Inzolia

There is a debate in wine circles about the best type of closure to use when sealing the contents into a bottle. Traditionalists tend to favour cork, which allows a minute amount of oxygen to enter the bottle and help with development of complex flavours, but has the disadvantageous risk of the wine being spoiled by 'cork taint' should the cork be faulty or unclean, whereas others prefer the screwcap, or 'Stelvin', closure which is airtight and keeps younger, fruitier wines fresher, but denies the wine its breathing space in which to develop.

I have not received many death threats throughout my life, but did on one occasion when I booked myself and one of my good friends and regular tasting partners into a seminar on wine faults and the role that different closures can play. This was at the London International Wine Fair which we habitually attend to keep abreast of the state of wines from across the world and to taste as many new examples as is a good balance between possible and polite. These are long days, but the seminar (sponsored by a cork producer, so guess which side of the fence the presenter was sitting) felt even longer. Shortly after we were presented with a deliberately undrinkable sample to demonstrate the evils of 'reduction', my friend leaned across and whispered in my ear that he had decided that I should die at his hand.

I am still looking over my shoulder, but not all of the time. One time when perhaps I should have was yesterday morning when 'The One' had asked me to polish an unreachable window in our living room to the same level of clarity and sparkle that I like to achieve when polishing a wine glass. I used a ladder. On the way up there was no problem. On the way down (when I should have looked) gravity acted on me as you would expect when foot and rung fail to make a connection. It passed through my mind before I hit solid wood floor that I may have spared my friend a lengthy prison sentence, however, the damage is limited to a fractured radial head. (This falls into the general category of 'broken arm' and is not to be confused with a split in the great band from Abingdon.)

I cannot resolve the Stelvin vs cork debate, but this I do know; It is easier to remove a screwcap with one hand than to wield my waiter's friend whilst wearing a sling. As luck would have it, what we find sealing this week's bottle is the former.

Week I (2014) Borgo Selene, Bianco. 2013. Terre Siciliane IGP. Vinoteca, Farringdon £7.95.

This is an equal blend of two Sicilian varieties. Inzolia, which qualifies my selection for this week, is grown mostly on the Western side of the island and is used in the production not only of dry white wines, but also the sweet fortified Marsala, and Catarratto the island's most widely planted variety.

Inzolia is also grown in Tuscany and Calabria under the name Ansonica, whilst Catarratto takes its name with it when it travels to Emilia-Romagna.

This is not an expensive wine and so our expectations should be of a fresh, crisp and refreshing drink rather than anything more complex. And once our remaining usable hand has done its job, we are not disappointed.

Some floral aromas, but mostly fruit aromas of apple and pear. Clean and dry to finish it does the job very well. 11.5% abv.

The grapes come from the hilly Trapani province of Western Sicily and were harvested in October before being fermented in stainless steel for ten days and then resting on their lees for two months before bottling, to add a little texture and depth.

Selene is the Greek goddess of the Moon and the use of her name is a reference to the influence the ancient Greeks had on Sicily, including the introduction of viticulture, for which we should be grateful. 

Hermitage

It is a red week and I have been looking for a grape to represent H. There is Heroldrebe, which I have never knowingly tried, but the write-ups are not hugely encouraging and the grape itself is a cross between Blauer Portugieser and Lemberger. The first of these was week B (2014) and was not unpleasant, nor a revelation, so I decided to aim higher.

Hermitage is not a grape, but a hill at the Southern end of the Northern Rhone (if that makes sense) and one of the most famous names in the world of French wine. The hill is the spiritual home of the grape known in Australia as Shiraz, but in France and the rest of the Old World as Syrah.

The hill overlooks the town of Tain L'Hermitage and, across the river, Tournon and is composed almost entirely of granite. The vineyards cover 120 hectares of the steep South-West facing slopes, in terraces, to make the most of the continental summer sunshine that not only ripens the grapes but heats the soil to provide growing conditions ideal for the rich, deep wines for which the area is famous.

Being a small appellation the production volumes are not high at around 750,000 bottles a year, compared to 14,500,000 further to the South in the well known Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and so the name carries a premium.

Week H (2014) is Caves de Tain, Hermitage, 2008. £25.99 from Waitrose.

Is is a medium intensity ruby colour with an interesting nose of blackcurrant, a floral tone or two and some vanilla-liquorice influences, too. The last of these are evidence of the 100% Syrah having spent 18 months in oak before bottling.

Being made from grapes picked in 2008 it has had around four years in the bottle for the components to settle into each other and the fine, silky tannins are well integrated with the plentiful and still fresh fruit flavours. It is 13% abv, but the alcohol is not too prominent.

This wine would probably continue to develop in the bottle over the next few years (if I hadn't opened it!) and could be expected to be enjoyably drinkable for at least a couple of decades.

This is a classic French wine with a long history and it is easy to see how it gained and maintains its status. Reportedly, wine-making in this area dates back to the Romans and Hermitage became popular in the Royal courts of Europe. It was even added to the blends of top Bordeaux wines to improve them, in the 18th century, and that is quite a recommendation.


Wine is a very sociable drink and a good story to accompany a good glass is always welcome. It perhaps should be no surprise that Hermitage, being so prized, has much to offer in this department.

One such tale concerns a period of twenty years up to 1229, when there was an intense conversation underway between two groups of Christians about how best to live up to the ideal of loving one's neighbours. (This is referred to by historians as the Albigensian Crusade.) On one side of the discussion was the Knight Gaspard de Sterimberg who received something other than brotherly understanding from a fellow Knight and had to find a place to let the bruising come out. The Queen allowed him to build a refuge on our hill, where he lived out his days as a hermit. And that is how the hill got its name, O Best Beloved.

Grasevina

I spent two days in the last week at the International Wine Challenge (IWC) where I mingled with some very famous names from the world of wine. I won't drop any names, that would be vulgar, but suffice it to say that had The Oval been swallowed up by a sink hole (these are rather fashionable this year) then the vinous bloggersphere would fall eerily silent and the consumer would have far fewer recommendations to ponder. Wine counterfeiters would sleep more easily in their beds and the en primeur campaigns of Bordeaux would become even more of a lottery.

I was there in the capacity of Associate Judge, the lowest possible tier in the hierarchy, and hope I have learned much through sniffing, sipping and spitting over one hundred wines on each of the two days in the company of genuine experts.

One of the experts I tasted alongside was a visitor from Croatia. Apart from judging in international competitions he also organises the Wines of Croatia festival and is credited by 'the Drinks Business' as being that country's leading wine writer.

So in gratitude for a great experience and with respect to Sasa:


Week G (2014) is Golden Valley, Grasevina 2012. M&S £8.99.

Grasevina is the local name for a grape known elsewhere as Welschriesling and Laski Rizling, but according my reliable source, Croatia is where is reaches the peak of its potential. In fact, he goes further and says that Kutjevo, the appellation in the Slavonia region where this wine has been made, is 'the best place on earth' for this variety. (credit: Drinks Business)

Under its other name(s) it is known for producing thin and uninteresting wines, largely due the variety's ability to produce high volume crops if not controlled carefully and grown on suitable sites.

Such sites, as in Kutjevo, are warm and humid with sunny, South-facing slopes which help the grapes to ripen fully and produce aromatic, fresh and rich textured wines.That's exactly what I found in this bottle. 12.5% abv.

It has been made by Vlado Krauthaker at his vineyard in Kutjevo where he grows not only Croatia's most widely-grown grape, Grasevina, but a total of 39 varieties. Which I find mind-boggling.

Despite Grasevina's pseudonyms giving the impression that it is related to, or even the same as, the mighty Riesling this is not the case. 'Welsch' is, apparently, German for 'romance-speaking' or 'Southern European' which suggests perhaps that it was known to be a grape from somewhere other than the Fatherland. The Croatian name is also said to imply that it originates to the East of the Balkans.

Once again my supplier was M&S and I am increasingly impressed with the breadth and depth of choice the shop famous for underwear supports. (tee hee.)

Fer Servadou

The South West of France is a region packed with small appellations and lesser know grape varieties. Many of these varieties appear together in blends, where their differing characters support and enhance each other to jointly produce a sum which is greater than the parts.

This is good, but it would be a mistake to conclude that a grape excellent as a minor blending partner is incapable of stepping in to the limelight and playing a lead role. Think of Pete Postlethwiate.

In Mardiran, Tannat (the only palindrome in the varietal cast list) is the major player but can be powerfully tannic, which is to say almost undrinkable, without a little help from his friends. One such friend is Fer Servadou who this week we call forward to take a bow.

Week F (2014) is Domaine Du Mioula, Marcillac AC, 2010. £12.15 The Sampler.

Fer Servadou, also known as Mansois in these parts, is named not for the iron-rich limestone in which it grows, but for the nature of the vine's wood said to be as hard as Iron. (Fer means Iron in both Latin and French.) It is a dark skinned grape, but with soft tannins and a peppery-redcurrant character.

The AOC of Marcillac comprises eleven communes around the village of Marcillac-Vallon, a steep-sided area on the western edges of the Massif Central. The vineyards are terraced into the valley sides between 350-500m above sea level where they avoid the frost risk lower in the valleys and benefit from great sun-ripening and South-facing slopes.

The Domaine Du Mioula has existed in one form or another as a grape growing location since the 12th century and was fortunate to escape the infestation of the root destroying louse Phylloxera Vastatrix which caused so much devastation across the majority of Europe's vineyards from the mid-19th century onwards. As a result, the Fer Servadou vines from which this wine is made are ungrafted, that is they remain on their original rootstocks; a claim that many winemakers would like to be able to make. The current vines are between 5 and 30 years old.

It is a medium intensity purple in colour and very light on the nose. The flavours that appear first are red fruits, mostly raspberry and redcurrant, followed by some gentle peppery spice. It has moderate acidity, smooth tannins and medium alcohol (12%).

All of this combines into a well balanced and pleasurably easy to drink wine. It has a medium body and unusually for a medium priced wine, had a significant deposit that made the last glass unexpectedly crunchy!