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Tasting Notes

We tasted: MOB – Dao Touriga, Jaen, Alfochiero, Baja 2013 Berry Bros & Rudd £28.95

Emma says: “This week has certainly been a mission. In fact I’ll be surprised if anyone joins in. After suggesting that people find a Douro red which has predominantly Touriga Nacional in the blend our search of London showed this was nigh on impossible.

Most Douro reds have “Tinta Roriz” (aka Tempranillo) as the first grape listed on the label and by law the list of grapes in a blend has to list them in order of highest percentage. We did some pretty heavy Google searching and found this was the case almost everywhere. We were about to give up when I recalled a great wine friend, Abi, had bought me a lovely bottle for my birthday from another classic region in Portugal, “Dao”. Hey presto it is predominantly Touriga. So a stroke of luck and a big thank you to Abi.

On tasting I think this wine actually shows more about the region and the particular style it brings rather than Touriga. I imagine other tasters with a Douro wine will get a different experience. This is a really serious wine. The scent is very dark brooding with a slate-y mineral intensity, and some medicinal and herbal notes. On tasting it is taught with grippy but nicely fine tannin. The flavours continue to deliver a smoky pencil lead intensity that I normally find in good Bordeaux. There is also lovely dense, bright purple fruit which points to the warmer climate of Southern Europe. But this isn’t a bouncy, fruity, luscious sort of wine it is more on the serious side with mouth filling intensity and a complex array of flavours that appeal to those people that want a wine that lingers and brings more and more flavours as you ponder on it.

On reading about the wine it is made by three winemakers Jorge Moreira, Francisco Olazabal and Jorge Borges who are normally based in the Douro and with this joint project want to represent the true spirit of Dao with grapes grown beside Portuguese highest mountain range giving this wine that extra dose of acidity and that mineral intensity from the poor granitic soil influence, where vines bury deeply and produce wines with extra intensity. Besides Touriga this wine has other local interesting grapes in the blend, I have always particularly like Baga which is akin to Nebbiolo in its bold tannic delivery and Jaen is related to Mencia and Cabernet Franc; for those wanting geek facts.

I’m really glad I tried it. Like many Portuguese wines I find they have a distinct and unique character and feel quite sad that we don’t see them more often in our UK stores. I think it may be that with their totally different array of grape names that are hard to pronounce so they don’t make an easy sell. What a shame, we need to get more spirit of adventure back into wine. Which is precisely what 52 grapes is about and is exactly what Portuguese wines need.”

Andy says: “I’ve spent most of this week worrying about two things.

Thing one – the complete lack of availability of Touriga dominant wines in major supermarkets. We appear to have sent you on a bum steer, so if you’re reading this and still looking, just get any Douro red. It will have Touriga in it. Probably.

Thing two – A pun for this week’s newsletter title. “Touriga Nacional” isn’t exactly the most pun-able grape name in the world. Aruba, Touriga, ooh I wanna take ya… you now have the Beach Boys / Kokomo in your head. Thank me later.

We decided to have this wine with dinner. I needed something to do beforehand so had a glass of a new Malbec. It was a sample Emma had brought home, and was already open. Rude not to, right? It was full of lovely fruity flavour, but this isn’t Malbec week. You know when you haven’t got enough Ribena left to make a glass of juice, but you give it a go anyway and end up with a weak, pale pink, overly diluted homeopathic tribute act? That’s what it felt like when I then tried this week’s red.  This Dao Touriga was like drinking water in comparison to the Malbec.

But this was very much a short term opinion. I left the wine for a little time to open up and also to allow my palate to reset. The second tasting was much improved – I definitely got fruit (I couldn’t name which one though. Grape?) and a bit of smoke. Tannin wise I thought they were soft, as there was a quick light grip on the tongue that quickly disappeared, as that’s what I thought soft tannins were. Having Googled a list of wine terms, I have decided ’round’ (“A wine that has a good sense of body that is not overly tannic.”) is the best fit.

In summary, very drinkable but still haven’t found my red of choice.”

Buying Guide

UPDATE: It seems there aren’t that many Touriga led reds out there – so if you’re struggling, any Douro red will do!

Touriga is the most famous red grape of Portugal. It tends to be used in reds from the Douro region, which also makes port wines. The easiest way to find a wine made with this grape is to look for a red from Portugal made in the Douro valley. Or to look for the Portuguese red section in a retailer and check the back label for the grapes used in the blend. It is unusual to find a 100% Touriga so it’s very likely you’ll have to scour the labels and find a blend. Watirose, M&S and Aldi stock Douro reds. If all else fails a bottle of port would make an interesting option to try this week.

Tasting Notes

Emma says: “This week is showing up the imperfection of our grape scheduling skills. This grape in this style would have been an ideal winter warmer during last week’s “Beast from the East”. I hope you will forgive us. Although those at other sides of the world may disagree.

Corvina is the main grape used in the Valpolicella region; blended with lesser proportions of Rondinella and Molinara grapes. Whichever version you are tasting, Valpolicella, Valpolicella Ripasso or Amarone, all will have mostly Corvina grape. The differences between those wines will take a little time to explain. Valpolicella is the red wine made like most other reds, so no explanation needed there; usually bright cherry fruit, fresh and lively tasting. Then there is the local tradition of taking whole bunches of grapes and drying them slowly over a period of months so the water inside the grape evaporates a little and the grapes concentrate. Whole bunches of these dried grapes are used to create Amarone which as a result is high in sugar and produces intense and quite alcoholic wines. Ripasso is the in between version where some dried grapes are added to regular grape juice; with the result being a more intense version of the standard wine. The method of drying grapes before making wine is called Ripasso.

Onto the wine we are tasting today “Torre D’Orti Amarone” £36. Before I give you my thoughts on this wine I confess I’m not a massive fan of these heavily concentrated and high alcohol reds; probably because I don’t have the stamina to handle them. There is also a problem with some of these reds where the process means they can get a bit oxidative and lack freshness, plus the concentrated grapes can produce heavy tannin resulting in a wine that can feel dry.

I’ve tasted this Amarone before, and I was astonished at how it converted me; and re-tasting today confirmed this. The aroma is beautifully perfumed, pruney intensity with a cherry liqueur fragrance and mint leaf notes; not at all Port-y or stewed in character. On the taste it is big but incredibly smooth and luscious, lots of black cherries, strong dark chocolate and wild herb notes. Yes, you feel the warmth which isn’t surprising at 16.5% ABV, but it doesn’t feel spirit-y or harsh. The thing that stands out is the fruit still has this vivacity and freshness which is amazing if you think the fruit has been drying so long. A wine with a high price, but certainly worth it as a winter warmer treat.”

Andy says: “I’ve done my fair share of stupid alcohol – shots of this and that, insanely flammable cocktails (Nuclear Daiquiri, anyone?) and ridiculously strong beers etc.

This I think is the first time I’ve tasted a wine that has made me visibly wince, and utter something along the lines of ‘oh boy’, but a little more ‘post-watershed’ if you catch my drift. The reason being it’s 16.5% – quite possibly the strongest wine I’ve ever tasted, and I wasn’t expecting it. I left it sitting for ten minutes or so before braving it again.

With expectations re-calibrated, this was a reasonably pleasant red. I’m still yet to find the grape or the style that’s for me. Knowing it was an Amarone (and therefore from dried/raisined grapes), I could definitely taste the fruit richness and intensity, with a very mild grip from the tannins. Warming and liqueur like in its texture, I’m wondering if it could be used in a cocktail as a substitute for something like Chambord. I guess I’ll never find out as it’s all gone, and at £36 it’s something of an expensive experiment.

Onwards to next week and future reds – the quest continues.”

Buying Guide

Corvina is an Italian red grape but it tends to be labelled by the region of Valpolicella where it comes from; or by a specific style of wine it makes called Amarone. We are going to be trying an Amarone since this is a special style of wine that involves the grapes being left to raisin after being picked. It is so unique it seemed only right to try that. Most large retailers stock Amarone, so head for the Italian red section and look for a wine labelled with that name.

Tasting notes

Corte Ibla Nero D’Avola Single Estate 2015 – £12.50

Emma says: “Last night I was at a wine tasting. An unusual one, since I was told before I even tasted the wines I couldn’t buy them. They were already all bought, and too expensive for me.

I then saw the labels of these wines and it threw me even more. No words, just pictures of a semi clad ghetto-tastic lady holding a machete and sitting on a car. The winemaker was lovely, but when he came to describe his wines he spoke more about the inspiration for the labels than the wines themselves. I’m saying this because i’m not feeling much like tasting Nero D’Avola tonight. I drank a little too much of those wines….

I actually find that tasting wine whilst feeling a little “off colour” can be a very good test. The wine is going to have to try extra hard to impress me. We’re trying the Corte Ibla Nero D’Avola Single Estate 2015 which is £12.50. So we’ve pushed the boat out a little in Nero D terms. The first sniff is impressive, it has moody dark fruits with a nice herbal tinge, quite baked and heady in aroma giving a clue to the warm Sicilian climate. I know this wine is made from old vines which produce low yields with more intense flavours, and you can already sense that. On the palate this is a serious wine, it is loaded with dark spicy plum fruit but also has a nice smoky mineral dimension that gives it far more complexity than your average pizza restaurant Nero D. Although I have said it is serious I think there is something quite easy to enjoy about Nero D’Avola, it has a tutti frutti mid palate and the tannins are present but quite loose and smooth. The alcohol is warming at 13.5% but this grape holds its acidity well despite the climate conditions so it feels nicely in balance.

I’m hoping this is a wine that people who typically enjoy Malbec would find a good alternative. It has the gutsy flavours and spicy richness that should mean it ticks the same boxes.

As for food matches, this is a structured red so it would be a great match for red meats or winter stews. If you go with the logic that wines go well with local cuisine then I would try it with tomato based dishes, potentially using olives and a bit of chilli. Sicily has a really interesting cuisine that blends the traditional Italian flavours with more spicy North African influences.  A puttanesca sauce would be a great match for that reason.

And finally did this glass convert me back to drinking? The truth is no, I’m looking forward to moving onto a glass of water. But I’m sure my doctor would be relieved to hear that.”

Andy says: “Sloppy Giuseppe, Capricciosa, Nero D’Avola, Quattro Stagioni. To paraphrase Sesame Street, “one of these kids is doing its own thing”, and the ‘kid’ here is Nero D’Avola. It’s not a pizza. Not a pizza not a pizza not a pizza. It should be, but to the best of my knowledge (aka ‘Google’) it isn’t.

Whilst on my Google pizza quest, I learned that “Nero D’Avola” is Italian for “Black D’Avola”. Nero being Italian for black, and D’Avola being Italian for  D’Avola. Who knew?

I jest, of course, I always knew the Italian for “D’Avola”. (In all seriousness, Avola is a city/town in Sicily, and it’s a black grape from there. “Nero D’Avola” = “Black from Avola” – thanks Google!).

I was looking forward to this one, as I think I like full bodied reds, and the whole point of this 52 Grapes nonsense is to help me work that out. I still don’t quite know what ‘full bodied’ means. I would say this was definitely toward the ‘full’ end of the spectrum, but could be ‘fuller’.

Slightly leathery on the nose, and a bit of a burn after the swallow. The former (I’m told) being a characteristic of a warm climate red, and the latter being a sign of the ABV. It’s only 13.5%, but tastes more. Fruit wise, it’s at the dark end – plum, cherries, brambles etc. Andy tip: At my basic level, it’s not necessarily about tasting those specific things, it’s more of a profiling task. Is it green fruit (apple, pear, gooseberry), red fruit (strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant), or black fruit (plum, black cherry). If I get that sorted, then next would be trying to pinpoint where in each of those scales I feel the wine is.

In summary – and bearing in mind the price compared to others of a similar profile – this is a keeper.”

Buying Guide

Lovers of Malbec, Syrah or Cabernet – this one may be for you.

This week I’ve chosen Nero D’Avola. The honest truth is that I wanted to select a grape that could only really come from one place (and has one name) because I’m getting tired of the showdown between one region and another when I choose which country to try a grape from.

Thankfully “Nero D” is the king of Sicilian red grapes, which makes it nice and easy. Unless you happen to live in France where I hear you’d be hard pushed to find anything more southern than the Rhone.

And if you do want one tip above and beyond “head to the red Italian section of your local shop”,  I would say that “Vittoria” region of Sicily is where the best versions come from. Also that the bargain bucket Nero D’Avolas can be lovely, but if you trade up a little to £10 or more then you will get a chance to taste the sophistication this grape can achieve. And the Sicilians will love you for it!

Tasting Notes

Emma says: “I happen to know two fantastic winemakers who specialise in Garnacha in Spain. Fernando Mora and Norrel Robertson. Fernando is a ‘garagiste’ winemaker, the term us wine folks use for someone who makes wine in the equivalent of their back yard. His first wine was made in his bath, honestly it was. Given his small quantity production I was lucky to get hold of a bottle to review. We’re told you are able get one if you are interested – just contact us and we’ll tell you how.

Norrel is a Scotsman who moved to the remote Spanish region Calatayud, and is championing their old vine Garnacha. His wines are a little easier to track down: El Puno at Oddbins or Papa Luna at Majestic.

On to the grape in question! There is something unusual about the aroma of Grenache/Garnacha that I don’t quite get. Very Tutti Frutti, which is nice, but there is also an unusual sweet and sour note, with a slightly earthy character. Something I find a bit distracting and potentially I’m just over sensitive to it, because fellow tasters don’t say that as much as me. Plus because it can be a hot climate grape the perfume can be a bit high toned i.e. varnishy. So my previous experience is that I’m a lover of the taste of Garnacha rather than the smell. If I focus too much on the smell I don’t like it!

And on to the wine we are tasting today “Supersonico” by Fernando. This wine has some of that aroma character but thankfully in a gentle way and nice decent note of bright jammy plums – yum. The spicy character comes through in that way a mulled wine gives you a first hit of warming cloves and pepper. Good start.

On the taste this wine really come into its own. It has the sweet supple candied red fruits I expect, very smooth and dense in flavour. There is a lovely texture too; fine but mouth filling. The grape itself has relatively low tannin, so this means the old vine fruit  has delivered this extra layer of concentration. It has warming alcohol but it works well with the layers of spice which are a touch medicinal and liquorice sweet in taste. I love the depth of this wine it keeps giving new flavours, raspberry, cherry, plum, then a bit of root beer, prune, candied peel, star anise, all sorts of luscious sweet and spice flavours. The fruit is very much at the front of its flavour which to me shows the grape have that intensity and that the oak is gentle and not overwhelming.

And I was happy that it was only after drinking the wine I noticed it said “natural” on the label. Checking Fernando’s website I can see it means he’s limited the amount of sulphur he uses to make the wine. This is “bang on trend” and a bit of a controversial topic right now. Sulphur is a preservative and has a long tradition in winemaking. But it isn’t great for the health so many “natural” winemakers have tried stopping using it entirely. I like Fernando’s approach because the wine still tastes squeaky clean. If you’ve ever had the joy of tasting a “bad” natural wine which can have all sort of off flavours you’ll know what I mean…”

Andy says: “Confession time. Each week, we’ve written our notes independently before comparing. This week however, I cheated. I read Emma’s first.”

Nothing hammers home more how little I know or can taste. She’s throwing around terms like ‘prune’, ‘root beer’ and ‘star anise’. Sometimes I think she has access to some sort of wine tasting thesaurus, looks up ‘red wine’, and then chooses three or four synonyms just to mess with me. Red wine, well it’s probably on page one, white wine being alphabetically on page two. How easy is that?

So what can I taste? The only thing I feel confident about is ‘tannin’, in that they’re there, and are soft, gentle and I guess ’round’, as that’s what is usually said.

Andy tip time: You know that feeling when you drink red wine, and your tongue feels like it puckers and your cheeks or teeth go dry? That’s tannin. The firmer the ‘pucker’, the more tannin present.

I think I also get acidity, as my cheeks water heavily after drinking. Nose wise, it’s a bit old leather. I hate myself for typing that, but it’s definitely not ‘new leather’. A hint of VA (volatile acidity), and a wisp of farmyard, neither being unwelcome.

Buying Guide

Whoever voted for Grenache – you pesky people! I knew it would be difficult to decide on which Grenache we taste, and was hoping to leave it until later this year.

Why? Well Grenache is mostly used in blends. When we set out on the 52 grape challenge we said we wanted each week to taste a wine that best expressed the grape it was made from. Sticking with that idea, Spain and Australia are places that make 100% Grenache wines. We’re plumping for Spain, so look for Spanish Old Vine Garnacha from either Calatayud or Carinena regions.

These styles will be pretty similar to the Tempranillo and Barossa Shiraz in recent weeks, so if you do fancy a blend, look for a French Rhone blend – specifically the wines Côtes de Rhone, Gigondas or Vacqueras; which are all from the Rhone area. Look for a recent vintage too.

So go to your local wine shop, head to the Spanish or French red section, and find a wine with those names on the label. If you go French, check the back label in the hope it mentions Grenache is in the blend. If they write Grenache first in the list grapes it means it’s the predominant grape – which is perfect.

Alternatively ask your friendly wine merchant to help!

Tasting notes

Emma says: “I’m intrigued to see how this week goes, because on a personal note I don’t ever remember really enjoying Zinfandel. It is that sort of lusty bold red that I really don’t get.

A bit of a problem child as a grape because it needs a really hot climate to get ripe and then ripens unevenly, so you can get sweet raisin grapes and green un ripe ones in the same bunch. For me that means it can be jammy and sort of green tasting at the same time.  Not a great combination. Then it easily reaches high alcohol, and since I’m on the petite side that extra % or two of alcohol can make all the difference the day after.

But that is the pleasure of this journey. Bring it on. Let’s find a Zinfandel I love. So we choose a slightly pricey one, Edmeades from Mendocino County in California. On the first sniff it is definitely Zin, slightly spirit-y in fragrance (=alcohol) with very ripe raspberry and cherry fruit but actually there is a nice perfume to it and it feels surprisingly fresh rather than pruney. Good start. To taste it silky textured and smooth with more of that candied cherry and luscious strawberry fruit, it is balancing on a fine thread to being jammy, but hanging in there well. I’m feeling that 15% alcohol but not it isn’t vicious and there is a nice gentle cocoa powder twist from oak.

So I think the learning for me is that if I drink Zinfandel it is going to have to be the pricey stuff. Before now I’ve tended to drink Lodi region Zinfandel which is the biggest commercial area for this grape and those wines have been richer and heavier without the finesse of this one we’ve tried. Mendocino area benefits from cooling coastal breezes which is perhaps the secret of its finesse; Russian river Zins share that character. The other thing to look out for on the label if you do like Zin is “old vine”. This was one of the original planted grapes of California but a lot was pulled up in favour of more famous red grapes. Those old vines have far better balance in the way they produce fruit and so tend to produce the best and most complex styles of Zin.

Oh and if you are trying Primitivo instead of Zin, that is the style I typically favour. It has that pruney intensity but I like more earthy, savoury profile that mingles into the fruit and gives it a different dimension. So I hope you find that difference if you are going Italian this week.”

Andy says: “Let’s get one thing straight: My wine vocabulary is limited. I can sort of recognise tastes and smells, but then struggle to put a name to them. I guess that’s what happens when your diet consists mainly of crisps, chips and pizza.

Buying Guide

This buying guide is the trickiest so far.

Zinfandel and Primitivo are genetically the same grape. The former is mostly found in California producing ripe fruity styles that are heady and full bodied. The latters is a classic from Italy, normally in the southern Puglia region where the intense sun produces rich, fruity and concentrated styles. The thing is the results are dramatically different. For me the Zins are the more straightforward – fruity, even jammy styles. The Primitivo is more classic in the mix of rich raisiny fruit and leathery, savoury undertones. They are equal in quality, so I’m struggling to decide which one we should taste.

Since I’ve tasted a lot of Primitivo recently through work, I’m going to plump for a Californian Zinfandel. But I really am tempted to buy one of each, although I’ve been promising Andy that I’ll stop doing that…

Please note – this is not a White Zinfandel, you’re looking for a red wine. White Zinfandel is the pink version and is basically the Coca Cola of the wine world. It doesn’t really taste of the base grape because the vines used have massive yields, producing watery flavoured grapes. To be pink it has very short contact with the skin, and that’s where most of the flavour sits. Then to finish it off they chuck a load of sugar at it before bottling. I’m not trying to trash talk White Zinfandel, many people love it, but it really has little to do with the grape, and our mission here is to try to taste the best example of the basic grape flavour.

Tasting Notes

Emma says: “I’m concerned that now I’ve promised Andy this wine will taste like one of his favourite crisp varieties “Frazzles”, that he will be disappointed if this doesn’t turn out to be a bacon wine.

My hope is that this wine really shows that beautiful bold fruit of the new world Shiraz but with that sophistication that comes from Barossa; that bit more complexity and dimension.

And wow, this Chateau Tanunda wine has certainly a lot of power. The aromas are really diverse, the fruit bursts from the glass, lots of raspberry & blueberry, very ripe but not too jammy. It might not have a bacon aroma, but it has this wild savoury character typical of Shiraz, smoky with an oriental spice twist. There is also a distinct molasses or brown sugar note which I always find in these wines; something that makes them very enticing. Plus there is a definite hint of eucalyptus, a classic note of Australian reds, apparently because the grape skins do absorb these characters from the abundant local eucalyptus trees.

Then to taste it is as succulent and rich as expected. I do love the way Shiraz feels rich and velvety in texture when it comes from a warm climate like Barossa. And paying that little bit extra (£15) for this wine has paid off. It has a real array of flavours from the dense red fruits to the sweet menthol, licquorice spice, then a hint of vanilla sweetness and brown sugar to finish. To put it simply this wine is GOOD. I’m glad I don’t have the bottle with me or I’d finish it.

Something I didn’t get from this wine is black pepper. That is a character of Shiraz that so many people tell me about but I always seem to miss. It used to frustrate me a lot when I was blind tasting for my wine exams, but then I read it is just one of those sensory characters that some people are more sensitive to than others.  You might want to test which camp you fall into with your Shiraz.

For food matching, it is true that Frazzles may be your ultimate pre dinner match for this wine. But if you are feeling more sensible and want to have a decent dinner with it I’d advise food with equally bold flavours, maybe spiced or barbecued meats. Or for those on Veganuary you can go for padron peppers, roasted vegetable lasagna or tortilla.”

Andy says: “Australian Shiraz this week, and I’ve been looking forward to this ever since Emma said that it might taste like Frazzles, the king of bacon flavoured corn based snacks. She admitted privately that she meant French Shiraz and not Shiraz in general, so we’re off to a bad start.

A day or so after opening and the wine opens up, and I get more fruit and mild hint of a jammy character, but still lacking a bit of intensity for me. Maybe that’s the idea… maybe, omg, I’m learning.

Buying Guidelines

If you’ve read the grape guide pages, then you’ll know Shiraz/Syrah is the grape I have come to view as “sexy” through the influence of a Mexican winery owner. Yes, indeed.

When I thought of which particular Shiraz/Syrah we should taste I thought I’d have to go straight to the style I would put most firmly in that “sexy” camp. I might be wrong, but I find the Barossa (Australian) style Shiraz the one that has those wickedly enticing flavours, and that’s what we’ll be trying this week. It is all raspberry ripple, brown sugar and velvet in its texture. Plus, the alcohol is a bit of a devil because it can often reach 14% or more. [Warning – you might not feel so sexy the next day after that bottle]

Finding this wine should be relatively simple because most retailers, large or small, should stock an Australian Shiraz. So this week head to the Australian section and find a Shiraz from the Barossa, McLaren Vale or Hunter Valley regions. This should represent best bang for buck.

Whilst we really want you to taste the same thing as us, if you’ve drunk a lot of Aussie Shiraz before and find this a boring option, then try some styles a little further afield. There are some great Syrahs from New Zealand (Hawkes Bay), South Africa (Paarl), Chile (Limari or Elqui Valley), California or even Canada (Okanagan). Get stuck in.

Finally, if you are not a fan of ripe fruity new world wines then you can go old world and give us some thoughts on the classics. The region most known for pure Syrah is the Rhone Valley. Northern villages of that region like Cote Rotie, St Joseph or Cornas produce amazing wines of great intensity and they have more complexity in additional infusions of wild herbs, black olives and more earthy savoury notes.

Oh and look out for bacon flavours or aromas. For some reason good Syrah always smells to me like a packet of Frazzles. I’d like to know if anyone else gets that…