Et spændende felt

Bloggen kan denne gang præsentere et spændende felt af vine. Der har været lidt sommerstille, men sidste weekend kom der 3 vine på bordet med nye typer aldrig skrevet om før her. Vi kom både til Østrig og smagte på Traminer, som menes at være allevines-stamfader (genetisk set), afprøvet den hvide lille-bror til Matassa Rouge som tog os med storm sidste gang, og endelig smagt en herlig Pinot Nero (Pinot noir) fra Nord-italien. Her er noterne, priserne, og karakterne (og forresten næste gang blir naturligvis endnu mere spændende).

Aftenens 3 vine.

Scheibelhofer 2006

Farve stærk gul.

Bouquet: modne pærer, pærelikør, rosevand, parfume, og en note af dild.

Smagen er ganske krydret, tæt, sødlig med et krydret efterstref. Strukturen i vinen er lidt flad. Det er en vin som stiller krav til hvordan man drikker den, men bestemt med karakter. Pointene faldt  derfor noget forskelligt ud i panelet. indkøbt hos Vinotec Marquart 208dkk/fl. 85/90/90 P

Matassa blanc

Farve: Uklar og lidt tåget.

Bouquet med animalske noter, galia-melon, gær, syrlig, kælder, engelsk lakrids. Smagen har noter af mandarin, harpiks, snert af retsina). Den perler på tungen, og holder en god mineralitet.

Indkøbt hos Mandsted vine for 159 dkk. 88P

Isimbarda 2005

Farve rubin-rød.
Bouquet: kirsebær, chokolade og karamel. Det er pinot noir på en finurlig god måde. Det er lidt amerikaner over den dog uden sødmen, og det klær den. Spændende indslag.  Indkøbt hos Terroiristen 170dkk. 89/90P

A few wines from Austria

As part of the foodbloggers symposium 2010 arranged by Rasmus Holmgård, a winetasting with focus on Austria was later held one evening back in October. The event was supported by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, to broaden the minds of danish food- and winebloggers to also include this lesser known corner of the European wine production.

The wines we tasted came in the following order:

Prager Riesling Smaragd Achleiten 2008, Wachau

This is one of the top producers of Austrian riesling and a very powerful wine to start out with. The lighting could have been better (it was quite dark), yet the wine appeared to have nice golden hue. In the nose it was mouthwatering with a remarkable blend of fruits, white flowers and minerals. In the mouth there was an immediate acid attack followed up by a plentiness of fruits that I have seldom tried before. The wine seemed a bit awkward in the mouth, a bit fat and the minerality was sort of hiding behind the other flavors. Still I have no doubt that this will develop into a magnificent wine in say 5-10 years from now. 92p

229 DKR., Bergman Vinimport

Wieninger Nussberg Alte Reben Gemischter Satz 2008, Wien

Whereas most wines from Austria are made from just one grape variety, this wine is a mix of several and thus called ”Gemischter”. Quite spicy in the nose, with some white pepper and lemon. There were the same elements in the mouth but also a green sort of unripeness that I was not particularly fond of. Plenty of minerals but not really a wine that tickles my fancy. 87p

130 DKR., Philipson Wine

F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd ”von den Terrassen” 2005, Wachau

Yet again a top producer, but this time a wine made on the grape grüner veltliner. Lots of spices, including the trade mark of grüner veltliner -white pepper, and white fruit in the nose. Again I found a green unripeness in the mouth but also lots of minerals. 90p

189 DKR., Østrigsk Vinimport

Tement Zieregg Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Südsteiermark

This wine gave me green apples and vaseline!!!! (yep that is a first for me in a wine). Quite spicy and complex but seemed a bit unbalanced. 88p

251 DKR., Østrigsk Vinimport

Franz Strohmeier Schilcher ”Trauben, Liebe und Zeit” 2008, Weststeiermark

Very fresh and clean in the nose with lots of strawberries and red currant. In the mouth the first impression was a serious acid attack followed by same red fruits as from the nose. Lots of spices but the main focus is the mouthwatering acidity. An interesting rosé. 89p

127,50 DKR., Østrigsk Vinimport

Moric Blaufränkisch 2007, Mittelburgenland

Very pinot noir like in the nose, with dark raspberries and strawberries, but more spicy. The same in the mouth. No doubt that this producer has been thinking of Bourgogne while making this wine and it is a great success. For me this was the wine of the night although Prager came in a close second. 92p

260 DKR., Österreich

Claus Preisinger Pannobile 2007, Neusiedlersee

In contrast to the previous wine, this wine was much heavier with darker fruits and much more wood from the barrels. This is a well made wine that aims to please, and it does but I must say that I found it utterly uninspiring. 90p

245 DKR., Österreich

Alois Kracher No.8 Welschriesling TBA “Zwischen den Seen” 2001, Neusiedlersee

A trockenbeerenauslese made from welschriesling (which has nothing to do with riesling). Spicy clean nose. This is a very sweet wine but the acidity has a nice kick to it which keeps the wine on the straight and narrow. Plenty of tropic fruits like mango but also some caramel or burnt sugar. 92p

285 DKR., Bergman Vinimport

After the official tasting we had a number of great cheeses and more Austrian wines that did not take notes of. In all this event was a great success with plenty of opportunity to meet and talk to other food and wine fanatics.

/Mads

Smooth or barnyard...What are you in to?

This weekend offered a great wine tasting, including a French traditionlist to explore, a rarity from Portugal to collect, and fruitful discussions on wine rating. The latter issue on rating will be dealt with in a separate post to follow soon, but main aim is to create a new scale, which embrace both the subjective with the objective in wine rating. The scale is proposed to combine a linear and a catagoric scale.

As any great dinner with wine tasting, the set was started out with a bottle of champagne. Here with a fresh nose of rye bread and a good palate.

Geyerhoff Kirschensteig 2008

Notes: Deep amber yellow color with velcoming nose of exotic fruits, elderflowers, and hints of botrytis. The taste evolves elegantly from being sweet, then dry and ultimately slight acidic, which prolong the finish. Although the wine only contains 12.5%, the mouthfeel is sensed as a somewhat more full bodied white.

Domaine de Escaravailles 2006

This wine is an attempt to produce ”New world” taste of Pinot-Noir or Cote rotie based on old world methods. The big question here is, whether this french producer should better stick to their regional traditions or seek out this kind of new avenues?

Notes: Mature cherries and marcipan, hints of raspberries. The wine appears medium bodied, some may say mineralistic style. However, the alcohol volume is pushed to a maximum wth 15%.

Domaine Leon Barral Jardis 2002

Conforme wine drinkers and weak souls keep out! A bottle of Domaine Leon Barral is simply a journey back at the roots of wine making. Placed in Langue doc, the grape material here is grenache, mouvedre, carignan and syrah. It is 100% natural wine; non filtered, no additives, supposedly no micro agents or sulphites. Hence bottles of Leon Barral Jardis have to stored under the right circumstances to avoid effects from cork or fluctuations in the quality.

The danish retailer told anecdotally, that buying directly from Barral is only possible, if visitors bring their own cooling facilities. Anything else is considered a crime at the Chateau.

Notes: Clear brettanomyces style with a complex nose of curry, commin, young leather, menthol, green elements, on a solid base of barn yard. A panelist said: ”it is like opening a rabbit”, but meant positively (if possible?:)). The wine is a bit cloudy and not cleared. This wine, is for me, unforgettable, and it did indeed appeal to most of the panel members. Even some of the women liked it too!

Niepoort Projectos Colheita Tardia 2003

We ended the tasting with a little rarity from Northern Portugal. We have had several wines from Dirk Niepoorts hands at Grapejuices before, but this late harvest (Pt: Colheita tardia) is from the ”Projectos series”, a series of experimental wines from the Douro and Tras os Montes regions. The wines are primarily available here.

So far only some hundreds of this 500ml bottle late harvest has been produced, and seemingly only from the 2003 vintage. It is definitively not typical Portuguese style, but from my side, it is a little catastrophe, if Niepoort does not add this wine in their official repertoire. It does not read from the label which grapes that are used in this little gem, but some tasting notes are simliar to late harvested Riesling (petroleum).

Notes: Nose of petroleum and mango. Great balance of sweetness with honey finish. Advice: collect if possible!

Tasted by Laurent, MadsE, and Drud. Posted by Drud

Blaufrankisch - an indian summerwine

Posted by Drud

September is here and we now tend to leave summers light wines and enjoy the more full bodied ones. There are, however, wines that still target the seasons small changes delightfully. The other day I found a bottle of Blaufrankisch from Burgenland. I am quite a fan of these "colder" reds, as they have a rich and heavy bouquet yet surprising crispy (and lighter) body with good fruit. A recipe for a perfect Indian summer wine.  

After 30 min open, a great bouquet grew out of the bottle with dark cherries, chalk, earth, salt licorice, and oak. The wine is mineral with a fresh bite. Uncomplicated and lovely. 89P 

Moric Blaufrankisch 2005/Winetrader.dk aprrox 120dkk

Super Saturday

Tasted by MadsE and Drud

This saturday we had a little child celebration, Adriana turned 2 weeks and in good company on a weekend we pulled out three good wines.

Muhr-Niepoort Prellenkirchen 2007

First wine was from Austria with the influence of the Portuguese winemaker, Dirk Niepoort. Prellenkirchen is based on 80% Grüner Sylvaner and 20% Riesling. Taste notes and impressions are manyfold and accurately described by the Danish importer here. It is fine summer wine, with a medium body and the taste of riesling. Purchased at Atomewine.dk 99dk/bottle. 88-89P Buy

La Chablisienne 2002 Chablis 1.Cru Monte Milieu

At dinner we uncorcked what perhaps turned to be the best white wine posted on Grapejuices so far. Phillipson wine are presently selling La Chablisienne at 149dkk/bottle (when buying 12bottles) and what wonderful wine this is. The bottle itself is twice as heavy as a normal bottle, conveying the message "you-are-now-about-to-drink-some-real-hefty-stuff" - and the statement stands. There are so many nuances, which just come consecutively, one after the other. Compact bouquet of almonds, vanilla, and hinys of minerals. Taste is rich with a long finish of hazel and liquorices’. Cheers. Phillipson Wine 149DKK/bottle when buying 12bottles. 92-93P Buy

Cote Rotie Bernard Burgaud 2006

Syrah - no way! No heaviness, no over ripe overseas Syrah. Be preprared for a surprise, as this wine steps aside from most Syrah made today, and show what this grape can do, in the hands of the right people.

Here is what it reads "Burgaud makes highly personal wines with a very limited production. This vintage bears lovely hints of ripe rasberries, a notes of dark fruit and black olives, bits of oxidized iron, raw meat and spices. Despite 100% Syrah it has loads of feminin charme. The taste is intense, medium body and above all a dominant fruit and exact balanced acid level, which emits balance in the wine." 93RP and we agree. Buy

Geyerhof Riesling "Johannisberg" 2007

This is the third wine I have tasted from Geyerhof and again it knocks my socks right off. It is much like the Riesling "Sprinzenberg", but more of everything. It is very aromatic with yellow fruits, white flowers and some spice. Nice full body a little sweetness and matching acidity to keep it balanced. The finish continues long after the last sip with a slight bitterness. I would expect this wine to develop nicely over the next say 5-10 years, maybe even longer.

Sells for around 150-170 and is a definite buy.

Points 91-92+

Mads Eggert.

Wines at Fredensgade Nov 2008

Condrieu 2006 (vineur: Jean Michel Gerin)
Bouquet: Intense, the fruits peach or the minor plum, mirabella (which are the ’give away’ for this wine). Tones of ‘melted butter’ was also mentioned.
Taste notes: Dry with notes of stonefruit (grappa).
Grapes: 100% viogneir
Notes: This wine really puzzled the panel. The wine is grown on the higher plateaus in Northern part of Rhone, on rocky soils.
Distributor: HJ Hansen vin at 250dkk/bottle (500ml)
Saint Joseph 2006 (vineur: Jean Delobre)
Bouquet: strong pepper (black), pastis, anis, as it stands in the glass the bouquet evolves over an impressing range. At the final evaluation a broad fume of croc ant and orange was present.
Taste notes: Rich, but the wine appears light, and slightly acidic. The taste is lasting and entirely pure.
Notes: In short it is a very elegant wine.
Distributor: Noma Wine import at 175kr/bottle
Atalanyas 2005,  Ribera del Duero
Bouquet: dark berries, smoky, hints of pepper, slight references of vanilla (probably a to the Temperanillo)
Taste Notes: slight acidic. Powerful yet smooth.
Grapes: 100% temperanillo / 12 months in 20% new French oak, rest on older casks from Haut-Brion. Non filtered.
Notes: The wine ranges as one of the best from riebera, and from a distinct little vineyard Atauta, which has its wine growing on southern oriented hills. Vineurs, Miguell Sánchez and the French Bertrand Soudais produce wine in small amounts in super class. “Golban" has a very low yield 15-20 hl/hkt,
Distributor: Erik Sørensen at 139kr/bottle
La Reserve de Leoville Barton 2005, St Julien 
Bouquet: intense, mocca,
Tastenotes: This wine is corpolent, Round, smootly balanced and dry.
Grapes: 72 % Cab. Sauvignon, <8%>

Notes: 2005 was an excellent year from Bordeaux. The Chauteu Leoville-Barton is appointed 2 cru classe in Bordeaux. La reserve, the second wine, is produced exactly the same way as the first wine of Leoville-Barton - and thus the wine is a very good option for one who wish to experience a good Cab-based Bordeaux within an affordable price range. 

Distributor: Erik Sørensen at 269kr/bottle (normally 300kr/bottle)

Aglianico del Vulture 2003 (vineur: Elena Fucci)

Bouquet: Truffel, viol, grappa, chokolates, minerals and smoke.
Tastenotes: Distictively with an ”italian” stile, a wine with strucrual egdes.
Grapes: 100% Aglianico.
Notes: Aglianico (the grape) thrives in volcanic soils and mature extremely late. Thus the Fucci is almost always one of the late to appear on the European markets. The wine sets new standard for ”black” – its pitch black! The wine was stored 60% new oak and 40% older. The entire production is limited to 400 boxes a year.
Distributor: Oxholm vine at 275kr/bottle
Ardévol 2004, Priorat
Bouquet: smokey, dark berries, leather and vanilla.
Taste notes: Fine balance
Grapes: 100% temperanillo. More notes to come.
Distributor: Unknown, price unknown.
Nittnaus – Beeren Auslese 2006, (Austria)
Bouquet: complex and intense. Stony fruits, tropical fruits, hints citrus. References to Botrytis which make the wine similar to the taste of sauternes. 

Tastenotes: Delicate acid, which break the sweetness
Grapes: Chardonney (late harvest)

Distributor: Gobi Vin 99kr/bottle (375ml)

Wine notes at Sune's

1. Sune: Greenhough 2004 (NZ); Oxholm vine/160kr
2. Drud: Doowie Doole 2002, Cabernet Savignon (Aus); Propswine.dk/140kr
3. Eggert: Geyerhof Riesling (Au); Viniportugal/price
4. Daugaard: Chauteau Talliffer 2004, Pomerol (Fr) distributor/price
5. Laurent: Saint Joseph 2005, Syrah (Fr); distributor/price

Finale(s): Malvira Birbet (It) Theis Vine/109kr.

See you next time in Espergærde

Reds at Laurent & Caroline (7 march)

Daugaard: Canubi 2000 (Piedmont)

Eggert: J. Hoffstätter 2004 (Veneto)

Drud: Alleé Bleue - L'amour toujours 2005 (South Africa)

Laurent: The laughing magpie 2006 (Adelaeine plains, Austrialia)

Sune: Quinta do Carmo 2001 (Alentejo, Portugal)