Weekly Favourites
So with Easter now behind us and the weather continuing to lift my spirits high, I am back to trying to constantly remember what day of the week it is? At least keeping myself busy hasn't been an issue as we decided to repaint the house TWICE last week as well as receive new furniture which required a tearful push of an orange 3-seater settee up and around a narrow flight of stairs to the third floor of the block where we are situated. Still we are now starting to feel rather house proud.
In order for me (and those of you at home) to helpfully remember which day of the week it is. I propose this trusty method to take out all the stress.
So first,
TACO TUESDAYS
Roberto Henriquez | Chile, Bio-Bio, Nacimiento
Rivera del Notro White 2018 - 40% Moscatel, 20% Corinto, 40% Semillón
Yep. Fish tacos this week. Whether its an old El Paso kit you've got hidden in the deepest depths of a kitchen cupboard, or you like going all out Fiesta style making your own masa, there is nothing more fun than a meal you have to build yourself, with your hands and to your own set of technical specifications. What's equally as enjoyable is being able to perfectly match wine to your dinner. Roberto Henriquez is a Chilean winemaker making beautifully rustic wines picked from 100+ yr old vines in the Itata and BioBio areas of Chile known as the 'old south' (further South than the larger more commercial winemaking areas of Chile). When I met him in London a few months back we got on fantastically and also shared a risky first half football match between West Brom Vs Millwall. We sat in the Millwall end but were cheering the away side! After risking our lives and surviving certain death we were hastily smuggled across enemy lines where we could celebrate the second half... a brilliant day!
This white wine of his, is a blend of 3 different varietals picked from the more coastal situated vineyards that Roberto farms. There is a distinctive greenness about this wine. On the nose it has a bright bell pepper, almost jalapeños aroma. The pallet is equally as vibrant, textural and mineral with a saltiness that pairs well with white fish dishes.
THIRSTY THURSDAYS
Domaine Durrmann | France, Alsace, Andlau
Pinot Blanc Nature 2019 - Pinot Blanc
It is gonna be a scorcher this Thursday and what better way to celebrate than the new vintage of Yann Durrmanns Pinot Blanc Nature 2019! A bright and zesty wine with a real hit of grapefruit and citrus. Yann is really coming into his own now as a winemaker and seems to be perfecting his craft more and more each vintage. The wine is produced the same as previous years consisting of a long slow press of the fruit to maximise as much texture as possible. The wine then goes into big old wooden barrels and remains on the lees (dead yeast) the whole time until bottling. It is then bottled without finings or filtration (hence the cloudiness) and without sulphur (requiring a lot of work and risk assessment).
I was lucky enough to help out with the harvest of this vintage over in Alsace last year. Harvest can be a challenging and often back breaking experience, snipping bunch after bunch of fruit, travelling up and down seamlessly never ending slopes of vineyards. But what beautiful slopes they are and always in the most picturesque places on earth. It's also the people you work alongside that make it such a rewarding and inspiring trip. It really is the PEOPLE during harvest time that can determine the end result! I thoroughly recommend having a go if you ever get the chance.
SUNDAY LUNCH
Xaviere Hardy | France, Loire Atlantique, La Chapelle-Glain
Vin du Pastre 2018 - Grolleau
When I was lucky enough to go on my first trip around the Loire to meet the many winemakers and their families of which we import their wonderful wines to the UK, it struck me the level of devotion and commitment that goes into following your dreams and passions in wine! Take Xaviere Hardy for example. A female winemaker in the arse end of nowhere 60 km north of Nantes. Keep going and you would soon hit Brittany. Xavierre didn't take an easy path in her quest to become a winemaker. Planting vines in her area was originally forbidden and required her to lobby the council, who eventually relented and gave her permission to plant her vineyards. Something I have maximum respect for. We visited Xavierre and her family, on a Sunday afternoon not realising an incredible lunch had been prepared for us. Spring lamb shoulder from one of the sheep her husband raises and butchers. The whole family gets involved selling the meats, cheeses, vegetables and wines they produce at local farmers markets. The ultimate self sufficiency I am terribly envious of. Xaviere produces wines with the utmost respect for the land. Using herbal teas to spray the vines instead of chemicals. This wine is made from young vines 5 years old. Due to frost and disease killing the majority of fruit from previous vintages this is the first vintage she has been able to get a proper yield from. Fruity and herbaceous perfect for around the dinner table.
Have a great week,
Al