Saucy Summer Spaniards

Saucy Summer Spaniards? Seriously? Isn't that a bit of a very bold one! Not sure the following content will be able to hold up with so much an attention-grabbing headline!? But one thing is for sure! No insignificant  endless blather about the following potations … well, at least I hope so! Let's not be so complicated and knowledge-drop'istic as usual and stick to the essentials and just get the hell started: 

Schweizer Allerlei Spezial: MÉMOIRE & FRIENDS 2015

Schon eine geraume Weile seit meinem letzten „Schweizer Allerlei“ Verkostungsbericht her, odr! Leider ... „Schuld“ mag wohl die sich für mich wein-fatal auswirkende Aufhebung der Mindestwechselkursbindung zum schwachen Euro sein. Demnach konnte ich in den vergangenen Monaten zur Steigerung der eher reserviert-dynamischen 1,8 prozentigen Exportrate Schweizer Weins kaum etwas beitragen. Zu meinem Glück gab es am vergangenen Montag ein weiteres Mémoire & Friends Grand Tasting der Swiss Wine Connection im altehrwürdigen Kongresshaus zu Zürich. Wohl einer der besten Möglichkeit eines jeden Jahres bzw. Jahrgangs literweise neue Eindrücke in Sachen Schweizer Wein zu absorbieren. Bei über 170 anwesenden Weinproduzenten aus allen Landesteilen und einem gerade mal fünfstündigen Verkostungszeitfenster aufgrund Fehlplanung meinerseits, musste ich bei dem dieses jährigen Grand Tasting hart umrissene Prioritäten setzen. Abgesehen von einigen evergreen'isch anmutenden Vorspeisen weißer Couleur von Louis Bovard, Luc Massy und der Domaine La Colombe aus dem Waadt und der einen oder anderen süßen Nachspeise in Form von Grain Noble Marsanne aus dem Wallis musste ich mich dazu anhalten meine bei leicht mollig warmen Temperaturen geforderte Zungenkonzentration auf die Roten Schweizer auszurichten. Im Zungenfokus standen in erster Linie Pinot Noir aus deutschsprachigen Kantonen, dem Wallis und natürlich der Drei-Seen-Region, Merlot (inkl. Cuvées) aus dem Tessin sowie nur leider einem reinsortigen Gamay aus dem Kanton Genf. Die zum teil oft großartigen Syrah aus dem Wallis und der restlichen Romandie musste ich leider nahezu auslassen. Am Rande erwähnt seinen aber die viel versprechenden und durchweg kühl-kernig wirkenden 2013er Syrah von Simon Maye, Histoire d'Enfere und der Domaine Les Hutins. Zugegeben keine wirklich großen Überraschungen für Kenner der Schweizer Weinszene. Ich muss vorwarnen, dass es zu ähnlichen Nicht-Überraschungen für besagte Fachleute im weiteren Verlauf meines kurzen Verkostungsberichts kommen wird. Bevor ich nun im Stakkatostil meine Eindrücke wiedergeben möchte, sollte ich darauf hinweisen, dass ich mich nur auf meine rein subjektiven und positiven Zungenerlebnisse beschränken möchte. Eine weitergehende Auseinandersetzung mit so mancher Enttäuschungen von mir bekannten und unbekannten Erzeugnissen würde an dieser Stelle ganz einfach den Rahmen sprengen.

Casal da Azenha Vinho de Mesa Branco 2008, Colares Lisboa

Looking at the photo and headline above some of you might think I really must be a wine molesting monster! I'd understand completely, if you think so! Honestly, how can I possibly dare to drink such a wine at a such virgin-like stage!? This stuff is supposed to be consume in 10, 20, 30 or whatever years ... Well I guess, I am appalled by my courage to publicly admit such a horrid sin! I am aware of the durability of grand old Antonio Bernardino Paulo da Silva wines. Having written all of that … Today I just don't care! I am highly happy with myself! Because this shit was like a metaphorical sip of the Atlantic Ocean! Intensely driven by stern, elaborate and salty (literal ones) mineral characteristics! More about that a little bit later ...

First, I'd like to introduce you to some wine related facts. This Casal da Azenha Vinho de Mesa Branco 2008 from nearly ninety year old Antonio Bernardino Paulo da Silva is a living evergreen'ish monument of Portuguese white wine. As far as I know this one is a blend made from autochthonous grape varietals like Arinto, Bical as well as Malvasia (plus a few minor shares)! The origin of this very old style blend is Colares Region directly situated on the Atlantic Ocean just west of Lisbon. The ungrafted vines are cultivated on sandy vineyards with substantial layers of lime, chalk and basalt. The aging took place in large mahogany barrels for at very least three years. Well, after all this 2008 is the current edition. Let's have a sip ...

Weingut Werlitsch Ex Vero I 2009, Steierland

Ab und zu solls an dieser Stelle auch mal richtige online "Hippster Weine" - ich weiss, ziemlich dämlicher Name - geben. Eigentlich interessieren mich solche vinophilen Onlinephänomene weniger. Bei diesem Wein mache ich sehr gerne eine Ausnahme! Im Gegensatz zu manchem in der Onlinewelt inflationär mit Überschwang und erheblichen Redundanz beschriebenem Wein - was nicht heissen soll, dass ich diese "Hippster Weine" als mehrheitlich schwach empfand -, überzeugte mich dieser demeter'ische Steirer mit ungeahnten trockenen 11%igen-Qualitäten wie man sie meiner Meinung nach nicht all zu oft findet.
Was gibt es sonst noch erwähnenswertes? Naja, zunächst mal der Name: Ex Vero I 2009 vom Weingut Werlitsch in Glanz. Rebsorte? Viel Chardonnay und um so weniger Sauvignon Blanc und sogar der eine oder andere Welschrieslingtropfen. Der Boden? Opok, der wohl besser bekannt ist als tonige Braunerde auf Kalkmergelgestein. Noch was? Heute will ich es mal nicht übertreiben … heute wird getrunken! 

Ca' del Bosco Curtefranca Bianco 2010, Lombardia

I haven't really planned to dignify ;-) this white blend with a post on my blog! But sometimes you really have to change your mind about premature plans. Of course, Ca' del Bosco is a really big name in Lombardia and in the world of sparkling wine, but to be honest I did not really expect such an appealing, absolutely not simple and definitely low priced wine from such a renowned and not so reasonable (in general) winery like them. In contrast to the well known and very high priced Chardonnay, the Curtefranca Bianco 2010 is a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Bianco. In this case a very beneficial composition!

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. 

Freshness Again and Again and ..: Bodegas y Viñedos Gancedo Capricho Val de Paxariñas Blanco 2011, Bierzo

I guess I get a little bit obsessed with those fresh whites from the rainy North-West of Spain. This time I indulged myself with a Godello (with 15% Dona Blanca) from Bierzo. Godello is one the prominent white varietals of the North-West of Spain and the North of Portugal. Since the late 1990s it came once again into fashion and enlarged its cultivated plantation substantially. The producer of today’s wine was Bodegas y Viñedos Gancedo. A relatively young winery (est. 1999/2000) with autochthonous varietals ((e.g. Mencia, Godello etc.) in cultivation only (e.g. Mencia, Godello etc.). By the way: the elevation of the vineyards is up to 1000 meters (in general between 500 and 650 meters), the aging took place in stainless and the vines were approx. 20 (Godello) to 60 (Dona Blanca) years old.

Supermarket Sweep Part 1: Driada (ICS Suvorov Vin S.R.L.) Tamianca N.V., South-Eastern Moldova

In commemoration of my childhood's most liked game-show [Ups! Yeah Baby, I admit it ;-)] : it is „Supermarket Sweep“ time!

Well you guys probably can imagine which shelf would have been my favourite one! Enough of this wishful nostalgic blather! 
In the coming weeks I intent to have a couple of Supermarket wines! More specific: Eastern European Supermarket wines. Therefore, I paid a little visit to a small, but rather fine Russian supermarket over here in Teutonia! Let’s sweep this Russian Supermarket and see what the outcome will be:

White Floral Douro Spice: Quinta Nova Pomares Douro Branco 2010, Douro

After my last endless blather I’ll cut it short. At least this time! Phew, what a relief! Well, today’s wine is the Pomares Branco from Quinta Nova. It is a white blend composed of the autochtonous varietals Viosinho (well known for light, floral and acidic wines), Gouveio (probably identical to Verdelho Branco, well known for its hearty and stronger in alcohol character + some stronger botrytis tendencies) and Rabigato (other name: Rabo de Gato, or kitten tail, is well known for its muscat’y character and slight tendency to produce wines with high alcohol volume).

More Freshness From Galicia: Bodega Tapias-Mariñán Pazo de Mariñán 2010, Monterrei

Once again straight to the very west of Spain! This time to the relatively unknown, rather new (since 1994) and pretty small DO Monterrei in Galicia on the northern border to Portugal. The wine is a white blend made of the autochthonous varietals Godello (70%), Treixadura (20%) and Albarino (10%). The actual Boutique-Bodega was established by the Blanco Núnez brothers a couple of years ago and produces altogether just 4 wines. All made from autochthonous varietals. Before this venture they gained quite a lot of wine experience in Catalonia.

Domaine de L'Hortus Grande Cuvée Blanc 2008 VDP Val de Montferrand and a Blanc Surprise from Burgundy

This time I am not in an adventures mood! So no voyages to “un-“chartered territories or unfamiliar varietals. This time it shalt be something decent. Something established. Something almost classic. Something from France. From the South. From Languedoc for example. More precise: Val de Montferrand, a small part of Pic Saint Loup. A wine from a real big shot bio wine producer with tons of extraordinary reputation. I am talking about Domaine de L’Hortus with its well know crus from Clos du Prieur or Pic Saint Loup. In the past 25 years Jean and Marie-Thérèse Orliac became well known for their largely convincing reds and of course for their prime white blend: Today’s wine! The Grand Cuvée Blanc 2008 was made from 50% barrel fermented Chardonnay and smaller parts of the locally more common varietals Roussanne and Viognier. As a supplement to this emotional and ardent southerner I chose to have a real down-to-earth Bourguignon Chardonnay from Pierre Bourée Fils.

A Chinese Blue Nun: Greatwall Winery Chinese White Wine Dry

A Chinese Classic! No need for further elaboration!

Freshly mixed White from Jeruzalem: Conrad Fürst & Söhne Fürst Pod Stolpom 2010, Podravje

The Fürst Pod Stolpom is a white blend produced by a jolly young cooperation between the Fürst and Gross families with the central aim to revive the once well know Fürst winery and wine merchant in Slovenian Styria. The traditional winery was founded in the early 19^th century by the Bavarian immigrant Ernst Fürst. Until the family’s displacement in 1945 the winery developed to become one of the largest wine producers in Styria. Eventually in 2004 the families started to cultivated new grapes and opened for business. The grapes for today’s wine where grown on Jeruzalem and Haloze soil. Two of the most famous vineyards in all of Slovenian Styria. Apparently the 2010 was their first vintage ever and was already well received by the famous Slovenian wine critic Robert Gorjak. As I already mentioned today’s wine is a white blend which was composed of 55% Sipon (better known as Furmint), 25% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% of Pinot Blanc.

Together vs. the Crisis: Ktima Vourvoukeli Avdiros White 2010, Avdira Thrace and a hand from the Pfalz

Due to the frustrating situation and the coming crucial week I decided to have a Greek-German-White-Wine-Tasting. In keeping with the motto: Together with wine versus the crises!

Dryness on Madeira: Octavio A. Ferraz Palmeira e Voltas, Madeira

YES it is possible! There is dry wine from Madeira. Very enjoyable wine. Not that overpowered,  fortified or whatsoever stuff everybody knows. OK, I don't like classical Madeira. Maybe for cooking, but not for drinking. But that is my personal problem and shouldn't have any effect on this post ;-).
I had this wine last summer. I carefully have chosen this one as my first Portuguese wine after the resurrection of this blog. Why? It is because, beside my dearly beloved varietal Pinot Noir, I am simply obsessed with wines from Portugal. Mainly red stuff, but today it shalt be a white beauty.
This blend was created by three varietals: Verdelho, Bual and Arnsburger Blend (never ever heard about that!) and was maturate in French and American oak for 6 months. Apparently this producer wants to reinvent wine from Madeira. Besides these varietals he planted Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and some other mainland grapes. Normally, a questionable approach I would not like to support too much, but in case of Madeira not the worst of all ideas. Sorry, as I already mentioned my personal problem. Whatever!
The colour of this blend was surprisingly bright, although it was aged in oak. In my nose I got very well balanced fragrances of aged lemon, kiwi, pineapple, assorted herbs and exemplary integrated oak. This rather exotic impression continued in my mouth. Somehow it reminded me a bit of a bit leaner Pinot Blanc from Baden in Germany. A very gentle acid proportion. Not weak at all. The well trained and slim body contributed to the convincing impression. It wasn't buttery or anything like that at all. I got oaky flavours, but they were banished into the background. A very nice surprise! Once more a good example for a very enjoyable and lively Whitey from almost Africa.

Another Dark Horse wine from Turkey: Doluca Kav Narice 2005

The Kav is a white blend made of some autochthonous varietals from Eastern Anatolia. It showed a style of white wine I have never experienced before. The main flavours remind me of a well aged, slightly roasted pear as well as a bit of older red apples. There were some scents (and flavours) of flowers, too. The colour appeared to be rather dark yellow. Surely something for a curious wine drinker. In this case your curiosity might be rewarded. For me another very fine surprise from Turkey and a bargain, too (approx. 9 Euro). The only problem might be its availability outside Turkey.