Fattori Danieli Soave Classico 2008

Fattori Danieli Soave Classico 2008

At the helm of the Fattori estate are the brotherly winemaking duo of Giovanni and Antonio Fattori and this particular wine is produced from low-yielding, old vine Garganega from the slopes above Monforte D’Alpone in the Soave Classico DOC.

The vines average 25 years of age and are a mix of modern trellising methods and the old school pergola torte traditional overhead trellis’s. Handpicked with a 20 hour maceration before a cool fermentation and some time in stainless steel.

Pale straw in the glass with just a flick of green the wine shows aromas of pear, melon and pithy lemon fruits with shades of white flowers, dried honey, herbs and almonds with vague wafts of marzipan, estery high notes and spice.

There is a racy attack on the palate to kick off proceedings with crisp, herbal tinged pear, citrus and melon fruits, dotted with spice, marzipan and light hints of estery pineapple.

The body and weight in the mouth are a surprise but it still has a pretty lean, linear structure with crisp, minerally acidity and a distinct savoury herbal lean to the finish….almost a touch of bitterness there which is not out of character for a Soave and also a bit of alcohol apparent.

Seemed a little austere at first but opened up nicely with some time in the glass so don’t serve this baby too cold and it will serve you well over the warmer months.

Rated: Good
Value:
RRP: $27
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Diam
Drink: Now-2012
Tasted: 29/10/09 Open Label
Distributor: Deja Vu

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Okonomierat Rebholz Vom Buntsandstein Riesling Spatlese 2007

Rebholz Vom Buntsandstein Riesling Spatlese 2007

The estate is managed by Hansjörg Rebholz, his wife Brigit and his mother Christine and is generally regarded to be the top estate in the Pfalz as well as being one of Germanys shining stars.

This particular wine weighs in at a pleasing 7.5% alcohol and around 80g/L of resisdual sugar with 7.3g of acid.

Pale yellow gold in colour with rich, inviting aromas of apricot, peach, melon and citrus fruits supported by hints of spice, manadrin, stone and a sprig of mint for good measure.

It’s quite a forward, expressive wine on the palate…..rich too with abundant apricot, peach and grapefruit flavours and oodles of minerally, stony characters and a spicy lime brulee finish. It’s mouthwatering and fresh with vivid flavours and aromas. There is a touch of phenolic astringency on the finish but it is a lovely rich wine with a nice seam of acidity and a great persistant finish. Needs a bit of time in the cellar to unfold this one….lovely stuff.

Rated: Outstanding
Value:
RRP: $70
Alcohol: 7.5%
Closure: Cork
Drink: 2010-2025
Tasted: 28/10/09 Open Label
Distributor:Eurocentric

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Impending Imported Wine Arrivals Nov/Dec

I thought it might be handy if I posted some details on any wines that are just about to arrive in the country. This is by no means exhaustive and I will add to it as I get more information from importers. It will also be an ongoing project and information will be added as it comes to hand.

So here’s the first installment…..

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Domaine Wachau Terrassen Federspiel Gruner Veltliner 2008

Domaine Wachau Terrassen Federspiel Gruner Veltliner 2008

Gruner Veltliner certainly deserves a place on the Australian table….it’s like a cross between a Riesling and a Pinot Gris/Blanc, is very food friendly, matching all number of dishes, is generally low on the octane…this particular one comes in at 12% and is a crisp, refreshing drink for the impending warmer weather.

Domaine Wachau hails from the famous Wachau wine region in the West of Austria and the name ‘Terrassen’ signifies that the grapes are sourced from a selection of terraced sites that line the slopes above the Danube River. Federspiel is a quality designation assigned by the local governing wine body. Similar to the German Qualitätswein system for measuring wines based on ‘must-weight’….as a general rule wines labelled Steinfeder are the lightest, Federspiel is the middle ground and Smaragd are the richest…..I guess you could think of a Federspiel wine as being a dry Kabinett style if comparing to the German system.

The 2008 vintage was quite a difficult one compared to the cracking recent years. There were Summer rains to contend with, increased disease pressure and ripening was a prolonged affair but the wines seem compact, bright and über-stony with a lip-smacking, minerality to the acid structure.

Pale straw in colour with a vivid nose of ripe pear, apple and grapefruit…stone-laden with hints of white pepper, white flowers, dried fruit and just a waft of nettle and sage.

On opening with wine was slightly pétillant with dissolved CO2 but this quickly dissipated in the glass to show a racy wine with a lovely rich mouthfeel. Pear and apples are again the predominate fruit characters with hints of white pepper, lanolin, slate and river stone. The acid profile has a distinct minerally edge with just a flick of lip-smacking sourness. There is some pleasing tension between fruit richness and acid here with a touch of phenolic pithiness, though the finish does dip away reasonably quickly. Lovely drinking and deserves a spot in the fridge for the summer.

Rated: Very Good
Value:
RRP: $22
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: Screwcap
Drink: Now-2012
Tasted: 24/10/09 Open Label
Distributor:Cellarhand

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Allegrini Valpolicella 2007

Allegrini Valpolicella 2007

The Allegrini estate is located in Fumane di Valpolicella and they have been making wine in the region since the 16th century. This particular wine is a blend of 60% Corvina Veronese, 35% Rodinella and 5% Molinara.

In the past this wine would have been labelled Valpolicella Classico but Allegrini has decided to release the wine under screwcap and the Classico DOC doesn’t like that….so the wine has been released as the plain Valpolicella….it’s a start.

And just a quick interlude to explain what ‘Classico’ actually means….it is reserved for wines produced in the region where a particular type of wine has been produced “traditionally”….that means that many regions have been expanded to allow other wineries to join the fray, some in less favoured ‘terroir’….so Classico wines come from the original, more favoured area. The most obvious examples would be Soave, Chianti and Valpolicella.

Bright ruby red with a bright, savoury-edged nose of redcurrants, cherry and red plums. Slightly earthy aspects with hints of spice, tobacco, rosemary, herbs and chocolate.

Red fruit also in the mouth with cherry, plum and redcurrants with some nice tobacco leaf flavours, spice, mocha and red licorice. It is medium-bodied and lively in the mouth and shows a nice savoury lean. Not an overly complex wine but one that is very enjoyable to drink. It shows a nice balanced finish and some sweet, chalky Corvina tannins wrap it all up.

Rated: Very Good
Value:
RRP: $30
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Drink: Now-2012
Tasted: 03/09/09 Open Label
Distributor:Negociants

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Arbois Anyone?

I don’t know about you, but I’m always on the lookout for that perfect aperitif… something to get the palate warmed up before the main show begins. Some restaurants, such as Chicago’s Charlie Trotter’s, avoid serving ‘hard spirits’, offering gentler, more classic options such as lillet blanc, campari, sake and interesting champagnes to start the evening.

The 2005 Cuvee Sacha, from Jaques Puffeney, is the complete aperitif. Packed with punch, it really is left of centre…there is the oxidative characters, the combination of acidity and secondary characters (flint, nuts, brown spices, olives, minerals), and the citrus notes (lemon peel, grapefruit twist). This means that I would definitely have it at the start of meal.

Pacific Oysters, with a Tomato Consommé dressing, goes brilliantly with this wine. I prefer this type of Oyster because they have a sweet, creamy and intense saltiness about them, they are plumper in size and have a firm texture, which adds complexity. In terms of the Consommé, it is best to use ultra-ripe tomatoes and to include ingredients such as basil, eschallots, garlic and a bit of fresh chilli in the base (or a Tabasco sauce works too!). The wine pairs well because of the freshness of flavours and the weight of the dish is incredibly light whilst the pure, focused, dry finish of the wine does it justice, and balances it out nicely.

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Jacques Puffeney Arbois Cuvee Sacha 2005

Jacques Puffeney Cuvee Sacha 2005

Jacques Puffeney is one of the stars of the Jura….in fact one of my favourite wines this year has been a wine from the Jura….a Pierre Overnoy Arbois Pupillin which was like a 15 year old Burgundy…super natural and endlessly complex but a wine to be enjoyed now and not for the cellar…..I can quickly see the Puffeney wines may have the same effect.

The Jura is probably most famous for its Vin Jaune ….the nutty, ethereal, sherry-like (or szamorodni Tokaj for that matter) wine produced from Savignan in ullaged casks under a film of yeast called a voile…..very similar to the flor in the production of sherry.

The region itself is squished between Burgundy and Switzerland….the gateway to the mountains. Jacques and Monique Puffeney produce their wines from 7.5ha of vineyards in Arbois and this particular wine is a blend of Savignan and Chardonnay….the Savignan component is aged sous voile in the ullaged casks, gently oxidising while the Chardonnay component is made in a more Burgundian fashion. Unfined and unfiltered.

Pale straw in hue with a captivating funky nose of walnuts, bread dough, green apple, peach, fennel, spice and hazelnuts with hints of salty minerality, old furniture, nettle and a faint waft of garam marsala.

In the mouth it is sappy and chewy with a nervy gait..there is a great interplay between the lightly oxidised Savignan and the more rounded, citric Chardonnay. Again reminiscent of a fino sherry with walnut and hazelnut tones, bread and stone-fruit….swathed in minerals, spice and herbs with a crunchy acid line and a superb lingering finish. One for the wine geeks and an enchanting wine at that….would make a superb aperitif or maybe try with Comte…a local Jura cheese.

Rated: Outstanding
Value:
RRP: $42
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Cork
Drink: Now-2020
Tasted: 17/10/09 Open Label
Distributor: Heart & Soil

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Jean Foillard Morgon Cote du Py 2007

Jean Foillard

I love this stuff….there are a small bunch of wine geeks here in the Barossa who consider this our house wine and we have slurped our way through many a bottle since it has graced our shores.

Jean Foillard is a member of the legendary Beaujolais posse “The Gang of Five”…. all disciples of the grand-daddy of natural wine, Jules Chauvet. If your only experience with Beaujolais has been the bubblegum infused jobs that used to infest our wine shop shelves in years past….you owe it to yourself to source out a bottle of ‘real’ cru Beaujolais and give the humble Gamay variety another chance.

Naturally made, bugger all sulphur and absolutely delicious…. you are getting a lot of terroir for your buck here.

Deep, purple….slightly cloudy…grapey hues. A very pretty, complex smelling wine with aromas of wild cherry, dark fruits, deep schist earth, spice with hints of licorice, minerals and a slight calvados character. There are some interesting ferrous characters floating around in the ether also.

A lovely weight in the mouth with a super pure, crystalline structure. Wild cherry, cranberry and red plummy fruit on the palate with a softly spiced sheen and hints of licorice, calvados, schist and earth. It is supple in the mouth, low in tannin and long of finish….a beautiful, naturally made wine that is dangerously drinkable.

Rated: Outstanding
Value:
RRP: $65
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Cork
Drink: Now-2016
Tasted: 18/08/09 Open Label
Distributor: Andrew Guard Wine Imports

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Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvée Réservée 2006

Domaine du Pegau Cuvee Reservee 2006

The name Pegau comes from an old Provencal word for a wine jug found in the excavations of the 14th century Popes Palace in Avignon. The Cuvée Réservée is generally a Grenache dominant wine and the 2006 is no different with the blend made up of 85% Grenache, 9% Syrah and the balance Mourvedre, Cinsault and Counoise.

Pegau’s vineyards consist of 19ha including a slice of the famous ‘La Crau’ and they they use whole bunches with the maceration and primary fermentation lasting around 15 days. The wine spend some time in stainless steel and around 18 months in old oak foudres before bottling the wine unfiltered.

Deep ruby red in colour with aromas of blackberry and black plum compote, kirsch, pepper, soy sauce, roasting meats and licorice. Lots of deep spice hints along with wafts of garrigue, mahogany and lavender.

Full bodied with a lovely texture in the mouth. There is an initial attack of deep black and dark-fruits with some raspberry lift and a touch of fig. Good depth of fruit and excellent concentration on the palate with hints of licorice, leather, spice and pepper. It is quite heady, liquoured and kirschy in the mouth with a ripe, fine, sandy tannins and a flowing finish with a waft of incense and garrigue. A very solid wine and one that just sneaks in for an outstanding rating.

Rated: Outstanding
Value:
RRP: $130
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Cork
Drink: 2010-2020
Tasted: 18/08/09 Open Label
Distributor: Vintage and Vine

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Guigal La Mouline Côte-Rôtie 2005

Guigal La Mouline 2005

The final wine of the trio, the La Mouline is the most sensual and exotic of the lot.

It hails from a gneiss and limestone dotted amphitheatre of 75 year old vines situated on the Côte Blonde and the blend here is 89% Syrah and 11% Viognier. It also receives an elevage of 42 months in 100% new oak.

Deep dark ruby red. A wonderfully aromatic wine saturated with rich black-fruits, espresso, Asian spice, licorice, dark chocolate, earth and roasting meats. There are some higher tones of red fruits, white flowers and apricot kernel in the mix also adding to the wines complexity.

In the mouth the wine is a bit more open and expressive than its siblings from 2005. Again there are the rich, vivid black-fruits sheathed in exotic spices, roasted coffee and dark chocolate with hints of violets and stone-fruits. A bit more voluptuous and fleshy also with layers of opulent fruit and spicy, meaty complexity. There is still plenty of weight and extract and no lack of grip in the fine grained tannin. The finish lingers beautifully also. Stunning wine.

Rated: Classic
Value:
RRP: $750
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Cork
Drink: 2014-2040
Tasted: 21/08/09 Open Label
Distributor: Negociants

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