When I moved to Singapore and lamented the lack of "seasonal change" a long time expat here told me to quit griping. "Singapore has four seasons" she said. "There's Hot, Hotter, Wet and Wetter.
Right I thought...so much for ever feeling "fresh" here on the equator.
I wasted no time searching for "freshness" coping mechanisms and immediately turned to super-chilled white wine. Maybe I could trick my body into thinking fresh thoughts?
It actually works.
This week TLN suggests some very fresh wines that are also a chance to "taste outside of the box." Forget the cheap Cold Storage and NTUC discount wine and dare to taste some lesser-known whites from the Old World that are both top quality and reasonably priced.
Why?
The main ingredient in most of these wines is refreshing acidity. Since we're in the "hot" season and heading towards hotter - these are nice wines to count on slaking one's thirst when Singapore goes to the dreaded "hotter"...
Let's start with the Gruner Veltliner - in part because it's the Austrian Wine Festival and there are abundant opportunities to taste this wine all over town. This indigenous grape is for Austria what Sauvignon Blanc is for New Zealand - an ambassador of typicity in wine style and grape expression. That's a fussy way of saying Austria sets the standard for Gruner Veltliner style - even though other countries are starting to produce Gruner wines. Everytime I pour this wine people like it...I like it too.
The recommended Huber Gruner Veltliner Ober Steigen 2009 is straight out of central casting for a Gruner: it has wonderfully lifted acid freshness, great citrus and mineral flavours, and the tell-tale hint of white pepper running throughout that is a signature Gruner trait. Best of all it pairs well with just about everything - I often call it the chameleon grape.
If that doesn't appeal, the rest are Italian whites - an almost unknown collection of wines (outside of Pinot Grigio) for most wine drinkers.
First consider two Arneis wines from the Piedmont in Northwestern Italy. TLN recommends two wines at different price points. As an entry to the grape consider the Marchesi Incesa Della Rocchetta Roero Arneis that's a really light and easy wine with attractive floral character. It has a bit of "palate" weight, meaning it doesn't disappear quickly. It's a crowd pleaser really!
A bit fancier version is the Roero Arneis made by Bruno Giacosa. This is a nervier wine with more acid tension over the same sort of ripe, full fruit. It's delicious and if your wallet permits it's a great entry point too!
Next are two more northern Italian wines - both made from the Garganega grape (predominantly) - pronounced gar-gan-nay-guh. Again, ther first is a simple expression of this grape and well know by it's "style" - Soave. It's the Fontana Soave that has nice lemony nots and some more spicy, savory elements.
The next is from a very famous vineyard - made by a famous Italian winemaker : Guiseppe Quintarelli. He wasn't known for his garganega, but still he was very skilled for his Amarone wines. As it happens, he recently died in January 2012. There's a great article that talks about how humble of a man he was - but more importantly it talks about a standard of wines Guiseppe spent his life making. No doubt - this is a pricy wine, but it's a wine that serves as a benchmark for a style and place. The Quintarelli Bianco Secco is a refreshing treat on a hot Singapore night.
Last is a Fiano D'Avelino - a white that comes from the south but from 'altitude' which preserves that desireable freshness. Also from a well-known winery, the Feudi San Gregorio Fiano is a premium Italian white. Coming from the south this is amore honey-fused wine aromatically with a crisp stone fruit and lemon characterin the mouth. It's both interesting and delicious.
Go outside of the usual tasting zone this week and try these wines. They are all great quality and an interesting change from the "usual drop."
