A friend of mine had collected a bunch of very off-piste wines. Well, at least off-piste for his standards - I really don’t consider wines like Erbaluce di Caluso, Corsican Nielluccio or Suertes del Marques particularly obscure, but I guess not everybody is like me.
However, there were some very off-piste wines in the sense that we really don’t see that many hybrid varieties around here, yet we had a good bunch of them here. Not that it did any good for the quality of this tasting, because most of them were pretty modest in quality (to put it mildly). However, the tasting itself was dirt cheap and I was there just to educate myself, not scouting for bargains or new, undiscovered gems.
I even brought a bottle of Bodegas Ponce’s Moravia Agria with me - a wine that seems to trigger some strong PTSDs in @IlkkaL since I once brought a bottle of the same wine to a blind tasting. Even though I told everybody I was not expecting anyone to guess the variety correctly (since that was more or less impossible), Ilkka just didn’t seem to get over the fact I almost always bring bottles of the most random kind with me! 
Anyways, that Moravia Agria was terrific back then and it was terrific this time as well. I really love these Ponce wines!
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2021 Istine Bianco Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (1.2.2023)
A blend of Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianco from an organically farmed 0,2-hectare (0,5 acres) vineyard in Radda in Chianti, planted in 1984 and partially replanted in 2014. The grapes are crushed and macerated with the skins for three days in stainless steel tanks, after which the wine is pressed into terracotta amphorae to finish fermentation. Aged on the lees with periodical bâtonnage in amphorae and stainless steel tanks until the end of the year. Around the turn of the year the wine is blended into stainless steel tanks, left to clarify naturally and bottled afterwards. 12,5% alcohol.
Medium-deep yellow color. The nose feels sweet, somewhat sauvage and quite nuanced with aromas of apricot and apple jam, some bretty notes of leather and sweet phenolic spices, light honeydew melon tones and a hint of waxy funk. The wine is somewhat wild and quite broad yet still enjoyably firm on the palate with a rather full body and nuanced flavors of steely minerality and ripe apricot, some apple jam tones, a little bit of beeswax, light funky notes of bretty leather and a hint of apple peel bitterness. The bright, high acidity lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is firm, somewhat wild and slightly bitter with a medium-long aftertaste of waxy funk, some honeydew melon, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light sweeter notes of apple jam, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of stony minerality.
A nice, characterful and slightly funky Tuscan white with good sense of firmness and balance. The wine definitely isn't clean as a whistle, showing quite a healthy dose of funk, but instead of coming across as too funky, the wine shows nice depth of flavor as Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia are varieties that typically trend towards bland flavors if not outright neutral character. Here the funk just adds a nice, rustic layer to the flavors without overwhelming really anything. The wine might be a bit on the simple and linear end, but it is a nice little drop all the same. Fun stuff.
(88 points) -
2020 Cieck Erbaluce di Caluso Vigna Misobolo - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Erbaluce di Caluso (1.2.2023)
100% Erbaluce from the 2-hectare Vigna Misobolo planted in the 1970's. Aged on the fine lees in stainless steel tanks for 12 months. 14% alcohol, 1 g/l residual sugar and 6,9 g/l acidity.
Medium-deep yellow color with subtle lime-green highlights. Somewhat restrained and a slightly sweet nose with a bit linear aromas of sweet Golden Delicious apple, some herby green notes, a little bit of crunchy quince and a hint of honeyed sweetness. The wine feels firm, structured and moderately concentrated on the palate with a sleek medium body and quite intense flavors of fresh Granny Smith apple, some lemony citrus fruit notes, a little bit of steely minerality, light sappy herbal tones, a hint of honeydew melon and a touch of savory spices. The bright, racy acidity lends great sense of structure and precision to the wine. The finish is crisp, structured and rather lengthy with flavors of crisp Granny Smith apple and stony minerality, some crunchy notes of quince, a little bit of honeydew melon, a hint of chopped green herbs and a touch of apple skin bitterness.
A bright, fresh and structured white with good sense of focus and intensity, but otherwise a bit linear and one-dimensional flavor profile. Typical of Erbaluce, the wine is very high in acidity with quite pronounced apple flavors, but there seems to be quite little of anything else. However, the wine feels like it is built for the long run, so most likely it was just opened way too early and it will develop depth and tertiary complexity with age. I'd let the wine wait for another 7-12 years - at the moment the wine doesn't really offer any thrills or frills but things might be entirely different once the wine gets past its youthful phase. Priced more or less according to its quality at 18,98€.
(87 points) -
2020 Tetramythos Roditis Natur e - Greece, Peloponnisos, Patras (1.2.2023)
100% Roditis from the oldest Tetramythos vineyards, vinified spontaneously, full MLF, aged for 7 months on the lees and bottled unfined, unfiltered and without any SO2. 12% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar and 4,5 g/l acidity.
Pale yellow-ish color. Odd, somewhat aldehydic green nose with aromas of Granny Smith apple, some green apple slices, a little bit of crunchy white currant, light herby notes and a hint of green almonds. the wine feels quite brisk and subtly spritzy at first, but I guess there's a tiniest amount of CO2 in the wine, as it turns slightly flat later on. The overall feel is medium-bodied with somewhat green, slightly aldehydic flavors of green apple slices, some chopped herbs, a little bit of lemony citrus fruits, light green almond nuances of acetaldehyde and a hint of birch leaves. After the CO2 dissipates, the acidity feels quite modest, but the overall feel remains still quite firm and balanced, not too soft. The finish is dry, crisp and slightly green with flavors of Granny Smith apple, some aldehydic notes of sorrel and green almonds, a little bit of birch leaves, light sweeter notes of ripe yellow fruits and a hint of chopped green herbs.
An enjoyably crisp white, but it's hard to assess whether the wine was supposed to show this tiny bit of acetaldehyde or if we just had a slightly off bottle. Nothing too bad, but nothing I'd buy for myself, either. Feels rather expensive for the quality at 25,49€.
(77 points) -
2021 Weingut Eppelmann Muscaris Zukunftsweine - Germany, Rheinhessen (1.2.2023)
100% Muscaris, a grape variety that is - as the name would suggest - a crossing between Muscat (or Gelber Muskateller) and Solaris, a hybrid variety. 11,5% alcohol, 10 g/l residual sugar and 7,5 g/l acidity.
Pale, rather neutral whitish-green color. The exuberant nose feels very typical of a Muscat with perfumed aromas of musky flowers and rosewater, some grapey tones, light primary notes of pear drops, a hint of lemon-scented hand soap and a whiff of lychee. The wine feels crisp, aromatic and off-dry to medium-dry on the palate with a light body and youthful, somewhat lean flavors of grapey fruit and perfumed floral tones, some lemon-scented hand soap, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light tart notes of key lime, a hint of steely minerality and a touch of lychee. The residual sugar brings in some sense of viscosity and rounds off some of the edges from the acidity, but the overall acid quality here is surprisingly hard and angular, not only lending sense of freshness and structure to the wine, but also making it feel lean and slightly bitter. The finish is quite long, crisp and youthful with flavors of rosewater and sweet grapey fruit, some lemon-scented soap tones, a little bit of elderflower, light steely mineral tones, a pithy and somewhat bitter hint of pomelo and a touch of tart key lime.
A drinkable but also somewhat hard and lean white that has lovely Muscat-like overtones, but otherwise comes across as somewhat angular, tough in acidity and slightly bitter, which seems to be typical of many hybrid grape varieties. I can easily understand why the wine was vinified off-dry - at closer to 0 g/l RS this would've been noticeably austere and quite unpleasant stuff - but it feels even that 10 g/l RS isn't enough to make the wine feel fully balanced. Probably something between 15 and 20 g/l might've yielded better results. This was somewhat enjoyable, but nothing I'd seek out for myself. Feels overpriced for the quality at 17,06€.
(79 points) -
2021 Sebastian Erbeldinger Sauvignac - Germany, Rheinhessen (1.2.2023)
100% organically farmed Sauvignac, a cross between a (Sauvignon Blanc x Riesling) crossing and an unidentified hybrid variety. 12% alcohol, 5 g/l residual sugar and 5,4 g/l acidity.
Medium-deep lemon-yellow color. The nose feels quite herbaceous and rather similar to a Sauvignon Blanc with aromas of chopped chili and crushed nettles, some white pepper, a little bit of lemony citrus fruits and a cool, lifted hint of eucalyptus. The wine feels crisp, ripe and quite balanced on the palate with a medium body and dry-to-slightly off-dry flavors of ripe nectarine and Golden Delicious apple, some herbaceous notes of green chili and a little bit of crushed nettles, light crunchy notes of golden currants, a hint of tart passion fruit and a touch of gooseberry. The acidity feels very high and quite lean at first, but that zip disappears quite quickly, suggesting there is a tiny bit of CO2 in the wine; after a little while the overall feel is more balanced with moderately high acidity. the finish is dry, crunchy and somewhat herbaceous with flavors of crunchy white currants and gooseberries, some vegetal notes of bell pepper and green chili, light sweeter notes of juicy nectarines, a little bit of passion fruit, a hint of grassy greenness and a touch of zesty citrus fruits.
A relatively nice and balanced effort, coming across like a fruity New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is definitely quite herbaceous, but it doesn't come across as unripe or too vegetal at any point - although I can understand the style here doesn't appeal to the opponents of Sauvignon Blanc. Although the style here isn't really to my preference, I must still admit this is a pretty good and well-made effort for a hybrid white. Nothing special, but a perfectly enjoyable and clean everyday white. At 19,97€ the wine feels somewhat pricey for the quality, though.
(86 points) -
2021 Weingut Manuel Engelhard Altenberg Regent - Germany, Rheinhessen (1.2.2023)
100% organically farmed Regent (a cross of Diana (itself a Silvaner x Müller-Thurgau crossing) and Chambourcin, a hybrid). 12% alcohol, 4 g/l residual sugar and 4,8 g/l acidity.
Rather deep, almost fully opaque and very youthful inky purplish-red color. The nose feels sweet, primary and not particularly attractive with almost cloying aromas of fruit jellies and cherry juice, some vanilla, a little bit of boysenberry jam, light toasty notes of cloves and other sweet-toned oak notes, a hint of blueberry and a touch of caramel. The wine is dry, extracted and juicy on the palate with a medium body and primary flavors of raspberry jelly and boysenberry jam, some candied fermentation notes, a little bit of vanilla, light mulled wine notes of cloves and cinnamon, a hint of tart lingonberry and a touch of wood. The wine is quite high in acidity with no tannins to speak of. The finish is dry, tart and almost cloying in character with very acid-driven yet still noticeably primary flavors of crunchy lingonberries and cherry marmalade, some boysenberry jam, a little bit of vanillin, light notes of cloves and a hint of savory wood spice.
Ugh, this was pretty unpleasant stuff. Despite the nice, bright acidity the wine came almost sweet in nature due to its borderline candied primary fruit flavors and quite dominant oak flavors lending a somewhat mulled-wine feel to it. This doesn't feel like a wine that could age, so most likely this wine is as good as it is going to get. Which isn't much, truth be told. Expensive for the quality at 15,99€.
(71 points) -
2019 Weingut Galler Pinotin - Germany, Pfalz (1.2.2023)
100% Pinotin, a hybrid originally thought to be a Pinot Noir x Resistenzpartner crossing, but was revealed to be a very complex cross: Cabernet Sauvignon x (Silvaner x ((Riesling x Unknown Vitis vinifera) x (JS12417 x Chancellor))). Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for three weeks and aged for two years in oak barrels. 12,5% alcohol, 1 g/l residual sugar and 5,2 g/l acidity.
Luminous, deep and somewhat translucent raspberry red color. Odd, fruity and slightly candied nose with aromas of raspberry juice, blackcurrant candies and jelly beans, some cherry tones, a little bit of old dry leather, light blueberry nuances, a hint of beet root, a touch of earth and a whiff of dusty old wood. The wine is juicy, youthful and somewhat polished on the palate with a medium bod and balanced flavors of cranberries, some red apple tones, a little bit of raspberry juice, light blueberry nuances, oaky hints of vanilla and cloves and a touch of ripe strawberry. The wine is moderately high in acidity with supple, easy tannins. The finish is dry, youthful and crunchy with a medium-long aftertaste of ripe cranberries, some wild strawberries, a little bit of blueberry, light oaky notes of vanilla and cloves and a hint of fresh red apple.
A pleasant, somewhat polished and maybe a bit odd but still enjoyable and balanced German hybrid red. There is something peculiar, off-center to this wine, but it's quite hard to put one's finger on. You can taste this isn't quite right for a typical red wine, but stylistically it passes for such with flying colors. A nice curiosity. Could use a bit less oak and more tannic grip, though. Feels a tad pricey for the quality at 19,89€.
(85 points) -
2017 Viñedos y Bodegas Pablo Vidadillo Menguante Selección - Spain, Aragón, Cariñena (1.2.2023)
One of the very, very few varietal Vidadillo wines in existence. 14,5% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar and 5,3 g/l acidity.
Deep, luminous and somewhat translucent cherry red color. The nose feels quite ripe, sweet-toned and somewhat evolved with fragrant, attractive aromas of dark forest fruits, some sweet black cherry, a little bit of woody spice, light sweeter oak notes of cloves and vanilla and a distinctive, perfumed hint of exotic flowers. The wine feels broad, dense and quite rich on the palate with a full body and ripe, somewhat sweet-toned flavors of savory spices, somewhat dried-fruit notes of raisin dark fruits and wizened figs, a little bit of strawberry, light jammy nuances of overripe raspberries, oaky hints of toasted wood and vanilla and a touch of soft black cherry. The structure relies mostly on the quite high acidity than on the supple, resolved tannins. The finish is juicy, nuanced and moderately sweet-toned with a moderately long aftertaste of sweet, exotic spices and ripe dark berries, some raspberry jam, light raisiny notes, a little bit of woody oak spice, fragrant hints of cloves and a touch of dried figs.
A characterful but also maybe a bit polished Spanish red that shows some lovely, fragrant and floral character but also a good dose of sweet, toasty oak as well. The wine isn't heavily oaked - fortunately - but the oak influence feel still quite noticeable and at least to me, distracts from the more interesting floral and fruity nuances that seem to be Vidadillo's own varietal characteristics. Furthermore, the wine feels a bit evolved and raisiny, but it's hard to assess whether that is because of poor provenance or just hot climatic conditions of Cariñena - ie. if this is just how the wine is supposed to be. Without any further experience with Vidadillo, it's hard to tell. Anyways, this was a decent and enjoyable effort, priced according to its quality at 16,99€.
(89 points) -
2018 Blackbook Winery Cabernet Noir Little Wonder - United Kingdom, England, Essex (1.2.2023)
100% Cabernet Noir (a crossing between Cabernet Sauvignon and an unknown hybrid variety) sourced from Essex, vinified in London at the Blackbook urban winery. 75% of the fruit is destemmed, 25% kept in bunches. Spontaneous fermentation and MLF, aged in old Burgundy casks for 8 months, then blended and left to marry in a stainless steel tank for another 2 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 11,5% alcohol and 6,7 g/l acidity.
Somewhat translucent, slightly evolved and subtly hazy pomegranate color. The nose feels quite expressive, very distinctive and subtly funky with notes of wizened figs, some bretty notes of new leather, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light spicy notes of crushed peppercorns, a hint of earth, a flatulent touch of reduction and a leafy whiff of herbaceous character. The wine feels wild, crunchy and somewhat lean on the palate with a light-to-medium body and quite zippy flavors of ripe cranberries and wild strawberries, some bretty notes of leathery funk, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light lifted notes of VA, a hint of barnyard and a touch of fresh blackcurrant. The structure relies almost entirely on the brisk acidity as the light tannins feel almost nonexistent. The finish is dry, light and crunchy with a long, acid-driven aftertaste of crunchy cranberries, some barnyardy nuances, a little bit of licorice, light tart lingonberry tones, bretty hints of leather and smoky phenolic character and a touch of crowberry.
An enjoyably crisp, supple and crunchy little red, not unlike a funky naturalist red from Loire or Jura. Although the wine is made with a hybrid grape variety, there isn't anything foxy or "non-vinous" here - I guess the northerly location of the vineyards dictates the wine's style much more, making it feel so light, delicate and acid-driven in style. When it comes to the weight and acidity, this wine drinks more like a white wine - apart from its flavor profile, which is firmly in the red wine territory; perhaps the closest analogy would be a funky Loire Cabernet Franc from a cooler vintage. In a nutshell, this was a fun little wine. Nothing too weird or challenging, but definitely nothing particularly too common, either. A nice, crunchy effort for situations that call for a light and crunchy little red wine and a little bit of funk is not an issue. However, I must say that at 30,09€, this wine is quite overpriced for its quality.
(87 points) -
2017 Suertes del Marqués Valle de la Orotava 7 Fuentes - Spain, Canary Islands, Tenerife, Valle de la Orotava (1.2.2023)
A blend of Listán Negro (90%) from both estate fruit and purchased fruit from 10 different vineyards (their ages ranging from 10 to approx. 180 years) farmed by 35 different contract growers, along with some estate-grown Tintilla (10% - I'm not sure if this Trousseau or some other variety that goes by the name "Tintilla", eg. Tintilla Castellana aka. Tinto Cão). Aged for 8 months in concrete (60%) and 500-liter Allier oak barrels (40%). 13% alcohol and 5,0 g/l acidity.
Somewhat translucent and very slightly hazy cherry-red color with a moderately evolved maroon hue. Quite a bit of reduction in the nose that shows characterful yet moderately stuffy aromas of smoke and volcanic sulphurous tones, some salty liquorice, a little bit of wood bark, light notes of tobacco, red-toned hints of cherries and brambly raspberries, a touch of crushed peppercorns and a whiff of flinty smoke. The wine feels lively, crunchy and quite intense on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of crushed peppercorns and smoky reduction, some brambly notes of black raspberries, a little bit of tobacco, light crunchy notes of crowberries, red-toned hints of fresh cherries and tart red plums and a touch of licorice root. The overall feel is firm and moderately structured, thanks to the high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is long, fresh and juicy with a dry aftertaste of tobacco and smoky volcanic tones, some crunchy cranberry notes, a little bit of crushed peppercorn, light brambly notes of raspberries, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of fresh red plum.
A very nice, youthful and juicy Canary Islands red that is still super reductive, smoky and quite closed in nature, despite its 5½ years of age. Unlike the 2015 vintage, which felt weird and even somewhat vegetal, this wine is very true to the style of Suertes del Marqués, showing bright, dry fruit and lots of smoky volcanic elements. This wine still could use some further aging and even then a good deal of aeration is heartily recommended. These Suertes del Marqués wines aren't just pop'n'pour stuff. Lovely stuff with lots of upside - and unlike many TNs before me, I didn't pick up any bretty notes at any point. Just reduction. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 23,98€.
(91 points) -
2018 Stakhovsky Wines Saperavi ACE by Stakhovsky - Ukraine, Zakarpattia, Berehove Raion (1.2.2023)
100% Saperavi from Zakarpattia, the most westerly Oblast in Ukraine, next to Slovakia and Hungary. Aged for 11 months in used oak barrels sourced from a château in St. Julien. 12,5% alcohol.
Dense and almost fully opaque purplish color. Big, sweet-toned and quite inky nose with aromas of ripe dark plums, some licorice, light dusty wood tones, a little bit of sweet oak spices and chocolate dusting, a hint of chopped green herbs, a touch of ripe bilberries and a faint whiff of anise. The wine feels ripe, somewhat extracted and quite youthful on the palate with a moderately full body and intense, slightly sweet-toned flavors of bilberries and juicy dark plums, some black cherry tones, a little bit of black Bassett's wine gum, light creamy nuances of oak, a hint of herby spice and a touch of savory wood spice. The wine is high in acidity whereas the ripe tannins feel very supple and friendly. The finish is clean, juicy and gently grippy with a ripe, medium-long aftertaste of dark berries, some juicy black cherries, a little bit of ripe bilberry, light plummy tones, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of sweeter, toasty oak.
A nice, somewhat modern and very approachable but not too polished or overdone Ukrainian red. This definitely isn't a rustic, tough Saperavi - as opposed to the traditional kvevri-aged Saperavis of Georgia - but it still shows good varietal qualities, namely: deep, inky color; high acidity; modest level of alcohol; and vibrant, dark-fruited flavor profile. Although this might not be as thrilling and interesting as many Georgian Saperavis, this is still a thoroughly enjoyable and well-crafted wine where the emphasis is on freshness, vibrancy of fruit and bright acidity - something one doesn't always see in modern red wines! I could use a bit more tannic grip, though. Perhaps not quite worth the price at approx. 25-30€, this still isn't forbiddingly expensive for the quality. And who knows, maybe this might evolve into something more interesting with a handful of years in a cellar.
(88 points) -
2019 Domaine Giacometti Patrimonio Cru des Agriate - France, Corsica, Patrimonio (1.2.2023)
A blend of Nielluccio (aka. Sangiovese; 90%) and Sciaccarello (10%). All fruit destemmed, fermented spontaneously and macerated for two weeks in stainless steel tanks. After the fermentation the gravity-run wines, free-run wines and press wines are blended together but different parcels are vinified separately until the spontaneous MLF has finished. Once all the lots have finished MLF, a final blend is assembled and left to age on the fine lees in stainless steel tanks for 24 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with a minimal dose of SO2. 13,5% alcohol, 1 g/l residual sugar and 6,3 g/l acidity.
Youthful, luminous and quite translucent raspberry-red color. The nose feels aromatic, somewhat dusty and quite sunny yet not too sweet with fragrant aromas of wild strawberries and garrigue, some licorice root, a little bit of boysenberry, light cherry tones, a floral hint of violets and a touch of plum jam. The wine feels broad, juicy and somewhat sunny on the palate with full body and vibrant flavors of black cherries and dark plums, some licorice tones, a little bit of ripe strawberry, light boysenberry tones, savory hints of earth and tobacco and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The wine is moderately high in acidity with somewhat grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is savory, juicy and a bit warm with a long aftertaste of strawberries and ripe black cherries, some tobacco, a little bit of red licorice, light plummy tones, hints of earth and garrigue and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The tannins make the wine end on a somewhat grippy note.
A nice, sunny yet not too ripe or sweet Patrimonio red with good sense of harmony and firmness. Although not feeling primary in any way, the wine is still quite young and rather fruit-forward in nature - most likely the wine will develop a bit more depth and character with a few years of additional aging. All in all a balanced and approachable Corsican wine that can be drunk now but will keep for a good handful of years. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 23,98€.
(90 points) -
2015 Bodegas Ponce Manchuela Buena Pinta - Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Manchuela (1.2.2023)
Buena Pinta originally started out as a Moravia Agria-Garnacha blend, with almost equal proportions (60/40), but if I have understood correctly, the 2015 vintage is very Moravia Agria-dominant, having only a 10-15% addition of Garnacha. The grapes are biodynamically farmed and the grapes undergo a partial carbonic maceration and fermentation with natural yeasts as whole bunches (with stems and all that jazz), after which the wine is left to age in old, neutral French oak barrels of 600 liters. After 7 months of aging the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered and released shortly thereafter. The annual production is some 7,000 bottles. 12,5% alcohol.
Luminous, quite translucent cherry-red color that doesn't really look young nor old. The nose feels fragrant and full of character with layered aromas of wild strawberries and ripe cranberries, some funky notes of leather and phenolic spice, light dried flower tones, a little bit of tobacco, hints of dusty earth and sandy soil and a herby, somewhat sweet touch of pot. The wine feels harmonious, quite resolved and silky on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of wild strawberries and ripe raspberries, some pipe tobacco, a little bit of red licorice, light funky notes of leather and phenolic spice, a hint of marmaladey red fruit and a touch of peppery spice. The wine still retains nice sense of firmness with its high acidity and quite sparse yet still chalky and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is dry, complex and moderately grippy yet still wonderfully silky with a long, harmonious aftertaste of wizened dark forest fruits and wild strawberries, some bretty notes of leathery funk with subtly animale undertones, a little bit of tobacco, light gravelly mineral nuances, a savory hint of developed umami character and a touch of wizened red fruits.
A wonderful, characterful and still enjoyably structured Manchuela red that highlights the firmness and freshness of Moravia Agria - a rare local variety that has been historically used as a blending component to liven up heavier reds. Following this wine for more than six years has revealed that this wine was not only a terrific wine upon its release, but it also had great potential for aging! I wouldn't say this wine has noticeably improved from the already wonderful spot it was in soon after release, but the wine hasn't decreased in quality in any way, either; it has just evolved laterally, into something different and equally interesting with age. It still retains great sense of firmness, freshness and structure but has lost some of the funk in lieu of the more evolved and somewhat more savory nuances. And fortunately this wine wasn't as reductive as the bottle we opened a few years ago! All in all, this is an excellent wine and a real bargain at just 12€.
(94 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
