Go East! ... or short 39 glipses behind the you know what ...

 ... well, the headline says already far too much about the humongous ignorance and the insatiable thirst of the author. No real news, I fear! To prevent me from writing even more nonsense ... which is absolutely impossible to achive, I'd like to keep this introduction as short as possible!  39 glimpses in 2023 were far too many to process in an adequate manner. As you are about to see right after this ... (having written that, there were quite a few spectacular viewings with tons of unique character and captivating flavour patterns ... so I'd go for it, if I were you) ...

Happy New Year with some fizz from the East!

 

Happy New Year with some pretty citric, mashy sweet and cardboard flat sparkling wine from Ukraine's Odessa region made from Aligoté, Pinot Blanc, Riesling and the autochthonous foxtail grape Telti-Kuruk. A very simple and fiercely sweet fizz from industrial production by wine giant Shabo with confusingly mild mousse. Not really me I am afraid! The Armenian Keush Methode Traditionelle Brut from the highest vineyards in Europe (and beyond) – approx 1750 m above sea level –  was most certainly some treat with a lot of unique character! The approx. 60 year old Voskehat (60%) and Khatouni (40%) grapes for this N. V. Methode Traditionelle were cultivated on limestone and vulcanic soils in the western Armenian region of Vayots Dzor roughly located around Mount Ararat. This fizz presented itself very lean, crisp, mineral driven with shy fruit flavours from yuzu and bergamots, traces of low sugar danish pastry and a profound imprint from white flowers and mild green herbs. Not the most complex sparkling wine, not very swanky either ... but a quite unique and most certainly decent**** experience! Happy New Year everybody!!!

Alma Valley Pinot Noir 2014, Crimea

Finally! Pinot from Crimea! Took a couple of years … well, at least in non-bubbling-condition. Thanks to a good friend - Большое спасибо Лена – this wine sopped challenge has finally been accomplished. Unfortunately, this time I won't be able to provide you guys with equally trottering and cheesy reminicent anecdotes like from Australia the other day. Simply because I've never really been to the very East of Europe. Something I desperately have to fetch up with, I suppose. Back to matter on tongue! Alma Estate was founded the first decade of this very century. The actual privatization of agricultural land in Crimea took a bit longer than in other regions of Eastern Europe. The winery is situated in Bakhchisarai area on the western foothills of Crimea a bit north-east of Sevastopol. The climate of this area can be characterized as mild mediterranean, with moderate influence of the Black Sea and good ventilation by sea breezes. Summers can be quite hot. However winters can be strikingly cold which can be a rather tricky from time to time. The soils range from brown loam in the elevated areas to the limestone and marlstone vineyards of the riverlands. This particular soil is know to the locals as "white-eyed clay". With help from Swiss and German experts the actual professional wineproduction started from 2005 to 2008. So, it is a quite new project. Today, Alma cultivates a very wide range of well know European varieties on round about 160 hectares. My Pinot Noir from 2014 was fermented at controlled temperature in both stainless steel and oak tanks and was partially aged in oak barrels. Enough of my dry blather! Now it's time for some serious drinking ...

"Pinot weit weg" goes Prowein ... inkl. ein wenig Koshu

Nach gar nicht so wenigen Jahren der Abwesenheit hat es mich endlich mal wieder auf die Prowein verschlagen! Da habe ich mir gedacht: eine gute Gelegenheit viele potentiell interessante „Pinots weit weg“ probieren zu können! Leider, wie nicht selten bei solchen Großmessen, gab es viel Schatten und nur all zu wenige Lichtstrahlen, die sich durch die Wolkendecke der pinot'igen Belanglosigkeit  hindurch kämpfen konnten.

Some Sparkling Stuff from the East: Pinot Fran 2005, Novyj Svet, Crimea

Novyj Svet is the name of a Crimean city as well as the most famous high quality sparkling wine producer in the Ukraine. The winery itself was established in the late 19th century by Prince Golitsyn. One of the most famous doyens of the Russian/Ukrainian wine business. Apparently a hundred years ago the reputation of the winery wasn't that bad. Besides the Russian Royal Family, Novyi Svet wines were highly regarded in circles of wine connoisseurs all over Europe. Today Novyi Svit produces its sparklings by the traditional champagne method. All wines are composed of the "Champange 3" varietals. Unfortunatly the bulk is produced as demi-sec sparklings. However not this one! The Pinot Fran (Pinot Noir) is a Brut sparkling. Fermented in oak barrels and aged for three years in the bottle. For sure a very interesting fizz! Unfortunately I do not have a lot of experience with Ukrainian wine. This one got a pretty strong body, gentle oak nuances, well aged and nicely developed fruit flavours. Rather manly, a bit rustic, fresh and lively. Very impressive mousse. Elegance isn't lacking either. If you ever got the chance to try it, I'd suggest: go for it. Grab for the silver lable, sorry can't read Cyrillic letters ;-), – it’s the Brut!

Something new from a historical landmark: Massandra Cabernet Sauvignon N.V.

My third new post and already a tasting note from a guest! OK, I am not that lazy. I just need some turnover after such a long and dry blabbing phase.

First some interesting facts about Massandra: Apparently Massandra is the oldest and most renowned winery in nowadays Ukraine. It is situated near Yalta on Crimea Island. By the influence of Prince Lev Golitzin, an accomplished winemaker, the winery soared to new and unknown qualities. Their wines were popular and highly demanded all over Eastern Europe and the Russian Royal Family. Then and now the most interesting and demanded wines are the Muscat dessert wines produced from varietals like White Muscat, Surozh Kokur, Rosé Muscat, Black Muscat, Pinot Gris, Bastardo, Ayu-Dag Aleatico, Cagors and Ay-Serez (most I never heard of), as well as their liqueur wines made from the same and some more varietals. The most interesting fact about this winery might be their enormously big cellars with huge amounts of very old vintages. Unfortunately no place for bargains anymore. After the fall of the iron curtain the prices increased drastically. I have been told that the style of their desert wines show resemblances to good Tokaij wines. I guess it is up to everybody personal taste whether to decide this resemblance as justified or not. I have no clue.

The following wine has absolutely nothing to do with dessert wines. It is a non vintage Cabernet Sauvignon. The alcohol was between 10 -13 % (very strange indication) and it was bottled in August 2011. Now we have a short guest tasting note by Marcus Deus:

The colour isn’t all too dark. In the nose there are fruitful as well as earthy austere scents. The tannins are rather present and still hard. Plenty of acid. A very nice and decent fruit potpourri. Shows clear resemblances to a light Cabernet Sauvignon wine. Some hints of mineral features, too. 82P

Approx. two years ago I had the same Cabernet. My impression was almost the same. Back then, I was under the impression that the grapes might have suffered under great heat. I tasted loads of raisin flavours. I guess it was a nice and drinkable wine, but nothing more.

The other Massandra wine I had some time ago was far more interesting. Went down very well. Alongside with some rather pleasing and rustic Ukrainian caviar (see photo on the right). Pretty strange combination. I am totally aware of that ;-).