Two Highly Recommended Organic Whites From Penedès and Burgundy

Albet i Noya Lignum! Penedes (DO) 2020, 12%, 

€16.60-17.00 Wunderkaffee in Farran Village// Quay Co.Op// The Olive Branch, Clonakilty// Harringtons, Ardgroom// Taste . Castletownbere// Organico, Bantry// Sonas , Newcastle West// Morton of Galway/ The Connemara Hamper// The Vintry, Dublin// Ardkeen, Waterford// Little Green Grocer, Kilkenny. And many more.

Light straw is the colour of this  Catalonian blend. The moderate aromas, of moderate intensity, give up floral notes along with exotic fruits and a touch of oak. In the mouth it is surprisingly rich and complex, with notes of peach and citrus, and with a long lingering finish. Highly Recommended.

The blend is off Xarel-lo, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay and they come together very well indeed. The winery itself says: There are two sides to this wine. The Sauvignon gives it a perfumed, floral nose. Xarel·lo and Chardonnay together with a hint of oak (where the Chardonnay spends 2 months) give it a little body and complexity in the mouth with a long finish.

Xarel-lo, a high-yielding white grape, is best known as the main grape in the Cava blend. Mostly found in Cataluña where Albert i Noya is regarded as one of its best producers (according to Grapes and Wines).

This organic Catalonian wine is quite versatile at the table, particularly with food from the “whiter” side such as Vegetables, Salads, White fish, Rice dishes, and Seafood and, also, as aperitif. Serve at 18 degrees.

In 1903, during the phylloxera crisis, “our great great grandfather, Joan Albet i Rovirosa, arrived in the Penedès to work the the vineyards at the Can Vendrell de la Codina estate, in Sant Pau d’Ordal”. And this is where the company still operates.

In the late seventies “an opportunity knocked on our door and, restless as ever, we decided to embrace it. A Danish company was searching the Penedes for an organic wine grower. Nobody had ever heard of organic wines. But curiosity won us over and that's how we threw ourselves into this adventure.”

Josep Maria Albet i Noya decided to try one of the vineyards, despite doubts from friends and family. But it worked out well and encouraged him to extend the practice. Healthier vines and healthier wines are the result. The winery is well known for this white and also for its red equivalent also known as Lignum!

Ambroise Bourgogne Aligoté (AOC) 2020, 12.5% ABV 

€18.75 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Colour is mid-gold and it is clear as crystal. The aromatics are modest, citrus and floral. There’s a creamy texture. The fruit, fresh and tangy citrus, impresses, with a streak of minerality, all the way to an excellent finish. Not a Chardonnay but a very engaging white Burgundy and very well priced as well. Produced from vines located in the town of Premeaux Prissey, this cuvée aged in vats for 10 month.

Aligoté is Burgundy’s second white grape and doesn’t really get much of a vote of confidence in its few paragraphs in Grapes & Wines but Le Caveau, importers of this bottle, report that is making a comeback lately and that our bottle “is quite a delicious example of this variety”.

Back in 2017, in St Peter’s Church (not the one in Rome but the one in Cork’s North Main Street,), I was delighted to have the chance to chat to Bertrand Ambroise and taste his delicious Burgundy wines. Organic farming is a way of life for the Ambroise family. I have been a fan of the wines for quite a while but this is my first Aligoté from them. It is a good one and Highly Recommended, especially with any creamy sauce, or shared in the garden with some cheeses and meats.

Maison Ambroise is a long established, small négociant house, who operates on 21 hectares of their own vineyards and purchase grapes from another three. They own vines in Prémeaux (where the grapes for this one grow), Nuits-St-Georges, Ladoix, Meursault, the hill of Corton, Vosne-Romanée (with some Grand Cru Echezeaux!), Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Beaune and as far as Saint-Romain. 

Bertrand Ambroise was relatively recently joined by his son Francois and daughter Ludivine, they received their organic certification (2013). Ludivine explained the move to organic viticulture is one of true belief as she lost her grand-father due to illness caused by chemicals used in the fields.

Two Excellent Reds For Santa's Bigger Helpers. A Grenache/Mourvèdre Blend from St Chinian and A Malbec From Argentina's Mendoza

Two Reds For Santa's Bigger Helpers. 

A Grenache/Mourvèdre Blend from St Chinian

A Malbec From Argentina's Mendoza

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Chateau Bousquette Pruneyrac St Chinian (DOC) 2018, 14.5%

R.R.P. €17.90. The Quay Co-Op, Cork/ Scally's Supervalu, Clonakilty
// The Little Green Grocer, Kilkenny // 

This is a big wine from the Midi, full of the aromas and flavours of organic Grenache (50%) and Mourvèdre.

Colour is purple, a little lighter at the edge, tears are slow to clear. Aromas are expressive: spice, pepper, wild berries and the local garrigue. On the palate it is harmonious, with intense flavours and silky tannins. Finish is long and spicy.  Very Highly Recommended

The Domaine de la Bousquette was the property of the Abbaye de Foncaude until the French Revolution. A long line of winegrowers, including the Fabre-Ginoulhac family who managed it until 1996, followed before it was taken over by Swiss winegrowers Eric and Isabelle Perret

It was very early on, in 1972, that the Domaine de la Bousquette joined the " Nature et Progrès " charter, and is now regularly certified by Ecocert for organic farming, without chemical fertilisers, weedkillers or pesticides.

This cuvée is named after an old family from the region, who were very involved in the estate at the beginning of the century, as evidenced by old bottles found in the cellars. Pruneyrac is in Saint-Chinian, an appellation in the large southern France region of Languedoc-Roussillon.

Uncork about 1 hour before the meal and serve with, for example, with lamb shoulder confit with sweet onions and ginger. Perfect too with a leg of lamb, cassoulet, strong cheese or a barbecue. By the way, this juicy red is excellent with turkey!

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Top Wines 2022. With Reviews & Irish Stockists. 

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El Abasto Malbec Mendoza (Argentina) 2018, 14% ABV, 

RRP €19.35. 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

There are, according to Wines of South America, two main factors that help Malbec thrive in Mendoza. 

The low rainfall (12” as against 30” Bordeaux) and its timing, falling mostly in the summer, promotes ripening and minimises disease. Second, Mendoza’s wide thermal amplitude (put simply, the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures) promotes aromatic development and softened tannins. The proof’s in a glass of this vibrant fruity full-bodied wine.

Where did the name come from. The label tells us that by the end of the 19th century, Buenos Aires was growing significantly due to migration from Europe. The El Abasto market opened in 1893 and, with many immigrant neighbourhoods, it quickly became also a centre for Tango, poetry, and culture.

Mid to dark ruby is the colour. The aromas are full of jammy dark and red fruit, all saying welcome, come on. And in the mouth, it is equally loveable, totally gluggable. That punchy yet soft fruit (plum, blackberry) comes in a medium body, and the wine is smooth right through to the finalé. Put this on your Malbec shortlist. Highly Recommended.

Pair with charcuterie, cold cuts, firm cheeses, steaks, burgers, pasta with red sauce and, among other things, Wine Folly suggests melted blue cheese.. And it can be served chilled, though you probably won’t need to do that at this time of year!

We can get some excellent Malbec from Cahors (in the south west of France) where it originated and is known as Côt. But is has found a welcoming home in Argentina and is the country’s most important grape. Indeed most of the world’s Malbec is now grown in Argentina.

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Best Value Wines 2022 Under €18.00. With Reviews & Irish Stockists. 

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Two Very Fine Viogniers. One from the Rhone, the other from South Africa’s Paarl.

Two Very Fine Viogniers. 

One from the Rhone, 

the other from South Africa’s Paarl.

Ferraton Viognier Collines Rhodaniennes (IGP) 2019, 13.5%

€19.50 Ardkeen Grocery Store, Waterford// Little Green Grocer,

Kilkenny// Manning's, Ballylickey// The Olive Branch, Clonakilty.

This mellow full bodied Viognier, from the Northern Rhone, comes in a lovely bright yellow colour with green hints. Apricot (with pear and orange) plus floral notes combine to promise much as they lead the aromas. And the promise is well delivered on the cheering palate, soft and thick, fresh and vibrant, all the way to a very pleasant fruity finish. 

It comes unostentatiously (it is after all the relation and neighbour of the ultra-famous, and much more expensive Condrieu), laden with a sack full of delicious scents and flavours. Very Highly Recommended.

Collines Rhodaniennes more or less covers the entire Northern Rhone, stretching from Montélimar (well-known for its nougat) in the south to Lyon (capital city of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region) in the north, and its IGP replaces Vin de France. 

The fruit for this Ferraton is grown on the right bank of the Rhône, along the foothills of northern Ardèche. The terroir is composed of granite and decomposed granite. Traditional agriculture methods are in use and the harvest is carried out manually when the grapes reach optimum ripeness. 

It is recommended to serve this wine at 12-13°C as aperitif, with foie gras, with salads, with grilled meat and all fish dishes. Wine Folly suggests dishes flavoured with almonds, citrus, stewed fruits, and aromatic herbs such as Thai Basil and tarragon. And, with its apricot influences, you could also try it, as Grapes & Wines indicate, with pork or chicken with an apricot stuffing. Also, the Armenian dish of trout and apricot should be another match.

I often wonder does the name of this grape put newcomers off buying a bottle, especially if you have to pronounce it. Here’s how: vee-own-yay. Much of the Viognier we come across here in Ireland is from France but it is grown around the world and finding favour in Australia and California in particular. And we've got another good one below from South Africa.

Charles Back

Fairview Viognier, Paarl South Africa 2020, 13.5% 

RRP €24.99 The 1601 / Wineonline.ie

The South African Viognier by Fairview has a bright light gold colour with exotic fruit aromas along with subtle oak notes. It is vibrant and refreshing in the mouth, rich and complex with apricot shining through, peach and lime in there as well. A lively acidity contributes to the balance along with the subtle oak. It feels close to creamy (thanks in part to its time on lees). And there’s a long lasting finish. Very Highly Recommended.

The grapes were hand picked in the early morning and whole bunch pressed. Only the free run juice was used. Sixty per cent of the Viognier was fermented in French oak barrels (20% new) with the remaining 40% fermented in stainless-steel tanks. After fermentation, the wine was left to mature on lees for eight months, with regular stirring, prior to being blended for additional texture and body.

The fruit is sourced from the vineyards at Fairview farm in Agter-Paarl. These trellised Fairview vines are grown on the slopes of Paarl mountain, on decomposed granite soils. Summer canopy management practices including leaf removal and shoot positioning ensure optimal sunlight penetration into the canopies.

I heard owner Charles Back and wine-maker Charl du Plessis, in a Zoom presentation the year before last, say the high cropping level is a problem. “We need to manage the canopy. Treat it as a red grape early on, the aim always is to get the correct balance between the alcohol and the tannins.” I reckon they got it spot-on in 2020.

That year, unlike previous vintages, was very good, not just for the region, but for South Africa in general. Winters were cool with sufficient rainfall. Spring was mild and summer saw warmer temperatures allowing fruit to ripen at a steady rate. The Viognier was harvested between the 2nd - 7th February.

The Fairview website, naturally enough, is proud of the achievements of owner Charles who  was awarded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the International Wine Challenge in 2014. He is a true pioneer of the region, credited with bringing Mediterranean varieties to the Cape. 

“One of the (many) gifts that Charles Back has brought to Cape wine was, and still is, Fairview Viognier. Planting the mother block of this French grape in 1994, Charles and team have nurtured this variety to bring you a gorgeously aromatic and refined wine. A must try!”

 

Hitting the spot with Gamay and Garnatxa. Two gorgeous reds for your short-list!

Hitting the spot with Gamay and Garnatxa. Two gorgeous reds for your short-list!

Bonne Tonne Cuvée Cléa Régnié (AC) 2019, 13.5%,

Look out for this in restaurants. If you find it in retail (Mary Pawle Wines), expect to pay €34 to 35.

From a small Beaujolais estate, Domaine de la Bonne Tonne, comes this lovely light ruby wine.  Gentle aromas of berries welcome you to the glass, invite you to sip. And you know you’ll have fruit-driven flavours (strawberries, raspberries mostly)  and balancing acidity to enjoy all the way to a soft and sweet spice finish. Another excellent Beaujolais, full of finesse and gently expressive fruit and Very Highly Recommended, from a family winery that I’ve come to admire over the past few years.

They  (Anne-Laure and Thomas) say this wine, “is a bit special for us because it bears the first name of our daughter ‘Cléa’ born in 2017.” Thomas likes to say that it matches his daughter’s personality, which is “full of character.”

No added sulfites or inputs! It is a 100% natural cuvée, 100% Gamay. It is produced in small quantities, hence its name “micro-cuvée”. This cuvée gives a structured wine, with spices and character. However, this spicy side does not dominate and yields to much more subtle and silky aromas.

There are ten crus in Beaujolais: Chiroubles, Saint Amour, Fleurie, Régnié (the most recently created cru), Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly, Juliénas, Chénas, Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent. It is mostly a red wine area and Gamay is the top red grape. Just two per cent of the harvest is white, mostly Chardonnay, and quite a lot of that, especially in Northern Beaujolais, is sold under the better-known Macon appellation according to Jean Bourjade (Cork 2016), then MD Inter Beaujolais.

Domaine de la Bonne Tonne is a small Beaujolais estate and perhaps best known for their superb wines from the famous Morgan cru, including Les Charmes, Grand Cras and Côte du Py, all three available via Mary Pawle and all three Very Highly Recommended on this blog.

The Gamay grape produces wine that “pairs with all manner of dishes..” According to Wine Folly. Outside of France, “Gamay has a tiny but devoted following.” Happy to be included in the tiny fan base.

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Top Wines 2022. With Reviews & Irish Stockists. 

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Dit Celler Selenita Garnatxa Negra (DO Monsant) 2019, 14.5% ABV. 

RRP  about €17.20. The Dairy Toon's Bridge/ Olive Branch, Clonakilty / Mary Pawle Wines

Montsant in Catalonia in the northeast of Spain and is more or less next door to the much better known Priorat. The two produce broadly similar wines but Montsant’s are sold at lower prices. 

Montsant is a relatively new DO (established formally in 2001) and takes its name from a rocky massif that wraps itself around Priorat. Its vineyards, planted on limestone, are situated in picturesque hilly countryside, scattered amongst rocky peaks, woods, almond trees and olive groves. No shortage of diversity here.

Importer Mary Pawle says if you are fond of the robust wines of Priorat “then this Montsant from the opposite valley should please. A powerful wine made from Garnacha, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Firm tannins and well suited to hard sheep’s cheese or ref meat dishes.”

You’ll know straightaway from the slow-clearing legs or tears on the walls of your glass that this is a high alcoholic wine. Colour is a dark ruby.  Intense dark fruit aromas (plum, cherry, cassis), toasty notes too. Powerful yet velvety on the palate, elegant, deeply flavoured and tannins by now well-integrated (you’ll get a soft reminder on the lips), smooth spice, and the long finish echoes the palate. A big hug of a wine and Very Highly Recommended.

The producer: Vibrant and complex, this wine is made with grapes from very old vines, and aged in French oak for 18 months. ….the "Marinada", the cold wind that enters the mountains in the afternoon from the Mediterranean Sea, give the wines a special freshness, characteristic of this area.

Are you a Selenita? Now that we know about Montsant, how about the name of the wine? The Selenita are the inhabitants of the moon and the producers infer that some of their night-time magic has been bottled. You too are free to use your imagination! While we’re on it, the winery is named after its founders Dani Sánchez (from Azul y Garanza in Navarra) and Toni Coca, so D and T (DiT).

To mark World Grenache day in September, Decanter Online published a list of 18 top scoring examples to try. No less than fourteen of them were from Spain! Details here. 

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Best Value Wines 2022. With Reviews & Irish Stockists. 

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Wine Ways: A marvellous Morgon from “rotten rock” and an ingenious Garnacha from concrete eggs. Wine+Jazz with Kate Barry

Wine Ways:

A marvellous Morgon from “rotten rock” 

and an ingenious Garnacha from concrete eggs

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Kate Barry's World of Wine Tasting (and Jazz) at Le Caberet, Cork 28th October 5.30 pm. For info and tickets click here. 

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Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC) “Cote du Py” 2020, 14.5% ABV

€33 at The Vintry in Rathgar, Dublin; Manning's Emporium in Ballylickey &

Connemara Hamper in Clifden; Mary Pawle Wines

A ruby coloured gem from “rotten rock”!

This Morgan from the famed lieu-dit of Côte du Py has a darker shade of ruby than you’d expect for the Gamay grape. Intense, rich and inviting dark berry aromas, fresh and complex with a floral lift. The palate is also complex and rich, full of flavours (sour cherry, strawberry and raspberry), with a spicy vanilla character, all in balance through to a long and intense minerally finish. An amazing wine, consistent year after year, and once again Very Highly Recommended.

The producers were, and are, very happy, not to mention confident, with this one. “Let it age, if you can, to take advantage of the complexity. We would go blind on a very beautiful well-born Pinot…” Looks like a challenge to the neighbours in Burgundy!

The Morgon "Côte du Py", is the most famous climat of the vineyard. There are ten crus in the Beaujolais region and Morgon, as you probably know, is one of them. With the typical acidity, these wines can match a range of foods. One suggestion that I fancy is Moroccan Lamb Tagine with apricot. Open the wine into a carafe about 30 minutes before serving at 16°C. 

World famous for its exceptional soil resulting from ancient volcanic activity, the soil of the Py hill is composed of decomposing volcanic elements, with the presence of iron oxide and manganese. The blue rock is friable, and so the locals have been known to claim that the best Morgon are made on this land of  terre pourrie (rotten rock)!

Organic Agriculture. The work on the entire estate is manual with the use of animal traction (Vigano, a magnificent Comtois, is calling for help!) for ploughing. The vines (mainly old), on a south-west facing hillside are grassy or slightly scratched. The estate puts into practice certain elements from biodynamics (preparations, calendar). Yields are very limited (30hl/ha on average) and manual harvesting. Traditional Beaujolais vinification: semi-carbonic maceration in concrete vats for 18 days. No inputs: indigenous yeasts and no SO2 or chaptalisation. Aging in demi-muids (large casks of indefinite size). Very low doses of SO2 (<20mg/L) at bottling.

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Vinedos Ruiz Jimenez Ingenium Garnacha, DO Rioja 2020, 13.5% ABV

€23.25 RRP. Mostly available in restaurants. Also at Mary Pawle Wines 

This limited production Ingenium comes in a pale red colour. Aromas are  moderately intense with stewed fruit and dried herbs in the mix. High intensity red fruit flavours highlight the palate, spicy too, but this is an elegant, smooth and well balanced wine. Just a little grip from the tannins as the Ingenium finishes dry and long. Very Highly Recommended.

Producers Ruiz Jimenez say it is the perfect option to accompany different dishes, meals, and snacks. "Either alone or with good company.”

Mary Pawle tells me this is a recent addition “to our range of wines from Vinedos Ruiz Jimenez…matured in concrete eggs  to provide greater complexity”. On the rather sparse front label (there is none on the back) you read Vino Tinto Elológico and no added sulphites.

While Garnacha is grown around the world, the vast majority of it is grown in France (here it is called Grenache) and Spain. Italy leads the distant chasing pack and here the grape is called Cannonau.

And why is the title Ingenium? The winemakers explain: “Ingenio, is in Spanish, ingenious, this is, the innate quality to invent, to create, to be original. Under this name, we present our most inventive wines. Natural, creative and of limited production. Our most inventive, creative and natural wines, with limited production.” Just three wines in this series. In addition to the Garnacha, they make a Tempranillo and also Maturana Blanca.

The Jimenez Winery is one of the better ones and Mary Pawle has quite a few of their wines on her list including the Graciano , that we Very Highly Recommended recently here.

A duo of characterful wines, one from the unique Corbieres terroir, the other from the prolific Rhone.

A duo of characterful wines, one from the unique Corbieres terroir, the other from the prolific Rhone.

A Rhone village

Château de Bastet “Aeris” Côtes du Rhone 2019, 13%,

RRP €17.95-€18.25. The Grainey, Scarriff//

Taste, Castletownbere// The Olive Branch, Clonakilty// Mary Pawle

Aeris, from Avignon, is a Biodynamic Rhone white made from (mostly) a blend of Marsanne, Rousanne, Grenache Blanc and Viognier grapes. It has a pale straw yellow colour. Aromas are not the strongest but are not delicate either, beautiful and inviting floral scents and ripe fruit too. Initial sip makes a tart impression but soon the fruit (citrus and apricot and exotic too) asserts itself all the way through to a fresh finish. 

Generally, white Côtes du Rhone have a clear and crisp appearance, with a floral and fruit bouquet and a well balanced palate. This “Aeris”, organic and biodynamic, certainly fits that description. Serve at 9 to 11 degrees and you’ll find it is the perfect match to grilled fish, shellfish, fish stew and goat cheeses. Would be a good match too with a vegetable tart or with a chicken dishes. Salade Nicoise too. Pretty versatile.

Château de Bastet lies on the outskirts of Sabran, a village in the Gard region 45 km west of Nîmes and 35 km north of Avignon. The story of Château de Bastet is one of family traditions and a profound love of this land, a passion reflected in the wines made here. Welcome to a truly unique winemaking estate where past, present and future are united under the banner of biodynamic agriculture, a cohesive combination of traditional craftsmanship and the Art of Living.

Highly Recommended and, by the way, well priced. Aeris is one of a trio in the winery’s four elements series. The others are Terram (a fruity red C-d-R) and Ignis (an intense red C-d-R). Don’t think they have a fourth on offer. Might not be appropriate to call a wine Aqua!

Sainte Croix Pourboire Nature 2018, 13%

RRP €18.50-€19: Little Green Grocer,Kilkenny// Organico, Bantry// The Connemara Hamper, Clifden.  

As usual, the Sainte Croix label tells you most of what you need to know about the wine in the bottle. This is the story of this one: terroir -  hautes Corbières - limestone - Carignan - delicious fresh fruit - living soils - soft tannins - wild herbs - passion - wine without compromise. 

Colour is a deep red with purple hints. Crushed blackcurrant leads the aromatics and there’s a floral presence as well and more than a hint of outdoor freshness, perhaps from the local garrigue (popping and cracking in a hot summer). And that melange of fruit and floral, matched by a fresh acidity, all born and bred in the unique Corbieres terroir, makes for a superb palate. Tannins are featherlight, barely a tickle, and the finish is long and satisfying. Very Highly Recommended.

Saint Croix tell us there is nothing added. “Nothing, ie no SO2, yeast, tannins, enzymes, fining products etc etc. A red that remains very close to black fruits and garrigue herbs. From the Free Electron Series. Fermentation in vats at 23-26°C for 15 days, with indigenous yeasts and without input. On fine lees in vats for 6 months; breeding without SO2. Bottled without SO2.”

Sainte Croix in the Languedoc is owned and run by the English husband and wife team of Jon and Elizabeth Bowen, who have extensive experience of working both in classic French stone ‘caves’ and giant, steel wineries in many parts of the world. From first sight of the unique geology and ‘climat’ here, professional intuition made it clear that it is an area of immense potential, a potential they consistently realise in their wines and illustrated well in this lovely wine, a blend of 80% Carignan and  20% Grenache.

Most of the world’s Carignan is grown in the south of France, both in the Languedoc and in neighbouring Côtes Catalanes. Surprisingly, former French colonies Tunisia and Algeria come second and third. While the fruit may have been grown in the Corbieres, it doesn’t get the AOC and is labelled simply as a Vin De France. A rather superb one though!

I read that Wine Folly recommends  Carignan as an “amazing choice for Thanksgiving and holiday fare” as it works well with cinnamon spiced dishes, berry based sauces and smoky meats.