Sherry, of course. And probably Port too. Talking to some wine merchants, and this is the only time they sell any of the stuff. If I were to pick one, I’d go for a Sherry. The great thing about Sherry is that you can go from bone dry to sweet, it’s literally a world of discovery. I’d go with a dry Puerto Fino sherry, perfect as an aperatif and available just about everywhere from independent wine shop to supermarket. Look out for Lustau.

Bubbles must make an appearance. There’s plenty to choose from. Tattinger has been walking out the door at Tesco where they have it down to €25, sometimes back to €60, then back to €30. That’s a bit of a bargin. But even at €25, you can get two bottles, almost. of Jacob’s Creek Sparkling. Blanc de Blancs is the ultimate crowd pleaser and perfect for parties.

Hosting a party?

For a ridiculously drinkable red, La Mano from Mencia (the grape) grown in a place called Bierzo in northern Spain. Not massive on the wine scene here, so you’ll pick up some novelty points. It got the brambly fruit and the rustic spice which will appeal to Cotes du Rhone lovers too. At €7.50 it’s also the wine to replenish your cellar with after the seasonal depletion. 

If there’s still a deal on (and even if there isn’t), try the Shiraz or The Fergus (a blend) from Tim Adams from Tesco. He’s a top bloke and makes great wine. See the interview I did with him last year.

For the white, I’m a fan of Le Courlis Sauvignon Blanc from The Corkscrew. There’s an interesting story behind this one. The winemaker and owner, Aynard, sent me some samples about two years ago now while I writing for the Tribune. He was looking for an Irish importer so I brought the bottle over to the lads and we tried it together. It has been continuously selling out since then. If I’d just become that importer, I’d be doing quite alright now.

As for fizz, look no further than the above Jacob’s Creek. Available in most convenience stores and supermarkets.

What to drink with the big bird?

For starters, whatever it is, it must be paired with Gavin Quinney’s Chateau Bauduc Bordeaux Blanc Sec. Austerity used to be a good word before the recession hijacked it. The French were the best at it, keeping overly generous tropical flavours in check in favour of elegance and complexity. While the French were at that, along came an Englishman and began to show them what’s what. A really stunning Sauvignon Blanc, quite unlike any of the new world styles we’ve grown accustomed to. Favoured amongst Gordon Ramsey, Rick Stein and TV’s Oz Clarke. This is a million miles from Oyster Bay and it’s all the better for it too. Down to €11 at the moment.

Onto the main event. I find it a challenge matching the turkey, trimmings and a wine. Classic matches are Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, but they can get crowded out by the brussels sprouts, chestnuts, cranberry sauce and whatever you’re having yourself.

I like something a little more robust and my wine of the year has to be Mas de Daumas Gassac. At €38, it’s expensive, but Michael Broadbent has been placed it in his top ten wines of the world. That’s good enough for me. I met the affable winemaker, Samuel Guibert. He’s a regular visitor to Ireland too, so it’s definitely buying local!

From not too far away, two other reds I love are from the same stable. First, the little brother, Les Orbiers de La Peira. It was my wine of the year last year and the 2009 is arguably better. For €20, it’s hard to find better. That’s not all folks, it has a big brother, La Peira Las Flors 2008. Both hail from the little known Terrasses du Larzac appellation, uncovered for us by Gary Gubbins who has an uncanny knack of seeking out amazing wines from the Languedoc. He’s like a pig with truffles! They’re both listed here on rednosewine.com.

That’s the old world taken care of. What about the new world? I was bowled over recently by three from South Australia’s Langmeil. They have some of the oldest vines in the world.

Typically, it’s Shiraz and in particular their Valley Floor and Orphan Bank. The Valley Floor really sings and at €17 you’ve got serious quality going on. Very polished wine. A step up in price at €36 and history is the Orphan Bank.

The vines were planted in the mid 1800′s and were to be torn out to make way for property. That was until Langmeil stepped in and transplanted them to a safe place where they continue to make great wines.

Worth mentioning too, the grandfather of both is the Freedom Shiraz from Langmeil. I tried it back in May at the Wine Australia tasting. Barack Obama was in town that day and this is a wine fit for a president. At €63 (down from €70) it’s a wine only our recently retired politicians on big pensions can afford to be drinking. It would be wasted on them too, tut!

For the classic fans, I’d go straight for Mischief and Mayhem’s basic Chardonnay available from The Corkscrew. At €19.95 it’s a glimpse into Meursault, toasty, minerals, creamy. Beautiful.

Meditative reds for later

A red by the fire and a good book. The book is probably on the Kindle, but the wine is still in the glass. Not for long if it’s Zenato’s Ripassa. Normally around €20, you’ll find it in some places on offer at €15. Silky smooth. Available in Next Door off-licences and good wine shops nationwide.

The Mulley’d Wine

For Mulley’d wine, I’ve put up my lovely wife’s recipe a couple of times over the years. I may be sucking up for brownie points, but I’ve yet to taste better.

Most wines mentioned were samples. I paid for those from The Corkscrew. Disclosure: I work on the The Corkscrew’s website. Sorry, award winning website. Ahem.

I had bought it about a year ago and as luck would have it, I interviewed the man who made the wine, Samuel Guibert, two weeks ago. Read the interview here.

Having chatted to Samuel Guibert about the winemaking philosophy at his property, I was keen to seek out the finesse, complexity and balance which he had told me about. It wasn’t hard to find.

After a good 6 hours in a decanter I served it up with a simple enough dish from the south of France, cassoulet.

Samuel had told me that it was quite “atypical” of wines from the Languedoc. And he was right, this had many of the hallmarks of a classed growth Bordeaux and to me, justifies the accolades, comparisons and hyperboles like “Lafite of the Languedoc”.

Why is it like a Bordeaux? It’s a red blend, dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, but it has a whole host of other red varietals in there too (Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Syrah and another 9 in smaller quantities).

Despite or because of this unusual blend, it truly does match the best of the Bordeaux. And seen in this light, it’s a bit of a bargain.

The 2006 (if available) and subsequent vintages sell for around €38 where many Bordeaux will sell of upwards of €80 (not counting the first growth craziness).

The 2008 is currently on sale from rednosewine.com and curiouswines.ie has the 2009, both good vintages according to the vintage reports on Mas de Daumas Gassac website.

With food?

Perfect with lamb, game or the big bird at Christmas. My cassoulet was a little too rich for it.

If blind-tasted, I would have placed it somewhere between Chassagne & Puligny Montrachet, i.e. richier creamier styles than your benchmark Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. While the grapes are grown further north (around 400km), up on the North Island’s Hawke’s Bay, that only accounts for part of the difference.

The real difference starts with the Easthopes, a couple who make the wine from the vineyard to the winery, the differences between this and the sauvignon blanc we’re used to couldn’t be starker.

In the vineyard

The place itself, quite a bit different from Marlborough and what that means for the plant. Warmer, different soils (and all the other “terroir” stuff I’ll spare you from right here).

Add to that, the viticulture and the careful hands-on management of the vine, from pruning to careful handpicking and grape selection.

In the winery

Fermentation happens spontaneously – this means natural yeasts rather than innoculation. Many wineries use this technique and it means ceding control to Mother Nature in many respects. You’re not sure when fermentation will start, nor when it will end. You’re also not 100% sure what flavour it could add to the final wine.

Next, fermentation occurred in oak barrel rather than stainless steel (the norm for zesty fruity whites of New Zealand).

This next piece sounds gross to the uninitiated, but the fermented wine is then allowed to rest on the dead yeast cells, the lees (the cheating* cheese-eating surrender monkeys call this “sur lie”).

Through fermentation (conversion of sugars to alcohol), the rising alcohol kills the yeast cells and they fall to the bottom of the tank. The wine is stirred (bâtonnage) and this ultimately gives the wine a great creamy texture.

What the wine actually tastes like

First off, nothing like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. I was expecting a richer style but within “typical” Sauvignon Blanc parameters i.e. somewhere within the spectrum of cut grass, nettle, capsicum, gooseberry, passion fruit.

What I got was a lot different. Wet slate, unripe mango, mint, flint, minerals, cream. These elements of the overall tasting experience don’t do it justice.

What I will say is that this wine may be made from Sauvignon Blanc. This wine may be made in New Zealand. But it’s both different and better than the sum of its parts. It is a great white wine. And, if I can future-gaze for a moment, I can predict that this will become one of the great white wines of the world, if the owners and all involved continue to make it (and I dearly hope they do).

From Easthope’s understated website, their “hunch” outlines their ambition,

We wanted to know what would happen if a carefully selected Sauvignon Blanc vineyard was afforded the attention to detail normally reserved for icon red vineyards.

We also wanted to know what would happen if this fruit was hand picked, whole bunch pressed, fermented and matured with indigenous yeast in used French barriques, with little intervention.

The result is the inaugural release of The Gatecrasher Sauvignon Blanc. It proves that Sauvignon Blanc, if managed meticulously, has a greater role to play in the ultra-premium wine arena from the New World.

I really enjoyed this wine for a number of reasons. The first, an most important, is taste. Secondly, though, it made me reassess what New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc can be, and what you can get out of the Sauvignon Blanc grape, if you really try hard.

Availability

Not much, by the looks of it.  There were only 1,500 bottles produced. As luck would have it, The Celtic Whiskey store has some in for €33, on offer at €29.99.

Despite the decline in popularity in recent years, Chardonnay remains one of the world’s great white grapes, capable of producing wines of varying styles, depending on where it is grown and who is making it. I think it’s brilliant and I’m currently loving new world styles.

Below, two classic French styles alongside two from the antipodes and one from the US of A.

1. Clos du Val Chardonnay, California, 2006 (€16)

This is nice rich example of Chardonnay which many producers have shied away from in recent years. Opulent, sensuous but with a perfect balance between gorgeous juicy fruit and oak, a crisp, long rewarding finish. Could easily be confused with a pricey premier cru from Burgundy. Rediscover your inner love of well made Chardonnay with this stunner.

With food? Roast chicken, stuffing or fish/chicken with rich creamy sauce

Available from: O’Brien’s

2. Domaine Maurice Lecestre Chablis 2008 (€18 approx.)

Chablis is famous for light and clean wines, a world away from the Chardonnay further south in the heart of Burgundy. Wines from the best plots In Chablis, Premier Cru and even Grand Cru are often more concentrated but are still light and crisp. This one is crisp and refreshing with a lovely minerality with notes of crunchy granny smith apples. In style, very different from the other Chardonnays this week.

With food? Lighter salads, or oysters

Available from: good wine shops nationwide (find using wine-searcher.com)

3. Innocent Bystander, Yarra Valley, South Australia Victoria 2009 (€13-€14)

Australian chardonnay is definitely back. Yarra Valley has a cool climate which means a refined, elegant style of chardonnay here with zesty citrus and a rich texture and toasty nutty flavours and a nice minerality. Not the sappy, sugary style of old, with any richness offset with a refreshing clean, crisp precision. Class in a glass.

With food? Roast chicken or fish in cream sauces

Available from: Mitchell & Son, Drinkstore (Stoneybatter) and good wine shops nationwide (find using wine-searcher.com)

4. Ata Rangi Craighall Chardonnay 2005 (€40)

The Aussies aren’t the only ones making classy Chardonnay. New Zealand elegantly demonstrates, again, that it’s more than a one trick pony. “It’s a field full of ponies ™” and thoroughbred producer, Ata Rangi are behind this one.

A major step up in quality and price, but it’s staggeringly good.  Peach, orange peel, toasty honied notes and all the good stuff you get with Meursault.

With food? Crab or salmon in a rich creamy sauce

Available from: good wine shops nationwide (use wine-searcher.com to find it online)

5. Chanson Meursault 2007 (€40, bought in sale for €25)

This is more restrained, more elegant than many of the overly buttery Meursaults. Lots of lovely minerality, a flavour seen throughout this week’s picks.

Pink grapefruit, brioche and honey all melding to form what is one of the best Chardonnays I’ve had in quite a while. Keep for a special dinner, and keep your eye on O’Brien’s when this can be reduced by as much as €15.

With food? Rich fish dishes or lobster

Available from: O’Brien’s wines

Over to you

What do you reckon, is chardonnay back?

Stefano Bernabei came to Dublin’s Wines on the Green a couple of weeks ago to showcase some of the wines from Domini Castellare di Castellina. Castellare is located just outside the small Chianti town of Castellina, home to many well made Chiantis (Fonterutoli, Rocca delle Macie).

I’d previously gone to a quite a few lengths to get my hands on some Chianti from Castellare, having rented a house a mere stone’s throw from the vineyards a couple of years ago.

Since then, I’ve learned that Castellare has branched out to the Maremma, on the coast of Tuscany and even further to Sicily.

See the video below featuring Stefano’s visit to Wines on the Green, the wine side of The Celtic Whiskey Shop.

A true Super Tuscan

It’s a super Tuscan with true Chianti origins that gets my vote for wine of the week, the I Sodi di San Niccolo’ 2003.

The name is made up of two parts. I Sodi means tough land, difficult to work, and this inhospitable land surrounds the old chapel of St. Niccolo’.

Super Tuscan is a name reserved for wines like Tignanello, Ornellaia and Sassicaia – all splendid, but apart from being  made in Tuscany, they could really be from anywhere, made mainly from the international (or more accurately, Bordeaux) varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and the other usual suspects.

However, with the I Sodi di San Nicollo’ there’s a crucial difference – rather than being made from these “international” varietals, it’s made from Tuscan natives, Sangiovese and black Malvasia . Proof, if any was needed, that the natives are more than capable of making superb wines. It’s a Super Tuscan, in the true meaning of the the term.

Indeed, the Sangiovese is so local, it’s known as Sangioveto, and only grown by Castellare.

What makes the I Sodi di San Nicollo‘ different from normal Chianti Classico is how it’s treated after picking. Specificially, two thirds of it spends 15-30 months in 225 litre barriques and then 12 months in bottle. There’s not a lot of it made either, 2,000 cases in 2003.

And the results speak for themselves. Since its first vintage in 1979, it has twice featured in the Wine Spectator Top 100 and regularly picks up top awards elsewhere.

Grapes: Sangioveto (85%-90%) and Malvasia Nero (10-15%)

Enough already, how does it taste?

The 2003 is going to set you back €50, so I reckon it deserved a bit of foreplay, but now onto the main event.

A deep, dark brooding nose of blackberry and cinnamon leads to a complex, full bodied yet balanced and silky. It’s delicious now but unlike our present government, it should well do with a few more years under its belt. I would have said cellared, but who has a cellar these days?

Availability

It’s available from Wines on the Green for the princely sum of €50. If you’ve been abstaining over Lent, then it’s a deserved treat with the lamb on Easter Sunday.

Some Australia icons on sale from the Corkscrew, Dublin. I’ve tried the Vasse Felix and the Giacondas at tastings, and they really show what Australia is capable of. If you’ve been abstaining over lent, then they’re definitely worth a splurge.

Vasse Felix Heytesbury Red, Margaret River,  Western Australia 2005

Heytesbury is a barrel selection of the very finest parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot and is matured in French oak barriques for 17 months. It is made without compromise, and production is strictly limited.

The 2005 Heytesbury is a beautiful, deep dark plum colour. The aroma is fragrant, with lifted blackcurrant and fresh subtle peppermint leaf with blueberries, violets, coconut, cumin seeds and thyme which meld into the background with rich oak perfumes. The palate is bright with fresh acidity and a slight creaminess to the mid-palate. The tannins are firm and the wine finishes dry with pretty flavours of violets, dark berries and a hint of mandarin. The linear nature of the palate coupled with a firm tannin structure will ensure continued development and the long term cellaring potential of our flagship wine.

Was €59.95 per bottle,  now €44.95 or €40 per bottle as part of a case of 6 delivered free of charge nationwide

2000 McWilliams ‘Lovedale’ Semillon, Hunter Valley

Mount Pleasant is the McWilliams family’s beachhead in the Hunter Valley, and home to a stable of classic, traditional wines made from  historic vineyards. Its efforts with semillon under the single vineyard Elizabeth and Lovedale labels are the stuff of legend.

The warm, dry harvest allowed sound, ripe fruit of the highest quality and positioned the 2000 vintage as one of the best vintages the region has ever seen.

Rich and mouthfilling, this semillon combines lime zest flavours, with emerging developed characters of honey and cut hay. These intense flavours are supported by a fine backbone of minerally acid, forming a long, persistent and refreshing finish. Drink now-2012

Was €36.95 per bottle, now €24.95 or €21.60 per bottle in a case of 6 delivered free of charge nationwide.

1998 Jim Barry, McCrae Wood, Clare Valley, Shiraz

This is a big, full-bodied Shiraz, showing deep claret red colour. Primary aromas are evident on the nose – menthol, ripe satsuma, plums and mint – while secondary aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon, coffee and chocolate have also developed. The palate shows layers of complexity, with primary flavours of mulberry and blackberry, supported by hints of cashews and mocha. The palate shows excellent depth and length, with ripe, dense, structural tannins and a fresh finish.

Was €39.95 per bottle, now €30.00 or €27.50 per case of 6 delivered free of charge nationwide

Giaconda Wines – Victoria South Australia

‘One of Victoria’s most brilliant wineries, Giaconda is fashioning hand-crafted, singular wines that are not only gorgeous to smell and taste, but innovative in both their blends and stylistic orientations. They combine the elegance and complexity of Europe with the sensationally ripe fruit of Australia’ – Robert Parker.

Three Giaconda’s below:

2005 Giaconda Nantua Vineyard Chardonnay

A blend of 93% Chardonnay and 7% Roussanne from the Nantua and Warner vineyards, again totally barrel fermented with about 30% new oak. It is also very impressive and by comparison to the Estate Vineyard Chardonnay, excellent value. Originally the blend was 85% Chardonnay 15% Roussanne. As the Chardonnay vines have aged, we have reduced the amount of Roussanne without changing the style: – Characteristic Giaconda Chardonnay nose, oatmeal, hazelnuts, matchstick and sulphides. Fresh and clean on the palate with rich Chardonnay fruit and the influence of Roussanne. Excellent finish, long, creamy texture with oak, minerals and acidity all adding to the complexity and satisfaction. Bottled with screwcap closures. 93 Points, Robert Parker

Was €59.95 per bottle, now €46.95 or or €40 per case of 6 delivered free of charge nationwide

2004 Giaconda Nantua Vineyard Pinot Noir

Colour is quite dense this year. Wild and exotic nose of dark fruits, sweet spice and undergrowth. Very rich silky palate yet with great backbone, strong tannin with balancing acidity. In my opinion this is the best Pinot we have made yet, very Burgundian in all aspects. Rick Kinzbrunner – Winemaker

Was €89.95 per bottle, now €69.95 or €60 per bottle in a case of 6 delivered free of charge nationwide

2004 Warner Vineyard Shiraz

The 2004 vintage was an exceptional year for reds; dry, cool weather produced wines that delivered power, finesse and complexity at much lower alcohol levels. In short, ripeness without sweetness, power without the heavy cloying hand of overripe fruit and alcohol. Warner Vineyard Shiraz is, in my opinion, the outstanding red wine of the vintage. Superior in every way to those trail blazing shirazes from 2001 and 2002. This wine breaks new ground, brooding; aromas of black cherry, szechuan pepper, spices, smoked meats, briary forest floor notes and graphite erupt from the glass. Aromatically stunning. Powerful and savoury; tightly coiled with fine savoury tannins and acidity working in with the graphite characters to produce a tensile wine. An explosion of flavours at the end; black cherry, pepper, smoked meats and briar notes concluding with a lone dry savoury finish. 93 Points Robert Parker

Was €89.95 per bottle, now €69.95 or €65 per bottle in a case of 6 delivered free of charge nationwide.

More details…

• The Corkscrew
• No.4 Chatham Street
• Dublin 2
• Tel: 01-6745731
• Online: www.thecorkscrew.ie
• Email: info@thecorkscrew.ie

Ask for Paul, Colm or Chris (& tell them sourgrapes.ie sent you)

Quick overview of the Barossa

Winemaking in the Barossa Valley dates back to 1842 when German Luterans settled there bringing their century old traditions and techniques with them.

The Barossa climate is ideally suited to producing full-bodied red wines for which the region is most well known. And of course, the grape we all know it for is Shiraz.

In the 1970’s, Shiraz was unfashionable and old vines were at risk of being pulled up in favour of more en vogue grapes.

However, St. Hallett bucked that trend and focused on grapes sourced from these endangered vines. Along with other visionary Barossa wineries, St Hallett’s aim was to save the old vines and to develop a specific Barossa taste around Shiraz in particular.

While Australian Shiraz is all but ubiquitous in wine shops and supermarkets around Ireland, the region and the winemakers who work there are capable of making wines with that something special.

This is my pick of Shiraz which offer that something extra, and which show what Australian wine is truly capable of.

1. St. Hallett Faith Barossa Shiraz 2008 (€15)

This is from the south of the Barossa where cooler climes give more floral, softer and less spicey flavours than either of the other two this week.

It’s probably more bing than bang, vibrant fresh red fruits and less of the spice (though it’s still there) as its bigger Barossa brethren.

Smooth and silky and almost feminine, if I can be forgiven for labelling a Barossa Shiraz as such.

With food? Venison with chocolate sauce would be a real treat, but would work equally well with a more modest steak or lamb.

Availability? Imported by Gilbeys and on the shelves of many leading independents.

2. Glaetzer Wallace Shiraz-Grenache (€17)

The Glaetzer family is synonymous with Barossa. This one is a blend of 75% Shiraz and 25% Grenache, from a northernly pocket of the Barossa Valley called Ebenezer.

Shiraz adds dark fruit and spice and the Grenache adds dusty raspberries into the mix. Ripe, rich and elegant.

“The 2007 Wallace is a blend of 75% Shiraz and 25% Grenache aged for 12 months in seasoned French and American oak. Deep crimson-colored, it reveals a fragrant bouquet of cedar, scorched earth, pencil lead, black cherry, and blueberry. On the palate it has an elegant personality with racy, slightly tart, fruit flavors, good concentration, and a silky finish. Drink this excellent value red through 2017.” (Jay Miller, Wine Advocate)

With food? Lamb or Beef

Availability? The Wine Boutique, Ringsend, On the Grapevine, Dalkey, Searson’s Monkstown. Fahy’s Off Licence, Ballina. Jus du Vin, Portmarnock. Power and Smullen, Lucan and online from curiouswines.ie

3. St. Hallett Old Block Shiraz 2006 (€39.89)

This is the much bigger brother to the St. Hallett Gamekeeper’s Reserve featured a a few weeks ago (from €9.99 in Tesco, Superquinn, O’Briens and other independents).

So, this is where things start to get expensive. Arguably, for good reason. Some of vines which make this wine are over 100 years old. Older vines generally mean fewer grapes with more concentrated flavours.

In terms of taste, this is an iron fist in a velvet glove, power and punch with balance and poise. You’re drinking more than wine, you’re drinking history with the Old Block.

With food? Forget food. This is a meditative wine. Perfect for by the fire with a book..

Availability? O’Briens online, Dermot Nolan Wine Services, Thomas Woodberry’s Galway, Sweeney’s Hart’s Corner (Glasnevin), Mc Phail’s Drogheda

Although Gagliole is made in the beautiful village of Castellina in Chianti (20km north of Siena) it’s not a Chianti by name. Why? Chianti must have a minimum percentage of the native Sangiovese and a lesser amount of Canaiolo grapes. This is all fine if you want to play by the rules and make some nice Chianti.

However, wines labeled “IGT Toscana” (Indicazione Geografica Tipica translates as “from the region of Tuscany”) wines don’t play by the stricter Chianti rules – essentially they’re the Italian equivalent of the French Vin de Pays and allow the addition of foreign grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

This situation has allowed many winemakers, inspired by the great wines from Bordeaux, to make a name for themselves outside of Chianti. And it has clearly worked with the likes of Ornellia, Sassicaia and Tignanello collectively referred to as “Supertuscans”.

You could add the Gagliole to this elite list. The 2006 contains 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and, according to Thomas Bär, the Swiss lawyer/banker turned Italian winemaker.

2006 is the best, most exciting vintage out of all of the years they’ve produced Gagliole. Nature delivered near perfect conditions, followed by careful attention in the cellar.

The people: the team behind Gagliole

I remember once reading that to make a small fortune in wine, you have to spend a large one. This may or may not be true for Thomas and Monika Bär. Indeed, Monika was recently quoted in Decanter magazine explaining:

why Bär buys less fine furniture and works of art at Christie’s: all his spare cash is soaked up by winemaking.

He’s a Swiss banker, she’s a gallery manager and together they fell in love with Tuscany and decided to settle there, buying  the 30 hectare Gagliole estate in 1990.

In terms of investment, they’ve hired the best of Italian oenologists in Stefano Chioccioli in addition to Cesare Panti and Serenella Bentivoglio to manage the day-to-day running of the vineyards.

The making of Gagliole wine

According to a document in Siena’s State Archives, the Gagliole estate dates back to 994 A.D. The vineyards are 500 meters above sea level where the Sangiovese slowly mature with a south-southwest exposure. The age of the vines (from 3 to 30 years)  reflect the investment that has gone into Gagliole since the Bärs became the latest custodians of the estate.

There is a density of 5000 vines per hectare with a yield of 3500 – 4000 kg per hectare.

Grapes are handpicked (as opposed to the violent vine shaking tractors on stilts you see in parts of Chianti). Only the best grapes are then hand chosen for fermentation in oak vats.

The wine then spends at a minimum 14 months in French oak barriques (barrels with 225 litre capacity), of which 70% are new and 30% a mix of second and third use. The wine then spends a further 6 months in bottle before being released.

The verdict on Gagliole Colli della Toscana Centrale 2006

While it’s clear that the Gagliole 2006 needs a few more years to develop to full maturity, it’s drinking really well now, particularly after 3-4 hours decanting. This is a seriously good wine.

Dark inky ruby in the glass, the tannins are already a silky velvet and there’s the excellent rich fruit of dark cherries and blackcurrants. Given the Wine Spectator’s 94 and 96 point scores for the respective 2004 and 2005 vintages, the 2006 is sure to be a huge hit when it reaches the wine shop shelves in Ireland. It can truly be said to be a “Supertuscan”.

Credits

• Thanks to Bettina Bäck from Wine Partners for sending on the background information and, of course, for sending over the sample to taste.
• Gagliole.com – website for Gagliole estate.

With great expectations I went along to my second Icon wine tasting at Enowine last night.

The wines are labeled “icons”, as they are revered around the wine world and their prices reflect this – commanding between €89 and €115 a bottle.

But are they worth it?

If I were sitting as a panelist on RTÉ’s Questions & Answers (representing the Wine Party, of course) and John Bowman had asked me if they were worth it, I’d respond with a very Mary-Louesque answer.

Something along the lines of, “John, the question shouldn’t be actually if these wines are worth it, but if they are actually any good”. Besides, if you’re going to buy this stuff, that kind of a question is probably irrelevant.

Ornellaia 1999 (Bolgheri, Tuscany) – €115

A very rich perfumed nose, predominantly damsons with a little mintyness going on in there too. In the gob, high acid, dark fruits, fantastic balance and a great length.

Château Léoville Las Cases 2001 (St. Julien) – €105

As with the Ornellaia, a very rich nose, this time with a lot of vanilla and toast. A little bit of a tar and leather going on in there as well. Smells like a fresh bloody steak, just before you put it on the pan. Again, very high acid and a nice long length.

Stonyridge 2003 (Waiheke, New Zealand) – €89

More feminine on the nose than the above two. On tasting, very approachable, nice balance with fresh acidity and much redder fruits (raspberries or cranberries) than the pair above.

Dominus 2001 (Napa Valley, USA) – €85

Didn’t seem as “expressive” in smell than the previous three and also a little unbalanced in comparison to the above. What I mean by this is that the tannins stood out and there was a definite dusty, earthy component to it.

Overall thoughts

My favourite of the night was probably the Ornellaia, closely followed by the Léoville Las Cases. The other two were extremely good, but at that price I would have expected more.

That said, for comparison purposes, I also tried a Chevalier de Lascombes from Margaux, €26 and a Cortigiano Fattoria Lavacchio (Tuscan “IGT”), €26. Both really nice, relatively pricey but no where near the “Icons” which is kind of depressing.

The blockbuster wines are written about, scored highly by wine writers and in much demand for one reason. They are bloody good.

Overall, a fantastic tasting, made even better with Hakån & Elodie on hand to answer any questions and talk us through their thoughts on the wine.

Thirsty for more?

Will over at Irish Wine Contemplations pipped me to the post with his detailed write-up. Embarrassingly, I didn’t introduce myself to Will at Enowine. Next time?

It goes well with wild game, roast beef, but its full and variegated texture makes it an excellent meditation wine.

Above, part of the tasting note on wineshop.it, the website I bought it from.

I was in a meditative mood, so I sipped alone and later with some nice hard cheese from somewhere in Spain – a little vauge, I know.

How did it taste?

This is where it gets tricky – using familiar terms like sour cherry, blackcurrant liquor (cassis), aniseed, eucalyptus and exotic spices doesn’t really do justice to this Brunello.

It’s simply and utterly fantastic.

About Montalcino

Montalcino is a small village in Tuscany, about 40km south of Siena. Brunello di Montalcino has a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) status, awarded in 1980, but the history of the wine and the place goes much further back.

Compared to nearby Chianti, the area is relatively tiny so there’s less of the stuff being produced, making it pretty pricey. In Ireland, Brunello costs between €35-50 for a “good” bottle and a lot more for a “great” one. With Barolo, it’s up there as one of Italy’s top wines.

About Brunello

It’s made from 100% Sangiovese, but it’s not like any Chianti I’ve ever tasted. The differences can be accounted for by a number of factors:

• The type of Sangiovese – it’s a different clone to the one in Chianti,
• The area – the climate and soil are different
• How it’s made and aged.

Maceration (juice in contact with the skins) is extended giving much more flavour and colour extraction. After fermentation, the wine is aged in large barrels (much larger than the French barriques).

Although some producers have moved to the smaller barrels (or a mixture of the two), this means the wood has more influence on the taste of the wine (vanilla, toast etc.).

According to Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini, another producer featured in the Wine Spectator video below, she still prefers the bigger barrels. Why?

Where the wood is not the protagonist, not the main character

Brunello, if well made, ages extremely well, the Capanna promises 30 years. Unfortunately, I don’t have the storage or patience for that kind of carry-on.

About this Brunello di Montalcino “Capanna”

The Capanna vineyard is owned by the Cencioni family and is situated in Montosoli, about 2km north of Montalcino.

I’m not sure how true this is but this particular area around Montosoli has always been considered one of the best Brunello “cru”, i.e. land with the best potential for wine.

Where to buy

Bought online from wineshop.it for €33 (pricey, yes – but part of my “drink less, drink better” routine).