Month: September 2015

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Fairbourne, “Two Tails”, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2011

Mr Whirly says:

I have to admit something here. I am not responsible for sourcing this wine! This is a terrible admission, since this goes against my religion of wine sourcing! But its a great wine and I met the winemaker, Russell Hooper in 2011 and decided to help him out with a little marketing of his wines.

Its a little bit different from the normal NZ Sauvignon Blanc! So thats why its here. The wine is different for the following reasons:

  1. Grown solely on clay gravel soils, therefore site specific and different from the traditional multi sub regional blends.
  2. Made from only free run juice, determined by the winemaker on taste, therefore less aggressive phenolics.
  3. Fuller mid palate than traditional MSB and finishing drier therefore more food friendly than those made for price points.

Alc vol: 13.0%

 

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Bosco Falconeria, Azienda Biologica Simeti-Taylor, Partinico, Sicily

Organic Cattarato 2010

Mr Whirly says:

“In the 1960’s Mary Taylor left New York city for Palermo for six months vacation. She fell in love with a Sicilian, her husband Tonino, and stayed there. She set up, with Tonino, high up in the hills above Palermo, her own organic vegetable farm and was one of the first Organic vineyards in Sicily. Natalia her daughter makes the wines and cares for the vines. Cattarato is widely planted in the western side of Sicily. There’s a lot of it since Sicily produces a lot of wine. This is no ordinary Cattarato: bush trained vines called “ Alberello” and vertical trellis for eight year old vines at 800 feet. Fermented in tank, temperature controlled. This wine evokes smokey peaches and apricots with some lovely woody touches, except its straight out of stainless steel tank. Its complex, rounded and elegant . Lovely expression of this grape and a great food wine. We had it with some lovely fresh Caponata and other salad’s, straight from Mary’s garden and it was a match made in Sicily.”

Organic.

Alcohol: 12.0%

P1020848Mr whirly with Mary, Natalia and Tonino after the most splendid of lunches, June 2rd 2012

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Velenosi, Marche

My first venture into the delights of the Italian wine world where the romance and passion of the wines and people is so strong.

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When I was in Los Angeles in April 2010 and about to get stuck by the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud I visited Pizzeria Morro, voted by local LA foodies in Zagats (USA version of the Good food Guide) as the most popular restaurant in this sprawling metropolis. I arrived at the restaurant, slightly worn out after a long walk from the Hollywood hills and Sean, the barman, looked after me beautifully, especially after he found out I was in the wine business. Within twenty minutes I had tasted five wines and one of them was the one on the right here. I visited the vineyard in November 2010, returned in late March 2011 to taste the new Vintage I started to import this wine, Lacrima di Morro from D’Alba, as well as a white grape from the area, Passerina in May 2011. They are wines that emphasise the beauty and romance of the wine business in Italy.

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LaCrima di Morro D’alba, ( from D’Alba just east of Ancona) 2012

Mr Whirly says:

“ An extraordinary “Turkish delight” wine that really is very unique. I fell in love with this wine in Los Angeles 24 months ago and still love it. ”

Alc vol: 13.0%

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Passerina 2012

Mr Whirly says:

“ A wonderful aperitif wine that exudes a sensuous bee’s wax feel with some honeysuckle aroma’s too. This wine originates around Ascoli Piceno in Marche.”

Alc vol: 12.5%

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Visciole 2012

Mr Whirly says:

“ A top wine for all seasons. This wine rocks with Black forest gateau and Eton Mess.”

Alc vol: 14.5%

50 cl bottles ( very beautiful, see middle picture)

Winemakers tasting notes:

“ This is a traditional way of making pudding wine in Marche that dates back many centuries. It’s made my blending unripened black cherries with red grapes. The basic ingredient is sour cherries (called Visciola). Based on a traditional recipe, sour cherries are harvested, they ripen during the first weeks of July, and are left to soak in sugar, partly whole and partly crushed. This product is then decanted for a few days and finally filtered. A syrup with high concentration of sugar is thus obtained, which is then mixed with wine. Strawberry, raspberry, ripe wild cherries, jam aroma’s, scents of peach and ripe pear.”