Weekday Drinking Thread (May 2nd - May 4th 2023

[wine.arbitrageur]

Forgive me if a thread exists. It is Wednesday right??!

Back at the pied-a-terre in London for work and a sad “yellow sticker” sandwich and a novel. Working life away from family. I try to minimise it. Missing out on my monthly wine club too

For wine:

Vinea Marson, Heathcote, Victoria Australia Sangiovese 2017

Not that expressive a nose, savoury ferrous. Better on the palate, light bodied even for Sangiovese. Good acidity and some ripeness of fruit too.

The wine maker often contributes to “vintages with Paolo de Marchi at Isole e Olena”. Mixes with good company then, but no idea what his contribution entails

I prefer Isole e Olena, the wine that drew me to The Wine Society in the first place as a stockist.

What is everyone else drinking?

[Stephan-6E895]

This: it’s wonderful – just about mature, mid-gold, gently sweet still and that inimitable Mosel acidity washing through it – definite yum - the Wehlener Sonnenuhr truly is one of the great vineyards of the world.

[Claret1961]

For a perfect match with Cumberland sausages came this -

[CCouzens]

Aha…a sausage wine

Sausage wine

The Times today carries an obituary of Tony Mason, who built up Majestic. Apparently his highest accolade was that a wine would go well with sausages. So then…?

[Tannatastic]

I’ve been waiting a couple of years to try this - and (checks notes) it’s been 7 years since I last visited the Penavayres, who are amongst my most favourite SW producers - so the note may be more gushing than it perhaps deserves…

Anyway, the grape variety is an old, long lost variety (posited to be a relation of Braucol I believe), and it’s resurrection a decade long task of the Penavayres (there is now one other property in the area growing it for commercial exploitation).

It’s effectively their equivalent to a Pelaverga - which would be unremarkable in an appellation mostly given over to DYA and ‘drink within 5 years’ wines (though happily, changing) , but the Penavayres are serious winemakers, with serious intent, and produce 100% Negrette cuvées that will see out 15 or 20 years.

Anyway - to the wine! - it does exactly what it says on the tin. Nothing-too-serious, with crunchy, tart red fruits, a touch of the soil and slightly bitter spicy ending…

…and I will also be boring you with notes about their 100% Jurançon Noir and Bouysselet cuvées in the not too distant future too

[Paul1]

Having enjoyed the previous vintage of Aldi Lebanese Red I tried the current offering the 2020.

Overall its a pleasant red, but it is in a lighter style than the previous vintage and lacks the tannic structure. It’s fine in a juicy southern Rhône style, but I won’t be stocking up, or letting them slumber for a while.

[PHarvey]

Fascinating post, thanks.

Never seen this myself and it’s not mentioned in JRWG, though is listed on Plant Grape, Négret pounjut and seemingly pointing to being a relative of Prunelard, and thus indirectly of Cot.

The VIVC catalogue ascribes its official name as Negret Pointu NEGRET POINTU

[Tannatastic]

@PHarvey

and thus indirectly of Cot.

My understanding of the family of SW grapes is that they fall into three broad groups - Cotois, Bordelais and I forget the third but I think it’s ‘wild vines’ (the Jurançon grapes fall into this last category I believe). To be honest I can’t remember if off the top of my head

There’s a huge diagram I found online some years ago, if I can find the link (I think it’s saved on my computer, which is not with me) I’ll post it.

[Joni-B73F0]

Had a tasting of Loire / Sancerre wines last night and this one stood out.

Château de Tracy 101 Rangs. Nice density, perfect structure, long balanced finish. Would happily have it again.

[MikeFranklin]

Visited a friend for a meal last night and since it was a (mild) veg curry and since he generally prefers white I took along a bottle of Condrieu, Domaine Merlin 2019.

Which turned out to be fortuitous when he informed me that Viognier was his favourite variety! And, so it turns out, it’s one I can enjoy too. I’ve not knowingly had a Viognier before but I found it smooth and well rounded and seemed to enjoy it as much as the Rousannes and Marsannes I’ve tried. Which is all good to know; seems like I’m quite partial to Rhone whites or at least the more northern ones. However no serious taste note taking as we were far more interested in conversation!

Note, by the way, that this is another wine incorrectly titled by TWS. It does not say ‘Cave’ anywhere on the bottle but it does says ‘Domaine.’ I find it irksome that TWS are so sloppy with the titles they enter on the website as it can result in failed searches. Search for the correct name - Domaine Merlin - and it finds nothing search for the incorrect name - Cave Merlin - and it finds it just fine.

[Sue-87863]

You could do a lot

[Sue-87863]

You could do a lot worse than try this one from Asda!

[Andy999]

Not an excuse for using the wrong name, but you can just search for Merlin and it works fine. Of course you have to pick a word that they have input correctly, so it’s a bit of pot luck I guess.

[lapin_rouge]

Chinon: 2017 Domaine de la Noblaie / Les chiens-chiens. From a mixed Domaine case, taken from reserves. Very good value £78 for 6. (june 2022) https://www.thewinesociety.com/product/chinon-cuvees-organic-dom-de-la-noblaie-2017-pre-mixed-case

Darkest crimson/black with a maroon rim. Nose is classic Cab Franc: pencil graphite & cedar, a touch of green capsicum. Palate is ripe and rich, black cherry, blackcurrant, some fresh tannin on the finish. At 5+ years this is still young and very drinkable, I imagine it has a good 8-10 years ahead.

To some extent it reminds me of a young Moulin-a-vent although clearly a differant grape. Later on will be with venison steak plus colcannon gratinee with cheese.

[MikeFranklin]

Exactly there have been quite a lot like this recently where if you only use the correct bits in your search it will work. But for example this one: https://www.thewinesociety.com/product/ermitage-rouge-lermite-chapoutier-2019 it’s actually (if you look at the label) Ermitage Rouge from the vineyard l’Ermite though in this case a search for ermitage works, possibly because they have this one right in the URL but wrong in the text. Either way this sort of sloppy data entry is only going to cause problems with customer searches.

[Inbar]

The weather is continuing in its indecisiveness - it really wants to be spring, but perhaps not that much. Still, whenever the sun does show its face - we quickly run in the garden and go ahhhhhhh

Wines are much more decisive by comparison - decisively wonderful, that is.

Wednesday, this aperitif (finished today) scratched the itch very nicely:

Tesco Finest 1531 Blanquette De Limoux Brut

Lovely fresh apples, with a certain lemon biscuit note and delicate white blossom. Quaffable, and very good vfm too.

This Tavel was superb, and worked beautifully with a baked trout marinated in spices and coconut cream powder:

Domaine La Lôyane Tavel 2021

The cépage on the Butlers website is a little different to the producers own site, so I’ll go with the producer… a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Clairette Rose and 20% Cinsault, this was wonderful from the colour, to the nose to the palate. A mix of raspberries, peach skin, watermelon and peony, there was a certain herby note there too and a twist of spice.

Similar notes on the palate - ripe watermelon (memories of Fridays on the beach with my late dad and sister came floating in), raspberries and strawberries married to Allspice and dried Med herbs. Lovely texture, balanced acidity and a spicy finish… a serious rosé!

This evening, there’s venison steaks in red wine and juniper jus and roasted leeks on the menu, so I opened this Swiss delight:

Jean-René Germanier Humagne Rouge, Valais 2019

Bought from Vida Wines (sadly before the sale!!), this is bottle 1 of 2. And what a delicious, supple and inviting wine this is!

The varietal is also known as Cornalin d’Aosta - though I’m still not clear if it’s the same varietal as the Cornalin they produce in the Valais or its own thing… websites can’t seem to agree whether it originated in the Val d’Aosta or the Valais, a late ripening variety or not… but frankly my dears, I don’t give a damn! This is just super and a red completely after my own heart.

Nose has notes of spiced plums, elderberry syrup and blackberry jam as well as a sort of leafy note reminiscent of Cab Franc, a damp forest floor and juniper berries whiff. On the palate it is smooth but with vibrant fruit (plums, blackberries, elderberries) married to a more earthy, savoury and spicy sort of profile. It’s so drinkable but also really interesting - a certain leatheriness appeared there too, as well as smokiness. And we’re only on first glass!

Is it worth £29…? Probably not, but I really don’t mind because I love this producer, and just being able to drink Swiss wines made of original, indigenous grapes feels a treat…

Ah, look - the sun is out again!

[AnaGramWords]

Possibly the best basic CDR currently available

[Alabaster_cheeks]

A Guigal beater someone mentioned another a while back