Natural Wines II
Here follow my tasting notes from last week’s Le Caveau tasting of a selection of ‘natural’ wines, the weakest part of which was the use of the term ‘natural’. Someone is going to have to come up with a better descriptor than this. ‘Real’ isn’t great but I think it is better than ‘natural’, with all its touchy, feely baggage. But it is the wine in the bottle that counts most and these were gloriously characterful expressions of the winemaker’s art, about as far removed as they could be from the endless parade of Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Grigios and their ilk that the world is swamped with at present. If they had one thing in common it was a fresh texture allied to a commendable lack of ‘weight’ or density of flavour and, in the case of the reds, a generally lighter colour than the inky purple-black that seems to be all the rage these days.
* Prosecco di Valdobbiadene NV, Casa Coste Piane 11% €17.95
A lovely steely, mineral cut. Clean and fresh. None of the peachy, cosmetic character that domintaes so many Proseccos. Very pure.
* Vouvray Sec ‘La Dilettante’ 2010, Pierre et Catherine Breton 12% €18.50
A slight vegetal note on the nose carries onto the palate. Very pure, not overtly fruity. Crisp tingle, though not sharp. (Doesn’t have the piercing acidity of an Huet Vouvray.) Clean finish. Very drinkable.
* Montlouis AC 'Minérale +' 2010, Frantz Saumon 12.5% €18.95
Montlouis is the lesser-known sibling of Vouvray and is similar in style. Don’t let the slight ‘pong’ on the nose put you off. The palate is much more appealing with sweet lemons, good depth and a great lipsmacking quality. A challenging wine for those who seek clean fruit and nothing else.
* Côte du Rhône Blanc ‘Le Clos des Grillons’ 2010, Nicolas Renaud 14.5% €18.65
Deep straw gold colour. Muted on the nose, more vigour on the palate. Quite fat with some sweetness but the acidity holds it well. A mild touch of marzipan. Has none of the ‘gloopy’ character that spoils so many white Rhônes.
* Morgon ‘Côte du Py’ 2009, Jean Foillard 13.5% €27.60
There is more to Beaujolais than Noveau, as this wine so ably proves. The colour is a full cherry-red and the nose is lively and tingly. Rich, earthy fruit abounds on the palate with meaty hints too. Great depth of flavour, gorgeous stuff.
* Touraine ‘In Côt We Trust’ 2008, Thierry Puzelat 12% €19.60
Côt is a synonym for Malbec, the name by which most wine drinkers know this grape. There is a intriguing, wiffy, exotic nose and a palate that majors on earthy fruit and rasping tannin. There’s great depth and length too. About as far removed from a ‘fruit bomb’ as it is possible to be and all the better for that. Splendid stuff.
* Ribeira Sacra ‘Peza do Rei’ 2010, Adega Cachín 13% €18.25
Sweaty fruit on the nose presages great purity and freshness on the palate. The use of no oak whatsoever yields a light-textured wine bereft of the ‘density’ of flavour that ruins so many wines these days. Crisp and lipsmacking.
* Tempranillo ‘Gran Cerdo’ NV, Gonzalo Gonzalo Grijalba 13% €12.50
Don’t let the lack of a vintage date put you off, after all, most champagne is NV. Fresh, delicious tingly fruit from beginning to end is this wine’s hallmark. Raspberries abound. Great value.
* Rosso di Montalcino 2008, Az Ag Pian dell’Orino di Caroline Pobitzer 14.55% €29.95
This one’s a slow burner that only began to justify its higher price after repeated swirling, sniffing and slurping. Then it yielded gorgeous fruit flavours supported by a firm rasp of tannin. Good length. Lovely stuff. Still a bit pricey.
* Sicilia Rosso ‘Vino di Anna’ 2009, Anna Martens 14% €19.95
Looks like an aged burgundy with its antique crimson colour. Tastes old too, lovely sweetness with a hard-to-pin-down wild edge, slightly herbaceous. Appealing earthy fruit and spice.
* Malbec 2008, Familia Cecchin 13.5% €17.55
Some Argentinean Malbecs can be frightening whoppers but not this one. Heady, fleshy nose. Savoury fruit on the palate, mild liquorice, warm length. Big but not dense. Lovely freshness, lovely stuff.
* Prosecco di Valdobbiadene NV, Casa Coste Piane 11% €17.95
A lovely steely, mineral cut. Clean and fresh. None of the peachy, cosmetic character that domintaes so many Proseccos. Very pure.
* Vouvray Sec ‘La Dilettante’ 2010, Pierre et Catherine Breton 12% €18.50
A slight vegetal note on the nose carries onto the palate. Very pure, not overtly fruity. Crisp tingle, though not sharp. (Doesn’t have the piercing acidity of an Huet Vouvray.) Clean finish. Very drinkable.
* Montlouis AC 'Minérale +' 2010, Frantz Saumon 12.5% €18.95
Montlouis is the lesser-known sibling of Vouvray and is similar in style. Don’t let the slight ‘pong’ on the nose put you off. The palate is much more appealing with sweet lemons, good depth and a great lipsmacking quality. A challenging wine for those who seek clean fruit and nothing else.
* Côte du Rhône Blanc ‘Le Clos des Grillons’ 2010, Nicolas Renaud 14.5% €18.65
Deep straw gold colour. Muted on the nose, more vigour on the palate. Quite fat with some sweetness but the acidity holds it well. A mild touch of marzipan. Has none of the ‘gloopy’ character that spoils so many white Rhônes.
* Morgon ‘Côte du Py’ 2009, Jean Foillard 13.5% €27.60
There is more to Beaujolais than Noveau, as this wine so ably proves. The colour is a full cherry-red and the nose is lively and tingly. Rich, earthy fruit abounds on the palate with meaty hints too. Great depth of flavour, gorgeous stuff.
* Touraine ‘In Côt We Trust’ 2008, Thierry Puzelat 12% €19.60
Côt is a synonym for Malbec, the name by which most wine drinkers know this grape. There is a intriguing, wiffy, exotic nose and a palate that majors on earthy fruit and rasping tannin. There’s great depth and length too. About as far removed from a ‘fruit bomb’ as it is possible to be and all the better for that. Splendid stuff.
* Ribeira Sacra ‘Peza do Rei’ 2010, Adega Cachín 13% €18.25
Sweaty fruit on the nose presages great purity and freshness on the palate. The use of no oak whatsoever yields a light-textured wine bereft of the ‘density’ of flavour that ruins so many wines these days. Crisp and lipsmacking.
* Tempranillo ‘Gran Cerdo’ NV, Gonzalo Gonzalo Grijalba 13% €12.50
Don’t let the lack of a vintage date put you off, after all, most champagne is NV. Fresh, delicious tingly fruit from beginning to end is this wine’s hallmark. Raspberries abound. Great value.
* Rosso di Montalcino 2008, Az Ag Pian dell’Orino di Caroline Pobitzer 14.55% €29.95
This one’s a slow burner that only began to justify its higher price after repeated swirling, sniffing and slurping. Then it yielded gorgeous fruit flavours supported by a firm rasp of tannin. Good length. Lovely stuff. Still a bit pricey.
* Sicilia Rosso ‘Vino di Anna’ 2009, Anna Martens 14% €19.95
Looks like an aged burgundy with its antique crimson colour. Tastes old too, lovely sweetness with a hard-to-pin-down wild edge, slightly herbaceous. Appealing earthy fruit and spice.
* Malbec 2008, Familia Cecchin 13.5% €17.55
Some Argentinean Malbecs can be frightening whoppers but not this one. Heady, fleshy nose. Savoury fruit on the palate, mild liquorice, warm length. Big but not dense. Lovely freshness, lovely stuff.
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