Category: Red

We tasted: Domain Bunan Bandol, M&S, £11.32 (down from £17)

Tasting Notes

Emma says: “This heatwave in the UK has brought with it many uncomfortable experiences. Oven like conditions on the Jubilee Line, muggy offices where everyone is fighting over a USB powered portable fan, and not to mention the restless nights without air con or breezes. We just aren’t hardwired for heat in this little island.

I can now add to that list the need to taste Mourvèdre on a hot sweaty night. I arrived home off the heated pavements just swooning for a glass of something chilled and white. But no, I devised this dastardly 52 Grapes schedule so I really must drink this 14.5% alcohol beast of a red. So here goes.

Mourvèdre actually loves heat, as grapes go. Winemakers use it in a blend because it retains a good amount of acidity in heat. That is difficult in warm climates because as the grape accumulates sugar it loses acidity. On the first aroma this is definitely a ripe red, full of brooding dark fruits with a spicy and earthy edge, exactly what I expect from Mourvèdre. The fruit is plummy and sweet with a gentle perfume of fresh beetroot. To taste it is really a mouthful, the feeling is grippy but not astringent and it sits heavily on the palate with that warming alcohol really hitting at the back of the mouth. The fruit flavours are dense and there is this sort of earthy clay taste with gives it a distinct savoury expression. I also get that herbal undertone that is typical of Southern french wines a bit like dried herbs in a pasta sauce. I can really appreciate how complex this wine is, even if it wasn’t what I was feeling like drinking today.  I almost feel a little sad that I’m not sitting by a camp fire chilling in a typically cool English summer evening. This would have been the ultimate wine for that occasion.

So in summary if you love heavy, full bodied reds and haven’t tried Mourvèdre, in particular a Bandol, then please do. This is a wine that may tick all your boxes. I might have to buy another bottle and keep it for when the winter sets in.”

Andy says: “You might have noticed that our notes and pages have been appearing later and later. That’s mostly due to my addiction to Softball and playing Mon/Tue/Wed for the last 10 weeks or so.

That has severely eaten into the time available to keep things up to date. It was the same again this week, as I arrived home at around 10pm (early, actually), hot, tired, sweaty, and needing to taste a Mourvèdre. The first thing I noticed as I poured it was the lovely deep purple ink colour of the wine. I gave it a sniff (it’s what you do) and said it smelt smokey. ‘Not really’, said Emma, who then sniffed it and said ‘actually, yeah it does’. Master of Wine nil, sweaty bloke one.

‘Earthy, smokey richness’ was my next phrase, which scored big points as apparently ‘earthy’ is the classic description, and one I see Emma used. I promise I hadn’t read her notes this time. There was also a touch of ‘farmyard’ to it. If you’ve ever walked through a muddy field of cows, or a barnyard, you’ll know the smell I mean. Not as strong and vomit inducing as the real life smell, obviously, just that hint of countryside. It’s known as brett, and at the right level can add an extra dimension to the wine, which it did here. The tannins were tight and grippy, but let go immediately.”

Buying Guide

Mourvèdre (aka Monastrell in Spain) is a grape variety most commonly used as a small part of a blend. We will be seeking out a Bandol from the South of France where this grape is used as the dominant grape in their styles. Any Monastrell from Spain would equally work well.

We tasted: Pintao Carmenere by Casa Silva £10 Marks and Spencer

Emma says: “I had originally scheduled the next two weeks to be South American wines to time with my annual trip to those countries. Sadly those trips were postponed at the last minute which means I’m now sitting in 30 degree summer heat trying to enjoy a ripe and rich Carmenere.

I decided to try to make the most of the unexpected situation by testing out a food and wine matching theory. Carmenere has a generally accepted spicy character that sets it apart from other grapes. I detect it a bit like spicy red peppercorns or those padron peppers you get in tapas bars. So I cooked up an Indian feast that had a spicy daal and a good dose of red chilli in everything. The test being that food matches are often based on “like for like” flavours in food and wine so I wanted to see if it would work. The truth is – NO. The effect of base room temperature, wine and food was all a bit overwhelming. So I had to leave the glass of wine to taste again later.

Back to the wine, I chose Casa Silva “Pintao” Carmenere, because I know the winery well and think they are the absolute masters of bringing the best out in this grape. In our last newsletter I mentioned that some no-so-good Carmeneres can be thin green and bitter tasting. As a winery they have taken great care to plant just the right variation of Carmenere that has the ability to ripen well in their valley Colchuagua. They took me through their vineyards last year and told me the secret of their good Carmenere was all about how they grow the grapes rather than what they do in the winery.

I was pleased that my first sniff gave a definite breeze of grilled peppers, in tandem with a pleasing note of ripe cherries and also refreshing menthol notes. To taste the fruit is really exuberant but not at all jammy, more raspberry, hints of rhubarb and orange peel with all that powerful spice overlaying it nicely. This is a full bodied red and it does leave with a warm feel in the back of the mouth. It would probably be better suited to a winter’s day but once we chilled it a little it seemed to work far better. And as a final point I love the fact this wine isn’t smothered in oak that tend to give the wine a tutti fruity confected character and a bigger grip. It means you can really taste the grape which is exactly what our adventure is all about.

Andy says: “I was on a winery tour with Emma a few years ago and was lucky enough to taste a Carmenere straight from the barrel. ‘Ooh, tastes like jalapeños!’, I said.

I can’t express enough how jalapeño-y it was. It was like a, ‘Is this made from jalapeños, or grapes?’ kinda thing. Emma then informed me that that is a classic tasting note for this wine, so I was quite happy. And I’ve been looking forward to this one to see if I had the same reaction. Unfortunately I didn’t, but I definitely get green bell pepper, so the same family at least.

Colour wise, using the handy Winefolly chart again, I’m going for medium to deep purple. Tannin wise, I’ll let you into another little secret of mine, and that’s this blog post that lists out nice descriptions. So, from that list I’m heading toward rounded. There’s not so much as a grip, more of a quick, gentle hug of the tongue.

I tasted this twice, the first time with the same meal as Emma, and it was okay but not great. The wine was too warm, I think. The second time I had it well chilled, as we’d put it in the fridge and forgotten about it for a day. Straight out the fridge it was no disaster, but it was a hot day so maybe just cold liquid was all I needed. 15 minutes later as it warmed, it opened up. On the ‘like it – don’t like it’ scale, it’s up at the ‘like it’ end.”

Buying Guide

Carmenere is to Chile what Malbec is to Argentina. It originated in Bordeaux, France but seems to have found a better home in Chile where it fully ripens. It is best to try an example that is a little above entry price because cheaper versions can be a bit light and green. The valley in Chile where it tends to show at its best is Colchuagua; so we will be searching out that style.

Tasting Notes

We drank: Etna Rosso £11 Marks and Spencer

Emma says: “I made Nerello one of our 52 grapes just to test Andy’s supremo pun skills. I’m looking forward to seeing what he comes up with for our newsletter.

On a more serious note, I really do feel this grape is justified to be part of our 52. I fell in love with it last year on a trip to Sicily. It forms the major part of most wines labelled “Etna Rosso” which is an amazing wine region sitting on the slopes of Mount Etna. Volcanic soils appear to be the current theme on our adventure, given last week was the Greek grape Assrytiko which is grown on the volcanic island of Santorini. In Sicily the volcano is still active, and I think wines from this region definitely have a mineral intensity which would suggest there is some sort of interaction with the soils. I always get a pleasing whiff of smoke from an Etna Rosso. Andy would probably say that is me imagining things into the wine again.

I chose a wine this week that I’m really familiar with having imported it for my work. The Nicosia winery is one of the most established in the Etna region, a lot of wines from this region are seriously expensive and they offer a really great value option. It is a relatively small region and is now becoming quite trendy on the wine scene, hence prices are going up.

I tasted the wine on potentially the hottest day of this year so far, so I gave it a bit of a chill in the fridge which seemed to really work and bring out the fruit in the wine. The first scent I got was dark and brooding with wood smoke and medicinal herbs.  Nicely followed by fragrant raspberry and a hint of wet clay. All in all, there was lots going on. The palate had an equally dense flavour, it was somehow tannic and yet light in feel which I really liked. The flavours brought more bright red fruits with that smoky note pointing to the volcanic soils the grapes are growing on, but this dimension  wasn’t  fierce, rather gentle allowing the fruit to stand out nicely; making it an elegant yet complex glass of wine. As a Pinot lover this really appeals to me as a wine that has that lightness in touch, making it infinitely interesting to drink.

We had it with a simple pasta ravioli supper and it worked really nice, a red that isn’t too dominant in flavour for that kind of meal.”

Andy says: “This week marks the half way point on the 52 Grapes journey. It’s all downhill from now on, and things should get easier as we’ve all learnt so much, haven’t we?

So Nerello. I’m not looking forward to writing the newsletter, as I’m going to have to think of a ‘pun’ for this grape. I say ‘pun’ as I’m using the term loosely.

To the wine! Smell wise, I got old leather sofa, shoe polish, and lots of high tones. It was actually quite pleasant. Emma insists it also smells like a smokey volcano, but I must disagree. I’m wondering if she’s ever actually been near a smoking volcano. The label says it’s ‘floral’, and I couldn’t disagree more, but that’s probably because my definition of floral doesn’t match that of a wine expert’s. Colour wise, I’m plumping for Pale Garnet, based on the excellent wine chart over at Wine Folly.

I need to work on this description, but it’s what I call ‘thin’, and this one was ‘quite thin’, like when there’s not enough Ribena left to make a full strength glass. Quite a bit of a burn when swallowing, but I’ve been getting that a lot lately so perhaps I should see a doctor. This wasn’t particularly high alcohol (13%), so perhaps it was the acid causing that sensation.”

Buying Guide

Nerello Mascalese is the main grape that features in the Etna red wines from Sicily. It is rarely featured alone so if you find a wine labelled Etna Rosso or a Sicilian Red with that grape featured on the back label that will work just as well.

We tasted: Domaine Roblot Marchand Vosne Romanee 2014 £40

Tasting Notes

Emma says: “I have been looking forward to this week, as to me Pinot is the finest of red grapes and at its best in Burgundy, France; much like Chardonnay. For many winemakers, making a great Pinot Noir is the ultimate challenge of their life. It is a grape that is very sensitive to climate and soil, as well as winemaking technique.

The taste of a Pinot can be incredibly different depending on where in the world it comes from. If you take a new world Pinot from an area like California it has a sweet berry fruit character with exotic spice notes. Then the styles coming from cooler regions around the world like Central Otago, Oregon or Tasmania are brighter with more crunchy fruit. Finally you have the classic region of Burgundy which is unrivalled for having a diversity of styles and flavour profiles coming from tiny patches of land within the region. Yet another challenge, is balancing the use of oak to the delicate berry fruit flavours and often light body. Only the best Pinot can take a good dose of oak without being swamped by its flavour.

Many wine geeks like myself have fallen for Pinot just like the winemakers, I think for similar reasons. We are all on the quest to find that perfect bottle. And particularly in Burgundy this can be an expensive gamble, you have to pay a fair price for a bottle of Pinot in this region but I’m afraid you can never guarantee what you will get for that price. Sadly sometimes the wine could be faint in flavour and coarse in texture if from a lesser vintage and producer. Given there are hundreds of micro producers in that region it is beyond even me to know every one of them. Add onto that the limited supply, which means any good producer soon becomes sought after and the prices sky rocket. So I have to confess for my everyday Pinot drinking I tend to look a little further afield to places like Oregon, Southern Germany or Australia where I tend to get a little more consistency for the price.

52 grapes has yet again proven a nice excuse to crack open a bottle I selected for my job to be part of our fine wine range and was saving for a special occasion. Vosne Romanee is a particularly lovely sub region in the Cotes de Nuits side of the region. Here the reds typically have a dark cherry fruit and dense spicy character but this smaller patch of land is also known for having a beautifully perfumed aroma that makes it more feminine in style than other reds of that area. And that is exactly the type of Pinot I like. It is from the 2014 vintage which was fantastic for quality and age-ability, in fact we’ve probably opened this bottle a little too early.

Despite this I was pleased to find the aroma did have that bright perfume of rosehip and a touch of violet plus a defined smokey mineral note that gave it that complexity you expect from good Burgundy. To taste the fruit was pristine, all dark damson and crunchy black cherries straight from the punnet. There was quite a bit of oak adding more structure into the palate and shavings of dark chocolate but the underlying fruit more than matched it.  I felt there was far more under this youthful palate to come once the structure softened out with age. And that is the beauty of Pinot, if you were to buy a case of this wine and drink a bottle every few years you would experience an entirely new dimension each time.

Looking forward to hearing what everyone else has made of theirs.

Andy says: “Another one where I’m really struggling to come up with anything. I’ve read Emma’s notes and Googled tasting notes, and I’m just not getting it.

The only thing I can pick up on from Emma’s is the black cherry. It’s definitely there, but it’s not dominant or overpowering. I think I almost get the ‘smokey mineral’ comment too, but the thing I’m struggling with is the overwhelming mouth puckering. Is it tannin or acid, or both? I have no idea, but Googling tells me that Pinot usually has silky tannins, so maybe its acid? I get quite an intense burn on swallowing, which I suppose is more weight for the acid camp. I wish I knew.

Did I like it? Not that much, at first. But, a day later and another glass… yeah, it was ok. I probably shouldn’t be saying that about a forty quid bottle of wine. ”

Buying Guide

We will be trying a classic Red Burgundy made from 100% Pinot Noir this week. To follow suit head to the French red section. The wines from this area labelled with the village name rather than grape. Look out for the generic name Bourgogne Rouge or famed villages/regions such as Cotes de Nuits or Beaune, Nuits St Georges, Volnay or Gevrey Chambertin.

Tasting Notes

We tasted: Domaine de Lavail, Old Vines Carignan, M&S, £10

Emma says: “Mission unaccomplished. After promising we would taste a Chilean Carignan in our notes I popped into my local store to find we were out of stock. Pretty embarrassing considering it is a wine I buy for that supermarket. Oops.

Maybe it was fate, because the birthplace of Carignan is France and very quickly I found a full shelf of that very style staring at me. But I’m still sad because Chile has this brilliant new movement called “Vigno” which is a collective of new winemakers specially dedicated to growing interest in their old vine Carignan. Seek out one of these if you do like this style of wine, just look out for the word “Vigno” on the label of a Chilean red. They are vibrant, blue fruited with a heady perfume and densely packed with flavour. A memorable experience.

However our French Carignan is also an old vine expression which is good news. Carignan is a vigorous vine which means it can over produce and deliver a style that is rustic without much concentration in flavour. The old vine versions are far better because the vines produce less fruit with more powerful flavour, creating just the balance required for a delicious wine.

The wine tried was very typical. It had a raisin rum fruit aroma which gave it that southern French expression from the warm climate. The palate has pleasing warm spices of liquorice and cinnamon overlaying baked plums and blueberry fruit. The structure had the rich tannin typical of smaller berries from old vines, but not aggressive given tannins in Carignan are low. The acidity was nicely in balance despite alcohol giving you that gentle mulled wine heat, another typical feature of this grape. It was more on the European flavour spectrum having quite an earth savoury finish. So I think I still prefer the versions I’ve tried in Chile and even Israel. But a nice reminder of a traditional red that is hearty and soothing.”

Andy says: “This will be a fairly short review as I was fairly unimpressed with this wine.

On the nose, all I could get was what I think are referred to as ‘high tones’ – a bit nail polish remover-y or alcohol-y. A good old sniff really did open up the sinuses. Taste wise, I didn’t get any particular flavour or fruit, but I identified that the tannins were fine grained with just the smallest bit of grip. Quite a bit of acid too, I think, and a good old burn on the swallow. Maybe this needs a day to be open, who knows, I’ll find out tonight.”

Buying Guide

Carignan comes from the south of France in the Rhone or Languedoc. It is typically used in blending but you can find some in their pure form. So we’ll be looking for an Old Vine Carignan from the south of France. Typically these are labelled with that name on the front label.

Tasting Notes

We tasted: Barbera D’Asti De Forville 2016 at Majestic £13.99

Emma says: “Back to red this week and what a joyful return given we are tasting Barbera D’Asti. I often pick whites above reds as wines that perk me up after a long day, but Barbera is one of those reds that has all the attributes to revive me.

The one we chose certainly didn’t disappoint. The aroma is beautiful and pure, bursting with dark cherry and floral kitschy notes, plus a sweet herbal note like fresh cut tarragon. Then to taste it is so gentle and silky in texture, giving it an easy drinking appeal, especially when compared to other Italian reds that can be heavy and tannic. Plus that purity of fruit really lingers in its flavours, the high acidity in Barbera make them taste even fresher on the palate. Yet this isn’t a simple joy like a Valpolicella or Beaujolais. Barbera at this quality level has that bit more complexity, and this wine also had a bit of oak age that brought in more mocha sweet hints, plus a spicy dimension with a liquorice bite. This week has really reminded me that Barbera should be on my list of fine and elegant reds as much as a good Pinot Noir. I hope that everyone else enjoys its expression as much as me.

And for those who want a global picture of Barbera, it does grow in other countries, normally where Italian immigrants have settled; Argentina, California and Australia to name a few.  I have tried many in Argentina and find they really need to be at the high quality end to be worthwhile. Barbera is a very vigorous vine with high acidity and so it can be used to create big volume wines that are a bit tart in flavour. But the benefit of new world Barbera when it is good, is that the fruit can have a little more power and the acidity can provide it with a good balance; even in warm climate conditions. So get exploring.

A final note is that we had this with a meal of spicy grilled halloumi and giant couscous with roast vegetables. The Mediterranean flavours and spice seemed to work beautifully with the Barbera. I often find reds fight with spice flavoured dishes so this will definitely go on my food matching list for the future.”

Andy says: “Apologies for the delay in my notes on this one, it was a busy social week. Apologies also for the ‘Ba Ba Ba Ba Barbera Ann’ email, apparently it got into some of your heads. Hehehehe.

I’m told this wine has high acidity, and I think I might now be able to detect it. Emma has always told me that it ‘makes your cheeks water’, and I’m definitely feeling that sensation with this wine. There’s a slight puckering, and then you feel it release as your mouth salivates to balance the acid.

On the tannin front, I’d say they were virtually non existent. This wine is just smooth and goes down very (too) easily, with a mild warming from the acid. My fruit vocabulary is still limited, but if pushed I’d have to say that it reminds me most of blackcurrant, especially if you’ve ever tasted undiluted blackcurrant cordial. Possibly my favourite red so far.”

Buying Guide

Barbera is an Italian grape from the North East of Italy in Piedmont where the famous Barolo reds are also made. So head to the Italian red section and look for a wine with this grape name on the label. Typically it comes from two famous villages; Alba or Asti. Either one will work to taste along with us.

Tasting Notes

We tasted:

Malbec Cahors Clos La Coutal £11.90 Nicolas wine shop

Vinalba Reserve Malbec Patagonia 2015 £13.99 Waitrose Cellar

Emma says: “For us there are two Malbecs this week, which marks the first 52 Grapes dispute. I rushed off to buy a Malbec to taste before our island holiday this week, searching out one from its traditional region, Cahors in France; not an easy task.

Then on arriving home I was told it should have been from Argentina. Although I’m convinced it was Andy who gave me that shopping instruction. I’ll be interested to see if he admits to that in his note!

But let’s not dwell on that…I’m excited about this week. First I’m a big fan of Malbec, a good thing given I’ve been a buyer of South American wines for six years.  That also means I’ve been lucky to visit Argentina that many times and to be a judge at the Argentine Wine Awards last year. The problem for me this week is how I’m going to sum up everything I want to say about Malbec within a nice succinct tasting note. So we’re taking up the ASKEMMA slot on our newsletter email with a few more of my top Malbec tips.  Another reason to be excited is it was Malbec World Day this week, hence we’ve matched up our schedule so we can all taste and celebrate that together.

First we have the Cahors, which I thought that was a really nice opportunity re-evaluate Malbec. Argentina with its high sunlight hours and cooling mountain influences brings a very particular rich fruit and fragrant style to this grape. So I was interested to see what Cahors would give in contrast; I have tasted these wines before but with without my 52grapes hat on.

I was pleased to find that the distinct violet perfume of Malbec was present in my Cahors and in an even fresher, more fragrant way than most Argentine Malbec. There is also a spicy dark plum note to it, reminiscent of star anise when I’ve used it to cook a fruit compote. On the palate it is robust in structure which I would expect because Malbec is tannic as a grape and France is that bit cooler than the Argentina. But it isn’t aggressive as I’d feared; some Cahors I’ve tasted are a bit green and tough because the Malbec grape hasn’t had the chance to ripen enough, this one is perfectly ripe. The fruit underlying is beautifully fresh, with crunchy fresh orchard plums, a herbal interior of menthol, black peppercorns and cloves. The oak is more gentle than you feel in the new world Malbec.  I felt this wine had a lot of purity and great depth of flavor which elevated it to have a dash more finesse than I’d expect of a wine bought under £15. So a strong thumbs of up for me. I’m definitely going back for more.

Then we move onto the Vinalba Malbec from Patagonia. I have to mention this winery was set up by a pioneering French couple Diane and Herve who moved to Argentina in the 1980s before anyone knew the region would be a hit. And their wines speak to me of both Argentine boldness and French elegance combined. Vinalba’s main winery is based in Mendoza which is by far the largest wine region. But they have now taking up vineyards in Patagonia the cooler southern region which is a trendy emerging area for cooler climates styles of wine; so I’m hoping for some elegance here as a result. The aroma is everything I’m expecting, Malbec has this lovely parma violet note to it and then you have those ripe plummy underlying fruits. Oak is typically a feature on Argentine reds and here I can get that classic gingery sweet note that tells me it is present. I’d say the palate is where I start to feel something different from a Mendoza style of Malbec. The fruit underlying is dense and plummy but not cooked or heavy, there is also a touch of fresh raspberry to it. Then there is that typical rich texture of a Argentine Malbec which comes from the full but ripe tannins with a hit of oak; altogether providing a mouth filling and gutsy wine. This wine does have a lot of oak in the overtones of mocha and sweet spice but the powerful fruit can handle it. And that is the magic of Malbec from this area which I can honestly say no other region has been able to match yet.

Andy says: “I’m tasting this while on holiday, after just playing beach volleyball. I’m hot, sweaty, and covered in sand.

Yes, we’re so dedicated to the cause (read: poor planning) that we packed a bottle in our case. And of course, I picked up the wrong one from the rack. Apparently I’ve brought ‘the good one’, when I should have brought ‘the other one’. I didn’t know there were two.

I’m not sure Malbec is a wine best enjoyed in 26C heat, but I’m here to give it a damn good go. The first thing I noticed was the colour. It was this bright, clear, intense purple. Even the bubbles that formed from my bad pouring were purple.

On the nose, I get quite a few high notes, and a little bit of spice. I’m interested to see how this develops when we finish the bottle tomorrow. Smooth, velvetty tannins, and a warming feeling on swallowing, but the dominating factor here is the oak of which my unrefined palate thinks there is too much.”

Buying Guide

The grape chose itself this week, as this Tuesday (17th April) is Malbec World Day. This is a grape with a special place in Emma’s heart because she visits Argentina each year to buy wines. So she is going to pick one of her favourite new producers that makes wines in her favourite region called the “Uco Valley”. It’s a special area with some of the best climate conditions. Stroll to the South America/Argentina red section and try to identify a wine with the words Uco Valley and you’ll be tasting something similar to us.

Tasting Notes

Emma says: “In honour of the King of Italian grapes “Nebbiolo” I decided to crack open a special bottle this week, Pio Cesare Barolo 2009.  This is a renowned family producer that I knew would show this grape at its best. Nebbiolo can be a tricky beast because it has very bold tannins, so I was hoping that a great example would help Andy understand what I love about it.

I imagine quite a few of you have heard of Barolo before, given it is heralded as the finest of Italian reds. But perhaps you weren’t aware that the wine it is made from is Nebbiolo grapes and the name Barolo is related to the most famous region it comes from in Piedmonte, North East Italy.  A useful tip is that Nebbiolo from the neighbouring area Barbaresco or the wider region Langhe can be a great cheaper alternative, if you do like this wine but don’t want to pay the premium price tag that Barolo comes with.

Now onto the wine in question. Starting with the scent, because it really is beautifully perfumed, people describe it as smelling of “tar and roses” and I agree. The Barolo I’m tasting has a dark smoky rose hip note, with a forest floor savoury undertone and some balsamic twists from its age. Then on the palate this Nebbiolo sort of grabs you in a really nice way – sensuous again! The tannins are described as feeling like tea leaf, but in a good Barolo, like the one I’m tasting, they are tight on your teeth but somehow smooth and not raspy. The flavours have a sour cherry bite with a soft earthy undertone and a gentle marzipan note that lifts it with a hint of sweetness. This particular vintage I’m drinking was warm so the fruit is nice and weighty but some Barolo I’ve had can be beautifully mild and ethereal in how they sit on the palate.

Basically I’m trying to say it is easy to fall in love with good Barolo because it is so complex, dense and yet somehow elegant at the same time. I really hope the one you get to taste is half as good as mine.”

Andy says: “I was looking forward to this red as I thought it might be ‘the one’.

Alas, I’m still waiting for that big, bold, smoky red to turn up, and we’ve already covered Rioja so perhaps I’m screwed. I found this wine to have a little brown tinge, I guess maybe from its age. I’m afraid to say I didn’t get any of this amazing perfume or tar and roses – it just smelled like alcohol and bit of VA. I did get a bit of black cherry on one tasting, and I also think the tannins were smooth, but I go very little else, sorry Em!”

Buying Guide

Nebbiolo is the grape that goes into making the classic Italian wine, Barolo. Nebbiolo is the grape and Barolo is the the region. This week all you need to do is to find a decent Barolo from the Italian red section of a wine shop. This is never a cheap wine but if can be explosive in its flavour and a truly unique experience. Don’t miss this week!

Tasting Notes

We tasted: MOB – Dao Touriga, Jaen, Alfochiero, Baja 2013 Berry Bros & Rudd £28.95

Emma says: “This week has certainly been a mission. In fact I’ll be surprised if anyone joins in. After suggesting that people find a Douro red which has predominantly Touriga Nacional in the blend our search of London showed this was nigh on impossible.

Most Douro reds have “Tinta Roriz” (aka Tempranillo) as the first grape listed on the label and by law the list of grapes in a blend has to list them in order of highest percentage. We did some pretty heavy Google searching and found this was the case almost everywhere. We were about to give up when I recalled a great wine friend, Abi, had bought me a lovely bottle for my birthday from another classic region in Portugal, “Dao”. Hey presto it is predominantly Touriga. So a stroke of luck and a big thank you to Abi.

On tasting I think this wine actually shows more about the region and the particular style it brings rather than Touriga. I imagine other tasters with a Douro wine will get a different experience. This is a really serious wine. The scent is very dark brooding with a slate-y mineral intensity, and some medicinal and herbal notes. On tasting it is taught with grippy but nicely fine tannin. The flavours continue to deliver a smoky pencil lead intensity that I normally find in good Bordeaux. There is also lovely dense, bright purple fruit which points to the warmer climate of Southern Europe. But this isn’t a bouncy, fruity, luscious sort of wine it is more on the serious side with mouth filling intensity and a complex array of flavours that appeal to those people that want a wine that lingers and brings more and more flavours as you ponder on it.

On reading about the wine it is made by three winemakers Jorge Moreira, Francisco Olazabal and Jorge Borges who are normally based in the Douro and with this joint project want to represent the true spirit of Dao with grapes grown beside Portuguese highest mountain range giving this wine that extra dose of acidity and that mineral intensity from the poor granitic soil influence, where vines bury deeply and produce wines with extra intensity. Besides Touriga this wine has other local interesting grapes in the blend, I have always particularly like Baga which is akin to Nebbiolo in its bold tannic delivery and Jaen is related to Mencia and Cabernet Franc; for those wanting geek facts.

I’m really glad I tried it. Like many Portuguese wines I find they have a distinct and unique character and feel quite sad that we don’t see them more often in our UK stores. I think it may be that with their totally different array of grape names that are hard to pronounce so they don’t make an easy sell. What a shame, we need to get more spirit of adventure back into wine. Which is precisely what 52 grapes is about and is exactly what Portuguese wines need.”

Andy says: “I’ve spent most of this week worrying about two things.

Thing one – the complete lack of availability of Touriga dominant wines in major supermarkets. We appear to have sent you on a bum steer, so if you’re reading this and still looking, just get any Douro red. It will have Touriga in it. Probably.

Thing two – A pun for this week’s newsletter title. “Touriga Nacional” isn’t exactly the most pun-able grape name in the world. Aruba, Touriga, ooh I wanna take ya… you now have the Beach Boys / Kokomo in your head. Thank me later.

We decided to have this wine with dinner. I needed something to do beforehand so had a glass of a new Malbec. It was a sample Emma had brought home, and was already open. Rude not to, right? It was full of lovely fruity flavour, but this isn’t Malbec week. You know when you haven’t got enough Ribena left to make a glass of juice, but you give it a go anyway and end up with a weak, pale pink, overly diluted homeopathic tribute act? That’s what it felt like when I then tried this week’s red.  This Dao Touriga was like drinking water in comparison to the Malbec.

But this was very much a short term opinion. I left the wine for a little time to open up and also to allow my palate to reset. The second tasting was much improved – I definitely got fruit (I couldn’t name which one though. Grape?) and a bit of smoke. Tannin wise I thought they were soft, as there was a quick light grip on the tongue that quickly disappeared, as that’s what I thought soft tannins were. Having Googled a list of wine terms, I have decided ’round’ (“A wine that has a good sense of body that is not overly tannic.”) is the best fit.

In summary, very drinkable but still haven’t found my red of choice.”

Buying Guide

UPDATE: It seems there aren’t that many Touriga led reds out there – so if you’re struggling, any Douro red will do!

Touriga is the most famous red grape of Portugal. It tends to be used in reds from the Douro region, which also makes port wines. The easiest way to find a wine made with this grape is to look for a red from Portugal made in the Douro valley. Or to look for the Portuguese red section in a retailer and check the back label for the grapes used in the blend. It is unusual to find a 100% Touriga so it’s very likely you’ll have to scour the labels and find a blend. Watirose, M&S and Aldi stock Douro reds. If all else fails a bottle of port would make an interesting option to try this week.

Tasting Notes

Emma says: “This week is showing up the imperfection of our grape scheduling skills. This grape in this style would have been an ideal winter warmer during last week’s “Beast from the East”. I hope you will forgive us. Although those at other sides of the world may disagree.

Corvina is the main grape used in the Valpolicella region; blended with lesser proportions of Rondinella and Molinara grapes. Whichever version you are tasting, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Ripasso or Amarone, all will have mostly Corvina grape. The differences between those wines will take a little time to explain. Valpolicella is the red wine made like most other reds, so no explanation needed there; usually bright cherry fruit, fresh and lively tasting. Then there is the local tradition of taking whole bunches of grapes and drying them slowly over a period of months so the water inside the grape evaporates a little and the grapes concentrate. Whole bunches of these dried grapes are used to create Amarone which as a result is high in sugar and produces intense and quite alcoholic wines. Ripasso is the in between version where some dried grapes are added to regular grape juice; with the result being a more intense version of the standard wine. The method of drying grapes before making wine is called Ripasso.

Onto the wine we are tasting today “Torre D’Orti Amarone” £36. Before I give you my thoughts on this wine I confess I’m not a massive fan of these heavily concentrated and high alcohol reds; probably because I don’t have the stamina to handle them. There is also a problem with some of these reds where the process means they can get a bit oxidative and lack freshness, plus the concentrated grapes can produce heavy tannin resulting in a wine that can feel dry.

I’ve tasted this Amarone before, and I was astonished at how it converted me; and re-tasting today confirmed this. The aroma is beautifully perfumed, pruney intensity with a cherry liqueur fragrance and mint leaf notes; not at all Port-y or stewed in character. On the taste it is big but incredibly smooth and luscious, lots of black cherries, strong dark chocolate and wild herb notes. Yes, you feel the warmth which isn’t surprising at 16.5% ABV, but it doesn’t feel spirit-y or harsh. The thing that stands out is the fruit still has this vivacity and freshness which is amazing if you think the fruit has been drying so long. A wine with a high price, but certainly worth it as a winter warmer treat.”

Andy says: “I’ve done my fair share of stupid alcohol – shots of this and that, insanely flammable cocktails (Nuclear Daiquiri, anyone?) and ridiculously strong beers etc.

This I think is the first time I’ve tasted a wine that has made me visibly wince, and utter something along the lines of ‘oh boy’, but a little more ‘post-watershed’ if you catch my drift. The reason being it’s 16.5% – quite possibly the strongest wine I’ve ever tasted, and I wasn’t expecting it. I left it sitting for ten minutes or so before braving it again.

With expectations re-calibrated, this was a reasonably pleasant red. I’m still yet to find the grape or the style that’s for me. Knowing it was an Amarone (and therefore from dried/raisined grapes), I could definitely taste the fruit richness and intensity, with a very mild grip from the tannins. Warming and liqueur like in its texture, I’m wondering if it could be used in a cocktail as a substitute for something like Chambord. I guess I’ll never find out as it’s all gone, and at £36 it’s something of an expensive experiment.

Onwards to next week and future reds – the quest continues.”

Buying Guide

Corvina is an Italian red grape but it tends to be labelled by the region of Valpolicella where it comes from; or by a specific style of wine it makes called Amarone. We are going to be trying an Amarone since this is a special style of wine that involves the grapes being left to raisin after being picked. It is so unique it seemed only right to try that. Most large retailers stock Amarone, so head for the Italian red section and look for a wine labelled with that name.