WTN: Vappu!

"Vappu" is the name (derived orignially from german Waldpurgisnacht, believe it or not!) for the 1st of May celebrations over here. It is traditionally a celebration for students - hence I opened more bottles than I should have (I dread the headache tomorrow).

Bisol Jeio Prosecco NV is IMO a very fair Prosecco: it has notes of pears and white fruit, it is mineral enough. It may not be a "great" wine, but it is what I hope to see in Prosecco and is a delightful drink. Amount consumed during Vappu: too many bucketfuls...

Pierre Peters Champagne Extra Brut NV is indeed better than the Brut Cuvée de Réserve. The nose is refreshing and grassy, lemony, steely and mineral. The mousse is perfection in size and intensity. The palate is gloriously fruity yet has high acidity to keep it all in balance. Long and very refreshing aftertaste. Very nice indeed! But the sheer intensity of fruit doesn't seem like it is Extra Brut but rather plain Brut with a warm vintage base. I really love this bottling, but I do wonder what is the style that they aspire to? This bottling is what I would expect a Brut to be! Amount consumed during Vappu: not at all enough (i.e. 1 bottle divided with 4 drinkers), I would have preferred a magnum for me alone...

Adegas Valmiñor Albariño Rías Baixas 2005 is lovely - like always. I even liked their 2003! This is peachy and mineral and very true to the grape variety. The palate is very fruity and shows a warm year character without being flabby. In fact the acidity is just perfect. Long, mineral and very refreshing. Lovely!

Cape Mentelle Shiraz 2002 I bought because one of my guests loves Aussie Shiraz. I've never had a West Aus. Shiraz before, so I have no idea what that terroir is supposed to produce. This seemed like a fairly standard, but good if you like style, Aussie Shiraz to me: Very dark. The nose is frightfully alcoholic (label shows 14,5%). Yet there is a nice Aussie shiraz underneath the alcohol - and I admit that I tend to be very sensitive to alcohol. It is youthfully tarry with mulberry and eucalyptus hints. The palate is big, berry-like and extracted. There are some nice tannins. My guests, who obviously aren't as sensitive to alcohol, loved this wine. To me this seemed like an unresolved hot climate wine that wants to emulate a cool climate wine or vice versa. I.e. not to my taste.

-Otto-(who will probably sleep long tomorrow, and will nurse a headache )

[James Roscoe]

Happy Vappu to you!

I would have skipped the shiraz and kept on drinking more prosseco!

Hi Otto,
Always nice to hear about things like 'Vappu'. Wished I known about this about this the day before (seeing I am ahead of your time).
Anyway, 1 May is the start of duck shooting season in NZ. So we had duck for dinner last night.
Tonight, at a wine tasting, I had a rare opportunity to taste an Albarino, Not the same one as you tasted. It was the Pazo de Barrantes Albarino 2004 from Riaz Baixas. I don't know what 'true to the grape variety' is meant to be, but this was a crisp, high acid wine and in the blind tasting I was thinking dry Riesling or Chenin Blanc. It was really quite racy and fresh, very dry and tangy, and quite flinty.
Always enjoy your notes.
Cheers,
Sue

It was the Pazo de Barrantes Albarino 2004 from Riaz Baixas. I don't know what 'true to the grape variety' is meant to be, but this was a crisp, high acid wine and in the blind tasting I was thinking dry Riesling or Chenin Blanc. It was really quite racy and fresh, very dry and tangy, and quite flinty.
Always enjoy your notes.
Cheers,
Sue

Sounds delish! Both the duck and the Albariño. That's roughly what I meant by true to the grape (if such things can be said at all). If you'll permit a totally subjective descriptor, I find that the scent of peach (perhaps slightly underripe) is what I find often with the grape.

-O-