Its Spring!
And I taste a range of appropriately Spring-like wines! By Kate
Tuesday April 20th. A good day to be alive in London Queens Park to the Les Caves Latimer Road
The facts that it is not 1955, I am not French and we are in fact in London
I was tasting with Russell, the head chef from Colettes up at The Grove so we decided to stick to the kind of wines which are perfect with his food. His style is crisp, elegant and complex; there are often myriad flavours but they are each distinct and unalloyed. This needs wines that are about delicacy and clean, clear flavours; anything big or muscular just doesn’t work quite as well.
This was perfect for the mood of the day anyway. With a sky so irradiated with spring light and the warmth from the sun distinct against my skin, it would have seemed utterly wrong to taste anything overly heavy.
It was a big tasting, held in a large room overlooking the A40 and election posters of Gordon Brown, both of which were slightly unfortunate but nothing could dampen the overall fiesta feeling bought on by the sun. The room was busy but not uncomfortably so, partly as a result of a dearth of producers; most stranded by the volcano.
The most delicious whites, all of which were strong contenders for drinking outside, under a tree heavy with blossom, in no particular order were :-
Thierry Puzelet Petillant Natural. One of our favourite Loire producers – complete naturalist – working with one of our favourite grapes (Menu Pineau) to produce a wine that sparkles! There is absolutely nothing not to like here and I absolutely loved it.
There truly is something inescapably jubilant about good sparkling wine. While I really can drink this style just about any time (the only style of wine that for me is quite that versatile) Spring is surely when it is utterly appropriate. Particularly those examples that are redolent of blossom.
His Sauvignon Buisson was pretty damn fine too. It didn’t taste much of Sauvignon but in my book, that is not entirely a bad thing.
Rene Mosse Anjou
These were completely and utterly sensational. He was showing two Chenins, both multilayered, box fresh and long, ever so long, in the mouth. Frankly, the best Chenin I tasted in a day with pretty stiff competition.
That wasn’t the best of the range though. He also had a Menu Pineau which had all the geranium and hints of fresh ginger and mineral I love about this variety and then a Romaratin which really was the best of a pretty incredible range. Even more complexity that the others and a flavour that simply wouldn’t quit in the mouth. Hardly any of these wines are made which is a huge shame but we will do what we can to get hold of as much as possible.
From there, more sparklers, the Domaine Breton Vouvray Petillant Naturel and the Breton Vouvray La Dilettante Method Traditional. Both extraordinary value for money considering how carefully they are made and an utterly worthy substitute for Champagne
Finally, Domaine Jean Maupertuis Petillant Pink Bulles. A dusky, rose coloured sparkling Gamay from the Loire that too was unbelieveably good. Subtly perfumed and refined, I could have stopped right then, called it day and quietly drank a bottle. All by myself.
First and best, the whites of Zidarich in Friuli . His Vitoska was incredible, an almost waxy veneer coating the flavours of sun ripened fruit. His Malvasia was even richer; a variety known as The Bitch in Friuli , Florian informed us.
“Why a Bitch?” I asked and was told that it was on account of its generosity; It gives too much of itself. Surely now a strong contender for most misogynist regional varietal synonym, I pointed out that a woman who gave too much of herself, in what ever context, should be applauded as a generous and large hearted lady, not denigrated as a bitch. Only small minded people would dare label her thus. I think they both concluded that I hadn’t really understood the full ‘bitch’ context.
On to the reds where Sicily and Burgundy Cos were delicious, particularly the Frapatto, a variety which is the taste of early spring. All of them were sensational though and even those with more stuffing in no way lost their unalloyed edge.
Even better though, the wines of Frank Cornelissen. All the really good stuff tasted today was wine with an added dimension, a layer of flavour beyond the physical; an extra level that, however briefly, transported the soul but these were truly on another plane. How does he do that? His Magma Rosso was transcendent but heartbreakingly expensive so praise the Gods of Mount Etna for his Rosso del Contadino. Utterly wonderful too and at a fraction of the price.
Where to go after that?
Well, we went to Philippe Pacalet, one of the few producers to make it despite the volcanic chaos. Philippe and his extraordinary hair took us through his range of outstanding natural wine from Burgundy
Not wishing to come down from such a very elevated plane of excellence, we decided to call it a day after that. We had tasted for 3 and a half hours non stop at that point and my head was starting to spin somewhat.
I glided home thought the lucent afternoon, stopping at the skate park in the Meanwhile Gardens to watch the skateboarders swooping and spiralling. The sun at this stage felt properly hot and I could smell both the vivid green of the new grass and the grime of the concrete. Just like in the wines I had been tasting all day, everything vibrated vitality.
It has been a long, cold, desperately hard winter that feels like it lasted for years but spring is finally here and at this stage, I am hopeful that it is going to be a great summer.
Drink a glass of something completely brilliant and feel it in your bones.
These were completely and utterly sensational. He was showing two Chenins, both multilayered, box fresh and long, ever so long, in the mouth. Frankly, the best Chenin I tasted in a day with pretty stiff competition.
That wasn’t the best of the range though. He also had a Menu Pineau which had all the geranium and hints of fresh ginger and mineral I love about this variety and then a Romaratin which really was the best of a pretty incredible range. Even more complexity that the others and a flavour that simply wouldn’t quit in the mouth.
