Georgian white wine

Georgian qvevri matured natural wine

This fresh natural wine comes from the Kakheti region in the South Eastern part of Georgia, which is the most important wine region in the country. It is made from the local white grape variety Rkatsiteli, and the producer is Askaneli Brother Ltd which has produced wine since the 19th century.

The last couple of years they have started to ferment and mature some wines in qvevri, which is traditional clay vessels. In Georgia these kind of vessels have been used for 8 000 years, and in order not to break the vessels too easily they eventually started to be buried in the soil. This also had the great advantage of helping to keep a cooler temperature during fermentation and maturation.

This wine is labelled as a natural wine by the producer, and has been fermented and macerated with the skins for six months in the qvevri. The color is golden, and on the nose we get yellow pear, quince, apricot, melon and spice.

On the palate there is orange peel notes, combined with apricot, spice, nuts and honey and it has medium acidity and medium body. It is well-balanced, with some tannins from the skin maceration – adding texture and length.

This is a fresh and savoury style of natural wine, well worth its price! It gets 83 points, and the number at Systembolaget is 2195. Since it is well-balanced with savoury notes and some texture, it is easy to combine with food and dishes made of fish and lighter meat as well as many vegetarian dishes.

Sparkling wines

Organic Champagne Premier Cru with superb chalky freshness

Since 8 generations the Larmandier family has been cultivating vines in the heart of the region of Côte des Blancs in Champagne, France. The sparkling wine that I tasted is the Larmandier-Bernier Longitude Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs, non-vintage (nr 91313 Systembolaget) which has a both crisp orchard fruitiness, brioche with fabulous mineral finish.

The appellation of Champagne is situated in the north-eastern part of France, just south of the 50th parallel, with a cool continental climate. This makes it more vulnerable to problems like fungal disease, meaning that organic viticulture can be more difficult. However, already in 1992 Pierre Larmandier abandoned herbicides, and since 1999 Biodynamic viticulture is used on the entire estate as well as indigenous yeasts for the fermentations.

“Longitude” is made of 100 % Chardonnay, and gets its name from the fact that the Chardonnay grapes are grown on the Côte des Blancs: Vertus, Oger, Avize, Cramant, which form a line close to the 4th meridian. This non-vintage cuvée also contains 40% of wines coming from the perpetual reserve of reserve wines, begun in 2004. This adds fantastic complexity to the palate, with notes of citrus, pastry cream, crisp plum fruit, nuts and freshly baked bread. It has a long salty mineral finish, and the dosage is only 3 g/l giving a pure freshness and the label of ”extra brut”. It has a vibrant acidity and the mousse is exquisitely long-lasting.

The base wines are matured in wood and on the natural lees, with no filtering – adding texture and complexity. Then the blending and tirage takes place, according to the traditional method of producing sparkling wine. This means that the second fermentation takes place in the bottles, which are resting in the cool cellars for at least two more years. Then each bottle is disgorged by hand.

For me this is a pure and terroir-driven Champagne, ready to really enjoy now but it could also be kept for some years to show more nutty and nougat flavors. I truly enjoy this Champagne, which is perfect to serve as it is or with cheese, salads, seafood, fish and lighter meat dishes! It gets 95 points!

Austrian red wines

Austrian Meinklang with explosive red fruit

The black grape variety Pinot noir is one of the grape varieties that has been cultivated the longest by man, probably already around 2,000 years ago. Even though it is a sensitive grape it has become more and more popular in recent decades, and here is a very fruity and explosive example from Meinklang, run by the Michlits family and located in Burgenland by the shallow Neusiedlersee . Just over 2,000 hours of sunshine a year allow blue grape varieties such as pinot noir, zweigelt, and blaufränkisch to ripen to perfection. The mineral-rich volcanic soils are also ideal for the vines. The property is certified for organic cultivation, and the family also has livestock, orchards and other crops to create diversity. The family’s holdings extend into Hungary, so Meinklang has both Austrian and Hungarian wines in its repertoire.

This pinot noir is produced with minimal intervention, which means, among other things, careful use of sulphur and storage in used barrels so as not to affect the wine too much. The result is a nose full of fruity, slightly perfumed scents , slightly white peppery hints and nice vegetal notes with lots of wild raspberries, lavender, cherries, strawberries and herbs.

On the palate, there is crisp acidity balanced with fruity flavors with hints of wild raspberries, fresh herbs, cherries, strawberries and violets. The wine is nuanced and has an elegant finish which is very fruity. The wine can be stored well for up to three years, but is already very enjoyable today.

Food? This fruity Pinot goes well with a variety of different styles. Dishes that are extra good matches, however, are tapas such as olives, tapenade, parmesan and ham, herb-baked chicken fillet in the oven, veal mince steaks, pasta carbonara and cheese and ham pie.

I really appreciate this natural Pinot Noir, for a price of 139 SEK at Systembolaget (nr 75093), and I give it 83 points.

Italian red wines

Savory Sangiovese from Marche

This red organic wine from the region of Marche, in the middle of Italy, is a very nice pairing to especially Italian food like pasta, pizza, cheeses with complex notes as well as most meat dishes… just think of any Italian dish you fancy 🙂

This wine is made from 100 % Sangiovese, which is the most planted grape variety in Italy, with slightly acidic fruity notes as well as herbs and spices. Il Segreto Sangiovese 2019 (nr 73684 at Swedish Systembolaget) is produced by Poggio Fiore in Marche, a region bordering the Adriatic Sea south of Emilia-Romagna.

It has a deep ruby color and on the nose you find black cherries, vanilla from oak, as well as chocolate and coffee. On the palate the balance between acidity and tannins is good, adding also herbal notes and cinnamon.

This wine is, as mentioned already, very easy to combine with food! One suggestion is Oven-roasted pork fillet with mushroom sauce. Try also Roast lamb with potatoes gratin! I give this wine 83 points since it is balanced with typical tasting notes and easy to combine with food dishes and well worth its price!

French rosé wines, Tasty recipes

Divine rosé from Bégude with salmon

The art of combining wine and food is a wonderful journey that I pursue every day. There are always new combinations to try, new possible fantastic pairings to be discovered…

In the south of France, in the appellation AOC Bandol in Provence we find the Domaine de la Bégude, which I recently visited. Their organic Rosé Vin de Bandol is such a fantastic pairing with salmon! It is made from a cuvé of 80 % Mourvèdre, 15 % Grenache and 5 % Cinsault, and the alcohol level is 13,5 %.

The vineyard is Ecocert certified since 2006, and for this wine ambient yeasts have been used. It has a beautiful pink-orange color, and on the nose I sense both fresh lime and red cherries and strawberries surrounded by roses and violet. On the palate the red berry notes are accompanied by spices and a fresh acidity. The finish is long and tasty. This rosé gets 89 pooints, a wine to both drink as it is and serve with food!

Even though this rosé wine is fantastic as an aperitif, it is also a great match with both fish dishes and lighter meat dishes – even grilled and with spicy sauces. Asian food is also very nice with this rosé.

The food I prepared to serve with the Domaine de La Bégude Rosé is a slightly grilled smoked salmon with fresh stewed potatoes, which you boil and mix with milk, cream, oatmeal and butter. Add some fresh dill and lime, and serve with pickled red onion and seaweed chips.

Bon appétit!

Natural wines

Hungarian Natural wine with spicy notes

There is a constant increase of green wines – organic, biodynamic and also so called natural wines. Natural wines do not, unlike organic wines, have any specific certifications – however there are a number of factors that most winegrowers agree on if they want to classify their wines as ”natural”. The vineyard should be organic or biodynamic, the yeast used should be ambient and a common phrase used is ”nothing added, nothing removed”. The grapes are hand harvested and a minimum of SO2 is added (often at bottling). Artisan practices like the use of amphorae is also common. We tasted the natural wine Sopron 2020, a blend of the black grape varieties Kekfrankos (Blaufränkisch in Austria) and Syrah, made by the Hungarian producer Weingut Weninger.

On the nose this wine has a pleasant note of violet, black cherries and plums as well as spice. The acidity is refreshing, and on the palate there are both red raspberries and black cherries, spices and chocolate notes. The tannins are soft and velvety. There is also a hint of licorice. This is a very nice wine to pair with food, both lighter meat and red meat with spicy flavors! Add potatoes roasted in the oven and spicy creamy sauces and you will understand why I give this wine 81 points!

French red wines

Grand Cab-Syrah from Provence

The south of France has a very good climate for producing fantastic red wines, although it is often most known for the rosé wines that many people try while traveling through the area. From the producer Château La Martinette in Lorgues, with a fantastic view of forests, olive groves and a hilly landscape close to the French Riviera, we have tasted La Grande Pièce AOP Côtes de Provence 2018.

The Estate grows organic Côtes de Provence from Grenache, Syrah, Cinsaut, Rolle, Clairette, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon and the rare local grape variety Tibouren. La Grande Pièce 2018 is a cuvé of the black grape varieties Syrah (common in Northern Rhône) and Cabernet Sauvignon (common in Bordeaux). The alcohol level is 14 per cent.

There are fantastic notes of blackberry, black plums, olives, licorice, pepper, cloves and chocolate. The tannins are definitely there, but soft and smooth on the palate. This wine is very pleasant to serve with any kind of meat, especially grilled or baked in the oven. Also grilled cheese and vegetables are a very good match -try also with creamy spicy sauces. This is a very well-balanced wine with complex notes and a long tasty finish. I give it 95 points!

Austrian red wines

Biodynamic Pinot from Austria

From the region Burgenland in the southern part of Austria we taste this red wine called Meinklang made of the grape variety Pinot Noir. It has a nice high level of acidity, velvety smooth tannins and fruity notes of violet, raspberries, red cherries as well as herbs and a flinty touch in the finish.

This wine is well-balanced and well worth its price of 129 SEK at Systembolaget (nr 75093). The alcohol level is 12 %. It is a very good match with both fresh salads, cooked or roasted vegetables – as well as lighter meat dishes and salmon.

The producer Meinklang is bio dynamically certified and run by the Family Michlits in Burgenland (Demeter certification). On the bottle it is written ” The Angus cattle populates the landscape by Lake Neusiedlersee. Cows are the key element of biodynamic farming and complete the ecological circle. Healthy soil and harmonious vine metabolism are the central focus for wines with character which shine in the distinctive play of Burgenland’s colors. The climate in Burgenland with its hot summer days enable the grapes to ripen completely, whilst the cool nights allow the grapes to rest and the flavours to fully develop. The result is powerful, natural, concentrated fruit, full of character.” This is a very pleasant wine which gets 83 points!

Californian white wines

Tropical notes in Californian Viognier

From California in the US this Viognier from McManis shows very aromatic notes of yellow pears, peach, mango, pineapple as well as vanilla notes from oak maturation. The level of acidity is medium, but the aromatic notes still gives the wine some body.

Even though this wine has many tropical notes it is a dry white wine (6 g/l), and combines well with both sea food and fish dishes, as well as many Asian dishes and even light meat dishes. It is a very versatile wine, and well worth its price of 99 SEK at Systembolaget (nr 6290) – and it gets 85 points from me!

French red wines

Dark olives notes from La Clape

From La Clape in the south of France and the region Languedoc-Roussillon, this typical ”GSM” blend produces notes of both dark olives, chocolate and licorice on the palate. GSM stands for the 3 grape varieties Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, and is typical for this region since they complement each other well. Saint Auriol Chatelaine comes from the producer Les Domaines Auriol, and this wine is sold for 119 SEK at Systembolaget (nr 4500).

It has high but well-balanced level of acidity and smooth tannins that are rounded off by one year of oak maturation. This adds notes of cedar, cloves, chocolate and vanilla – on top of the spicy and dark fruity notes both on the nose and palate. It is very easy to combine with most dishes of meat as well as overcooked or grilled cheeses or vegetables – add a spicy and creamy sauce and the combination is perfect! I give this wine 86 points!