The Fun Finds Issue
Me, conducting a quick quality assessment before a wine tasting with friends.
Dearest subscribers, when I was studying to become a sommelier I had an instructor who said something like, "If you want to drink fun, interesting, wines you'll have to work really hard to find them. Don't stop trying to find them!"
Don't get me wrong. I'm a huge advocate for accessible, easy to drink, easy to find wines. That's in part, what this newsletter is all about - recommendations for everyday drinking. However, sometimes a girl just wants to take a whirl around the Eastern Euro section at the LCBO and try something new, or try a wine from an up and coming producer, or lesser-known appellation. This is exactly the kind of mood I was in a few weeks ago when I swapped the Sauv. Blanc I had in my basket for a bottle of Jacquère. Who am I kidding, you know I bought both. (Wink, wink!)
This September I'm celebrating three years as a somm. So, with that, in the spirit of seeking out fun, interesting, wines, I give you the Fun Finds Issue!
Gigondas is a red and rosé appellation of Southern Rhône. Sommeliers know that the reds made here can taste quite similar to the red wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape- the most famed and recognizable appellation in Southern Rhône.
Appellations have laws that govern production which are in place so that minimum standards for quality are met. They stipulate for instance that only red and white wines can be made in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and conversely that only red and rosé can be made in Gigondas. Why is this, you might ask? At some point it was conluded that the microclimate of Gigondas was not suited to top quality white wine production and henceforth, in order for a producer to carry the name Gigondas on their label the wines must be red or rosé. Appellation laws also mandate minimum alcohol levels in CdP and Gigondas where all wines must be at least 12.5% but are often much higher. Triage is also mandatory in these regions which means that winemakers must sort their grapes to remove the less than perfect ones.
People tell me all the time that CdP is one of their go-to splurge wines. Indeed, a lot of cool-looking bottles come from this appellation and they carry a price point worthy of celebration. What's fun about red Gigondas is that, you get a remarkably similar taste profile, full body and high alcohol at a lower retail price. While red CdP starts at around $45 to $65 a bottle, this bottle of Gigondas retails for $40.
I tasted this wine in early September, noting a distinct aroma of black pepper followed by acai berry, raspberry and, black plum. The aromas were matched on the palate with the addition of oak, spice and florals, a touch of rose or even violet. This wine's full body and high alcohol, 15%! called for a hearty meal so I served this it with mushroom shepherds pie- a perfect early Autumn pairing.
Sidebar: keep your eyes peeled for white CdP at the LCBO. Because white wine accounts for less than 10% of total production in the region it's an extremely rare find and therefore would be very interesting to try.
South African Chenin Blanc is no revelation to the wine world's connoisseurs, still, Steen, as the grape is known is SA, is not a widely popular wine.
This 2018 is the 50th vintage of producer Simonsig from Stellenbosch. It's a full-bodied white with tons of fruit. What makes it interesting is its additional dimensions of non-fruit and earth which include: honey, wax, dandelion stems and damp earth. The nose starts clean with aromas of lemon, lime, wet stone, and even a hint of kiwi. As the wine warms a bit in the glass more tertiary aromas and flavours come forward- bruised apple, autumn leaves, a waxy note. I love this melding of youthful and developing flavours. It makes the wine seem somehow alive in the glass. It changes on you with every sip adding acidity and body and moving from faint and delicate with citrus to fuller, rounder, flavours as you continue to dig deeper.
This is an all caps, bold, italic, double underline, triple exclamation mark good value wine - $13.95. I'd suggest pairing this wine with a goat cheese and arugula salad with couscous or grilled trout with capers finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Jacquère [jah-kehr] is the most widely planted grape variety in the Savoie [sav- wah] region of France. This one, from Domaine de L'Idylle is perhaps my favourite wine from my September tastings. I just adore this wine for the price and it's fun and different, and yet still very easy to drink.
This Alpine wine is clean, fresh, and youthful with notes of ripe peach, honeydew, white florals, and crushed rock. As you continue to sip you'll get flavours of ripe pear and tropical fruits like kiwi and pineapple. It's highly mineral, acidic, and has an obvious note of flint on both the nose and palate. It's medium-bodied and verges on high acid. There's definitely something nutty or leesy on the finish which rates the wine high in overall complexity. While this is definitely a 'drink now' style of wine with its zest and freshness, I'd recommend socking a few bottles away for this year's ski season as it would make a perfect après wine served with raclette or fondue particularly with cornichons and fingerling potatoes for dipping!
Hungary is one of my favourite Eastern European wine producing regions. And, lucky for us, their dry white wines are increasingly easy to come by now at the LCBO.
The top grape varieties from Hungary - most commonly associated with the Country's famed sweet wine, Tokaji- are Furmint and Hárslevelu. This wine, from Carpinus winery, is made exclusively from the Hárslevelu grape.
This wine is completely dry, aromatic, and flavourful. Top notes include honey, grilled pineapple, stewed lemon, and hazelnut. It's fresh and clean, pale in colour and medium in acid. It also features a green, vegetal note on the palate. I'm going to say green pepper, and there's a distinct earthy note of damp Autumn leaves.
What this wine lacks in complexity it makes up for in novelty. It's a bit rustic and uncommon and it's exactly the kind of wine I like serving to my friends.
I'd serve this wine with Phonecian fries.
Inventory for this wine was low when I purchased this wine a few weeks ago. I really encourage you, if you can't find this exact bottle, to head to the "Eastern Europe" or "Other European" sections next time you're in the LCBO and look for any dry Hungarian white. Or simply to pick up something you've never heard of or tried before - it's a lot of fun! These wines are often value priced so there's little risk in giving them a whirl.
