Riojan Roll

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2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, Alava, American Oak, Blanco, Bodegas Leza Garcia, Bodegas Navajas, Consejo Regulador, Cosecha, Crianza, Denominacion De Origen, Denominacion De Origen Calificada, French Oak, Garnacha, Graciano, Gran Reserva, Hanging Ditch, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Marques De Caceres, Marques De Murrieta, Marques De Riscal, Mazuelo, Navarra, Reserva, Rioja, Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja, River Ebro, Rosado, Spain, Tempranillo, Tinto, Vina Ardanza, Viura

Quite why the province of La Rioja and its most famous wine take their names from the River – Rio in Spanish – Oja is something of a mystery. This so-called river is actually little more than a stream, rising in the Sierra De La Demanda and flowing north until it joins the River Tirón, in turn meeting the River Ebro near Haro.

Native tribes were making wine here long before the Romans invaded in the first century and winemaking has continued unabated to this day. It even survived the Moorish conquest thanks to its importance to the local economy. However, ancient winemaking techniques also persisted and it was not until the mid nineteenth century that this began to change. Two landowners, the then untitled Marqués De Murrieta and the Marqués De Riscal, independently visited Bordeaux and studied how wine was made there before returning to Rioja with their newly acquired Bordelaise equipment and expertise. Possibly the greatest advance made as a result was the use of well-coopered casks to transport the wine; not only were they infinitely more practical than the animal skins used at that time, but it was also found that the wine was much improved after its sojourn in wood. Despite local resistance to what were considered to be unnecessarily expensive methods, the export market for Rioja blossomed and there was to be no going back.

When phylloxera struck French vineyards in the latter half of the nineteenth century, this serendipitously timed transformation of Riojan winemaking meant that the region was producing wines very similar to those of Bordeaux at very appealing prices. Exports to France boomed and the classic “burnished oak” style of Rioja evolved as a consequence of French tastes.

As far back as 1560, Rioja had established rules and regulations to govern the treatment of grapes, musts and wines. In 1635, the mayor of Logroño, La Rioja’s capital city, banned traffic from using streets alongside bodegas to prevent vibrations from disturbing the maturing wines. By 1787, many of the region’s leading growers had come together to establish the Real Sociedad Económica De Cosecheros De La Rioja Castellana (the Royal Economic Society of Castilian Rioja Producers) and their interests were further protected in 1902, when a national law was passed to guarantee the name of Rioja wine, its origin and its labelling. Rioja established Spain’s first Consejo Regulador (control board) in 1926, paving the way for it to become the first Spanish wine to obtain Denominación de Origen (DO) status when the system was introduced in 1932. In 1991, Rioja was the first region to be promoted to the prestigious Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) status, thanks to its long record of consistently high quality wine production.

Situated in the centre of northern Spain, approximately 100km south of Bilbao, the Rioja wine region is nestled between Sierra De Cantabria and Sierra De La Demanda, sheltered from the coolest influences of the Atlantic to the north and from the heat of the Mediterranean summers to the south. Rioja is unusual in that it straddles three different autonomous provinces: Álava in the Basque Country to the north and west of the River Ebro, Navarra to the north and east of the river and La Rioja itself to the south of the river.

Denominacion De Origen Calificada Rioja Regions Map

In winemaking terms, Rioja is divided into three distinct sub regions, each of which has its own characteristics. Rioja Alavesa, in Álava, is the smallest of the three and is bounded by the foothills of the Cantabrian Mountains to the north and by the River Ebro to the south. The mountains shelter the area from the worst of the Atlantic weather and, along with the warm Mediterranean influence from the south, help to create a temperate microclimate. However, the average annual rainfall is still double that of Rioja Baja. The soils of Alavesa are mostly calcerous clay and many of the vineyards are planted on terraces in small plots. Around 80% of plantings is Tempranillo, but all of the main indigenous red and white grape varieties are grown. Tempranillo ripens with a thinner skin here and although its wines are well suited to barrel ageing, carbonic maceration is also used to make a fruitier style of wine ideal for earlier drinking.

Sitting mainly on the south bank of the Ebro opposite Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta stretches from the westernmost edge of the appellation to Logroño. The climate is predominantly Atlantic influenced and the soils are patches of calcerous (chalk-rich) clay, ferruginous (iron-rich) clay and pebbly alluvial sediment. The temperature is marginally warmer than in Alavesa, resulting in thicker-skinned Tempranillo and rather more structured wines. Mazuelo and Graciano are also grown and they are important constituents of top quality, ageworthy Riojas.

Rioja Baja is the largest of the sub regions and it accounts for 40% of Rioja’s wine production. It extends south-eastwards from Logroño to Alfaro, with most of its vineyards lying south of the Ebro. Unlike Alavesa and Alta, the climate of Rioja Baja is Mediterranean influenced and it experiences warm, dry summers. The landscape is flatter here and the vineyards are planted at lower altitudes on alluvial and ferruginous clay soils; there is very little chalk. Garnacha is the most widely planted variety as it is better suited to Baja’s longer, hotter ripening season. Young vines give fruity, aromatic, early maturing wines, whereas older vines produce more complex wines that age extremely well.

Denominacion De Origen Calificada Rioja Soil Types Map

Although primarily known as a red wine-producing region, Rioja also crafts excellent white and rosé wines across all of its ageing designations. Approximately 90% of Rioja produced is red, 5% is white and 5% is rosé. The permitted red grapes of Rioja are:

– Tempranillo: the “little early one” is considered native to Rioja and it is the region’s premier red grape, making up the majority of the blend for most red wines and accounting for over 75% of total vineyard plantings. Depending upon where it is grown and how it is vinified, it produces soft, supple wines with aromas of soft, red summer fruits ideal for early drinking or complex, balanced, ageworthy wines that become velvety textured with time.
– Garnacha: another native Spanish variety, known as Grenache elsewhere. Hardy and drought resistant, it offers good levels of extract and alcohol and its richness and spice neatly complement Tempranillo in a blend. From cooler sites, it makes excellent rosé.
– Graciano: indigenous to Rioja, this small, tough skinned and difficult to grow variety has made something of a comeback lately thanks to its elegant freshness, aroma and longevity. Monovarietal versions are also becoming popular.
– Mazuelo: also known as Cariñena or Carignan, this originated in Aragón but has been used in Rioja for centuries. Now only accounting for about 3% of plantings, it is still valued for the colour, acidity and tannins it contributes to a blend.
– Maturana Tinta: an ancient variety, unique to Rioja, which was almost extinct until recently. Its resurrection was thanks to its deep colour, elegant acidity and spicy, balsamic character.

These five varieties must make up a minimum of 85% of the blend (95% if the grapes are destemmed) and the balance can be made up with experimental varieties such as the dismayingly ubiquitous Cabernet Sauvignon. Rosé wines must be made from a minimum of 25% of red grapes.

The region’s white grapes are:

– Viura: better known as Macabéo across Spain, this is Rioja’s principal white grape. It offers fruity wines with floral aromas and remarkable acidity, making it ideal for both earlier drinking and aged styles of wine. Clean, fresh, zesty and lightly herbaceous when young it also responds well to oak ageing, developing complex, smokey nuances.
– Malvasía de Rioja: an entirely different variety from the Malvasia grown elsewhere in the world. Its savoury character blends perfectly with the crispness of Viura and the vanilla richness of oak.
– Garnacha Blanca: probably a natural mutation of red Garnacha, this shares many of the same qualities. Used in small amounts to add weight and body to Viura, some monovarietal wines are made. Grapes from very old vines produce exceptionally concentrated wines.
– Tempranillo Blanco: another natural mutation of a red variety and another variety unique to Rioja. Becoming increasingly popular as a blending component, it provides citrus, tropical fruit and banana flavours.
– Maturana Blanca: apparently Rioja’s oldest known variety, it provides high acidity and herbal, apple and citrus notes to a blend.
– Turruntés De Rioja: not be confused with the Galician variety Torrontés or with the variety of the same name grown in Argentina. It is low in alcohol and high in acidity, its light palate displays fruity aromas with dominating notes of apples, plus a vegetal, grassy nature.

Viura must be a minimum of 51% of the final blend of a white Rioja. Since 2007, in an effort to improve the competitiveness of Rioja’s white wines in the global marketplace, the use of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo has also been permitted but they can only account for a combined 49% of the blend.

One of the factors that make Rioja such a world-class wine is its ability to age. Not only that, but the higher quality wines often are not released for sale until after they have experienced a prolonged period of cask and bottle maturation. Spanish wines are often labelled according to the length of ageing they have received, a concept pioneered in Rioja and still used today. The same categories are used for red, white and rosé wines, although the minimum ageing requirements for reds are longer than for the other colours. Cosecha (“vintage”) wines are released at less than 15 months old, typically with little or no oak ageing to retain their youthful fruitiness. They are simply labelled as Rioja and carry no age statement other than their vintage. This is the same for all three colours of Rioja. The other categories are as follows.

For red wines:

– Crianza: a minimum of 1 year in oak and 1 year in bottle prior to release
– Reserva: a minimum of 1 year in oak and 2 years in bottle prior to release
– Gran Reserva: a minimum of 2 years in oak and 3 years in bottle prior to release

For white and rosé wines:

– Crianza: a minimum of 6 months in cask and 6 months in bottle prior to release
– Reserva: a minimum of 6 months in oak and 18 months in bottle prior to release
– Gran Reserva: a minimum of 12 months in oak and 36 months in bottle prior to release

White and rosé crianza wines can be aged in non-oxidative environments, such as stainless steel, to preserve their fruit character, but all other designations must be matured in 225 litre oak barricas before bottling. Sadly, very few producers still offer white and rosé Rioja in the reserva and gran reserva categories.

Although this is not a qualitative categorisation, it makes sense that only the best grapes are used for the wines that will be aged for the longest periods. Gran reserva wines will only be made in the very best vintages and can often be ten or more years old when released for sale.

Subject to the DOCa rules for the specific colour of wine being made, red or white grape varieties from any of the three sub regions can be blended as desired for any of the age designations, and this flexibility allows bodegas to develop their own distinctive house style. Basques like their wines to be light fruity and made purely from Tempranillo; Riojanos prefer the structure and maturity of the traditional mix of grapes, and Navarros enjoy rich, ripe Garnacha. All are classic Rioja.

The style of winemaking in Rioja has remained virtually unchanged from the model created by Murrieta and Riscal in the 1850s and 60s, and these traditional wines are distinguished by their long periods of ageing in American oak barricas. Marques De Caceres pioneered a modern style of Rioja in 1970, a style that showcases the fruit and the freshness of Rioja by keeping oak ageing periods to their legal minimum and by using the rather more restrained French oak for barricas to lighten the influence of the wood upon the wine. To confuse matters yet further, a so-called post-modern school of winemaking emerged in the 1990s, spearheaded by producers such as Finca Allende, concentrating upon making wines from old vines or from specific vineyards to accentuate the expression of the terroir and upon using larger proportions of the historic, less common grape varieties in their blends to increase the harmony and complexity of their wines. They also combine the best aspects of both traditional and modern winemaking practices to produce wines that they feel perfectly encapsulate Rioja.

The guys at Hanging Ditch asked to me present a selection of wines to illustrate the various styles of Rioja, and it made sense to focus upon their long-standing favourite producer: Bodegas Navajas. Because the Navajas family produces a wide spectrum of wines, we could easily highlight the differences between the various ageing categories within the framework of a consistent house style and quality. A cheeky little apéritif and a category-bending reserva were added for good measure.

These are the wines we tasted:

Bodegas Leza Garcia, La Cuna De La Poesia Rioja Rosado Cosecha

1. Bodegas Leza Garcia, La Cuna De La Poesia Rioja Rosado Cosecha 2013 (12.5% ABV, £12.50)
100% Garnacha

The grandsons of founder Juan Leza Arenzana run this estate today, upholding his legacy of taking great care and pride in every stage of making their wines. They cultivate their own vineyards in the Najerilla valley in the heart of Rioja Alta.

Delicately pale sunset pink, with a light yet perfumed floral, raspberry and wild strawberry nose. Dry and refreshingly crisp, surprisingly aromatic, with bright floral and raspberry flavours that lingered on the long finish. Summer in a glass. Lovely.

Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Tinto Cosecha

2. Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Tinto Cosecha 2013 (13.5% ABV, £10.00)
95% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo

Bodegas Navajas is a family owned winery based in the village of Navarette, some five miles west of the regional capital of Logroño. It was founded in 1918 as Bodegas Arjona, with the Navajas family only becoming involved in 1978. Five years later they purchased the estate and renamed it eponymously. What sets Navajas apart from many of the industrially scaled wine producers in Rioja is its attention to detail at every stage of the process, from monitoring conditions in the 150 hectares of their growers’ vineyards in Rioja Alta and Rioja Baja to hand-harvesting grapes and vinifying them in a new state-of-the-art winery. Wines are fermented in temperature controlled, stainless steel tanks before being transferred into French and American oak barrels.

An unusually high quality cosecha, this is actually halfway towards being a crianza as the wine spends four months in oak. As a result, it displayed none of the rusticity that can sometimes afflict this youthful style of Rioja. A bright, cherry and red berry nose had a whiff of smokiness to it. Similarly vibrant cherry and berry fruit on the palate with a touch of gently smokey and coffee scented oak richness countered by lively acidity.

Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Tinto Crianza

3. Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Tinto Crianza 2010 (14% ABV, £12.50)
95% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo

A slightly darker fruit character on the nose and the palate than the cosecha, as one might have expected of a wine that was three years older and that had spent at least eight more months in oak. Rounder and a little more tannic, but the acidity was rather less prevalent. A pleasingly long finish and really very good, especially for the price.

Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Tinto Reserva

4. Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Tinto Reserva 2009 (14% ABV, £17.50)
95% Tempranillo, 5% Mazuelo

The combination of an element of the bright, fruity character of a crianza with a degree of the savoury maturity of a gran reserva makes the reserva category of red Rioja a perennial favourite of many people. This category of Rioja also highlights the variety of winemaking styles used in the region, with traditional producers ageing their wines well beyond the minimum requirements and more innovative producers using this category for their flagship wines. They forgo the additional maturation and mellow oakiness of a gran reserva in favour of darker fruit and firmer tannic structure. This Navajas reserva is a more modern style, whereas the La Rioja Alta reserva below is a traditional as it comes.

Soft, ripe, alluring nose of blackberry fruit and oak spiciness, with a darker blackcurrant thread running through it. The supple and velvety textured palate showed the same deep, dark berry fruit with well-integrated vanilla and gently toasted oak flavours. Mouthfilling and very long, this was ready to drink but would certainly keep for several years. Its richness and complexity, its balance of fruit and oak and the approachability it had gained from five years of ageing made this the wine that a lot of people voted as being their favourite of the flight of Navajas reds and I have to admit that I also preferred it to the gran reserva on the day.

Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Tinto Gran Reserva

5. Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Tinto Gran Reserva 2005 (13.5% ABV, £25.00)
85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo

This was obviously a different kettle of fish from the outset. Much more savoury and coffee scented on the nose, with aromas of tobacco and oak spice wrapped around ripe black and red fruit. Although certainly showing a degree of evolution, this was well structured and actually still rather young. The roasted coffee and smokey notes of the oak had integrated nicely with the rich blackberry fruit and there was a slightly herbal aspect to the long finish. A little tighter than the reserva, another two or three years would have seen this wine open out and reveal its full potential.

La Rioja Alta, Vina Ardanza Rioja Tinto Reserva

6. La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Rioja Tinto Reserva 2005 (13.7% ABV, £27.50)
80% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha

On 10th July, 1890, five Riojan and Basque families who shared a dream to make and age top quality Rioja founded the Sociedad Vinícola De La Rioja Alta in Haro’s Station Quarter. In 1904, Don Alfredo Ardanza, one of the founders of La Rioja Alta and owner of the Ardanza winery, proposed a merger of the two companies. The name Viña Ardanza, now the estate’s most famous wine, was registered in 1942.

One of the best known and highest quality producers of traditional style Rioja, no corners are cut in the pursuit of excellence at La Rioja Alta. The estate owns over 400 hectares of vineyards to ensure the finest quality grapes, it has its own cooperage to make all of its American oak barrels on site and every six months every barrel is manually racked by candlelight to remove sediment and to enhance the wine’s development.

Viña Ardanza is a blend of Tempranillo and Garnacha. The Tempranillo grapes come from 30-year-old plots located in Fuenmayor and Cenicero. The Garnacha grapes come from ancient vines planted at an altitude of 600m in Tudelilla, Rioja Baja. The grapes were selected in the vineyard and taken to the winery in refrigerated trucks. Once fermented, the wines were transferred to traditional American oak barrels in May 2006. The Tempranillo was barrel-aged for 36 months in four and a half year-old casks. The Garnacha was aged for 30 months in two and three year-old casks. The wines were manually racked six times before being blended and bottled in July 2009.

Although this was a reserva, its long ageing period meant that we thought it would be more interesting and more appropriate to compare it with the newer style Navajas gran reserva as they were both from the same vintage. Infinitely more funky/leathery/meaty/farmyardy on the nose than any of the other wines we tasted, I loved this from the outset. It had a brighter, almost Burgundian, red fruit character than the gran reserva above, with juicy acidity and a suggestion of dried orange peel on the velvety palate. Whereas the Navajas had a reasonable percentage of firmly structured, dark fruited Graciano and Mazuelo blended with its Tempranillo, this had a similar amount of fuller, softer, red fruited Garnacha instead, which might well count for some of the stylistic difference. In true Rioja fashion this was as much about oak as it was about grapes. I was quite surprised that so many people enjoyed this as much as I did given its distinctive characteristics, but it ended up edging out the Navajas reserva from the top spot of the evening. Even a lady who disliked this intensely upon her first sip had a Damascene moment when she re-tasted it whilst eating a piece of Manchego.

Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Blanco Crianza

7. Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Blanco Crianza 2011 (13% ABV, £12.50)
100% Viura

After the Viña Ardanza, we paused the proceedings for some Spanish-inspired nibbles to demonstrate just how food friendly red Rioja is. Although it might seem rather counter-intuitive to pour a white and a rosé after a series of red wines, these were both crianzas and had spent more time in oak than the cosecha red poured after the initial rosé. If we had served these before the first red wine, their oakiness would have affected everyone’s perception of the lighter style cosecha.

A smokey vanilla oak, pithy citrus and wild herb nose carried through onto the palate. Lemon and grapefruit fruit, elegant use of new French and American oak and a long, lightly herb infused finish. Very good indeed.

Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Rosado Crianza

8. Bodegas Navajas, Rioja Rosado Crianza 2011 (13.5% ABV, £12.50)
50% Tempranillo, 50% Viura

Aside from Rioja, the only other region I could think of that offers oaked and aged rosés was Champagne – even though the method of production differs. Many estates have completely eschewed cask and bottle aged styles of rosé, especially the reserva and gran reserva categories, but Navajas still offers this crianza and I was keen to give people the chance to try something quite so idiosyncratic.

More salmon hued than the previous rosé, with delicate red berry fruit and spiced vanilla oak on the nose. The palate displayed similar flavours that moved into a long, oaky finish with a gently tart redcurrant fruit character. The half and half red and white grape blend was more than sturdy enough to hold its own against the American oak and, although this was a wine that shouldn’t work in theory, it over delivered in practice. A wine that celebrated all of the joy that traditional styles of Rioja evoke.

As with rosé Champagne, this was an incredibly versatile and food friendly wine that could be paired with a wide range of dishes from Spanish to Middle Eastern to Asian, and it would work equally well with fish, shellfish, poultry game and white meats. It was also universally enjoyed. Given the unstoppable rise in popularity of rosé over the last five or six years, it seems a real shame that Rioja has all but abandoned its unique and delicious styles of these wines.

I began the tasting by asking everyone what the word “Rioja” meant to them and most answered with variations upon the phrase “A Spanish red wine”. Hopefully they all went away with an appreciation that not only does the Rioja region offer four different red wines in a wide range of styles, it produces a correspondingly diverse range of white and rosé wines, too. If that wasn’t enough, Rioja is also one of the last bastions of aged wines that are widely available at prices that don’t only appeal to extravagant oligarchs. These are wines to treasure and they are wines that will continue to provide pleasure over many years.

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Love Is All You Need

Tags

2005, 2008, 2011, 2012, Aglianico, Albana Di Romagna, Alto-Adige, Cantina Sampietrana, Cantine Carpentiere, Castelfeder, Celli, For The Love Of Wine, Glera, Italy, Kerner, Marziano Abbona, Merlot, Negroamaro, Nero Di Troia, Piemonte, Primitivo, Prosecco, Puglia, Reserve, Riesling, Robert Steel, Roero, Roero Arneis, Veneto, Villa Schinosa, Vincenzo Toffoli, Viognier

The always affable and amusing Robert Steel visited Reserve in Didsbury recently with an interesting and enjoyable assortment of Italian wines from his portfolio. For The Love Of Wine was founded by his father, Ian, after an enlightening trip to Italy. Specialising originally in Italian wines from artisan family producers, they also offer a comprehensive selection of Swiss wines. Indeed, I will always be grateful to them for allowing me the opportunity to taste a rare, white Merlot from Ticino whilst researching an essay on the variety that I had to write as part of my WSET Diploma studies.

Italy was the focus of this tasting and Robert had chosen to compare a selection of white wines from the cooler north of the country with a selection of red wines from the hotter south. This is the list of wines we tasted:

Vincenzo Toffoli, Prosecco Superiore Rive Di Refrontolo Spumante Brut Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Millesimato

1. Vincenzo Toffoli, Prosecco Superiore Rive Di Refrontolo Spumante Brut Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG Millesimato (12.5% ABV, 100% Glera, £16.50)

What better way to start a tasting of cooler climate northern Italian white wines than with northern Italy’s coolest white of the moment, Prosecco?

To escape the economic hardships of post-war Italy, newly married Vincenzo Toffoli emigrated to England in the early 1950s where he worked for twelve years and where his son Santi was born. Upon his return to Italy he purchased a small farm in Refrontolo, his wife’s hometown, 45km north of Venice and 10km from Conegliano. In 1964 he founded the estate that bears his name, and which today is run by his three sons.

A light and bright pear, stone fruit and white blossom nose; off dry with a soft mousse, balanced by a hint of pithy bitterness with a savoury, mineral edge. Elegant and refined, with a pleasingly long finish.

Castelfeder, Lahn Kerner Vigneti Delle Dolomiti IGT 2012

2. Castelfeder, Lahn Kerner Vigneti Delle Dolomiti IGT 2012 (13% ABV, 100% Kerner, £13.99)

Castelfeder was founded as recently as 1970 by Alfons Giovanett. Alfons’ son, Günther, took over upon his retirement in 1989 and today runs the winery alongside his own children, Ines and Ivan.

Alto-Adige is the northernmost region of Italy. Lying in the Alps, it is famed for its steep vineyards some of which sit at altitudes of up to 3600 metres. This positioning is also responsible for the region’s climate: its cold winters and hot summers, along with its substantial diurnal temperature variation, are conducive to the cultivation of a wide variety of different grape varieties and to the production of some very high quality wines.

Once a part of Germany, this history is still reflected in much of Alto-Adige’s culture. Many of the grape varieties grown here are Germanic in origin and the wines often display a focus and purity that is more typically Teutonic than Italian. Indeed, Kerner is a crossing of the German grape varieties Trollinger and Reisling. Although it displays flavours similar to those of Riesling, it is fuller bodied, more aromatic and has lower acidity. It is a more tolerant, easier to grow variety than Riesling and it can give much higher yields.

Savoury, nutty and citrussy on the nose with a white blossom note. Dry with a saline minerality and fresh acidity, lovely lemon zest and pith citrus fruit, slightly extracted and with a streak of tropical fruit richness. A beautiful, long, rich and drying finish. Complex and distinctive.

Marziano Abbona, Tistin Roero Arneis DOCG 2012

3. Marziano Abbona, Tistin Roero Arneis DOCG 2012 (13% ABV, 100% Arneis, £15.99)

Coincidentally also established in 1970, Azienda Agricola Abbona’s first vineyard was planted over sixty years ago by Celso Abbona, although it was his son, Marziano, who established the winery and built upon the founding work of his father. Although only a relatively small producer, Abbona has an excellent reuptation for the quality of its roster of big name Piemontese wines.

Despite being different in character, Arneis shares many similarities with the northern Rhône variety Viognier. In Piemonte, white wines had always taken a back seat to reds and were usually relegated to less desireable vineyard sites. Arneis was sometimes planted amongst Nebbiolo vines as its sweetly scented grapes distracted hungry pests away from its more valuable red neighbours. This “field blend” also benefitted the finished wines as a small percentage of Arneis helped to soften Nebbiolo’s firm tannins, mirroring the Syrah-Viognier relationship found in Côte Rotie.

By the late 1960s, in the face of increasing focus upon Nebbiolo, plantings of this historic variety had dwindled to just a few hectares owned by two producers. The tireless work of Alfredo Currado of the Vietti family, one of these two producers, is primarily responsible for the reversal of Arneis’ fortunes. Although low yielding and not always easy to grow, plantings of Arneis have increased substantially in Roero and Langhe and a little is now being grown further afield in California, Oregon, Australia and New Zealand.

A delicate floral, white fruit and slightly chalky nose with a hint of toasted hazelnut that was almost cocoa-like. The palate, too, was dry, fresh, floral and white fruited, again with that faint hint of hazelnut/cocoa bitterness and a lovely minerality. The rich yet drying finish had a fine length and there was a touch of peppery spritz to the ending.

Celli, I Croppi Albana Di Romagna Secco DOCG 2011

4. Celli, I Croppi Albana Di Romagna Secco DOCG 2011 (14% ABV, 100% Albana, £11.99)

Albana Di Romagna Secco was the first white wine in Italy to be granted the prestigious D.O.C.G. status back in 1987 and, although many other wines were arguably more deserving of this honour, there can be no question that this is a wine worthy of your attention. Introduced by the Romans, Albana is grown in Romagna primarily around the town of Bertinoro. Folklore has it that in 435 A.D. Galla Placidia, the beautiful daughter of Emperor Theodosius, rode into town on her white mare and the hospitable villagers offered her the local, sweet Alabana wine in a humble terracotta cup. Her response, “Non di così rozzo calice sei degno, o vino, ma di berti in oro” (Not from so rough a chalice should you be drunk, o wine, but drunk from gold) gave rise to the name of the village.

Much more likely, but far less romantic, is the suggestion that the name of the town is derived from an ancient brotherhood of Briton monks (the Britannorum) who were permitted to settle in the area by Otto III in around 1000 A.D.. However, the people of Bertinoro hold dear the exclamation of Galla Placidia and to this day they pride themselves on their reputation for offering hospitality to visitors passing through the town.

Deep golden in colour; honeyed, nutty and gently smokey on the nose, complex and unusual. The palate was dry but rich and full bodied, displaying honey sweetness rather than any type of fruit character. Extracted, with talc-fine, drying tannins and a long, long ripe finish that had just a hint of warmth from the alcohol. Intriguing and enjoyable.

Cantina Sampietrana, Tacco Barocco Primitivo Salento IGT 2011

5. Cantina Sampietrana, Tacco Barocco Primitivo Salento IGT 2011 (13.5% ABV, 100% Primitivo, £10.99)

After the Second World War, the mechanisation of Italian agriculture and governmental land reforms that redistributed vacant land enabled the formation of farming co-operatives such as Cantina Sociale Sampietrana. Based in San Pietro Vernotico, between the provinces of Brindisi and Lecce in Puglia, Cantina Sampietrana was founded in 1952 with just 8000 square metres of land located right next to Italy’s main north-south railway line.

In the proceeding sixty years, Cantina Sampietrana has preserved and promoted its regional traditions whilst allowing smaller growers to pool their resources to take advantage of the opportunities offered by an international marketplace. Today, the vineyard holdings of its members is spread over 190 hectares. Although perfectly maintained since its construction, the original winery saw a €2 million upgrade in 2002 and the new hi-tech, eco-friendly facilities boosted its ability to produce high quality wines.

Rich and ripe, with dried fruits (raisins, figs and prunes) and peppery spice on the nose; soft, sweet and inviting. Spicy, with blue fruits and dried fig flavours on the palate, balanced by soft tannins, moderate acidity and a lick of oak. More Zinfandel-esque than many a Primitivo I’ve tried previously, but much of my experience of this variety dates back to a time before the genetic link to California’s adopted grape was played upon quite so heavily. A touch earthy, but easy and enjoyable to drink.

Villa Schinosa, Aglianico Rosso Puglia IGT 2008

6. Villa Schinosa, Aglianico Rosso Puglia IGT 2008 (13.5% ABV, 100% Aglianico, £13.99)

Corrado Capece Minutolo, the last surviving heir of an aristocratic Napolitano family, followed his heart and left the city to return to his historic seat near Trani to continue the work of his forebears. He oversaw a complete replanting of the vineyards, renovated the nineteenth century cellars and introduced the latest equipment into the winery with the aim of producing and bottling top quality wines rather than selling off the estate’s produce in bulk as had happened until then.

Although not averse to international varieties, Corrado decided to focus upon the potential and the peculiarities of indigenous southern Italian grapes to win fans both at home and abroad. Aglianico is an ancient and noble grape variety, long cultivated in Puglia and across the south, and was a logical choice for Villa Schinosa to concentrate on.

A dry, dark berry fruit and cedar scented nose with elegant earthy notes. Dry, too, on the palate with firm acidity and moderate tannins. Delightful sweet, ripe berry fruit with a smokey, toasty element, a touch of savoury earthiness and a dusting of black pepper and clove spice to round things off. Developed and elegant; long and fresh.

Cantine Carpentiere, Pietra Dei Lupi Castel Del Monte Rosso DOC 2005

7. Cantine Carpentiere, Pietra Dei Lupi Castel Del Monte Rosso DOC 2005 (13% ABV, 100% Nero Di Troia, £16.99)

Situated in Corato on the Murge Plateau, Cantine Carpentiere sits in a spectacular and historic area of Puglia. Less than 2km from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Castel Del Monte and surrounded by an impressive array of flora and fauna, it is these oak forests and their foxes and wolves that lead to the development of the region’s unique jazzi. Built as a temporary shelter for transhumant livestock and their herders, a jazzo is a dry stone enclosure that is notable for its pietre dei lupi or paralupi, a crowning frieze of horizontally mounted stone slabs that denied access to predators. The name Pietra Dei Lupi (“Stone Of Wolves”) and the label’s illustration of several of them in situ along the wall of a jazzo that still overlooks the vineyard are links to an unbroken history of habitation in the region that dates back to the Stone Age.

Initially quite funky/farmyardy on the nose, but this receded to display black fruits with cocoa/dark chocolate aromas and a hint of coffee underneath. The nose was actually quite Bordeaux-like in the end. Dry, with tannins to the fore, moderate to firm acidity and rich dark fruit. Long and drying out a little, but lovely nonetheless.

Cantina Sampietrana, Iussum Negroamaro Salento IGT 2008

8. Cantina Sampietrana, Iussum Negroamaro Salento IGT 2008 (14.5% ABV, 100% Negroamaro, £11.99)

Another wine from the impressive Cantina Sociale Sampietrana but this time from its Le Selezioni range, a step up from the already very good Tacco Barocco wine tasted a little earlier. It didn’t disappoint.

A fresh, lean and darkly fruited nose with a hint of blueberry; just a whiff of volatility. Dry, rich and full bodied, firmly acidic and reasonably tannic, all balanced by beautifully elegant blue and black fruits, peppery spice and the complexity that only fifty year old vines can bring to a wine. The long, fragrant and fruity finish had a beguiling leanness perfectly suited to a fine meal. An excellent, and excellent value, bottle of wine.

I had expected and I encountered a refreshing raciness from the evening’s white wines, but the pleasant surprise was quite how fresh and lively the reds were – even those from the warmest, most southerly regions. In true Italian style, these southern sun worshippers were just as cool as their paler northern cousins.

I’d like to thank Robert and all at Reserve for another great evening of entertainment, education and most enjoyable wine.

848 – The Number Of The Feast

Tags

1955, 1958, 1982, 1983, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, Aiden Byrne, Alsace, Barolo, Ben Stephenson, Billecart-Salmon, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Castilla Y Leon, Champagne, Chardonnay, Charles Heidsieck, Chateau D'Yquem, Chateau Talbot, Clos Louie, Fontanafredda, France, Germany, Graacher Himmelreich, Hospices De Beaune, Hugel, Idaho, Italy, Joh Jos Prum, Malbec, Manchester House, Merlot, Meursault Charmes, Mosel, Piemonte, Poderi Colla, Port, Porta, Quinta Sardonia, Riesling, Saint-Julien, Sauternes, Spain, Spatlese, USA, Vendange Tardive, Vickers

After the excesses of Christmas, midway between the joyous fervour of well intentioned resolutions and the paycheque that will once again allow you off the wagon, January can often seem to be the longest of months. What better way to shake off the malaise than by maintaining the level of decadence to which one has recently grown so accustomed? I cannot say for certain if this was the logic behind Ben Stephenson’s latest brainchild, but there can be no denying the degree of bacchanalian decadence involved in his recent Eight For Eight dinner.

Eight people invited to dinner at eight o’clock; a BYOB party with a difference. A half bottle of Château D’Yquem 1955, bought at auction some years earlier, was Ben’s inspiration for the affair: his desire to share it with an appreciative and passionate group of people did the rest. The D’Yquem alone demanded something noteworthy to accompany it and, once the notion of asking everyone else to bring a similarly spectacular bottle or two had taken hold, a suitably grand venue was also required.

Manchester House, Aiden Byrne’s recently opened city restaurant that is squarely aiming to bring Michelin’s stellar glory to the city centre, was the perfect setting. That afternoon, Aiden and his brigade had created a bespoke menu for us to show both the dishes and our wines to their best advantage. This was certainly no mean feat, and I would very much like to thank Aiden and his team, both in the kitchen and in the front of house, for all of their efforts and for the care they took in looking after us. This is what we ate and drank.

Billecart-Salmon, Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé 2002 and Charles Heidsieck, Blanc Des Millenaires 1995

1. Apéritifs

Charles Heidsieck, Blanc Des Millenaires 1995 (12.0% ABV)

It was difficult to determine the colour in the dimly lit bar, but this displayed a lovely, delicate bead. Sweet, toasted, slightly charred brioche nose, with a hint of bruised apple fruit. Smokey, rich and honeyed, there was a nutty, faintly oxidised quality that spoke of maturity. The palate was dry, fresh and upright, with ripe apple fruit, a nice smokey and mineral streak, pithy lemon citrus fruit and a soft, elegant mousse. As with the nose, there was a gently drying, nutty, oxidised element to the palate. The fresh, hugely complex, finish had apple fruit and a buttery, charred brioche character. Excellent length and absolutely à point, this would probably keep another couple of years but it is unlikely to get any better than this.

Billecart-Salmon, Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé 2002 (12.5% ABV)

Slightly coarser bead than the Heidsieck, but nothing to worry about. A somewhat reticent nose offered a hint of strawberry fruit, but little else initially. The palate was dry, rich, elegant and delicate. Smokey, strawberry and raspberry fruit, subtle autolytic flavours and a smooth, soft mousse. Youthful and fresh, with a long and bright smokey, berry finish. I don’t know if it suffered in direct comparison with the Blanc Des Millenaires, but I felt this was a little simple and I wondered if it was in an awkward, adolescent phase of its evolution. It did open up somewhat in the glass and it certainly wasn’t too old or faulty; maybe more time in the bottle will help. Lovely but not amazing, I must admit to being rather disappointed that this did not live up to my expectations.

At this point, we headed downstairs to take our places for dinner around a large table in a private area at the far end of the dining room. The menu we ate our way through and the wines we drank with each dish are described here, although I must apologise for taking so few pictures of the food. I genuinely thought I had taken a picture of each dish, but after taking a picture of the relevant bottles the desire to eat each new course must have overwhelmed me. Amidst all of the talking, drinking, eating, and writing I’m actually quite surprised that I ended up with as many useable pictures as I did. You’ll forgive the imperfect focussing on those from the end of the evening, I’m sure that my camera developed a fault…

2. Foie gras and palm sugar mousse, poached cherries, pain d’épices

Château D’Yquem 1955 (37.5cl)

The evening’s raison d’être, it was apparent from the beautiful burnished amber colour seen through the glass of the bottle that this was still in fine condition. The rich, vibrant nose was high toned and redolent of both butterscotch and burnt toffee. Mature certainly, but far from past its best. The palate’s sweetness was balanced by firm acidity and by notes of quince and marmalade from the botrytis. Vibrant, lively and hardly dimmed by age. Butterscotch and piercing burnt toffee flavours reappeared on the long, long finish. An excellent and extremely rare treat and a genuine privilege to taste a wine of this calibre.

Château D’Yquem 1955

Serving the D’Yquem in the French fashion at the start of the meal meant that foie gras was the only logical choice to accompany it. This was probably Aiden’s most complex and technically challenging dish and I understood his train of thought in creating it. Despite its flawless execution, I’m sorry to say that for me this was not an entirely successful dish. I liked the idea of lightening the foie gras by making it into a mousse and the gingerbread spicing paired with it well. Unfortunately, the sweetness of the palm sugar, of the pain d’épices and of the cherry combined to overwhelm the savoury richness of the liver, and the intensity of the cherry flavour clashed somewhat with the toffee and quince notes of the wine. To be totally honest, I probably wouldn’t have drunk such a wine with anything more elaborate than an unadulterated slice of a torchon of foie gras, but that’s not really Aiden’s style and I admire him for pulling out all of the stops and for rising both to the occasion and to the wine.

Château D’Yquem 1955 with Foie gras and palm sugar mousse, poached cherries, pain d’épices

3. Pan roasted turbot with baby artichoke, langoustine, truffle

Hugel & Fils, Riesling Hugel Vendange Tardive 1983 (37.5cl, 13.5% ABV)

Golden coloured, with only the barest indication of the darkening that comes with age. The nose was toasty, with lime fruit and a faint hint of kerosene. More savoury than sweet, I also noted darkly roasted nuts that headed towards the coffee or cocoa end of the aroma spectrum. Dry yet rich on the palate, toasty notes and a firm lime acidity were balanced by a drying, talc-like minerality and by the hint of roasted nuts/kernels from the nose. The finish was long and rich with a suggestion of sweetness to it, but was dry and minerally overall. This was starting to fade, yet for a thirty year old, half bottle of dry white wine it was still a fascinating and lovely drink. I’d recommend drinking this now, should you be fortunate enough to own some.

Hugel & Fils, Riesling Hugel Vendange Tardive 1983 and Joh. Jos. Prüm, Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese 2001

Joh. Jos. Prüm, Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese 2001 (8.0% ABV)

A pungently kerosene-scented nose, with aromas of fresh lime juice and mango infused oolong tea, faintly toasty yet bright, fresh and still very youthful. Medium dry with firm balancing acidity and a smokey/slatey mineral spine, upright and beautifully structured. Slightly more tropical than citrus – mango, raspberry and chamomile rather than lime and peach – and a tannin-like mineral dryness. Full bodied, finely poised and hugely long. Not at all overly sweet and an amazing wine to pair with food. Prüm’s wines are famed for ageing majestically and, after half an hour in a decanter, this was a triumph in the glass. Lovely now, but I’m sure that this will live to be at least twice it’s current age.

Somewhat to Aiden’s disappointment, the dish that he declared to be the simplest on our menu turned out to be the favourite of several of our party, including me. Turbot and langoustines are two of my favourite ingredients; pairing them with two great examples of what might well be my favourite grape variety was always going to win my affection. Beautifully cooked and seasoned, the firm and savoury turbot was nigh on perfect; the truffled langoustine garnish was a joyous combination of sweetness from the crustacean, meatiness and earthiness from the stock and the fungus and a nutty, gently vegetal bitterness from the thistle. The Hugel was such a sublime match for the fish that the Prüm barely got a look in with this course. In fact, I actually saved the Spätlese until after the fish course when it made the finest palate cleanser imaginable!

Hugel & Fils, Riesling Hugel Vendange Tardive 1983 and Joh. Jos. Prüm, Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese 2001 with Pan roasted turbot with baby artichoke, langoustine, truffle

4. Beer can chicken with onion macaroni

Hospice De Beaune, Meursault-Charmes Cuvée Bahèzre De Lanlay 1990

The pale orange/amber colour more resembled that of Tokaji than anything else and it was immediately obvious that this had had its day. A nose of golden-toasted white bread was haunted by a ghost of its former glory: the faintest suggestion of vanilla and citrus fruit. The palate was similarly oxidised and dried out. Interesting, but sad.

Hospice De Beaune, Meursault-Charmes Cuvée Bahèzre De Lanlay 1990 and Vickers Vineyard, Chardonnay 1998

Vickers Vineyard, Chardonnay 1998 (13.0% ABV)

Deep golden yellow with a faintly cheesy and roast chicken (autosuggestion?) nose and gentle smokey/vanilla oak and lemon citrus aromas that carried through to the palate. The oak and lemon notes were joined by the toffee richness typical of mature oaked Chardonnay, all balanced by soft spice and fruity acidity that Ben impressively and accurately likened to rhubarb crumble. Long, but noticeably acidic on the finish. This was a wine that I had greatly enjoyed on a previous occasion and it was very pleasant here, although it was more mature than the previous bottle I had tasted and lamentably it seemed a little out of its depth in such illustrious company.

Roast chicken is probably my desert island dish, and I was particularly interested to taste Aiden’s take on the classic American backyard barbecue version. Open a can of beer, drink about a quarter of it and stand a whole chicken on the can by inserting the open end into the body cavity. Fire up some charcoal, stand the beer can impaled bird on the grate of your barbecue and close the lid. The beer steams the chicken from within whilst the charcoal roasts and smokes the bird from the outside. An irresistible combination. Aiden wasn’t going to let the chicken off quite so lightly, however. He had replaced the beer with concentrated chicken stock and he had brined the bird to retain its moisture and to enhance its flavour. Needless to say, it was of the tastiest pieces of chicken I’ve eaten for a while. Purely for my taste the onion purée in the macaroni needed an element of bitterness and/or acidity to balance its rich sweetness, but the focus of this dish was the poultry and Aiden’s chicken ruled the roost.

5. Loin of hare, sweetened chicory and braised salsify

Quinta Sardonia 2009 (15.0% ABV)

Opaque purple/black in colour with long, long legs. Hotly alcoholic on the nose with oodles of ripe black fruits, sweet oak spice and creamy, darkly roasted coffee aromas from its 19 months spent in barriques. Dry, spicy and very youthful, there was also a substantial hit of alcohol on the palate, balanced by all of the depth and concentration the impenetrable colour implied and by an impressively solid structure. Violet, floral and orange zest notes mingled with bright, rich black fruits, liquorice and a liberal dusting of oak spice. Firm acidity and tannins balanced the ripe fruit and almost stood up to the alcohol, but not quite. Still very much a baby and, although this wasn’t a style of wine I prefer, I don’t have much experience of the wines of Castilla Y Leon and it would be interesting to revisit it in five or six years.

Quinta Sardonia 2009 and Poderi Colla, Barolo Bussia Dardi Le Rose 2006

Poderi Colla, Barolo Bussia Dardi Le Rose 2006 (150cl, 14.0% ABV)

Whereas the Quinta Sardonia had been decanted at 3.30pm, Ben had brought this along as a last minute addition to the bill and it had only been decanted when we sat down for dinner. A deep ruby colour with a garnet hue at the rim, the youthful nose displayed slightly tart red fruits, gentle herbal and floral aromas and a suggestion of sweet, earthy spice. Typically dry and austere, its youth was apparent in the tightness of its structure. Red berry fruit, clove spice and a note of cranberry tartness to the acidity, this was long, elegant and harmonious and pleasingly traditional in style. I suspect that this might have been more expressive after a further few hours in the decanter, especially being a magnum, but really it needed another five or six years in the bottle and it would easily have lasted twelve to fifteen years.

My only fear for this dish was the level of gaminess of the hare; I have found the supposedly traditional pungency resulting from lengthy hanging to be something of a challenge when I have eaten it previously. I needn’t have worried. Delicately gamey, the hare was cooked to an ideal medium rare and served with a simple garnish of earthy and bitter vegetables for a delicious goût de terroir. A very good dish indeed. Unfortunately, the dark and brooding Quinta Sardonia overwhelmed both me and the hare but the leaner, red fruited Barolo was just the ticket.

6. Belted Galloway beef, mushrooms, sticks and stones

Clos Louie, Vieilles Vignes 2005 (14.0% ABV)

From the now retitled Côtes De Castillon appellation, this garagiste project is the pride and joy of Pascal Lucin, the technical director of Château Grand Pontet. Farmed biodynamically since 2001, the grapes are still trodden by foot and the production of around 4800 bottles is not filtered. Predominantly Merlot, with Malbec, Carmenère, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in the mix, the most unusual facet of this wine is the nature of the estate’s Merlot vines. From a tiny 0.85ha plot, the ungrafted Merlot vines pre-date phylloxera and, at over 140 years old, they are reputed to be oldest in Bordeaux.

Deep ruby in colour, mixed berry fruit and sweet baking spices pervaded the nose. Exotic, with a warming hint of alcohol, but lovely, rich and ripe. Rich berry fruit carried on into the palate, balanced by a gentle herbaceous quality and by a creamy-textured, coffee infused oak character. There was a pronounced intensity and a mineral quality that is unique to old, low yielding vines. Full bodied, moderately structured and very long, this was beautifully approachable now but it would certainly have kept for another three or four years with ease. Not massively complex, but delicious and distinctive and its story was fascinating.

Clos Louie, Vieilles Vignes 2005 and Château Talbot, Saint-Julien 1982

Château Talbot, Saint-Julien 1982

A medium, tawny-tinged garnet with barely noticeable legs. Mature, tertiary aromas defined the nose: leafy, meaty, smokey and enveloping. Dry, yet the fruit was still sweet and inviting. Earthy and herbaceous flavours, gentle smokey oaked spice, harmonious, complex and still very long. Medium bodied but ripe, the fruit was well balanced by the refined and once-typical Bordeaux tannic and acidic structure. The creamy, mixed berry, herbaceous finish was sweetly fruited, smokey and lasting, an absolute triumph. Delightful and still holding up well. Enjoy this over the next year or two, or make a profit on your good taste by consigning it to an auction before the bubble bursts on the ’82 vintage.

If my by now befuddled brain can be relied upon for anything approaching an accurate recollection, our meat course resembled nothing less impressive than the rib joint of dinosaur served to Fred Flintstone in the opening sequence of his eponymous cartoon. Medium rare fillet and unctuous braised cheek were served alongside grilled ceps, cavolo nero, Neolithic-looking clay covered potatoes and calcium something-or-other somehow-or-other prepared salsify (befuddled, I told you). The horn filled with jus completed the backdrop to the beef spectacularly. Rich, savoury and immensely satisfying, even the clay covered potatoes brought a nostalgic smile to my face, reminding me of pottery lessons at school when a hastily grabbed sandwich during break mingled with the slip from my hands to strangely similar effect. What was not a surprise was how well both Bordeaux paired with the beef, and I kept alternating between the rich fruitiness of the Clos Louie and the aristocratic charm of the Château Talbot.

Belted Galloway beef, mushrooms, sticks and stones

7. Cheese selection

Fontanafredda, Barolo 1958

How often do you have the chance to drink one wine from the 1950s, never mind two? Although I was beginning to flag, it would have been churlish to have thrown in the towel at this point.

A growing collection

Pale garnet but unfortunately slightly hazy as this was called upon at short notice and had not had chance to settle properly. Faintly sweaty old leather on the nose, with tart red fruit and typical earthy and tarry aromas. The palate was dry and drying out somewhat – hardly surprising given its age – but it still delivered sweet red fruit, a tarry edge, mellowed tannins and now moderate acidity. Harmonious and elegant but fading gracefully; this must have been a formidable wine in its youth. Lovely but now rather old, it was a privilege nonetheless to have tasted this piece of Piemonte’s wine heritage.

Fontanafredda, Barolo 1958 and Portal+ Vintage Port 2003

Portal+ Vintage Port 2003 (20.0% ABV)

This port made entirely from young vine Touriga Nacional was decanted at 3p.m. and was eventually served at 11.45p.m.. Deep and inky dark purple, with very long legs. Spirity, ripe and spicy on the nose, with pungent aromas of liquorice and fenugreek. Sweet, with a unique, Middle-Eastern spicy/herbaceous character and quite unlike any Port that I’ve tried before. Approachable but still very young, it would be interesting to see how this evolves over the next ten or more years. Lovely, but decidedly quirky.

These wines were served alongside a square slate platter of about a dozen artisan cheeses arranged clockwise from the mildest to the most strongly flavoured, I’m sure that many of the pairings were excellent but I just couldn’t eat anything else! And did I mention it was now 1a.m.?!?

I have to thank everyone at Manchester House once again for a truly memorable dinner, and I must also thank all of my fellow diners for being such fine company and for sharing these treats from their cellars. Finally, a big thank you to Ben for including me on his guest list for such an exceptional event and for his generosity with his wines.

Mosel Masterclass

Tags

2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, Auslese, Germany, Hanging Ditch, Jan Matthias Klein, Klitzekleine Ring, Mosel, Muller-Thurgau, Pinot Noir, Regent, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Spatlese, Staffelter Hof, Trocken, Trockenbeerenauslese

I have to admit that the name of Weingut Staffelter Hof wasn’t one I was familiar with, until I was invited to a tasting of its wines at Hanging Ditch, that is. When I learned that it is one of the oldest vineyards in Germany, having celebrated its 1150^th birthday just over two weeks ago, my ignorance was all the more embarrassing. Winemaker and current scion of the family that has owned the property since 1805, Jan Matthias Klein, was in England for a few days visiting several independent wine shops to present a selection of his wines.

Jan was a very engaging and interesting chap as well as a very generous host, pouring nine of his wines instead of the advertised seven for a large and appreciative audience.

Staffelter Hof, Mosecco Perlwein Trocken 2009

First from this most historic of estates was a pair of sparkling wines, beginning with a modern Mosel take on Italian Prosecco, the punningly titled Mosecco Perlwein Trocken 2011 (11% ABV, Riesling, Müller-Thurgau and Sauvignon Blanc, £12.50). Its grapey, grapefruit and white pepper nose led into a fresh, fruity but dry palate that had a touch of apple and a gentle spritz. Carbonated rather than traditional method, the bubbles did start to fade in the glass but this pleasant and uncomplicated wine is ideal for enjoying now, should our summer ever arrive.

Staffelter Hof, Riesling Sekt Brut 2009

The 2009 Staffelter Hof Riesling Sekt Brut (12.5% ABV, £15.00) was a different kettle of fish altogether. Made with the traditional method, it spent 20 months on its lees and a 2004 Auslese was used as dosage, resulting in a residual sugar level of 10g/l. The medium sized, persistent bead made it tingle and dance on the tongue and autolysis had given a fresh mushroom and bready character to the nose. The palate was dry and elegant, streaked with minerally apple, lime and peach Riesling fruit fading into a long, rich, pithy and slightly savoury finish. Just 2000 bottles were made, drink yours now or at any time over the next 3-4 years.

Staffelter Hof, Wolf Casanova Rosé 2011

Medium hued, violet-tinged pink and somewhat inexpressive on the nose, the 2011 Wolf Casanova Rosé (11.5% ABV, 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Regent, £12.50) had hints of candyfloss and gentle spice on its soft, dry and not aggressively acidic palate. More savoury than fruity, this was a very easy drink and was nothing like many of today’s overly sweet and alcoholic rosés. Drink now.

Staffelter Hof, Wolf Magnus Riesling Trocken 2011

The 2011 Wolf Magnus Riesling Trocken (12% ABV, £12.50) was partly matured in 1000 litre old oak barrels which gave a whisper of tannin to the wine, aiding its longevity. A spicy, green apple and slatey nose complemented the dryness of the fresh, firm, citrus fruited palate with a lick of honeyed white fruit to counter the austerity. Modern, dry and concentrated, this should be drunk over the next five years or so with a good fish pie.

Der Klitzekleine Ring, Bergrettung Riesling Trocken 2011

Number five was both an interesting concept and an interesting wine. Named for a pun on the German for alpine rescue, The Bergrettung Riesling Trocken 2011 (12% ABV, £17.50) is one of the wines produced by an admirable collaboration of dedicated Mosel winemakers. The Klitzekleine Ring is a community of eleven wineries in and around the town of Traben-Trarbach, brought together by a mutual love of winemaking tradition and a desire to protect their region’s culture. “Berg” means “Mountain”, in reference to the vertiginous character of Mosel’s finest vineyards, and “Rettung” is German for “Rescue”. Through the production of these wines, The Klitzekleine Ring is dedicated to the recovery, maintenance, and thus rescue, of some of the world’s steepest and most expressive vineyards which would otherwise be abandoned in favour of easier to cultivate land. Good, bad or indifferent, these are wines that deserve to be drunk.

The Klitzekleine Ring Members

This had a riper, more honeyed nose than the previous wine, more mango than peach in character with notes of quince and blossom over. Dry but with a fullness to its body, a firm, slatey acidity balanced the fruit on the palate. Touches of apricot, ginger and honeysuckle were reminiscent of a leaner, drier style of Viognier. Very good indeed and not just because of its provenance, although a year or two of bottle age wouldn’t go amiss.

Staffelter Hof, Wolf Paradies Riesling Feinherb 2011

The Wolf Paradies Feinherb 2011 (11% ABV, £12.50), grown on blue and grey slate soils, had an aromatic nose, redolent of apricot and lime. Just off dry and rather exotic on the palate – mango scented oolong tea, honeysuckle and sweet spices – balanced by slatey acidity and a refreshing minerality. Absolutely lovely and again definitely a food wine. It will probably keep for longer, but enjoy this in the prime of its life over the next couple of years.

Steffensberg is a west-facing vineyard situated on a bend in the river where it benefits from both direct and reflected sunlight as well as from beneficial humidity. The Heraldic Kröver Steffensberg Riesling Spätlese 2011 (9%, ABV, £15.00) had  a complex, honeyed ripe fruit and smoky/slatey nose. Peach and pineapple fruit, rich and medium sweet on the palate balanced by a firm, refreshing acidity and a mineral structure that was drying and almost tannic in its effect. An excellent wine, Jan declared that this will keep for twenty years or so, but it’s tough to resist enjoying it now.

The Kröver Steffensberg Vineyard

From the same vineyard, the Heraldic Kröver Steffensberg Riesling Auslese 2005 (9%, ABV, £22.50) showed both the extra degree of maturity and the extra richness that its vintage and its quality level would have you expect. A deeper yellow/green colour than the 2011 Spätlese, the nose was hugely aromatic, bursting with the kerosene and savoury toast aromas of a Riesling with a degree of bottle age plus quite a bit of botrytis character, too. The very complex palate was a fruit salad of fresh and dried yellow fruits with substantial acidity preventing the sweetness from becoming cloying. It was almost delicate despite its richness and viscosity. A beautiful wine that will keep some years yet, although I don’t know how much more it can improve.

Staffelter Hof, Kröver Steffensberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese 2006

The third wine from the Kröver Steffensberg vineyard, and the final wine of the evening, was the 2006 Trockenbeerenauslese (7.5% ABV, £95.00/37.5cl). The price reflects both the degree of patience and effort required to produce this style of wine and the scarcity of it. Even in the exemplary vintages when conditions permit the production of a Trockenbeerenauslese (TBA), only 50 – 100 litres can be made. German TBAs are unlike any other wines, and this one was no exception: golden in colour, syrupy in texture and with huge quantities of botrytis, raisin/sultana fruit and a nostril-tingling volatility to the nose; the palate was creamy, rich and sweet with such a high level of acidity that the finish was mouthwateringly dry. Whilst this was an unexpected and most generous treat from Jan, I must confess that it was the only wine he served that disappointed me slightly. The sweetness and acidity were beautifully balanced, I just felt that a degree of complexity was missing from the mid palate. Maybe I was being hyper critical, but I don’t think that I was being unreasonable in my expectations of a wine of this calibre.

Although I might not be rushing out to buy the Trockenbeerenauslese, in many ways that can only be a good thing as it leaves me with far more money to spend on the Bergrettung, the Paradies Feinherb and the Kröver Steffensberg Spätlese and Auslese which were all truly lovely wines. If you haven’t yet had the chance to try the wines of Staffelter Hof, head down to Hanging Ditch and educate yourself.

A Moan And A Wine

Tags

1998, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, Albarino, Australia, Castillo Ygay, Donnhoff, Eden Valley, Galicia, Germany, Innis & Gunn, Kabinett, Marques De Murrieta, Olly Smith, Oz Clarke, Piesporter, Riesling, Rioja, Spain, Tanners, The Virgilius, Three Wine Men, Tim Atkin MW, Viognier, Viura, Yalumba

I always try my best to support tastings up here in the north west, even if I have to pay for a ticket so to do! A recent, and rather high profile, event caught my eye and I thought that I should pop along to see what it was all about. This was the second in a series of three tastings hosted by the Three Wine Men: Oz Clarke, Tim Atkin MW and Olly Smith, all of whom are perfectly charming and frighteningly knowledgeable.

After perusing the online catalogue from September’s London event, it seemed that a little organisation was called for. With 587 examples on offer from 51 exhibitors, it would have been easy to spend a couple of days tasting my way through them. A list of the tables and the wines that I wanted to make a beeline for hopefully meant that I wouldn’t miss anything exciting in Manchester.

Saturday duly rolled around, I wound my way to the Museum of Science and Industry and I bought my ticket. It would be something of an understatement to say I was a bit disappointed when I opened the Manchester brochure to see only 284 wines listed from 26 exhibitors. Although a reasonable showing by anyone’s standards, nigh on all of the more esoteric and higher quality wines, not to mention a significant number of exhibitors, from the London show were all absent.

As I’ve said, I’m always happy to support any of the all too infrequent tastings that take place in Manchester, but I can’t help feeling that it was misleading and unfair to advertise this as the same event as the two London versions, to charge the same price for tickets and yet to offer only half the number of wines and exhibitors. Was it a lack of space at the Manchester venue or are London wine merchants simply not bothered about the fifty million or so people who live outside the capital who might like to try, and who might want to buy, their wines? Or are they just so London-centric in their focus that the rest of the country doesn’t even register on their radars? Maybe I should move to Hong Kong…

I hoped to be writing about thirty or forty thrilling and new (to me) wines that I had had the chance to try, but absenteeism severely whittled this number down. Fortunately, I had the chance to catch up with a few people I hadn’t seen for quite a while, so the afternoon wasn’t a total write off. Of the wines I did try, there were some great new finds and some welcome old friends, plus a couple of really fine beers that impressed me so much I bought some there and then.

Dönnhoff, Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Riesling Kabinett 2009

The best way to start any tasting is with a page full of German Rieslings, so naturally my first stop was the Tanners table. Seven Rieslings in a kaleidoscope of styles were an ideal way to fire up my tastebuds. From a toasty, slatey, bone dry 2008 Bürklin-Wolf Wachenheimer Trocken, via a lovely dryish, white fruit and citrussy 2009 Feinherb (the new name for Halbtrocken) by Weiser-Künstler that just made me smile, to a surprisingly youthful 1998 Hochheimer Kirchenstück Auslese from Domdechant Werner with its honeyed nose and its citrus and spice, stewed apple palate. How can anyone not like this grape? It’s an always too rare pleasure to taste a genuine Piesporter (Einzellage, never Grosslage), and Kurt Hain’s 2007 Goldtröpfchen Kabinett was a grapefruit scented, off dry gem that made the oceans of filth that share its name even more lamentable. The outright star for me was Dönnhoff’s 2009 Kreuznacher Krötenpfuhl Kabinett which was restrained and structured, just off dry, with beautiful green apple fruit, complex minerality, excellent acidity and a long, long finish. Brilliant and food friendly, only 8.5% ABV and just £15.

Marqués De Murrieta, Capellanía Rioja Blanco Reserva 2006 (right) and Castillo Ygay, Rioja Gran Reserva Especial 2004 (left)

Conveniently, the table next door was that of Marqués De Murrieta, one of my favourite Rioja producers, which meant that I didn’t even have to walk very far for my next set of treats. An unexpected and interesting 2010 Albariño (13% ABV) from Murrieta’s Pazo De Barrantes estate in Galicia kicked things off. Full and rich but fresh, lemon and grapefruit citrus was countered by a floral and white fruit character with whiff of peppery spice on the top. This was a lovely precursor to my wine of the day, Murrieta’s own 2006 Capellanía Blanco Reserva (13.5% ABV), a 100% Viura wine that filled me with hope for white Rioja generally. Matured for 15 months in new French oak barriques, this was bone dry, just a touch oxidised (in a good way), citrussy yet creamily textured and with a long, lemon and vanilla finish. At a time when so many white Riojas are being dumbed down with Chardonnay or are eschewing lengthy oak ageing, this was a fantastic wine that I will be actively seeking out.

The reds on show were more of a mixed bag for me. A 2005 Marqués De Murrieta Rioja Tinto Reserva (14% ABV) had fine tannins, bright strawberry and red berry fruit with a toasty edge, but it just lacked a little soul. Time might be what it needs. The 2004 Castillo Ygay Rioja Gran Reserva Especial (14% ABV) was also still a baby, showing rich berry fruit and plenty of savoury oak influence. Complex, balanced and well structured, definitely an iron fist in a velvet glove; there will be plenty more to come from this wine. Buy it now, drink it in a decade or two.

Yalumba, The Virgilius Viognier 2008

Yalumba is a producer that stands out for several reasons, one of the most commendable of which is their long standing commitment to the left field Viognier instead of to the ubiquitous Chardonnay. Their 2010 Eden Valley Viognier (13.5% ABV) had a huge jasmine and ginger scented nose which led into a dry and elegant apricot and ginger palate. Not at all blousey, the alcohol was held firmly in check and the creaminess imparted by the oak aged portion was balanced by fresh acidity. Its big brother, the 2008 The Virgilius (14% ABV), had a less obvious nose and was less flamboyant overall, concentrating on the savoury and spicy aspects over the floral and white fruit. Toasty, minerally and multi-faceted, gingery spice was more the focus than apricot fruit. A great and a great value wine, although this vintage is reaching the end of its useful life, enjoy it now with food.

Innis & Gunn: Blonde, Original and Rum Cask (left to right)

The one table I definitely wanted to visit was that of brewer Innis & Gunn. They began by brewing beer to season barrels for a William Grant ale cask conditioned whisky, but the resulting beer was too good to throw away. I knew of their oak aged beers, but I had never had the chance to try them. I wasn’t let down.

The Original (6.6% ABV) was mellow, complex and had a great depth of flavour after its 77 day maturation period. It had a sweet toffee and vanilla oak character that countered the fruity, gently bitter hoppy notes in a very easy to drink fashion. The dark Rum Cask bottling (7.4% ABV) was richer, sweeter and softer than the Original, with a sprinkle of Christmas spice from the navy rum casks. The Blonde (6.0% ABV) was the lightest and freshest of the three regular bottlings, crisp and hoppy with a delicate vanilla character.

Innis & Gunn, Highland Cask Limited Edition

These three were all very good, but the two limited editions were the ones that well and truly took my fancy. The slightly mysterious Triple Matured beer (7.2% ABV) was another darker offering, with delicious treacle toffee flavours and a dusting of bitter cocoa. The Highland Cask (7.1% ABV) was my favourite, having been finished in casks used to mature an 18 year old Highland single malt. It had a firm, warming backbone and was a touch drier the other bottlings, the definite spirity, fruity and smokey/oaky character I assume came from the whisky. The Original, the Rum Cask and the Blonde are all widely available, but I haven’t managed to find the limited editions anywhere yet.