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WTN: Some New/Unusual Whites...(long/boring)

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TomHill

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WTN: Some New/Unusual Whites...(long/boring)

by TomHill » Mon Aug 20, 2018 1:26 pm

We tried last night (8/15/18) Some New White Wines:
1. GramercyCllrs Picpoul WallaWallaVlly/Washington (12.2%; www.GramercyCellars.com) GregHarrington/
WallaWalla 2017
: Pale yellow color; rather stony/chalky/mineral somewhat savory some floral/apple/pear/
citrus bit spicy/cinammon interesting/attractive nose; fairly taty/tangy/metallic slight earthy/stony/
chalky light floral/apple/pear/citrus flavor; very long tart/tangy bit saline/savory slight citrusy/
floral/apple/pear bit earthy/stony finish; quite stylistically like Fr. Picpoul di Pinet but not as
lean/austere; quite a nice Picpoul that's more French than Calif. $16.00 (H-T)
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2. Forlorn-Hope Picpoul RorickVnyd/CalaverasCnty (12.62%; 152 cs; www.ForlornHopeWines.com) 2015: Med.light
gold color; very strong aromatic bit honeyed/citrusy/orangey/orange blossom quite spicy bit perfumed talc/
earthy/pungent slight resiny/pine sap (skin-contact?) rather exotic/interesting nose; bit soft some
rich/lush strong citrusy/orangey/bit honeyed slight pine sap/resiny very slight stony quite exotic flavor;
very long/lingering honey/citrus/orangey bit earthy/perfumed talc slight resiny finish w/ no tannins;
seems to have a slight bit of skin-contact character; quite an unusual/exotic expression of Picpoul.
$30.00
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3. Bisson DOC: Portofino Cimixa L'Antico (13.5%; RosenthalWineMerchant) Luigi Veronelli/Chiavari 2015: Light
gold color; rather fragrant floral/carnations/bit citrusy/grapefruity/metallic quite attractive/aromatic
almost GV-like nose; quite tart/tangy/metallic floral/carnations bit citrusy/grapefruity/almost Buddha'sHand
bit GV-like/bit R-like beautiful flavor; very long/lingeringcitrusy/grapefruity/orangey/Buddha'sHand/perfumed
some tangy/metallic rather saline/savory finish; quite an interesting/bit exotic white. $27.00 (H-T)
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4. Manzone DOC: Langhe Rossese Bianco Rosserto (13.5%; www.HMercerImports.com; www.ManzoneGiovanni.com)
Giovanni Manzone/Castelleto/Monforte d'Alba 2015
: Med.light gold color; slight pungent/phenolic bit
earthy/mineral slight smokey (oak?) rather perfumed/floral bit Mosel valve oil/mineral complex very
interesting nose; lightly tart somewhat rich/lush slight pungent/smokey very slight phenolic rather
floral/perfumed some Mosel valve oil quite complex/exotic flavor; very long/lingering slight petrol
somewhat floral/perfumed bit pungent/smokey complex finish; a beautiful perfumey/aromatic quite interesting
white at a great price. $17.00 (H-T)
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5. Laura Aschero DOC: Riviera Ligure di Ponente Pigato (13%; www.Massanois.com) Laura Aschero di Marco Rizzo/
Pontedassio/Imperia/Liguria 2017
: Light gold color; slight reduced/skunky very fragrant/floral/carnations
bit herbal/grassy some saline/savory bit like Styrian SauvBlanc quite aromatic lovely complex nose; quite
tart/tangy somewhat saline/savory some pungent/herbal/grassy/vegetal/broccoli some savory quite aromatic
very interesting/complex flavor; very long slightly reduced somewhat herbal/grassy slight vegetal/broccoli
somewhat floral/aromatic/carnations finish; quite an interesting white a bit like a Styrian SauvBlanc.
$25.00 (H-T)
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6. TablasCreekVnyds Vermentino AdelaidaDist/PasoRobles (13.0%; Rolle; SS Ferment; EB) PasoRobles 2017: Med.light
yellow color; quite fragrantfloral/Vermen/carnations slight mineral/chalky bit metallic very perfumey
lovely nose; lightly tart fairly rich/lush quite floral/Vermen/carnations slight chalky/mineral lovely
perfumed flavor; very long/lingering fairly rich/lush quite aromatic/floral/carnations bit stony/chalky
lightly tart finish; loads of perfumed Vermen fruit; a bit one-dimensional right now but should develop
beautifully over the next few yrs; a lovely white at a great price. $21.25 (VIN)
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7. Punta Crena Mataossu Vigneto Reine IGT: Colline Savonesi White Liguria Wine (12.5%; KermitLynchImports)
Savona/Liguria 2016
: Med.light gold color; very strong stony/mineral/perfumed talc some appley/apple pie/spicy
bit floral/carnations slight hair oil really complex/interesting aromatic nose; lightly tangy/tart some stony/
mineral/chalky quite apple pie/spicy/nutmeg/cinammon some floral/carnations/rose petal beautiful complex flavor;
very long/lingering slight tangy/metallic bit stony/mineral strong apple pie/cinammon/nutmeg quite floral/
carnations/rose petal complex finish; a really beautiful complex Ligurian white. $25.00 (H-T)
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More wifflelick from TheBloodyPulpit:
1. This was a very interesting tasting of whites. The wines were all distinctly different. When you're
tasting new varieties, it is often hard to come up w/ adequate discriptors. Most of these wines were in my
recent order from Hi-Time in CostaMesa, a really great wine shop.
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2. Cimixa: Or Scimiscià, is a pretty rare grape indigeneous to Liguria. Also known as Genovesa in Corsica.
Best discussion is on (the late) RobTebeau's blog
(http://fringewine.blogspot.com/2012/12/ ... esato.html), which still remains
a valuable resource for rare/fringe grapes. The term Cimixa refers to bedbugs because the vines supposedly
have small splotches on them that look like bedbug bites. I rather liked this wine. Clearly Cimixa is a
grape they should be planting all up&down the Coast of Calif. Don't tell BrianHarrington, though.
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3. Rossese Bianco: This is a grape variety that is grown only in the Cuneo province of the Langhe. It has no
relation DNA-wise to the red Rossese grape of Liguria or the other Rosseses of Italy, like Grillo. I liked
this one quite a lot and one of the better Langhe biancos I've had. Clearly, this is a grape they should be
planting all up&down the Coast of Calif. Don't tell BrianHarrington, though.
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4. Pigato: A variety that is mostly grown in Liguria. Often termed a local strain of Vermentino. It is grown
in the Langhe where it is called Favorita. So, obviously known as Rolle in the Rhone. It typically, except
in Sardinia where it is also grown, quite an aromatic/perfumed grape. It apparently has some common traits
with Hungary's Furmint. Clearly, Pigato is a grape they should be planting all up&down the ColumbiaVlly
of WashState.
Laura Aschero is a new producer for me. (http://www.lauraaschero.it/index-en.shtml). They make a distinction
between their Pigato and Vermentino, but don't indicate what the distinction is.
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5. Mataossu: A grape found in the Collines Savonesi, around Savona, of Liguria. Also goes under the name of
Lumassina or Buzzetto. I also liked this wine quite a bit. Clearly Mataossu is a grape they should be planting
all up&down the Coast of Calif. Don't tell BrianHarrington, though.
Punta Crena is also a new producer for me. (http://www.puntacrena.it/). They make a distinction between
their Mataossu and Lumassina, but don't indicate what that distinction is. I would love to try some of their
other wines. A KermitLynch import: (https://www.kermitlynch.com/our-wines/punta-crena/)
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6. Liguria: This region, like the Valle d'Aosta, is a place (a bit touristy, I understand) I would love to visit
next time I'm over there to Italy. Spectacularly beautiful I understand.

Tom
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Re: WTN: Some New/Unusual Whites...(long/boring)

by SteveEdmunds » Mon Aug 20, 2018 8:26 pm

Tom, if you go, I think you'll love Cinque Terre, for the incredible old foot trails the Romans laid down before you began following them! :D
I drank a Laura Aschero Vermentino when I was in Liguria, back in 1990. I think her wines are really exceptionally good.
I don't know just how I'm supposed to play this scene, but I ain't afraid to learn...
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Pigato vs. Vermentino

by TomHill » Tue Aug 21, 2018 11:02 am

I'd always thought these to be one in the same grape. Turns out, although DNA says they're identical, they make distinctly different wines.
Nice article here:
Pigato/Vermentino

Very much like Primitivo vs. Zinfandel. Same grape, DNA wise, but make different wines.

Tom

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