter styles), Rheingau (dry styles), Pfalz

Austria – Wachau, Kremstal
France – Alsace
Australia – Clare Valley, Eden Valley, Frankland River, Henty

Aging

Drinks well on release to 12 months then goes into a dip from 2 years from vintage until about 7 years. In this period all the fruit drops off and the wine looks flat and disappointing. Afterward though the fruit returns as does the bottle aged characters that are so desired in Riesling.  

Ready to try some Riesling? Why not check out some of TWD's current offers:
Alsace Riesling

Old World Riesling

Australian Riesling

Spanish Master Class @ Mezzo

Spanish Masterclass

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About Spain
According to figures from the OIV (International Organization of Wine and Vine), in 2011 Spain had 1,032,000 hectare of vineyards planted. 225,000 hectare more than second most prolific France. 97.4% was used for wine making. In 2011 they produced 34,300,000 hectolitres of wine compared to France 49,633,000 and Italy 41,580,000. Australia had 174,000ha making 11,010,000hl of wine.

The best regions have laws similar to France’s AOC or Italy’s DOC laws under the banner of Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO).

Denomination of Origin (DO) – For ‘prestigious Spanish wines’ with five years of recognised quality production. The Consejo Regulador  governs the parametres of production. 
Qualified Denomination of Origin. (DOCa) – Regions that have 10 years of DO quality wines. The wines must be bottled in wineries within the region where they are produced and follow the laws of the regulating body.
Estate Wine (Vino de Pago) – Recognising distinctive sites. They must comply with DOCa requirements while being vinified and  bottled at the vineyard.
Qualified Estate Wine (Vino de Pago Calificado) – If the Vino de Pago is wholly within a DOCa and fulfils the Vino de Pago laws it can be granted this classification.

Important Varieties For Quality

Tempranillo – Top quality grape grown all over the Peninsula (with many pseudonyms). Can be used for Rosado or Joven all the way up to Gran Reserva. Ages well – said to compare to Burgundy. Cherry, cola typical descriptors.
Garnacha – AKA Grenache. Most famous in Priorat and Montsant. Blends well with Tempranillo.
Mencia – Similar to Cabernet Franc makes stunning wines from Bierzo, Valdeorras and surrounding regions.
Albarino – Native of Galicia and the main grape of Rias Baixas. Great perfume and texture.
Palomino – The main variety of Sherry production. Used for Fino/Manzanilla, Amontillado and Oloroso production.
Sparkling Varieties – Macabeo, Xarel.lo and Parellada combine to make the stunning Methode Traditionelle wines of Cava with some Chardonnay on occasion. Generally all three are quite ordinary for table wine production.

Important Regions For Quality

Rioja – A large and varied region and Spain’s quality flagship. Alta and Alavesa are the high altitude cooler parts and Baja the low hot lands. Producer is the most important determiner of quality. The Spanish equivalent of the Barossa.
Ribera del Duero – Rivalling Rioja for quality. This valley that follows the Duero (Duoro in Portugal) is high altitude with sandy soils. The best are extremely elegant wines. Tempranillo dominates production.
Jerez – The southern town that is responsible for Sherry. Need I say more?
Priorat – Robust wines made of Garnacha and Cariñena (aka Carignan)  grown on schisty slopes perched high in the mountains near Barcelona.
Biezro – Continental climate and high altitude vineyards combined with schist laden soils means these wines are elegant, fine and perfumed. Easily some of the best wines in Spain.    
Rias Baixas – Translates to ‘low rivers’, the best producers in this white only DO make perfumed, elegant and textured wines that really sing with seafood.

Give it a rest The aging categories in Spain can be confusing but they are summarised below as:
Joven Generally unoaked and released early for immediate consumption.
Vino de crianza (crianza wine) Reds minimum of 24 months, of which 6 months are spent in oak. White and rosé wines aged for at least 18 months.
Reserva Red wines that are aged for a minimum of 36 months. At least 12 months in oak and the rest in the bottle. White and rosé aged for 18 months, to include 6 months on wood.
Gran Reserva Red wines aged for a minimum of 60 months, to include at least 18 months in oak. White and rosé wines aged for 48 months, to include 6 months on wood.

Quality sparkling wines may use the “Premium” and “Reserva” indications; the “Gran Reserva” indication may be used by those sparkling wines that have been given the Cava designation and which have undergone ageing for at least 30 months from tirage to disgorging.

The Wines

2006 Juvé y Camps ‘Reserva de la Familia’ Brut Nature Gran Reserva
33% Macabeo, 33% Xarel.lo, 34% Parellada. Dense, leesy, zesty, floral, clean and very long. The best Cava (and this is one of them) is made in the Champagne method but tend to be a lot lighter and crisper due to the native varieties used. Very nice drinking for starting a meal.

2010 Valmiñor Albariño  D.O. Rías Baixas
Albarino is Spain's best white grape. This wine has great balance, its very textural and floral with candied citrus and hints of savoury, doughy notes. Very long. Rias Baixas is a white only region on the West coast of Spain. These wines are made for seafood and this would be awesome with scallops.

2010 Telmo Rodriguez ‘El Transistor’ Verdejo D.O Rueda
Also known as Verdehlo this grape is a bit of a work horse making lots of easy going wine for immediate consumption. This wine is the next level up. Crystaline, pure and clean, hints of oak complement the dense white and yellow fruits. There is plenty of fat on the mid-palate and a floral almost aloe vera like finish.

2008 Dominio Do Bibei Lacima D.O Ribeira Sacra
100% Mencia - a variety close to my heart. Mencia is thought to be related to Cabernet Franc if not genetically definitely flavour wise. Crushed raspberries, dried and fresh herbs, floral clean and tight. There is a stony core to this wine and a spine of acid and tannin that make it compelling drinking. Try having just one glass!

2008 Alvaro Palacios ‘Finca Dofi’D.O Priorat (DOCa) Grenache dominant blend from one of Spain's best regions. The Palacios family is almost royalty in Spain This wine was dark fruited, smokey/schisty. tea leaf and chocolatey. There is plenty of presence and power in the mouth. As is typical of the region this wine really needs a few more years to soften out and develop some secondary characters. Impressive drinking none-the-less.

2008 Remondo ‘Propiedad’ D.O Rioja (DOCa) Grenache dominant with Tempranillo making up the balance from Rioja Baja. Dry, savoury, pure, dark fruits, with a hint of prunes. The palate on this wine is all silk and seduction. Really shows the potential of the Rioja low lands.

2005 Alion D.O Ribera del Duero
100% Tempranillo from the famous Vega Sicilia stable of wines. Easily the wine of the night as the extra age has given a beautiful depth. Meaty, red, blue and black fruits, fresh, spicy, silky and ever evolving in the glass. A great experience and captures the essence of Tempranillo. A must try for wine lovers.

28 Navazos La Bota de Oloroso Bota Punta D.O Jerez de la Frontera (375ml)        
Walnut, spice, pepper, incredibly floral, hazelnuts, the palate is clean with wonderful mouthfilling hints of dried fruits. Such an amazing experince to drink pure concentrated Oloroso.

The Entry level Wines
NV Segura Viudas Aria Brut
Charming, light, fresh, citrusy Cava that is all too easy to drink. Great drinking no matter what the occasion is.

2011 Viña Olabarri Viura Blanco D.O. La Rioja AltaMainly made from Viura it is a light fresh, apple and pear with a hint of floral. The palate has some good texture and waxy notes. Very pleasant to sip.

2011 Telmo Rodriguez ‘Basa’ Verdejo D.O Rueda
Classic easy goingh Verdejo that can be served cold to be refreshing or served at cellar temperature to appreciate the subtle flavours and textures.

2010 Descendientes de J. Palacios ‘Pétalos’ Mencia D.O. Bierzo
A stunning producer who makes Mencia that rivals the best wines of Burgundy. I cannot recommend this wine highly enough. So fresh and vibrant with the mineral core.

2011 Agnès de Cervera ‘La Petite Agnès’ Garnacha Samsó D.O Priorat (DOCa)
Amazingly good wine showing the typical Priorat dark fruit power, schisty drive and overall muscle.

2011 Palacios Remondo ‘La Vendimia’ D.O Rioja (DOCa)
The unoaked younger brother of the Propiedad, it is unoaked and made to be drunk young and fresh. There is less fruit power but the extra vibrancy and tart fruit makes up for that easily.

2011 Cillar di Silos Joven de Silos D.O Ribera del Duero
Very classy Tempranillo from a fabulous producer. Full of crunchy red fruits and floral notes. A very refreshing wine that shows the Tempranillos other personality (compared to the Alion above).

Romate Oloroso ‘Don Jose’ D.O. Jeréz
A true gem of a drink. Oloroso is often overlooked as people either head for the bone dry or the sweet styles. This wine shows the joy of texture and subtle flavours you get with Oloroso. Such a great and versitile food wine too.

 

All The Pinots Tasting @ Mezzo 25/08/12

Some of All The Pinots.

Given there has been some glimpses of Spring Silvio and I thought we'd celebrate with a tasting of All The Pinots. Well, we got most of them. Blanc, Gris, Noir, Meunier in various wine guises including sparkling, white, red and sweet.

With somewhat Spring like weather, Mezzo's wonderful canapes and a room full of eager Pinot lovers we commenced the tasting. You can see my notes on the Pinot family and order form here.

Pinot Blanc from North Eastern Italy.

Overall it was a great tasting with some lovely wines. The general theme that linked all the wines together was the textural complexity that all the wines had and the elegance - everything in moderation and harmony. This made these wines almost too drinkable especially when paired with the food. Lucky the tasting only went for 1.5 hours!

First Pinot of the bunch was Chanter's Ridge Sparkling Pinot Noir from Macedon. A beautiful expression of Pinot's cherry, rose petal and red berry fruits. Plenty of depth and nice structure and quite dry. A great fizzy and refreshing way to kick off the tasting. A great wine for starting a meal.

The next Pinot we picked was Cantina Valle Isarco Pinot Bianco DOC 2011. Flying the flag for Pinot Blanc or Weissburgunder as it is labelled. The most shy and reserved of all the wines, it showed floral notes, pears and a hint of spice and mineral. It did have a wonderful mouthfeel and really sang when I could flag down some of Mezzo's canapes. A brilliant wine for matching with shellfish, white meats and creamier pasta and risotto dishes.



Trimbach was amazing!

To complete the whites we had two Pinot Gris/Grigio wines. Both being the same grape variety but showing the stylistic differences it can achieve. Celestial Avenue 2010 was light, fresh and simple with pears, and a hint of stonefruit, citrus and a doughy note. Celestial is perfect for chilling down and drinking in the warm weather with or without food. Trimbach Reserve 2007 was another story altogether. A lot of depth, concentration and complexity. Trimbach showed a lot more fruit complexity, perfume and minerality at the core. The mouthfeel was divine and despite its concentration it was very clean and savoury on the finish. Yum! Suited to many styles of food I do have fond memories of a fun night eating chilli crab and Trimbach Pinot Gris.


Star of the show?

The reds started with the wonderful Pegeric Pinot Noir 2008. A celebration of Pinot's lovely savoury side, plenty of wet earth and undergrowth to balance the primary red fruits and floral characters. It has great texture and silk on the palate, it was by far my favourite of the wines. Not sure if it will get better in the bottle but there is no need to find out when it drinks so well now. This would match well with gamey dishes like Mezzo's wild boar ravioli, lighter red and white meat dishes or nothing at all. Clearly I wasn't the only fan as it sold well and Paul from Pinot Post couldn't wait to feature it on his blog.

The second red was an Australian classic, Best's Pinot Meunier 2011. This wine was from their young vines and was lovely for its simple, red fruits, floral notes and crisp, crunchy palate. I am not an expert on varietal still red wines made from Meunier but this is guaranteed to charm any Pinot lover! Easy drinking on its own or with light meals, could even be served a bit chilled in the warmer months.
The final wine of the tasting was Pegeric's Late Picked Pinot Noir 2008. It was interesting watching people reaction when the wine wasn't golden in colour or cloying in taste. It was late picked in the   proper sense meaning that it was before botrytis set in so the wine is still delicate, perfumed and refreshing with only a hint of sweetness that is well balanced by the other characters in the wine. This was delicious drink that would pair well with fresh fruits and lighter style deserts.

Next month there will be no tasting as there is some sort of pagan celebration on the last Saturday of September. However October will see us showing the very best of Sparkling wines from around the world to celebrate Spring. Email me to be kept up-to-date.

Also keep an eye out for Mezzo's Northern Italy Dinner. Silvio and his team will take you on a journey through the food and wines of this beautiful part of the world.With four courses and 10 wines you guaranteed to have a good time. Email Silvio for more information.

South West France Lunch at Maha 30th July 2012

One of the occasional perks of this job is a long lunch. Sometimes you get the added bonus is great company and wines that you find compelling. I definitely hit the jackpot at this event!

I'm a huge fan of the wines of Bordeaux but often find them just above my comfortable spending level for all but special occassions and those I can afford generally still need a year or 5 in the cellar to show their best. This event allowed me to cast my eyes further South and taste some interesting wines from Cahors and Madiran.




The main regions of the South West of France.



South West France is used as a cover all descriptor for the fragmented regions between Bordeaux and Languedoc. Depending on the laws of each region the wines might be red, white, rose or even sweet. They may be made from the noble varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah or from 'lesser' varieties like Malbec (aka Cot aka Auxerrois), to the downright unsual Tannat, Petit or Gros Manseng or Petit Courbu. For more information on the area and its wines and producers check out TWD's South West France Offer or better still why not book into our Introduction to South West France tasting? Email for more details or see TWD's website.

Quality is as fragmented as the regions laws and location. But today we had some stunning wines from two producers, local anti-hero Alain Brumont who Andrew Jefford describes the South West's very own Citizen Kane who has built up quite an empire of beautifully run estates including Montus and Bouscasse. We also tasted the much more amiable wines from the Verhaeghe family's du Cedre.

Maha put on a shared feast of delightful food and we were off.

Alain Brumont Gros Manseng & Sauvignon Blanc 2011 A great introduction to the tasting! Fleshy and exotically fruited with a lovely textural palate. Blending the familiar flavours of Sauvignon with the decidedly unknown quantity that is Gros Manseg. Overall a very enjoyable quaffing style white.

Chateau Bouscasse Pacherenc Sec 2008 100% Petit Courbu (first time I have knowingly tasted Courbu big or small!). I loved this wine's ripe and flavoursome outlook. Peaches and apricot kernel. Quite full and silky finish. Quite complex and very enjoyable.
 
Chateau du Cedre Cahors 'Heritage' 2009 90% Malbec, 10% Merlot. This wine showed dark fruits, while being light, fresh and a hint herbal. Some grippy fruit tannins were evident with some spice and cardomom notes. A great entry level to the reds of the region for drinking now.



Du Cedre Cahors.

Chateau du Cedre Cahors 'Chateau' 2008 More brooding, dark, with hints of red fruits, smoke and mineral and blood oranges. Dry and lovely but packs a fair whack of tannic power. 90% Malbec, Merlot and Tannat 5% each. Drink now or leave for a few years.

Chateau Bouscasse Madiran 2009 Jumping now to Madiran where Tannat rules the roost. 65% Tannat, 25% Cab Sauv, 15% Cab Franc. Dark, minerally, hint of oak - somewhat reminiscent of Hunter Valley Shiraz. Nutty, smokey/flinty, nice acidity, silky and dense. Great wine! I love it now but it will improve with another 5 + years laying down.

Chateau Montus Madiran 2009 Dark, dense, smoke, hint red, hint floral, ash, complex, plummy and prunes. The palate was sweetly fruited, hint of aniseed, dense and silky with nice balance and savoury elements. 80% Tannat 20% Cab Sauv.


A wine that was set to stun. Delicious.

Chateau Montus Madiran 'La Tyre' 2009 Only made in the best years, this was seriously impressive. Minerals, red fruits, smokey oak, spice, fruit tannins and very elegant. Dark, great balance and a hint bitter. This is just a baby but is a must try wine if you want to see the potential of the region.

Chateau du Cedre Cahors 'Le Cedre' 2007 100% Malbec. Toasty, Bordeaux like, earthy, dry stems, flesh, silk, vibrant, long and nicely balanced. Like the Le Cedre this is seriously impressive and shows off Cahors' best suit. Lovely drinking.

Chateau Bouscasse Pacherenc doux 'Les Larmes Celestes' 2010 100% Petit Manseng which has been late harvested but not affected by botrytis. This has a similar flavour profile to the Pacherenc sec (not surprisingly!) but is medium sweet and quite lush. Brilliant drinking with lovely refreshing acid to keep it clean and tidy.



Les Larmes Celestes - Lovely sweeter wine for those that enjoy finesse!  

Chateau du Cedre Vin de Liqueur 2010 100% Malbec. This is like a mini Port. There is less alcohol and sugar which makes it perfect for ending a meal and there is just enough spirit and structure to tackle cheese or savoury dishes but enough sweetness and vibrancy to match with chocolatey desserts.

Loujan Bas Armagnac Normally I avoid spirits as they are my Krytonite. This was lovely though. Nice perfume, quite elegant and really well balanced. Great way to warm up before heading out into the chilly Melbourne afternoon.

Chianti Dinner and Masterclass at Scopri 26/06/12

This was only the second dinner I hosted for the The Wine Depository so there was a lot of fussing to make sure I was on top of everything. I wonder if Led Zeppelin felt this much tension for their second outing?
Luckily I had a team of seasoned veterans around me who made everything run smoothly. They being Alison and Anthony at Scopri and Michael Trembath of Trembath and Taylor, wine importer and Italian wine encyclopedia.

This event was flagged at the end of my first dinner featuring Piedmont and Michael and I nutted it out over a glass or two of Chianti. The centre piece of the tasting would be three Chianti Classico producers with three different philosophies. We would show a 'normale' and Riserva from each producer which would cover four recent vintages. As a contrast we would show a Brunello and a Super Tuscan type wine.

I created some notes for the night and you can take a peek at the order form.
Michael really nailed Chianti and the Sangiovese grape by describing it as a really "winey" grape and a style of wine that you could drink every day of the week. This showed through in the Chianti wines, so savoury, refreshing and subtle.

Once again Scopri came to the party with a brilliant menu and some of the best wine service I have experienced in Melbourne. I cannot recommend them highly enough.


Yummy Prosecco leading the charge.

On Arrival Mozzarella In Carozza - Mozzarella skewers

Canella Prosecco NV Not from Chianti, Tuscany or Sangiovese. But the perfect way to start a meal. Canella is crisp, clean and vibrant, nice amount of fizz. Great balance and very enjoyable to drink. There were no complaints (maybe because we opened a second bottle?)

Entree Pappardelle al cacao con ragu di cervo - Our handmade chocolate pappardelle with slow cooked venison ragú, fresh parmesan

2009 was an excellent year in Chianti (and large parts of Europe too). It has made Chianti of great balance and depth.


All Class(ico)

Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico 09 These guys were flying the flag for high altitude, stoney soil, traditional production and low oak style of Chianti.
It had lovely red and blue berry fruits, savoury/earthy notes with tea leaf and liquorice. The palate was dry, clean and bright. Showing the typical Sangio red cherry fruit and sour acidity. So much harmony.

Poggerino Chianti Classico 09 From right smack in the middle of the region on Volcanico soils and using biodynamic principles. This wine showed more savoury/minerally on first look but opened up with some dense blue fruits and pepper to support it. For me this wine had the most silk and flesh with a great mouthfeel. There was a hint of plums and prunes on the palate and the flavours showed incredible persistence. This was a wine of finesse and elegance.

Felsina Chianti Classico 09 Felsina is situated about as far South as you can get in Chianti Classico and has the warmest vineyards of the three we tasted. It is also probably my favourite Chianti producer. It showed dense and deep characters of red fruits, rose petal, fruit cake and aniseed.
The palate was long, clean with a hint of oak. It is a focussed and structured wine. The one I would most likely age of the trio.

Main Agnello brasato su polenta al pecorino e funghi - Lamb neck braised in red wine with grilled polenta and Mt Macedon pine mushrooms


The Riservas

Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico San Marcellino 06 This is made as per Riserva laws but does not use the term on their labels. The fruit here comes from their oldest vineyard. 06 offered classic growing conditions in Chianti.
This wine offered spice, aniseed, pip/stalky notes, chocolate and oxy fruits. In the mouth it was rich and silky with a plummy, dense mid palate, good length and pretty, floral finish. A clear step up and a wine that needs a bit more time in bottle to show its very best.

Poggerino Chianti Classico Riserva Bugialla 07 Poggerino try to make a softer style that will improve over 8-15 years. 2007 was a warmer and riper year in Chianti, which explains the extra silk and power here. Chocolate, rich, fruitcake a hint new worldly fruit, caramel/oaky notes. There is so much flesh and silk here. Great mouthfeel, vibrant flavours and good tannic stucture. It is easy to see the family resemblence! So drinkable but so much promise to be even better it time.

Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia 08 Another vineyard oriented selection with the aim to make a tannic wine that will improve in the bottle and be amazing in 20 years. 2008 was similar to 2006 in offering classic conditions for growing. Rich, ripe, oxy fruits, minerally, red berry, spice. The palate was dark, tart, tea leafy with a good balance of bright fruits, savoury elements, clean acid and fine tannic structure. Beautiful.

Cheese and Coffee Formaggi Misti - Selection of Italian cheeses with Mallee honey from Kangaroo Island, plum jam, potato bread & Happy fruit

If you want to contrast, why not start with the best?

Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino 07 There is an aura around Brunello wines and I swear there was a little halo above my glass. This wine did not disappoint. Again 07 was a warmer year in Brunello but it did not detract from the wine. The intensity was certainly increased but not at the expense of subtly and freshness. Very savoury, almost gruyere cheese like, meaty, spice nose. Lots of silky fruit, caramel oak, clean acid with hints of cola. This wine is finely structured, boney and youthful. It needs time.

Brancaia Il Blu 08 A look at the Super Tuscan style. This is a blend of 50% Sangiovese, 45% Merlot and 5% Cabernet. It was clearly different with the Sangio definitely taking a back seat to the Cab family. Very vibrant and dense nose of blue and black fruits, floral hints, caramel oak, spice, tart, fruit cake, and terracotta like notes.
The palate is rich, silky with a fair whack of young cabernet like tannins. The core of the wine had a great intensity and the wine lingered for a long time. Again, this is just a baby.

After some discussion we moved on to traditions and what you would traditionally finish a meal with in Tuscany. So Michael generously shouted us some Vin Santo - A sugar rich, high intensity wine that was as fascinating to drink as hear about how it was made. Then some unusual wine/grappa macerated with herbs from Piedmont which seemed to divide the table. It was compelling but hard to imagine when you would drink it.

And because more is more up came a two litre bottle of Nonino Grappa for those who were brave (or fool hardy?).  As it turns out it was a lovely, cleansing and fitting end to a great night.

Tall Tales: Tasting Tempranillo

Tempranillo is a Spanish variety, perhaps the Spanish variety. It is grown all over Spain and Portugal (under various and confusing local names) and produces wines from light and fresh Roses, tart and fruity unoaked reds to dense, complex and structured reds that sit somewhere between and rival Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone or Piedmont.

I was recently able to taste a range of Tempranillo based wines from the two best Tempranillo regions of Rioja and Ribera del Duero. My brief tasting notes are below. But first, a small bit of info on each region or D.O. (Denominacion de Origen).  

All of these wines are available for sale, if you want to place an order or have questions/comments please email me philip@thewinedepository.com.au
Rioja is quite diverse in varieties used, styles made, and terroir. The wines range from rich, dark and powerful through to subtle, refined and refreshing. This means that there is as much focus on the producers and their respective styles as the sub region it comes from. There are three sub regions in Rioja:
Baja; the hot, dry low lands where Garnacha (Grenache) prospers. Powerful and ripe wines prevail.
Alavesa; home of the highest altitude vineyards and Basque influenced. Elegant Tempranillo is made here.
Alta; also high altitude and producing elegant wines but Castille dominated culturally.

The Ribera del Duero region shares the same focal point as the famous Portuguese region of Port; namely the Duero River (known as the Douro when it crosses the border in to Portugal). The region is a valley that follows the rivers course and is a bit more even in terms of terroir (compared to Rioja) and the focus tends to be on single variety Tempranillo. Elegance and perfume is the order of the day here. Wines are either made on the sandy river flats or slightly elevated stoney soils further up the valley.

A few of the best Rioja to be had.

  

Artadi, D.O Rioja (Rioja Alavesa) A good producer of fruity and aromatic wines with character and charm. Plenty of structure and personality in the top level wines.

2009 Artadi 'Estate' Tempranillo $33.00ea Bright and crunchy red fruits. The palate is soft and spicy with fluffy red & blue fruits.
2008 Artadi ’Vinas De Gain’ Tempranillo $58.00ea Increased depth (compared to Estate), meaty and spicy. Denser palate that shows more oak, tannin and intensity. Still quite subtle and enjoyable though.

Garnacha at its finest!

Palacios Remondo, D.O Rioja (Rioja Baja) A favourite producer of mine. These wines display the strong suits of Garnacha and Tempranillo together. The Propiedad is a seriously impressive drink.

2010 Palacios Remondo 'La Vendimia' Garnacha Tempranillo $30.00ea Simple, easy drinking red jubey fruit. The palate is mid-weight rounded and a bit firm. The Garnacha certainly leads the way here but there is nice elegance from the Tempranillo.
2008 Palacios Remondo ‘La Montesa’ Garnacha Tempranillo $45.00ea  Dark, curranty fruit with a hint of fruit cake. It is quite rounded and generous with a long finish. This is a definite step up in quality.
2008 Palacios Remondo 'Propiedad' Garnacha Tempranillo $78.00ea Dark, savoury and earthy nose, it really needs a bit of time. Silky, sexy and savoury/truffle notes in the mouth, long finishing and extremely enjoyable.

Telmo Rodriguez, D.O Rioja (Rioja Alavesa) A vinous equivalent of a 'rockstar'. Telmo makes excellent wines from the best regions and varieties in Spain. He gives a great overview of the country's styles in a modern form.

2008 Telmo Rodriguez 'Lanzaga' Tempranillo $66.00ea Hint of sulphur and flint, the nose is dark, gamey, with spice and pepper. There is a rounded mouthfeel, red fruits with good length of flavour.

Vineyard in Rioja

Remelluri, D.O Rioja (Rioja Alavesa) The family Estate of Telmo Rodriguez. This is more traditional and savoury with a strong tie in with the Old School Bordeaux influenced Rioja style. These are great wines.

2006 Remelluri Reserva $75.00ea A strong whiff of volatile acidity first off which leads to currants and lavender and blueberry fruits. It is full, thick, tannic, earthy and creamy/vanilla oaky. I think this bottle was faulty - I've had wines from this producer that are outstanding.

Bodegas Roda, D.O Rioja (La Rioja Alta) Pure, pristine, perfumed and almost haunting. These guys really play up the Burgundian leanings of Tempranillo. They should be on your must try list.

2007 Roda Reserva $100.00ea Plum, smoke, bacon, hint flora. Dry, savoury and pristine on the palate. Very enjoyable.

Ébano Viñedos y Bodegas, D.O. Ribera del Duero An Estate owned by the awesome producer Valminor in Rias Baixas (great Albarino white wines). Still a young venture but looks promising.

2010 ‘Ébano 6’ (Tinta del Pais) Tempranillo $29.00ea Tart, red fruited and bright almost white wine like lift. Lighter bodied, good core of fruit with a quite tannic backbone.

Telmo Rodriguez, D.O Ribera del Duero Telmo's wines are all made in a similar way, it is great to be able to try his Rioja and Ribera wines next to each other to see the differences and nuances of the regions.

2010 Telmo Rodriguez 'Gazur' Tempranillo $37.00ea Pepper, red fruits, floral and soot. Sweet red currants, a hint bitter and clean. Beautifully refreshing Tempranillo.

Hernando y Sourdais, D.O. Ribera del Duero Wines made from high altitude, organic vineyards some of which pre-date phylloxera - impressive potential.

2009 Hernado y Sourdais 'Antidoto' Tempranillo $46.00ea Bright, grapey & estery punctuated by tart and crunchy red fruits, floral hints and a fine tannic structure.

Cillar De Silos, D.O Ribera del Duero A lovely producer and one of the few wines I buy every year. Their elegance and balance belie the fact that these wines age gracefully for a very long time. Highly recommended.  

2008 Silos 'Estate' Tempranillo $75.00ea Smoke, meat, dark fruits, bitter chocolate, cola and a sweet nutty note. It is mid-weight, silky, red and blue fruited, currants and bitter chocolate. This is an elegant wine of great balance and a long savoury finish.

Vineyard in Ribera del Duero

Telmo Rodriguez, D.O Ribera del Duero

2007 Telmo Rodriguez 'M2 de Matallana' Tempranillo $75.00ea Oxy dark fruits, oaky with dense earth almost terracotta like character. Blue & purple fruits, spicy oak, smoke, good length. This is a beefier and riper style of Tempranillo.

Bodegas y Vinedos Arnaldo, D.O. Ribera del Duero Run by the genius behind Iconic Spanish winery Pingus. This is a new project that could be Spain's next big thing.

2009 Bodegas y Vinedos Arnaldo 'PSI' Tempranillo $85.00ea Ferment esters, tart red and blue berry fruits. Dry palate, light bodied. 

Italian Wines

There has been some seriously good wine consumed at the Red House (TWD HQ) and at events. At home we've had some awesome Italian wines. All red and a lot of them have been because customers have tipped me off.

If you want more information or would like to order any of them (or all of them) you can email me philip@thewinedepository.com.au or call 0418 23 04 82.

I love the wines from Veneto, and in particular from Valpolicella (including Amarone) as seen here, here and here. I think they have a good cross over point from new world wine drinkers who want to put their toe in the water in Italy. They are also extremely yummy, which makes them great for wine drinkers in general.
Allegrini is one of the best Estates in Valpolicella leading the 'modernist' charge.


Modernist with a cause.

Allegrini La Grola 2008 $57ea I really enjoyed this wine. It is a blend of the traditional Valpol variety Corvina with a bit of Syrah(Shiraz). It had all the vibrant and rich, blue/black fruits, dense but fleshy fruit weight and the floral, leather and earth notes you'd expect. But it had lovely restraint and structure and a little bit more tannin and acid than I would expect from Valpol, which I would attribute to the Syrah. Beautiful balance and really a joy to drink. Will age very well.
Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre 2008 $52ea This is a blend of the three traditional varieties plus some Sangiovese. This wine uses the 'ripasso' technique (refermenting a wine on the skins of Amarone wines. More info) which adds more alcohol, weight, fuller tannins, and makes the wine more overt. It certainly had a lot of impact but still some nice finesse, and a lot of savoury characters.



Dolcetto, the little sweet one... with massive tannic fangs!

Conterno Fantino Dolcetto d'Alba 2008 $41ea This guy has made an appearance before in our Wines to drink now March. The wine has a really expressive nose; dark, jubey red berries, smokey, violets & lavender, plums, meaty, raw oak.
Balanced, crunchy acidity, gritty tannins, great mid palate flesh, blue berries and chocolate, quite dry and savoury despite what the nose would suggest. A great wine for slow cooked meats in particular.

Ugly-antico... What?
Who here knows knows a lot about grape variety Aglianico? Not me that is for sure. My favourite Italian wine reference book "The New Italy" tells me that it was introducted by the Greeks into Campania and it spread to Basilicata and Puglia. It makes full bodied, well structured and generous wines that age gracefully. It highlights Taurasi DOCG and Aglianico del Vulture DOC as two examples to watch out for.
Being from the Southern regions of Italy I was not expecting elegance and finesse like Barolo or Barbaresco, or the lightness of fruit but density and savoury core of Chianti. But my favourite tasting reference - my palate - tells me it is a substantially good variety. Very reminiscient of good quality Australian warm climate Shiraz in terms of weight, balance and structure. But with the more typical Italian savouriness, texture and refreshing acidity.
Having bought some for a customer I tried some myself, here is what I thought.


The family that revolutionised Irpinia winemaking.

Mastroberandino Taurasi Radici DOCG 2006 $90ea Antino Mastroberandino revolutionised winemaking in the 70s in the regions of Irpinia and surrounds. Today, the wines from this Estate are still amazing. This wine offers an array of red berries fruit, dry, baked earth and a clay like density. There is plenty of volume in the mouth and it is well balanced by the oak tannins and fine acidity.
Despite it's weight, this wine was quite refreshing and very easy to drink.

Feudi di San Gregorio Irpinia Rosso DOC Serpico 2007 $130ea The New Italy tells me this is one of the best producers in Italy. So it is not a surprise that, for my palate, this was probably the most impressive of the Aglianico wines.


Feudi di... One of the best producers in Italy, and hardest to photograph.

Quite dense nose, red and dark berries, pepper and savoury/spicy/gamey notes, a clay or terracotta like note in there and even a slightly floral lift.
The palate had great depth, plenty of intensity, great persistence of flavour and almost perfect balance. Certainly on the young side but it is very drinkable. I suspect it will get better with time though.

Feudi di San Gregorio Aglianico di Taurasi DOCG Piano di Montevergine 2002 $120ea It is great to be able to taste a slighlty older example of Aglianico. This is from a single vineyard Piano di Montevergine and is released as a Riserva.
The extra aging in oak and time in bottle made this wine a lot softer and more round, but the structure was still there. As was the lovely depth and intensity of flavour. The extra dimension of developed, leather and undergrowth characters made this all the more enjoyable.
I do have a slight question mark over whether the cork was doing it's job as well as it could. I will consult with the customer who bought some to see what his experience was.


Basilisco, easy to say, easy to take pics of.

Azienda Agricola Basilisco Aglianico del Vulture DOC Basilisco 2006 $70ea This was the only Aglianico not from Taurasi that I tasted. I found it to be the most straight forward, round and soft of the four Aglianicos, but it was also the cheapest. It showed lovely dark fruits and plums, a hint of chocolate and plenty of body. It was incredibly enjoyable and was awarded Tri Bichieri (Three Glasses) in the Gamberro Rosso - a much respected Italian wine guide (to put it simply).