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Enjoying Nebbiolo a rite of passage for wine nerds

“Do people really drink that?” a student asked me a few years ago on taking her first ever mouthful of Nebbiolo. This variety, from Piemonte in northeastern Italy, makes some of the country’s finest wines. But with its firm dark impenetrable fruit, high acidity and swingeing tannins, Nebbiolo can never be described as easy-drinking. These are wines for the aesthete rather than the hedonist .

Before you stop reading, two things: first of all, most Nebbiolo nowadays is made in a much more approachable style than in times past. Secondly, as with all wines, you need to drink it in the right setting. Arm yourself with a bowl of tajarín, the fine egg-rich pasta of the region, accompanied by wild mushrooms, white truffles, rabbit or a beef ragù, or maybe a risotto, or agnolotti del plin (little folds of pasta stuffed with meat), or maybe simply some roast game or aged parmesan, and Nebbiolo begins to make perfect sense. The food of Piemonte, centred on the towns of Alba and Asti, is amongst Italy’s finest. So are the wines.

Enjoying Nebbiolo is almost a rite of passage for real wine nerds. Tannic and alcoholic they may be, but really good Nebbiolo also has fleeting aromas of violets and perfume, an array of supremely elegant complex fruits that have you scrabbling for adjectives  – leather, truffles, black olives, tar, licorice, wood smoke and much more besides. Those tannins allow the wines to age and improve for decades in great vintages.

Patchwork of vineyards

The grape reaches its finest expression in the two small towns of Barolo and Barbaresco, both on the valley floor, surrounded by vineyards high up the slopes, peeking through a shroud of swirling mist. Often called the Burgundy of Italy, the region has a similar patchwork of tiny vineyards, with holdings scattered throughout. As in Burgundy, each sub-region, each vineyard, every change in height and exposure is reflected in the wines. Sadly, the prices are fairly Burgundian too.

In the past, many young men and women deserted the region for the two big local employers – Fiat in Turin and the massive Ferrero chocolate plant, manufacturers of Nutella and Ferrero Rocher, which gobbles up one of the region’s other great products, hazelnuts. Nowadays, farmers with a field or two in either town own a very valuable asset.

There are plenty of other wines produced in the region, including the more approachable Barbera and Dolcetto, as well as some good white wines, but Nebbiolo is the undoubted king, and Barolo and Barbaresco its finest expression. Langhe Nebbiolo is their Bourgogne Rouge: in the right hands it is much more approachable and often good value. Further north in Piemonte, Proprietà Sperino produces silkier wines with a lovely mineral streak.

Langhe Nebbiolo 2014, Massolino, 13.5%, €29.99
Fragrant violets and redcurrants; tangy, elegant, approachable wine with light tannins on the finish.
Stockists: Fresh Outlets, Dublin; Blackrock Cellar.

Proprieta Sperino Costa della Sesia Rosso
Uvaggio 2012, 12.5%, €39.99

A Nebbiolo blend. Scented, floral, laced with herbs; lingering fruits; an utter delight.
Stockists: Terroirs; Red Island; 64 Wine; Red Nose Wine

Massolino Barolo ‘Parafada’ 2012, 14%, €79.99
Beautifully aromatic, with intense structured robust dark fruits and a firm dark finish. Ideally keep it five years-plus.

Stockists: Corkscrew; Green Man Wines; Blackrock Cellar.

Posted in: Irish Times

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Selbach Riesling 2014, Mosel

Selbach Riesling 2014, Mosel

10WGER002-Selbach-Riesling-InclineSelbach Riesling 2014, Mosel

11.5%

€13.95 for March 2017

Fresh crisp green apple fruits, with a zesty citrus edge and a nicely rounded finish. Delicate and delectable wine.

By itself or with mildly spicy Asian fish dishes; that lemon and lime acidity works really well with many Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese dishes.

I am a big fan of Riesling and was very happy when a friend served me a glass of this before dinner recently. Low in alcohol and refreshing with a touch of sweetness (as with many white wines these days) it is the perfect aperitif wine.

Available from O’Briens

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Madregale 2015, Rosso Terre di Chieti

Madregale 2015, Rosso Terre di Chieti

DSCF7358Madregale 2015, Rosso Terre di Chieti

12.5%

€11.05

Light fresh juicy cherry fruits and no tannins. There isn’t really much more to say. Very good simple everyday drinking and great value for money.

Pizzas, lighter pasta dishes, and white meats. Or by itself.

This is made by Cantina Tollo, a well-regarded, large co-operative in the Abruzzo region. Chieti is the largest of the four provinces that produce Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.

Available from Avoca; Blackrock Cellars; Fallon & Byrne; Le Caveau, Kilkenny; Listons, Camden Street; MacGuinness Wines, Dundalk; Green Man Wines, Terenure; World Wide Wines, Waterford.

 

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Agustí Torelló Mata Cava Reserva Brut 2011

Agustí Torelló Mata Cava Reserva Brut 2011

DSCF7172Agustí Torelló Mata Cava Reserva 2011

11.5%

Light brioche with toasted almonds, delicate fruit, a subtle creamy texture and a dry finish. Delicious wine; not trying to be Champagne, but every bit as good at the price.

The perfect light aperitif, or with lighter tapas.

This is one of the leading family-owned Cava estates. Based in the Penedès, they remain loyal to the three traditional Cava varieties, Macabeu, Xarello and Parellada. This Cava is a blend of all three, aged for a minimum of two years before release. This is one of the finest Cavas I have tasted in years, and well worth seeking out.

Available for €29 from Mitchellandson.com (online only) and Sheridan’s Cheese shops, Dublin, Meath and Galway.

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La Bicicleta Voladora Rioja 2015

La Bicicleta Voladora Rioja 2015

DSCF7296La Bicicleta Voladora Rioja 2015 (organic)

13.5%

Marvelous medium-bodied wine with delectable pure late summer fruits, underpinned by a subtle mineral streak. Made in a style that is right up my street.

A good all-rounder with an affinity for red meats, grilled lamb chops or a roast leg perhaps?

This wine is made by Germán Blanco of Quinta Milú, one of my favourite winemakers in Ribera del Duero. There, and now in Rioja, he makes delicious wines that sing with pure fruits. This is fermented in cement tanks and is completely unoaked. It is mainly Tempranillo, but includes a small percentage of Viura, a white grape. €16.50. available exclusively from 64 Wine, Glasthule.

 

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Burgundy, Cava, Garnacha, low alcohol wine and others – the weekend in wine.

DSCF7351

Villa Maria Lighter Sauvignon Blanc Private Bin 2016, Marlborough

Lighter (9.5% alcohol) but still quite rich and a little sweet. It does capture the flavours of modern-day Marlborough Sauvignon. My daughter served it at her first dinner party and it went down very well. €14.99, €11 on promotion.

Segredos de Sâo Miguel, VR Alentejo

Portugal makes some very good value inexpensive red wines; this has attractive cool nicely damson fruits and a tannin-free finish. His will certainly feature again.

Agustí Torelló Mata Reserva 2011 Cava

This is the best cava I have tasted in a long time. An excellent, elegant complex glass of fizz. Not trying to be Champagne, but with a unique character all of its own. €29 from Sheridans and Mitchell & Son online only.

Marsannay ‘en Clémengeots’ 2011 , Sylvain Pataille

Given to me by Pataille on a visit there a few years back. It took a while to open out, but lovely cool savoury dark fruits, good acidity and an excellent finish. A world away from the lush ripe wines of Vosne-Romanée, but excellent Marsannay.

Vidal Reserve Syrah 2013, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay

I raved about this wine a year ago, so I was interested to see how it has developed. The answer is very well. Lovely piquant savoury dark fruits with a very attractive slightly grainy texture. Available for €17.35 (Barry & FitzWilliam), which is fantastic value.

El Reventon 2010, Cebreros Jiminez-Landi, Vdt de Castilla y Léon

Brought by a friend to dinner, a brilliant single parcel wine, combining perfectly ripe elegant dark fruits with a fine backbone of acidity. One of the first wines made by Daniel Gomez Jiminez-Landi, a member of the Commando G gang, who make some stunning wines to the south of Madrid.

To finish, two beers to taste while watching the rugby. Could have dome with another bottle.

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How to buy a ‘nice’ bottle of wine

First published in the Irish Times, Saturday 24th February, 2017

I worked in wine shops for several years and was always bemused me when a customer asked for a bottle of nice wine. What did they think I was going to recommend? My special reserve of disgusting, undrinkable wines? And yet I knew exactly what they meant – a wine that wasn’t too expensive, but offered more than your average bottle.

This is probably what we all want 90 per cent of the time, but it can be elusive. Standardised winemaking techniques mean it is all too easy to come across bland, broadly fruity, slightly confected wines, red and white, that won’t harm anyone but offer very little real enjoyment.

Finding a wine with a little character can be a more challenging. With our punitive tax regime, sadly the more interesting bottles will invariably cost €12-€15, if not more.

As with most working couples, during the week our dinner tends to be a fairly simple affair. In the colder months, I frequently throw plenty of vegetables into the oven to roast, usually butternut squash and/or potatoes, sweet potato, onions, red peppers, aubergines, and tomatoes, or cauliflower, leeks, mushrooms and beans.

The spicing varies according to my mood. With many vegetables, the best wine match would be rich white wine, but as we usually have some sort of grilled or roasted meat as well, I generally open up a red wine. In the winter months, I naturally gravitate towards red wine anyway.

Best partner

I don’t go into an elaborate thought process to choose the wine; I find light and medium-bodied reds offer the best partner for both roasted vegetables and grilled meat.

For lighter wines, I seek out Beaujolais, lighter Italian reds such as Barbera and Valpolicella, Pinots from Chile or New Zealand, or a lighter Cabernets from Australia.

In colder weather, I often drink these with fish as well. However, my favourite winter wines are medium-bodied reds with supple fruit, and around 13.5 per cent alcohol. I try to avoid over-oaked or over-alcoholic wines and I am becoming more and more frustrated with off-dry and medium-dry red wines.

So where to find a wine that delivers that little bit extra? Usually it will be made by smaller producers, although quality-conscious co-operatives can offer great value too.

It generally means avoiding the best-known names, such as Bordeaux and Burgundy. Bargains tend to be found in the biggest producer regions such as La Mancha in Spain, the Languedoc in France and parts of Italy. My favourite hunting grounds would also include much of Australia, Chile, the southern Rhône in France, and most of Portugal.

Today, four very nice red wines, all costing less than €15. I cannot promise that they will send you into paroxysms of joy, but I hope you will find them satisfying.

Image 6Le Mas 2015 Domaine Clavel, Languedoc, Organic

13.5%

€14.70

 

A hugely satisfying wine with rich red cherry fruits, spicy black peppers and nice grip on the finish. With lamb or beef dishes.

 

Stockists: Wines Direct, Mullingar

 

 

Image 1Ch. de Paraza Cuvée Spéciale, Minervois

13.5%

€12.95

 

On offer until 5thMarch. Medium-bodied with supple red and black fruits, black olives and herbs. A good all-rounder.

 

Stockists: O’Briens

 

 

DSCF7210Illuminati Riparosso 2015, Montepuliciano d’Abruzzo

13.5%

€14.95

 

Very seductive smooth warm dark fruits, with a touch of tobacco. Perfect with spicy lamb from Diana Henry’s Simple.

 

Stockists: SuperValu Ballinteer, Lucan, Charlesland, Blackrock, Deansgrange, Swords, Rathgar, Sundrive Road; Donnybrook Fair; Londis Terenure.

 

 

Image 5Faugères Les Collines 2014, Domaine Ollier Taillefer

13.5%

€14.85

 

Attractive savoury dark plums with a savoury touch. Went nicely with pork chops and mushrooms.

 

Stockists: Wines Direct, Mullingar

 

Posted in: Irish Times

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Picpoul de Pinet Les Flamants 2015

Picpoul de Pinet Les Flamants 2015

DSCF7346Picpoul de Pinet Les Flamants 2015

12.5%

 

Light crisp and refreshing with clean green apple fruits.

Perfect with a bowl of mussels.

Part of the SuperValu Specially Sourced range, this is a decent well made dry white wine. Many Picpouls these days seem to be quite high in alcohol, with a sweetish finish. This wine tastes the way Picpoul should; the Muscadet of the south.

€10 from SuperValu

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Domaine de la Renne Touraine Pinot Noir 2015

Domaine de la Renne Touraine Pinot Noir 2015

Image 25Domaine de la Renne Touraine Pinot Noir 2015

12.5%

Light with juicy dark cherry fruits and a savoury earthy touch on the finish.

Good with salmon or tuna, or lighter white meats. I would fancy it with a saucisson, a thick slice of pâté and some crusty sourdough bread.

Less expensive Pinot Noir from the Loire can be a bit too herbaceous at times. Taking advantage of the sunny 2015 vintage, this wines avoids any such pitfalls. Remarkable value for money under €14.

€13.75 from Wines Direct, Mullingar, winesdirect.ie

 

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Beaujolais Villages Blanc 2015 Domaine des Nugues

Beaujolais Villages Blanc 2015 Domaine des Nugues

DSCF7190Beaujolais Villages Blanc 2015 Domaine des Nugues

13%

Delicious gently fruity unoaked wine with a lovely texture, a fine minerality and an excellent finish.

The perfect aperitif, or with salmon in a herby butter sauce.

White Beaujolais, once a rarity, is becoming easier to find in this country. The best examples combine a lovely freshness, a minerality and delicate pure Chardonnay fruits. I have recommended the Jean Paul Brun Terres Dorées before. It is available from Wines Direct. Domaine des Nugues makes some excellent, classic (in a good sense) red Beaujolais, elegant and balanced; his white is every bit as good.

 

€17.30 from Martins, Fairview;  64 Wine, Glasthule.

 

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