Latest posts

Week 33 – Falanghina

Andy 4 Comments

We tasted: Falanghina, Ā£11.99, Majestic Wines

Tasting Notes

Emma says: “An Italian grape this week and one with a name that I think does it a disservice. Pronounced Fal-an-gheena, it really doesnā€™t have the prettiest of names. It has an aggressive tone which is a sensory turn off for me. Asking for a glass of Gavi or Fiano (other Italian whites) in a wine bar sounds so much more elegant.

I was desperate to find a recent vintage of this grape. So many traditional Italian importers think FalanghinaĀ is a grape that tastes just as good in two or three years, but I think it tastes best when fresh from the harvest. It comes from the Southern region of Campania and it doesnā€™t have naturally high acidity, age can turn it flat and dull.

We found a 2017 vintage and I hope anyone else who is joining us got that too. Andy has for the first time tasted before me, so watch out for his review below, it may be the most honest so far…

Onto my tasting of this wine. Iā€™ll start with the fragrance, whilst this isnā€™t a naturally aromatic grape I was pleased to find ours had a vibrant expression, a pear compote note with hints of cinnamon spice, almost sweet and tropical but gentle. To taste it has a weight that isnā€™t typical in Italian whites but makes it nice and smooth. The flavours arenā€™t pronounced but they are unique in a combination of pear, quince and gentle peppery notes. There is a mineral smoky dimension that also gives it finesse. It has one of those flavour profiles that is difficult to express since it isnā€™t necessarily fruity there is almost a savoury tang to it. I think that is why this grape is special it is distinct and difficult to compare to other grapes you may have tasted before. And for that reason I would say it is well worth seeking out.

As for food matches, the delicate flavours of this wine mean it shouldnā€™t go with food that is too powerful. But given its mineral and savoury dimensions it can match up well to food as a complimentary flavour. I think it would be a beautiful match for a plain grilled fish but potentially one for a pasta dish heavy in parmesan or creamy sauce.

PS – I told the guy who served me at Majestic we would be reviewing his wine on this blog and he seemed ever so disinterested – so Iā€™m leaving this calling card to see if we can get him to respond!

Andy Says: “I’m taking a massive risk here, as I’m tasting and writing before Emma for the very first time. I’m about to show myself up.

The first thing to note is that the bottle was incredibly difficult to open. The rim was rounded and didn’t let the corkscrew latch on, so much swearing was done. It took a good few minutes to open, the cork was incredibly stiff.

Battle over and cork discarded, I poured. First thing I noticed was the incredibly pale colour. I decided it was ‘pale straw’, and then looked at the handy Wine Folly colour chart. I’d only gone and nailed it. Woop. High fives all round, except I was home alone, so let out a little sigh instead.

On the nose, I get a slight hint of toasty biscuit, maybe even a hint of butter, like shortbread.
Taste wise, it doesn’t have the ‘winey’ taste that I still haven’t identified. It’s fruity, a touch floral (not overly so in anyway) and not that sweet. I thought there was quite a bit of acid going on, I felt my mouth pucker and water on the first sip/mouthful, but it lessened after that, so maybe it was just my palate adjusting to the several beers I’d had before the wine. The bottle says tropical fruits and aromatic herbals. I’ll give them the first, but herbals is something I’m still struggling to taste.”

Buying Guide

Falanghina is a white grape coming from Campania in the South of Italy. It isnā€™t really produced anywhere else. So just head to the Italian white section of your local store and see if you can find it.

Week 32 – MourvĆØdre

Andy 6 Comments

We tasted: Domain Bunan Bandol, M&S, Ā£11.32 (down from Ā£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 arenā€™t hardwired for heat in this little island.

I can now add to that list the need to taste MourvĆØdre 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.

MourvĆØdre 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 MourvĆØdre. 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 wasnā€™t what I was feeling like drinking today.Ā  I almost feel a little sad that Iā€™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 havenā€™t tried MourvĆØdre, 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 MourvĆØdre. 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

MourvĆØdre (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.

Week 31 – AlbariƱo / Alvarinho

Andy 4 Comments
We tastes: Tercuis Alvarinho 2015 was Ā£8 at M&S (but delisted a while ago!)

Tasting Notes

Emma says:”Oh no! This is 52grapes first official crisis. I was feeling really smug that we already had a bottle of Albarino tucked at the back of our fridge and for once a shopping mission was averted.

Only now that Iā€™ve managed to drag it out through the entangled assortment of cheese and deli dips have I seen that it is actually the Portuguese version, Alvarinho, and it is 2015 vintage, which in wine terms is really old for this type of wine. Iā€™ve prided myself on finding the best possible version of a grape each week so that Andy and anyone who is following us can taste the real deal. This week Andy is going to taste what old Portuguese whites taste like – nice. Hopefully he wonā€™t read this before tasting so we can get his unbiased view.

Interestingly the aroma has that a kerosene lime cordial character that I get from aged Riesling. That makes sense because Albarino does share the lime blossom aromatic character that Riesling has when young. This Alvarinho is from the Vinho Verde region of Portugal where they make the style crisp lean and refreshing but often not complex. This wine does have decent concentration in fruit with some pineapple, kumquat and lime on that palate. But typically of an older white in this style the fruit has faded in brightness and tastes more like tinned fruit. It still has lovely thirst quenching acidity so it isnā€™t flat or dull which is a common for future whites. So it is still a pleasing drink. However I bet it was far better to drink two years ago.
So in summary I would say Iā€™ll be buying another Albarino this week and weā€™ll have to update our notes. Perhaps this is going to be a fun chance to test Andy on whether he likes young or mature whitesā€¦”

Andy says: “I think it’s likely that we’ll be tasting another version later this week, so notes on this one will be short.

On first smell I asked Emma if it was oaked. She said no, but that age (this is a 2015) will bring out those notes. I then tasted, and said it reminded me of a buttery toasty Chardonnay. Again, same answer – It’s the age of the wine. Something of a shame as I did quite like this one, smooth and full of flavour. And it’s delisted, so there’s no more left to buy, this was something we’d had in the fridge for a while.”

Buying Guide

Albarino is the white grape coming from the cooler coastal spot of Galicia in Spain; and also known as Alvarino in Portugal. We will be seeking out a version from its classic sub region in that area called Rias Biaxas.

Week 30 – Cortese

Andy 6 Comments

We tasted:Ā Gavi di Gavi Ā£12 Marks and Spencer

Tasting Notes

Emma Says: “I have to confess Cortese, or ā€œGaviā€ as it is more commonly known, can be a bit of an insipid wine. The type of dry white that makes Andy wrinkle up his nose and say ā€œit tastes wine-yā€.

I sometimes wonder if it has reached so many lists in wine bars because ā€œGaviā€ has a nice ring to it, satisfyingly Italian and easy to pronounce. Perhaps it also gives the average Pinot Grigio lover something else to drink that is safely bone dry but not so characterful that it could be offensive. And given it has a more premium price tag than the average Italian Pinot Grigio you also get to feel a bit sophisticated.

To look at the other side of the argument, it could be that this delicate and faintly floral white was the type of white wine that would send me into a blind panic on my tasting exams. So I possibly hold a big grudge against it.

To give this poor grape a chance I chose a ā€œGavi di Gaviā€ tonight. That means the grapes come from the better slopes of the Gavi region that can only legally be called ā€œGavi di Gaviā€. The remainder of the region is simply called Gavi. Yes, wine is confusing isnā€™t it.

I let the wine warm up a little which isnā€™t difficult in the current UK heatwave (It’s not a heatwave, it’s called ‘summer’ – Andy). Sometimes we chill these delicate whites to the bone and that mutes their light aromatics and flavour profile. I was pleased that it really did the trick. I could really detect a soft apricot note to the aroma and a gentle green tea herbal note with touches of honeysuckle. The palate had that pithy acidity that gives it that lean expression and the flavours were delicate on the fruit but with a pleasing mineral tension. It definitely worked as a thirst quencher for a hot summerā€™s day. Iā€™m still not sure I find it exciting enough to be desperate for more. But on those nights where you just want something satisfyingly dry and white this would do the trick for me.

If you are a lover of these Northern Italian white styles I would urge you to seek out a few other grapes from those regions I find even more interesting than Cortese. Arneis from the same region has the same mineral edge but with a bit more richness on fruit and depth of flavour for me. I also love any white from the Collio region where they have gorgeous white blends and brilliant wines from Pinot Grigio, Fruilano and even Sauvignon Blanc. A rarity that I really enjoy is Manzoni which has heritage from Riesling and Pinot Bianco giving it a fascinating flavour profile.

On a final note the strength of acidity in grapes like Cortese make them great wines to drink alongside rich fatty foods but ones that arenā€™t too strong in flavour or they swamp the wine. For example a spring vegetable risotto, baked chicken breasts in white sauce or a pizza primavera.”

Andy says: “Well, this doesn’t taste wine-y.

I wish I could more eloquently describe what I mean by that. I just find that lots of white wine, and perhaps the ones at the cheaper end, all have a very similar ‘musty’ smell. This one doesn’t, in fact the first whiff I took was very fruity, tutti fruity in fact, melony pineappley chunks-y.

Unfortunately the taste doesn’t live up to the smell. There’s a hint of the fruit but at about 5% of the intensity of the smell. The real kicker though is that this really catches you at the back of the throat, like a rough whisky would. I don’t know if it’s acid or alcohol, probably acid. If I had to describe this in one word, it would be rough.

Edit: Tasting again 24 hours later, I’d like to revise down my acidity rating. It’s there, I feel it, but it’s not as high as I thought yesterday.”

Buying Guide

Cortese is in fact that grape that makes the wine called Gavi; the wine name coming from the village in Piedmont, Italy rather than the grape. To try the very best version of Cortese look for wines labelled ā€œGavi di Gaviā€ which is a smaller sub region where the best vineyard sites are situated.

Week 29 – Torrontes

Andy 7 Comments

Tasting Notes

Emma says: “I had my mind firmly fixed on one winemaker when I thought of finding Torrontes this week. For me there is just one Queen of Torrontes and that is Susana Balbo. A powerhouse of a lady who has made a huge impression on me during my visits to Argentina and has persuaded me I can like Torrontes; if she is making it!

She is a legend in the industry being the first formally trained female winemaker in the region, moving on to bravely set up her own successful winery Dominio del Plata and more recently has changed her pursuits to focus on politics having become the governor of Mendoza.

Torrontes is a bit of a perfume bomb of a grape and can take on a soapy flavour and oily texture that has previously put me off. But I found that Susannaā€™s versions are vastly different. Using grapes from the high altitudes northern Salta region the grapes are more zesty, gently perfumed and floral with a real elegance and freshness.

I sent Andy out on the search for a bottle this week and he found her barrel fermented style which is even more unusual. The barrel and the aromatics in the grape interact a bit like an oaked Sauvignon blanc. This aroma is fascinating and complex, there is a whiff of smoke from the barrel interaction and then a blackcurrant leaf herbal character that opens out to the typical rose petal perfume. To taste is is nicely lean and with a gentle texture from the oak, the flavours are of pithy citrus, plus a white pepper spice note and more rich tropical papaya underlying. It really is a complex wine that needs to be tasted to truly experience it, and if you do ever see it on a list Iā€™d highly recommend it.

Food matching tip would be for Asian cuisine, these types of wine with that floral and tropical notes work extremely well to counter balance spice.”

Andy says: “Having been warned that this was ‘floral’, I approached the wine with trepidation. The first sniff was, to quote Emma, a ‘perfume bomb’.

I remember we had a ‘perfume bomb’ several weeks earlier, so I scrambled back through the calendar to remind myself which one it was. Gewurtztraminer! That cherry lipped abomination that I wasn’t exactly over keen on. Torrontes was off to a bad start before the first sip. And so dear reader(s), I did this for you.

It was (and this is another occasion where my lack of fruit knowledge will let me down) a ‘tropical fruit explosion’. Emma says ‘tropical papaya’, but I don’t think that’s a real fruit. All I can tell you was that it was fruity, and something I’d quite to drink while lying on a Caribbean beach. And… it didn’t have that soapy cherry lip taste that Gewurtztraminer did, which again Emma has said is possible with Torrontes. Maybe I’m getting better at this?

I did then ask her if Torrontes andĀ Gewurtztraminer were similar, and apparently this question blew her mind, as, yes, they are frequently likened. I got a bonus point for linking them. Oh, and I liked this one.“

Buying Guide

Torrontes is a white grape that is uniquely found in Argentina. The best versions come from the Northern area of Salta or Catamarca. But if you canā€™t find one of those then any Argentinian Torrontes will work well.

Week 28 – Carmenere

Andy 5 Comments

We tasted:Ā Pintao Carmenere by Casa Silva Ā£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 Iā€™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 ā€œlike for likeā€ 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 ā€œPintaoā€ 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 winterā€™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 isnā€™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 jalapeƱos!’, I said.

I can’t express enough how jalapeƱo-y it was. It was like a, ‘Is this made from jalapeƱos, 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.

Week 27 – Semillon

Andy 4 Comments

We tasted:Ā Tyrells Hunter Valley Semillon Ā£13, M&S

Tasting Notes

Emma says: “Iā€™m writing this in the last 5 minutes of England v Colombia and my first thought is that this really isnā€™t the wine to watch the nerve rattling experience of an England World Cup game.

Not that I have much experience of football supporting, being Andyā€™s girlfriend definitely has its down side, especially during the World Cup. The reason this wine doesnā€™t match, is that Semillon is a wine which in itself encapsulates a lot of tension being lean and bone dry with a piercing level of acidity. So right now every sip seems to make me more nervous.

Weā€™re tasting a Hunter Valley Semillon which has a very particular style. They pick the grapes early so there is a high level of acidity and lower than usual alcohol, at around 11%. When youthful the wine can seem almost watery and neutral with a fresh lemon juice zing. Then as it ages it really comes into its own developing much more interest, often with a candle wax aroma, smoky complexity and rich lime flavours with a peppery twist. I have tasted some fantastically complex old Semillon. The one weā€™re tasting tonight is on the simpler end. I got a whiff of white smoke on the nose, a touch of wax but it was altogether citrus focused, lean and with that big zing of acidity. I like the fact that the fruit tastes pristine and clean but there didnā€™t feel to be much dimension yet in the style. Perhaps it needed a little more age.

We had it with pizza which I didnā€™t feel was the right match either, the delicate character of the wine was masked by the tomato of the pizza. I kept thinking sushi would have worked better.

[talking of matches, Iā€™m never going to write a note during football again – in the time I wrote this Colombia equalised. And thank god England finally won or Andy would have blamed me]”

Andy says: “Emma has already blown our cover and given away the day we tasted this. Ideally we’d be a few more days ahead instead of throwing this crap together just before the newsletter deadline each week. But hey ho, England won.

Thankfully, my notes will be short, and not because I wasn’t really paying attention to the wine, I just have nothing to say about it. It was another one of those limey sour whites that I just can’t understand. I need to go back through my other write ups and see what the connection – other than my poor palate and lack of wine vocabulary – is.”

Buying Guide

Semillon is a grape that was often blended with Sauvignon to make Bordeaux whites. It then found fame as a single grape in Australia, specifically Hunter Valley where is makes elegant low alcohol whites that age well. So try to find an Australian version to get a pure taste of the grape.

Week 26 – Nerello Mascalese

Andy 6 Comments

Tasting Notes

We drank:Ā Etna Rosso Ā£11 Marks and Spencer

Emma says: “I made Nerello one of our 52 grapes just to test Andyā€™s supremo pun skills. Iā€™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 ā€œEtna Rossoā€ 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 Iā€™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.Ā  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 Ā wasnā€™t Ā 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 isnā€™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.

Week 25 – Assyrtiko

Andy 7 Comments

We tasted:Ā Estate Agryros Assytriko 2016 Ā£13.79 (+vat) Costco

Tasting Notes

Emma says: “This weekā€™s exciting news is that I opened my Assyrtiko with a brand new prized possession; a gold plated corkscrew. But keep that between us, Andy thinks it was the gift I brought back for him from my Master of Wine conference in Spainā€¦oops.

And it seems apt because Iā€™m very excited to be introducing Assyrtiko as one of our 52 grapes, which coincidentally was also given a small spotlight at a tasting during the conference I have just returned from. This grape has been called the ā€œChablis of Greeceā€ by fellow wine geeks and I hope once you experience it, youā€™ll understand why.

The true home of this grape is a beautiful island right at the tip of the Cyclades islands in Greece; Santorini. This island was born by the explosion of an undersea volcano. As a result, the island has a stunning backdrop of multi-coloured cliffs and layered volcanic soils that are fantastic for growing vines. The island’s other secret is old vines, sometimes over 100 years old, and on their original rootstocks which is another rarity. I wonā€™t delve into that right now because it will distract us all from just appreciating the grape. However, the result of these old vines, grown in intriguing little basket shapes, is a wine that has incredible finesse, yet intensity and a mineral streak that gives them the Chablis-esque reputation. One famous Australian winemaker, Jim Barry, was so taken by this grape he transported cuttings to his side of the world and is now attempting to create his version in South Australia; so look out for that.

This wine comes from Estate Argyros, a family run winery I happen to import from and so Iā€™m pleased we are getting to try their wine. This version is 100% Assyrtiko so we can taste its purest version. At first sniff I was pleased it had this gunflint, smoky quality that gives it that edge of complexity. Then a burst of salty lemon zest and a grapefruit lime zing, slightly honeyed, almost like an aged Riesling. To taste the high acidity of this grape leaves a zippy lift to the palate, and the rich saline grapefruit flavours continue with a dose of tropical fruit salad. Having said that it doesnā€™t taste like a warm climate wine. It is altogether lean and fresh tasting. And that is what I think I love so much about this grape, Iā€™ve spent my teenage holidays on this sunny island and given the gorgeous heat I experienced there I canā€™t quite believe it can produce a wine with so much finesse.”

Andy says: “I’ve noticed that my tasting notes are getting shorter each week. And you’re in luck, as the trend is about to continue.

I think I’ve officially run out of vocabulary for wine, and am sitting on a learning plateau. So I’ve done my usual trick of tasting, working out what I think I tasted, and then reading Emma’s notes to see if I was close. On this occasion, maybe a C+ or a B-.

The first thing I noticed (pre reading Emma’s notes) was the acidity. It’s intense, possibly more so than my experience in Week 18 with Savvy B. This time, I think my eyes did actually water. I’m sure there’s (probably) a scientific name for it, but I’m (for now, until I find it) going to call it the ‘sour shudder’. I’m sure (hope) you all know what I mean – that involuntary face scrunching forehead squeezing wince when you taste something acidic/sour. Yeah, well every sip so far has triggered that reaction.

I also found it sweet (it’s not), leaving that oily residual feel on the roof of the mouth. I need to work out what that indicator is if it’s not sweetness. Emma’s notes say ‘honeyed’, perhaps that’s it. And she also mentioned grapefruit, so given I wasn’t a massive Viognier fan, I’m not super taken by this one either.

Buying Guide

Assyrtiko is perhaps the most famous grape of Greece. A white grape that is said to have the elegance of Chablis. Try to find one from its birthplace, the island of Santorini but any Greek white stating Assyrtiko on the front or back label will do.

Week 24 – Pinot Noir

Andy 5 Comments

We tasted:Ā Domaine Roblot Marchand Vosne Romanee 2014 Ā£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 Iā€™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 weā€™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.Ā  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.