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Drinking Off-Piste Wines

Were I a skier, I’d prefer off-piste; a parachutist, it would be freefall; had I the courage, I’d be a ‘Dangerous Sports’ exponent! . . . . When I hear of a winemaker doing something different, something revolutionary, I need to try her/his wine!

FIGURE LIBRE – FREESTYLE WINES

On occasion the atmosphere in our Methodist (yep, that’s the one that generally ‘bans’ alcohol!) house when I was growing up was a touch claustrophobic – we lads had to toe the line! I didn’t like it at all.

So, whenever there was a chance to break free, we took it with both hands (I needed them both to hold a pint at that age!). Yet it was exactly that morally correct upbringing that, fortunately, stopped me from doing anything more than simply appreciating from afar the Hippy movement and all its ‘charms’(!) as I became older, rather than taking a hike and joining them!

Yeah man, that ‘armchair wannabe Hippy’ feeling has stayed with me, in as much as I’m naturally drawn to anything slightly off the wall, a little, and more, rebellious. Were I a skier, I’d prefer off-piste; a parachutist, it would be freefall; had I the courage, I’d be a ‘Dangerous Sports’ exponent!

Oddly, you might think, it also applies to my appreciation of wine. When I hear of a winemaker doing something different, something revolutionary, I need to try her/his wine! For example, it’s not exactly passé, but it is now fairly common to find wines that have been fermented and matured, not in traditional 225 litre oak barrels, neither in 3,000 litre foudres, but in ‘concrete eggs’. When I first heard of the phenomenon – guess who was front of the queue at the tastings!

That’s why, when I heard of the Freestyle French Wines from the Pays D’Oc area in southern France, made by the free spirited wine makers of Domaine Gayda (https://www.gaydavineyards.com/en), well, I had to taste some, man!

You can imagine how my interest was heightened even further when I read the following on their website:

“Figure Libre Freestyle is the name given to an ambitious range of wines designed to shake up conventions and break new ground for expressing the inherent style of Languedoc and Roussillon. Turning its back on appellation rules, it favours freedom of choice in terms of varietal range, both single varietals and blends. Figure Libre Freestyle reflects a desire to think outside the box and bring together grape varieties that would otherwise never have met in the same bottle.”

Right on, man!

Making wine under the auspices of a Denominación de Origen in Spain, and an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée in France can be useful, of course, but it also means certain constraints. Many winemakers are happy to go along with this, believing the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. However, some prefer an alternative. It seems that those at Domaines Gayda fit into this category.

I thought both the wines they kindly sent me were very good and I’d certainly buy them again, looking also for others in their range – if these two are representative, then you can buy with confidence!

It’s a long, long time since I tasted my first wines from the Languedoc area. I was teaching myself about wine – using, although I didn’t know it at the time, the Robert Parker way of learning about wine. Taste, make notes, ask questions, repeat! My interest piqued, I went on to tutored tastings, lessons. exams and I was off on my wine journey!

I was thus introduced to the white wine varieties, Marsanne and Roussanne and I really enjoyed them in those days. I’ve yet to see them here in Spain, so I was pleased when I saw that Figure Libre Freestyle Blanc included these two as well as Grenache Gris, along with the Spanish varieties Macabeo and Garnacha Blanca (Domaine Gayda rests in the foothills of the Pyrenees, quite close to Spain). I really liked the wine.

Part fermented in different sized oak barrels and concrete egg, this rounded wine has a complexity that not so many white wines enjoy. On the nose, and the palate, there’s a combination of blanched almonds, a faint whiff of marzipan, citrusy lemon notes, as well as melon, its palindrome (Python style anyway!), with herbs sorrel and thyme too. Mouth filling with a lengthy finish it also has a contemplative elegance too.

The Freestyle 2018 Vin Rouge also pays homage to a Spanish/French version of Entente Cordiale regarding its blend – Syrah, Carignan, Garnacha and Mourvèdre (aka, Monastrell, as many readers will know). Another very good wine, easy to drink certainly, but with depth of flavour and a little layered complexity.

It’s a bright, attractive wine, whose nine months in barrel (French, no, really?!) add structure and presence on the palate. On the nose a little herbal, with super, forward fruit – dark and light red, plus a touch of liquorice. Syrah plays the leading part in this mix and it’s that typical French Syrah spicy black pepper flavour that contributes significantly to this wine’s ability to pair with meaty dishes, as well as making it a great drink as is, with friends and family!

I loved them both!

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DO Somontano Masterclass

Personally, I’ve not tasted a below par wine from DO Somontano. So, when I was able to secure a place at the recent Masterclass, presented by the Consejo Regulador, Ruling Council, of the DO itself, I was, of course, delighted. I was keen to learn more as well as have my expectations confirmed. I wasn’t disappointed!

DENOMINACIÓN DE ORIGEN SOMONTANO

Personally, I’ve not tasted a below par wine from DO Somontano. So, when I was able to secure a place at the recent Masterclass, presented by the Consejo Regulador, Ruling Council, of the DO itself, I was, of course, delighted. I was keen to learn more as well as have my expectations confirmed. I wasn’t disappointed!

This was the second DO Masterclass of the Wine Professionals Sector tasting day organised by Verema (https://www.verema.com/), whose tasting session I also attended last year. I’m hoping to be there again next year and into the future too – they are excellent!

In direct contrast to the presentation by DO Almansa in the earlier session, DO Somontano’s was, typically, very professional. Although the DO isn’t that old (established 1984, where DO Rioja, for example, was founded in the 20s) they are nevertheless experienced old hands at promoting their wines and their member bodegas.

DO Somontano isn’t shy about the number of varieties they allow for their wines – fifteen in total, eight red wine grape varieties and seven for the whites. Whilst there is a fair showing of indigenous Spanish varieties included, championed perhaps by the almost uniquely grown Moristel, there is also a significant contribution from international varieties such as Cab Sauv and Gewurztraminer, the latter being particularly loved here.

The first wine up, though, was a Chardonnay, which I identified before seeing the label – noted here, not to brag about my ability in such matters, more to boast on Somontano’s behalf about their ability to recreate classic Chardonnay characteristics, when this variety is so far away from its natural home in Burgundy, France! Fresh with bright acidity though rounded too, with food friendly buttery notes as well as a slight banana skin nose. Bodegas Viñas del Vero 2018. Good start!

Gewurz was up next, from Bodegas Enate. A lovely wine with a mandarin/clementine spritz on the nose aiding and abetting the typical fresh lychee aroma of this German/Alsace variety. Plus, as an added bonus, there was slight bitter lemon (as in the drink) flavour on the finish. Oh how I wish that the Chinese restaurants in our area were aware of the pairing possibilities of this variety with their cuisine!

The above two varieties were in tandem in the next sample, but with the very interesting addition of Pinot Noir (18%, a black grape, of course, therefore a touch of the blanc de noir about this Bodegas Sommos wine). The varieties were fermented separately and when blended together they underwent a touch of French oak barrel ageing for good measure. Some complexity and depth of flavour with a Chardonnay nose and a little spicy Gewurz, plus presence on the palate from the Pinot.

There aren’t many 100% Moristel wines, it being used more to blend – perhaps the offering from Bodegas Pirineos gives us a clue as to why? Cherries and black pepper on the nose, there was a slightly burnt wholemeal toast aroma, pleasant, but unusual, given that there has been no oak contact? For me it was a little too acidic. So, maybe best to use it to add freshness to other ripe varieties, rather than use it as is?

The next wine was outstanding! Old vine Garnacha from Bodegas Obergo, a new winery to me. It’s the 2015 vintage which has clearly enjoyed its year in mostly French oak, with regular stirring of the lees. There is some menthol on the nose, with forest fruits coming through. It’s a deeply flavoured, textured wine with pleasing complexity, perhaps understandable, given the vineyard’s close proximity to those of Secastilla, an honoured wine from this DO.

The next wine is the only Gran Reserva wine in the DO. Made by Bodegas Sers, this Cabernet/Merlot/Syrah from the 2012 vintage has been kept for 24 months in medium toasted French barrricas, with a further 40 months in bottle. It’s a big 14·5% abv, though with a touch of subtlety as well. A great mouthful, very meat orientated food friendly too.

The final wine of this very impressive tasting was the 2011 Grillo, which had been aged in 100 French oak Barrels, following its fermentation in 4 hectolitre capacity French oak foudres, and making use of Syrah, Cab Sauv, Garnacha and Merlot. Almost black in the glass, this opaque wine retails at about 35€, but it’s worth it, for sure! You’ll find figs and liquorice on the nose and palate too, with earthy undergrowth notes and a long, thought provoking finish. Excellent wine! Super tasting all round!

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Masterclass DO Almansa

DENOMINACIÓN DE ORIGEN ALMANSA

In the Ayuntamiento, Town Hall, of Almansa there’s an impressive tiled mural depicting the battle that occurred near the town in 1707 during the Spanish War of Succession. The Spanish won, thereby reclaiming the East of Spain from Archduke Charles of Austria.

Though not at all so bloody, the good people of Almansa have another battle on their hands at the moment – convincing the wine world that their wines can rub shoulders with those of the other more famous areas of production in this part of the Spanish peninsular. Bordering to the south the DOs of Jumilla and Yecla, and to the north Manchuela it is also somewhat in the shadow of DOs Alicante, Bullas, Utiel Requena and Valencia. Impressive neighbours indeed, but if the tasting I went to recently is anything to go by (and it must be as it was organised by the Consejo Regulador DO Almansa) then I donp’t think they have too much to worry about.

My annual visit to Alicante for the Verema Wine Tasting for Sector Professionals, although very good in 2018 (my article archived here https://www.colinharknessonwine.com/verema-wine-tasting/#more-‘), was even better this year. The organisers had also included three masterclasses as an extra attraction. I couldn’t make the third but I was pleased to be given a place for the DO Almansa tasting and later, the DO Somontano one (watch this space!).

There were seven Almansa wines to taste – 6 were reds, which wasn’t surprising, given that the DO is very much a red wine area. What was unexpected, to me at least, as I haven’t tasted an Almansa white for many a year, was the quality of the 100% Verdejo dry white from Bodegas Piqueras.

It’s a wild ferment wine, meaning that the yeasts used were indigenous, found in fact in the vineyard on the skins of the grapes. This is a good sign as it means that the wine is more natural. It was fermented in French oak were it also spent a few months resting and gaining some depth. A lovely, fresh fruity wine, with a touch of banana skin on the nose and a good bright finish. I’d buy this wine, for sure.

Sorrasca 2013 is a red wine from Bodega Rodríguez de Vera, using Petit Verdot, that French variety that really comes into its own when grown here in sunny Spain. The vineyards are 1,000 meters above sea level, giving the vine respite from the really scorching heat of this art of the world, which in turn gives a brightness to the finished wine with necessary acidity too. Balanced with blackberry fruit, a little stemmy too, with liquorice on the finish, and after 20 minutes a faint touch of coffee on the nose. Nice wine.

La Cueva del Chamán 2018 is a Monastrell roble wine, in that it has had a some time in oak, and because it’s a young wine it has a darker colour than the older wine above, in fact a touch purple. Plums with some vanilla from the oak. The vines are 50 years old, accounting for the relative richness of the wine. It’s a food wine for sure, at 15·5 abv, you’d need something with it!

Unfortunately the next wine on the list was slightly corked, so I can’t comment on it as it was faulty. It happens!

Almansa majors in Garnacha Tintorera, that unusual variety, aka Alicante Bouchet, whose flesh, unlike almost all other black grape varieties, is also coloured. You can therefore expect some dark, intense almost opaque wines from this variety. La Batalla (you can guess why!) also has Merlot, Cab Sauv, Syrah and Petit Verdot in the blend, making for a lovely fruit compote, with a slightly medicinal nose too.

My favourite red was the 100% Garnacha Tintorera, Tintoralba Ecológico 2016, from Bodegas Tintoralba. It opens with a touch of coconut from the oak (French and American) in which the wine has aged for a year, moving into fruit driven realms of plums and damsons with a little undergrowth too. It’s a big wine, needing food also, but has an element of gracefulness too.

My second favourite of this encouraging flight of wines was the 1860 Selección from Bodegas Cano. Coming from 45 years old Garnacha Tintorera vines, growing at 1,000 metres above sea level, the wine has presence in the mouth, with big bold bramble fruit and plum flavours. I thought the 18 months in oak might have been a tad too long though, causing me to put it in silver medal position – for me at any rate.

So, I recommend seeking our DO Almansa wines. Enjoy!

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Wine Pairing Dinner @ Restaurante Ca Pepe, Moraira, Costa Blanca

What a fantastic first tasting menu and wine pairing for us last night. We had a really lovely evening, it was a great atmosphere and the food and wine flowed. A special thanks to our guest speaker and wine expert Colin Harkness for his wonderful commentary and a big shout out to our A team who were so organized, efficient and ensured everything ran smoothly, Daniel, Harry, Dan, Anas, Kim & Gaynor