This evening, a cheeky 1% beer and its pretty decent. Hoppy certainly, authentically bitter and very refreshing - only criticism is a tad thin (oh and a bit pricey). Dry January is dead & gone yet I keep going back to this dark lager plus the Lucky Saint - so a pleasing result.
Later on it’s homemade Chicken Masalla & brown rice, I’m scratching my head regarding wine… might well stick with beer (I have some German bottles from last year’s trip to Luneberg Heath).
I’ve had other Rustenberg wines, but this is the first Roussanne I’ve tried - and it’s a cracker! For its fairly modest price, I also think it’s certainly one that can take a few more years in bottle and develop further.
Pale lemony hue in the glass with a certain viscosity (not hiding its 14% ABV under a bushel), the nose is Roussanne on the riper side of things - honey and hazelnuts, fresh apricots and peaches, with that nice green herbs twist (fennel fronds, dill) and camomile tea. There’s a floral note there which we couldn’t quite home-in on.
On the palate this is pure joy - ripe fruit (stone fruit, pears, zesty citrus) mingles with mellow honey and fresh herbs, underlined by a lees-y savouriness, with spicy ginger and a pleasing minerality adding to its sense of verve. There’s heft on the palate - but the slightly bitter citrus pith lifts it and make for a delicious aftertaste.
Characterful and so drinkable… I will just have to order more from Frontier Wines!
Lopez de Haro Classica Gran Reserva blanco 2012. This is simply lovely, right from the gold colour and lot on the nose- there’s honey, nuts, toasty, smoke, coconut; a lovely warmth. First thing that hits me is its body- very full, nutty, very saline; at first the oak was sharp but after a short time this mellows into a more creamy texture. Very dry and savoury. One for sipping or to go with food. Delicious. Pity it’s out of stock, so if anyone has any they don’t need let me know
Poor form to reply to one’s own post… so here we are:
Absolutely superb Chenin Blanc in my opinion. Classic beeswax & lanolin on the nose, then lime cordial and a flinty almost Chablis like mineral edge. Finish is green nettles, sharp & crystaline. Will no doubt improve & mellow given time… but so very drinkable right now.
Or as The Lady Lapin says: “Fruity” which is good - seems like I’m drinking the bottle myself over the next couple of days
Lightish, lifted, vibrant… 100% listan negro from the traditional “soco” vineyards of Lanzarote. Apparently a one-off to help local winemakers in the COVID vintage. It’s a toothsome red, totally my kinda thing.
On opening the bottle it’s got the classic big grassy, gooseberry aromas, and I thought I was in for a typical Kiwi thrashing. But when it gets in the ring I realise it’s got one hand tied behind its back, and with just the one hand it’s much easier to handle. Yes, it’s a Kiwi SB, but it has a very appealing and restrained strength. Scores highly with me!
Just chipping in that the vineyards of southern Lanazarote are one of the most awesome / bonkers spectacles for a vineyard tourist to experience and any trip to the Canary Islands merits a detour / day trip there just to see it at first hand. There are regular and relatively cheap internal flights from Gran Canaria or Tenerife to facilitate that. The main variety grown is a local cultivar / variant of Malvasia; Malvasia Volcanica - well adapted to the hostile (very windy and dry…) climate. They actually grow in normal soil but this is found 2m below the layer of volcanic cinders. Every season they have to re-excavate each individual vine’s pit by hand…
Here’s my favourite souvenir pic, which includes the dormant volcano to the right which was responsible for the eruption, and one with ToH in for scale…
Great pics, I always thought the walls were smaller! Malvasía Volcánica can be very nice. I’ve never been to Canarias but they do make wines that my wife instantly likes.
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