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Date tasted:  May 19th, 2009 23:40 (11:40pm)

Dr. Bürklin-Wolf is the largest family owned estate in Germany with just over 110HA of vineyards all located in the heart of the Pfalz.  The vineyards are located in Wachenheim, Forst, Deidesheim and Ruppertsberg including the monopol sites “Wachenheimer Rechbächel” and “Gaisböhl” in Ruppertsberg. They were the first non-French member of the well-known French organization “Syndicat International des Vignerons en Culture Bio-Dynamique” with the label BIODYVIN.  In the beginning of 2005 all 83 hectares of Bürklin-Wolf’s vineyards were converted to bio-dynamic methods. Dr. Bürklin-Wolf has passed with success all necessary controls by the EU control agencies and is certified as a bio-dynamic winery.

This wine has a special place in my heart.  On September 12, 2007 a friend and I arrived in the Pfalz where I would remain for the following 10 days to take part in the harvest.  The very next day we had our very first harvesting experience.  We were to (hand) harvest grapes (Riesling) in the Gaisböl vineyard, and those grapes were to be at the Beerenauslese level!  Beerenauslese (BA) directly translated means “selected grapes”, which simply meant that we were hand selecting grapes that were going to be used in this wine.  The grapes in a BA wine are normally effected by Botrytis (the basis for the worlds greatest sweet wines like Sauternes and Tokaji).  The minimum required Oechsle value (of the grapes) in the Pfalz to qualify as a BA is 120 (the Oechsle scale is a hydrometer scale measuring the density of grape must, which is an indication of grape ripeness and sugar content.  The higher the value, the higher sugar content, the higher the potential alcohol).  This wine also had a small percentage of “fresh” grapes; grapes not effected by this “noble rot”. At analysis, the grapes that went into this wine had an Oechsle reading of 145!  This Oechsle reading puts this wine at just a few degrees under the Trockenbeerenauslese level of 150!

It is quite unusual to be picking grapes of this level so early in the harvest season.  Many of the other Bürklin vineyards weren’t even going to be harvested for fresh grapes for another couple of weeks.  I have to say that it was a challenging first day of harvesting!  There are many types of rot and you have to be very selective to assure that the good rot is the one you are harvesting, the rest goes right on the ground!

The Gaisböhl vineyard is solely owned by the Bürklin estate.  This vineyard is considered a “Grand Cru” (according to the Bürklin-Wolf’s own strict vineyard classification system dating back to 1995).  The vineyard covers 5,7ha and was planted in 1977.

As many of you may know, 2007 is heralded as an excellent vintage in Germany.  A vintage which has the potential to age for decades.  This wine was no exception.  It was immediately approachable but had the potential to age, well probably longer than you or I.

Wine analysis/details:

Grape:  100% Riesling

Oechsle measurement before fermentation:  145° Oe

Price:  € 70,00 per 0,375l, double for 0,75l (this  bottle was a 0,375 l)

Production:  about 500 liters

Residual Sugar:  188g/liter

Residual Acidity:  16g/liter!!

Alcohol content:  7%

Appearance: Poured like liquid syrup!  Golden orange with amber hints.

Nose: Orange marmalade, apricot nectar, honey, lemon with mineral undertones.  “cool” chalky smell with hints of eucalyptus.  Lots of apricots!  I could smell this wine all night!

Palate: Pure, apricot syrup with extreme, mature acidity!  The finish has hints of dried apricots and sour fruit.  The wine really coats the mouth and the texture is mind-blowing.  The finish is extremely long, at least a minute or more..

This has got to be one of the finest sweet wines I have ever tasted, because it had extreme focus of both fresh and dried fruits with amazing acidity giving this wine lift and freshness!

For those of you that don’t enjoy sweet wines, this one is worth a try.  The secret with sweet wines is the acidity.  Sweet wines need acidity to balance out the sugar.  When the acidity is in balance,  the wine will seem fresh no matter how sweet it is.  In other words, the higher the residual sugar, the higher the acidity needs to be.  If there is a lack of acidity, which unfortunately is too often the case, the wine will seem cloying and will sting at the back of the throat.  This is why cool climate countries have the advantage in the sweet wine world. The cooler climate produces grapes with higher acidity and typically the sweet wines made from these grapes are fresher.

Suggested music pairing:  Blank & Jones “Butterfisch” from the album Relax Edition 4

Date tasted:  May 19th, 2009

Exciting things are happening in Western Slovenia and North Eastern Italy.  The exciting thing that both countries have in common is the Rebula (Ribolla Gialla) grape which is quickly gaining cult status among us wine nerds.    It produces aromatic wines with high acidity and when a little skin contact is added to the mix, wines of great complexity and length can be produced.  (White) wines with skin contact are gaining popularity in the wine world and being referred to as “orange wines” due the color that extended skin contact gives the wine.

Vinarstvo Simčič is situated in Ceglo (Zegla), a small village in the region of Goriska Brda, by the Slovene-Italian border, by the Italian hills of Collio.  Half of their vineyards lie in Slovenia while the other half lie in Italy.  An hour and half drive will get you both to Venice or the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana. I have been told that this is one of the top producers in Slovenia, if not the top.  In fact, I was speaking to a respected source who also sampled some of their red wines (blind) and said that they were better than many Bordeaux’s….

They grow 100% of their grapes in their vineyards, which cover 16 ha.   They believe in the most natural methods of viticulture, reducing crop and leaving the grapes on the vine as long as possible.  They also follow ancestral and traditional vinification methods in the cellar, which is located 5 meters underground.

This wine is the Rebula Reserva (Seleklija).  The Rebula vines are 48-51 years old and lie at an altitude of 200-250 meters above sea level.  They have a North-West exposure and the soil is composed of marl, slate and sandstone.  The grapes are hand-harvested (bunches are carefully selected)  at the beginning of October.  The fermentation takes place with the skins in 3000 liter conical oak barrels (tino) using only indigenous yeasts.  The wine is separated from the skins after 6 months of maceration.  The wine is then matured in big oak barrels for 2 years.  The wine was bottled in September of 2008 without fining or filtration.  No added sulfur.  Only 2000 bottles produced.  13.5% Alcohol (14% according to the label).  Total acidity is 4.56 grams per liter.  Price in Norway is 250 Norwegian Kroner ($39)

First tasting:  15:51 (3:51pm):  (from the refrigerator)

Appearance: Apricot orange.  Very clean looking with medium intensity.

Nose: Yellow fruit especially yellow plums.  Fresh apricots.  Hints of acacia honey.  Hints of herbs with underlying minerals

Palate: Ripe fruit, apricots, sultana raisins (semi-dry).  Medium to medium plus acidity.  Medium to medium plus alcohol.  Long finish, light minerality.

Second tasting:  16:31 (4:31pm):  (cellar temperature)

Nose: Tighter, more complex yet more focused.

Palate: Focus on the palate also sharper, alcohol a lot more integrated (interesting since this was now a few degrees warmer).  The wine has become very elegant with very mild tannins starting to emerge.

Third tasting:  21:00 (9:00pm):  (cellar temperature)

Nose & Palate: Amazing focus and elegance with “sweet” fruit emerging.  Lots of apricots.  Mild tannins, ripe acidity and great length.

This wine improved after being open half a day.  I often find that wines that are more natural tend to improve over the course of several hours and even days.  Unfortunately, this wine was so good that it never had a chance to make it to day two or three.  In my opinion this is a serious wine well worth the price tag.

Date tasted:  May 16th, 2009

I have tasted a few Chianti’s from the Colli Senesi DOCG and they are often fresh and light. This wine seemed more like a Brunello di Montalicino than a Chianti or Chianti Colli Senesi.  With some digging I found out that Azienda Agricola Pacina is located in Castelnuovo Berardenga, but his vines are in the Colli Senesi DOCG (which I am told you can see from the kitchen window).  I should also add that on a clear day, you can see Montalcino from the estate (home of the afore mentioned Brunello di Montalcino), which could be part  of the reason why this wine was more like a Brunello to me.

The 10ha vineyard for this wine is made up of sand, clay and oyster fossils and is farmed organically, leaning towards biodynamics.  The blend is 97% Sangiovese and 3% Canaiolo/Ciliegiolo.  The grapes are hand harvested, crushed and the alcoholic fermentation takes place utilizing indigenous yeasts.  The wine is left to macerate for around five weeks in concrete tanks (the long skin contact could be another reason why this wine resembled a Brunello).  The wine is then aged for one year in (5-10 year-old) 500 liter barrels and botti of 17-25hl.  The wine is then bottled without clarification nor filtration.  Very little sulfur is added at this time ( I’m told 15-20 mg) and aged a further 6 months before release.  25,000 bottles are produced.  Alcohol:  13.2%  Total Acidity:  5.5%.  Price in Norwegian Kroner is 200 ($31).

Appearance: Dark brick-red with good color depth.  Medium intensity.  Still nice dark edge suggesting that this wine is younger than it really is.

Nose: When first opened, slight hints of onion, suggesting that there was slight reduction.  This very quickly burned off.  Hints of mineral emerged along with dark cherries and dark plums.  Hints of herbs like rosemary.  Some dried fruit notes on the back end.

Palate: Dark cherries and cherry pits.  Medium plus acidity and medium plus tannins which actually increased and began to over power the wine a bit once in the glass for 10 minutes.  It was difficult to distinguish weather the tannins were coming from the fruit or the 500 liter barrels.  I am quite sure that most of the tannic structure of the wine came form the fruit itself.  Very rustic style of wine with secondary aromas that emerge about 10 seconds after the initial impression on the palate.  Those secondary aromas sat for 30 plus seconds.

I tasted this wine again on the 19th of May, after the bottle had been open for 3 days and stored in the refrigerator.  It had actually improved considerably.  The tannins were better integrated and the fruit more precise.  It’s my opinion that this wine is a wine that could benefit from 5-7 years of cellaring.  A reliable source reported to me that he had recently tasted a 1995 and that it was, to quote him directly “fantastic”!  I suppose that at this price, one might expect that a wine with the Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG can be aged.

Date tasted:  May 7th, 2009

Not only is this wine certified organic, but it’s also somewhat of a rarity of the wine world.  In the Rioja region of Spain, wines have traditionally been aged in oak (with exception are the Joven wines which may not see any oak at all).  And I am being kind here because not only have wines from Rioja been traditionally aged in oak, but often wines were aged for many many many years in oak.  It wasn’t uncommon to see wines, including whites, to be stored in oak for 20 years, although 2-5 years was more usual.  On top of that, American oak was often used imparting in my opinion, well you know, unwanted flavors in the wine often covering up the beautiful fruit.

The fruit in this case being the very underrated (by some) Tempranillo grape. “The little early one” as it’s called due to the fact that it usually ripens a few weeks earlier than other Spanish varieties, is a grape that can produce full-bodied wines with a huge aging potential.  Not only can they age for decades, but they do so gracefully.  At a “blind” wine tasting that I attended last year with fellow enthusiasts, half the group mistook a 1982 Rioja for a Burgundy (Pinot Noir) while the other half mistook the wine as a Barolo (Nebbiolo)!  No joke, and we were a pretty talented bunch!

Now on to this wine.  The bodega Biurko Gorri is a family run estate with one aim “they use their wine-making tradition and great care of their vineyards along with very modern installations to produce and age high quality wines“.  The vineyards are found on the sunny slopes in the area at an altitude that  give the grape an excellent balance of acidity and ripeness.  The fruit grows on old vines (15-20 years) and most of the 30ha are organic; organic fertilizers are used, not herbicides nor synthesized chemicals.  The wines made from these grapes go on sale under the Denominación de Origen Ecológica as well as the D.O.C. Rioja.

This Arbanta wine comes from organic vineyards in carefully chosen well-ventilated areas at high altitudes.  The vineyards are located in the small town of Bargota in the foothills of the Sierra Cantabria Mountains.  The grapes are destalked.  Fermentation is with natural yeasts in stainless steel vats at controlled temperatures between 20 and 28ºC. Natural fining through decanting and racking.

Appearance: A very youthful reddish purple.  Good color concentration with a medium intensity.

Nose: Wild strawberries and other berries.  Plums and flowers.  Mineral undertones.  Hints of orange peel and anise.

Palate: Plums, blackberries and hints of sweet licorice.  Nice gripping tannins with a long mineral aftertaste.  Great concentration.  Light & fresh with medium acidity.

A wine to be enjoyed young.  No sense aging this wine as it’s so good and fresh now.  I would enjoy this wine with some grilled light colored meets like chicken, or some aged hard cheese.  If you like fish with red, this could be an option as well.

I am extremely happy to live in a time when new wave Rioja wine makers are reducing oak use to such a degree that some are skipping the oak all together.  It allows us to better understand the fruit as the fruit becomes clear without the clutter of artificial (oak) additives.

Date tasted:  May 5th, 2009

Cantina di Nomi is a cooperative situated in the heart of the Vallagarina, between Trentino and Rovereto in the far North in Italy.  The cantina was formed in 1957 by a group of farmers and, according to the website, the almost 200 hectares are harvested by hand.

This wine is part of the Antichi Portali line and is made with the Rulander grape, also known as Pinot Grigio. The grapes for this wine are harvested by hand and come from a single vineyard called Castel Pietra.  Once harvested and crushed, the skins are macerated with the must for 18-24 hours at a temperature of between 6-8°C (43-46.5°F).  The wine is aged for a short period in stainless steel.

Appearance: A very light bronze/rusty color. Medium intensity with good clarity, most likely this wine has been filtered.

Nose: Not very floral nor fruity.  Under ripe lemons.  Light aromas of gooseberry, with slight green notes (some similar aromas to Sauvignon Blanc, but less intense and green).  Hints of under ripe melon.  Not a terribly intense nor complex wine.

Palate: Very dry, medium acidity.  Dry orange peel.  A bit steely and saline.  Crisp with a medium long finish.  Medium alcohol.  Very slight oxidaton on the palate.

I tried the wine again the next day and there was no evolution.

Overall this wine was OK, but not great.   I expected greater complexity due to the skin contact, but the short time on the skins didn’t add much to the wine. It is quite a typical Pinot Grigio.

It’s suitable for an aperitif or just to refresh yourself on a hot day.

The wine:

Weingut Stefan Langmann Schilcher Klassik 2008

Weststeiermark, no rx Austria

11.50% Alcohol

3.8 grams/liter residual sugar

9.0 grams/liter residual acidity!

Price in Norwegian Kroner 114,- ($17.50)

The Food:

Lightly poached fresh Mackerel

Lightly pickled cucumber

Fresh cucumber and cucumber gel

Løyrom caviar from Sweden

Fresh dill and dill mousse

Peas

Date tasted:  April 14th, 2009

Azienda Agricola Unterortl was established in 1992 in Alto Adige, Val Venosta, in the Northern tip of Italy close to the boarder of Austria.  Located about 750m up on Juval Hill, they make only 30,000 bottles per year from around 4ha. According to the May 2009 issue of Decanter magazine, Martin Aurich of Unterortl is one of Italy’s stars of tomorrow, and is producing one of Italy’s finest Rieslings.  Aurich was born and raised in Germany and studied oenology in the 1980’s.  Aurich says “Unterortl’s proximity to the glaciers gives the wines their high acidity and freshness.  The well-draining granite and sand is similar to Wachau in Austria”.  Aurich vinifies as naturally as possible.

Appearance: A light golden yellow with high intensity indicating high acidity.  A bit darker than I expected. Looked like a warmer climate Riesling, which would indicate that 2005 was a warm vintage in the area.

Nose: At first, the aromas reminded me a lot of wines from the Pfalz in Germany, in particular, Bürklin-Wolf. Ripe lemons, very light petrol and minerality. Some fruity notes, seemed to have lactic aromas suggesting that perhaps this wine went through malo-lactic fermentation.  I could not find any information validating this, but it’s just a hunch of mine.

Palate: Dry but fruity, with high acidity.  Medium alcohol which was slightly apparent on the palate.  Ripe lemons, but slightly lacking fruit in my opinion.  Quite rounded with good acidity, but not terribly focused and lacking some freshness.  A slightly fat Riesling.

In my opinion, this was a pretty good Riesling, but not great. I believe I paid around 14 euro and I feel that it was a decent value at that level.  I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. If I had another bottle, I think it would be interesting to taste it again in about 5 years. I believe this will age well and actually improve.

Event:  Stavanger, Norway Vinfest 2009

Restaurant: Bølgen & Moi

Date:  Thursday April 23, 2009  19:00

Host:  Luca Roagna and Best Buys

In my opinion, Luca Roagna is a rising star in Piemonte, Italy. And I’m not alone in believing this as his wines are garnering a lot of interest in other parts of the world as well.  I was very impressed with him and his philosophy after visiting him at his estate in Paglieri (Barbaresco), Italy in November of 2008.  I am equally impressed if not more so with his wines. They are immediately approachable, yet are so well structured and well made that they will endure the test of time and will age gracefully.

Luca  is extremely passionate.  His eyes light up when you ask him questions about his wines.  He is such a purist.  He approaches his viticulture and “winemaking” in as a natural way as possible.  Luca does not use chemical nor organic fertilizers.  All of this is reflected in his wines.  They best way to describe them is super clean, precise with focused fruit. Extremely well-structured, balanced and elegant.  His signature is his terroir, which he allows his wines to express beautifully.

Luca is also as down to earth and personable.  He is a blast to hang out with and really knows how to enjoy himself. I look forward to the next time we meet Luca!

As an aperitif, we started with a wine that isn’t currently available in Norway. A Langhe Bianco with 5-6 days skin contact giving the wine a full-golden yellow color bordering on orange. The wine was made using 90% Chardonnay and 10% Nebbiolo. Yes, you are reading this correctly, 10% Nebbiolo and yes, vinified white.  Naturally, only indigenous yeast is used.  This wine was made in a slightly oxidative style but was extremely fresh and elegant with mild tannins, elegant acidity and a medium long finish.

****

FIRST COURSE

PAIRED WITH

Comments:  35 days maceration. Unfiltered wine with clean, focused fruit and feminine, but firm tannins.

****

SECOND COURSE

PAIRED WITH

Comments:  35 days maceration, 4 years in large Botti and 2 in bottle.  The orange peel notes found in the wine worked extremely well with the orange-butter sauce. A very open and approachable wine made entirely of Nebbiolo.  More like a Barbaresco then a typical Langhe Rosso.

****

THIRD COURSE

PAIRED WITH

Comments:  good color depth with a very slight browning around the edge.  Very classic Nebbiolo aromas – floral, cherries (amarena cherry).  About 65 days maceration and 5 years in large Botti.  Even the asparagus worked surprisingly well with the wine.  A very masculine Barbaresco.

****

FOURTH COURSE

PAIRED WITH

Comments:  Average age of the vines is 40 years.  About 85 days maceration.  5 years in large Botti and 2 years in bottle. Dark, sour cherries.  Elegant and feminine.

****

FIFTH COURSE

PAIRED WITH

Comments:  About 70 days maceration. Bottled in November of 2008. Quite open, but in my opinion it needs about 10 more years just to start stretching it’s legs.  At around 350,- Norwegian Kroner ($50), it’s a real bargain.

****

I will end this post by saying that it’s producers like Luca that really inspire me and spark an infinite passion in me for wine.  This is the reason I do what I do and love it!  Thanks Luca!

Event:  Wine Maker dinner with Ruffino “50 Years of Chianti Classico Riserva”

Location:  Potetkjelleren, Bergen Norway

Date:  Tuesday April 21, 2009  19:30

Lighting: Very, very dim candle-light, therefore, it was rather difficult assessing the color concentration on the wines

Hosted by Christian Bottegal & Gabrielle Tacchoni

Vintages tasted:  2005, 1999, 1990, 1985, 1977, 1955

I felt fortunate to be invited to this tasting because I have never had the opportunity to taste a vertical of Chianti’s like this going back 50 years! I have to admit that I can remember often drinking the Ruffno Riserva Ducale Oro in the early to mid-90’s, but haven’t tasted the wine since, so I thought that this was an incredible opportunity to see what I have been missing and to see how their wines age.  I also have to admit that I didn’t expect much from a 50 year-old+ Chianti.  I was expecting a very light-colored, way past it’s prime Chianti. Read on to find how the Chianti’s were holding up and what they were paired with!

First, a bit of history (from the brochure given to us in the beginning of the event): Back in 1890, Italy’s Duke of Aosta, who regularly passed through Tuscany on his travels to Rome, was so impressed with Ruffino wines that he issued a “Ducal certificate” naming the winery as the preferred supplier to his court.  Ruffino crafted well-structured red wines specifically for the Duke’s demanding palate (the “Duke’s Reserve”), which became the inspiration for the wine’s orginal name when released in 1927:  Riserva Ducale Chianti Stravecchio.

Riserva Ducale is the only Italian wine that is allowed to include the word “Riserva” in its name, because the name existed long before the production rules of Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva.  Meticulous selection of the finest Sangiovese grapes, and ever more stringent quality controls led naturally to the creation of Riserva Ducale Oro. The wine was first produced in 1947.  Made only in outstanding vintages, Riserva Ducale Oro is a true expression of the heart of Tuscan wine.

Our historical vintage tour of Ruffino’s Riserva Ducale Oro took us through 3 courses plus a starter and a dessert. The starter was paired with a Pinot Grigio and a Chardonnay (both un-oaked) from other Ruffino Estates. Here’s the first course:

And now for the wines:

Ruffino Chianti Riserva Ducale Oro 2005:

80% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Fermentation: The alcohol fermentation, aided by racking and punching down, took place in thermo-controlled stainless-steel vats at an average temperature of 28° Celsius for 10 days, and was followed by a post-fermentation maceration on the skins for another 8 days.

Aging: After completing the malo-lactic fermentation, the wine was aged first in vats for about 3 months, then in 35/75 hl. oak casks for about 24 months and, lastly, for a minimum of 3 months in the bottle.

Analysis: (at the moment of bottling)

• Alcohol: 13.65%
• Total acidity:  5.00
• PH at 20°C:  3.56
• Residual Sugar:  2.30

Official vintage rating: ****

Appearance: Dark and young as far as I could tell

Nose: The first thing I noticed was the Caberent Sauvignon influence – bell peppers and blackberries. Well-integrated, but heavy use of oak. Big and modern in style. Some dark cherries

Palate: The Cabernet Sauvignon was also in the mouth – blackberries and peppers with gripping tannins from both the fruit and the oak. A modern Chianti with great structure, medium plus acidity and lot’s of oak. Needs some time for the oak to integrate. Extremely well-made.

Ruffino Chianti Riserva Ducale Oro 1999:

85% Sangiovese, 15% Colorino, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Fermentation: The alcohol fermentation, aided by racking and punching down, took place in thermo-controlled stainless-steel vats at an average temperature of 28° Celsius for 10 days, and was followed by a post-fermentative maceration on the skins for another 8 days.

Ageing: After completing the malo-lactic fermentation, the wine was first aged for 5 months in barriques of second passage, then for an additonal 28 months in 35/75 hl. oak casks. After bottling the wine has been further refined in bottle for 4 months minimum

Analysis: (at the moment of bottling)

• Alcohol: 13.00%
• Total acidity:  4.60
• PH at 20°C:  3.51
• Residual Sugar:  2.60

Official vintage rating: *****

Appearance: Dark and young as far as I could tell, very little age showing

Nose: Mature cherries, cigar box, oak still dominant on the nose.

Palate: Cherries, great acidity. Firm, medium tannins. Oak still dominant on the palate with cigar box notes. A well structured modern Chianti which still needs time:

2005 & 1999 Food Pairing

Ruffino Chianti Riserva Ducale Oro 1990:

90% Sangiovese, 7% Canaiolo, 3% Malvasia

Fermentation: The alcohol fermentation, aided by racking and punching down, took place in glass painted concrete tanks at a controlled temperature of 30° Celsius for 2 weeks, and was followed by a post-fermentation maceration on the skins for another 6 days.

Aging: After completing the malo-lactic fermentation, the wine was aged for a minimum of 24 months in 80 hl Slavonian oak casks and further in stainless steel tank

Analysis: (at the moment of bottling)

• Alcohol: 13.24%
• Total acidity:  5.80
• PH at 20°C:  3.35
• Residual Sugar:  1.60

Official vintage rating: *****

Appearance: Dark and still young looking as far as I could tell. Slightly brownish rim.

Nose: Very similar to the other Chianti’s, but no evident oak aromas. Plenty of farmyard aromas right off the bat with  a bouquet of red and morell cherries.

Palate: Firm tannins and well-structured. This is a more classical style of Chianti with no barrique use and it’s evident on the palate. Clean fruit, mostly cherries with hints of farmyard aromas. Great acidity. Great concentration.  Still young with more room to stretch it’s legs down in the cellar. In my opinion, this has 5-10 more years to reach it’s peak

Ruffino Chianti Riserva Ducale Oro 1985:

90% Sangiovese, 7% Canaiolo, 3% Malvasia

Fermentation: The alcohol fermentation, aided by racking and punching down, took place in glass painted concrete tanks at a controlled temperature of 28-32° Celsius for 2 weeks, and was followed by a post-fermentation maceration on the skins for another 8 days.

Ageing: After completing the malo-lactic fermentation, the wine was aged for a minimum of 24 months in 80 hl Slavonian oak casks and further in stainless steel tank

Analysis: (at the moment of bottling)

• Alcohol: 13.53%
• Total acidity:  5.45
• PH at 20°C:  3.40
• Residual Sugar:  1.83

Official vintage rating: *****

Appearance: Dark and still young looking as far as I could tell. Slightly brownish rim. But, still surprisingly darkish.

Nose: Farmyard, plums, cherries and some prunes suggesting that perhaps this Chianti was slightly past it’s prime.

Palate: Plums, prune juice. Still had great tannins and acidity. The Prunes I found on both the nose and palate really hinted at this wines +20 years and suggested perhaps a wine that was slipping, but the structure, acidity and tannins really surprised me. Drink now

1990 & 1985 Food Pairing

Ruffino Chianti Riserva Ducale Oro 1977:

75% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 10% Malvasia, 5% Colorino

Fermentation: The alcohol fermentation, aided by racking and punching down, took place in glass painted concrete tanks at a controlled temperature of 28-32° Celsius for 2 weeks, and was followed by a post-fermentation maceration on the skins for another 15 days.

Aging: After completing the malo-lactic fermentation, the wine was aged for a minimum of 12 months in 80 hl Slavonian oak casks and ageing in bottle for minimum 6 months

Analysis: (at the moment of bottling)

• Alcohol: 13.01%
• Total acidity:  5.39
• PH at 20°C:  3.37
• Residual Sugar:  1.96

Official vintage rating: ****

Appearance: Showing age, especially around the edges with some browning, but still quite a deep and concentrated red color.

Nose: Stewed cherries, slight oxidation, and purple gooseberries

Palate: Quite elegant with soft acidity and tannins. Still had good concentration, but no room for storage. Drink now

Ruffino Chianti Riserva Ducale Oro 1955:

75% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 10% Malvasia, 5% Colorino

Fermentation: The alcohol fermentation, aided by racking and punching down, took place in glass painted concrete tanks at a controlled temperature of 28-32° Celsius for 2 weeks, and was followed by a post-fermentation maceration on the skins for another 15 days.

Aging: After completing the malo-lactic fermentation, the wine was aged for a minimum of 12 months in 80 hl Slavonian oak casks and aging in bottle for minimum 6 months

Analysis: (at the moment of bottling)

• Alcohol: 13%
• Total acidity:  5.70
• PH at 20°C:  3.38
• Residual Sugar:  2.05

Official vintage rating: *****

Appearance: Still surprisingly deep and concentrated in color. Even darker than the 1977!  Brownish rim. As I mentioned, the lighting in the restaurant was mostly by candle-light and therefore it was hard to assess the color.

Nose: Madeira notes immediately evident. Stewed and dried fruit. Plums, prunes, caramel and cherries

Palate: Great concentration and acidity. Still had firm tannins.  Still had great structure.  But, this wine had Madeira-like aromas and oxidation.  Overall, it still had great mouth feel, acidity, structure and tannins, but the fruit didn’t match the rest of the components. I have never tasted a Chianti of this age, but I am quite sure that this wine was past it’s prime.  This really reminded me of some of the great old Boal Madeira’s I have tasted, but drier. A very interesting wine. It sparked many discussions around me at the table. We all enjoyed sipping it and many felt that it was perfect. Although I also thought it was a “perfect” bottle of 50 year-old Chianti, I still debated that the fruit was showing too much age and was at it’s peak years ago. Drink now.

1977 & 1955 Food Pairing (sorry folks, no photo)

Reindeer with morel cream, juniper berries, fried mushrooms, glazed onions & pommes Anna

Overall, I was impressed with the quality of the wine-making in the Riserva Ducale Oro and am quite confident that the latest vintage(s) will age well.

Up to now there have been 5 taste sensations clearly identified:

• Sweet
• Salty
• Sour
• Bitter
• Umami

Sweet (or fruitiness), is usually perceived towards the front of the tongue.  Saltiness towards the center of the tongue.  Sourness (or acidity), is perceived towards the sides of the tongue.  Bitterness, which is sensed predominantly at the back of the tongue and throat. Umami or “savory”,  is a relatively new taste descriptor which is what you might expect to find in soy sauce, certain mushrooms and dishes that are rich in flavor and don’t really fit into the four basic taste sensations of sweet, sour, salty and bitter.

In my opinion, we are missing one more taste sensation, one that people in the wine world have been discussing, debating and arguing about for some years now. What I’m talking about of course is the topic, or the new taste sensation of  “minerality”.  Many of us wine nerds (no offense intended) have been describing certain wines as “minerally” for years now.

We have been discussing it for years when describing certain white wines such as Riesling’s, Sauvignon Blanc’s, Chablis’, Etna’s Carricante’s, etc. We’ve even become comfortable describing certain red wines using the term “mineratlity”.  Barolo’s, Burgundies and so on. We use this term in a positive manner when describing wines considered to be of high quality.  Another thing to think about regarding minerality – we tend to find it in wines made of grapes grown on vines that grow on chalky or volcanic soil (which is full of sulfur).

We have been debating it as well. What is “minerality”? Is it something that the grape has absorbed through the soil? Probably not, but many minerally wines are made from grapes grown on sulfurous volcanic soil.   Can it be a characteristic of certain grapes?  Perhaps.  Or, is it merely the effect of volatile or reduced
sulfur compounds,  more commonly referred to as reduction?  Who knows??

We have been arguing over it as well. Does “minerality” exist?  Many people firmly argue that “yes” it does, and continue to describe a wine’s characteristics as “minerally”.  In fact, it has been used to denote a positive attribute in a wine.  Wine’s that are “minerally” are often sought out and considered to be well made.  Some argue that it can help a wine age gracefully.  Other people argue that “minerality” doesn’t exist and what we are describing is simply “reduction” or volatile sulfur compounds. Reduction, which may bode well for certain Rieslings, Sauvignon Blancs, and Burgundies is none the less,  considered by many to be a fault.

Whichever the case, it’s here for now and I feel that it can be described as a taste sensation.

Since the sensation of “minerality” can’t be described as sweet, sour, salty, bitter nor umami, how should we describe it?  The sensation of “minerality” isn’t perceived  on any particular area of the  tongue. It doesn’t show at the front, the sides or at the back. It isn’t a richness that we would find in Umami. In fact, the sensation  of minerality seems to give the wine depth and concentration that the other taste sensations can’t accomplish on their own.  It seems to fill up the entire mouth, and for this reason I can’t see how it fits into the other flavor sensations already defined.

Whatever it is that creates this “minerality” in certain wines, we may not be sure of for some time.  Many of us will continue to use the term when describing wines, and we will also be the same people to consider it a good quality.  So for now, I will consider it the 6th taste sensation. What do you think?