Curious Case - October 2021 - Private
The Curious Case Selection
Coupon Code (for 10% off all of the below wines) - Curious1021
expires 01/12/2021
While Malbec, Shiraz, Chardonnay, the Cabernets, Pinots, and Sauvignons get top billing there’s a multitude of other superb grape varieties out there that fly somewhat under the radar. This month’s curious case is a selection of some of those which don’t get so much attention but are well worth a closer look.
Scala Ciro Bianco 2020
In a nutshell: A bright and elegant, organic white from from Calabria in the southern toe of Italy.
The lowdown: Calabria at the southern end of Italy is a wine making area of considerable potential where there is some good value to be had such as with this quite refined white made from the indigenous Greco grape variety. Hand harvested, fermented and aged in stainless steel it's bursting with floral and herbaceous aromas and the crispness and clean minerality make it superbly easy drinking. Very well-balanced it rounds off with an elegant, clean finish.
When to drink: With its freshness and zip it makes a greta aperitif and is also a good partner to hot and cold seafood dishes.
Bodegas Altolandon 'Enblanco de Altolandon' 2020
In a nutshell: Fantastic orange wine 'light' from near Valencia on Spain's East coast.
The lowdown: Altolandon are based inland of Valencia at 1100m in altitude producing a great range of accessible organic wines, many made as naturally as possible. Enblanco is a 50-50 mix of Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, hand harvested and fermented on the skins in large 1000 litre amphora, the skins giving the wine a bit of added colour, light tannins, and an extra whack of flavour. Thanks to being grown at altitude the nights are cold, and that big difference in day and night time temperature means there is also plenty of natural acidity adding balance and backbone. Punchy aromas of stone fruits, minerals and anise, along with apricot and citrus notes. The palate is rounded and refreshing with lively acidity and elegant, concentrated flavours.
When to drink: Great as an aperitif with nuts (especially almonds) and olives, but try with baked fish, and especially North African and Middle Eastern lamb or goat based dishes.
Campbells Limited Release Rutherglen Durif 2017
In a nutshell: A robust and rich Australian red from North East Victoria.
The lowdown: Not a common wine we know, but this Durif from Rutherglen in Australia really does pack a punch. After fermentation it spent 18 months in French and American oak puncheons. Known for its powerful tannins this is usually a robust wine that requires some ageing however Campbells have produced here a medium-full bodied example that is a cracking drink right now. Flavours of blood plums, blackberry jam, and touches of vanilla oak combine with black pepper and earthy notes, robust tannins, and a clean, minerally core result in a complex, and well-made red.
When to drink: This is one that can easily age for 10 years is you wished and it's definitely a wine to drink with beefy red meat dishes.
El Esteco Don David Reserve Tannat 2019
In a nutshell: A rich and dark fruit filled Argentinian Tannat from the high altitude Salta region.
The lowdown: The Tannat grape variety's ancestral home is the south west of France where it produces big, powerful, tannic and long-lived reds. But it's now found a second home in the high altitude vineyards of north west Argentina where the dry and more extreme climate gives it a bit of a different slant. The vineyards for this are up at 1800m on an isolated stretch of rugged desert and after a manual harvest 70% of the wine is oak fermented and aged for 12 months, the rest being in stainless steel. The result is a wine with a distinctive muskiness and aromas of cloves and vanilla while the palate is bursting with dark fruit and dark chocolate flavours. It's a got a well defined tannic structure that leads to a rich and quite bold finish. Plenty of wine here of the money.
When to drink: Its warm aromas and richness make it great with grilled meats and smoky dishes
Las Tres Filas Mencia 2018
In a nutshell: At last the wonderful Mencia grape from Bierzo in the northwestern corner of the province of Castilla y Leon in Spain is gaining wider recognition.
The lowdown: After fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel the wine spent nine months maturing on its lees in French and American oak barrels. It was a bottle without any further filtration.
When to drink: All the vines in the Las Tres Filas vineyard are eighty or more years old and the result is a medium to full-bodied wine with pleasingly supple structure and generous flavours of black fruit
Bolney Estate Bacchus 2019
In a nutshell: A fragrant and rounded English white from the heart of Sussex.
The lowdown: Bacchus isn't a particulary well known grape variety but over the last few years it's become something of an English speciality when it comes to still white wines. In our cooler climate it has the capability of making quite complex and very interesting wines. This example from the Bolney Estate is a good case in point. It's nicely crisp and fragrant with aromas of capsicum, gooseberry, lychee, citrus with hints of exotic spice. There's lime and apple on the palate with a good acidity and excellent persistence on the finish.
When to drink: Perfect as an aperitif it also suits fish like dover sole, or salmon, or try with a Thai green curry.
