A Couple of Classics. To Charm the Palate if not the Wallet.

A Couple of Classics. 

To Charm the Palate if not the Wallet

Marques de Riscal Gran Reserva Rioja (DOC) 2011, 14.5%, €44.95 Bradley’s Cork

Colour is a dark ruby. Aromas are a rich mix of dark fruits (plums etc). Rich fruit too on the palate, no shortage of spice, polished tannins in play too, all adding t a pleasurable harmony from initial attack to the slow-fading notes of the long finish. Full bodied with a velvety power, this is one to savour, slowly. Very Highly Recommended.

Riscal, who up to the middle of the previous century were synonymous with Bordeaux style wines in Rioja, are a large company. Sometimes they are better known for their Frank Gehry designed hotel in the vineyard.

In some ways, the hotel has helped wine-lovers re-discover the Riscal wines, according to the “The Finest Wines of Spain”. And this Gran Reserva is one of their finest. Quantities are relatively small but “it has all the subtle appeal of delicate, traditional Gran Reserva aged in old American oak”.

By the way, the Gran Reserva wines age in a huge vault directly beneath the hotel’s lobby. Other wines of note from this producer include Proximo, and Baron de Chirel along with the 100% Tempranillo, the Frank Gehry Seleccion, named for the famous architect. 

Most Rioja reds will have spent some time in oak. Check out the various designations below:

The green label (cosecha) indicates less than one year in oak, less than one in bottle.

The red label (crianza) indicates 1 year in oak, 1 in bottle.

The burgundy (reserva) indicates 1 year in oak, 2 in bottle.

The royal blue (gran reserva) indicates 2 years in oak, three years in bottle.

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Masi Costasera Amarone Classico (DOCG) 2013,  15%, about €39.95, Bradley’s Cork.

This is often referred to as Masi’s gentle giant, a benchmark for the Amarone category. It is indeed excellent and Very Highly Recommended. 

Masi & Louis Jadot Feature as Findlaters bring Wineberries to Cork

Masi and Louis Jadot Feature as Findlaters bring the Wineberries to Cork

Part Two: Masi, Louis Jadot

Mick O'Connell MW of Findlaters talking to guests at the Chapoutier stand.

Masi (Italy) and Louis Jadot (France) were among the winemakers featured as Findlaters brought their all star combo, the Wineberries, to Cork’s Montenotte Hotel last week. Quite a line-up with Bollinger, Hugel, M. Chapoutier, Louis Jadot, Masi and Torres all showing their excellent wines.

Started off with a glass of Bolly and then got a chance to take in the views over the city, including the impressively refurbished hotel’s newly laid out gardens. It was quiet - I was early - so I had a good chance to walk around and savour what was coming.

Masi 

Masi are “one of the great entrepreneurs of Italian wine,” according to The Modern History of Italian Wine and they were ably represented in the Montenotte by Export Manager Giacomo Boscaini.

Masi are well known for using techniques that enhance the flavour and concentration of their wines but I was somewhat surprised when he mentioned the technique in conjunction with the white he was pouring, the Massianco. It is a blend of 85% Pinot Grigio and 15% Verduzzo from Friuli. The Verduzzo spends three weeks drying and this enables it play quite a part in the final result (the fruits are vinified separately). This 2017 carries the DOC de Venezia.

They are proud of their techniques, experts in “enhancing aromas and tastes using lightly semi dried grapes”. This appassimento leads to a higher concentration of fruit and it seems to work well here.

There are excellent white fruit and blossom aromas and the colour is light gold with a green hue. This is Pinot Grigio plus, with character and concentration, a lip drying acidity and an impressive finalé. Well worth a try.

Just as I was going to another table, Giacomo asked me to try their Canevel Brut Prosecco Superiore DOCG. I’m so glad he did. I can take or leave Prosecco but will forever regard it in a different light after tasting this beauty, proudly sporting its DOCG, the fruit from the prime area of Valdobbiadene. A benchmark in the Canevel range, a dry and silky sparkling wine with delicate aromas of apples and spices. More than enough to convert me!

Skipped on down to Tuscany then for the first of the Masi reds. It was the Poderi Bellovile Rosso di Toscana (IGT) 2015. “Fresh, fruity, an everyday wine with lots of Tuscan character.” Would do nicely at the weekends too!

It is made from a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo grapes grown in the Cinigiano hills on the Poderi del Bello Ovile estate. Masi's purchase of this estate in collaboration with Conti Serego Alighieri marks the return of the descendants of the poet Dante to Tuscany.

Off to Argentina now with Giacomo to try the Passo Doble Valle de Uco 2016, a red wine with an unusually high aromatic content made on the organically run Masi Tupungato estate at Mendoza. The fruit is grown on sandy soil at a height of 1000 metres.

It is striking for its intense fruitiness and delicate spiciness and lovely finish. Its strong and exuberant character comes from the local Malbec grape, while the addition of lightly dried Corvina Veronese (that technique again!) gives it the easy appeal and attractiveness of Venetian wines.

Superb Prosecco

It is also the subject of a double fermentation. At the end of the first (after a month), the dried Corvina is added to start the second fermentation.

And Giacomo still had one big treat for me, the Riserva di Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG. Proud, majestic, complex and exuberant: this is a special cru version of Masi's gentle giant, Costasera.

And here Masi's unrivalled expertise in the Appassimento technique is used to give the grapes a long period of further ripening on bamboo racks and then there’s an ageing period for the wine of at least three years in casks made from the finest wood types.

The expert use of indigenous grapes for the Valpolicella Classica area - Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara - is enriched by the addition of the unique Oseleta. Needless to say, this was superb!

The Oseleta is interesting as it had been forgotten until re-discovered by Giacomo’s uncle and “now we are using it”. Just goes to show that while companies are important, it is the contributions of individuals that can make all the difference. Saluti!

Maison Louis Jadot

Nicolas was in great form at the Louis Jadot stand. We had a Louis Jadot dinner with Marie-Pierre Dardouillet (left), Export Director of the company, in Inchydoney Lodge not too long ago and you may read about the wines here. 

Interestingly, Nicolas told me they had their own cooperage, Cadus, that they bought in 1996. Our first wine though, the Chablis 2017, is unoaked, deliciously fresh with a beautiful mouthfeel. Next up was the Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2016. After a soft pressing, part of the juice is fermented in "double barrels" of 406 litres. The other part is vinified and aged in stainless steel vats. Ageing usually lasts 13 to 15 months on fine lees before bottling. This is more intense, with more volume than the previous one, with good acidity and a really long finish. “Will last for years,’ said Nicolas.

Jadot make wines in Burgundy and also in neighbouring Beaujolais and when I came back to the reds, Nicolas offered the Fleurie 2017. Fleurie is one of the ten crus in the region and straightaway you notice its bright light red colour. “It is one hundred per cent Gamay. Red fruits, acidity, some tannins, well balanced.” A lovely drop as we might say around here.

In 1996, Louis Jadot bought Chateau de Jacques in Morgon, “a really old winery” who also have holdings in other crus here. Morgon is one of the main crus and this 2014 bottle had the added distinction of coming from the highly regarded Cotes de Py with its “granitic volcanic soil”. It was a cold year, natural yeast was used here and the wine spent 12-15 months in oak. Because of the cold, it took a while to open out “but now it’s getting better and better”. 

Torres and Hugel were also well represented here and you may read about my chats with them here.

Sweet favourite of the Romans. Still Going Strong!

Sweet favourite of the Romans. 
Still Going Strong! 

Masi Angelorum Recioto della Valpolicella Classico (DOC) 2012, 14%, €24.95 (35cl) Bradley’s

This is something special, once a favourite of the ancient Romans. 

According to Hugh Johnson, it “is the most historic of all Italian wines…. sumptuous..cherry chocolate…sweet fruitiness.”

It is produced by Masi, “one of the great entrepreneurs of Italian wine,” according to The Modern History of Italian Wine.

Masi are well known for using techniques that enhance the flavour and concentration of their wines and Recioto is one such. 

Recioto is made by arresting the fermentation.. so that some residual sugar remains, according to Vino Italiano. “With all that sugar, the extract, and the alcohol, a Recioto can be almost overwhelming in its intensity…. a meal in itself… It is still one of the great wines of Verona, an answer to Port.”

You will need patience to see that answer though. The bottle below is from 2012, so the style is sweet and fruity. Towards the end of its recommended 20 years, it becomes similar to Port.

It is a blend of three well-known grapes in the area: Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara. Moderate barrel ageing helps achieve balance. 

Colour is a dense ruby red.  Cooked cherries and fruits preserved in spirits are given as the aromas. Haven't done either, so I'll take their word for it! On the classy palate you notice that lovely balance of fruit, sweetness and acidity. And then the long finish. Nowhere near as heavy as some well-known sweet wines, not a hint of cloying, and Very Highly Recommended.

See also (from my current Italian mini-series):

Fontanafredda. Important Player in Italian Wine
Two Amazing Whites from Italy.

Wines of Italy's Marche

In the Heart of Chianti

From the Islands

Pighin's "Grave wines are bargains". Good too!

Barolo and Amarone. Two Italians Worth Knowing
Montepulciano and Montepulciano confused?
Pinot Grigio, one of the most popular grapes.

Wines from the Alps

Velenosi from the Marche

Engaging Native Italian Trio

Engaging Italian Trio

All Natives!

Baglio Rosso Nero d’Avola, Terre Siciliane (IGP) 2014, 14%, €19.50 Le Caveau

This organic wine has undergone natural fermentation - without additional yeast - and is Highly Recommended. Colour is a very dark red, heading into black. Dark fruits and spice on the nose follow through to the palate, some savoury notes here too, plus excellent acidity. Fresh too, this fruity low intervention medium bodied wine is a delicious easy drinker.

Filippi “Castelcerino” Colli Scaligeri, Soave (DOC) 2014, 12.5%, €18.65 Le Caveau

This is quite an attractive wine, beginning with its medium gold colour. Aromas of fresh white fruit, hints of anise. White fruit flavours too, no shortage of minerality, elegant and fresh, quite smooth with a lingering finish, this light bodied biodynamic wine is Highly Recommended.

The main grape for Soave is Garganego, sometimes others are added. But not here. This is 100% Garganego, the fruit of 70 year old vines. It is also held on its lees for an extended period and they recommend pairing it with fish, salads, and light pasta dishes. An entry level wine but far from basic. Well worth a try.

Masi Campofiorin 2005 Rosso del Veronese (IGT), 13%, €17.50 (now at 14.95) for the 2008 version, Bradley’s Off Licence

An ageing potential of 10 to 15 years is flagged on the bottle, so I'm in pretty good time, I said to myself as I opened this gift from a friend. Colour is a ruby red and the aromas speak of warm ripe cherries. There follows a good concentration of cherries and berries, good acidity, very fine tannins and a decent finish. Highly Recommended.

This rich, smooth wine has spent 18 months in large oak barrels, is very approachable and versatile with food. It is made by re-passing (ripasso, sometimes also called double fermentation, is a method used to add more structure, body and flavour). The grapes used are Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, all native grapes.

Christmas Suggestions. Gin, Whiskey and Wine

Press releases

Ireland’s First Cask Aged Gin

Blackwater Distillery have launched Ireland’s first aged gin. 

Blackwater Juniper Cask Gin which goes on sale this week has rested in casks made from juniper wood for at least thirty days. The barrels are specially made for the West Waterford distillery and because juniper trees aren’t very big, they can’t be larger than 50 litres. 

The Juniper Cask Gin contains the same 12 botanicals found in the company’s award winning Blackwater No.5, though here they are different proportions. The sweeter roots like liquorice are increased so the gin isn’t overpowered by the astringent juniper wood. The result is a copper coloured gin, complex and aromatic with plenty of character and a wonderful long finish.

ENDS

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter Mulryan

Blackwater Distillery

Unit 3 Cappoquin Enterprise Park

Cappoquin

Co Waterford, Ireland

T: +353 58 52621

E: peter@blackwaterdistillery.ie

W: www.blackwaterdistillery.ie

F: www.facebook.com/blackwaterdistillery

T: www.twitter.com/blackdistillery

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A Christmas Collection

Whiskey and Wine

Have yourself a very whiskey Christmas!

Have yourself a very whiskey Christmas this festive season with some cracking gifts for the whiskey lover in your life.

From Single Malt to Small Batch to mini gift packs and distillery tours, Teeling Whiskey has a gift to suit all tastes and budgets. All of the below is available to purchase from the Teeling Whiskey Distillery, www.teelingwhiskey.com as well as good independent retailers; The Celtic Whiskey Shop, James Fox’s and Dublin Airport to a name a few.

Whiskey lovers should also check out the Teeling Whiskey Distillery which opened its doors in June. The first working distillery in Dublin in over 125 years, it offers daily tours and has extended its opening hours for the festive season. What better way to round off an afternoon of Christmas shopping?

1.      Teeling Whiskey “Revival”- RRP €100 - €120 – brand new to the range, this Single Malt Irish Whiskey was specifically bottled on a limited edition run to celebrate the launch of the Teeling Whiskey Distillery. This whiskey is a 15 Year Old Single Malt which has been fully matured in ex-rum barrels.

2.      Mini Trinity Pack – RRP €18 –the Trinity pack includes all three of Teeling Whiskey’s non-aged portfolio - ideal for whiskey lovers and those who aren’t sure which is their favourite tipple but would love to sample them all over the festive season. It includes the Teeling Irish Whiskey Single Grain, Teeling Irish Whiskey Small Batch and the Teeling Whiskey Single Malt. There’s a different finish in there for everyone!

3.      Small Batch Gift Pack – RRP €45 - For those who know their whiskey and like to enjoy it in the comfort of their own home, TWC also have a special Small Batch Gift Pack which comes with two  stylish Teeling tumbler glasses.

If you know someone that’s a fan of the whiskey and history, the Teeling Whiskey Distillery offers brilliant tours running daily. The tour itself involves a walk through the exhibition space which brings you through the history of whiskey in Ireland, then venturing to the inner workings of the distillery where visitors can experience the heat and sweet smell from the stills and witness the whiskey making process first hand. Gift vouchers for the distillery are available online from www.teelingwhiskey.com and in the distillery on Newmarket Square.

If you would like to book your Teeling Whiskey Distillery experience now, you can do so by calling +353 (0)1 531 0888 or via email on reservations@teelingwhiskey.com

For more on the Teeling Whiskey Company and its award winning Irish Whiskeys, visitwww.TeelingWhiskey.com

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Try a little Heritage

HÉRITAGE N° 290

To celebrate its 290th anniversary, Barton & Guestier launched Héritage N°290, the Ultimate wine brand and an innovation in the world of wine! For almost 300 years, Barton & Guestier has been excellent at vinifying, ageing, fining and shipping the best wines from France. 290 years ago, these wines were those produced at Margaux, Lafite, Haut Brion... The cellar masters were adding their final touch to the wine and Barton & Guestier's 1st cellar master, Germain Rambaud was shaping the best wines of the 18th century. Barton & Guestier has been sucessful in keeping the tradition and continues to select, make and ship the best wines from France. In 2015, inspired by the spirit of the B&G founders, winemaker Laurent Prada is bringing Héritage by Barton & Guestier, the 1st brand to offer consistency in quality, in price and in availability to winelovers worldwide. Like the great Cognac, the most exclusive Whiskies, the most illustrious Champagne, Héritage is non vintage to offer consistant style and quality. More about the wine: Héritage N°290 offers a rich wine, full of character just like the 2 founders of B&G. Vineyards: Northern of Languedoc, south west side of the Rhône valley, between Nîmes & Alès Winemakers: Partnership between B&G winemakers team, led by Laurent Prada and Philippe Nusswitz, Sommelier-winemaker in the Cévennes area, best sommelier of France in 1986. Philippe worked for B&G in the 90's and he is one of the founder of our famous Wine Connaisseur program created in Château Magnol. Varietals: Blend of Syrah (80%) and Grenache (20%) Vinification: De-stalked grapes - daily pumping over - long maceration in concrete vats (3 weeks) Ageing: French oak barrels for 6 months Classification: AOC Duché d'Uzès.

Tasting notes:

• Dark red colour with violet highlights.
• Rich nose developing intense black fruit aromas (morello cherry) and spices. On the second nose, violet notes appear.
• A wine with a harmonious structure, balance, mixing intense flavours of fruit and toasty and vanilla hints.
• Food & Wine pairing:
• Perfect with lamb, duck, beef, dark chocolate, strong cheeses and spicy dishes - Best at 18-20 °C.
• Good ageing potential for 5 to 10 years.

The packaging Heritage comes in an original bottle, with a capsule supported by a strong B&G branding and a label design based on the personality of its founders featuring their embossed portraits with a pearly white varnish to bring a touch of modernity and the brand name Heritage N°290 in black varnish. Heritage is available in personalized carton outershippers of 6 x 75 cl. B & G are represented in Ireland by Richmond Marketing **************

Serego Alighieri Vaio Armaron from Masi Becomes the First-Ever Venetian Wine to 

Make the Wine Spectator Top 10

Masi’s Amarone Classico, Vaio Armaron Serego Alighieri 2008, is the first wine from the Venetoto be included in Wine Spectator’s “Top 10”, the most eagerly awaited list in the wine world.

The result was unveiled last week by the prestigious wine magazine, which put this emblematic wine from Valpolicella in 8th place with a score of 95/100.

Commenting on the achievement, President of Masi Agricola, Sandro Boscaini, said, “This is the first time that a wine from the Veneto has reached the Olympus of the world’s 10 best wines.

"This is proof of the potential of our territory and of its most historic and representative wine: a unique product sometimes jeopardised by the politics of production – or rather over-production – and low-end market orientation.

"This achievement confirms how our land is naturally suited to high quality production, without any compromises.”

Serego Aligheri Vaio Armaron is an  Amarone Classico that Masi makes in collaboration with the Serego Alighieri family, descendants of the poet Dante. This multi-award-winning wine with a noble history back to 1353, which already received 95/100 points from Wine Spectator last April, now enters the firmament of great icon wines with territorial provenance.

Masi is exclusively distributed in Ireland by

Findlater Wine & Spirit Group // www.findlaterws.ie