Etikettarkiv: Syrah

Natural wines

Hungarian Natural wine with spicy notes

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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, Uncategorized

Grand Cab-Syrah from Provence

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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!

French red wines

Tempting Crozes-Hermitage

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I really appreciate the red wines from the Rhône valley (Southern France) in general, and particularly wines from the Northern part made of the grape variety Syrah (which is called Shiraz in Australia).

From Laurent Habrard I have tasted a red from 2012 called Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Habrard, which is an organic wine. Domaine Habrard is located in a little village in the heart of the Crozes-Hermitage appellation area. The Habrard family has cultivated the vines there for 5 generations! Their objective is to produce and sell wine with minimum impact on the environment 🙂 The vines are 30-60 years old, and the harvest is made by hand.

For me this is a very typical Crozes-Hermitage wine, that I give 88 points. The Syrah grape is small with thick dark skins, which give deeply coloured wines. The aroma characteristics are black fruit, like blackberry, hints of eucalyptus and violet notes – it is both open and complex. The taste is also black fruit, cloves and cinnamon. There are   toasted notes and spice like black pepper, as well as notes of garrigue and violet. It is a dry wine, with medium plus acidity and quite a full body. The tannins are velvety and smooth. The alcohol level is 13 %.

Food: This wine is perfect with grilled red meat, lamb and game but it also goes well with the French marvellous cheese Brillat-Savarin!

You can buy it in Sweden at Systembolaget (ordinary assortment nr 2861) at the price of 119 SEK.

Crozes-HermitageHabrard