Quinta Nova Grainha 2008, Douro

Heute gibt es bei mir ausnahmsweise mal einen passenden Wein zur entsprechenden Jahreszeit. Wobei, dieses Jahr scheint der ausklingende Dezember gar nicht so kalt zu sein, daher ist es mit der beabsichtigten Passgenauigkeit doch nicht so weit her … Aber was soll’s! Er wurde geöffnet und musste einfach weg ;-). Na ja, wenn alles, dass weg muss sich so präsentieren würde hätte ich keine Probleme eine Restweinverwertungstelle zu eröffnen ;-)! Aber Spaß bei Seite! Der Grainha 2008 von der Quinta Nova, einem Weingut das es meiner Meinung versteht anspruchsvolle, vielleicht etwas modernistische und sehr zugängliche Weine zu produzieren, ist ein Cuvée aus Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roiz, Tinta Barocca und Touriga Franca.

Happening Now Tasting 1: Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot Mazis-Chambertin 1994

Today I am about to try something new! At least for me! A „Happening Now“ Tasting. Let's check out how this will work out. Background input about the producer? Sorry guys, not real information and absolutely any personal experience about Dupot-Tisserandot. About the vineyard? Too famous, I dare to anticipate: No information required! The vintage? 1994 was pretty questionable! Well, first the stage of the tasting note wasn't that satisfying. I guess! Anyway, let's start:

Lemelson Vineyards Thea's Selection Pinot Noir 2008, Willamette Valley

Trotz neuem Blog-Gesicht geht es wieder nach Oregon. Ich kann es und werde es einfach nicht lassen! Der heutige Pinot Noir trägt den Namen Thea's Selection. Es handelt sich dabei um einen Verschnitt aus verschieden Einzellagen der AVA's Yamhill-Carlton, Dundee Hills und Chehalem Mountains. Produziert wurde das Ganze von Lemelson Vineyards. Wie bei sehr vielen Produzenten in Oregon wird auch hier ausschließlich nach Bio-Richtlinien gearbeitet und so wenig wie möglich im Keller „herumgedoktert“. Gestoßen bin ich auf den Wein durch eine maritime Weinkolumne im Netz. Na schauen wir mal ob die Beschreibung hält was sie verspricht:

Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses 2004, Priorat

With the rehymanization, sorry, of this insignificant little blog, I'd like to draw your attention - and most certainly mine as well - to a couple of grape varietals an wine regions which aren't that dearly close to my heart. Today I'd like to start with a combination: Priorat and Garnacha (resp. Grenache) + Carineña (resp. Carignan)! Therefore I have chosen a real classic from Priorat: The Les Terrasses 2004 from Alvaro Palacios (predominant Garnacha and Carineña, and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon):

Weingut Balthasar Ress Erste Lagen Rieslinge 2011, Rheingau

Um die aufkommende 2001er Jahrgangs-Falance zu brechen habe ich mir gedacht – mal was jugendliches Neues zur Abwechslung! Daher sollten es diesmal ein paar Rieslinge aus dem vermutlichen Spitzenjahr 2011, man weiß ja nie wie man das in ein paar Jahren sieht, sein. Um genauer zu sein: vier Erste Lagen Gewächse aus dem Traditionshaus Balthasar Ress! Es präsentierten sich mir vier, oder besser gesagt drei – dazu später mehr - unterschiedliche, sehr eigenständige und teilweise auch etwas eigene Rieslinge. Nun aber genug der Vorrede. Hier meine kurzen Eindrücke zu den einzelnen Weinen:

Weingut Gross Morillon Ratscher Nussberg 2001, Südsteiermark

I guess today's wine from Ratscher Nussberg in the South of Styria was the most adged Austrian Chardonnay, or of course Morillon (the Styrian term for the very same), I had so far. The Ratscher Nussberg is one of the most renowned vineyards of the region, therefore I had quite a lot of hope for wine survival!

Domaine Canet-Valette Le Vin Maghani 2001, Saint-Chinian

Manchmal ist es wahrscheinlich eine gute Sache in die Dinge, die das Leben ausmachen, einzutauchen um sich mit diesen in gewisser Weise zu verbinden. Ich könnte mir vorstellen, dass diese Idee oder die entsprechende Handlung der wiederum entsprechenden Person, einer der Gründe war, warum ich diesen Wein einst vor gekauft habe. Ja, Ja – jetzt könnte man sagen: „Mal wieder auf einen innovativen Marketingtrick reingefallen!“ Nun gut, kann schon sein. So genau kenne ich die Beweggründe für die entsprechende Handlung nicht. Niemand ist vor „Innovationen“ und Wein-Begierden gefeit und ich schon gar nicht. Aber jetzt fange ich schon wieder an zu schwafeln. Das sollte ich bei meiner ersten Post nach der wiederholten Wiederauferstehung dieses Blog’s schnell unterbinden!

Next Try!

Ein weiterer Versuch die Welt mit Verkostungsnotizen zu drangsalieren die niemand verlangt hat und wahrscheinlich auch niemand braucht. Das kommende Jahr beabsichtige ich, mich mit eher etablierten Weinen, Weingütern und Weinregionen auseinanderzusetzen. Vielleicht sogar mal etwas aus dem Bordelais oder Burgund! Naja, dass muss ich mir noch überlegen, ob ich solche "Langweiler" öffentlich trinken möchte! Im losen Wechsel werde ich meine Weineindrücke in Englisch oder Deutsch oder beidem oder einer ganz anderen Sprache versuchen. Ich bin mir aber fast sicher, dass ich der Welt meine mittlerweile stark hinkenden Sanskrit Fähigkeiten erspare! Schaun wir mal was bei diesem Langzeitversuch herauskommen wird. Hoffentlich wird es ein wenig erhellender … ;-)!  
Bald geht es los!

Another attempt to hassle the world with tasting notes nobody asked and for sure nobody really needs! Anyway, in the coming year I intend to expose myself to more common or established wines, wineries and wine regions. Maybe even BDX, Burg”land” and other big shots!? Who knows …? In no particular order I'd like to compose my tasting notes and other shockingly meaningful impressions in English (or something maybe close to that), German (dito), both or a totally different language. I am sure I will spare you guys my rusty Sanskrit skills! Let's wait and see what's about to come!? I very much hope it will be a bit more enlightening … or at least interesting ;-)! 

C ya soon!

Game Over!

It's enough! One year of contiuing missons to explore strange new wine worlds, to seek out new wines and new old wine traditions have been enough! My succsses was limited and not really illuminating! The Winefleet Command is sick of my sloppy and incompetent reports and so am I. Okay, enough of this embarissing, but justified auto-critisism!

Despite everything, there have been some nice discoveries, of course just personal ones, like those Oregon Pinots or some of those equally interesting Australian Pinots like the Bastard Hill or the often varying Lusitanian Autos' or a fantastic Sake or even those Crisp Whities from the West of Spain.

 

For a better overview I have taken the liberty to summerize the noteworthy wines: 

Unfortunately the celestial (********) growths were too metaphysically busy and did not reveal themselves to my worthless palatal! The semi-celestial (*******) were downright limited. The fantastic (******) wines were a few. The very decent (*****) wines danced on my palatal on numerous occasions and the decent (****) ones showed plenty! The rest has the right to be forgotten!

Thanks to everyone for reading some of the mostly pretty dumb post of this little project. Bye!

By the way, you guys out there on the internet shouldn't be too happy about the termination of this what-so-ever-it-was. From December 2012 another, probably more conventional and maybe even a bit boring wine blog project, with a little bit more established material and maybe some occasional relapses into old adventurous habits will try to come to life! Right here! 

It's just like Frank, Sarah, Toni, Vic, The Sisko and all the others sung:
  
"The best is yet to come ..." ;-)

On the Oregon Trail Part 5: The Eyrie Vineyards Dundee Hills Estate Pinot Noir 2007, Dundee Hills

My latest trip to Oregon took me to the oldest winery in the Valley. The Eyrie Estate in Dundee Hills was founded in 1966 by David and Diana Lett. Since then those two, and for a few years their son, gained the reputation of one of best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers in Willamette Valley. The grapes for today’s Estate Pinot Noir came from younger vineyards like: Stonehedge, Sisters and Rolling Green Farm. These were planted in the 1980s. Anyway, since the 1960s all grapes were grown without the use of insecticides, herbicides or systemic fungicides. A close "interaction" with nature has always been of grave importance for the winemakers. Right from the start! One more ... anyway, barrel aging took 11 months in mostly neutral oak casks and the wine wasn’t fined nor filtered.

Into the Blue: Txakoli Ulacia Izaro 2011, Getariako Txakolina

Today I got a very crisp and fruitful Basque whitey for a change. Its origin is the young and approx. 147 hectares small Getariako Txakolina D.O. a bit east of San Sebastian. The Izaro is a 100%   Hondarribi Zuri based wine. An autochthonous Basque varietal which is well know for being the white brother of Hondarribi Beltza. Another auto' varietal which is considered to be highly related to Cabernet Franc. Who was there first? Dunno! Zuri however seems to be a pedigree Basque varietal (apparently close relations to the wild varietal Makatza).

Bessarabian Pinot: Purcari Pinot Noir de Pucari 2008, Moldova

My first Pinot Noir from Moldova was an unusual experience! It was produced by Pucari Estate. One of Moldova’s most future-oriented, modern and at the same time long-standing wineries. Their history goes back to the first half of the 19^th century. The large reservoir of old vintage bottles and enormously large cellar facilities are only a few features of Pucari. Comparable to the even larger wine producers in the Chisinău region, e.g. Cricova Winery (with maybe the largest wine collection in the world). The material for today’s Pinot Noir was cultivated in a “micro-region” next to the River Dniester in the South-East of the country. The actual cultivation took place on black carbonate and heavy loam soils. As always far too much blather! Now the important stuff:

Red Nostalgia? Katarzyna Estate Halla Merlot 2009, Горнотракийска низина

Cyrillic isn’t my strong suite. That is probably why I can’t offer you guys a lot of information about the winery or the wine. The producer seems to be very big (so far I’ve counted 18 different labels), highly modern, probably very interested in the overseas markets, but hasn't got an English website.

Back again in Gaúcha Land: Fausto de Pizzato Tannat 2007, Serra Gaúcha

Back again in South America. A region of the wine world I tend to neglect a bit. I definitely should drink more from there. This time I had a Tannat from the very south of Brazil. Maybe one of the most interessting wine countries in the coming decades. Today's Tannat was produced by the Pizzato family winery. A well established family in the local wine growing business. However, till 1998 they never produced and commercialized larger amounts of wine in their own name. Plinio Pizzato made one step forward and started the production of Merlot and Tannat based wines. Today, Pizzato is a medium large family winery with a fair reputation for classic style light wines without over extraction and high volumes of alcohol.

On the Oregon Trail Part 4: Hunting some Burgs with Evesham Wood Le Puits Sec Pinot Noir 2007, Eola-Amity Hills

Last week it was time for an inevitable situation! A kind of situation I personally don't like: Contest situations. Of course in the end a pretty dumb undertaking! Especially in terms of wine. Whatever, a bit of suspense never hurts! What kind of contest? A contest situation featuring my new Pinot Noir-Adoration Oregon Pinot versus a wild assortment of Burgundians from Nuits-Saint-Georges, Morey-Saint-Denis, Savigny-Les-Beaune etc. and the 4th Teutonic Tinto!

Teutonic Tinto Part 3: Weingut Holger Koch Pinot Noir 2007, Baden

It has been a while since I had my last Teutonic Tinto. This time I will give one of my favorite Teutonic Pinot Noir producers a chance. I have chosen the mid-range Pinot Noir from 2007 which was made from French clones and cultivated in the Herrenstück vineyard in Kaiserstuhl subregion of Baden.

Juicy Moments: L.A. Cetto Petite Sirah 2010, Baja California

I guess today’s tasting note will be the most concise one so far. My extraordinary Petite Sirah was made by L.A. Cetto. A winery founded in the early 1970s by an Italian immigrant and to date probably the largest wine producer in Valle de Guadalupe on Baja California, Mexico. Enough briefing for today! That will do!

Auto' x International Turkish Delight? Kavaklidere Narince-Chardonnay 2010, Central Anatolia and plenty of other whites

This time it had to be a wild assortment of white'sters from Turkey, France and Germany. Some really nice surprises and maybe one slight disappointment. 

Lusitanian Fizz: Quinta das Bágeiras Bruto Natural Rosé 2010, Bairrada

Quinta das Bágeiras is situated in the mostly misjudged viticulture area of Bairrada. It was established in the early 1990s by winemaker Màrio Sérgio Alves Nuno. Besides his traditional and impressing still wines this Quinta acquired a certain reputation for its espumantes. My recently tasted sparkling was made of Baga (is the typical Bairrada grape varietal which produces pretty tannic wines with proper acidity) and produced in Brut Natural (without dosage) style. As a matter of fact today’s fizz was my second or third sparkling wine from Portugal. I guess I can’t see any reason to complain about neither of them. Let’s check this one out:

Time for the Best Sport Ever: Jim Barry The Cover Drive Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, South Australia

Wine and a cricket match! What else could be better? Well, I don’t know! Probably a couple of things!? Cricket, of course is beyond reproach. However this combination might not be this compelling. But first some info: The vines for this Cabernet Sauvignon were planted on a former Cricket Pitch in Coonawarra, in the shape of the pitch, on the most southern corner of South Australia. The soils are the famous Coonawarra "terra rossa" and limestone.

On the Oregon Trail Part 3: Maysara Pinot Noir Jamsheed 2008, McMinnville

Back in Oregon! This time in McMinnville AVA. Maysara is a relatively large (more than 250 acres) Demeter certified biodynamic wine producer which was founded in 2001 by the Momtazi family. The Jamsheed Pinot Noir, named after an ancient Persian king, is a selection of the Momtazi Estate vineyard (mainly Pommard, and a few Dijon, clones).

Time for transparent silver from Cockaigne: Hiraizumi Jumai Ginjyo Sake, Akita Prefecture

This time I got something new! Well at least on this blog. Sake! So far I had a few good ones in my life, but I am most certain that this one was the best I ever had. Besides that I am most certainly not an expert in this very complicated and challenging field of beverages. To make my point clear: I did not even know what kind of sake this was until a couple of fellows from wineberserkers.com gave me a helping (translation-) hand. Enough premature sorry blather. Today’s sake comes from Akita Prefecture in the very north of Honshu Island. It is a Junmai 純米 (pure rice) Ginjyo 吟醸酒 (brewed like a poem) sake named Hiraizumi (Splashing Spring Water). Apparently it was made of Miyamanishiki sake rice and the best “Cru” of the house.

Crystallum Wines Peter Max Pinot Noir 2008, Western Cape

In the past week I tried some Pinot stuff from the alleged rising star of Walker Bay. In 2007 Andrew and Peter-Allan Finlayson (the sons of the famous Peter Finlayson) started their Crystallum Wines project in Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. My wine was the entry level Pinot Noir “Peter Max”. Peter and Max are the given names of the growers who supplied the fruit for the first vintage (my 2008 vintage) of this wine. So much for explanation of this curious name. The grapes for the Peter Max 2008 were cultivated in two different cooler climate appellations: Walker Bay and Elgin. The aging (approx. 11 months) took place in mostly used oak barrels (just 25% new ones). The result of the first vintage were 5500 bottles of decently produced Pinot.

Too Classical? Caves São João Porta dos Cavaleiros Reserva Seleccionada 1995, Dao

Something aged for a change? There we go: The Porta dos Cavaleiros Reserva Seleccionada from Caves São João, one of the oldest large wine cellars in Bairrada, is one of the Dao Classics. In general this wine is produced from the autochthonous grape varietals Touriga Nacional, Jaen, Baga and Bastardo and sometimes stored in large Portuguese oak barrels and following bottle-aging for up to 10 years and more. Depending on the maturity and mellowness of the actual vintage.

المغرب‎: L'Excellence de Bonassia 2009, Beni M'Tir + 010654 of 30216 from Sainte-Foy-Bordeaux and a Greenhorn Margaux

There I am, at last! North Africa! Took a while, I guess! Besides today’s Maghrebian red blend I monitored a charming simpleton ;-) from Entre-Deux-Mers and a juvenile best-price(???) Margaux!

More White from the West: Bacalhoa JP Azeitao Branco 2010, Peninsula de Setubal and a Old Acquaintance from Palatinate

Today was probably the last summer-like day over here in the South of Germany! The last chance for another crisp white from the Iberian Peninsula. So far I had quite a lot of positively surprising wines made of Godello, Albariño and so on. However this one was probably the most polarizing and most problematic wine. At least for me! I mean the Bacalhoa JP Azeitao Branco 2010 from Peninsula de Setubal not so far from Lisbon. More precise: a white blend made of Moscateis (the Setubal version of Moscatel) and Fernao Pires (a very common autochthons grape varietal mostly in Tejo and Bairrada regions).

Lil' Corton-Charlemange? Paul Cluver Estate Chardonnay 2010, Elgin and a Wild Assortment of Some Other Chardonnays

On various occasions I’ve seen a concise description of this Chardonnay which always ended with the conclusion: “tastes like a little Corton-Charlemange”! Can that be true? If so, how? I anticipate a bit: No! At least not for me! I don't even know how to relocate this Chardonnay to Burgundy? The characteristics of this wine weren't all too "Burgundian-Style" (whatever that might mean). At least to me. I also don’t know what these references or insinuations might mean! Are there precise and typical characteristics to all Corton-Charlemagne wines? As far as I am concerned: not so much (perhaps anymore? If ever?)! Does that implicate high standard quality? And what the hell does “little” mean anyway? Sorry for those rude questions to an invisible addressee! I am just a bit peeved about these ongoing and totally useless marketing delusions! I can’t see any need for such comparisons! I anticipate again: It is a good wine with a certain amount of “unique” characteristics! There is no need for such marketing driven verbalisations! Guys, let the quality speak for itself! Considering its attractive price, accessibility and international ratings (for me a bit too high ones) there won’t be any problem in selling this Chardonnay! Sorry, enough bewildering bashing for today ;-)! Now the wine:

Donkey Delivery: Vinarija Dingač Vinogorje Pelješac 2009, Pelješac

Well, today I am not really sure where to start. Maybe with a word of advice: If you intend to buy relatively exotic wines from not so wine-popular countries it is always a good idea to know a few words of the local language. In today’s case the word “polusuho“ would have been pretty handy! Meaning: off-dry! Whatever, this little cute donkey wine comes from the very south of Dalmatia. More precisely from Pelješko vinogorje. As far as I could find out this wine is supposed to be the little and lighter brother of the famous Dingač (a 100% Mali Plavac). So that is enough, let’s keep it short:

On the Oregon Trail Part 2: Westrey Wine Company Oracle Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007, Dundee Hills

Dundee Hills Pinot Noir! I guess this is my first single vineyard Pinot from there. Guys, I am afraid to say (well, not really afraid, more intriguingly surprised!): I really like Oregon Pinot Noir! The more bottles I had the better, more chequered and more intriguing those wines got. Again an absolutely convincing wine! Compared to the Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2008 a totally different style and vintage. But first things first! Today’s wine is the single vineyard Pinot Noir Oracle Vineyard from the Westrey Wine Company (sounds like a large cooperation, but isn’t, just 22 acres) in McMinnville. The company was established in 1993 by Amy Wesselman and David Autrey. The Oracle Vineyard in Dundee Hills AVA is with more than 30 years of age the oldest vineyard of the winery. This wine from 2007 is a blend of 24% 30-year-old own-rooted (!) Pommard clones, 70% of younger Dijon clones 777 and 6% Dijon clones 115. The vineyard faces due south and sits at an average of about 650 feet and is L.I.V.E. (Low Input Viticulture and Enology Inc.) certified. The fermentation took place in 1500 litre open-top tanks and was aged in mixed, neutral intended, oak.

Back to the Eastern Danube: La Sapata Feteasca Regala 2011, Colinele Dobrogei IG

Today’s wine was made from a classical Danube Delta Hills varietal named Feteasca Regala. Presumably a natural hybrid of Kövérszölö and Fetească Alba (White Maiden Grape). The Sapata project is thought to be a Romanian-Italian-Collaboration under the supervision of Di Filippo Azienda Agraria from Umbria. The Romanian estate in Colinele Dobrogei practises organic and biodynamic agriculture. Like the back label taught me: even with “horses for working the soil”. Nice one! Let’s check it out.

Pinot Again...? Miolo Pinot Noir Fortaleza do Seival 2007, Fronteira

Today’s Pinot was produced by Miolo Vinicola. One of the big wine producers of Brazil. This specific wine comes from Fronteira region alongside the border to Uruguay. More precisely: from Fronteira in Rio Grande do Sul. The Sevial winery is about 120 ha large and concentrates on the cultivation of French and Portuguese varietals. Today’s wine was produced from manual harvested grapes (Wow!) and was aged in used French and American barrels.

On the Oregon Trail Part 1: Evesham Wood Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2008, Willamette Valley

I guess I had the desire to explore North-Western Pinots for quite a while. Unfortunately I wasn’t really able to motivate myself for this challenging task. Well, I really got big problems, right? Not able to motivate myself to drink some damn good wine! Okay, the proliferation in Europe isn’t that good. Excuse enough ;-). Whatever, a couple of weeks ago I discovered a pretty passionate, sometimes really funny, real, maybe a bit amateurish, but surly competent and definitely not over-posed video-blog called “Wine is Serious Business” which intrigued (or infected) me enough to tackle this extremely daring and longing challenge ;-)

I would like to start my Oregon Pinot exploration with an entry-level wine from Evesham Wood Vineyard in Salem. The 2008 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley! Evesham Wood was founded by Russ and Mary Raney in 1986. So, I guess it is one of the older wineries in Willamette Valley. As far as I know the professional wine business started in the late 1960s. Until today, the winery cultivates (resp. purchases from) only 5 hectares of Pinot Noir (various Dijon clones and a few older Pommard clones), Chardonnay (108 clones), Pinot Gris (Colmar clones), Gewurztraminer, the rare Rieselaner (!) and Grüner Veltliner. They all grow on volcanic basalt soils in the Eola Amity Hills. Today’s Pinot is a selection of various vineyards from the outstanding vintage 2008. So, let’s hope I can recollect my thoughts on this wine correctly, because dorky Oh Dae-su has lost his tasting notes!

On the Road to Queenstown: Felton Road Pinot Noir 2007, Central Otago + Pinot Heartland Stuff and a Teutonic Tinto

Last week I had a couple of Pinots (+ one Chard) from around the world. I had stuff from Burgundy, Teutonia and New Zealand. Well I suggest, just check them out ;-)

Καλησπέρα Ελλάδα: Kir-Yianni Estate Ramnista 2006, Naoussa

It might get a little bit embarrassing on this self-referentially described “adventurous” wine blog. Yeah, right ...! Again I felt the urge to get inspired by a wine which was presented on Hendrik Thoma’s “Wein am Limit” a little while ago. Sometimes I like to get persuaded to give varietals or specific wine styles once and maybe for all another try. Another try for wines which did not impress me all too much in the past. You may feel free to interpret this description in a more straight forward sense: as wines which tremendously pissed me off. Thanks to “Wein am Limit” I gave Xinomavro, the classic varietal from Naoussa, another chance to conquer my palate. So far I had a few Xinomavro based wines and I always been “reserved” about these expiriences. Probably due to their bitchin acid, violent tannin structure and questionable concentration. However, the Kir-Yianni Ramnista 2006 (100% Xinomavro, from selected blocks in Yianakohori vineyard, aged for 14 months in French and American oak and partly fermented in open-top tanks) presented itself to me as a very decent, very balanced (although still a bit young), almost uniquely tasting and enjoyable representative for a Xinomavro based wine!

Rare Pinotage Expirience: Springfontein Pinotage Terroir Selection 2007, Walker Bay and a Grenade?

This time I got a wild mix of three very different wines for you. I suppose it wasn’t the best idea to have them at the same time ;-). Whatever, at least it wasn't intentional! More a bit later ...
It was a cold climate Pinotage from Walker Bay, the Trentino Classic named "Granato" from Elisabetta Foradori and another classic, this time from Stellenbosch, the Thelema Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon.

Back to Aotearoa: Black Cottage Pinot Noir 2009, Central Otago

In the past months I repeatedly spotted a couple of interesting bottles with anthracite grey labels from “Little Down-Under”. They made me curious, because I’d never seen them before. I assume they just entered the European market and seemed to be pretty good money spinners. So, good enough to give it a try!

Teutonic Tinto Part 1: Weingut Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir 2010, Landwein Oberrhein (Baden)

Thanks to the Enlightenment by Google Analytics the viewing (and maybe even reading) figures from abroad are constantly increasing on my blog. However the domestic ones seem to stagnate a bit. As a result I came up with an idea! 

Ohh, before I forget! Thanks everybody for reading my blog! I know it can be pretty challenging to read these weird posts without any proper orthography, comprehensibility and definitely without a lot of useful input! Well, I guess you got accustomed to my deficient blather anyway! So thanks very much again!!!

So, where did I interrupt myself? Ahh, okay … That’s why I’ve decided to dare a little experiment, which might bore most of you guys in Germany. The experiment’s name is: Teutonic Tintos! In these reoccurring posts I’d like to introduce a couple of German Reds, mostly Pinot Noirs, to my international audience. That is probably the only categorization I am intending right now. I suppose you will find Pinots and a few others from entry-level to expensive high-end products, from well known big-shots to relatively unknown dark horses and so on! So let’s start this series with an entry level Pinot Noir from an “almost” not so well known producer. Well, okay even Janice Robinson got this winery on her radar. So, well … whatever, probably not that unknown ;-)

It is the Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir Basis 2010 from Baden!

Quick BBQ Interlude: VR Francisco B. Fino Montefino Reserva Tinto 2004, Alentejano and some Ale-Alejandro, Ale-Alejandros

Outside it was well beyond 35 C! So, a BBQ seemed to be the best pretence to get decently plastered. For such an occasion Tempranillo based wines seemed relatively adequate. At least for me. That is why it got to be one Portuguese from Alentejano and two well known evergreens from Ribera del Duero.

Weird-Wursty-Wine: Domain Canet-Valette Antonyme 2011, Saint-Chinian

Today’s wine is from a sort of almost living legend. At least one for Saint-Chinian wine, I guess. So it is nothing really astounding or even unknown. The reason for presenting this one is mostly inspired by the relatively extraordinary aromas which this wine radiated. Oh, I almost forgot to introduce the wine and winemaker. It is the entry level Antonyme 2011 from the Domaine Canet-Valette resp. Marc Valette. As far as I know it is a red blend made of 50% Cinsault and 50% Mourvèdre which was aged in stainless and not sulphurated. So, … :-) it might get interesting!!!

A Monday in the Hamptons with some Burgundy Superstars: Wölffer Estate Chardonnay Reserve 2004, Long Island

What a start into a new week!!! Chardonnay all over the place! This time I went back to Wölffer Estate on Long Island with some big shot names from Burgundy. On the one hand the highly profound and mineral Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 2004 from François Raveneau and on the other hand the more “surprising” Puligny-Montrachet 2005 from Louis Carillon.

Supermarket Sweep Part 3: Plantaze Vranac 2009, Basen Skadarskog jezera

Back to my little Russian supermarket round the corner! This time it was a real premiere for me. I never ever had wine from Montenegro. I can't really tell you why they had this Montenegrin wine in a Russian supermarket in Germany!?! Maybe a certain cyrillic connection?!?

Vranac or Vranec is an autochthons varietal of the central-southern Balkan (Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo) which produces wines with a firm tannic structure, plenty of potency and extreme lively acid. Apparently the actual name means something like “black stallion”. I hope it won’t be a very wild one!

Again, Again, ... : Coto de Gomariz Ribeiro Gomariz X 2009, Ribeiro

And again back to the North-West of Spain. I guess, my fascination with the whites from Galicia & Co. is getting a bit bugging! Well, whatever … as long as it is good wine ;-).

This time, for the first time on this Blog, it is Albariño Time. Probably the most impressive and prestigious white grape varietal of Iberia. This one was produced by Coto de Gomariz from the Ribeiro region. The “winemaker” Caco Careiro is one of the restorers or pioneers (depending on how one looks at the history of wine in Galicia) of Galician quality wine. What else to know? 100% Albariño – sloppy schist, granite and sand soils – influenced by not so rainy Atlantic climate – mostly bio-dynamic production.

Olympic Spirit: Gaia Estate Assyrtico Wild Ferment 2010, Santorini and some Chardonnay Medal Candidates

After a short “creative (or sluggishness)” break, I’ll try to convey some Olympic Spirit to you guys out there! In the limelight it got to be wine from Greece! What else?! It is the Gaia Estate Assyrtico Wild Ferment 2010 from Santorini and two late nominations from Burgundy and Pfalz.

Truely European Wine: Fellbacher Weingärtner / University of Pécs Partnerschafts-Cuvée Rot 2009, European Union

Well, today we are entering the Bizzaro-Zone. Last week, in a local supermarket (with a relatively nice wine selection) I spotted something I never deliberately or voluntarily had in my life. A red blend officially made of grapes resp. base wines from two different countries. From Pécs Region in Hungary: Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. From Fellbach in Württemberg Region in Germany: Lemberger and Cabernet Dorio (a modern hybrid of Cabernet Sauvignon x Dornfelder). Apparently it is suppose to be a wine to mark the 25th anniversary of the Pécs-Fellbach town-twinning. Created was this blend by the Institute of Viticulture and Enology at the University of Horticulture and Food Industry in Pécs and the Fellbacher Weingärtner (a pretty large cooperative wine producer in Württemberg Region). The bottling itself took place in Fellbach. The wine is declared as: “Wein aus der der Europäischen Gemeinschaft" (for you German speakers out there; I guess the double “der” on the label was just a misprint). Enough blathering! I really can’t tell you more about this creation, because there wasn’t all too much input on the web.

Profoundly Pleasurable Pear Potation: Eric Bordelet Poiré Granit Grand Cru 2011, Normandie

Slightly inspired by Hendrik Thoma's new Wine Blog "Wein am Limit" I most certainly had to give this pear juice a chance. Personally I am not so much into Cider, but this stuff bewitched me with its overwhelming qualities right from the first sip. Eric Bordelet, a once well known sommelier, created this Poiré Granit from pears of very old trees (up to 300 years old) in the South of Normandy. His apples (approx. 20 varietals) and pears (approx. 15 varietals) were cultivated according to bio-dynamic principles, were hand picked and were dehydrated for 3 to 5 weeks before pressing. Natural fermentation, gently low alcohol (in this case 3,5% Vol.) and a clear "Non" to chaptalisation are self-evident for Bordelet. Enough! Now, Wine! …Um … Poiré of course: