Spit 2019. Part Two. With Vinostito and Grapecircus.

Spit 2019. Part Two

With Vinostito and Grapecircus.

When it came to the whites, it was all Spain for me at the Vinostito stall during Tuesday's Spit 2019 tasting at the Glucksman in Cork. Louro do Bolo 2018 is by Rafael Palacios, the youngest of the famous brothers. It is 100% Godello from hilly country and granite soil in Valdeorras where 90% of the vines are white. This, newly bottled, has had a few months in oak and is a gem, full of fresh flavours, rich but with balancing acidity.

An outsider may find it hard to find differences in the popular Albarino wines. You have to look at the winemaker, advised Antonio. And the Albamar Pepe Luis 2017 is well worth looking at, mellow and delicious. The grapes are grown very close to the sea in small plots under pergolas. Neighbours pull together here.

Did you know that they have pre-phylloxera vines growing in Tenerife? Well they do and they make some great wine there. Next time you’re there, check out those produced by Suertes Del Marques. Their Trenzado 2017, a white blend from the Valle de la Orotava, part aged in oak, most of it aged in cement, is excellent, made from fruit of vines between 60 to 100 years old. Their red, made from Listan Negro, is La Solana. The vines are trained to grow more horizontally rather than vertical (below), and the vineyard claims their "cordon multiple" is unique. Back-breaking I'd say at harvest time.

I’m a bit of sucker for Gamay, especially if it is as well made as “Corcellete” 2017 by Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes. “This is less traditional,” says Antonio. It is terrific though with a bit more backbone than normal in a Beaujolais.

Antonio enthused about Celler del Roure from Valencia in Spain. “This is a great story from a rediscovered and rehabilitated winery. The wines are made in the natural way and this is mellow, with great purity and freshness”. And indeed the Vermell 2017, a blend of Monastrell, Garnacha, Tintorera and Mando, has all those qualities, an excellent blend indeed.

The outstanding standard confined at the Grapecircus stand. My initial white here was the Verdicchio ‘Saltatempo’ 2017 by La Marca Di San Michele. “This is biodynamic,’ said the enthusiastic Enrico. “No additives at all, just a pure expression of the Verdicchio. The fruit is grown close to the sea but 400 meters above sea level. This is considered a top cru.” And you can consider this a top wine with a lovely finish.

Down south then to Campania for the Greco di Tufo 2016 by Bambinuto, another organic beauty, this from the village of St Paulino, 550/600m above sea level with volcanic soil. Enrico was keen to point out the ageing potential of this one, comparing it to Riesling. “No problem with ageing,” he said. And no problem with drinking it now either. Must say that the Greco and myself get on well.

Campania

There’s obviously a sense of humour in the Demencia winery in Bierzo in Spain. The grape is Mencia and the wine “Pyjama”. There’s even a pair of pyjama legs the length of the bottle. But don’t worry - they are not poking fun at the condition but giving thanks that an old forgotten vineyard has been brought back into life and the result is this excellent red.

Bourgueil

Finished up here with another from the Loire: the Bourgueil ‘La Coudraye’ 2016 by Yannick Amirault. This organic wine is made, as is usual here, with Cabernet Franc. It is typically light, with a good finish. Indeed, it has all the usual Cabernet Franc characteristics with a touch extra backbone. Excellent. 

And indeed, excellent all round. 

When Vinostito first stared importing wines to Ireland, their focus was on Spanish wines. “Now, 10 years later, we focus also on Austria, France, Italy and Portugal.” Rafael Salazar and Antonio Lorente are the duo behind Vinostito.

Enrico Fantasia’s Grapecircus have, for more than a decade, been the “Italian wine experts in Ireland”. Now Enrico seeks out wines with character, personality and a true sense of origin and has found some beauties all over Europe.

Spit 2019. Part One. With Winemason and Nomad.

Spit 2019. Part One. With Winemason and Nomad.

Spit 2019. Part One

With Winemason and Nomad.

Ballymaloe's Samuel (left) with Winemasons Ben and Killian (right)

Non alcoholic

Quite a few sparkling wines (Cava, Champagne and Prosecco) on display when SPIT Cork came to town yesterday. I thought it would be rude not to try at least one and so I asked Ben of Winemason for a taste of the Llopart Organic Brut Reserva Cava 2015, a blend of Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada. It was an excellent start and again I was left wondering why we Irish don’t drink more of this Spanish sparkler.

“Here’s one you should try,” said Ben offering me a German sparkler. “The Germans are the biggest consumers of sparkling wine,” he said. As this Fritz Muller Alcohol Frei NV was non-alcoholic, I had no reason to say no! It has a little bit of sweetness but very enjoyable and one of best non alcoholic wines I’ve tasted. It has become very popular and Ben emphasised that it is “a real success”.

Time for a few whites then beginning with the :

Aphros Biodynamic Loureiro, 2017. Aphros was probably the first biodynamic vineyard in Portugal and here on the granite soil Loureiro is the grape. Superb flavour and long finish in this one. Some Albarino can be a little over the top in terms of aroma and flavour but the Leirana 2018, from Forjas del Salnes, is more restrained, a beautifully crafted wine from Rias Baixas.

Moment of Silence, 2018, by South Africa maverick Blankbottle is a star wine. Excellent, year in year out, always Chenin based though the other varieties may vary. The 2018 blend features Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc and Viognier. One to look out for.

Pieter of Blankbottle

And the white may soon have a red parter as Master of None is proving “very interesting, unique” according to Killian of Winemason. The 2017, that impressed on tasting, is their first year making the Master of None, the name is apparently a joke against the winemaker himself (he also designs and prints the labels himself). The bland features Grenache, Cinsault, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Roussane. It will be interesting to see how the 2018 stands up.

Cuvee Vom Berg, 2015, by Muhr Van Der Niepoort in Carnuntum, Austria, a blend of Syrah and Blaufrankisch, is a knockout wine. Fruit-focused, with supple tannins and pure acidity, it has great finesse, and is quite Pinot-like in style. The Muhr is Austrian while the Niepoort will be familiar to you from their wine (including port)  business in Portugal. Killian told me it has been getting great reviews and I was certainly taken with this very smooth and polished wine.

The Organic Pitti, 2016, by Pittnauer was another impressive Austrian, a blend of Blaufrankisch and Zweigelt. A nice range of flavours, floral notes and a touch of spiciness, moderate acidity and an excellent finish.

Back to the whites at Nomad Wines. Vin de Savoie “Or Blanc” 2018 Domaine Trosset was my first sip. Virtually no colour at all in this one but, light, fresh and fruity, it has about everything else. Grape variety is  Jacquére.

Had been hoping to try an Alsace Sylvaner but the Zinck 2017 didn’t make it to Cork. But there was an excellent substitute in the Goisot Bourgogne Aligoté 2016. Not too familiar with the Aligoté but this excellent winemaker neatly illustrates its potential.

Bourgueil tasting

Have enjoyed a few Cabernet Franc from Bourgueil over the years and the 2016 Domaine Guion didn’t let the Loire down. The Fleurie 2017 by Domaine de Fa was another excellent light wine. And another light one, unexpectedly so considering that the grapes were Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Sauvignon, was the Buzet “Jarnicotton” Domaine du Pech. No sulphites added here by the way.

Winemason is owned by Ben Mason and Barbara Boyle and provide independent retailers and restaurants with original and distinctive wines from Europe and South Africa. They also help shape exciting well-priced wine lists for the on and off trade.

Nomad are regarded as Burgundy specialists. It was founded in 2007 by Thierry Grillet and Charles Derain and, in 2016, Jérémy Delannoy joined the team and they “are always looking for wines that have lots of precision and definition”.

Part Two with Vinostito and Grapecircus

Nomad Wine at Spit Cork. The Pick of Burgundy.

Nomad Wine at Spit Cork
The Pick of Burgundy

Julian (Bubble Brothers) and, right, Michael (Bradley's of Cork)

Nomad Wine has for the past decade been known as the Burgundy specialists in Ireland. Jérémy Delannoy, who joined founders Thierry Grillet and Charles Derain in 2016, told me that they have expanded into “lesser known regions of France” and that was evident on their stand at Spit Cork. But Burgundy lovers need not fret. They travel there each year to taste the new vintages. With both the founders in the restaurant business, they are strong on food and wine pairings.

Vermentino from the Languedoc is perhaps an unexpected wine on the list but the Domaine Provenquire IGP Pays D’Oc 2016 caught my eye. Very pale yet very enjoyable with the “creaminess” typical of the variety.

Some Beaujolais Chardonnay ends up, quite legitimately, as Burgundy and it is rare enough to find a Beaujolais white in Ireland. Here’s a good one to try: Domaine des Nugues Beaujolais Village 2016, moderate fruity aromas, fresh and pure on the palate, with an impressively long finish.

Jérémy pointed me in the direction of Domaine Goisot, first to their Bourgogne Aligoté 2016. Green highlights in the light gold colour, a melange of floral and fruit in the aromas, also on the palate, a little spice too, well balanced with a long finish. 

Welcome to Nomad

But the big surprise from this producer was the Saint Bris “Exogyra Virgula” 2015, the surprise being that the grape variety was Sauvignon Blanc, a really different and very interesting expression of the grape. Citrus and floral on the nose continue on to the palate where you’ll also note some spice. Drink it young. 

It goes well with seafood, shellfish, fish, calf sweetbreads, cheese soufflés, goat cheese, Comté, Emmental, Munster and Roquefort cheese. By the way, both Goisot wines have a recommended serving temperature of 12 to 13 degrees.

Perhaps my favourite white here was the Jurançon Sec La Part Davant 2015 by Cavin Larredya, a blend of Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, and Petit Courbou. Peach aromas, but also floral, continued on the velvety palate all the way to a long and satisfying finish.

Then I moved from the south west foothills to the Rhone for the first of reds: Domaine des Lises Equinoxe Crozes-Hermitage 2016. a delicious Syrah, ripe black fruit and lingering finish.

From there it was Burgundy and Pinot Noir all the way, starting with Les Tilles 2014 by Domaine Jacques Cacheux, a striking amalgam of red berry fruit and then a long finish. “Drink now or in another year,” advised Jérémy.

Soon he was pouring the Domaine Raquillet Mercurey Vieilles Vignes 2016. Not too much to say here: beautiful fruit, beautiful body, beautiful finish.

Back a year now to the Maranges 1er Cru Clos de la Boutiere 2015 by Domaine Bachelet Monnot. This is a classic Burgundy with expressive aromas, great depth and texture, fresh acidity and so very well balanced, superb finish as well.

Hard to beat that but Nomad had just the ticket: the biodynamically produced Vosne-Romanée Les Chalandins 2014 by Domaine Jacques Cacheux. Dark fruits on the nose, elegant and silky, complex, one sip to paradise. Great way to end my “visit” to Nomad!

Many of the Nomad wines are available via SIYPS online.

Last week, one hundred bottles of “wine without make-up” were up for tasting in the River Lee Hotel thanks to the combined efforts of four Dublin wine companies. Spit, as it as the combination is called, consists of Winemason, Nomad Wine, Vinostito, and Grapecircus and virtually all the wines were organic. And there wasn't a dud among them. To read our account of the Vinostito stand, please click here . Also at Spit Cork Winemason and Grapecircus.

Let's Glow Downtown. Street Fun. Street Food.

Let's Glow Downtown. 
Street Fun. Street Food.

The Sultan  is beaming. A big welcome for customers and passerbys alike. He and his team are enjoying the atmosphere under the Big Wheel, the eye-catching feature of the Cork Glow Festival, on every weekend (Friday to Sunday) until December 18th.

His board catches my eye: Greek Burgers with tzatziki sauce (also a vegetarian version), Breakfast Calzone, Falafel Wrap, Lamb Souvlaki Shawarma, Chicken Souvlaki Shawarma, and more. The stall also displays lots of baklava and Turkish delight. 

We go for the Lamb and the Chicken and take them, along with a glass of his excellent mulled wine, to one of the nearby tables. Hard to find a space even though it is early in the evening. But we sit, eat and have a chat with fellow diners. Nice bit of grub and good value too at €6.50 each.

There are quite a few others stalls around, including Wok ’n Roll, Flynn’s Gourmet Sausages, Crepe Man, Fish ’n Chips, Bad Boys BBQ, Taste Cork (with local producers) and more. All doing business. Queues are building for the food and especially for that Big Wheel. Families are wandering in and out of the small park where Narnia is the theme this Christmas. 

You like cheese cake?

Something sweet? We had already tasted a small sample from Charly’s Cheesecake . So he was the choice for “dessert”. Chocolate? He had a half dozen different types of chocolate cakes and lots of fruit ones too. We took the Toblerone and the Terry’s Orange. Nice stuff!

Time then for a stroll up the Parade and up North Main Street where Mick O’Connell MW of the WineMason  was holding a tasting. 

Mick O'Connell (left) and yours truly

He had a couple of comparisons for us. One featured Tempranillo. The first was a light and fruity unoaked organic, Merinos 2015, from la Mancha. The other was Finca Emperatriz 2012 Crianza from Rioja. This, with oak, was the more familiar style. Both were good, maybe for different occasions, the organic more for summer perhaps, the Rioja for now!

And then we tasted two Niepoort Ports, one a tawny, the other an LBV 2012. These divided opinions with some preferring the tawny while others (including myself) plumped for the LBV. The tawny was introduced just for comparison; Bradley's don’t stock it but they do sell the other.

But, for me, the best came first. I really enjoyed the two whites. Riesling is a favourite of mine, especially European Riesling, and the Wagner Stempel, dry with ripe fruit and sharp acidity,  certainly fitted the bill. Not too often you come across Roussane and Marsanne, other white grapes that I like, in the one bottle but that is exactly what the Turner Pageot 2015 blend, fruity and medium dry, provided.

It was a lovely “excursion” downtown and highly recommended. Not too sure where there’s a tasting of wines or beer next weekend. But if you do venture to Glow and are looking for something else to do, either before or after, why not check out the many choices detailed in the December edition of Whazon Cork! Enjoy.