Paul Mas Estate Carignan Vieilles Vignes 2011

Grape:        Carignan

Price:          £9

Store:          Majestic Wines

Country:     France

Region:       Herault, Languedoc

ABV:            13.5%

Sitting on a table for two outside his restaurant, I spotted a new friend of mine enjoying the evening warmth and taking in the lively spirit of Manchester's Northern Quarter.  I went over to say hello and on his table was a bottle of red which, after exchanging pleasantries, he offered me a glass to taste.  I wasn't going to say no.  

What he offered me was a glass of 2007 Carignan which was extremely pleasing to taste, being smooth, refined and with an understated strength.  Thanks to him, I had tried a new grape variety I have not consciously tasted before and so made a mental note to ensure my next review would be about the same grape.  Although I have not been able to get my hands on the very same bottle in time, I still have a great example for you.

Carignan is widely grown in the south of France but originated across the border in Spain, where it was once a common component of Rioja.  Having spread a little through Europe, Carignan embedded itself in France and at one point, became the most widely planted grape.  In the 1980's growers were actually given subsidies to pull up some of their vines as significantly more wine was being produced than drunk: a phenomena called the 'wine lake'.  As a high yielding crop, Carignan was picked on and this period saw a dramatic, although not detrimental, decrease of this grape.  With high natural acidity and tannins, it is a good grape to mix with others such as Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mourvèdre and Merlot, adding colour and depth.  The qualities that make this wine great to blend however, create difficulties when making a varietal version.  The exception is vines over 50 years of age, which are widely considered to have sufficient maturity to create a grape which is suitable.  The reason I bring this to your attention is because at this point, any of you with sufficient French language knowledge will have noticed the words 'Vieilles Vignes' on the label, which of course stands for 'Old Vines'.

On the nose first is a blend of slightly perfumed spice and gentle wood notes with well combined black currant, blackberry, cherry and maybe fig blended together to give a warm, deep, fruity smell.  

The taste is very enjoyable, delivering what the smell promises.  Immediately smooth and full bodied with the fruit and spice providing a burst of mouthwatering taste and heat, before fine tannins control the aftertaste.  A well balanced and tasty drink throughout.

Learning about the wine lake was very interesting and if the past has just one lesson to teach us, it would be that we should learn from our mistakes.  In today's climate of the enlightened drinker, there is a higher demand on wine which I am sure will pretty much rule out any possibility of the past repeating itself, however, I think erring on the side of caution is sensible and we should all buy more wine straight away and dive right in. 

Mirador Shiraz, Argentina 2010

I've been really looking forward to writing this review as I have been able to legitimately use different descriptive words on this wine.  Even though I have only been writing and reviewing for a short period, I have become conscious of using the same old verbs and nouns to articulate what I smell and taste.  All of a sudden, I feel the need to over-describe in order to keep my reviews interesting.  This would, of course, be at the cost of you, my wonderful readers.

There is a finite list of ingredients one can use to communicate qualities of wine and while this reservoir is undoubtedly massive, certain words will always feature more heavily than others, especially in wine at the lower end of the price bracket as these are either too young to have developed more complex flavours or are specifically blended to please the generic taste of the masses.  The job of the affordable wine critic gradually gets harder and harder as they try more inventive ways to stand out of the crowd and catch your attention without sounding over pretentious.  

So, without further ado, I give you my 'down to earth but imaginatively chronicled' view of a Shiraz (Syrah) from the Finca Mirador Seleccion from Mendoza, Argentina.  Bought from the Co-Operative at £5.50 (off promotion, £6.50), this wine is a little gem and I would still buy it at twice the price. 

On the nose is an immediate, deep and strong smell of cracked black pepper and cinnamon.  Raw wood smoke nicely bridges the gap to oaky tannins that all but mask the single identity of well ripened red fruits.  The taste brings equal measures of punchy and robust flavours which remain consistent throughout and into the lengthy aftertaste.  Very full bodied, the cheek pinching tannins flex their muscles from the very beginning but give way when it matters, making it surprisingly smooth and palatable.  Peppery spice is omnipresent with a faint nod towards sweet liquorice.  This surprises me in a wine so relatively young but is most welcome.  For me, the fruit really stays in the background and while other reviews suggest cherries, blackberries and the like, this wine is all about the spice, the smoke and the tannins.  These are huge flavours for such a little price tag and for the first time I am not recommending a bottle, I am recommending a bulk purchase.

If I can get my message across to you without sounding too flowery then there may be hope for me as a writer and this makes me happy.  In the words of Blackadder, "I am anaspeptic, phrasmotic, even compunctious to have caused you such periconbobulations." Or words to that effect.

Taste the Difference Gruner Veltliner 2011

After last week's great red and unexpected food pairing (see my Pasico Old Vine review), I decided to stay with Sainsbury's and for £8, delved into their 'Taste The Difference' range. My choice is the Austrian Gruner Veltliner.  

Because the decision making process I go through on a bottle of wine is a pleasurable agony, I generally avoid branding which takes the risk out of this process.  In the case of Sainsbury's, it is the iconic purple band of the 'Taste the Difference' range which is emblazoned on the products that Sainsbury's want you to know they've gone the extra mile on.

I appreciate however, that others do not care to spend the same amount of time agonising over what bottles to buy and would rather be in and out of the shop before the parking attendant has realised there isn't a parking ticket in the car, or the kids have worked out how to release the handbrake.  The purple band therefore becomes a beacon of what should be on the whole, a safe but enjoyable purchase.  Considering the hurried purchaser, I bought this bottle.

Gruner Veltliner is the synonymous grape variety associated with Austria and makes up almost half of their plantings.  Like most varieties, it is also grown in other countries, such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia and some other choice 'New Worlds'.  The past couple of decades have seen a real push in the quality and publicity of this grape with some varietals proving their worth by going head to head with comparable Chardonnays and Chenin Blancs, often coming out on top.   

On the nose, this wine faintly retains the characteristic aroma of white pepper with floral undertones.  Taking my time, I could also detect an earthen quality, possibly clay.  The taste is crisp and immediately acidic, bringing grapefruit to the first attack.  What follows is dry with reminiscences of apple and celery.  The aftertaste is short and leaves an acidic note on the tongue.  

A great alternative to try for those of you that love tangy, crisp dry wines.  And are in a hurry!

Pasico Old Vine Monastrell Shiraz 2011

One of the great pleasures of drinking wine is finding the perfect food partner.  It is a staple of the conventional wine consuming populus that white wine pairs with fish, chicken and salad, while red wines goes with steak and smelly cheese.  I won't argue with this as a good starting point but any wine enthusiast will tell you there are numerous exceptions to the rule as well as infinite undiscovered combinations.  Have a curry and tell me whether white or red works better.  

Individual taste is what really matters the most and all experts are really trying to do is give you guidance on a good food and wine combo that enhances and compliments the taste of both wine and food, giving you an enjoyable experience overall. 

It is my turn to do the same with this wine and I believe the pairing itself could be a world first! Read on dear reader, read on.

Firstly, we need the wine.  This week's is a blend of Monastrell (aka Mourvedre) and Shiraz (aka Syrah) from the Jumilla region of southern Spain.  Supplied by Sainsbury's in the region of £6, this wine is young, fruity and blended specifically to be enjoyed almost immediately.

 

The nose delivers a punchy blend of red fruits and old oak.  Concentrating harder, the fruits arrange themselves a little better and come out as dark cherry, followed by ripe bramble, but the almost earthen scent of oak remains a constant in the middle ground.  Taste delivers what the nose promised but in a surprising smooth texture.  Cherry is still very much at the forefront and is given further dimension by the supporting red fruit, but it has to compete with unbalanced tannins which provide the tell tale mouthfeel in the aftertaste. This gives the cherry an almost bitter edge that isn't out of place but the wine would be better without.  

All is not lost though as this wine pairs perfectly with Levi Roots' marvellous Reggae Reggae sauce!  The unbalance of tannins is completely repaired by the warm spice in the sauce, making it almost completely smooth from start to finish.  The spice in the wine is boosted by the sauces own picance, giving it a new warmth.  This food pairing is symbiotic and the wine adds depth and brings the sweetness within the sauce very much to the front.  This, along with the reasonable price, makes it a great wine to take to a barbeque, which is happily also the stomping ground of Reggae Reggae sauce.

Whether you agree or not is down to individual taste and I am happy to be disagreed with, as long as you have given it a try first.  As for me, I know I have something to drink when I open my sunshine kit.

Ca'del Pipa Corvina 2009

The journey a grape will undertake to become a good wine is astounding.  The more I learn about different wines, the more I appreciate why the resulting taste relies on the most subtle of changes in the wine making process.  Every element from the soil, the vine, picking, transportation, crushing, fermentation, temperature control, preserving, filtration, maturation and bottling is meticulously executed to ensure consistency and control for that particular grape or wine.  Each winemaker has their own particular tried and tested method and the smallest modification can impact on the process, changing the taste of the wine (sometimes on purpose, other times not).  Now factor in something that is out of anyone's control: the weather and the fickleness of mother nature.  A late spring, a wet summer, an early winter, too much water, too little water, a touch of rot, fungus or infestation and a viticulturist's entire crop can be wiped out or severely compromised.  

Consider if you will, the grape as a very demanding child.  Love, care and attention must be given unconditionally and every need must be catered for and addressed immediately in order to stop any chance of things turning sour.  Even when everything has been done and the brat is fed, watered and happily playing, an unexpected oversight or mistake somewhere in the process will result in it being well and truly spoilt.  Only when everything comes together perfectly, does the end justify the painstaking journey taken to get there.  That is why winemakers have enormous passion for their own produce because in effect, they are selling you their children.

This week's wine is a North Italian red, made from 100% Corvina grapes.  Bought from Majestic for £9ish, the appellation is Indicazione Geografica Tipica which is roughly the Italian equivalent of the French Vin de Pays.  I chose this bottle to review because the grapes undergo two specific processes which nicely illustrate the point I am making and which are easily detectable within the taste of the wine.  After being picked, the grapes are air dried for two months, allowing the grape to lose water content but intensifies the flavour of the fruit.  Additionally, the wine is matured in oak barrels for at least a year in order to extract aromatic compounds which contribute to richness and flavour complexity.

First to arrive on the nose was a clear and gentle hit of apple and cherry, accompanied by oak undertones.  Concentrating harder, I also detected a very slight hint of tobacco although this hides shyly behind the legs of the aforementioned prominent flavours.  Upon tasting, cherry jumps out as the leading flavour but are complimented by other red fruits.  It is light and fairly acidic in texture but the discreet tannin and oak provide gravitas and an enjoyable mouth feel.  This is a very approachable red which is light and fruity in body but has the right balance of tannin to make it suitable with or without food.

Considering the plethora of mishaps, ailments and contretemps that can readily occur, it is a wonder that good wine even exists.  Fortunately for us, it does and the Ca'del Pipa Corvina is a fine illustration of a good, affordable wine.  Go on, get some and spoil yourself.

Main Divide Riesling 2010

Riesling is a grape variety that I have probably known the longest without actually realising it.  I remember during my childhood, many a Sunday lunch was accompanied by a bottle of Liebfraumilch or Hock.  Occasionally, my parents would allow us children to have a small sample but my memory of what we were allowed to try has faded beyond recall and only four remaining words summarise what I remember of the taste, "Maybe beer is better?"  

If dad brought home a bottle of this to try instead, the taste would have made a longer lasting impression. Let's be clear on this point though, I'm not knocking German wines.  I have bought several in recent years and have immensley enjoyed them.  No doubt I will review them at some point however, I don't think I would get any objection from saying they are a far cry from what I was exposed to back in the eighties and early nineties.  

This particular bottle comes from New Zealand's Waipara Valley on the south island where the Donaldson family collect grapes from nearby vinyards to create their wines.  If this Riesling is anything to go by, the rest of their range is well worth looking out for.  This bottle cost in the region of £12.50 and came from ye olde faithful Majestic Wines.  The price may cause you to think twice and you would be right in doing so.  This isn't quaffing wine but the sort of bottle that goes with you to a nice, sit down meal with friends.  This is also a great wine to try if you feel that all white wines smell and taste the same.

On the nose was immediate and obvious tones of petrol or diesel; the nice smell that hits you sometimes on a petrol station forecourt.  This was combined with a well matched minerality, reminiscent of slate.  Although not unpleasant, this primary smell is strong and overpowers any scent of fruit, limiting it to just a faint whiff of grapefruit which compliments the original nasal assault.

The tasting was equally robust and full of surprises.  A sweetness is immediately evident but is a momentary pre-cursor to the main attack from the petrol/diesel element which also turns dry on the tongue.  Although this sounds a little odd for describing a wine, the Riesling grape is well known to produce a petrol/diesel taste and it is most certainly an endearing feature that creates much buzz and desirability.  Towards the latter end, grapefruit steps up and gradually takes over, providing a great citrus tang without the sourness.  The diesel ends abruptly on swallowing and the citrus continues without decay to provide a lengthy aftertaste.  A well balanced and consistently enjoyable bottle of wine which has an added trick up its sleeve:  The wine is allowed to retain some residual carbon dioxide during fermentation and despite not being immediately evident during visual inspection, contains a very slight fizz (called "spritzig" on the bottle).  This slight effervescence pinches the tongue and wakes up the tastebuds, really complimenting the entire drinking experience.

After all this time, it is great that Riesling is still going strong and while the cruelty of the dreadful eighties wine continues to give Riesling a bad name, I am very happy you can purchase wines from this grape that are superior in everyway.  I am also equally happy that my father's taste in wine has vastly improved.

La Croix Gratiot Roussanne 2011

I don't mind admitting that the French section of wine shops intimidate me a little.  It isn't necessarily the wine itself but rather what is written on the label.  The quality classification system used in France seems an insurmountable and confusing muddle of information that provides no real information or clue as to the quality of the liquid inside.  

I suspect this may be true of more than just me (or at least I hope so) and this may be why people pass on French wine in favour of recognisable and 'safe' wine.  After all, most people now know an Aussie Shiraz or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is a fairly safe bet.  Who wants to risk a tenner on a French bottle, only for it to taste like terps?

If you do feel like taking a chance or are in need of direction, I would heartily recommend the Roussanne and Marsanne grape variety as a great starting place.  Featuring heavily in the Northern Rhone region in France, these two grape varieties are often blended together to produce full bodied, great tasting dry whites that have a pleasant floral aroma and slightly more advanced structure.  Marsanne/Roussanne blends are available in most wine outlets and even the conservatively priced bottles give you a half decent drink and a welcome rest from the usual suspects.

The word Roussanne is rooted from the French word for red or russet, which is the colour the skin turns when ripe.  This grape is known to be difficult to produce large yields but despite this, also comes as a varietal wine (we have already covered this word in a previous blog) for which the subject of this review is a good example.  Made by La Croix Gratiot and purchased from a well sourced and friendly wine shop in Didsbury called Reserve Wines, this bottle was in the £9.99 region at time of purchase.

On the nose the Rousanne is clean throughout, providing an initial and distinct scent of warm stone, partnered with floral tones and honeysuckle.  On the palate the wine has a smooth and almost oily texture, accompanied by a faintly nutty taste.  Acid is ever present but any potency is disguised by honey and sharp citrus, giving it a dry yet smooth overall taste.  The oily, nutty texture is the last taste to leave but remains balanced right to the last, making this a very enjoyable drop.  I can imagine that older examples of this wine would taste great, having had chance to develop and add further complexity to their flavour.