The Identity of the blind tasting challenge Mystery Bottle revealed

 

Vina Leyda Single Vineyard Canelo Syrah 2013. Image: Alko.

Dear vinous friends, Divine Wine blog is in slight shock. This is due to the identity of the mystery bottle, which was recently revealed by Vindirekt. It was exactly in line with Divine Wine’s blind tasting evaluation! Lets see how it all went down.

Divine Wine’s conclusions based on blind tasting

1. New World (bold use of oak, sweet vanilla, fruit driven, concentrated, ripe fruit, even some stewed fruit character)

2. Not necessarily the hottest of New World climates. The style is rather black peppery, there are even herbs, the fruit isn’t completely cooked or jammy. Cooler parts of Australia? Chile’s Casablanca or San Antonio? New Zealand’s Hawkes Bay?

3. Animalistic and earthy elements. Certain areas, such as Barossa in Australia, are well known of their Brett influenced, sweaty, high quality Shiraz wines. But is this animal/leather/sweat influence in this wine too restrained for Barossa Shiraz?

4. Shiraz. Dark fruit, black pepper, liquorice and leather. Almost full body, high alcohol. I’m going for Shiraz. It might be that there is some CS in this wine (currant), but the black fruit might be also due to Shiraz solely.

Final Conclusion:

Because I have to say something, I say: Shiraz from Chile 2013. However, I leave an option open for cooler climate South Australian or Victoria Shiraz wines.

This wine is well made and is of high quality, although the finish could be longer. It can drink now, but I’d say it has aging potential.

Vindirekt announces the identity of the wine

The Mystery Bottle is Leyda Single Vineyard Canelo Syrah 2013.

The Finnish retailer Alko decribes the wine

Full-bodied, tannic, aromas of black currant, black berry, olive, spice and oak. The grapes were manually picked and the wine was fermented in open stainless steel. The wine was matured in oak barrels for fourteen months and aged for four months in bottles prior to release. The producer estimates that this wine has further aging potential of 7 years in adequate storage.  

 

How?

The accuracy of this particular blind tasting conclusion is greatly due to my incredible WSET3 teachers, particularly Alessadra Fedi, who is very passionate about wines of Chile. Although I have not had a chance to taste this particular product ever before, Alessadra’s tasting sessions last October combined with her very lively way of communicating about Chile’s varied terroirs have obviously left a mark.

Leyda Valley in Chile’s San Antonio lies only 14 kilometres from the ocean, hence boasting an exceptionally cool climate favouring production of more elegant style of wines compared to the hotter regions of Chile. Nevertheless, this wine is still very ripe fruit driven, soft and non-challenging. In my mind this nature of the product combined with unrestrained oak and black peppery character pointed clearly towards cooler parts of Chile while blind tasting.

Finnish wine bloggers unite - the mystery bottle challenge

It is a mystery!

Thanks to Vindirekt, a Finnish wine importer, each of us wine bloggers received a mystery wine bottle for blind tasting challenge. We all agreed to post the blog article on this mystery wine at the same time - on 8th of December at 23.59 GMT +2. This way none of our opinions would have an impact on the other bloggers, and objectivity of the reviews and tasting notes would be retained.

Even though the bottle labels had already been removed, the importer kindly advised us to use an assistant for uncorking of the bottle, so that the cork wouldn’t give away any information regarding the wine’s identity. In a few days from posting the mystery wine reviews we will be informed of the identity of the wine, and we will post it on our blogs. What an intriguing challenge... Challenge accepted!

Blind tasting isn’t easy - getting the identity of a wine right requires a vast amount of tasting experience, and still, it might go sideways. Personally, I find wine’s aromas to be the most fascinating aspect in the world of wine - learning to identify aromas while tasting, understanding how they are created in the wine making process, and understanding the aromas as a reflection of the climate and the terroir are all at the core of my passion. Since this time I’m not able to illuminate the background of this wine (as I know nothing about it), instead I’ll write the aromatic and structural observations I make as thoroughly as possible and this way do my best to communicate the logic behind my conclusions. It might all go horribly wrong, and then I’ll learn from it! So, dear readers, you are most welcome to join this blind tasting bungee jump to follow.

Notes of the blind tasting.

Wine review

4 of 5 stars

A very good wine

There is a blue tint to the deep, ruby red colour of this wine. However, there is still enough red to call it ruby red, not quite purple. This colour already steers my thoughts essentially away from Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo, towards varieties with thick skins giving plenty of colour and extracts. Also, the blue tone points towards a somewhat young wine.

Aromatically, the nose of medium plus intensity is fruit driven with plenty of dark ripe fruit.  Black cherries, plums, blackcurrant juice and blackberry are accompanied by plenty of oak influence and sweet vanilla spice. Also, there are clear liquorice notes and an evident presence of black pepper followed by slight herbal elements. Leathery and sweaty animal notes add complexity to this wine, but they are rather restrained in intensity.

Based on the nose only, I’d say this wine is developing. Due to the ripe, fruit driven nature, bold use of oak and sweet nature of oak spices (American oak?), I tend to place this wine in the New World. In all honesty, I make a small round trip of Southern France in my mind for exclusion, but in the end I conclude that this oak usage doesn’t point towards France.

The peppery spice is a characteristic of a few black international varieties with high concentration of rontundone compound. Grenache is one of them, however, it tends to give red fruit flavours and a more white pepper nuanced spiciness to the wine. Shiraz, on the other hand, is well known for its black pepper character. Cabernet Sauvignon typically displays black currant notes, as is the case with this mystery wine, but other CS typical characteristics such as high acidity, astringency of tannin and herbal notes of mint and eucalyptus are lacking. However, it might be that there is some CS present as a blending component in this wine.

Structurally, this wine is rather soft, round and mouth filling on the palate, with medium acidity and plenty (medium plus to high) of alcohol. Tannin quality of this wine is ripe. Hence, it is challenging to evaluate whether there is a high or only medium plus amount of very fine grained, soft tannin present. In the end, I decide to settle for medium plus tannin as the drying in the mouth is only medium after spitting, and the body of the wine only approaches full body. The peppery character of the wine is a slight confounding factor, as it is difficult to evaluate what proportion of the tickle and burning sensation in the finish is due to rotundone and what part of it is due to high alcohol. Nevertheless, the plentiful alcohol feels well integrated on the palate. Overall, this wine is in good balance due to its abundant fruit and sturdy enough acid structure. Flavourwise, the palate is very fruity, dominated by black fruit, sweet oak spice, leather and black pepper. The finish is peppery and fruity with blackberry notes, and these pleasant aromas linger for at least a good medium length while.

From this tasting process, I’m inclined to draw the following conclusions:

1. New World (bold use of oak, sweet vanilla, fruit driven, concentrated, ripe fruit, even some stewed fruit character)

2. Not necessarily the hottest of New World Climates. The style is rather black peppery, there are even herbs, the fruit isn’t completely cooked or jammy. Cooler parts of Australia? Chile’s Casablanca or San Antonio? New Zealand’s Hawkes Bay?

3. Animalistic and earthy elements. Certain areas, such as Barossa in Australia, are well known of their Brett influenced, sweaty, high quality Shiraz wines. But is this animal/leather/sweat influence in this wine too restrained for Barossa Shiraz?

4. Shiraz. Dark fruit, black pepper, liquorice and leather. Almost full body, high alcohol. I’m going for Shiraz. It might be that there is some CS in this wine (currant), but the black fruit might be also due to Shiraz solely.

Conclusion

Because I have to say something, I say: Shiraz from Chile 2013. However, I leave an option open for cooler climate South Australian or Victoria Shiraz wines.

This wine is well made and is of high quality, although the finish could be longer. It can drink now, but I’d say it has aging potential.

Now all we can do is sit tight and wait for the exciting truth! I’ll be back soon with the identity of the wine. Tremolo!

For Finnish speaking wine lovers, you can find the reviews of the mystery wine also on the following wine blogs:
Rypäleistä viis
Copatinto
Viiniministeri

Loppasuut

Viinihullun päiväkirja

Viinikartta

Pullonhenki

Blanc de Blancs

Wineserver

Veni Vidi Viini

Te Kairanga Runholder Pinot Noir 2012 Martinborough, New Zealand

Te Kairanga Runholder Pinot Noir 2012

Wine review

4 of 5 stars

A very good wine

Typically pale, ruby red colour of Pinot Noir is followed by an elegant nose. Scents of sour, ripe, red fruit such as cranberries and red cherries are surrounded by floral, mostly rose resembling aromas. Further, a more developed layer of aromas emerges – notes of fallen autumn leaves, forest floor and minerality bring finesse to this wine. The all over elegance of the aroma profile communicates the adequately cool growing environment necessary for Pinot Noir.

On the palate the structure is medium bodied and concentrated. The refreshingly high acidity lifts the acid structure, while the tannins remain pinotnoirishly low. This level of acidity is definitely necessary to reach balance with the abundant fruit and the relatively high - yet beautifully integrated -  alcohol. Aromatically, the floral notes, red cherries and minerality come to the foreground on the palate. The medium plus length aftertaste of cherries, savoury minerality, and a hint of oak leaves behind an overall pleasant impression.

An aromatically elegant, very well balanced new world Pinot Noir to the festive season. Whether you choice is turkey or ham (as is traditional in Finland at Christmas dinner), this affordable, and still elegant, fruity and acidic red with light tannin will make an excellent pairing. Recommended.

Info in a nutshell

EUR 19.99 Alko wine and spirit shop, Finland

GBP 17.71 matthewclark.co.uk

AUD 33.99 danmurphys.com.au

Country and region: New Zealand, Martinborough

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir

Alc vol: 14%

Producer: Te Kairanga Wines

Folonari Cabreo Il Borgo 2011 Toscana IGT, Italy

Cabreo Il Borgo 2011.

 

Wine review

5 of 5 stars

An outstanding wine

With the best blended supertuscans you get the best of the both worlds - in this case the crispy elegance of Sangiovese and the concentrated dark fruit roundness of Cabernet Sauvignon. This particular wine really stopped me with its complete character. Impressively elegant acid structure meets mouth filling body and nuanced, developed aromatics.

One might argue that the “Wine of the Year” sticker next to the label biased my tasting note. However, being aware of the vast amount of awards on offer in competitions, I just tend to be, if possible, even more critical towards a wine should it have a medal sticker attached to it. Nevertheless, Cabreo Il Borgo is THE wine I recommend for pairing with red meat, especially game, during the festive season. Also, it works wonders with hard cheeses - or just by itself while enjoying the Christmas mood.

The clear, ruby red colour of medium intensity is followed by developed, elegant aromatics: ripe red and fresh black fruit, such as sour cherries, dark cherries and plum form the restrained and elegant fruit core that is surrounded by pungent spice and herbal oils, especially anise and liquorice, but also a hint of vanilla and, more clearly, smoke and toast notes.

Surprisingly, Cabreo Il Borgo’s palate is even more intense than the nose. Concentrated, fruity and full-bodied, this wine boasts with an abundance of dark fruit, especially dark cherry aromas. The concentrated fruit is well balanced with high and well-integrated alcohol, medium plus acidity and plentiful yet round and velvety tannin. What was more restrained on the nose is now pronounced, and the development of the aromas even more detectable: leather, cigar box and a note of black olive accompany the liquorice and smoke. I find this wine intriguing. The aromas are developed and challenging, and still, the fruit core of the flavours potentially makes it everyone’s favourite. As a stamp of excellent quality, the finish is long and immensely pleasant combination of cherry, liquorice and smoke.

An excellently balanced, aromatically nuanced wine. It can well drink now, but has a great structure for further aging. Highly recommended.

Info in a nutshell

Price examples:

EUR 23 webshop SoundTaste (ships within EU)

EUR 36.90 Alko wine and spirits shop, Finland

USD 29.99 webshop Wally Wine

Country and region: Italy, Tuscany

Grapes: 70% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon

Alc vol: 14,5%

Producer: Folonari

Refosco - Friulian autochthon black grape varieties part II

The finest Refoscos have floral character.

Refosco (and Teran)

Undoubtedly one with a complicated pedigree, Refosco is the kind of black autochthon grape from Friuli that deserves to be brought to the wine lovers attention. Actually, rather than a single grape variety, Refosco is a family of grape varieties that (supposedly) originates in Friuli but has over the centuries mutated into several related varieties. There is plenty of dispute around whether certain grape varieties belong to the Refosco family and, if they do, to which extent they are related to Refosco variety. Let’s see.

Before we get to Friuli, it is worth mentioning that there are number of Refosco related grape varieties that are important for Slovenian and Croatian wine industry. The most important variety is Teran of which there is particularly contrasting information around regarding its relationship to Refosco. Some sources use Teran synonymous to Refosco; others consider Teran a completely independent variety. In Friuli, Teran is cultivated in Friuli Carso DOC, which shares a border with Croatia. Here Teran has its own DOC - Terrano DOC. Probably it is safest to say that Teran is a sub variety of Refosco. I’ll come back to Teran when looking at wines of Croatia, but now let’s return to Friuli.

Friuli is the home of the greatest expressions of Refosco anywhere, and it is Colli Orientali in particular that gets the credentials. Here the most important sub variety is the red-stemmed Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso. This noble variety is a slow ripener and gives green tannin if harvested too early. On the other hand, there is no hurry to harvest anyway - Refosco is very resistant to rot.

Traditionally Refosco was made into simple table wine - the kind of wine that was consumed while it was young, fresh and fruity. However, being high in both acid and tannin, Refosco has a great potential for aging, as it is capable of producing also dense, full-bodied wines of great structure. During the last years the quality of Refosco wines has greatly improved in Friuli. Temperature controlled fermentation and usage of new oak has steered Refosco wines more towards the international style.

Colli Orientali, the heart land of Refosco, knows the grape’s true potential. Here wonderfully complex expressions of Refosco show its attractive aromatic spectrum of forest berries such as blackberries and blueberries. Diverse aromas of currants, herbal notes as well as plentiful spice are a part of Refosco’s aromatic nature. In the finish, an almond aroma comes to the foreground leaving a bitterness of almond peel on the tongue. The finest Refoscos retain their floral layers, which usually are violet notes. And as if all this wasn’t enough, Colli Orientali Refoscos typically show minerality, which gives elegance to the otherwise dense and fruity wine.

Personally I find both Friulian Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso as well as Croatian Teran very pleasurable grape acquaintances. To my palate they share a lot in common in terms of structure and aromatics. Whether or not they actually are independent varieties will, for now, remain uncertain. What is certain, however, is that there will be juicy wine reviews posted on Divine Wine thanks to both of these delicious, local varieties. 

La Viarte Pignolo Riserva 2005 Friuli, Italy

La Viarte Pignolo Riserva 2005.

Wine review

5 of 5 stars

An outstanding wine

Dear vinous friends, this wine is truly divine.  La Viarte Pignolo Riserva 2005 is a spectacular example of what can be achieved when this Friulian grape is grown and vinified respecting its varietal potential. La Viarte is an important premium wine producer in the village of Prepotto, in Colli Orientali del Friuli. Their methods of vineyard care are ecologically aware, aiming at respecting the vines and the delicate balance of the nature. Although, at this point, I’m well acquainted with what can be accomplished with Pignolo, tasting this wine makes me still go weak at the knees.

Intense and deep in its ruby red colour, this wine boasts an elegant version of the aromatics so typical of Pignolo. At first, the pronounced nose offers a soft, floral perfume of powder immediately followed by cranberry-like red forest fruit. Deepness of ripe cherries and plum aromas forms a background to the freshness of the forest fruit. The more developed aromatic layers present spiciness, coffee and leather. Further, the aromas of oak are very subtle and well integrated considering this wine has been matured in barriques for 24 months. What I find so special about Pignolo is the alluring combination of the very feminine nuance of floral perfume of powder and the wildness of the forest fruit. This wine is a particularly fine example of this varietal aromatic uniqueness.

When it comes to acid structure, Pignolo possesses a huge aging potential as well as an aging requirement due to its abundant tight tannin in youth. To become agreeable and show the grape’s potential, it requires at least around ten years to soften and integrate its tannins. La Viarte’s Pignolo, at the time point of 10 years from the vintage, has a surprisingly velvety yet firm, full-bodied mouth feel, and is very well balanced, developed and complex. Still, it remains very fresh fruit-wise. The plentiful fruit and structural components balance the relatively high alcohol very well. Pignolo’s signature, the structural backbone of tannin, creates paradoxical elegance in the mouth as it provides the otherwise full-bodied wine with a good posture and narrows it on the tongue. Aromatically, the forest fruit lead the way, as the black peppery spiciness and coffee linger in the background. Finishing with a pleasantly fruitful and fresh aftertaste that remains, this wine leaves a lasting impression.

Well balanced, aromatically complex, a particularly fine example of Pignolo. Warmly recommended.

Although I tend to concentrate on wine bar recommendations, I can’t write about this wine with good consciousness without giving you, dear readers, a vinous restaurant tip. I ran into La Viarte Pignolo in Trattoria Al Giardinetto, in Cormons. Proving to be a true wine lover’s paradise, Al Giardinetto presented us with an impressive wine list and outstanding food as well as lovely and professional service in all regards. You can find this restaurant in Michelin guide Italy, and although it doesn’t have a star, its place in the guide is well justified.

Info in a nutshell

Price examples:

EUR 68 webshop friuliwineandfood.it (request shipment possibilities via email)

GBP 49.20 webshop whisperwines.com (ships only to UK)

NZD 194.99 webshop villagewinery.co.nz

Country and region: Italy, Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Colli Orientali, Prepotto

Grapes: 100% Pignolo

Alc vol: 14,5%

Producer: La Viarte

Pignolo - Friulian autochthon black grape varieties part I

Gravner's Pignolo vines grow on the slopes of Collio-Brda, in Friuli.

Should I to choose only one Friulian wine to take with me to a deserted island, my choice would be Pignolo. Hands down. This grape’s allure leads me to the following bold hypothesis: if in the 1960’s Friuli hadn’t made a political decision to concentrate on white wine in its brand building, today Pignolo could be the same for Friuli what Nebbiolo is to Piemonte. However, the more sensible option for Friuli was to go for white wines, as Piemonte and Toscana already had themselves established as the premium quality Italian red wine producing areas, and South Italy was highly competitive at the lower price points in the red wine market. Consequently, Friuli became the source of Italy’s finest whites, while its exceptional, local red grapes such as Pignolo effectively remained under the radar - silently growing in very small numbers on the limestone slopes of Colli Orientali.

Even though Pignolo and Nebbiolo are very different varieties, they surprisingly have a lot in common when it comes to their personalities: both varieties are high maintenance. Aptly for this grape, the Italian word ”pignolo” translates to ”fussy” in English. In the vineyard, the one certain thing about Pignolo is its low yield. Everything else around its growth is very random - for no apparent reason a vine might grow just one bunch of grapes, or give five bunches if it is in the mood. You never know! Further, in the winery Pignolo presents a challenge due to its high tannin and intensive colour. Making Pignolo wine is very messy indeed. 

Still, the greatest difficulty - or potential, depending on how you look at it - is its demand for aging before integrating and softening Pignolo’s tannins. However ripe grapes you use, Pignolo, very much like Nebbiolo, demands a couple of years maturation in oak and at least eight to ten years in bottle before tannins sufficiently integrate to show the wine’s potential. Naturally, the favourable flip-side of the coin is the tremendous aging-potential that comes with the abundant, drying tannin, high acidity and plentiful, interesting fruit that Pignolo boasts. If you have an opportunity to taste a slightly older Pignolo, you’ll be greeted with surprisingly velvety yet intensive tannin, moderate to high acidity, and unique, elegant aromas.

Referring to Pignolo as ”Friuli’s Nebbiolo” is a metaphorical way of expressing its paradoxical tannic elegance and aging potential. When it comes to comparing the wines that these two superb grapes produce, it is important to keep in mind that the resulting wines are very different from each other.

Structurally, Nebbiolo comes often in light, highly elegant styles, and its colour starts to fade quickly. Pignolo, on the contrary, always produces a dark ruby red wine, and its colour stays this way. Also, Pignolo’s structure is full bodied, dense and muscular, and aromatically completely different from Nebbiolo. Presenting flavours of wilderness, Pignolo is characterized by forest fruit such as blackberry, blueberry and cranberry, as well as dark fruit like dark cherry and plum. The more developed range of Pignolo’s aromas include forest floor, spices, leather, chocolate, liquorice and tobacco.

As if these exotic forest flavours weren’t enough, I have still to reveal the jewel in Pignolo’s aromatic crown. All of the Pignolos that I tasted in Friuli share this very particular, captivating aroma that I haven’t detected in any other wine before: a soft perfume that resembles the scent of face powder. When I take a sniff of a glass of Pignolo it takes me straight to a theatre backstage make-up room, where mirrors are lined with glowing light bulbs and soft powder puffs are in constant use. How fitting for Pignolo - a grape that is as demanding and elegant as any true diva!

Amarone is a hand-made product

Amarones age a minimum of three years in this picturesque cellar at Bussola's .

Valpolicella wines come in a wide range of prices: in a European supermarket a bottle of basic Valpolicella might cost just a couple of euros, while Amarone starts at minimum of 20 euros, wherever you might find it. What makes these wines so different, even though they are made from the same grape varieties in the same area?

First, there unfortunately still is a marked overproduction of modest quality basic Valpolicella that comes from the plains of Po river valley, while the grapes for Amarone are grown at the best, hilly vineyard sites. Also, the current popularity of a more fruity wine style has made Amarone a popular brand. The main reason for Amarone’s high value, however, is the huge demand of skilled care and labour it requires throughout its production.

Valpolicella normale is made of lesser quality grapes, and they are often the ones that have been excluded from Amarone production. Hence, even if a grape were grown on the best site, its juice wouldn’t necessarily end up in a bottle of Amarone. Working at the vineyards on steep slopes is by definition manual. And the more ambitious the Amarone producer, the more intensively fine tuned this manual work becomes. Just for example, during the harvest the grapes are not only hand picked, but also several passages are made through each vineyard to pick the grapes when they are optimally ripe.

Precision is especially vital already at the stage of grape picking for successfully producing high quality Amarone. In case any grey rot infected or damaged grapes are picked, a mouldy catastrophe takes place in the drying room. This is why only healthy and optimally ripe grapes are picked. Subsequently, the grapes are delicately carried in single layers to avoid their skins from breaking, to the drying room. Only intact grapes survive the four months or more of drying without becoming mouldy. And while only the best of the best grapes are accepted for making the Amarone, a third of the juice of these grapes is lost through evaporation in the drying process.

Amarone producers go to great lengths to avoid negative grey rot in the drying room. Many drying rooms are equipped with ventilators in addition to building the rooms open for natural ventilation that wind provides. In case noble rot is favoured for aromatical reasons, as might be the case for Recioto, the humidity needs to be optimised to favour its development. However, this is strenuous work - the line between noble and grey rot is indeed fine. Whether or not noble rot is desired, the battle against grey rot is constant during the four months of drying the grapes for Amarone and Recioto. Of these four months, the first ten days are the most vulnerable period. Grey rot infected grapes need to be removed immediately as they appear to avoid it taking over the entire harvest and spoiling it.

After the thriller in the drying room it’s the time for fermentation. However, the winters of Northern Italy aren’t warm, especially in the mountain foothills. When the drying of the grapes is finished, the coolest time of the year is at hand; yeasts are reluctant to wake up from their winter hibernation. Under these circumstances getting the fermentation going certainly can’t be taken for granted. Once the fermentation is on its way, it takes long because of the low water content of the must. Long fermentation increases the risk of spoilage. And still, after a successful fermentation, plenty of time, cellar and barrel space - and work - is required as these great wines of Valpolicella are aged at length, and typically released after 5 years of their vintage of production.

It becomes easy to understand the price point Amarone is sold at when considering the hurdles its producer needs to face before ending up with a complete wine. Clearly, not everyone is suited for taking on this kind of a job. You can just imagine how excited I was to be welcomed to visit one of the most ambitious Amarone and Recioto producing wineries in Valpolicella, Tommaso Bussola. I’ll share this experience on my next blog post. You are most welcome to join me on this Divine Wine visit! 

Bussola's entry-level Amarone from the nearly perfect vintage of 2009.

Winemaking in Valpolicella

High quality Valpolicella is hill-grown.

Too steep! Our little rental car protests agreeing only to the first gear as we start climbing up the home hills of quality Valpolicella. Here the traditional divide between classico and non-classico wine zones doesn’t always indicate respective quality difference. Rather, quality is essentially a function of two things: restricted yields, and grapes grown in the hills instead of the plain. With these points in mind, we continue travelling at a steep angle in our heroistic, high-pitched vehicle.

Finally, we reach our destination: Tommaso Bussola’s winery close to Negrar in Valpolicella classico. The car now parked and silent, one can only hear vine leaves swishing. Peaceful and filled with roses in full bloom, this landscape is the obvious home for the concentrated, powerful, yet floral Amarone.

But let's not hurry, dear vinous friends. Before we get to the winery visit at Bussola, I feel a need to cover some basics. Hence, this post is about the winemaking techniques typical of Valpolicella area, and will later be followed by posts about Amarone, and Tommaso Bussola winery.

Three styles of winemaking in Valpolicella

Valpolicella red wines are made with three distinct techniques. First, there is Valpolicella normale; second, Recioto and Amarone made of partially dried grapes; and third, ripasso wine. The ordinary Valpolicella is made along the lines of any normal red wine with relatively short maceration with fresh grape skins. The resulting product may be anything from a structured premium wine from grapes grown in the hills or a light, fruity and uncomplicated bulk wine from the plains.

Although the bulk wines from Adige river valley plains have harmed Valpolicella’s reputation, it has retained its greatness through Recioto, a sweet and bitter red reminiscent of fortified wines, and especially through Amarone, currently a star product of the area. Recioto and Amarone’s exceptional concentration is achieved through partially drying the grapes before winemaking. While this appassimento technique results in a third of the water volume being evaporated, all the goodness in the grapes is concentrated - especially sugar and extract. The grapes for Amarone are dried in this manner atleast for four months, and Recioto grapes even longer. This takes place in special drying rooms usually built in the lofts of the wineries. The beautiful, lacy brick structures typical to Valpolicella wineries hence serve a crucial function besides being aesthetic.

The brick lace drying room walls of Bussola winery.

Once the grapes are sufficiently dried, they are crushed and the fermentation begins. Challenging the fermenting yeasts, the must has a high sugar concentration. Although sugar is just what yeasts need to function, a very high concentration of sugar can paradoxally hinder the yeast or even kill it. Whether the fermentation is completed depends on the specific strains of yeast involved. Strains better equipped to tolerate high levels of sugar and alcohol can ferment the wine to dryness, resulting in Amarone. If the fermentation comes to a halt at en earlier point, residual sugar is present and the wine produced is Recioto. Actually, it is speculated that Amarone (amare, ital. for bitter) was originally Recioto gone wrong! Both wines have a high alcohol content due to the high sugar levels at the start of fermentation. Legally it is required that Amarone has a minimum of 14 % alcohol.

Ripasso, the third technique, innovatively utilises the grape skins left behind from Amarone fermentation. These skins full of power, flavour and phenols are used to upgrade Valpolicella normale by taking this ordinary, often relatively light red in contact with the Amarone skins for second fermentation. This way the resulting ripasso (re-passed) wine, although still lighter and less alcoholic, receives more power and body, and communicates the aromatic complexity of Amarone.

In my next post I’ll still be looking at Amarone in more depth. After that, I’ll take you to meet the Bussolas. Cin cin until then! 

Valpolicella normale waits for ripasso in stainless steel.

Julicher Pinot Noir 2011 Martinborough, New Zealand

Julicher Estate's vineyards are situated in Te Muna Valley. (Image: Julicher.)

Wine review

4 of 5 stars

A very good wine

Fitting for Pinot Noir, the colour is ruby red and medium, or even pale, in intensity. Although this wine is still quite young, there is a slight garnet tint on the rim. Delightful multiple layers of aromas open up on the nose: floral, perfumatic aromas as well as dried plums accompany red and black cherries. Subtle nuances of conserved cherries and cherry jam are detectable. New French oak has been used for 25% of the wine for 11 months, which gives clear yet elegant accent of vanilla, coffee and chocolate to this wine. After some aeriation time in the glass layers of attractive, developed tones appear: leather, mushrooms, even truffles. The conserved and jammy fruit elements could refer to a warm growth period. On the other hand, floral aromas are still beautifully detectable. 

Julicher Pinot Noir 2011 has a beautiful colour.

High in acidity, this wine is very “Pinot Noirish” on the first strike. Further, the tannins are light, velvety and fine-grained. The story of multifaceted aromatic elegance continues on the palate: now there are flowers, chocolate and earthy minerality on the foreground. However, the medium-bodied mouthfeel appears somewhat heavy and wide due to relatively high alcohol. Although high alcohol slightly challenges the balance, nuanced aromas and fruitiness are just enough to keep up with it, while the crisp acidity keeps the wine’s head held high structurally. Ending with an aromatic and long finish, Julicher Pinot Noir 2011 exits with elegance.

Intriguing and complex, this wine is a high quality example of a new world Pinot Noir.  

A glass of deliciousness was poured at Bar Latva, Helsinki.

 

Info in a nutshell

Price examples:

EUR 9,90 per glass, EUR 58 per bottle, Bar Latva, Helsinki, Finland

EUR 199,20 per 6 bottles (EUR 33 per bottle) wine and liquor store Alko, Finland

NZD 45,99 (EUR 28,59) finewinedelivery.co.nz, New Zealand

SGD 55 (EUR 36,70) wineexchangeasia.com, Singapore

Country and region: New Zealand, Martinborough

Grape: Pinot Noir 100%

Alc vol: 13,5%

Producer: Julicher Estate

Julicher's winemaker Outi Jakovirta is from Finland. (Image: Julicher.)

Background

New Zealands most praised Pinot Noirs come from Martinborough area on the southern tip of the North Island. The terroir of this area resembles Burgundy with its long growth season, cool nights and warm, dry days. As a variety, Pinot Noir is demanding and brutally honest in reflecting the growth conditions. Many new world winemakers are challenged with heat when it comes to Pinot Noir since this variety tends to lose its subtle, complex, floral and fruity characteristics and produce jammy wines when exposed to too much warmth. However, in Martinborough the vineyards have an advantage of high altitude, which creates a cooling effect. In addition, Julicher’s vineyards’ soil consists of free-draining alluvial gravel, which - combined with the low rainfall of the area – create superb conditions for growing Pinot Noir grapes rich in aromatic compounds.

Finnish born Outi Jakovirta is the head winemaker of Julicher Estate. She has studied oenology in the Lincoln University in New Zealand and worked in France, Germany, Australia and California. Her excellent winemaking skills are widely recognized and awarded. Amongst her many achievements is Best in Show awarded to Julicher Pinot Noir 2010 by Sommelier Wine Awards last year.

Julicher Estate is a small producer committed to sustainable wine production. Being an accredited sustainable winegrowing vineyard means using organic fertilizers and disease and pest sprays made from natural ingredients. 

Pinot Noir made by Outi has been awarded many times. (Image: Julicher)

Maquinon Garnacha 2013 Priorat DOCa, Spain

 

Maquinon Garnacha 2010.

Wine review

3 of 5 stars

A good wine

This young Garnacha wine shows a clear, ruby red colour of medium intensity. Fresh and simple on the nose, this wine has a focused aromatic profile of fresh red fruit with light spice and oak aromas. Red cherries dominate with strawberry appearing on their side. Having matured for four months in oak casks, this wine also has a slight scent of vanilla.

The first strike is medium bodied, markedly fruity and round.  On the mid-palate pleasant white pepper notes accompany the red cherries. Tannins are medium in amount and quite ripe. However, there is some roughness to the tannins. Acidity is also of medium intensity, while fruit as well as alcohol are abundant. As a result the balance is not optimal but tends to lean towards fruit and alcohol creating a very round overall impression. The acid structure doesn’t have quite enough power to support all the weight. Ending with a pleasant medium length, white pepper finish, this wine steers my thoughts to barbecue parties, where it would certainly serve its purpose.

Not too complex while quite alcoholic, this BBQ wine would be best served with fatty meats like sausages, ribs and pork chops. Also, it will be able to tolerate all kinds of sauces and grilled sides due to its simple, fruity nature. Even foods with plenty of umami, such as fresh mushrooms and asparagus, would work without a problem because there’s so much fruit in this wine.

Info in a nutshell

Price examples:

DKK 100 (EUR 13) per glass, wine bar Antidote, Copenhagen, Denmark

DKK 135 (EUR 18) wine shop Smalle Vin, Kööpenhamina

EUR 19.50 web shop ebuywines.com

USD 23.99  web shop heightschateau.com

Country and region: Spain, Priorat

Grapes: Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mazuela

Alc vol: 14%

Producer: Casa Rojo

Background

Spain has only two wine regions with the highest DOCa classification: Priorat and Rioja. Maquinon Garnacha comes from Priorat, and is made of the area’s dominant grape Garnacha (in French Grenache). Even though Garnacha is widely planted in Spanish vineyards, apart from Priorat the rest of Spain mainly uses Garnacha only as a component in blended wines. AS a thin-skinned grape with high demands for a very warm climate it presents the winemaker a challenge. Creating intensely coloured, full-bodied wines with a proper acid structure from 100% Garnacha is a vexing task.  Priorat and Souther Rhone the two wine regions in the world that reach this kind of peak results with Garnacha. More simple style Garnacha wines are easy to drink, fruity and slightly peppery. This is exactly the role Garnacha has in wine blends: to soften the somewhat tougher grapes with potent tannins and acidity, such as Tempranillo and Syrah.

Casa Rojo is a negotiant producing natural and organic wines from the most important wine regions in Spain. The label of Maquinon Garnacha indicates 100% Garnacha, however the technical sheet of the wine mentions also Mazuela and Cabernet Sauvignon leaving the percentages of their usage unclear. Hence, the final truth of the grape consistence of this wine remains an enigma, but the wine is marketed as 100% Garnacha.