SEPTEMBER 2021 FEATURED PREMIUM WINES
WINE ONE: MILAN NESTAREC PODFUCK
About: This wine has completely flipped from what it once was; instead of a saturated orange wine made from Pinot Gris, it’s now a proper regal red blend. The new blend is Pinot Noir (60%), Blaufrankisch (20%), and Pinot Gris (20%) from Zadní and Otáhal, two adjacent plots planted on loess. The grapes are co-fermented before being pressed off for an extended élevage. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2.
Taste: The wine is medium ruby in the glass, with brick and purple sneaking into the mix. It’s an adventurer with a satchel full of tricks to help escape danger. It’s gruff but with that handsome smile that’ll always reel you in. You’ll find aromas of plum skins, pink peppercorns, violets, blackberries, fir, ginseng, and charcoal. The palate is structured but refreshing. Subtle tannins help add shape to juicy fruit flavours. On the finish, you’ll find singed rose, powdered ginger, black liquorice, and boysenberry.
Pairing: Párek v Rohlíku is the local rendition of the hot dog. It’s served in a hollowed-out bun with ketchup and mustard. It keeps your hands clean and is easily eaten on the move. As you’re all aware, I’m a huge fan of hot dogs, and when I discovered this simple take, I knew it had to be my pairing suggestion. I’d also suggest Fazolová, a rich white bean soup featuring smoked meat. Tomatoes and red peppers add a sweet tang which is balanced by plenty of fat.
WINE TWO: GUT OGGAU JOSEPHINE
About: Roesler is a crossing of Zweigelt and an unnamed variety with extreme cold hardiness, resistance to mildew, and deeply coloured fruit. It is blended with Blaufrankisch for this cuvée. The vines are 35 years old and are planted in gravel. The grapes are destemmed and allowed to ferment in 500L, 1000L, and 1500L neutral oak barrels. Élevage is done in 500L barrels for 8+ months before the wine is bottled, unfined and unfiltered without sulphur.
Taste: This wine is a deep crimson, extraordinarily vivid. The nose is honest, tender, and generous with aromas of pomegranate, rooibos, honeybush, sandalwood, clove, squished raspberry, and red currant. There’s a savoury edge here as well, nostalgic and warm. There’s a light that wells from inside. The palate is as energetic as all of Gut Oggau’s wines; a prickle of CO2 makes it feel alive. At its core, it is ripe and fruit-focused. On the finish, you’ll find further flavours of leather, graphite, cocoa, black cherry, and oolong.
Pairing: Do you hunt? Do you have a friend who hunts? If you can get your hands on some elk, that would be a gorgeous pairing. Alternatively, beef carpaccio would be a delicious combination. The beef tataki from Sukiyaki House in Calgary is also a favourite - sweet, salty, fatty.
WINE THREE: BRAND BROS FLORA
About: This tiny 1.5-acre parcel is planted on pure limestone. The vines are over sixty years old, which limits yields and increases intensity. Constant winds keep the grapes relatively free from mildew without relying on excessive spraying. The grapes were mostly fermented on skins in open-top oak tank with traditional cap management, while 30% was fermented carbonically. This wine also sees 10% wine from the previous vintage, which smooths out the year-to-year variations and gives a clearer picture of the sites true character. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered without sulphur. Oma Helga, their grandmother, illustrates all the labels.
Taste: This wine is a medium purple in the glass. The nose is fragrant with aromas of damp violets, plum skins, black currants, balsam, dried sage, and graphite. Despite its bass-driven nose, the wine is lifted, especially on the palate, paradoxically saturated and delicate. Deep fruits tangle with tingling acid. You’ll find further flavours of lilac, prune, mission fig, Ethiopian coffee, and wet slate. Drink chilled and within an hour for maximum freshness!
Pairing: Historically, lentils were incredibly important in Germany. They’re nutritious, filling, and grow in soils most vegetables can’t survive. The classic dish Linsen mit Spätzle sprung from necessity, as most delicious things do. Alb-Leisa, a local variety of lentils, holds its shape and maintains texture even after prolonged cooking. It’s like a lentil stew with plenty of bacon served over carby egg noodles. And if you’re extra hungry, the locals would suggest adding a sausage.