AUGUST 2022 FEATURED WINES
WINE ONE: GRAPE REPUBLIC DELA FRESCA FRIZZANTE
About: This wine is made exclusively from Delaware grown in Nanyo, Yamagata. Some of the grapes were crushed and left on skins for a twelve-hour maceration, while the rest was direct pressed into tank. When the wine has fermented to 12g/L residual sugar, the wine is bottled, resulting in a classic petillant naturel.
Delaware: The origins of this variety are shrouded in mystery, but the most told story traces its roots back to a Swiss immigrant fleeing persecution in Europe, smuggling grape vines from Burgundy, and crossing them with local varieties in Frenchtown in Delaware County, Ohio. Until it undergoes DNA profiling, we can only guess. This finicky variety has small pink berries that ripen early. Unlike many of its hybrid brethren, it has low yields, low foxiness, and is susceptible to phylloxera.
Taste: This wine is pale lemon-yellow in the glass. The nose is sassy with aromas of guava, juicy white grapes, green banana, wildflowers, candied lemon, tonka bean, orange blossom, candied fennel seeds, and coriander. It is exuberant with plenty of youthful verve. The palate is gently frothy with tangy acidity and a juiciness that defies the wine’s lack of actual sugar. It has an impressive texture despite its modest alcohol. You’ll find further flavours of lovage, coconut water, white peach bubble gum, geranium, nectarine, and peony on the finish. Such a treat!
Pairing: This region is home to Ita Soba, slightly thicker cut unpolished buckwheat noodles. Traditionally, the noodles are served alongside a soup in which you dip these deeply aromatic (thick, nutty and warm) noodles. This broth is usually made from the irrefutably delicious combination of kombu, katsuobushi, mirin, and soy sauce – the delicate combination of sweet, smoky, and umami make it sing with this wine.
WINE TWO: INTELLEGO PINK MOUSTACHE
About: This light red is made from Syrah (38%), Cinsault (48%), and Mourvèdre (19%) planted in the Swartland. The Cinsault sees drip irrigation, but the Syrah is dry farmed. Soils range from Oakleaf gravel to Ferricrete and Shale. The Cinsault undergoes whole cluster fermentation for four days while the other two varieties are direct pressed. The wine is then racked into stainless steel for an additional six weeks before bottling.
Taste: This wine is a vibrant shade of pink and ruby in the glass. It toes the line between two styles with aromas of cranberry, wild cherry, raspberry, thyme, eucalyptus, nutmeg, flint, pink peppercorns, and carnations. The palate is zippy with a saline edge. It reminds me of tonic in how it leaves you feeling refreshed and hungry. It quenches. On the finish, you’ll find flavours of red currant, marjoram, cinchona, sweet grapefruit, watermelon rind, and cubeb.
Pairing: Honestly, who even needs food? I’m usually such a stickler for the perfect pairing, but this time, I’m abandoning all reason and suggesting you drink this while floating down the river on the largest inflatable flamingo you can afford. This wine is for cannonballs, belly flops, and swan dives. It’s for sandy elbows, geometric sunburns where you couldn’t reach, and beach snacks consumed mainly by ants.
WINE THREE: BRAND BROS RED
About: This wine is a blend of Pinot Noir (40%), Dornfelder (30%), and Cabernet Franc (25%), with a few anonymous grapes marking up the remainder. The vines are 50 years old and are planted on their typical loess and loam with high concentrations of limestone. After 10-14 days of carbonic maceration in stainless steel, the wine is pressed off into tank and neutral puncheon for élevage.
Taste: This wine is an electric ruby in the glass. It has a punchy nose jam-packed with currant, wild raspberry (leaves and all), plum skin, violet, sage, cherry blossom, licorice whips, candied rose petals, and graphite. It is nearly weightless on the palate, demanding you take another gulp almost immediately. It is charming and honest, and infinitely lovable. The acidity is bright, the fruit is forward, and the tannins play a gentle but precise supporting role. You’ll find hints of black trumpet mushroom, blueberry, beets, acai berries, and dahlia on the finish. You’re going to need a second bottle.
Pairing: Saumagen is made by stuffing pork, potatoes, onions, carrots, and spices like nutmeg, marjoram, and white pepper into a pig’s stomach. After cooking, the sausage-like terrine is sliced and fried until golden and crispy on the outside. Historically it was served next to mashed potatoes and sauerkraut, but modern interpretations include delicious-looking sandwiches. Either way, the umami and richness of this dish will be brilliantly countered by such a fresh wine – especially if served with a little chill.
LINK TO PODCAST: MP3 | SPOTIFY (Featuring Pearlic Leng, manager and wine director of A1 Café