Grace Winery Kōshū Private Reserve 2014, Yamanashi

Kōshū! Finally! It took a couple of years to give this indigenous grape variety from Japan the space on this wine blog which it doubtlessly deserves. For all you guys who aren't aware of Koshu - here a super brief introduction at first: Kōshū is a white – well, actually on the surface rather light purpul'ish looking – vitis vinifera variety from Japan. It can be traced back all the way to the 9^th/10^th century. However, like so many other "things" in Japan its actual revival took place in the second half of the 19^th century when the first professional wineries were established in Yamanashi province. Today, most Kōshū grapes are cultivated on volcanic soils (many vineyards lie on the foothills of Mount Fuji) in this eastern Japanese province. The predominant training system for Kōshū is pergola.

Today's Private Reserve Kōshū 2014 from Grace Winery was produced of grapes which were cultivated in the cool and relatively dry Hishiyama area of Katsunuma in Yamanashi province. Fermentation and maturation for this selection wine took place in stainless tanks. Enough of boring blather, let's have some of it ...

Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2007, Walker Bay

Im Normalfall versuche ich stets den Leser meiner Artikel, Verkostungsnotizen oder sogar bei wirklich Wichtigem ;-) nicht mit belanglosen persönlichen Gefühlsregungen oder biographischen Nichtigkeiten zu langweilen. Heute muss ich diese Grundhaltung etwas aufweichen, da es heute um einen Wein gehen soll, der gedankliche noch immer nachwirkende Sedimente an meinem Gaumen hinterlassen hat. Ich meine natürlich nicht genau exakt diesen Wein. Ich meine vielmehr eine Edition aus grauer prä-bloggosphärischer Vorzeit.

Es mag nunmehr um die neun Jahre her sein als ich den Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir 2001 im virginen Zustand, im damals gerade noch jugendlichem Unverstand, mir die Kehle runter kippte. Auch damals schon, war neben einer ungesunden und verderbenden Sozialisation mit reichlich vielen Bordelaisern Weinen, meine Prä-Pinot-Destination evident. Doch mit Pinot Noirs aus der Neuen Welt kam ich bis zu diesem prägendem und nachhaltigen Erlebnis nur wenig in Kontakt. Was nun letztlich so prägend an diesem „Ur-Pinot-weit-weg“ war ist heute nur noch von belangloser Bedeutung und bestenfalls mit grauenvoll schmalzigen und lückenhaften Erinnerungen widergebbar. Diesen Anschlag in From von schlimmst möglicher Weinlyrik erspare ich dem geschätzten Leser sehr gerne. Nur soviel: es war sicherlich sehr schön! Genug dem Gesülze! Jetzt gibt es Flüssiges ... sogar mehr als nur den "Ur-Pinot-weit-weg"!

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:

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.