Over the summer, I've been holding back a couple of these wines... (the Pinot Blanc and the Da Vera) to share with you post the summer time. My logic for the Da Vera was that it needed an autumnal evening and the Pinot Blanc is just an amazingly fresh wine that needed it's own stage and not to get blurred with the Roses or the Galician selections from August and September.
This month also celebrates my eldest childs (Tess) 18th birthday!!!! I know, I cannot believe it either. We're all delighted and she's a wonderful human. :-)
So, in a nod to her, these wines celebrate the spirit of travel and exploration. With wines, from France, Spain, Italy and the US we have a little tour of the wine world. As she looks to travel away to University, she begins a new adventure in her life.
I ask all of our kids to go and travel, see the World, ask questions and dive deep into new things. If they don't, then we've failed! Whilst Yorkshire is lovely, there are other amazing places to see, people to meet and fun to be had. These wines exemplify finding exciting new adventures and embracing new experiences. Sure the kids can come back, but go an adventure, you never know what you may find. In wine, it's so important to do the same. Look beyond your normal 'favourites' and explore! You can always return to the good old favourites.
I hope you enjoy this months wines. Feedback always appreciated.
Love Ya
Matt xxx
Cave de Turckheim Pinot Blanc 2021
Cave de Turckheim lies at the mouth of the Munster Valley. Working closely with 180 partners, its vineyards span the full breadth of Alsatian terroir and grape varieties. Cave de Turckheim only produces wine from the grapes of its member growers, it is a récoltant not a négociant.
Senior winemaker Michel Lihrmann highlights each wine's nuances in his signature dry, yet fruit forward, style. Farmed sustainably and using natural alternatives to chemicals. They are the largest organic vineyard player in Alsace. Tasting Note: Fresh and fruity nose with hints of white flowers. Dry, well-balanced with good weight on the palate, crisp and supple with aromas of apples and lemon. Food Pairing: Works well as an apéritif and a versatile food match, try with asaparagus risotto, salads and light chicken dishes.
Château Canteloudette Blanc, Entre-Deux-Mers 2022
Château Berjuquey, one of Bordeaux's most consistent estates, is situated in Mérignas in the Gironde. The owner M. Bonnefin, having inherited his grandparents' passion for growing vines manages his vineyards sustainably, working with Entres-Deux-Mers co-operative Cave de Rauzan to produce the wines.
It was the first and currently the only wine-making company in Bordeaux formamly labelled “Sustainable Winegrowing of France". 75% of its vineyards have been awarded HVE 3 certification and all of the vineyards are certified Agriconfiance. Societally, Caves de Rauzan encourages and trains its members in organic and eco-responsible viticulture, it supports young farmers, it offers a guarantee of traceability, and it maintains a local purchasing rate of more than 80%. The cellar recovers and recycles 99% of its waste, and it has also created wastewater treatment plants on each of its three sites. 85% of bottles are lightened and all are made of recycled glass. Tasting Note: A Bordeaux classic white, Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend which delivers a beautiful crisp Bordeaux Blanc with aromas of green and red apple, citrus flesh and a zippy, lifted acidity. One of Bordeaux's most consistent estates, situated in Mérignas in the Gironde. Vineyards are vineyards sustainably managed. Food Pairing: Perfect with fish and seafood, even sushi.
The Big Top ‘Old Vine’ Zinfandel, Lodi 2020
This range from Boutinot has been developed with growers in California for over 10 years, finessing the offering from vintage to vintage, increasingly with specific estates sourcing old vine material and site-specific fruit. This wine is sourced from the warm region of Lodi in Central California, to which winemaker Samantha Bailey brings her esteemed palate and decades of experience to hone these elements into the brightest wines of The Sunshine State. Tasting Note: Old vine Zinfandel vinified in steel tanks with a little oak aging provides aromas of vanilla, cracked black pepper and dark damson fruit. On the palate this wine is round and fleshy, beautifully balanced and packed full with robust red fruit flavours and a lick of oak. Food Pairing: Great with roasts and for that final BBQ of the year.
Showdown ‘Man with the Ax’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
The ‘Man with the Ax’ is the nickname for the King of Diamonds in Poker-parlance, and in California, Cabernet is undoubtedly ‘King’. Rich cassis fruit and a good lick of oak make this a plush, easy-drinking example of why it is so highly prized.
The grapes are grwon i nthe searing heat of the Central Valley, but the San Joaquin & Sacramento river delta's cool, so providing good freshness and acidity with these fruit charged Cab grapes. The grapes are picked in blocks, then fermented separately and blended. It's then aged in oak for 6 months to provide a good structure to this rich wine. Tasting Note: Ripe blackcurrant and wild berry fruit on the nose complimented sweet vanilla oak. Rich cassis and black cherry fruit on the palate with a soft, juicy, yet long finish. Framed by the subtle American oak. Food Pairing: Almost any red meat, especially served rare, is going to do the trick.
Da Vero Biologico Nero d’Avola, DOC Sicilia 2022
Established in 2003, Adria Vini is a winemaking venture jointly owned by Boutinot and Araldica Castelvero, the leading co-operative in the Monferrato hills of Piemonte. The aim is to produce authentic, well-priced still and sparkling wines from local grape varieties. All aspects of production, from grape selection through to vinification, maturation, blending and bottling are meticulously overseen by Araldica's winemaking team of Claudio Manera and Lella Burdese - assisted by Boutinot's Tony Brown MW.
This is one of their Sicilian beauties, the warm, dry climate is ideal for organic cultivation and the Da Vero wines ('davvero' meaning ‘really’ or ‘naturally’ in Italian) are the result of the winemakers long relationship (over 10 years) with the vineyards in Sicily. The Nero d'Avola grapes are sourced from the area around Salemi (Province of Trapani) in the north-west tip of Sicily. The vines are Guyot-trained, and grown at around 250m altitude on a combination of soil types. The vineyards were converted to organic viticulture in 2007. The grapes are macerated on the skins for 8-12 days, then racked and allowed to complete malolactic fermentation. Tasting Note: Aromas of ripe black fruit with a hint of spice. The palate has rich plum and bramble fruit, along with savoury and herbal notes, and soft tannins balanced by fresh acidity. Food Pairing: Rich pasta dishes, casseroles and grilled meats.
Gómez Cruzado Rioja Crianza 2019
This is one of the great Rioja bodegas, located in Haro at the very heart of Rioja Alta! Dating back to 1886 when Angel Gómez de Arteche started to produce and bottle his own wine. Head winemaker David González now heads up the team for over 10 years and uses bush vines in the most elevated areas of Rioja Alta and Alavesa. He sources from almost a hundred different plots across 3 distinct regions: Alto Najerilla, Bajo Najerilla and Sierra Cantabria.
Sierra Cantabria (Rioja Alta and Alavesa): Vines grow in poor, white, chalky-clay soils, on sunny slopes at the highest part of the sierra (up to 750m altitude) - where the Mediterranean and Atlantic climates meet. The area produces wines with freshness and elegance.
Bajo Najerilla (Rioja Alta): in the triangle formed by the villages of Uruñuela, Cenicero and Torremontalbo, where the Najerilla river flows into the River Ebro. Tempranillo vines grown in alluvial soils at an average altitude of 500m – in a warmer, more temperate continental climate with a notable Mediterranean influence. Wines have high maturity and excellent ageing capacity.
Alto Najerilla (Rioja Alta): Garnacha vines over 80 years old, planted in ferrous clay soil at around 750m altitude, on north-facing slopes near the Sierra de la Demanda. The continental climate confers strong fruitiness and marked acidity on the resulting wines.
These Tempranillo grapes are sourced from vineyards planted in the foothills of the Cantabrian mountains, and from the lower course of the Najerilla river (near Uruñuela and Torremontalbo). The Garnacha vines are planted near the higher course of the Najerilla (near Badarán). The vineyards are between 60 and 80 years of age, which gives further intensity to the wine. The grapes are handpicked into 20kg crates and sorted by hand at the winery. After 3 days of pre-fermentative maceration at low temperature, the must undergoes daily remontage and delestage during temperature-controlled fermentation in cone-shaped stainless steel tanks. The fermentation uses whole berries which creates some of the floral, complex characters and silky tannin structure. This is followed by 12 months maturation in, mostly new, American oak barriques. Tasting Note: Plum and bramble aromas with savoury, lightly spicy hints. A smooth, approachable crianza with ripe dark fruits and supple tannins. Showing tremendous balance and quality typical of the excellent 2019 vintage. Food Pairing: Authentic kebabs or herby lamb chops.
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