WanderCurtis Wine

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Tag Archives: wine tasting notes


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Barbaresco Produttori del Barbaresco 2019

This very longstanding co-op in Piemonte produces a range of excellent wines. Along with the many single vineyard offerings this wine is a blend across the winegrowers’ parcels and consistently provides great value for money. Look at the price here in the village of Barbaresco in Euros for the 2018 vintage, even landed in the UK its a smart buy.

Released in the spring of the third year after harvest this characteristically pale wine already shows some bricking on the rim. There is rose and strawberry , wet stone some cake spice and a touch of dried cherry and earth on the nose. Everything is in balance and although the acidity, tannin and alcohol of this Nebbiolo is characteristically high it feels light and supple in the mouth.  The finish is persistent ending on a nice stoney dried cherry note.  Superb!

2019 was a more classic vintage not as feted as the excellent 2016 but fresher than 2018. See our article on the annual Barbaresco Tavola.


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The McRae Wood 2015 Jim Barry, Clare Valley.

This little brother to the iconic Armagh shiraz that Jim Barry produces holds its own. At almost 10 years old the deep garnet colour shows little sign of evolution.

The nose is pronounced in intensity with waves of violets, ripe red and black fruit, liquorice, dried herbs and a pleasant medicinal note. There are new oak lashings of smoke, chocolate and vanilla and some signs of evolution such as prunes, tobacco and dried meat.

It’s undeniably a big wine of the old school variety but very well balanced, freshness prevents the alcohol and body from weighing it down and everything hangs off firm but ripe tannins. The finish is long and layered.

Great to drink now but will continue to slowly evolve for another decade.


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Palo Cortado Viejo C.P , Valdespino

This rich amber colour sherry starts off its life under flor and then the wine maker selects certain barrels increases the fortification to kill the yeast and moves them to a separate solera to oxidatively mature the wine.  There are no fixed rules for the production of Palo Cortado but they generally combine subtle yeast derriven notes with nutty notes.  

This wine has bruised ripe apple a touch of melon, bread dough, dried apricots, raisins, orange peel then hazel nuts and almonds. The finish of the wine is long with orange peel and raisin flavours lingering beyond the alcohol. Delicious!

WSET Systematic Approach to Tasting style:

Palate:

  • Dry
  • Medium acidity
  • High  alcohol (20%)
  • Medium (+) body
  • Pronounced flavour intensity.
  • Flavour characteristics: Bruised ripe apple, sour bread dough, acetaldehyde, apricot, raisins, orange peel, hazel nuts, almonds. Complex.
  • Long finish.

Quality: Balance  – 1, Length – 1  Intensity – 1 , Complexity – 1  = 4.0 The wine is outstanding.


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Ebener Ebenauer Poysdorf Hermanschachern Grüner Veltliner 2021.

Ebner-Ebenauer make small amounts of biodynamic and organic wines from largely old vines in the north east of the Weinviertel region near Poysdorf.  The charismatic Marion and her husband Manfred are making waves with their very late disgorged Blanc de Blancs and Noirs but it is their range of single vineyard Grüner Veltliners expressive the varied soils and aspects that we are focusing on there.

Ebner-Ebenauer Poysdorf Grüner Veltliner 2021. A blend from across their vineyards, spicy, with wet stone a touch of white pepper and crunchy orchard fruit. Refreshingly moreish, light but managing to sustain ones interest. Great value.

Ebner-Ebenauer Poysdorf Hermanschachern Grüner Veltliner 2021. From a single vineyard with limestone and fossil soils and 30 year + vines. Citrus, fresh pear and apple a touch of white peach, white pepper, herbs and wet stones.  Mid weight with great focus and freshness this lasts long on the palate. Drinking now but will evolve over the years. My favourite and the pick for wine of the month.

Ebner-Ebenauer Poysdorf Bürsting Grüner Veltliner 2021. From a single vineyard of 50 year old vines, rich, spicy, juicy and complex, concentrated and full bodied. Decant or cellar for up to 10 years.

The 2021 vintage, by the way, across Austria really has a superb balance of fruit and freshness.