TN: Oxidized wines...

WINE TALK
1

…or at least wines made very oxidatively!

And here “oxidatively made” doesn’t mean that the wines are just aged for a very long time in topped-up barrels, like Lopez de Heredia’s Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Blanco, Marques de Murrieta’s Castillo Ygay Blanco Gran Reserva Especial or Ganevat’s Les Vignes de Mon Pére, that get slowly oxidized through the wood. No, all these wines (bar the last two blinds) were made deliberately in the presence of oxygen without any attempt to protect the wine from oxidation. Here oxygen isn’t just means to add complexity, but actually make the wine get some aldehydic qualities that result from oxidation.

Normally the difference between the terms “oxidative” and “oxidized” is quite clear-cut; “oxidative” means that wines are influenced by oxygen during the winemaking in order to increase the complexity and aging capabilities of the wines, whereas “oxidized” means that oxygen has impacted the wine negatively, resulting in a wine with a strong, oxidized character. However, in wines that show very strong oxidized character, yet are made such on purpose, should they be considered “oxidized” or “oxidative”? I guess as long as the wines perform as they should, they’re still “oxidative”, even if their overall character is more “oxidized” than “oxidative”. Only if the wine is really, completely and undeniably oxidized, and shouldn’t be as badly oxidized, it’s appropriate to call these wines “oxidized”.

Alright, then on to the wines. Since some styles here might be less known, I guess a short introduction is in place.

Côtes du Jura and Côtes du Jura Tradition: These can be anything from heavily oxidative declassified Vin Jaunes to very fruity and vibrant whites with only a tiniest bit of oxidative character. While there are some rare local varieties in Jura, virtually all white varieties farmed there are either Chardonnay or Savagnin. Classic Côtes du Jura whites were (and still are) moderately oxidative wines that could be either varietal Chardonnays or Savagnins. Unlike the name would suggest, Côtes du Jura Tradition really isn’t a traditional style, but instead a wine style introduced in the 1970’s: a blend of Chardonnay and Savagnin aged oxidatively for three years. Nowadays this style is probably the most famous style of oxidative Côtes du Jura and made in a number of different styles - one of the popular styles is to blend fruity, reductively made Chardonnay with oxidatively aged Savagnin.

These types of wines are very different of the currently more popular, modern styles of ouillé Jura whites, which are made by topping up the barrels, thus avoiding any oxidative characteristics.

Vin Jaune: Always 100% Savagnin from Jura, made with very late-harvested grapes. The wines are vinified normally, but after 6-18 months after the harvest the wines are moved to small oak barrels for the oxidative aging. The AOC stipulates that the wine must be aged for 5 years in oak barrels which are not topped up. Some producers fill the barrels only partially, making the wine oxidize much faster before the voile - yeast film - forms to protect the wine, while others fill the barrels completely so that the film appears rather soon as headspace starts to form as the wine evaporates. Traditionally these wines are made in very old, neutral oak barrels, but some producers have started to employ more new oak barrels, which can imbue some noticeable oak flavor to the wine. The evolution of these wines is followed constantly and if the wine seems to oxidize faster than it is preferable - ie. the wine can’t survive the whole 5 years in an oak barrel - the barrel is removed from the system and either bottled as a Côtes du Jura or blended with Chardonnay to make some Côtes du Jura Traidition. If the wine starts to get too volatile, it is either made into vinegar or sent to distillery. Although Savagnin is typically harvested at 13% potential alcohol, Vins Jaunes tend to hover around 13,5-15% alcohol. This is due to evaporation - if the barrels are stored in cooler environments, the wines finish less concentrated at lower ABV, whereas barrels kept in warmer conditions tend to finish more concentrated with higher ABV. These wines can be bottled only in December six years after the harvest, ie. a minimum of 75 months.

Château-Chalon: a unique appellation for Vin Jaune made around the town of Château-Chalon, ie. all Château-Chalons are always Vin Jaune. This appellation is unique in the sense that the local appellation committee supervises the vineyards and wines and if they decide that a vintage is too poor, no producer is allowed to make Château-Chalon, but the wines must be sold as Côtes du Jura. The committee also accepts all the base wines for aging and finished wines before commercialization. Although it is very rare for Château-Chalon not to declare a vintage (happened only a four or five times in the history of the appellation), it’s more common for a producer to get disqualified upon the final inspection. At this point the only way for the producer is to either sell the wine as Côtes du Jura or blend it with other wines.

Fino Sherry: Typically Fino Sherry isn’t actually oxidatively made, even if most people think so. This is because most people (rightly) associate acetaldehyde with oxidation and flor - the yeast film - that appears on the surface of Sherry that is aging in oak barrels protects the wine quite effectively from oxidation, but at the same time quite readily consumes alcohol and glycerol, converting it into copious amounts of acetaldehyde. This lack of glycerol explains why Fino Sherry tends to be surprisingly light and delicate despite being a wine made from very ripe Palomino grapes and fortified to 15% ABV! And these elevated levels of acetaldehyde are responsible of the sharp and seemingly “oxidative”, pungent and saline characteristics that are so typical of Fino Sherry. The one Fino in our tasting, however, wasn’t a true Fino Sherry, but instead one sourced from a solera system where the wines are kept for so long that they’ve started to get oxidative from the oxygen that seeps through the wood and as the flor starts to slowly die, resulting in a somewhat oxidative style called Fino-Amontillado.

Manzanilla Pasada is a style of Fino-Amontillado that comes from the village of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Fino Sherry made in Sanlúcar is called Manzanilla and once Manzanilla is aged for long enough to the voile to partially die and disappear (so that the wine starts to slowly oxidize), the resulting wine is called Manzanilla Pasada.

Szamorodni (“as it comes” or “come what may”) is a traditional Hungarian wine style from Tokaji. Tokaji is famed for their sweet Aszú wines which are made by adding lusciously sweet botrytized grape paste to zippy dry white, whereas Szamorodni is made more akin to Sauternes or Beerenauslese. The wines are made from a hodgepodge selection of grapes which can be anything from fresh, clean grapes to completely shrivelled, botrytized raisins that are vinified together. If the amount of botrytized grapes remains pretty low, the wines are fermented dry and then aged oxidatively in partially filled oak barrels under a yeast film, resulting in wines that are not unlike Fino Sherry or Vin Jaune. These are labeled as Szaraz (“dry”).

Wines made with high proportion of botrytized grapes (or even completely botrytized grapes) are made into Édes (“sweet”) Szamorodni that is aged normally for 1½-2 years in oak barrels and must be at least 50 g/l in residual sugar.

Typically more Szamorodni is made in poor vintages when botrytis fails to develop to a large degree. In these vintages Szamorodnis can really shine as all the best grapes normally used for Aszú wines are made into Szamorodni instead.

Here are the wines we had, including two blind wines that were opened after the tasting proper:

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  • 2010 Domaine Macle Côtes du Jura - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (26.8.2021)
    A blend of Chardonnay and Savagnin aged in oak barrels sous voile. From what I’ve understood, this is made by selecting which Savagnin barrels don’t have enough character for the Château-Chalon and then blending those with Chardonnay. I’m not sure if Macle makes two different wines labeled only “Côtes du Jura” or if the style has changed at some point, because some tech sheets I can find say this wine is a blend of Chardonnay (50%) and Savagnin (50%) aged for 3 years under voile, whereas other tech sheets say this is a blend of Chardonnay (80-85%) and Savagnin (15-20%) aged for 18 months under voile. Anyway, this is a traditional, oxidatively made Jura white, no matter how you look at it. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol.

Luminous, medium-deep lemon-yellow color. Moderately oxidative and slightly pungent yet at the same time surprisingly fresh and youthful nose with quite fruity aromas of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some aldehydic notes of green almonds and sorrel, a little bit of creamy oak, light Granny Smith apple tones and a hint of almost unripe peach. The wine is broad, medium-bodied and slightly oxidative on the palate with surprisingly fruity flavors of tart green apples, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of pungent aldehydic green almond character, light nutty notes, ripe and juicy hints of peach and citrus fruits and a touch of mushroomy funk, especially towards the aftertaste. Moderately high in acidity; surprisingly low for a Jura, but more than enough to keep the wine wonderfully in balance. The finish is long, tangy and somewhat oxidative with flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some sweet peachy tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and tangy salinity, an oxidative hint of chopped nuts and a sharp touch of Granny Smith apple.

A sophisticated, vibrant and surprisingly fruity Côtes du Jura made in the traditional, oxidative style. Many people commented how the wine bore the classic, aldehydic notes of Jura, yet was fruity enough to make the wine accessible and enjoyable for people who would normally turn away from oxidative wines. The stylistic difference between this and heavily more oxidative 2008 vintage was quite striking. All in all, this was a pretty lovely effort, combining the classic, aldehydic style of Jura with more fruity qualities. Perhaps a bit easy and mellow on the acid department, but a very balanced effort all the same. Priced according to the quality at 29€. (91 pts.)

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  • 2008 Domaine Macle Côtes du Jura - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (26.8.2021)
    A blend of Chardonnay and Savagnin aged in oak barrels sous voile. From what I’ve understood, this is made by selecting which Savagnin barrels don’t have enough character for the Château-Chalon and then blending those with Chardonnay. I’m not sure if Macle makes two different wines labeled only “Côtes du Jura” or if the style has changed at some point, because some tech sheets I can find say this wine is a blend of Chardonnay (50%) and Savagnin (50%) aged for 3 years under voile, whereas other tech sheets say this is a blend of Chardonnay (80-85%) and Savagnin (15-20%) aged for 18 months under voile. Anyway, this is a traditional, oxidatively made Jura white, no matter how you look at it. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14% alcohol.

Moderately deep golden yellow color with a pale bronze core. Wonderfully evolved and attractively complex nose with moderately oxidative aromas of bruised apple, some browned butter, a little bit hazelnut, light sweeter notes of nectarine and lemon marmalade, an aldehydic hint of sorrel and a touch of smoke. The wine is evolved, firm and tangy on the palate with a medium body and dry, sharp flavors of lemony citrus fruit, aldehydic notes of green almonds and tangy salinity, light Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of creaminess that is leaning towards browned butter, a hint of chopped hazelnuts and a touch of stony minerality. The high acidity lends great sense of structure to the wine, making it feel almost electric on the palate. The finish is long, crunchy and very lively with flavors of aldehydic sorrel and sharp salinity, some oxidative notes of chopped nuts and bruised apple, light lemony notes, a hint of mushroomy funk and a touch of cooked cream.

A beautifully evolved, complex and precise Jura white made in the traditional, oxidative style. Tasting this side-by-side with the vintage 2010, the difference was remarkable, this wine being very traditional, oxidative and high in acidity, whereas the 2010 vintage felt noticeably fruitier and less oxidative with relatively modest acidity compared to this vintage. Both great wines in their own way, but to me this vintage was pretty much as classic as a traditional Jura white gets - just the way I love them - whereas the 2010 was more like a Jura white with training wheels (probably more accessible for most people as well). At 26€, this wine is definitely worth the price. (93 pts.)

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  • 2016 Domaine de Montbourgeau L’Etoile En Banode - France, Jura, L’Etoile (26.8.2021)
    A co-fermented blend of Chardonnay and Savagnin from an organically farmed vineyard planted in 1970. Fermented spontaneously in stainless steel. Aged for a year in a 2500-liter foudre (which corresponds to the total annual production of the wine), then aged oxidatively for another 1,5 to 2 years in old, neutral 500-liter demi-muids that are never topped off. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol.

Moderately hazy and still rather youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels somewhat leesy, a little bit reductive and slightly wild with aromas of lemongrass, some cidery notes of green apples, light notes of hay, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, a hint of sappy herbal spice and a reductive touch of rubber. The wine benefits from aeration and the reductive qualities slowly blow off with air, making the nose appear more fruity. The wine feels lively, tangy and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with bright, youthful flavors of tart green apples and greengage, some lemongrass, light bitter notes of apple peel, a little bit of tangy aldehydic salinity, a sweeter hint of white peach and a touch of rubbery reduction. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine wonderfully in balance and lends it good sense of focus. The finish is fresh, quite long and slightly oxidative with flavors of tart Granny Smith apple and ripe lemony citrus fruits, some aldehydic salty notes, a little bit of almond-driven nuttiness, light stony mineral nuances and a hint of mushroomy funk.

A traditional l’Etoile white, although surprisingly youthful, fruity and less oxidative I anticipated. The reductive qualities suggest that this wine is still all too youthful and really could use years more in a cellar. Obviously has that salty, slightly oxidative note of aldehydic tang typical of Jura whites, but the overall feel isn’t as nutty and oxidative as the most extreme examples of Jura can be. Due to its youthful overall feel and slightly reductive nature, the wine comes across as a bit linear at the moment, suggesting more aging potential than immediate pleasure. Feels like the wine could use another 5-10 years in a cellar, so expect the score to go up as the wine age. Priced according to its quality at 19,90€. (89 pts.)

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Beautiful, deep and luminous golden yellow color with faint greenish highlights. Very characterful, quite distinctive and moderately oxidative nose with aromas of chopped walnuts, some bruised apple, a little bit of something bready, light lifted note of something herbal and minty and a hint of sweeter white peach. The wine is very evolved, quite tertiary and moderately funky on the palate with a light-to-medium body and somewhat earthy flavors of walnuts, tangy aldehydic salinity, some damp earth, a little bit of dirty, damp wool sock, light lemony notes and a hint of stale bread. High in acidity. The finish is long, tangy and somewhat dull with flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some tangy salinity, a little bit of tart Granny Smith apple, light nutty oxidative notes, hints of damp, sweaty wool socks and funky cheese and a touch of earth.

Meh. This wine wine doesn’t seem to have benefited from aging - in our tasting of oxidative (mainly Jura) whites, this wine was the only one that didn’t taste just heavily oxidative, but also quite oxidized. And not in a good way - the overall feel was quite earthy, unclean and rather unpleasant. The wine had an aftertaste that was not unlike the unpleasant nutty taste of mousiness, only this was just unclean and oxidized. I wonder whether the wine was just too old for its own good or if the wine was not that high quality to begin with? All in all, something of a disappointment and not really worth the 35€. (69 pts.)

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  • 2010 Domaine de Savagny Côtes du Jura Vin Jaune - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (26.8.2021)
    A Vin Jaune from La Maison du Vigneron, a large yet quality-oriented co-operative-turned-négociant. All the Savagnin grapes come from the vineyards of the 12-hectare Domaine de Savagny, a small producer purchased by La Maison du Vigneron. The wine is aged sous voile for 75 months before bottling. 15% alcohol.

Pale straw yellow color. Pungent and quite noticeably oxidative - yet not oxidized - nose with classic Vin Jaune notes of roasted walnuts, some peaty notes, a little bit of aldehydic sorrel and tart green apple, light sweet notes of acacia honey, a hint of smoke and a funky yet not unpleasant whiff of wet dog. The wine feels firm, crisp and acid-driven on the palate with a medium body and noticeably intense flavors of salted nuts, some browned butter, a little bit of lemongrass, light aldehydic notes of green almonds and green apple wedges, a hint of peat smoke and a faint touch of creamy oak. The bracing acidity lends tremendous sense of structure and freshness to the wine. The finish is long, racy and somewhat oxidative with very intense flavors of tart green apples and some salted lemon wedges, a little bit of hay, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and green almonds, a hint of creaminess and a touch of smoke.

A lean, pungent and noticeably intense Vin Jaune with more emphasis on the tangy aldehydic notes rather than oxidative qualities. The wine does show subtly oaky undertones, which is something I normally don’t see in Vins Jaunes, but they fortunately remain nicely in the background. More surprising is how the 15% alcohol doesn’t show one bit. All in all, a very serious and convincing effort for a Vin Jaune from a large négociant (that produces +10% of all wines in Jura!). Based on how tremendously youthful the wine is at almost 11 years of age, I can see this developing for many more decades. Lovely stuff, priced according to its quality at 41€ for a 0,62-liter clavelin. (93 pts.)

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  • 2005 Auguste Pirou Côtes du Jura Vin Jaune Club des Sommeliers - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (26.8.2021)
    A supermarket-brand Vin Jaune from the Club des Sommeliers range, made by Henri Maire and produced under the Auguste Pirou brand name. Aged for approximately 10 years in the cellar’s of Henri Maire house. 14% alcohol.

Pale straw yellow color. Surprisingly ripe and sweet-toned nose with aromas of juicy peach, some sharp, saline notes of acetaldehyde, a little bit of lemon marmalade, light green apple notes, a hint of evolved creaminess, a touch of savory old wood and a whiff of fresh and crunchy yellow fruits. The wine is silky smooth and somewhat concentrated by the age with a medium body and layered flavors of ripe lemon, some evolved creamy tones, a little bit of sweet stone fruits, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and green almonds, a hint of damp wool and a touch of pithy grapefruit. The overall feel is surprisingly supple and soft for a Vin Jaune, being “only” moderately high in acidity and surprisingly easy on the sharp aldehydic notes. The finish is quite long and a bit more tangy with moderately aldehydic flavors of sorrel and green almonds, some tart lemony notes, a little bit of sharp salinity, light evolved nuances of cooked cream and roasted nuts, a sweeter hint of ripe yellow fruits and a touch of steely minerality.

A nice and nuanced Vin Jaune, but also somewhat soft and easy for the genre, coming across as a very fruity and at times even slightly sweet wine, lacking a bit on the distinctive (love-or-hate) aldehydic Vin Jaune qualities. This is definitely recognizable for a Vin Jaune, but in a lineup of four Vins Jaunes, this came across as the softest and least interesting. However, it was admittedly also the most accessible effort, so I guess there’s a good reason why a wine like this has ended up being an inexpensive supermarket brand Vin Jaune. Priced according to its quality at 24€ for a 0,62-liter clavelin. (89 pts.)

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  • 2009 La Maison du Vigneron Château-Chalon - France, Jura, Château-Chalon (26.8.2021)
    A Vin Jaune from La Maison du Vigneron, a large yet quality-oriented co-operative-turned-négociant. All the Savagnin grapes come from the tiny appellation of Château-Chalon and, according to the appellation regulations, these wines are made only in declared vintages there the quality is sufficiently high throughout the appellation. Aged sous voile for a minimum of 75 months. 14,5% alcohol.

Deep, luminous lemon-yellow color. Sharp, almost electric and wonderfully nuanced nose with aromas of lemony citrus fruits, aldehydic notes of green almonds and sorrel, light Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of hay, sweet hints of honey and ripe yellow fruits and a floral touch of Labrador tea. The wine feels ripe, concentrated and lively on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense, tangy flavors of aldehydic salinity, juicy citrus fruits, some sweeter notes of apple jam and white fruits, light creamy notes of oak, a little bit of sorrel, a hint of honeyed richness and a spicy touch of curry. The overall feel is quite bold and substantial for a Vin Jaune and the moderately high acidity keeps the wine in good balance, even though the acidity doesn’t feel as high and piercing as is typical for Vins Jaunes. The finish is long and complex with quite concentrated and slightly sweet-toned flavors of ripe lemons, some almondy nuttiness, light apple jam tones, a little bit of honeyed richness, aldehydic hints of sorrel, green almonds and salinity and a touch of creamy oak.

A rather big, ripe and quite substantial wine for a Vin Jaune - or even for a Château-Chalon - with a rather full body, obvious ripeness and even slightly sweet-toned flavors. As seems typical for this négociant (but not for the style of wine), there are some subtly oaky nuances that really don’t obfuscate the flavors in any way, but nevertheless feel a little bit out of place for this style of wine. Nevertheless, this is an impressive, complex and wonderfully balanced effort where the warm 2009 vintage shows, but not too much. Perhaps lacking a bit in depth and definition if compared to the best Château-Chalons out there, but still a terrific wine. Due to its still very youthful overall feel, I can imagine this wine will continue to evolve for another decade or three. Perhaps a bit on the pricey side for the quality at 58€ for a 0,62-liter clavelin, but not forbiddingly so. (92 pts.)

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  • 2009 Marcel Cabelier Château-Chalon - France, Jura, Château-Chalon (26.8.2021)
    A Vin Jaune from La Maison du Vigneron, a large yet quality-oriented co-operative-turned-négociant, sold under the Marcel Cabelier brand name. All the Savagnin grapes come from the tiny appellation of Château-Chalon and, according to the appellation regulations, these wines are made only in declared vintages there the quality is sufficiently high throughout the appellation. Aged sous voile for a minimum of 75 months. 14,5% alcohol.

Deep, luminous lemon-yellow color. Quite concentrated but also moderately dry and nutty nose with savory aromas of chopped hazelnuts, hay, some ripe Granny Smith apple, light oxidative notes of roasted nuts, a little bit of lemony citrus fruits, a peaty hint of smoke and a touch of toasty oak spice. The wine is broad, slightly concentrated and pretty tangy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits, aldehydic salinity, some sweeter notes of apple jam and ripe nectarine, light herbal notes of lemongrass, a little bit of creamy oak and a floral hint of white orchard flowers. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine nicely in balance, lending it great sense of freshness and structure. The finish is sharp and tangy with bright flavors of aldehydic salinity and green almonds, some ripe Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of lemon marmalade, light notes of sorrel, a toasty hint of sweet wood or even brioche and a touch of crunchy gooseberry.

This wine was tasted alongside the La Maison du Vigneron Château-Chalon 2009, which supposedly is the same wine, but the wines didn’t feel entirely similar. I don’t know if the wines are made separately or if there was only some differences in the aging conditions between the release and the purchase, but even though the styles were quite similar (pretty ripe, slightly sweet-toned and oak showing a bit), the La Maison du Vigneron C-C felt a bit more substantial and concentrated in style with a slightly sweeter-toned overall character, while this Marcel Cabelier version was slightly drier, less concentrated and slightly lower-key in overall character. The differences were pretty minuscule and both the wines were pretty great, especially for a large négociant wines - albeit a bit on the glossy, polished style for the genre - but if push came to shove, I’d go for the La Maison du Vigneron bottling over this Marcel Cabelier label. However, good value at 46€ for a 0,62-liter clavelin. (91 pts.)

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  • NV Equipo Navazos Jerez-Xérès-Sherry La Bota de Fino “Macharnudo Alto” Nº 68 - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry (26.8.2021)
    The wine is sourced from Valdespino’s Solera system of Fino, saca of June 2016. Unlike normal Fino Solera systems, from which wine is bottled at the average age of 3 years, this is a larger system with much older wines. For the very same reason, this wine is not bottled only from the Solera (oldest) level, but as a blend of Solera and the first and the second criadera: at the Solera level the flor veil has all but died and most of the yeast lies at the bottom of the barrels, whereas in the second criadera the flor yeast is still very much alive, thick on the wine’s surface. The first criadera is somewhere in-between, slowly turning oxidative with a thin, partially exhausted layer of flor. In essence, this is not a Fino, but instead Fino-Amontillado, a Fino that has been aged for so long it has started to take on the oxidative qualities of an Amontillado. 15% alcohol. Total production 6500 bottles.

Pale and slightly hazy, light nutty-brown color with a thin, colorless rim. Complex, nutty and somewhat oxidative nose with slightly pungent aromas of chopped hazelnuts, some syrupy sweetness, a little bit of caramel, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and green almonds, a hint of smoke and a touch of candied orange zest. The wine is broad, full-bodied and complex on the palate with a dry and very umami-rich taste of chopped nuts, some mushroomy funk, a little bit of syrupy sweetness, light earthy notes of damp soil, sharp aldehydic notes of green apple wedges and sorrel, a hint of smoke and a touch of chalky bitterness. Typical of Sherry, the acidity feels quite modest, so the structure relies more on the piercing sharpness from the acetaldehyde. Overall the wine shows a very distinctive and balanced harmony between salty, tart, slightly sweet, subtly bitter and distinctively umami-rich flavors. The finish is long, complex and slightly funky with flavors of oxidative nuttiness and bruised apple, some caramel notes, a little bit of tart green apple, light aldehydic notes of sorrel and tangy salinity, a hint of mushroomy earth and a touch of syrupy sweetness.

A rich, complex and very distinctive Sherry that combines the relatively light and delicate style of Fino with more Amontillado or Oloroso-like richness and oxidative complexity. I do love the interplay of salinity, acidity, umami, sweetness and understated bitterness here, but at times I feel the wine could use a bit more acidity to stay better together, and the somewhat funky mushroomy and earthy tones tend to overwhelm some of the lighter nuances. This is a very good and distinctive Sherry, but in my books not among the greatest bottlings of Equipo Navazos. Nevertheless, terrific value at 26€. (91 pts.)

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Pale straw-yellow color with a deep, burnished golden yellow core. Pungent yet sweet and very attractive nose with layered aromas of syrupy molasses, some autolytic creamy notes, a little bit of earth, light aldehydic notes of hazelnuts and sorrel, a hint of old wood and an oxidative touch of bruised apple. The wine shows extraordinary intensity on the palate with its medium-to-moderately full body and rather concentrated, dry flavors of pronounced aldehydic saline tang, syrupy sweetness, some apple jam, light lemony citrus fruits, a little bit of crunchy pomelo, a hint of mushroomy funk and a touch of peat. The mouthfeel is slightly oily, but still the wine comes across as moderately high in acidity - which is quite atypical for a Sherry. The finish is long, sharp and very intense with complex flavors of chopped hazelnuts, aldehydic salinity, some syrupy richness, a little bit of sweet apple jam, light funky mushroomy tones, a hint of smoke and a touch of steely minerality.

A remarkably intense, complex and precise Manzanilla Pasada that leans more on the fresh, crisp style of Manzanilla, yet has quite a bit of oxidative, Amontillado-like complexity in the more oxidative nuances of hazelnuts and bruised apple. The very pronounced, sharp and saline notes of acetaldehyde don’t make this wine particularly approachable for the uninitiated, but for the Sherry geeks this is a spectacular, zippy and so very nuanced Manzanilla - very different to the Lusta Almacenista Manzanilla 1/21 of Manuel Cuevas Jurado that is noticeably lighter and more mellow in style. This is simply excellent stuff. Not particularly affordable at 42€ for a half-liter bottle, but delivers for the price. (94 pts.)

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  • 1986 Oremus Tokaji Szamorodni Száraz Dry - Hungary, Tokaji (26.8.2021)
    This is a Szaraz Szamorodni, aka. a wine made by co-fermenting both clean and botrytized grapes, fermenting the must to fully dry and the aged oxidatively under a yeast veil in oak barrels. 13% alcohol.

Pale and somewhat hazy syrupy brown color. Distinctive, very evolved and somewhat aldehydic nose with aromas of caramel, oxidative nuttiness, some orange marmalade, light smoky notes, a little bit of sharp aldehydic character, a hint of something meaty and a touch of slivered almonds. The wine is sharp, tangy and quite austere on the palate with a medium body, incisive acidity, some Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of pithy grapefruit bitterness, light oxidative notes of roasted nuts and syrupy richness, dull hints of damp wool and mushroomy funk and a touch of sharp aldehydic salinity. The bracing acidity lends tons of structure and intensity to the wine, but also emphasizes those bitter qualities quite a bit. The finish is one-dry, evolved and quite bitter with flavors of pithy grapefruit, some oxidative notes of caramel and chopped nuts, light meaty umami notes, a little bit of earth, a hint of damp wool and a touch of aldehydic salinity.

An interesting and well-evolved dry Szamorodni that is starting to get a bit past its peak. The wine is still quite drinkable, but the oxidative qualities are starting to dominate, and as all the fruitier qualities have diminished by now, the overall feel is rather lean and austere. It’s always an interesting opportunity to taste these older, rustic Tokajis from the communist era, but this doesn’t really reach the depth and vibrancy of those modern Szamorodnis. A good but not great wine, perhaps a bit on the pricey side at 24€ for a half-liter bottle. (86 pts.)

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  • 1964 Monimpex Tokaji Szamorodni Száraz Dry - Hungary, Tokaji (26.8.2021)
    This is a Szaraz Szamorodni, aka. a wine made by co-fermenting both clean and botrytized grapes, fermenting the must to fully dry and the aged oxidatively under a yeast veil in oak barrels. 12% alcohol.

Medium-deep and slightly cloudy dark brown color. Dull, unpleasant nose with aromas of sand dust, some musty notes of old house suffering from water damage (yet not any mildewy TCA notes), a little bit of vegetal geosmin character reminding me of freshly tilled earth and raw beets covered in dirt, light syrupy notes, a hint of damp soil and a touch of nuttiness. However, the nose slowly opens up with air, losing some of its musty and dusty aromas. The wine is dry, dusty and fully tertiary on the palate with a medium body and somewhat oxidative flavors of chopped nuts, some metallic notes of rusted iron, a little bit of earth, light lemony tones, a hint of burnt sugar bitterness and a green touch of something vegetal. The finish is somewhat dull and slightly dusty with medium-long flavors of earth, some metallic notes of rusty iron, light lemony tones, a hint of burnt sugar bitterness and a touch of something vegetal, possibly geosmin.

Meh. At first everybody thought the wine was corked and undrinkable, but it actually came somewhat back to life with air, losing quite a bit of its unpleasant, dusty qualities. I must say, I’ve never before had a wine that smelled like an old, musty, water-damaged cottage as much as this did. It did get better with age, but even though some people thought it turned out to be somewhat enjoyable in the end, I think it was just way too old and oxidative at this point and offered relatively little pleasure. It’s not fully oxidized or dead, but most likely not in a shape it used to be. No use in aging any remaining bottles and potential buyers, be wary. Feels overpriced for the quality at 20€. (65 pts.)

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  • 1989 Oremus Tokaji Szamorodni Édes Sweet - Hungary, Tokaji (26.8.2021)
    Unlike Tokaji Aszú, which is made from dry or still-fermenting white wine into which a certain amount of sweet paste made from crushed, botrytized grapes is added to, Édes Szamorodni is made by just fermenting clean and botrytized grapes together. The fermentation normally halts while the wine is still noticeably sweet (> 50 g/l RS). Aged for a minimum of 6 months in oak. 14% alcohol.

Quite deep, evolved and beautifully luminous coppery color with a reddish core. The nose feels rich, sweet and quite mature with intense aromas of maple syrup, some apple jam, light caramel notes, a little bit of smoke, light honeyed tones, a hint of cooked rose hips and a touch of nuttiness. The wine is medium-sweet, concentrated and quite racy on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of maple syrup, pithy grapefruit, some cooked rose hips, a little bit of burnt sugar bitterness, light apple jam tones, a hint of caramel and a touch of oxidative nuttiness. The bracing acidity lends tremendous intensity to the wine and seems to emphasize the somewhat bitter nuances in the taste. The finish is crisp, long and racy with off-dry to somewhat sweetish flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some burnt sugar bitterness, a little bit of apple jam, light maple syrup tones, an oxidative hint of roasted nuts and a touch of saline minerality.

An excellent, somewhat rustic but also wonderfully nuanced old-school Tokaji. Perhaps lacking a bit of the finesse and depth of the classic Tokaji Aszú wines, feeling more like a slightly rough and unpolished version of a traditional 3-or-4 Puttonyos Aszú. However, within its rustic roughness lies its charms - the wine is beautifully intense, characterful and surprisingly balanced. The wine certainly has sweetness, but at a relatively modest level, and the racy acidity takes away quite a bit of sweetness from the residual sugar. Fine stuff - this is a distinctive wine that goes well with aromatic cheeses or savory desserts. Excellent value at 19€. (92 pts.)

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Then the blinds!

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Rather pale yellow-green color with a slightly deeper lemon-yellow core. Sweet, very aromatic and even subtly foxy nose with characterful and slightly evolved aromas of apricot candies, some not unpleasant rubbery notes of reduction, a little bit of something waxy, light floral notes of apple blossom, a hint of ripe pear and a touch of honeyed sweetness. The wine is ripe, juicy and dry-ish on the palate with vibrant flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some honeyed richness, light apricot tones, a little bit of candied gummi bear character, a hint of poached pear and a touch of beeswax. Moderately high in acidity with a soft, silky and slightly short mousse. The finish is dry-ish-to-off-dry, quite long and enjoyably refreshing with flavors of peach, some poached pear, light honeyed tones, a little bit of chalky mineral bitterness, a hint of ripe citrus fruits and a touch of spicy red apple.

A noticeably ripe, juicy and quite substantial Riesling bubbly. Sort of over-the-top, but in a good way. My first guess was Riesling Sekt, because the aromatics were quite Riesling-like, even if the wine wasn’t particularly typical for a sparkling Riesling. However, even though I had tasted the wine at some point before, it didn’t come into my mind, so I guessed Rhenhessen and Baden instead of Rheingau. All in all, a distinctive fizzy Riesling that is sort of blockbuster-ish in style, yet still surprisingly crisp and refreshing. Drinks really well now, but most likely is capable for developing for years more. Fun stuff, recommended. (92 pts.)

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Pale, rather neutral whitish-green color. Fragrant, primary nose with aromas of ripe pear, some floral notes of apple blossom, light crunchy notes of quince, a little bit of youthful grapey fruit and a hint of pungent sweat. For my first impression I’ve jotted down that “this smells like Pinot Grigio”. The wine is broad, oily and moderately full-bodied on the palate with a slightly off-dry overall taste. Juicy flavors of sweet Golden Delicious apple, ripe quince, some beeswax, light fruity notes of pear, a little bit of candied primary fruit and a hint of persimmon. The overall feel is quite mellow, thanks to the rather modest acidity and subtle residual sugar sweetness. The finish is juicy, off-dry and slightly fat with a medium-long aftertaste of ripe golden apples, some primary notes of pear drops, a little bit of quince jam, almost marmaladey hints reminding me of something vaguely foxy and a touch of beeswax.

A pleasant, fruit-driven little white. It didn’t take me much time to guess the grape variety correctly - the wine did smell quite a bit like an inexpensive Italian Pinot Grigio, but it certainly didn’t taste like it on the palate. Stylistically the wine felt like it tried to be like a rich, off-dry Alsatian Pinot Gris, but falling a bit short on that front - the wine was simply too youthful, candied and primary to be taken completely seriously. Furthermore, the wine came in a half-liter bottle, which only added to the confusion. Since there is so very little Pinot Gris grown in Loire Valley, it was quite hard to pinpoint the wine there - even harder was to guess the wine came from IGP Urfé, since I’ve never even heard of the existence of such appellation. A fun little wine, but nothing too memorable. Priced according to its quality at 8,90€ for a half-liter bottle. (85 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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3

Great notes and background info!

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Wow, Otto… what an exceptional post. A great summary of these styles of wines. And great TN’s. Thanks for this great post.
Tom

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5

Agreed.

Bravo.

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Awesome post!

7

Those Macle Cotes du Juras are fantastic wines and great value. We are down to our last '07s which are drinking spectacularly well right now. We love these with Szechuan food.

8

I agree with you that Finos are oxidative but I wouldn’t use that terminology. The Sherry producers themselves classify wines as either oxidative (Oloroso and their ilk) or biologic (Fino). To avoid confusion, I prefer the producer’s terminology.

9

I have been in Jerez and as far as I recall, the producers do mention the term “Crianza biológica” every time they refer to Fino or the presence of Flor during the winemaking process, but I never hear of them classifying Oloroso (or Palo Cortado) as “Oxidative”, their way of describing the winemaking process is more about the dichotomy between the presence or absence of Flor.
Furthermore, I personally think that, as a taster, there is no good reason to avoid using the descriptor “Oxidative” when referring to Fino, regardless of the fact that those oxidative characteristics don’t come from exposure to oxygen.

10

I’m confused, I just stated above that Finos are not oxidative! When talking Sherry talk, I’d never describe Fino or Manzanilla as oxidative, but instead - as you yourself said - wines made using biological aging, ie. under flor.

Then of course there are the oxidative wines (Oloroso, Moscatel and PX) and styles that combine both (Amontillado, Fino-Amontillado and Manzanilla Pasada), which I’d certainly describe as oxidative wines. With Palo Cortado it’s rather hard to say in which style it belongs to, because the best Palo Cortados (or Dos Cortados or Tres Cortados) can show remarkably intense notes from the long biologic aging, yet they can be even more oxidative than most Olorosos! Nevertheless, I’d certainly describe Palo Cortados to be oxidative wines as well.

Funny, because I’ve seen many times dry Sherry wines (vinos generosos) categorized by their aging, ie. whether it is “crianza biológica” or “crianza oxidativa” - for example the official site of Jerez Consejo Regulador uses exactly these terms, for example here: https://www.sherry.wine/es/vinos-de-jerez/generoso/oloroso

Could you please also elaborate your comment on “the dichotomy between the presence or absence of Flor” - I really don’t get your point, because flor is exactly what protects the wine from oxidation and wines that either don’t develop flor or are fortified to strengths in which flor dies, ie. are aged in the absence of flor, are aged oxidatively.

And finally could you please explain why one should use the term “oxidative” when referring to Fino, if the wine doesn’t really show any other oxidative qualities apart from elevated levels of acetaldehyde (which, in turn, is not a universal sign of oxidation)? At least I think that if the wine is not at all oxidative, it’s a very good reason not to call it “oxidative”. Just as if a wine doesn’t see any oak, it’s not correct to call it “noticeably oaky”.

11

They truly are! It was very interesting to taste two vintages of almost same age side by side that were stylistically so very different from each other!

But yeah, I can imagine those tangy, curry spice-like notes of soloton, sharp aldehydic salinity and bright acidity can pair really well with spicy Szechuan food while the often relatively low alcohol doesn’t really clash with the hot elements in the food.

I really wish we had more Szechuan kitchen available here! Most Chinese restaurants around here make dishes that are all the same, boring and bland stuff, neutered from all spices and flavors, designed to cater the delicate Nordic taste that considers any flavors other than salt or pepper as “exotic” and thus very suspicious. pileon :smiley:

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I’m referring to this paraphrase “I prefer the producer’s terminology”. In my experience the producers I met (Horacio Hidalgo from La Gitana, Alberto Orte from Vinos Atlántico, Ramiro Ibáñez from Cota 45 to name a few) carefully avoid the use of the word “oxidative”. Only when attending a large, very touristic guided tour at Gonzalez Byass I heard the term “crianza oxidativa”.
I do understand and subscribe to the fact that the correct way to describe the winemaking process is “crianza biologica” vs “crianza oxidativa” or a mix of both, but when it comes to the producer’s terminology it seems that “crianza biologica” is part of their lexicon but “crianza oxidativa” is not.
When it comes to “their way of describing the winemaking process is more about the dichotomy between the presence or absence of Flor”, I’m not trying to make any point, just describing my experience. I would put it this way, how would you describe the difference between Fino and Oloroso if you want to avoid using any word that sounds like oxidation? One way to do that is to say that Fino is aged under a veil of Flor and Oloroso is not, and then it’s for us, the educated wine lovers, to know that Flor protects the wine from oxidation and the absence of it in a partially filled barrel will make the wine to age oxidatively.


This is an excellent question and please allow me to answer it with another question and use yourself as an example in this imaginary situation. Let’s say that you, Otto, tomorrow wakes up and for some inexplicable cosmic reason you forgot everything about Sherry, your deep knowledge of wine and your ability to identify and properly describe its characteristics is still intact, but Sherry is gone. Later that day (or immediately after waking up [wink.gif] ) you attend a wine tasting and you are served a glass of Manzanilla blind. Would you describe that wine as reductive, nor reductive - nor oxidative, or oxidative? The color is the tricky part because it normally doesn’t show any sings of oxidation, but what about the aromas and flavor profile? Is there anything on the aromas and flavors that would tell you “this is just acetaldehyde but this wine is not oxidized at all”?

13

Now this sounds impossible. :smiley: How am I to know whether a producer uses or doesn’t use the term “oxidative aging” for their oxidative wines?

In my experience the producers I met (Horacio Hidalgo from La Gitana, Alberto Orte from Vinos Atlántico, Ramiro Ibáñez from Cota 45 to name a few) carefully avoid the use of the word “oxidative”. Only when attending a large, very touristic guided tour at Gonzalez Byass I heard the term “crianza oxidativa”.

First of all, La Gitana (“the gypsy”) is a Manzanilla, not a producer. However, you can see Juan Manuel Hidalgo of Bodegas Hidalgo (the producer of La Gitana) mention oxidative aging in an interview in the official Sherry DO’s page here: Juan Manuel Hidalgo from | Sherry producer - Sherry Wines

I couldn’t find any data on Vinos Atlántico, because apparently that is a huge producer making wines all over both Spain and Portugal. Cota 45 apparently doesn’t have a website of their own, but at least their importer uses terms “biologic aging” and “oxidative aging”: Cota 45 - José Pastor Selections

I do understand and subscribe to the fact that the correct way to describe the winemaking process is “crianza biologica” vs “crianza oxidativa” or a mix of both, but when it comes to the producer’s terminology it seems that “crianza biologica” is part of their lexicon but “crianza oxidativa” is not.

I find that very hard to believe. They might not use the term when describing their wines to tourists (as some people might equate the “oxidative” with “oxidized” or “faulty” wine), but I’m 100% sure when they talk about their wines technically they speak of wines aged biologically or wines aging oxidatively - not just trying to tiptoe around the word “oxidative” and just speaking of barrels “aging with or without flor”.

This is an excellent question and please allow me to answer it with another question and use yourself as an example in this imaginary situation. Let’s say that you, Otto, tomorrow wakes up and for some inexplicable cosmic reason you forgot everything about Sherry, your deep knowledge of wine and your ability to identify and properly describe its characteristics is still intact, but Sherry is gone. Later that day (or immediately after waking up > [wink.gif] > ) you attend a wine tasting and you are served a glass of Manzanilla blind. Would you describe that wine as reductive, nor reductive - nor oxidative, or oxidative? The color is the tricky part because it normally doesn’t show any sings of oxidation, but what about the aromas and flavor profile? Is there anything on the aromas and flavors that would tell you “this is just acetaldehyde but this wine is not oxidized at all”?

I don’t understand. Yes! That is the point I’ve been trying to tell you all this time! In a classic, young Fino or Manzanilla, I do not find any oxidative qualities whatsoever! If the wine showed some reductive qualities, I’d describe it reductive, but otherwise I’d say it’s not reductive nor oxidative, just showing very elevated levels of acetaldehyde. If I knew nothing about Sherry, I’d say it’s quite similar to a Vin Jaune or Szamorodni, but with no perceptible oxidative character and lower acidity.

I certainly understand how most people associate acetaldehyde with oxidation, because that’s an intermediary product in conversion from ethanol to acetic acid and usually a sign of significant oxygen intake in wine. However, in these instances the wine should exhibit all traits of oxidation, which is color browning, hazy appearance in red wines, aroma degradation, possibly elevated levels of VA, etc. However, it’s dead obvious that Finos and Manzanillas (and some Vins Jaunes) do not show any of these characteristics; they simply exhibit elevated levels of aldehydes - nothing else (this is why I was also a bit confused by the first Fino I tasted, because I had been taught that Sherry is oxidative stuff and all the Sherries I had tasted before were Cream Sherries and those sweetened Olorosos, yet the Fino I had was more akin to a fresh white wine with nothing in the way of oxidation).

I’ve also had a few very odd red wines (curiously, I think they’ve all been traditionalist Nebbiolos with some age) - which I’ve thought they’ve been oxidized when opening a bottle as I’ve first sniffed the bottle mouth, smelling a very aldehydic nose of green apple slices, green almonds, nuts and sorrel. Yet in the glass the wines have turned out to be clear and youthful red in color, not showing any oxidative qualities, apart from a very aldehydic, Fino-like nose and taste. I suspect instead of oxidation, these wines have had a surface film-forming yeast infection in the bottle which has for a short period of time resulted in a small surface film in the bottle, gobbing up all the available oxygen (along with some nutrients and glycerol from the wine) and producing a healthy dose of acetaldehyde. This way the wine has not been oxidized at any point, but has developed a noticeably pungent, green, aldehydic character instead. Even though I love me some Fino and Manzanilla, all these wines have unsurprisingly gone down the drain. :smiley:

14

You are right, if I can’t produce some evidence about this claim then is just anecdotical and there is no way for you to know, so I’ll check if I can find anything and get back on this

First of all, La Gitana (“the gypsy”) is a Manzanilla, not a producer. However, you can see Juan Manuel Hidalgo of Bodegas Hidalgo (the producer of La Gitana) mention oxidative aging in an interview in the official Sherry DO’s page here: > Juan Manuel Hidalgo from | Sherry producer - Sherry Wines

La Gitana is a Manzanilla and a producer (Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana S.A.). You got the wrong Hidalgo on this one (I know, lots of Hidalgos in Andalucía… neener ). This is the one I was talking about https://bodegashidalgolagitana.com/

I find that very hard to believe. They might not use the term when describing their wines to > tourists > (as some people might equate the “oxidative” with “oxidized” or “faulty” wine)

Yes, but I would say that there is more than just “tourists”. I’ve seen people in this forum asking for non-oxidative Jura, non-oxidative Champagne, and so on. I find the European consumer to be more tolerant to oxidative (even slightly oxidized) wines than the USA consumer, and the same applies for high acidity, I’ve never heard an Italian complaining about the high acidity in Barbera while in the USA that’s the most common complaint.