WanderCurtis Wine

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Gastronomic heaven in Chianti Classico , April 2014

CecchiniWith the fine palates and ample bellies of my father and brother in hand, we set of on an explorative journey to seek the finest food and wine of the Chianti Classico region , nestled between the delightful cities of Florence and Siena.
First stop Fontodi ,in the beautiful Tuscan countryside just South of Panzano ,olive groves ,rolling Hills, Cypress trees ,grape vines.

The perfect setting to explore the lovely terracotta amphora , an experimental medium for ageing wine.

Tasting included a good cross section including  Flaccianello 2008.

 

The appetite was growing, calling for a mandatory trip to Italies most famous and extrovert butcher Dario Cecchini, the most famous in Italy,  a charismatic and eloquent champion of Tuscan carnivorous cuisine a meat centric restaurant where  quality knows no boundaries. A homage to the cow ,full of character and quirkiness .

 

DarioGreeted with a glass of local chianti from traditional straw flask or’ Fiasco ‘.Bread drowned in local extra virgin olive oil.lard with herbs on brushetta , wild boar salami and pecorini cheese and that’s just while you wait to be seated.
Ushered after a short wait  through the pantry kitchen and sliding doors upstairs to vibrant bustling dining room open BBQ huge hunk of beef fiorentine .
The place eats sleeps and breathes meat .

Amply fed and somewhat dozy we made our way South on the 222 through Castellina in Chianti to the lovely Villa Trasqua .vino Santo

 

 

Giorgia had a fine schedule for us .A walk thorough  vines carrying most of the terroir with us  after recent rainfall. A tutorial on the guyot and cordon pruning methods and suddenly a downpour and a lift back through the vineyard to the tasting room.Fanatico ,Evolito traluna and Trasgaia deep ruby red, cherries ,spice great personality.
finished with a lovely  2005 vino Santo. Alan then showed us the stunning views from the tower over to Siena.

 

Daniele di Seta

 

Next on to Daniela and Maria at Tera Di Seta Kosher winery. A  walk through the  vines olive groves and then a Shabbat tasting .Very interesting to see the locked room leading to the winery no access only to approved personnel. Smoky, spicy and herbaceous wines and very peppery luscious olive oil.

 

Dinner  at Cacio e Pepe  in the local village of Vagliagli was a fitting end to a gastronomic day.
Wonderful soup  followed by ricotta and spinach cannelloni,  apple strudel and coffee with 3 spoons and  the delightful smiling  Lucia together with her mum and sister ran this most excellent restaurant.

 

Saturday we headed to Raddia in chianti. Coffee at Sandys followed by getting lost on the way to Castello d’Albola . A great   tour of  the property and cellars owned Fiascoby the Zonin family. What a marvellous selection of wines finished of with the vino santo  aged for 8 years in Chestnut barrels.
A trip back to Greve in Chianti to Castello Vicciomagio and  met the the rather efficious John Matta  on the way through the vines  . It felt like the Spanish inquisition !

vicchimagioHis wine though were great sat on the hilltop with stunning panoramic  views over theTuscan, Chianti countryside Vicchiomaggio chiant classico riserva 2010  .

Expect to get lost in chianti country , our sat nav useless .

 

South to Siena and the spectaular  Duomo and Piazza Del Campo . The last stop was back to the lovely Lucia at Cacio e Pepe for some home cooking in Vagliagli and a mal to surpass the gastronomy of last night.

Three satiated  bellies and back to Di Seta winery .

 

Sunday , A gentle meander north on Rt 222 stopped in Panzano  to shop in the street market and meet the gregarious Dario Cecchini ,

who surprised us with his name in Hebrew on his apron and trophy from the great shimon Peres peace foundation from his trip to Israel.Dario

Then North to  Villa Il Foggia  and finished off our wines we had collected on our travels overlooking the vineyards and Florence in the distance.

The final feast served by Maurizio in  a great aunthentic restaurant A Casa Mia run by two brothers in Montefiridolfi  .This a treasure of a find in a tiny village with only four tables wit a wonderful warm quaint atmosphere and food from the heart. The highlight being spinach and ricotta cannelloni which melted in the mouth.

That’s one of the wonders of Italy . Great food in local Trattorias, home cooking,  with  a warm atmosphere  and wine to match .

 

Here’s to our forthcoming trip to Puglia  …we can barely wait !

 

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7 RUE DE LA POMPE 2012, MAS COUTELOU

7 rue de la pompeThere are many great value wines   from Languedoc-Roussillon , and this is one of them.

Deservedly our wine of the month .Smooth,lush and fruity, displaying that burnt smokiness of Syrah.

Opened up initially to a farmyard nose which soon settled down within  5 minutes of opening .

Good freshness and balance , full of flavour and character . It is an organic and natural wine and was in perfect condition .

Highly recommended and available at www.robersonwine.com for between £10 and £12


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Bordeaux Noughtie Tasting

Date – February 13th 7.30 Pm , Highgate

The first BYO format tasting and certainly not the last.

As usual all wines (12 in all) were served blind but with the twist of putting the person who brought the wine in the driving seat. They were invited to present the wine, share critic reviews, their own experience of the wine and to lay a trial of tantalising clues for the assembled tasters.  Lots of entertaining discussion and great fun for all.

A lovely selection with a predominant Left Bank theme but some delightful elegant Pomerol’s including Lafleur and Vieux Chateau Certain.

Educational as ever this format really focuses on issues such as quality, drinking pleasure, value, winery reputation and vintage.  For me, surprise of the night – how well many of the 2002s were drinking in spite of the vintage’s poor reputation, confirmation of the night – just how much pleasure a ‘comparatively good value’ wine like Grand Puy-Lacoste reaching maturity from a good year like 2000 can give!

Thanks to all who attended for generously bringing such a great selection of wines and of course to the Kellys for hosting once again in their wonderful dining room.

Started with Bollinger , Louis Roederer . Delighted to have in attendance , UK Champagne Ambassador, Tim Hall of Scala Wines

Tasting Notes  courtesy of Tim Hall  Scala Wines

1) Chateau Leoville Barton , St Julien 2002

St Julien, 2nd growth 1855, 72CS, 20M, 8CF

Garnet-deep; maturing edge. Intense ripe aroma, lots of new oak; svelte and classy.  Some chewy dry tannin on the end. Dense but lean bodied spare-fleshed.  Impressive elegant wine. Thought Left Bank (LB) 04.  Not fleshy enough for a great year.

2) Chateau Phelan Segur 2005

St Estephe, Cru Bougeois (when this made) but now with break-away group and boycotting the classification.  55CS, 45M

Deep core; touch of brick. Cream and slight vanilla and varnish nose; high char oak, perhaps a bit dolled up. Astringent dry tannin on the end.  Good wine, trying very hard, perhaps a bit much. Thought LB 04.

3) Chateau Charmail 2000

Haut-Medoc, Cru Bougeois, 48M, 30CS, 20CF, 2PV

Deep core. Some age on the rim, quite tiled. Touch green on nose,  not wholly ripe fruit.  Meaty, savoury, quite evolved. Needs drinking. Rather austere.

4) Chateau Pontet-Canet 2001

Pauillac, 5th growth 1855.  62CS, 32M, 5CF, 1PV

Deep core; some orange bricking. Very seductive big hit of exotic dried peel and new oak, gloriously met with pressing red berry fruit. Very classy indeed.  Succulent, medium weight but not fat, great finesse.  Thought Paulliac 05 and thrilled this property made such q good wine in this mediocre year.  Top wine of the night for me.

5) Chateau Talbot 2003

St Julien, 4th growth 1855.  66CS, 26M, 8PV

Mid-deep. Quite a rim. Sweet nose, gorgeous and opulent; Christmas cake. Round, big, soft tannin. Lots of new oak.  A big hug of a wine. Tasty and seductive. Considered right bank (RB). Forgot 2003 made such plump soft wine on the LB in this warm year. I would get on with this.

6) Chateau Lafleur 2004

Pomerol, with a great reputation.  50M, 50CF

Deep core; brick rim. Very drying tannin on end. But candied peel and fig full fruit, yet a mild green component too. Complex and tantalising jostle of elements. Not completely harmonious but opened beautifully in the glass. Does this need more time?  Impressive.

Boeuf Bourguignon , baked camembert

7) Vieux Chateau Certan 2002

Pomerol, a very high ranker. 60M, 30CF, 10CS

Deep core, wideish rim.  Very spicy nose, cumin and pencil shavings; classy integrated oak.  Medium intensity yet reticent and a bit passive on the mid-palate.  Softish but ultra charming.  A good long carry  to the end, leaving moss and cinnamon and red cherry notes.  Drinking well, no need to keep longer but good for a few years.

8) Chateau Senejac 2002

 Haut Medoc, Cru Bourgeois when this made, but not now.  48CS, 37M, 11CF, 4PV

Mid-pale, broad rim.  Very sweetish fruit nose and extraction but pretty evolved and a green streak going through, in fact herbaceous but forgiven by a residue of fruit brightness.  Pleasant enough, perhaps better a few years ago. Upright, four-square and needs drinking up.

9)Léoville-Lascases 2002

St Julien, 2nd growth 1855.  65CS, 24M, 10CF 1PV

dense.  Evidently a light version of a tip top property, with cedar, coffee and a whole gamut black fruit and spicy but reticent oak. Stately stuff.

10) Grand Puy -Lacoste 2000

Pauillac, 5th growth 1855.  75CS, 20M, 5CF

Deepish purple, quite open with charming easy and open fruit and spice.  Mellifluous, succulent and serious.  Medium range stuff, in middle age, but good poise and all still holding together.  Delicious.

11)Yon-Figeac 2002

St Emilion, Grand Cru Classé  80M, 20CF

Mid-colour, wide core, pretty evolved and slightly unfocused.  But oh so supple and drinkable in its roundness and green plum and currant cake character.  A savoury note that made it attractive and not too loose-limbed.   Nice RB contrast to prior LB wine.

12)Vieux Chateau Gaubert 2006

Graves AOC.  50M, 50CS

Medium colour and orange rim. Fruit left but losing it to the structure so finishing a little austere and dry. But much good fruity weight. Fairly short range wine, pleasant, not enough chewy intensity for old bones.  Drink now.

Raymond Blanc’s Tarte Aux Pommes

Doisy-Daene 2005    

Sauternes, 2nd growth 1855 (although divided since then) 86S, 14SB

A lovely muscovado sweetness but then complexity of hay and tobacco on the nose.  Quite a hit and then light, gorgeous botrytic note. Very fresh and lightly-poised and not cloying.  Excellent and stylish.

And all finished off with Tim’s excellent Champagne Lacourte-Godbillon Brut NV , full details of where to get this will be mailed out .

 


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Visit the Wachau in Austria

20131028_152456We have visited the Wachau on the Danube in Austria many times over the years, normally at the end of May for a cycle ride along the Danube, lunch and tasting or two at one of the many wonderful wineries lining the valley.   We’ve also been a few times in the summer and when it is hot enough one can stop at one of the sand banks that form on the river and revive with a refreshing dip in the Danube as it flows past.

photo 1This year however we happened to visit at the end of October on a gorgeous sunny day and the steep vineyards of the Wachau valley were aflame with autumnal reds and yellows.  From October to November the harvest is in full swing so wineries are pressed for time. Whilst they are still welcoming their doors are only open by arrangement and tastings are more hurried affairs than usual.

20131028_152906Instead of our usual cycle along the river this time we parked in Spitz below the Tausendeimerberg, hill (so called because it produces 1000 clay jars of wine) and followed a circular walk through the vineyards behind the town. With the bustle of the harvest, vivid colours and stunning views of the river winding down the valley this is a great time of year to visit.

It’s not all wine either as there are the ruins of the various robber baron castles to visit dotted up and down the hills in one of which Richard the Lion Heart was held for ransom on his way back from the crusades.

Obviously a few bottles were purchased and a tasting worked into the day.  At Weingut Knoll we heard of how earlier it the year in the Danube flooded.  The villages next the river were submerged for a few days, including the valley floor vineyards and the wine cellars where the previous year’s vintage of smargd was still in the large barrels and had to be tied down in position. As the barrels are of course water proof and the water receded after only a few days the wine was not affected.  Those that I tasted attested to this.

The Wachau is only about 50 minutes’ drive from Vienna and can also be reached by train so combines nicely with a city break.  Here are a few tips and links to help you on your way…

General tourist information in English: http://alt.donau.com/donau/wn/?ln=EN

Spitz vineyard walk: http://www.donau.com/de/donau-niederoesterreich/ausflug-bewegen/bewegung/karten-touren-finden/detail/weinwandern-spitz-robert-prosser-und-weingut-franz-hirtzberger/6549636/fee1693155c22cf71221412165fb9a89/

http://www.spitz-wachau.com/de/

20131028_153309Cycling on the Danube.  A lot of hotels hire bikes but here are also a couple of places in Krems where you can hire bikes for the day.  You can either take one of the cruise ships or the local train down to Willendorf or one of the other towns further west and then spend the day cycling back at a leisurely pace.  There is a dedicated cycle path close to the river all the way:

Danube Cycle path

Restaurant Loibnerhof run by the part of the Knoll family with excellent food and a great wine list featuring mature Knoll Greuners and Rieslings.  Try the Tafelspitz an Austrian speciality of tender beef served with horseradish and apple. In the autumn roast goose (Ganse) with red cabbage is in season: http://www.loibnerhof.at/

Jamek is a well-known Wachau wine producer and has a great restaurant in Joching practically on the cycle path, with a lovely garden, great menu and as one might expect a full selection of their own wines: http://www.weingut-jamek.at/restaurant.php?id=13

For a review of wine makers and wines from Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal see our past tastings page.

photoMost wine makers are very welcoming but it is necessary to make an appointment beforehand.  However two that I have visited many times on spec are Domaine Wachau a large producer who make excellent wines (the Terraces GV from Waitrose is a perennial favourite) and Weingut Schmeltz who have a very groovy tasting room and excellent wines cover looking the vineyards in Joching.

http://www.domaene-wachau.atc

http://www.schmelzweine.at/cms/?page_id=11

When WC visited the area we stayed at Hotel Pfeffel which has great views over the Danube and has a lovely roof top pool: http://www.pfeffel.at/


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Ten Years of Craggy Range Te Muna Road Pinot Noir

The line up

The line up

What a privilege to be invited to this vertical tasting of the very first ten vintages of the Te Muna vineyard Pinots.  Located in Martinborough on the southern tip of the North island Steve Smith MW feels that this is the home of pinot in NZ with its unique terroir of old cracked and fissured stones.

photo 2

The great Smithy in action

A fascinating tasting on several levels. One doesn’t often get to taste older vintages of New World wines party as this vertical demonstrates because often only a limited number of vintages exist, (although having recently tasted Aussie Shiraz from 100 year old wines this is not always the case)  and partly because older vintages are simply not available in the market.

This vertical told a story of a new vineyard developing over time, as the vines mature the vineyard’s character is revealed.  From 2002 to 2005 the wines showed more evolved vegetal and earthy characteristics the 05 particularly tasty.  I liked the 07 but this was from a tough year with low yield so perhaps uncharacteristic.  08 to 11 showed more consistent purity of fruit, mineral back bone and an increasingly perfumed characteristic.

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Amongst the great & the good of the wine world

 

I loved these wines which have to be some of the best value fine Pinots in the world.


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Bodegas Muriel Reserva 2008

murielDecanter Rated this outstanding in this months edition.

I was a little disappointed with the first few bottles.

This week I tried a few more . Fantastic. Must have been some bottle variation.

Complex , spicy , smoky nose . long and intriguing finish.

Brilliant value for money.

Available at Majestic

 


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Bordeaux Grand Crus Classes vertical tasting 2009 – 2012

20130430-163158.jpgWe love to unearth wines that are under the radar and root out new discoveries but sometimes one has to acknowledge the critical acclaim is for a good reason. Point in case the absolutely incredible wines of Alfred Tesseron at Pontet Canet (pictured here).

Wow! the 2012 is superb: primal fruit, green pepper, toast, cool and balanced, the 2011 lighter than the 12 but very good, the 2010 tight nose & compact palate confidently promises glory but demands patience and the 2009 shamelessly shows off its wares: sweet attack of fruit, lovely rounded palate, big but still elegant, so lovely! The perfect scores seem quite reasonable!

And the good news is that the second wine Hauts de Pontet Canet is also stunning, scented nose, sweet fruit balanced with savoury notes, delicious.

The other wines Chateau where everything: 12, 10, 09, Blanc and Les Hauts de Smith is consistently brilliant is Smith Haut Lafitte (we’ve sung SHL’s praises and reviewed most of these vintages on these pages in the past).

The wines of these Chateaus are expensive and the excellence of the 2010 vintage has pushed them into investment territory dragging the price of most vintages up to around £100 a bottle, which is what first growths used to cost before they rose to demand up to £1000 a bottle at the 2011 market peak (prices have since tumbled). Arguably the quality is the same so if you can afford to drink the best look no further.

Other wines that stood out were Chateau Rauzan-Segla’s wines all showing really well, (Segla 09 elegant and lovely) and of course the wines of Count Stephan von Neipperg, La Mondotte as always big but beautiful.


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Lay & Wheeler (aka Majestic) Rhone 2011 tasting

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Some great wines on show at this en primeur tasting. Highlights were:

Lovely Condrieu Vieille Vignes by Ogier,
Floral, full with a fresh salty tang.

Superb wines poured by Rene Rostaing included the perfumed, finely balanced and restrained Cote Blonde contrasting with dark manly La Landonne.

Domaine du Colombier Croze and Hermitage delivered well above their price.

In the south loved meeting Jean-Michel Vache of Le Clos de Cazaux whose refined Vacqueyras I have long been a fan of.  He makes the Wine Society’s Exhibition Vacqueras which is tremendous value.

I have to admit that the massively concentrated, extracted & ‘over the top’ nature of most of the Chateauneuf du Papes nearly caused me to lose faith with this region.

That was until I got to the marvellous, classic & refined wines of both Vieux Telegraphe and Cht Beaucastel. Wines made to last but with clean fruit and freshness.


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Web site launch

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To celebrate hand over of the new WC website an old bottle of Pauillac 1970 Croizet Bages still fruit, slightly burnt notes, liquorice, amazingly lively. Now onto the last bottle of Varoilles 1er cru Gervrey Chambertain 02…….