Classic or Not?

With the Aromatics Ace in town, it was the occasion to sample some wines over a meal.  The Ace decided to serve his two offerings blind, in the format of a wine options, and we served our winess identity known.  As is often the case, the wines seem to mend up being a natural grouping, and the thoughts whizzed through our minds: are these classical wines or not?

The first wine to list was the 2012 Valli ‘Old Vine Central Otago Riesling, made from  32 y.o. vines from the Black Ridge Vineyard in Earnscleugh, Alexandra.  Atypical, said The Ace, with its sage flavours.  SWMBO and I liked it for its range of flavours including the said sage, with limes and stonefruits, but more importantly fruit extract.  That’s a classical result of vine age, it seems.  Then a rare 2011 Heart of Gold Gisborne Petit Manseng.  There’s not much of this grape in the world, and Steve Voysey’s ahead of the pack in New Zealand.  High acidity was prominent, along with a savoury sweet and sour yellow fruit flavour.  Whether or not it’s classical, we didn’t really know. 

Then onto The Aromatic Ace’s white.  Its less than pristine nature spoke of Europe. Correct.  I thought it Riesling, due to its high acidity, and slightly reductive hints of flint.  It was Pinot Blanc.  Following this path, I guessed Alsace, because of its weight and richness.  No, it was Germany.  A little softer and rounder, yet high in acidity, I missed out on it being 2010, thinking it to be a 2008.  It was a 2010 Van Volxem Weissburgunder from the Saar.  A star wine with so much character.  Clearly a classic for the future.

The Ace’s red was equally difficult.  Bright sweet soft red fruits led me to believe Australasia, but SWMBO was correct with Europe.  We all guessed Pinot Noir, rather than Tempranillo or Nebbiolo.  Do they make good Pinot Noir in Italy?  I didn’t think so, well not as good as this, believing it was French.  But I was the one who guessed Valle d’Aosta due to its proximity to Switzerland, rather than options further to the east.  This 2010 Les Cretes Valle d’Aosta Pinot Nero was fruit forward with dark aromas and flavours and no oaking to soften it or give it layers.  Up-front, a little different to what we know, but very accessible and drinkable.  Not classic unless you’re Italian!

Finally a 2009 Drouhin Beaune 1er ‘Clos des Mouches.  A big year for New World style Pinot Noirs in Burgundy.  Paler than the Les Cretes, and shyer in fruit.  But then superb proportion that peeled off layers of interest from red fruits, to fine structure, to sweetness, then to spicy oak.  A little too obvious in oak for me, but The Ace thought not, and SWMBO just smiled with enjoyment.  The Clos des Mouches style is a bigger, more forthright expression for Drouhin and bolder than their other wines from Beaune, but treating like a a flagship does that.  It’s lovely drinking a classic such as this.