AUGUST 2021 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES
WINE ONE: CLAIRE NAUDIN VIOLA ODORATA
About: This wine comes from five lieu-dits near Corgoloin, between Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune: En Vireville, En Fontenelle, Le Creux de Sobron, La Montange, and Le Forneau. Vine age ranges from 55 to 115 years old. The eastern exposure is ideal for producing maximally ripe Pinot Noir. Whole berry fermentation occurs under a layer of CO2 before the grapes undergo gentle pigeage to extract phenolics gently. After two weeks of fermentation, the wine is pressed off and moved via gravity to tank. After a two day settling off gross lees, the wine is transferred to barrels, one-third of which were new. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered with around 20ppm of SO2. Seven hundred cases were produced.
Taste: Here’s Claire’s tasting note: ‘Nez intense et caractéristique des fermentations en vendange entière : petite note de coriandre feuille et cerise croquante, touche florale. Le bois s’exprime par sa suavité et des notes de torréfaction. Le fruit est riche et frais, à tendance fruits rouges (griottes). Bouche fraîche et charnue à la fois, charpente enrobée, tanins fondus, acidité modérée. C’est l’expression élégante et voluptueuse d'un pinot noir issus de vieilles vignes, sur un très beau terroir, travaillé avec respect.’ The word that comes to me is ‘sublime’. Yet another impossibly perfect bottle. We were thrilled to get just enough for the wine club this month.
Pairing: Here’s Claire’s optimal pairing: Un gigot d'agneau fera merveille. À maturité optez pour du gibier : un pavé de biche par exemple ou un Époisses bien fait.
WINE TWO: ANTHONY BUCHANAN FUBAR
About: This rendition of FUBAR comes from five vineyards: Three Boys, Kalala Organics, Terrace, Bicego, and Malhi Farm. It is a blend of Gamay Noir (36%), Zweigelt (28%), Merlot (23%), Pinot Noir (7%), Syrah (3%), and Muscat (3%). The grapes were all destemmed into stainless steel, foudres, and concrete tank. The grapes are gently crushed by foot until fermentation is complete. The wine is then pressed off into barrel and concrete for a seven-month élevage. It is bottled unfiltered with 20ppm of SO2. Three hundred cases were produced. 6.5 g/L TA, pH 3.51
Taste: This wine is medium purple-ruby in the glass. It is buoyant and charming with aromas of bing cherry, bubble gum, pink peppercorns, cedar, candied beetroots, and blood orange. The palate is tantalizingly juicy, with reserved tannins and perfectly centred weight. It’s a people pleaser, flashing an honest smile in every direction. You’ll find further flavours of pomegranate, rhubarb pie, lavender, grape, and fir on the finish.
Pairing: Next week, I’m heading to Toronto for the first time in years. It’s one of my favourite cities to visit; the food scene is unreal, and there’s buzzy energy. Other than visiting our amazing friends/producers, we’re going to stop at Superpoint, my favourite pizza place in the world. New York style, way too big, all the pepperonis. We’re going to be eating ours in the park with fresh beer from Bellwoods, but if I could magically take one home, I’d opt for this wine as a pairing.
WINE THREE: PETER WETZER WEISS
About: Peter was able to get his hands on 0.8ha of Zoldveltlini (Gruner Veltliner) planted in Sopron on pure schist. He kept the winemaking relatively simple, crushing the grapes and then pressing them into tank for fermentation. The wine was racked and bottled by gravity without fining nor filtration.
Taste: This wine is medium-green-gold in the glass. The nose is brooding with aromas of greengage, cool moss, white truffle, green apple flesh, fresh apricot, and dynamite. The palate is equally intense; phenolics and umami make this wine feel gastronomic. It’s like someone turned up the bass. Fortunately, there’s still enough acidity to provide freshness and balance. You’ll find further flavours of Taiwanese Jin Xuan oolong, pea flowers, green grape, sandalwood, honeydew, and white pepper. Truly extraordinary.
Pairing: Gruner has always been and will forever be the swiss army knife of the wine world. It pairs with impossible dishes, bringing bitter veggies into balance. Charred radicchio with bagna cauda would be near the top of my list. It will also love salads packed with herbs and river fish served with fried capers and lemon. I am getting wildly hungry just thinking about it.