New Wines: Review & Preview

The lists…they are – changin’ as Bob Dylan didn’t sing. We have plenty of additions to report including the ‘stick-a-brown-bag-over-the-bottle’ wines of Vini Viti Vinci in northern Burgundy (parental guidance labels!).

Nicolas Vauthier, Ayatalloh of Iran-cy

Nicolas Vauthier has been a big fan of non-interventionist wines at the forefront of promoting the wines he loves for donkey’s years. He opened a wonderful natural wine bar/store/restaurant called Aux Crieurs de Vin in the city of Troyes and ran it for ten years. Eventually, having been surrounded by so much good wine, good times and conversations, Nicolas decided he wanted to make some wine for himself.

What he has created is a micro “negoce” house in Avallon, in the northern part of Burgundy near Chablis. Nicolas buys organically grown grapes 'a pied' (still on the vine), harvests them with his own pickers, and then in the spirit of minimal intervention, lets the wine make itself, intervening as little as possible.

Wonderfully vibrant fruity aromas, satin textures and a vibrant, mineral core characterise the reds. He works with partial carbonic maceration which helps to make his northern Burgundy wines fruitier and more delicious. The fermentation takes place in large old wooden foudres with no sulphur - only a drop in the bottle. The only thing ripe about Vauthier’s wines are the labels, as Kenny Everett used to say - it’s all done in the best possible taste.

We’re listing in various quantities the following wines:

2014 Bourgogne Aligote Breau

2014 Cotes Auxerre Blanc Breau

2014 Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire A Gege

2014 MAG Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire Gege

2014 Irancy Les Beaux Monts

2014 Bourgogne Coulanges Vineuse Chanvan

2014 MAG Bourgogne Coulanges Vineuse Chanvan

2014 Bourgogne Epineuil Vals Noirs

…No use asking for the least graphic label with this lot!

 

The Italians are Coming – One by One…

We are delighted to be listing Stefano Bellotti’s 2014 Filagnotti, from biodynamically grown grapes, naturally fermented in large wooden vessels. Seductive aromas of citrus, honey, strong minerals, tarragon. Peach, strawberry and more herbal notes emerge in the mouth, with a long finish of concentrated lemon. Filagnotti is dedicated to Stefano’s dog.

 

Some wines take time to emerge from their shell. One such is Montenidoli Il Templare – we will be receiving the current vintage (2010). Carafe this Vernaccia, Trebbiano Gentile and Malvasia and serve it in a Burgundy glass to bring out the best in the wine.

 

Another white from Tuscany is the 2015 Toscana Bianco “Il Terraio” from AA Paterna which has 25% skin contact in tank. The blend here is Malvasia, Trebbiano and the lesser spotted Orpicchio… Because we love a rare grape even when it is the whisper of a fraction within the overall blend.

 

You tried Arianna Occhipinti’s SP Cerasuolo-stylee blend, you marvelled at the intense Frappato, now you can assay Siccagno described thus by Arianna: “Siccagno is my Nero d’Avola, born from concentrated grapes which we call Siccagna. Nero relates to Sicily - it is wild but also fresh, elegant and red fruit flavoured. It has something noble and aristocratic but it is also melancholic as a poet or a philosopher.”

Arianna’s wines induce in one a state of tuman (an Indonesian term describing when you find something enjoyable and want to have it again).

 

Want to know more? Contact us directly…

Retail: [email protected] / 01483 554750

Trade: [email protected] / 01483 538820