SEPTEMBER 2022 FEATURED WINES
WINE ONE: KINDELI BLANCO
About: This vintage was made from Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and a small splash of Viognier. Various fermentation techniques were used, including direct press, skin contact, and carbonic maceration. The components were fermented and aged in multiple vessels, including totes, stainless steel, and neutral oak. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without SO2.
Taste: Decant this wine vigorously for maximum enjoyment! This wine is lemon-green in the glass. The nose is wild and unruly with earthy aromas of green onion, ginger, cuca melon, green papaya, sawtooth herb, granny smith apples, lime leaf, galangal, eucalyptus, green peppercorns, gooseberry, and struck flint. The palate is equally electric with zesty acidity, a tiny bit of tannin, and billowy texture. You’ll find additional flavours of fried garlic, chayote, green pineapple, serrano, snap peas, Brazil nuts, grilled corn, and tiger lily on the palate. Adventures anyone?
Pairing: You don’t always think of white wine as a beef pairing, but for me, this wine demands meaty dishes. Bo La Lot is a Vietnamese dish that features beef wrapped in betel leaves grilled over the coals. Kkaennip-jeon, a Korean dish, also fills this niche with a lightly battered perilla leaf stuffed with savoury ground pork.
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: BK WINES CARTE BLANCHE
About: Every year, Brendon gives himself the creative freedom to compose a wine that’s less about terroir and more about the process. This year’s rendition is primarily Chardonnay from atypical single vineyard barrels. The remainder is Savagnin, Pinot Gris, Grüner Veltliner, and some unrevealed secrets. Lees from other fermentations were also added, which promotes a rich texture. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal SO2.
Taste: This wine is pale green-gold in the glass. The nose is soft and heartfelt with aromas of bruised apple, fresh bay leaf, yellow plums, baked lemon, macadamia nut, heather, honeysuckle, grilled zucchini, and mace. It’s warm and generous, welcoming in its calming demeanour. The palate is supple with bevelled acidity and the faintest hint of tannin. There’s a waxiness to this wine, oily despite being so vibrant. The fruit profile is yielding instead of crunchy. On the finish, you’ll find flavours of dried pineapple, anjou pear, cucumber skins, chaga, and ginseng.
Pairing: I’ve never really been a fan of cooked zucchini, but recently, a friend of mine tossed some on the barbeque with a little salt and pepper, and shockingly, I was addicted. Similarly, I love grilling greens. I grilled some lightly steamed choy sum and added a little soy, rice wine, and black vinegar for the perfect afternoon vegetable boost. Essentially, this wine enjoys herbal and vegetal foods with a strong current of umami.
WINE THREE: CANTINA MARILINA SIKELE NERO D’AVOLA
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 Juanita Roos, co-owner of Color de Vino!)