Something different from Alsace and Verona, both wines highly recommended.

Something different from Alsace and Verona, both wines highly recommended.

Vino Nato Disobbediente Monte Dall’Ora 2019 11.5% 

€24.45 (litre bottle) 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

This blend, of pergola-trained 60% Corvinone & 40% Molinara, from the hills outside of Verona (think Valpolicella), has a quite light ruby red colour. Corvinone has been previously thought to be of the same group as Corvina but 1993 DNA profiling suggests that it is its own unique varietal.

Aromas here are both floral and fruity (strawberry, raspberry, cherry). The taste is along similar lines, relatively intense. On the palate also, you will find a lively acidity before a dry finish. A very pleasant wine indeed and Highly Recommended. It is a certified organic wine, clean and classy.

Not very much info on the “redacted” label, not even a vintage date! Pretty certain it is 2019 though and that is what is on my invoice. The wine’s name, Vino Nato Disobbediente, means Wine Born Disobedient. 

Two other words that survive on the front are resistente and contadino which Google translates as Hardy Farmer! And there’s a bit of sense to that as this type of wine, light and red (that can also take a little chilling), is made by the farmers for their own family use. And, another thing, it comes in a litre bottle. “A litre of pure joy!” According to importers Le Caveau; I willingly agree with that assessment.

The Venturinis, Alessandra and Carlo, have emphasized traditional and native grape varieties wherever possible to give originality and typicality. All the wines are blends of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Molinara and Oseleta. Fermentation is spontaneous with indigenous yeasts and extraction is gentle giving wines of gentle, cherry-fruited elegance.

Christian Binner, Côtes d’AmourSchwir Alsace (AOP) 2013, 13.5% 

€28.95 (was 33.50) 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

This light, fruity and fresh blend of white grapes from the Alsace is a traditional selection of mainly Riesling and Pinot Gris with lesser inputs via Gewuztraminer, Muscat and Auxerrois blanc.

Colour is orange-y. It is an intensely aromatic wine, lots of fruit and floral notes also. No shortage of fruit either on the palate, “a fruit basket of apples, oranges, poached pears and grapes” according to importers Le Caveau. Balance is attained though. It finishes long and dry. If you do like to stray off the usual piste, this is well worth a try. Highly Recommended. 

Serve at less than 14 degrees; grilled fish is an excellent match.

Harvest is manual, all grapes pressed together, fermented with indigenous yeast. It is a medium body structured wine. Zero sulfur added, unfined, unfiltered, so you may see a little sediment as I did.

Côtes d’Amourschwir is a selection from the best vineyards on the Cotes d’Ammerschwir. It is a blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewuztraminer, Muscat and Auxerrois. The grapes are blended from the press, fermentation takes place is large oak foudre that are over 100 years old.

The Binner family has owned vines in Alsace since 1770 and today they practice organic and biodynamic agriculture, neither fine nor filter the wine, use only natural yeasts, use minimal sulphur, etc... All the wines are aged in 100 year old big foudres and undergo malolactic fermentation.