Winexpress

Natural Anarchy

As a Sommelier I very rarely get a Saturday evening off, generally I am swanning around a restaurant – getting you all drunk on a Saturday night, however this week it was the Mistresses time to shine and I spent it in wine heaven!

There is something quite exciting happening on the Sydney wine scene at the moment something very left of centre, something truly different. The something goes by the name of Natural Selection Theory and it is all about natural wine.

Made up of four men – Sam Hughes, Anton Von Klopper, James Erskine and Tom Shobbrook, a mix of ex Sommeliers and wine makers who are really shaking up the wine industry. I truly love this.

They are changing the way we view wine, everything is natural. Natural beautiful grapes that turn into natural beautiful wine.  They are letting the grapes speak for themselves and in turn are changing the way we see wine,in a literal sense.

The labels are handmade  or sometimes there is no label, just a black marker writing the name of the wine on the bottle. The bottles are not perfect, in fact sometimes there is no bottle just a demi- john (or massive flagon) made for pouring into a carafe or there is a ceramic egg shaped object…

They are showing us that the packaging does not make the wine, the juice inside the packaging is what really matters and for that I applaud them.

But back to my Saturday night. I was invited to a tasting of the natural selection boys’ recent releases at a warehouse in Rozelle- We sat at a makeshift table with mismatched plastic chairs drinking some crazy wonderful wine.

There was a Prosecco made my Sam Hughes under the label Dandy in the clos – that really pushed the boundaries. Firstly it was not a sparkling wine but a still wine. It showed none of the pear characters so obvious in sparkling Prosecco but showed dominate mineral characteristics. Think of licking a wet rock whilst swimming in a flowing stream and you have this wine. Crazy but brilliant and I loved it so much it will be on my wine list next week. There were beautiful floral Grenache’s and really funky ciders.

We tasted these wines whilst trying some lovely morsels from the Feather and Bone suppliers, that all in all made for an incredible experience.

Little did I know that the best was yet to come.

After the tasting we were blindfolded and lead into a room full of egg-shaped barrels full of fermenting Semillon and to the sounds of beating drums we proceeded to shout words that included “love” at the wine. I found this part to be incredibly confronting but thoroughly enjoyable and I added it to my list of “never done before”.

I then headed into the ‘Summer of Riesling ‘ laneway party. If you have not heard of the summer of Riesling then I suggest you check out the site (there are loads of events and free tastings happening around town).  Started by a few industry professionals and all round Riesling lovers their aim is to re-invigorate the noble grape that is Riesling.

Riesling has had a hard time of late, with the general public seeming only to remember the sickly sweet variety that was on the market many moons ago. The love of Sauvignon Blanc particularly Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand has truly taken over what many  drink when it comes to white wine. People, there is so much more out there and Riesling is certainly a variety that deserves more recognition. I am a lover of Riesling and to me and many sommeliers out there Riesling is king. I even found a sign that backed up my statement.

So I challenge you all to buy a bottle of Riesling tonight. Try it and love it. Join the Riesling anarchy but even better yet – live, love and enjoy the Summer of Riesling.

MOV xx

All Content © 2011 Mistress of the Vine

Castro Martin Albariño

I always enjoy my taxi ride home in the evening…. It’s always good for a laugh or an interesting conversation or at least 5 swear words muttered under my breath. This evening I spent a whole 7 minutes  with a man who has never in his 48 years of life had a single drop of alcohol pass his lips. What different lives we both lead…

I on the other hand spent an hour this afternoon tasting some absolutely wonderful Albariño….

Today I was lucky enough to meet the glorious and incredibly charming winemaker Angela Martin   from Castro Martin in Rías Baixas Spain and she was so  goddamn lovely I kind of wanted to squish her cheeks as she spoke to me, her passion was intoxicating and her wines were even better.

We looked at 3 vintages of her Albariño, the 2007, 2008 and 2009, though not tasted in that order…We started with the 2008 – which was outstanding and slightly surprising as the acidity and richness of the wine took my breath away. The nose was oh so pretty with hints of ripe pear and a wonderful white flower character that reminded me of ripping petals off daisy’s when I was a child, just outstanding.

The 2009 was good also but I noticed a hint of  alcohol on the nose which although  on the bottle stated it was only 12% …. this kind of ruined it for me… the 09 also lacked some of the length and texture of the 08; however to be fair I did stick a white anchovy and 3 olives in my mouth whilst tasting this wine, so that may of had something to do with it ( for the record it went better with the green olive than the black).

The 2007 was quite interesting. It had a very distinct oyster character, not oyster shell but oyster, Oyster flesh. An oyster covered in lemon. Weird huh and something I have not ever picked up in any wine before. I liked it though and could really have spent the whole afternoon with my nose stuck in the glass! Who needs real food when you could just have that!!

I would love to be able to list the 2008 Castro Martin Albariño on my current wine list but seeing as my list is wholly organic and biodynamic and Castro Martin being neither then I’m just going to have to wait till the next list…. but I say to you all out there.

TRY this wine!! its great and gets 4 x kisses from  Mistress of the Vine.

http://www.bodegascastromartin.com/bodega.htm

All Content © 2011 Mistress of the Vine

Wine and Life

Mistress of the Vine is sick. I hate being sick. I am the worst patient but lying here with not allot to do but feel miserable for myself has again gotten me to thinking about wine as a remedy not that I could face a glass now but we all hear the stories about drink a glass of red a day for your health and the stories about not drinking a glass of wine a day ( I wonder if they will ever come up with a complete answer as to whether its good for you or not).

After scouring the interweb this morning it seems like the ancient Egyptians believed that wine was medicinal. There has been recent archaeochemical evidence that is backed up by some pretty sound scientific testing that is showing that ancient folk used trees, herbs, resins and other organic matter for medicinal purposes . Wine and beer was the method of dispensing. Kind of like taking a Panadol with a sip of wine in modern times.

Often I recommend a hot tottie to those who are sick or a mulled wine, anything hot with herbs and booze seems to do the trick and now it seems that has been a practice for longer than I have been around or my parents or you for that matter.

Kisses

MOV xx

All Content © 2011 Mistress of the Vine

Sharing the love

I have tasted a hell of a lot of wine in the past few weeks, some great, some good, some terrible and some that needed more than soap to wash away the foul words that came out of my mouth… following spitting them out.

So its time to share! Lets start with the great ones!!

I had the chance to meet with Kerrie Thompson of KT Wines the other week and what a charming lady she is! Kerrie makes her wines out of a small corner in the Skillogalee winery from organic vineyards in the Clare Valley. I loved almost all of them and if it was possible to list all of them I certainly would have.  A few stood out over the others, in the range one in particular was the

2010 Peglidis Vineyard Watervale Riesling, Clare Valley, South Australia

Such a pretty wine this is, with intoxicating floral aromas dominating the nose and a hint of refined musk hiding in the background like  a pair of expensive silk knickers. The palate had lively  balanced acidity but not at the expense of texture, with an appealing amount of length to follow.

A very well made rounded wine and an excellent example of Riesling.

I give this wine 4 x kiss from the Mistress

I also was lucky enough to meet with the very animated Sergio Carlei and looking at his wines was a joy! I have ended up listing both his Green Vineyards’ Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, which is a faux par maybe- I can almost hear the shocked cries of sommeliers all over… but who cares, they are great wines!

2008 Carlei Green Vineyards Pinot Gris, Port Phillip, Victoria

This is a very good barrel fermented true Gris style. The colour is what hits you first, with its blushing, slightly pink glow. The nose shows integrated fruit, spice and lovely floral characters and is very refined. The palate works lovely with food and I truly enjoy the hint of apple that pokes its head out at the finish.

3 x Kiss from the Mistress for this one.

I’ll get back to you with the rest. Its time for some dinner and a glass of wine!

Kisses

MOV

All Content © 2010 Mistress of the Vine

MIA

Hi kids… Sorry I have been missing in action for the past few weeks, l have been a very busy little mistress. My wine list for Bloodwood Restaurant and Bar is finally finished (check it out here at www.bloodwoodnewtown.com) and the response has been overwhelming. Who would have thought there would be so many amazing organic and biodynamic vineyards out there!

Writing this list has opened me up to a whole new world of wine. Wine that is not over worked, with distinct varietal and regional expression- you can almost taste the love of the vine. This wine list has proved to me that my love affair with the vine has the ability to grow and flourish like the vine itself.

One comment that has stayed with me over the past few weeks comes from Ron Laughton, the winemaker for Jasper Hill; he says that his wines are “proof that terroir exists in the new world” and I thoroughly agree. Yes it may be an expression of under irrigation but the distinct characteristics of his two sites – Emily’s Paddock and Georgia’s Paddock are remarkable and incredible proof of terroir.

I have also been surprised by the ability to buy these wines at a reasonable price (Jasper Hill is an exception!). It has enabled me to pass on these savings to Bloodwood customers. I must admit I was worried at the conception of this list as to whether I would be able to write something that was affordable,especially as my restaurant is situated in Newtown and not Circular Quay – a lot of the guests are price conscious, one great example is my pouring Shiraz. The 2010 Battle of Bosworth Shiraz is listed at $35. It will not blow your mind but it is a great quaffing Shiraz that is honest and has depth. It also is preservative free so for all those people who suffer from an intolerance to sulfur, well they can just shut up and drink the Bosworth.

I shall be passing on all my new-found biodynamic knowledge in the next few weeks in the mean time pop into Bloodwood, say hi and enjoy some Lafarge, KT, By Farr, Jasper hill, Carlei, Cullen to name a few.

Untill next time.

Kisses

MOV

All Content © 2010 Mistress of the Vine

Domaine Albert Boxler

Mistress of the Vine has been on the hunt recently for the perfect example of a modern style  Riesling from Alsace. It would be for one of my wine education afternoons and the hunt has proved harder than expected. Don’t get me wrong it has been an enjoyable time  but after today I need look no further than the 2008 Domaine Albert Boxler Riesling. A very dry style  Riesling but yet heavily concentrated with heady perfume and serious grapefruit characteristics that follow straight through the nose to the palate. I found grapefruit was all over most of the  Boxler range that I looked at today. The 2008  Domaine Albert Boxler  was a beautifully balanced and sexy Riesling, I truly wish that more people loved this variety as much as I do. Riesling really is given a hard time, which I  don’t particularly understand because  in its modern state it shows really delicious citrus fruit on the nose and has glorious acidity and structure.

To give you a touch of background on this fantastic producer. Domaine Albert Boxler is a 300 year old family run house that sits high up in the Alsace village of Neidermorschwihr. Domaine is currently run by Jean Boxler, grandson of Albert and holds one of Alsace’s more prestigious addresses, with a reputation of producing some of the regions best wines.

I was lucky enough to taste the 2008 Riesling Sommerberg “JV” Grand Cru and the 2008 Riesling Sommerberg “D” Grand Cru today also and both were outstanding  examples of Grand Cru Riesling from Alsace.

Tim Stock from Vinous Solutions is where you can find these wines in Australia.

MOV xx

Ps the  2008 Domaine Albert Boxler Riesling received 4x Kisses from the Mistress

All Content © 2010 Mistress of the Vine

2008 Domaine Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin Chablis ‘Les Clos’ Grand Cru

2008 Domaine Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin Chablis ‘Les Clos’ Grand Cru

What a beautiful wine this is and after having a little time to reflect, this was my favourite wine at the Vinous Imports Tasting, held today at Bilsons’ Restaurant.

Such a complex and interesting nose with layer upon layer of sophisticated and refined fruit characters. The nose reminded me of a shy yet beautiful child peeking out at you. Showing slight hints of tropical fruit with rich honey comb bringing up the rear. Appealing floral and almond kernel nuttiness showed on the palate, finishing with amazing length and balanced lively acidity. Since the 2008 vintage from Chablis is an absolute cracker, I would expect that this wine would be alive for many years to come.

This wine fits all the pre-requisites for 5 kisses. 2008 is a great vintage for Chablis. The Droin family are one of the oldest in the region and it fits all the varietal characteristics that I want to see in Chablis. So people I am awarding the first ever 5 x Kisses from the Mistress. This is a great wine and I truly recommend it.

MOV x

All Content © 2010 Mistress of the Vine

Vinous Imports Tasting

It’s spring! Finally the weather is starting to get warmer, the bees are doing their pollination thing, rabbits are starting to …. well do what rabbits do and it’s the beginning of the spring tasting season.

Mistress of the Vine today headed to the first tasting for the week . Held by Tim Stock’s Vinous Solutions the line up was certainly impressive. I have often supported Tim Stock in various restaurants where I have written the wine list. He has a great palate and his portfolio certainly reflects this.  I was impressed with nearly all the wines that were on show today, especially the Champagne Andre Jacquart, Domaine Bruno Sorg – the Sylvaner was awesome,  Domaine Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin ( 2008 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has to be the best example of Chablis I have looked at in a long time)  and Clotilde Davenne.

Tim always strives to source  producers who are doing something a little different. He focuses on wine makers making real  wines that represent where they come from, with sound techniques and from vineyards that use organic, bio-dynamic  and sustainable vineyard practices.

Well done Mr Stock on your latest round of imports. All were impressive.  I shall post my tasting notes and I look forward to working – and drinking them in the very near future!!!

Kisses.

MOV xx

All Content © 2010 Mistress of the Vine

Bringing Biodynamic To Bloodwood

The wine list. Such an important part of any truly good dining experience. As a sommelier myself I could quite happily spend hours  immersed in  a good list, which can be rather unsociable at times, but to me the wine list  is slightly more important than the menu.

So much thought and time goes into a good wine list and so many factors make it either good or bad. Is it easy to read? Is there good selection? Does it suit the cuisine that it is supporting? Is there varietal expression? Does it cover all price brackets? I could go on and on!

I have just taken over the wine list at Bloodwood Restaurant and Bar and I am completely changing the definition –  showcasing only organic, bio-dynamic and certified sustainable wines. Bloodwood itself is very sustainable in its practices. The chefs use and support local small business and  up and coming designer  Matt Woods has a Masters in sustainable design, which is obvious throughout the venue with his use of recycled materials.

Rather that pushing the list towards a particular region or country by focusing on organic and biodynamic wines, we can drink and enjoy some great  wines from all parts of the world and do our little tiny bit for the environment.

So watch this space there are going to some very kissable wine reviews over the next few weeks.

Come down and see Mistress of the Vine in action at Bloodwood Restaurant and Bar ( 416 King Street Newtown, Sydney).

Come watch the transformation of the wine list!

Kisses

MOV xx

All Content © 2010 Mistress of the Vine