NWC – July/Aug 2024
Journey and England’s Euros marketing campaign meant I solely managed to attend one tasting in July however was happy to have the option get to at least one specializing in Iberian wines on thirty first July.
Regardless of the theme we began with an English wine, Basic Cuvee, Roebuck Estates, 2017. It was fairly austere on the rose, a sea shell alongside citrus notes. The palate was a bit extra basic, sherbet lemon & granny smith with zippy acidity and fairly dry. Pleasing however at £38 felt a little bit punchy vs the competitors.
Few whites however the Chardonnay, Fermentado en Barrica, Enate, 2021 actually made an impression. Sadly for all of the unsuitable causes. To my style this was unpleasantly oaky/creamy. Vital battonage had given this a personality of butterscotch and foam banana. While there was some stone fruit lurking beneath it didn’t absolve itself of the aforementioned sins.
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Cutio Garnacha Carineña, Carineña 2020 was a light-weight quaffer from The Wine Society at £10.95. Easy however nonetheless fulfilling it was all purple cherries and candy blackcurrant.
It’s at all times enjoyable to style first rate ‘grocery store’ wines with some age and Campo Viejo typically performs fairly properly. This 2010 Gran Reserva did really feel a little bit drained although, you bought loads of vanilla from its time in oak and a little bit blackcurrant jam however not as a lot as I’d hope for from a wine that’s current launch I used to be shocked to see retail at a not insignificant £17.
By comparability you may get Cubillo, Lopez de Heredia, 2014 nonetheless retails at round £20 a bottle and is vastly superior. Numerous heat earth and baking spice on the nostril which a contact of balsamic. Cranberry, candy and bitter raspberry kind a layered palate that I may have spent so much longer with. It satisfied me to purchase extra of this from the 2016 classic.
Vina Ardanza, Seleccion Especial, 2010 nonetheless most likely pipped it though it’s now no less than £25+ on launch for the 2016 classic. This was extra inventory pop, billtong with a touch of perfumed stewed fruits however a extra silky palate marked by a deft lick of oak
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14th August noticed one of many tastings you circle in your calendar that you simply don’t need to miss, Burgundy. Nevertheless, as might be the best way, it’s a area the place it’s troublesome to stay as much as expectations. And the fee…
A duo of Chablis had been up early; Les Fourneux, Paul Nicolle, 2020 & Vaillons, Bichot (Lengthy-Depaquit), 2021. Each had a equally tropical observe on the nostril though the palate a bit extra basic orchard fruit with good acidity. I felt the Nicolle had a touch of caramel on the again palate and the Vaillons a little bit extra power.
Auxey-Duresses, Vallet Freres, 2010 was my favorite of the whites. Simply in a beautiful place Nonetheless creamy, wealthy and citrus however now beneath a nutty veil of maturity. Now round £35 on launch its a relative cut price and exhibits the ‘lesser’ appellations can age as gracefully as Puligny and Mersault.
Individuals loveda Hungarian ringer Kovács Nimród, Battonage Chardonnay, 2021. At £22 it most likely does compete properly on value but it surely was too wealthy for me. The palate was thick and glycerol and while it was a formidable wine with intense citrus it lacked a little bit attraction. I’d be fascinated with the way it ages and settles down, nice size.
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Savigny-Les-Beaune, Jean-Jaques Girard, 2022 was Burgundy that I don’t see the purpose of. Served pretty chilled it was mild with candy cherry, however a bit inexperienced with grippy tannin and a few darkish elderberry notes. ‘Low-cost’ (£22) Burgundy from first rate appellations normally loses the true pinot character and makes me suppose get one thing from one other area as a substitute. This was nearer to a North Italian purple like Valpol which may set you again £15, if that
Mercurey Vieilles Vignes, Francois Raquillet, 2017 was my wine which, for me, was in a beautiful spot displaying the juicy fruit contact alongside the fragrance and candy spice that I like from the Cote Chalonnais. That stated that is now £30 a bottle on launch and I’ve seen single bottles at retailers for £35+ which would appear unthinkable for a village wine from this appellation not a few years in the past!
Mersault, Remoissenet, 2013 was in a beautiful place. A contact of beef broth, wild herb with mild purple raspberry and cranberry alongside a candy and bitter end. Most likely the very best purple of the night. As while just a few older wines adopted and had been fulfilling none had been in good situation.
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twenty first August took us to Central & Southern Italy
The unforgettably named Zibbibo kicked us off with a light-weight and fragrant quantity from Mandrarossa, 2021. It was a little bit bit pear droppy however have a pleasant grape juice character and a contact peppery on the end. Not unhealthy for round £12
Lots richer was Fiano, Colle di Tilio, 2023. This has quite a bit occurring, virtually a success of pesto and pine nut alongside some tinned peaches and candy stone fruits. £12.50 from The Wine Society
One other TWS buy was La Colombera Timorasso, 2022. Although we had been up in Northern Italy right here it was a welcome addition, a way more complicated and grown up wine of fennel notes, waxy lanolin and a contact of spice on the end. Spectacular now however can be attention-grabbing to attempt 5 years down the road the place I feel it might be nice. A uncommon and sought-after grape, £30.
Rounding off a formidable displaying of whites we had Verdeca, Li Veli, 2022. A wine I’ve had earlier than it belies its Puglian roots to supply one thing brisker than most different whites from there. Actually weighty on the entrance of the palate it’s bought Amalfi lemons and aromatic contemporary peaches with a touch of one thing extra tropical and candy like pineapple chunks. Good size and one other which can profit from some bottle age. £20.
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Etna Rosso, Tascante Ghiaia Nera, 2021 was a good looking pale ruby within the glass. Candy and smoky nostril, some dry, crunchy tannin and a bitter cranberry. Good for this value in Etna, £18 TWS.
I threw out a pair, each 2018 from Central Italy at £20. A extra conventional sangiovese (Caprili, Rosso di Montalcino) vs a Tremendous Tuscan (Campo Al Mare, Bolgheri). The Montalcino was extra interesting to me with some vibrant cherry fruit though a contact of sundried tomato on the nostril with its oak and age. The Bolgheri was darker and softer. Extra black cherry compote. Pleasing however didn’t have the size and acidity of the opposite.
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As a self confessed Riesling lover the twenty eighth August was an thrilling week with German wines on the agenda.
An fulfilling sparkler kicked us off, Riesling, Von Buhl, 2019. Fairly a wealthy nostril, leesy cream soda and never as fragrant as anticipated given the grape selection. The palate was extra typical with excessive acidity and grapefruit & bitter lemon flavours. Not unhealthy for £22 for a standard methodology glowing.
A number of reds kicked off with Blauer Spatbugunder, Knipser, 2019. Fairly a savoury character as I discover in lots of German pinot noir’s, particular smokiness and even some burnt espresso. I discovered it a contact inexperienced and stalky, others loved this greater than I however £16.50 from TWS isn’t unhealthy!
Pinot Noir, Kloster Eberbach, 2018 appeared prefer it ought to have been higher however fell quick. There have been some good supplies beneath however masked by a reductive rubbery observe. Wanting exhausting there was some good purple fruit with a contact of sweetness, extra akin to NZ pinot in my expertise. £22.50
Lemberger, Jurgen Ellwanger, 2022 was one thing fairly new to me. This grape is extra well-known over the border in Austria the place it goes by Blaufrankish. This was a formidable and polished wine. The nostril was a little bit muted vs the pinot’s however the palate was rather more concentrated. Nearly with a creaminess alongside its inky cherry mid palate. The end instructed it wanted extra time to combine because it was quitw grippy and tannic.
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Whites kicked off impressively with a formidable GG from Franken. Pfulben, Schmitt’s Kinder, 2010. Intense weight of fruit as I’ve come to anticipate with GG wines although thought it might need softened extra with 14 years of age! Oily texture, grapefruit, pineapple and a candy and bitter observe. Wealthy and 14% however sufficient acidity to be balanced.
Sufficient of that overrated dry stuff. The right Riesling kicked off with a ringer. I had an instantaneous inkling this was not German and I used to be proper; Waitaki Riesling, Valli, 2022. It was a bit extra aromatically profiled than German Riesling however on the similar time a little bit reductive and barely confected. The screw cap closure could also be an element however I nonetheless loved it, gently off-dry and fairly elegant if ending a little bit quick.
im Pfarrgarten Riesling Feinherb, AJ Adam, 2022 was exhausting work. Tremendous reductive diesel fumes on the nostril. It had a easy nice apple character beneath but it surely wanted opening early and a decant/shake as much as present extra. Producer properly regarded so I gained’t low cost them simply but
One other interloper was Vinas Del Vero, Pago Los Olivos, 2021. Very aromatic and floral right here with some honey and white flowers. Appeared to lack acidity vs the competitors and was a little bit too perfumed for my palate. One for Gewurz lovers!
Graacher Himmelreich, Kabinett, Willi Schaefer, 2022 confirmed its class regardless of its youth. It can enhance enormously however a basic poised class that solely Mosel riesling can have. Excessive acid, blackcurrant leaf, 7.5%. Beautiful stuff, £25.
My providing was Brauneberger Juffer, Spatlese, Schloss Lieser, 2006. I just lately purchased this from a one-off outdated bottle sale at £20. In a beautiful place of maturity, a little bit honey and peach iced tea. Some candy pear with a glimmer of tropical guava too.
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Amazingly we had 2 unplanned pairs. Firstly Edener Herzlei, Spatlese, Dr Hermann, 2014. I’m an enormous fan of this superb worth producer however actually one of many bottles appeared a little bit muted and never notably expressive with fruit and extra of a generic icing sugar sweetness. We’ll come again to the producer later
We additionally had two Piesporter Goldtropfchen, Spatlese, Hain, 2009. Each appeared fairly superior, one was a little bit extra oxidised although a second bottle was a little bit extra contemporary with a pleasing tarte tatin observe.
A really revered bottle subsequent with Wiltinger-Braune Kupp Riesling Spätlese, Egon Müller, 1999. Not their prime web site of Scharzhofberger however nonetheless retailing at over £100 a bottle. I feel the fragile, exact type suffered late on this lineup because the nuance was troublesome to understand. It did give a extra centered, mineral type however towards the extra opulent different wines it was robust to select. I don’t suppose the bottle was peak situation however not far off, picked up for £15 at public sale so fairly good going
Lastly a Erdener Treppchen, Spatlese, Dr Hermann, 2005 confirmed the richness and high quality of its classic with implausible stability. Each acidity and construction had been nice, not too tropical and freshness from a lime observe that I actually loved.
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