July is the hottest month of the year for us in the Nordics. To be honest its seldom actually hot.We are lucky if we hit 25C. Regardless of the mild weather, the summer has an effect on my diet. And now I don’t mean just food, but wine as well. I like my wines light in July. Ok, so I like my wines always quite light. However, I could not gulp down any heavy Barolo or Cabernet in this weather. Those I reserve solely for cold fall or Christmas evenings when I actually feel like something thicker. As I have tasted some great new stuff this July, I thought I would share with you my favorite new discoveries.
Les Molates Chardonnay 2014, Domaine des Marnes Blanches (Jura, France). The Sud Revermont area of the Jura has become a small hub for terroir-driven, natural wine producers. This beautiful Chardonnay comes from one such winemaker(s), Geraud and Pauline Fromont. The les Molates Chardonnay is made from 35-year old vines. The grapes are pressed directly into the barrel, where the juice undergoes both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. Fresh wine is added to the barrel as some of the juice evaporates (Ouillé-style). The wine spends 18-months in the barrel before bottling.
The nose is lovely with toasted walnuts, honey, mango, pineapple and lemon zest. The taste echoes the nose – this is a wine that delivers the promise. Additionally you have fresh acidity and a mineral finish. Sounds perfect, right? Stop by Woodstockholm for a glass of this beautiful baby.
Somlói Furmint, Peter Wetzer (Hungary). Somló is a special wine region in Hungary. It’s a volcanic hill, sticking out of the northwestern Hungarian plane, 431 metres high. Furmint is a white Hungarian grape variety (found also in Slovakia, South Africa and Austria), which is used to produce single varietal dry whites as well as sweet Tokaji wines. I could write a whole post just about Furmint and I promise to do so in a later stage.
Peter Wetzer, the producer, is a fifth generation winemaker, who is dedicated to bringing out the nature and heritage behind his wines. He uses biodynamic practices, as well as hand picks his grapes. The Somlói Furmint is an unfiltered and unfined nature wine. The taste has generous notes of pear, peach and spices. It’s textural and “thick” but there is a lovely balance between the rich fruit and lively mineral notes. This wine is available for sampling at Gaston Wine Bar in the Old town of Stockholm.
2014 Sophie Rosé, Si Vintners (Margaret River). A summer is not summer without some rosé. This dark coloured pink wine comes from some of the oldest plantings of Pinot Noir in Margaret River. The 35 year old Pinot Noir planted over decomposed granite/white clay soils is grown biodynamically and harvested by hand. The fermentation is spontaneous and done in concrete eggs, followed by eight months aging in old French oak. Only a 1000 bottles are produced each year.
This is an all day drinking kind of wine – juicy, light, clean and refreshing. A light skin contact gives it some fine body and chalky tannins. We tasted this wine at Legs wine bar in London’s Hackney.
xx Soile
The Winecurious 