What a wonderful sight, as the table was beautifully decorated with bottles…not just any bottles but foiled bottles! It was a night where ‘blind dates’ were brought to the table! The fun begins as they came filled all the way from Burgundy. Yes, it’s a Burgs night out!

One by one we, the liquid of either juices of the pinkish-red Pinot Noir or golden-yellow Chardonnay started getting us all excited…let me share the joy! Firstly…

CHÂTEAU FUISSÉ, Vieilles Vignes 2008 (Pouilly-Fuisse)
Tasting Notes: Beautiful fresh lemons with floral notes overlapping with great minerality coming along together with peaches and heavy toast. On the palate, it is light to medium bodied with vibrant lemony acidity, ripe fruits on the front before a gravelly mineral midpalate and heavy vanilla oak at the backend. Overall, nice structure with potential but has yet to meld together now.

Maison Louis Jadot, Clos-St-Jacques Premier Cru 2003 (Gevrey-Chambertin)
Ahh…the famed premier cru of Gevrey-Chambertin! One of those climats fabled to be as solid as any Grand Cru…

Tasting Notes: Red cherries, raspberries, white pepper with a whiff of vanilla on the nose. The most enjoyable part of this wine is the purity of the fruit as it reaches your palate! Not those lab produced flavourings but pure ripe red fruits ala cherries and strawberries with a hint of earth and minerality. A rather medium bodied wine with good acid, likely with medium to long term keeping potential to enjoy while Burg-erholics wait for the 2005s to lavish upon.

Domaine Pierre Damoy, Clos de Beze 1992 (Gevrey-Chambertin)
Tasting Notes: Red fruited nose with notable secondary development buzzing off with animally notes over sweet spices. Palate wise, this wine is probably at its peak at the moment. Medium bodied, noticeable soft tannins and acidity at the edge with animal barnyard notes mixed with green capsicum interlaced with red fruits and plums on the midpalate before some beautiful roses to end.

Maison Champy, Clos-St-Denis 2002 (Morey St Denis)
Tasting Notes: The nose reminds me of red currants, red berries, light spices and pepper while the palate flaunts itself with red fruits but the enjoyable part of this bottle is the nicely done intensity on the midpalate with a hint of tea as it opens up with some minerality showing its terroir. A medium bodied beauty with good acid-tannin structure that opens up with time, be patient!

Domaine des Hospices de Beaune, Cuvee Madeleine Collignon 1995 (Mazis-Chambertin)
Tasting Notes: Charming nose – spices, tea, red fruits, raspberry and strawberry cream. Palate wise - medium bodied, edgy acid with a tighter wound tannin structure coming forth with red fruits and a moderate intense tea-ish midpalate. Typical or atypical of a vintage?

Domaine Thomas-Moillard, Bonne-Mares 1997 (Chambolle-Musigny)
Tasting Notes: Wow…Brooding nose! Dark fruits, slightly earthy, sweet savoury spices and liquorice with tonnes of pepper. Among the lot, this is by far the densest wine with a fuller palate, medium acidity yet remaining rather tannic with a profile of dark fruits, plum skins, light spices with peppery notes on the palate. After 24hours in the bottle, the tannins were much more mellowed in the juice as it sung with additional rosemary together with some animal hide on the palate. At almost 14years old, this ‘97 Bonne-Mares, in my opinion is only still an infant if not in its youth. Perhaps a long way before maturity with the kind of stuffing it possesses however the level of potential secondary/tertiary development is always a mystery!



Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Santé!

There are many ways to describe a wine. Some describe and remembers it as a memoir, food pairing, taste profiles, and so on…Previously, I did ask and was wondering what other ways can a wine be described? For the sake of this article, I’ll be swaying away from the conventional tasting notes but instead I shall describe the wines below as a ‘personality’. I’ll be describing the wines as how these personalities have charmed my palate.

Just recently, I was with a group of wine lovers for an “appreciation” night. Five wines, all red, BLINDED and well decanted by the host himself for no less than 2 hours. Let the fun begin! Surely different wines require different amount of ‘airtime’ to strut their full potential but this goes to show how serious these wine lovers are and how hedonistic pleasures may be achieved through various methods of preparation before serving.

Firstly, KUDOS to the host! He has certainly done it well and got most of us fooled (in a good way)! All the wines certainly had a similar distinct characteristic….very Bordeaux like indeed (Cabernet Sauvignon/ Merlot based wines). Since the wines were blind with the only theme of being present and to enjoy the company amidst the red velvets in front of us, most knew the style of wine but certainly were not sure of the origin, what more the vintage. All of us even thought there was a ‘joker’, otherwise a teaser, amongst the flight of wines. Soon enough when the bottles were unveiled, it turned out to be a VERTICAL TASTING!  Fooled! But this is how fun is defined in wine terminology (for geeks like me amongst aficionados)!

It was truly a great way to learn and to experience the true nature of each vintage, not forgetting the style of the winemaker and the terroir of the vineyard.  The wines were from……a Bordeaux Second Growth from the appellation St-Julien, Chateau Léoville-Barton. Below are the five vintages that we savoured.

1995
Wine Personality: A sexy shy damsel indeed, packed with inner beauty and elegance but only still peeking from behind. Perhaps, it’s a Burg lover’s style of Bordeaux.


1999
Wine Personality: This is a beauty from the first whiff, packed on some weight over the decade yet one who knows how to keep elegance in check to continue charming the beholder, leaving a long lasting impression!

2002
Wine Personality: Compared to the other siblings, this has a more petite personality, not bad just lesser dominance with slightly sharper and edgy characteristics.

2003
Wine Personality: A hunk in a tank top with muscles ripping through wearing a light musky floral perfume where one senses the raw might of a gymjunkie with a firm grip.

2004
Wine Personality: Similar to the 2003, yet different. Unlike his other 2004 counterparts who may be not as ‘big’ from this vintage, this is a well build teenager, young and masculine but dressed in a tightly knitted suit framed as a gentleman!


During your next sip, do think about how you’d like to express your drink!

Remember folks…..

Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Salut!

 

 

Portugal, one of the pioneers in maritime exploration, once guardians of the Straits of Malacca and last but not least they are also part of the old world pioneers fermenting grape juices that we happily sip today. When one thinks of the wines Portugal brings to the table, it is often the popular Port wine which historically has been fortified with strong spirits by sailors to avoid wine spoilage during their voyage off Porto.

Personally, Port wines are good and are indeed enjoyable sips but the rest of Portugal remains undiscovered and underrated. Just as majority of the ‘old world’ wine regions have their own native grapes, so does Portugal. Often these wines are blended together, may it be a blend of the local indigenous grapes or between the indigenous grapes with more renowned new world varietals.

 Vinophiles, here’s a secret to share….

These wines are often a bang for your buck! Real good value, real good deals!

Reason? --> They are gems that remain underrated and quite unheard of! Test yourselves, have you tasted varietals such as Touriga Nacional or even Castelao? Have you tried a ‘green wine’ (vinho verde) before?

If you are looking for these wines to try, they are already available on shores of Singapore! In our local 365 days of summer, a fresh vinho verde can do the trick for an afternoon chiller!

A couple of Local Noses along with a great hangout group were fortunate to have Mr Covas from Viva Vino, a Portugese wine supplier in Singapore to share his passion about his homeland and their offerings. During the session, we were introduced to wines and grape varietals from various regions of Portugal and were able experience the diverse varietals that the Portuguese can boast about. Starting from Minho, in the north travelling south to Douro, Extremadura around Lisbon (unlike the Spanish region), Ribatejo and all the way to Alentejo where it is often scorched, hence producing bigger wines but not without finesse. Last but not least, we travelled back up to Douro again just to end on a sweet note with some Ports!

The following wines that were tasted are available at Viva Vino:

Quinta da Aveleda, 2009 Vinho Verde (Minho)

Tasting Notes: Fresh, light and crisp with intense citrusy floral notes…a great chiller!

Fiuza, 2008 Premium Vinho Branco (Ribatejo)

Tasting Notes: Another quaffer with notes of green asparagus and minerality coming through with fresh acidity before a dry yet buttery finish .

Herdade do Esporao, 2007 Reserva Branco (Alentejo)

Tasting Notes: Cold climate-Chablis like nose with flint and stones with cold climate fruits and herbaceous notes before coming through big and bold with good acid supporting the palate showing tropical fruits and flint with a buttered popcorn finish.

Nieepoort, 2006 Vertente (Douro)

Tasting Notes: Nose of a new world shiraz akin spicy, plumy and chocolaty plus red licorice notes but well restrained with a medium bodied palate, good acidity for balance with plums, melted red licorice, spicy with earthy tones before ending with dry tannins.

Quita do Casal Branco, 2006 Vinho Tinto (Ribatejo)

Tasting Notes: Leafy notes with spicy blackberries on the nose leading to a very easy drinking style with dark berries and hints of earthiness on the palate.

Quinta de Monte D’oiro, 2003 Aurius (Estremadura)

Tasting Notes: One would expect a typical Barossa Shiraz by nosing the wine as it displays big jammy plumy and milk chocolaty bouquet. On the palate it follows through nicely with big jammy sweet ripe fruits ala berry basket with pomegranate smothered in chocolate.

Herdade da Mingorra, 2004 Vinhas da Ira (Alentejo)

Tasting Notes: Nose reminds me of a Hermitage blended with an Amarone that I had previously of earthy, saddle leather, herbs, soy and tar with dried raisins (almost Port like). A big boy on the palate with good vibrancy showcasing intense blackberries, tar and a red fruit compote mid palate finishing off with austere tannins.

Nieepoort, 1998 Colcheita (Douro)

Tasting Notes: Reminisce of a cognac with dark Jaffa chocolate and dried fruits while the palate is medium bodied with sweet plums, hint of floral notes together with chocolaty orange nuances.

Sogrape, 2000 Ferreira Vintage Porto (Douro)

Tasting Notes: Dark cherries, dark chocolate and coffee notes with a herbaceous minty nose. Good acid and structure on the palate presenting with a myriad of flavours -dried raisins, coffee, orange peel , dark cherries and plums and off course ending with soft but fine tannins.  This was decanted for 2 hours….and what’s great is that it is delicious yet not overly cloying on the palate, hence it does makes one continue the joy of having sips after sips!

Let your palate explore new sensations and delights as the Portuguese did!!!

Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

 

Salut!

  
 

 

Bordeaux, an uncommon name to call upon for most drinkers. The Bordeaux region produces many dry reds, some great whites and off course fantastic ‘sweets’ / stickies as some like to call it, although the whites may sometimes be overshadowed by the great reds of Bordeaux, especially those coming from the Medoc 1855 Classification where they bear the pride of the Grand Cru Classé.  Besides the Grand Cru Classé classification of Classed Growths, there are also other levels of classification for those Chateaux which did not make it one and half century ago such as the straight AOC appellations to Cru Bourgeois (which comes with controversies) for the left bank of Bordeaux. Leaving legal issues and controversies aside, many people are just keen to enjoy wines as they are and what each bottled juice has to offer.

 

Hence, comes the question of what Bordeaux are available that one is able to enjoy, as most good Bordeaux wines are made to age and will often last for the medium to long haul?

True to say that most good vintages have the potential to age, however, the following red Bordeaux (but not limited to) does drink quite well with simplicity at the moment especially when there are good companions around!

Château D’Escurac, 2006 Cru Bourgeois Superieur (Medoc)

Tasting Notes: Dark blackberries and red cherries follow through from the nose with a touch of earthiness and graphite-leanness on the palate. Medium bodied, youthful acidity, not wholly complex but easy going with soft approachable tannins.

In my opinion, this is a decent value-play ‘weekday’ Bordeaux for the ‘Bord-lovers’ before lavishly uncorking the Crus at the end of the week. Besides, its soft tannins make it approachable even at this young stage. If you are around the Orchard shopping belt, this Bordeaux (and many other Crus) are available at 1855 The Bottle Shop.

 

Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Salut!

 

When at Raffles, experience Dubai…When at Raffles, experience Beijing…so were the advertisement banners in the elevators of Raffles Hotel, Singapore. This time, it shall be “When at Raffles, experience New Zealand” wine growers! It was an evening with the kiwis, wine growers strutting their stuff (some for the very first time) in Singapore. Along with the growers were many from the trade, media and writers such as Singapore’s reknowned palate, Mr Ch’ng Poh Tiong .

It was a great session not only to taste wines but to mingle around the growers and one can definitely sense the enthusiasm and passion that these growers posses. It made wines not just for consumption but also to cherish the labourious efforts these growers have stamped into each vintage and each bottle making the fruits of their labour worth every drop . Another reason that makes masterclasses and events like this worth attending would be the eye opening experience to their local scene which can be rather educational! A very interesting fact that I picked up was how the ‘Abel clone’ also known as the ‘Gumboot clone’ got its reputation. This Abel clone was actually nicked off the famous Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) in Burgundy and brought in illegally into New Zealand (NZ), hence vineyards with this Abel Clone would have a ‘sense of Burg’ in their wines!

Lastly, when at Raffles (after visiting NZ)…..experience the Raffles cellar! We were fortunate enough to have our guide, Raffles sommelier himself, Dheeraj Bhatia to lead us through the ‘maze’ of Raffles Hotel to the cellar. Once a lifetime? Perhaps not, but surely it was very delightful to have had come this close to the prized collections that many can only dream about. Such bottles/ magnums…Chateau Margaux 1900, Y’quem 1900, La Tache, DRCs!!! Just imagine a ‘car in a bottle’!

Now back to some highlights, (but not limited to) for the night…

Two Paddocks, 2006 Pinot Noir (Central Otago)

Fruits for this Pinot Noir are sourced from three different vineyards across Central Otago. The first of which comes from vines in Gibbston Valley aged around 17 years while the other two vineyards of about 10 years of age are from Alexandra. This Pinot is available from Hermitage Wines.

Bouquet: Floral bouquet opening up with red cherries with a hint of earthiness.

Palate: Fruit focused on the palate with red cherries and light earthiness for a medium bodied wine that has medium acidity.

 

Gibbston Highgate Estate, 2007 Soultake Pinot Noir (Central Otago)

Murky and slightly cloudy…my first question, “Is this filtered?”

Vineyard director, “Unfiltered and unfined”

This Gibbston vineyard is about 25 years old, producing good quality fruits for the final blend of which there is also a proportion of the legendary ‘Abel clone’! Beautiful wine and my understanding is this wine will be made available at Rev Wines.

Bouquet: Sweet strawberry candies (think strawberries and cream), some Turkish delight nuances and light undergrowth

Palate: If the palate is too ‘ripe’…fret not, the fruit here is pure and the palate smooth with flavours of red cherries, some dark plums and light earthy savouryness with a nice acid backbone and soft tannins.

 

Lime Rock, 2007 White Knuckle Road Pinot Noir (Central Hawkes Bay)

Central Hawkes Bay…if you’re thinking why are they growing Pinots in Hawkes Bay? Then, you’re not alone…Central Hawkes Bay is a new and upcoming wine growing region in NZ and (nope) it is not in Hawkes Bay. This is single vineyard Pinot Noir for those who enjoy terroir and the essence of a particular vineyard.

Bouquet: Spicy and floral with cherries and a hint of meatiness.

Palate: Intense cherries with beautiful spice notes and a touch of earthy tones. Simple and nicely done

 

Weka River, 2007 Pinot Noir (Waipara Valley)

Those who enjoy simple wines, here is a good choice. Simple, easy drinking wine for the times that too much thinking has been done over the day and wines are for simple relaxation in the evening!

Bouquet: Dark fruity nose with a savoury touch plus some spiciness.

Palate: Soft tannins for easy enjoyment with some dark cherries coming through on the palate

 

Cambridge Road, 2008 Syrah (Martinborough)

Not all Pinot here, but hang on…YES, SYRAH in Martinborough! The winemaker did not get it wrong, on the contrary, this is the second oldest Syrah vines in NZ, planted in 1986!

Bouquet: Rhone beauty comes to mind with pepper, sweet spices, licorice and bitter dark chocolate.

Palate: Medium bodied, cool climate styled syrah with a nice fruit core showing red fruits, pepper and some spiciness (not alcoholic though) with very soft tannins à perfect for enjoying now!

 

Mount Difficulty, 2002 Pinot Noir (Central Otago)

Yes, an 8 year old Pinot and drinking beautifully.

Bouquet: Musky white pepper, red cherries, spices, ‘dark earthiness’ (if it makes sense) and some meaty notes.

Palate: Nice body and lushes, velvety mouthfeel with soft grained tannins at the back held by vibrant acidity à palate sensations = dark cherries, white pepper, savoury earthiness and a hint of meaty tone as displayed from the nose.

 

Haythornthwaite Wines, 2008 Noble Gewürztraminer (Martinborough)

Good parents = good upbringing = well mannered off springs, while good genes = good quality.

The winemakers themselves are a beautiful couple, which has been reflected in their wines. One may call me bias, but the palate speaks for itself. I have had the honour of vertically tasting the pride of their winery the Susan’s Gewurtztraminier - 2008, 2009, 2010 (speaking of which the 2010 is not even released yet!) The 2008 has developed a great and rich mouthfeel after 2 years in the bottle, I can only imagine how good will the 2010 develop as it current is showing a very promising structure of fruits and acid with a poised balance. Perhaps, we’ll all find out in due time!

Lastly, to end any occasion well…we had a good and NOBLE ‘sticky’ from Haythornthwaite Wines.

Bouquet: Ripe tropical fruits, rich thick honeyed aromas plus ripe apricots and hazelnuts.

Palate: Rich but remains fresh mid way through with layers of ripe mangoes, bananas, apricot crème and a dose of mild hazelnutty ending with lingering residual sweetness.

 

Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Cheers!

French fries? Definitely not! But rather a French-affaire with three beauties. After missing out on limited and low production Californian Syrah line-up recently, we headed back to the native old world where the famous Syrah comes from, France. Ironically, the line up did not include any Rhone Syrahs however, we travelled to Bordeaux, then Burgundy and to finish it off…at Champagne!

What more can one asks for at the end of the week but to enjoy good wines in the presence of good company?! This Friday had truly been a fortunate one being able to enjoy a 21 year old Bordeaux (reached puberty? adulthood?), a Burgundian red from a stellar vintage and a Grand Cru growers Champagne.

Château Clerc Milon, 1989 Grand Cru Classe (Pauillac)

Most Bordeaux drinkers probably know where Clerc Milon lies….in Bordeaux’s left bank, Pauillac where most of Bordeaux’s big full reds are from. What makes Clerc Milon even more sought after is not just its finesse and structure but also because it is under the stable of the great Mouton-Rothschild which happens also to be its neighbour. Lastly, 1989 has been long lauded as a great vintage in Pauillac which would give this red a bonus. In summary, after having tasted this wine, it shows that with great care and providence, great Bordeaux can go the extra mile in the cellar! Extremely young and vibrant….Forever 21?!?

Bouquet: Showing nice fruits – plums, graphite, some wet earthiness and sweet spices.

Palate: Rich with a good vibrant structure holding it together while dusty chocolaty tannins remains soft for the long haul encasing sweet savoury moorish plums, red fruits, graphite and mild earthiness on the mid palate. Great after 2 hours decanting!

 

Maison Champy, 2005 Aux Saints Juliens (Nuits-Saint-Georges)

A beauty in the making which currently remains in its infant phase. Decanting required, of which only after 3 hours did the wine start to show its soul, packing up more weight and seriousness!

Bouquet: Red cherries, some mouldy notes plus herbal tea nuances with very slight mint

Palate: Medium bodied packing up more weight with air, high acid and high tannin structure – ideal cellaring potential. On the taste profile, dense red cherries and sour plum core with slight earthiness and minty tea notes.

 

 

Jean Lallement et Fils, NV Grand Cru Brut (Verzenay)

Some may say Grand Cru Champagne while others say grower’s Champagne…nevertheless, no matter what one prefers to classify this beauty as…it’s a great value champagne!

Bouquet: Complex ripe fruit aromas of apples and more, some gingery spice and nutty tones.

Palate: Ripe Granny Smith apples flavours, nutty, yeasty and dried smoked hay notes. Sharp bubbles but great freshness!

For the lovers of grower’s Champagne…stay tuned!

Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Salut!

 

 

Welcome to Rhône, ladies and gentleman! A sweet spot in the hearts of many, and a region that has managed to seduce me to appreciate their offerings even more with every drop. The Rhône valley, situated in South Eastern France is divided into two distinct zones, the Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône.  As close as they may be within the same valley, both these zones do have distinct characteristics that signify them from each other. To begin, they posses different climates, soils, and even grape varietals that are allowed into the wine blends.

Some may argue that one may be superior to the other however, everyone has their own palate – likes and dislikes. My take? Why not enjoy them all to savour what each has to offer! Northern Rhône includes the legendary Côte Rôtie and Hermitage. These wines are typically famed for their elegance, structure and longevity. Besides these, other popular appellations within the North include Cornas and St Joseph which also produce relatively decent wines similarly from the Syrah varietal (also commonly known as Shiraz in the New World context).

On the other hand, the Southern counterpart does not lack pristine with the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape, an appellation which allows up to thirteen (13) grape varietals into the final blend! What a joy to be able to enjoy wines that are beautifully crafted by these vignerons. Imagine the skill, intensity, labour and ingenuity required to blend multiple varietals into perfect harmony!

Fun fact: Among the thirteen varietals allowed in these red Châteauneuf-du-Papes, white grape varietals are also allowed to add character and harmony!

While Châteauneuf-du-Pape has taken centre stage in the south, there also are other appellations worth mentioning, such as Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Lirac and of course the large wine producing appellation that can be a rather good value for money, Côtes du Rhône. This southern region is frequently under the Mediterranean influence including the climatic factor. Besides Syrah, Grenache is a common grape varietal in the south and along with these are also other varietals such as Mouverdre, Cinsault, Carignan, Viogner and many more.

The wines that were lined up for the palates:

Perrin & Fils, Perrin Reserve 2007 (Côtes du Rhône)

Bouquet: Pleasant bouquet with dark cherries, wild herbs and some lavender plus raspberries.

Palate: Medium bodied on the palate with a nice and fleshy fruit focus, mixing with dark cherries and mild peppery notes. Overall, an easy drinking styled wine with soft tannins.

 

Château de Beaucastel, 1998 (Châteauneuf-du-Pape)

Bouquet: Perfume laced with roses and cherries, white pepper plus lovely sweet spices with a whiff of game (meat) notes.

Palate: Ahh…just elegant! Ripe red maraschino cherries, kirsch, game, earth, coffee, pepper with light dark chocolaty notes that lingers on and on. Truly a sensual, seductive, multilayered complex wine at its peak that is silky and velvety.

 A sip is worth a thousand words!

 

Cave de Tain, 2003 (Hermitage)

Bouquet: Beautiful sweet spicy notes with leather and wet soil (also developed soy notes hours after decanting).

Palate: Nicely layered with dark cherries and blackcurrants plus red fruits supported by black pepper and spice. A complex wine that is smooth on the palate yet with fine grained tannins showcasing its aging potential.

 

Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Salut!

 

Calling all soccer fans! Football season has just kicked off in Europe once again...What will your hands be pouring down your throat over the next soccer game (or how we love to call it ‘Football’ in Asia!)? So ever commonly do football fans guzzle down beers by the mugs, jugs or even kegs over most matches!  Besides beer, mixers are usually the next commonality in line.  What about wine? Ever wondered what wine goes well with the games?

Look no further! We’ve always been talking and discussing about food and wine pairings but here is an Italian vino from Lazio that will ‘pair’ very well with your next football match!

When it comes to pairing, flavours have to complement each other harmoniously, create balance or even enhancing individual nuances. So, what did I look for when it comes to soccer matches and wine pairing?

Firstly, the wine has to be approachable and easy to drink. Secondly, there is a high possibility for the wine to take a back seat when the match heightens with excitement . Hence logically thinking as a football fan myself, the time for a sip would usually be after a near miss to calm things down or as a celebratory cheer when a goal is scored. In such instances, the wine would have taken a back seat (allowing it to breathe a fair bit longer too!)…thus, I would need to sip a wine that has enough jealousy to charm and catch my palate’s attention back by it’s potential  and what it has to offer!!!

The football vino:

Paolo E Noemia d’Amico, Villa Tirrena 2005 Merlot IGT

Bouquet: Some notes of plums, mint and light herbaceous factor with a touch of toasted oak

Palate: Nice, simple and easily drinkable with plums and hints of mixed red cherries/ cranberry flavours on the palate with mild tannins

When there’s a match and a drink in one hand, there are always nibbles in the other…my suggestion?

Nuggets and fries with a tomato sauce dip to go along with this vino from Lazio, Italy.

Perhaps, to add more fun…it’ll be worth checking this pleaser out during the next Seria A, Lazio match!

 

Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Salute!

When it comes to Italian vino, the usual suspects are usually the CABBs -->  Chianti, Amarone,  Brunellos, Barolos! Ask any Italian enthusiast and you wouldn’t be surprised to find out that majority of their collection would consist of these bandits. Besides plantings of new world varietals (Cabernet Sauvingnon, Chardonnay, etc) locally, many other Italian local varietals such as Trebbiano, Fiano, Greco, Refosco, Vermentino and many more usually goes unheard of. 

As tourists, where would one visit? Scenery, history, buildings, architecture all leads to various parts of Europe. Italy, Sicily in particular- tourist spot for sceneries, archeological sites and more is booming not only agriculturally but also in its vinous form (and all vino-holics say, “Hallelujah!”). One more region to explore in our palate expansion!

From a wine enthusiast’s perspective, Brunello = Sangiovese, Piedmonte = Barolos, what about Sicily? Nero d’Avola! No doubt, Nero d’Avola has brought much attention to this part of the Italian wine economy; nevertheless many indigenous Greek grapes including other varietals are thriving well in the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Something out of the box this time for local noses…we have 2 wines, one Fiano, an important varietal from the Campania region in Southern Italy and a Merlot which is easily found in most wine regions around the globe.

Fiano is a native white wine varietal in Southern Italy that commonly entices drinkers with its great aromatics and strong flavour characteristics. The first wine this time is a Fiano, not from Campania but from Menfi, Sicily. Planeta, a rather well established producer in Sicily is not only focusing on the local varietals but has also brought in grapes from other regions to experiment with them within their local terroir, Sicily. To their credit, this varietal has managed to thrive and develop well in Sicily, following which into the bottles and unto our palates!

Planeta, Cometa (Fiano) IGT 2007

Firstly, gorgeously golden in colour!

Bouquet: Nice floral notes, hints of orange blossom and talc together with some burnt rubber characteristics while not missing the stone fruits as it opens up with air

Palate: Rich and creamy on the palate with well balanced low-medium acid profile showing stone fruits as it opens up while there is citrus-lemony freshness and mango notes on the mid palate plus apple-ey acetone coupled with rich complex buttery flavours with a slight hint of burnt wood on the finish

(A rather serious wine indeed which is rich yet balanced that continues to open and evolve with time…seriously screaming out for something rich like Carbonara pasta or a Gorgonzola Pear Walnut salad)

Merlot, on the other hand needs no further introduction...a varietal that compliments a Cabernet Sauvignon blend perfectly, as well as outshining many other wines independently on its own. It has managed to root deep and call home at almost every corner of the globe, starting from Bordeaux to Australia to Chile to mainland Italian Super Tuscans and now to the island of Sicily. This other bottle from Planeta is another serious stunner. Merlot has probably rooted itself here once again and found itself a new home in this region, particularly in Menfi and Sambuca di Sicilia.

Planeta, Merlot IGT 2006

Bouquet: Dark plums with dark flavours reminiscing black coloured berries with black spices, some black pepper plus undeniable heavy tobacco and ashtray smoke notes (in a positive manner)

Palate: Full bodied with a good structure, balanced with good concentration – showing dark plums, dark cherries, woody tobacco and whiffs of smoke before an underlying mid palate of dark spices and mild peppery notes.  It’s rather smooth on the palate and finishes off with ripe tannins

Another food wine – bring out the beef!!!

(This reminds me, never judge a book by its cover…the label isn’t stunning but the wine has really caught my palate off guard! If only I had more in the cellar!)

Great Quality to Price Ratio (QPR) wines…it’s a steal if you can manage to lay your hands on these!!

Do share with me…What is the latest wine that has caught you off guard?!?

(Post it on Facebook via http://www.thelocalnose.com/)

 

Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Salute!

As I have promised all the Pinotphiles, Part 2 of TLN’s New Zealand Pinot showdown!

This time I’ll still be focusing on the same two regions of NZ, Central Otago versus Marlborough however the wines will be from separate vintages, 2008 and 2007 respectively. To some, these Pinot Noirs may be a hair young but the good news is, NZ does produce quality wines that are approachable young while off course there will also be those that have the potential for aging.

For those who find it irresistible to keep their hands off their cellars, this would be a perfect fix for those ‘itchy’ hands! Surely, wines that are meant for aging will not show their full potential in their infant years hence we always need a ‘drink now’ wine to satisfy our ‘thirsty’ palates while we patiently await our delayed gratifications in years to come. ‘Drink now’ wines don’t mean that these wines are not suitable for the cellars; it’s just simply deliciously approachable in their youth while some may equally have their aging potential.  Off course, the fun part is when we get to try them NOW….and stock some up to evaluate how they mature in the later years!

Thankfully, the wines for this part are those that are already approachable to be enjoyed today. Up for the challenge this round will be Gumfields Wines 2007 Pinot Noir from Marlborough followed by Rabbit Ranch 2008 Pinot Noir from Central Otago.

 

The Verdict:

Gumfields Wines 2007 Pinot Noir
Bouquet: cherry juice plus some fresh raspberries coupled with floral notes, light spices and hint of wet earth with a surprising find, ‘red capsicum’!

Palate: Fruit driven wine with pink cherries, sweet ripe strawberries ala chewy strawberry candies with a slight hint of tea notes at the backend

 

Rabbit Ranch 2008 Pinot Noir
Bouquet: Well crafted perfumed nose consisting of cherries and raspberry mix together with black pepper, hint of spices with a floral component

Palate: Fruit focused with red fruits and cherries plus well balanced acidity
 before some underlying plums on the mid palate and finishing off with light earthiness, black pepper and hint of toasted oak

Once again, everyone has their own palate; for those who enjoy chilling with an easy drinking wine to start the evening, the Gumfields Wines 2007 Pinot Noir would be an ideal bottle to quaff about. As for me, the Rabbit Ranch 2008 Pinot Noir which was a real ‘nose-wine’ won the show this round! In part one, the previous Central Otago pinot did had a great brooding nose however, this Rabbit Ranch Pinot was just perfumed and invitingly attractive while on the palate, it truly is one to enjoy today and over the next 3-4 years if not longer!

(A catchy one from the winemaker; Rabbit Ranch does not ‘test on animals’!)


Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Cheers!