Year: 2015

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Ribas Blanc 2012

New wine arrival!!  November 2013

I tasted this wine in April 2013  when the weather was wet and changeable in Mallorca. I loved the wines depth and integrity: it has a real worthiness and direction to it.

This wine is made from 85% Prensal Blanc and 15% of the lovely Viognier grapes that they have here in Mallorca.

Mr Whirly says:

“ This wine has its own identity, which I like. Its full and rich with some lovely expressive fruit. The Prensal Blanc provides the fruit and the Viognier the depth. I think this would be a lovely bottle of wine for Christmas day morning to get you in the mood. It has a hint of Christmas spice to it, and all things nice! Once I have tasted the wine with clients in the next few weeks I shall add more detailed notes.

Alc vol: 13%

Winemakers tasting notes: ( to follow shortly)

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Ribas Sio Negre 2009

Ribas Sio Negre 2009

Sió wine was conceived in 2000 as a tribute to our grandmother Sió (the Majorcan diminutive of Concepció). An elegant, fresh, fruity wine with a mineral base owing to the predominantly calcareous soils of our vineyard

Winemakers Notes:

Vino de la Tierra Mallorca

Grape varieties:

50% Manto negro

25% Cabernet Sauvignon

15% Syrah

10% Merlot

Aging: 12 months

Barrel type: 50% new French oak and 50% second year French oak from Ribas de Cabrera.

Elaboration:

The grapes are harvested by hand before being selected, grape by grape, and carefully prepared at the winery´s facilities. The grapes had to be scrupulously selected from the oldest Manto negro vine stocks, a Majorcan variety with amazing aromatic potential that adds a fruity aroma and warmth. It is complemented with 25-year-old vines of more structured varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Alcoholic Strength: 14.5%

Life: 8-10 years

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Ribas Negre 2009

New Arrival!

The new 2011 vintage arrived, November 2013….a little sweeter and subtler than the 2009. More tasting notes  to follow early in 2014.

On the 17th June 2011, I tasted this wine with Araceli and she told me:

“ The player in the team gives the fruit.”

She is refering to the grape, Mantonegra, which is an indigenous grape to this Mediterranean island. Its a lovely grape, it really gives this wine some wonderful fruit and intensity.

50-60% Mantonegra, 30% Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot make up the last 10%.

Mr Whirly says:

“ Plums, lovely fresh fruit, tabacco, great balance, intricate details, very exciting wine. A lovely sweet middle to the wine acquired from the Mantonegra grape, a berry found on this island.”

Winemaker’s tasting notes:

“ Since the beginning, our main concern when making this wine has been to capture the primary, fruity features of the Manto Negro grape.

And so, with a clear objective and after manually selecting the grapes (to overcome any variability in ripening of the young plants), the wine is fermented at moderate temperatures (~27º C) to avoid over-maceration. We then age some of the wine in 3 to 4- year-old casks, which enables us to prevent the excessive liberation of tertiary aromas or a hardening that the wine would not be able to survive. Blending this aged wine with another part of the wine that has been stored in stainless steel tanks intensifies its primary aromatic potential

The result can be found in its varietal aromas such as fresh red fruit (like blackberries or strawberries) and its mineral and spicy touches. A balanced palate once again emphasises the freshness of the fruit and the wine has a pleasant finish.

Alc vol: 14.5%

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Soma 2009

Ok. Ok Ok….

A fabulous most spectacular new wine that has been so popular its sold out! New vintage of the 2010, yet only managed to secure 200 bottles, arrives into the UK in October 2012.

Mr Whirly says:

“ This is a very exciting wine. And I know, I always say this you are saying to yourself but if you are going to buy one bottle of wine this year then its this one! This is a Viognier of epic proportions, really gorgeous fruit and  aroma’s leap out to you from the glass, not at all dried peaches like normally with this grape but tropical peaches, round and flat! I have yet to really assess this wine correctly, but will be tasting it in the next few weeks with clients around the country and shall come back to you with more thoughts!”

Winemakers Tasting notes:

“ This wine is the result of collaboration between Bodega Ribas and Sioneta Oliver who, in addition to forming part of the Ribas family, also owns a Viognier vineyard in the town of Consell.

The aim is to achieve the utmost offered by Viognier, a variety with great aromatic potential. The must is fermented at very low temperatures for over sixty days, ensuring a more delicate and selective extraction of the aromatic compounds.

Part of the wine is then put into new casks, where it spends 6 months, the rest being transferred to a tank where it is kept on its lees, becoming enhanced with mannoproteins and other components of the remains of yeast, making the wine more consistent and oily. “

Alc vol: 13.5%

Price: ( SOLD OUT)

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Mallorca: Bodegas Ribas, Cornell

I left for Mallorca back in June of 2011 and did not really know what to expect. I had heard some really good things about this great island and its winemaking skills. For more of my personal insight into my travels and discoveries please have a peak at my travel story page.

I am very lucky. In two days I discovered some great wines but none so more than at Bodegas Ribas, the oldest winery and Bodegas on the island, 300 years this year in August and the third oldest in Spain. I found Araceli, the owner, a complete delight to talk to and converse with. She was hard at work at the time but took time out to meet me and talk me through the ethos of the winery. What was really amazing was the fact that their vineyard manager has been with them for most of his life and he is now in his Nineties! That shows me the right kind of quality in terms of looking after fellow human beings.

I sat and tasted the following wines with Araceli and this followed an exciting tasting there a few days before, when their Soma 2009, a Viognier of extraordinary proportions, drew me back to the vineyard, since I simply had to have it! It is simply one of the best, if not the best wine I have imported!

The red wines are pretty special too. On tasting the Sio Collitta 2009 I think it needs a little more time in the bottle but the Ribas Negre 2009 is really quite splendid!

Please click on the wines below my logo to look at the specific wines.

These are such great wines. I am very proud to be offering them to you.

Soma 2009

Ribas Negre 2009

Ribas Sio Negre 2009

Ribas Blanc 2012

Below is a photo of the courtyard at the Bodegas and also of Araceli’s lovely hound!

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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.”

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Domaine Allois, “Terre d’Ailleul’s” 2011

what imagery, what history, what a sublime wine too….this wine was discovered in the most lovely of little markets in Saignon, above Apt, in July 2011….

Mr Whirly Says:

“ An herbaceous and savoury wine that needs big food to take it on like Calves Liver or Pork chops with a rich grain mustard sauce. 100% Ugni Blanc so totally unusual and defined. For that reason alone it is to be respected.”

Wine makers notes:

Winemaking:

“This wine born from old vines that we have taken care from the cultivation to the optimal maturity.

Obviously to obtain the best aspect, we chose to harvest manually and select the best grapes.

The winemaking is done in barrels like in Burgundy, with stirring of the lees and temperature controlled in order to have a wine that is round and aromatic.  Six Months in oak.”

On the palate:

“This wine present itself as a yellow colour with a light gold reflection. The smell develops aromas like white flower, syrup and white fruit, honey and wax, with some light touch of young wood bringing fresh taste. The mouth is concentrated at the first. It is a wine quite structured with some nice length and citrus aroma, flowers and honey.”

Terroirs : Sand and clay with calcareous subsoil

Grape variety: Ugni blanc  (100%)

Alc Vol: 13%

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Cepage Muscat, 2011

NEW ARRIVAL!  New vintage 2011

November 2013: more detailed tasting notes to follow but more fresh pear on the nose rather than pear drops!

Excited, excited and yes so excited by this wine. Muscat? Possibly one of the oldest grapes around, certainly dipped in history and culture…never been that enamoured by it, too much yucky sweet stuff but this wine rocks and is really quite sublime! Made with Muscat of Alexandria (originally from Alexandria in Egypt and Petits grains, the oldest and noblest variety of Muscat. Its berries are much smaller than the Alexandria berries, which are oval in shape. Hence the name, Petit Grains)

Mr Whirly says:

“ I tasted this wine recently with Jamie Younger at the Palmerston and thought the wine was wonderfully infused with tangerine peel, zesty and with wonderful fresh acidity.”

Alc vol: 13.5%

Winemakers tasting notes:

Two varietals of Muscat, Alexandria (40%) and Petit Grain (60%), grown on clay and schist soil. 40 year old vines. Very expressive and complex nose smelling of pear and lychee.