Category: Swaps

2021 Vitícola Mentridana Las Uvas De La Ira Sierra de Gredos Méntrida DO

Originally made by Daniel Landi from Comando G but now made separately by Curro Bareño who is in charge of Vitícola Mentriana from this vintage. Seems he’s as much of a local as señor Landi and really invested in both vineyard and winery. Reports suggest a cool vintage in the high hills of Gredos which has done the quality of fruit no harm at all on the basis of this bottle. The naming and detail of these Gredos wines can be confusing as the whole area doesn’t seem to have its own DO but the small area of Méntrida near Toledo does. It’s found in one of the two major Gredos valleys, Valle del Tiétar, which some observers have suggested would be a good on delimitating the area. Add to this confusion the individual names of wine villages overlaid on DOs that don’t make a lot of sense and I’m a bit baffled. It could all simply be Gredos Garnacha as that’s about the only red wine made there is in any quantity or quality. Anyway it’s what’s in the glass that counts and this is very, very good. The Comando G Gredos Garnachas have been a little bit..er..rustic for me at times but this is really clean without losing any of the sense of place or its grace in shape. That lovely relaxed red fruit that Garnacha does well sculpted into focus by pinpoint tannin and again for want of a better words, refreshing mineral acidity. Cherries and ripe stewed strawberries, a brush of pomegranate juice tannin, herby ripe stems maybe and wet granite like pucker. The best bits of Garnacha ripeness contained by a mountain freshness. Gentle power. Another bit of Spain on the wish list.

The back label has some interesting info, vino de pueblo etc…

14.5% alcohol. Cork. Swap.

94 points.

2021 Envínate Vinos Atlanticos Táganan

Another of the swaps for some of the annual Wendouree order and another from the Canary Islands, yet another one of Spain’s rediscovered wonders. From the north east tip of Tenerife and pre phylloxera vines including a field blend of obscure varieties as well as the principal Lístan Negro, this is extraordinary. It took nearly three days for a compelling tale to unfold. An oceanic fog of flints banged hard, that seems typical of old volcanic soils, clears to smells of fresh berries and spice. So pure and evenly spread with depth and breadth, the wave breaks on rocks that dry and refresh as the tide sucks. These are simply the best flavoured and balanced grapes turned into liquid. Individual descriptions of flavours seem redundant. How an island so close to the Sahara can produce wine that’s about as thrilling and satisfying as anything I’ve been lucky enough to drink from the established greats of France or Italy is boggling. Long threads of perfect red fruit, spiced just enough to emphasise and a structure to build stories of heroic wine if you listen carefully. Spain’s the most exciting place, from Galicia to Jerez and from Gredos to the Canaries. Prods a jaded old wine nut to hyperbole and more nonsense.

12% alcohol. Cork. Swap.

96 points. Great.

2022 Domaine de Cassiopée Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune Les Côtés

One of the great things about swapping some bottles with someone who’s on it when it comes to good wine made with less intervention is the chance to open bottles like this. Not the best metaphor but their choices are a great filter. A glass full of great contrasts. Full yellowish green colour and aromas full of crème brûlée and citrus zest. More complexity in peach and a bit of apricot in a faint mist of yeasty nattiness. A rich and satisfying mouthful of the same stretches long on honey drizzled hazelnuts. It all winds up nice and tight on chalk dust acidity and skin chew. Feels good. Less natty second day and rich and even. Excellent adventure.

Rest of the label has Cassiopeia.

12% alcohol. Cork. Great swap.

93 points.

NV Girard – Bonnet Au Bout du Chemin Chardonnay premier cru

A birthday bottle of bubbles for the dear ones from a favourite bit of Champagne, the Côtes des Blancs and the village of Vertus. Mostly biodynamic 2021 grapes with some reserve. Some oak fermented, most in stainless steel, the wood has barely left a thumb print. It had the sort of composure and poise that marks brilliant fruit and gifted making and a compulsion to keep sipping. Pristine cleanliness and a good measure of warm yeasty brioche proved a prelude to crystalline citrus and a little tang of white peach or melon. Long and linear with bursts of fruit and measured salinity right to the end of the road, just as the label says. It’s the texture that’s separates this breed of BdB from the humdrum celebration bubbles. Slides as it glides, tingles and just so touches of feathery texture, utter pitch perfect mouth music. Nicely dry but fruit rich, a low dosage of 3g. A real treat. A bottle between four really should have been a magnum. Rarely has a last half glass of fizz been enjoyed as much.

12.5% alcohol. Diam. A very well chosen swap.

94 points.

2022 Domaine Bitouzet Prieur Meursault

Didn’t think I’d be lucky enough to type the word Meursault in a post again but when one was included in a swap, the only thing to do was find the corkscrew. Rich in perfume and colour, this needed a long double decant and then another to shed some of the sulphide meatiness and round out a bit. Lots of compact concentration in smell and taste that seemed nicely balanced with a well meshed touch of skin texture and excellent acidity that carried a cracking depth of flavour. Those flavours indeed, perhaps auto suggestion but hazelnut and honey loomed large with a dash of yellow fruit and figgy richness. Maybe a bit too much bitter sulphide for me but nobody else seemed to complain, so don’t mind my foible. As a whole there’s a range of deep flavour beautifully floated on upper class acidity and texture. A treat to venture maybe one last time into a place where the entrance price makes me envy the very rich label drinker, more than I’d like to admit.

13.5% alcohol. Cork. Glad the generous swap avoided mentioning the cost.

94 points. Maybe less for the technically minded. Maybe more for the Chardonnay lovers that see a bit of that old matchbox as essential?

2022 Domaine des Sonnettes Pied de Mouton

One of those natural wines from a small scale French producer that tells you nothing on the label apart from a good taste in graphics. Looking carefully, you can find the words Vin de France. The AOC system isn’t often less than cryptic but there’s a clue sometimes. It does make you wonder how these puzzling labels would have sold before google. Consultation with the oracle revealed this is from the Bugey valley in lovely Savoie and is 85% whole bunch Gamay and 15% destemmed Poulsard. It opened bright and crisp. A healthy lean BMI. Those yeasty smells of a low sulphur natty wine formed a haze over some invitingly fresh and bright red fruits. A bit of reduction too that dissipated after twenty four hours. Good the first day, the pristine fruit soared the second. Amazing perfume and nose filling fragrance emerged with all the red summer fruits backed by some powdered rock. Mountain fresh mouth watering acidity and a cat’s lick of fine skin tannin made it wholesome. Such good grapes and maybe an argument for a tolerance of nattiness in the cause of such scorching fruit expression. It’s such a tightrope. No real wobbling with this one. Long live diversity.

12.5% alcohol. Cork. $? Part of the Wendouree swap and very different to those Clare marvels.

95 points second day, natty stylee.

2022 Bien de Altura Vinos Sansofi Gran Canaria DO

Despite a love for things Spanish and there being a bit of fuss about Canary Islands’ wine, I’m pretty sure this is my first island bottle. Sort of another in a theme, as the last long look at a region was Etna and this comes from an island volcano too, albeit a bit less active. Reading about the islands, it seems the indigenous vine Listán Negro doesn’t crop up anywhere else now, it may have originated in Castilla or not depending on the source. There’s some considerable history as the Canaries have avoided phylloxera and vines are planted on original roots. Shakespeare’s Sir Toby Belch suggests someone is in need of a cup of canary in Twelfth Night. I’m a bit late catching up. A Jancis article says these vines are amongst the highest altitude in Europe although the latitude puts the islands closer to Africa. All intriguing really and so to the cup of canary itself. Initially a bit pongy with sulphidic edges and a bit of a natty waft. Just medium to light in extract. Settling down into reductive cherry, woody stem spice, leather and a very ashy, crushed rock landslide. Same in the mouth, the red fruits a bit compacted by stem, reduction and really dry stonewall tannin. Not sure it’s all pleasure. There’s some argument amongst wine lovers suggesting great wine is better without complicated cooking or any food at all. In this case, this ungainly cup took off with a bowl of sweetly tomato laden pasta sauced with pesto Trapanese. Happily a food enhancing structure and a mouthwatering savour took over and cleared the way for some fragrant red fruits and dusty savour. All the doubtful bits dropped away. After a bit of uncertainty about winemaking and enjoyment, three quarters of the bottle disappeared in the time it takes two people to eat dinner. There’s always a new wine adventure without leaving the table.

12.5% alcohol. Diam I think? $? no idea as it was part of a swap for some of the yearly Wendouree delivery. I always seem to do so well and end up with delicious things I wouldn’t normally go for.

94 or 95 points with food, hard to say without. It’s me not you, dear wine.