Ten year old Greek rose and a Pet-Nat, when did I get so trendy?!
My two wines worth shouting about this week were both worth the punt!
It’s been a busy few weeks for me with exciting new work projects including a trip to Paris to meet with a new client which I will be able to announce more details on shortly.
I’ve also begun a strategy project back at The Wine Society, working with them to develop a programme of in person events to celebrate their 150th Anniversary next year.
I’ve also started to receive enquiries about private trips and tours in the Southern Rhone (and beyond!) next year so I’ve begun getting pen to paper on the sorts of tours I can deliver.
Then on top of that, on a personal level, the house project is coming along well, do feel free to follow the project on Instagram here. I’ve spent a couple of days in Theole-sur-Mer enjoying the seaside with a dear friend and her fiancé, and today we found out that our whippet is expecting 11 puppies! She’s been looking somewhat like a bowling ball for the past few weeks, but the final x-ray today has shown 11 tiny little whippet heads – no wonder she’s so tired!
WINE I’VE BEEN ENJOYING
In terms of wine I’ve been drinking, I’ve been starting to sort out the cellar at our new house and, as such, I’ve dug out a few older bottles that I thought would be worth a try. Overall, I’ve had a great few wines recently and two in particularly that I thought I would share with you all.
ROSÉ DE XINOMAVRO (LATE RELEASE), THYMIOPOULOS, 2013
I bought this 10 year old, Greek rose from legendary Apostolos Thymiopoulos at The Wine Society, but it has since sold out. I have scoured the internet and it looks like it’s been scooped up everywhere, but I thought I should still share my thoughts in case the 2014 release is just round the corner (and I’ll race you to buy it!)
It was the most extraordinary ‘partridge eye’ amber colour, clearly once much pinker but 10 years age, including a few months in oak, has given it a browner and incredibly beautiful hue. I drank it all too quickly without a photo, but I’ll get one the next time I open a bottle. For now, here’s someone else’s :) (thanks "@lloyd_stevens29)
For lovers of old roses, like Tondonia for example, it’s a bit more sappy and bitter than others and ever-so-enjoyable for it. It’s got a lovely green quality but the fruit flavour that really stood out for me was papaya – that perfect combination of tropical and tart. It’s round palate doesn’t feel rich per se, but adds enough texture to be incredibly food friendly and about as serious as you would ever want a rose…
If you already have some, well done. If you can get some, impressive. And if you wait for his next museum release, you won’t be disappointed.
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LA TAILE AUX LOUPS, TRIPLE ZERO, JACKY BLOT
I spotted this in a wine shop in Paris earlier in the week and I’m so pleased I bought it. Sadly, Jacky Blot passed away in May, and whilst I have had the incredible pleasure of drinking his still wines, I’d still not tried this legendary sparkling.
If you want to get technical, it’s what would now be known as a ‘Pet-Nat’ or a pétillant naturel, also considered a methode ancestral. Essentially, it’s fermented in the bottle (like Champagne but not Prosecco) but it’s not had anything added to make it ‘more’ sparkling as in Champagne. It’s essentially simply bottling the wine part way through fermentation and trapping the natural bubbles. The name comes from the fact that nothing is added, zero chaptalisation (sugar), zero liqueur de tirage (the yeast and sugar added to Champagne produce the bubbles), and zero dosage (the sugar and/or wine sometimes added afterwards in Champagne to top up the bottle and bring it into balance.)
It was absolutely brilliant. Rich aromas of quince and apple, hints of honey but by no means sweet, lively and lemony but all in perfect proportion. It’s soft bubbles meant it was beautiful with the array of apero we served it with. Luckily, you can still get your hands on it in the UK, and I only wish I had bought another bottle!
