The Anything But Boredom Club

Know and love your favourite local wines but want a change? Nicholas Crampton provides some recommendations on what European wines to try to excite your palate and broaden your drinking experience.

I grit my teeth regularly these days when I hear that somebody is “bored of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc” and that they are looking for something new. It’s not because I don’t think that people shouldn’t be looking for something better than Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but it’s their motivation for doing so that annoys me  and the likelihood they’ll make the same mistake again.

This is what happens when you drink one style of wine to the exclusion of all others. When a fad burns too bright, it is inevitably destined to fade. It happened to Chardonnay, it will happen to Sauvignon Blanc and it will also happen to whatever becomes trendy next.

I’m all for having short lived obsessions, bursts of enthusiasm when you just want to try as many of a particular style or region as you can.  I also think its fine to have “go to” brands that make up the majority of your purchases and whom you trust enough to buy blind from a wine list if you need to.

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Ristorante al Castello

I am sure the recent reduction of the DUI limit in Piedmont from 0.8% to 0.5% has done quite a bit to save the lives of those driving after dinner. But nothing was going to save those of us unlucky enough to be driving with a sober Nick Ryan to dinner, or really anywhere else in Piedmont.

Nick’s approach to driving is to treat lanes as a general suggestion. This does smooth out the curves and I have no doubt it works very well in Formula One. The wave-like motion of our trip from Paris to Beaune (occasional blast of truck horn aside) was a mere point of conversation – where it became a bit more interesting was the tight mountain roads and blind corners of Piedmont.

Grinzane Cavour in Piedmont

Our affable host Bernard, now gripping the passenger roof handle with white knuckles, adopted a tone similar to the commandant in Hogan’s Heroes “please you MUST return to our side of the road for the hairpin corners” and “NO it is not Allah’s will”.

For those of you who have not been to Piedmont, which included me until recently, the region is best imagined as a network of steep sided valleys lined almost exclusively with terraced vineyards and with each ridge topped by tall, multi story buildings. I think the Piemontese built the ski resort at Mount Hotham – the idea being to find a steep, exposed ridge and put an equally steep and exposed building right on top of it.

The good folk of Grinzane Cavour, the small town just south of Alba where we headed for dinner, took this trend to its ultimate conclusion building one of the more impressive sights of the region, the imposing Castello Grinzane.

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An Australian spin on an Italian icon

The food at the super comfortable ‘Royal George Hotel’ in Kyneton, Victoria is seriously good and well worth a visit.  One dish that stood out on my last trip was an entrée of Spa Venison Duo (tartare and carpaccio).  The carpaccio had some sweet raspberry thinly layered on top, whilst the spices in the tartare included fennel, black pepper, juniper berries and star anise.  With this I had the 2007 Greenstone Sangiovese from the red volcanic soils on the Cambrian Ridge in Heathcote. 

Greenstone Sangiovese 2007

 This exciting vineyard project, established in 2003, is still a baby in the Australian wine scene. It is a collaboration between local viticulturalist, Mark Walpole (ex Brown Brothers), uber Italian wine-maker Alberto Antonini, and English Master of Wine – David Gleave. 

The Greenstone Sangiovese is made at the Kooyong Winery in the Mornington Peninsula.  It is from new clones and is a remarkable local example of the variety, showing great structure and poise and all the brambly black fruits you could imagine (black cherry, blackberry) with a fine, grippy but delicate finish.  The Venison dish gave a slight warming sensation on the palate from the spices and this, alongside the sweetness from the raspberry, paired brilliantly with the medium weight and great acidity of the Sangiovese.  

In comparison, Sangiovese originating from its homeland in Chianti (Tuscany), is generally higher in acid, bone dry and herby, with sour cherry and pit characters.  It does tend to brown at an early age, and exhibit those real savoury secondary notes making it less fruity and more tart.  This New World example works better because it more up front and approachable.

Supplier of Greenstone:  Bibendum Wine Co.
Royal George Hotel, 24 Piper St, Kyneton. http://www.royalgeorge.com.au/

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The changing face of Barolo

The great wines of the world are changing

The truly great wines of the world result from a perfect synergy between region and varietal built over many years. Associations such as Burgundy with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Bordeaux with Cabernet and Merlot, Barossa with Shiraz and Piedmont with Nebbiolo are the leading lights of the wine industry.

Whilst these relationships have typically been built by trial and error over centuries there has been a significant change in the wine style of these iconic regions over the last two decades. The wines are richer in flavour and riper, more consistent (although Burgundy proves almost as elusive as ever) but higher in alcohol. Whether this is all a good thing is most certainly questionable.

This change has been driven primarily by three factors:

Climate Change – global warming has fundamentally changed marginal regions such as Champagne, Burgundy and Piedmont. These regions are now far more consistent in delivering fully ripe fruit. This has resulted in many more good vintages in the last few decades but also a general increase in the alcohol levels of wines.

Large oak vats for aging Barolo. Courtesy Fontanafredda.

Professional vineyard and winery management. Many of these techniques – professional viticulture, reduced yields and clean wineries are unquestionably beneficial, resulting in cleaner, more consistent and intensely flavoured wines free of faults. Other techniques such green harvesting (removing bunches to lower yields and increase ripeness) have also resulted in higher alcohol levels and need to be reviewed. They might have been good in isolation but when combined with other factors have resulted in excessive alcohol.

The emergence of the icon wine and the chase for scores. Whether chasing Parker scores or just trying to stand out, over the last few decades the emergence of the “trophy” wine has resulted in an increasing number of caricature wines. Usually heavily extracted, massively oaked and generally over the top, these wines basically show the winemaker’s “fingerprints” more than regionality. Thankfully many of the winemakers responsible for these wines have moderated their approach, reducing oak influence and alcohol level.

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One for the young and one for the more mature

Truffle mania is back…. the little gems from Piedmont’s Alba have hit restaurants around town and are coming in at $7000 a kilo. Yes please!  A dish not for the faint hearted is Ben Turner’s (Head Chef at ARIA) Potato Gnocchi with chestnut and oyster mushrooms, parmesan, spinach, and of course… shaved white Alba truffles.

Parmesan gnocchi with Alba truffle by Ben Turner at ARIA

This dish screams richness and in essence, a wine of equal intensity is required – but the wine needs to be on a different level.  A wine that is more delicate, fragrant, high acid, lighter yet still tannic can be as intense as a fuller-bodied, riper style of red with less acid. 

Barolo is much the lighter style in theory, yet in its youth it can be so tannic and bitter, sometimes almost undrinkable. The Barolo’s of Fontanafredda from the commune of Serralunga d’Alba are some of the most historic in Italy and in the 1800s the estate belonged to the King’s mistress, Bela Rosin. 

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A.Mano Fiano Greco 2008

A.Mano Fiano Greco 2008

A.Mano means hand made and the winemaking here is under the control of American Mark Shannon and his partner Elvezia Sbachiero who is in charge of the marketing side of things. This white blend is very much in the vein of A.Mano’s Primitivo….fresh, vibrant and great value for money.

Pale straw in colour with aromas of melon, apricot and grapefruit. There are some lovely floral nuances in there also along with soft spice, dried honey, blossom and almonds.

The wine flows across the plate with excellent weight and texture…there are lovely fresh, vibrant citrus and stonefruit characters on the palate again with plenty of floral flourishes, spice, marzipan and grilled nuts. Savoury in structure….crisp, fresh, balanced and aromatic….for around the $20 mark this provides great value and another Italian producer who gives the thumbs up for screwcap closures for their white wines.

Rated: Very Good
Value:
RRP: $22
Alcohol: 12%
Closure: Screwcap
Drink: Now-2011
Tasted: 17/11/09 Open Label
Distributor: Trembath & Taylor

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Kuen-Hof Sudtirol Eisacktaler Sylvaner 2008

Kuen-Hof Sudtirol Eisacktaler Sylvaner 2008

Kuen-Hof is a small estate located in Bressanone in the Northern extremity of the Alto Adige….the amount of these wines coming into the country is pretty slim and the stocks are allocated out to retailers so if you were interested in tracking down a bottle it might be worth giving Trembath & Taylor a call and they can guide you in the right direction.

Pale straw in colour. Striking pure citrus fruit characters on the nose….grapefruit mainly with some pithy lemon and lifted floral hints, leesy creaminess, milk bottle lollies, minerals and some estery banana notes.

Striking clarity and pure fruit on the palate again with citrus fruit, light honeysuckle, soft spice, almond paste, cream and light estery nuances. A very attractive, well-weighted wine with a refreshing, mineral-laden line of acidity and a dreamy, creamy persistant finish. Thumbs up for the screwcap closure also.

Rated: Outstanding
Value:
RRP: $60
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Drink: Now-2015
Tasted: 17/11/09 Open Label
Distributor: Trembath & Taylor

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Tenuta delle Terre Nere Calderara Sottana 2006

Tenuta delle Terre Nere Calderara Sottana 2006

Calderara is one of Terre Nere’s three single vineyard wines, and has vines averaging between 40 and 50 years of age. A blend of 98% Nerello Mascalese and 2% Nerello Capuccio. Imported by Arquilla Wines. Initially a bit stinky, with dark cherries and gunsmoke, and unpleasant flavours: savoury minerals with sour cherries and ash. Very dry and unloving.

Seven hours later and the wine was hitting its straps. Still showing dark cherry but only a touch of gunsmoke, and had evolved to also show a delicate rose-like floral, with herbs, dried meats and forest litter. The palate had rounded out, full flavoured, with savoury cherry fruits, dried herbs, minerals, iron filings and dry spices. A touch of raspberry acidity and pippy bitterness on the finish. The tannins are slightly chewy, and the length good. I have seen reviews that have compared this wine to both a Pinot Noir from Burgundy and a Nebbiolo from Piedmont, but on this showing I would be leaning towards the latter. An interesting wine.

Rated: Very Good
Value:
RRP: $60
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Cork
Drink: 2011-2018
Tasted: 3/12/09 Open Label
Source: The Wine Emporium
Importer: Arquilla Wines

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Valentina Cubi Iperico Valpolicella Classico 2007

Valentina Cubi Iperico Valpolicella Classico 2007

Valentina Cubi tend 13ha of vines situated between the townships of Fumane S. Pietro in Cariano and Verona. The trellising here is a mixture of guyot and pergola and the soils contain a high limestone content.

Ruby red in Colour the wine shows inviting aromas of herbal flecked blackcurrant, redcurrant and red cherry fruits with hints of licorice, vanilla, tobacco, polished leather, bramble and spice.

In the mouth it is light on its feet with an airy, savoury structure…..quite fine and light in body. Black and redcurrant fruits, sour cherry, licorice, herbs, spice, tobacco and vanilla on the palate with some creamy hints on the mid-palate.

While not overly complex the wine is delicate and quite taut with a lovely sweet and sour finish and the Iperico screams out for food…… in a world of high alcohols and gloopy wine there is a lot of appeal here.

Rated: Very Good
Value:
RRP: $28
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Cork
Drink: Now-2014
Tasted: 03/12/09 Open Label
Distributor: Bottega Rotolo

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lo Zoccolaio Dolcetto d’Alba 2007

lo Zoccolaio Dolcetto d’Alba 2007

I was at Dan Murphys the other day, principally to buy another bottle of the Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, but I like getting the six bottle discount so this guy and the 2006 Barbera d’Alba from the same producer hitched a ride home.

A medium red in colour, with a peculiar nose, plums and spice, old wood, dusty cherries, and an oddness that I just couldn’t quite pin down. On the palate, bland fruits with dry spices and a certain savouriness. Okay length, but a bit too dry for my liking; your mileage might vary.

Rated: Average
Value:
RRP: $16.15
Alcohol: 13,5%
Closure: Cork
Drink: 2009-2012
Tasted: 4/11/09 Open Label
Source: Dan Murphys

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