Curious Case - September 2021
The Curious Case Selection
Coupon Code (for 10% off all of the below wines) - Curious0921
expires 01/11/2021
Wine has been made for thousands of years and has been an integral part to many civilisations and the growth and success of mankind! From 4000 years ago in Sicily to 6000 ago in Georgia, the latter regarded as the ‘cradle of wine’, there is evidence of wine production, storage and consumption throughout the ancient world. This month we explore a range of regions, styles, and grapes from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Caucuses.
In a nutshell: A beautiful crisp and floral white from Northern Macedonia.
The lowdown: Smederevka (pronounced Smed ur Rev Car) has been grown in Macedonia since antiquity. It has a delicately scented nose redolent of white flowers and a hint of jasmine, that gives way to a crisp and intense palate with a long lingering finish and nicely balanced acidity.
When to drink: It's a lovely aperitif that will also accompany light seafood dishes.
In a nutshell: An appealing Greek white from an indigenous and increasingly fashionable grape variety.
The lowdown: Made with the rare Malagouzia that was saved from near extinction in the 1980s the graoes are hand harvested before a gentle pressing. It has bold aromatics on the nose that lead onto a soft and rounded palate that is full of ripe stone fruits, hints of pineapple and red apple.
When to drink: Finishing a nice touch of zestiness and lychee it goes well with souvlaki, greek salads and seafood.
In a nutshell: An aromatic, juicy and biodynamic Sicilian white made by Arianna Occhipinti
The lowdown: The area around Vittoria near the southern tip of Sicily is one of the island's premier wine regions and is where the highly regarded Arianna Occhipinti runs her small biodynamic estate. The SP68 is a local road which seems to connect many of her vineyards and which led to her naming this wine after it. Made from the Sicilian varieties Zibibbo (aka Muscat of Alexandria) and Albanella, as well as being biodynamic it's also made with indigenous yeasts, as little intervention as possible and no added sulphur. It ages on its lees for 6 months in concrete vats before being bottled unfiltered. The end result is a brillianty aromatic wine with notes of white flowers, pink grapefruit, lychees, herbs and spices which is wonderfully light on the palate. The lees ageing gives it a bit of tannic grip and a slightly olive like savouriness at the finish.
When to drink: Its mouthwatering qualities make it a good match with seafood like calamari, or octopus.
In a nutshell: A gloriously aromatic, rounded and balanced Greek red from the far south of the Peloponnese peninsula.
The lowdown: The area this is made is spectacularly scenic and has a history of viticulture going back to ancient times. The Monemvasios Winery make a wide range of wine featuring indigenous grapes of which this is a superb example. It's made mainly from one of Greece's major red varieties, Agiorgtiko, with about 10% Mavroudi and is a wine made to age gracefully. There are plenty of primary fruit flavours there which are complemented by notes of mocha, coffee, vanilla and nutty oak. The ripe and well integrated tannins give it a wonderfully velvety texture during the long lingering finish.
When to drink: An elegant, and complex wine that's a perfect match to red meat dishes, rich pasta recipes and mature cheeses.
In a nutshell: A rich, rounded and inviting Georgian red made from the country's signature grape variety.
The lowdown: Georgia is only a small country but one with a rich wine history and it's good to see more of their wines finding their way over here. It's made from 100% Saperavi, an ancient, dark skinned and pink fleshed variety and the most planted red grape in the Caucasus region and which produces richly coloured wines with good acidity. The grapes were hand harvested and fermented in stainless steel with a small proportion being aged in French oak for a period of eight months. The result is a wine wine inviting aromas of wild berry, spice and toasty notes which lead to a beautifully balanced palate full of smoky ripe flavours of plum and rich, earthy notes.
When to drink: Nicely full bodied with plenty of oomph it'll go well with many things from game and hearty stews right through to smoky barbecued meats.
In a nutshell: A ripe and mature Armenian red made with one of the country's indigenous varieties.
The lowdown: Armenia, which sits just east of Turkey among the Caucasian mountains is, along with its neighbours, among the oldest wine producing countries in the world. Karmrahyut is one of their native varieties, of which they're justifiably proud, and it produces deeply coloured wines with plenty of body and flavour. Here it's been made in an unoaked style to highlight its ripe red fruit character and with a generous time spent on its lees during maturation contributing to the creamy texture. On the nose it has quite intense red fruit aromas accompanied by a touch of spice while on the palate it's quite powerful with an excellent balance between firm tannins and crisp minerality. On the lingering finish it rounds off with a touch of honey and herbiness.
When to drink: Something from off the beaten track that's well worth seeking out; it'll go well with grilled, or roasted lamb, spicy stews, or mature cheeses.
