Tag: Nyetimber

What I’m Drinking This Week: A Loire Favorite, British Bubbles, a Carmignano Riserva, and More

Tasting wines on a daily basis brings abundant opportunity for assessment, reassessment, discovery, and reinforcement (“that wine is as good as I thought it was,” or, “I did not notice such stark acidity in my previous tasting of this Riesling”). It is an illuminating process.

The other day I opened a bottle of Domaine Guion Bourgueil “Cuvée Prestige” — 2018 vintage — with comparison as the goal … that, and enjoying a glass of something that I liked immensely back in April of 2020. I wanted to see how the ’18 had changed in the bottle between tastings. Little, was my answer; it was still one of my favorite wines of the year, and I look forward to drinking more of this wine come 2022 (and beyond).

Stéphane Guion knows how to make fine Cabernet Franc. (Courtesy Domaine Guion)

Stéphane Guion is the man behind this bottle — the fruit comes from vines averaging 50 to 70 years of age planted on a domaine that’s been certified organic since the 1960s — and works from his base in Bourgueil, in the Loire Valley. I first tasted wines from this producer back in the 1990s, at a dinner in New York, and recall that they were inexpensive and delicious.

Cabernet Franc is one of my favorite things to drink, and this one is among my top picks. Low alcohol, lovely acidity — cellar this one for a decade and thank me when you open it in 2031 — with wonderfully ripe, soft tannins. You’ll appreciate violet and strawberry aromas, plus some spice and tobacco. In the mouth, dark fruit and subtle black pepper. Pair this with everything from grilled asparagus to lamb, sausage, and seafood stew. You can find this wine for around $17 at select outlets, including Chambers Street Wines.

Buy as much of this as you can.

The lesson — or one lesson — to be had from the act of daily tasting is, aside from the pleasure of it, development of the palate. While taste is subjective, objectivity is vital to individuals engaged with wine. Taste, taste, then taste some more.

Another wine I sampled recently: the 2018 Aperture Cabernet Sauvignon. Jesse Katz, the young winemaker behind this bottle, has for a good while been the recipient of accolades for his approach, one that he began working on (if originally through osmosis) while traveling as a young boy with his father, photographer Andy Katz, in Bordeaux, Burgundy, and other wine-growing regions. The younger Katz was the first winemaker to be included in the “Forbes 30 Under 30” list, and Wine Spectator named him a “Rising Star.” He made wine for Justin Timberlake. And if all of that does not impress, his wines, including his Devil Proof Malbecs, will.

Jesse Katz made this.

First, know that the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Aperture Cellars is drinking well now. If you were to open a bottle of it this evening and pair it with a grilled ribeye you would have no regrets. However, this wine will also reward patience. Drink a bottle now, and put one (or a case) away for eight years or so.

The Alexander Valley AVA is the source of this wine, which is 86 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 7 percent Malbec, 5 percent Merlot, and 2 percent Petit Verdot. It retails for $70. The Cabernet here is sourced from four volcanic-soil sites on hillside slopes, and the wine is unfiltered, unfined, and un-acidified.

By the way, if you can get your hands on some of Katz’s Malbec, do so.

Do give this bottle some time to breathe … decant it for a few hours. The cassis, tobacco, and coffee notes will please your olfactory senses, and the dark fruit and slight spice and vanilla will linger in the mouth.

A sparkling wine with a British accent. (Courtesy Nyetimber)

Let’s turn to some sparkling wine from England — West Sussex and Hampshire to be exact. It’s from Nyetimber, and it’s a multi-vintage cuvée (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier) that retails for $55. I consider this one of my go-to sparkling wines at that price level, and like to keep one chilled at all times.

The Nyetimber Classic Cuvée is aged for an average of three years, and its toasty quotient is remarkable. Brioche, frangipane, a slight nuttiness … all of that is there, plus fine bubbles and an elegance that makes this wine more than ideal for celebrations, anniversaries, and brunch. Would I pair it with oysters or salmon? Yes, and if toro and ebi were served to me I’d be happy drinking this wine with them as well.

Nyetimber as a producer has put a lot of money and thought into reducing its carbon footprint, and I like that. Thirty percent of its estate holdings is comprised of “nonproductive” hedgerows, sheep from a nearby farm graze the grass and other ground vegetation in vineyard plots — their waste supplies nutrients to the soil, and their eating habits reduce the use of tractors and lower carbon emissions. I am a firm believer in the adage that every little effort counts, and these types of practices at Nyetimber (and at many other producers) add up.

The Contini Bonacossi family has been making wine for a long time.

Finally this week, a red wine from Italy that spoke to me with confidence and promise. It’s from Tenuta di Capezzana, an estate whose founding dates back to 804 A.D. It’s situated 12 miles west of Florence, and is a leading name in the Carmignano region, the history of which is fascinating.

In 1716, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III de’Medici, granted the region official and legal status; today, Carmignano DOCG regulations stipulate that Sangiovese must be at least 50 percent of the blend, and allow 10 to 20 percent of Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc, as much as 20 percent Canaiolo Nero and 5 percent Mammolo and Colorino, and up to 10 percent white grape varieties, such as Trebbiano or Malvasia.

To the wine: It’s the 2015 Trefiano Carmignano Riserva DOCG, and it has a suggested retail price of $59. It’s bottled during the best vintages only, “best” as deemed by the winemaker, and it’s aged for 18 months in French oak (10 percent new oak) and an additional year in bottle.

The 2015 is 80 percent Sangiovese, 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10 percent Canaiolo, a blend put together well by Benedetta Contini Bonacossi (Capezzana is owned by the Contini Bonacossi family). For those of you who are interested in names, Trefiano refers to the 15th-century villa purchased in the 1920s by the Contini Bonacossi clan. Five hectares of vineyards that surround the villa are the source of the grapes used to make this wine.

Deep ruby in color, the Trefiano greets the nose with dark cherry and cedar. This is a wine with serious intent, and I loved it with lamb. Steaks, wild boar, and sausages would be other great pairings. Ripe tannins never jar the drinker, and the tobacco notes on the palate are delightful. I’m looking forward to revisiting this vintage in five years.

I also sampled three other offerings from Capezzana, bottles at different price points; each is worth consideration.

I began with the 2018 Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC, at $18 a great value. It’s 75 percent Sangiovese, 15 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 percent Canaiolo, and 5 percent Cabernet Franc, and is fermented in stainless steel and aged in Slavonian oak. Drink now.

Next, the 2016 Villa di Capezzana Carmignano DOC ($30). It’s considered the flagship wine of the estate; 80 percent Sangiovese and 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, fermented in French oak and aged for a year in the barrel. Drink now-2026.

Finally, the 2013 Ghiaie della Furba Toscana IGT ($51). As with the Trefiano, this wine is made in the best vintages only. “Ghiaie” refers to the gravelly soils near the Furba, a stream on the estate. It’s 40 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 percent Syrah, and 25 percent Merlot. Delicious now, and is still full of aging potential.

Next week, I’ll be sitting down with, among other selections, some California Zinfandel, a Prosecco, and a Malbec from the Temecula Valley AVA.

Want more wine? Read on.

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Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
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A Very Proper Sparkling: Nyetimber Classic Cuvée

I am not the first person to advise that one should have at least one bottle of Champagne or sparkling wine in one’s refrigerator at all times. Even in periods — or perhaps especially in periods — of prolonged exposure to one’s home environment devoid of outside visitors, a bottle or two of bubbles at the ready is a must.

At the moment, I have a Cava and a sparkling wine from California in my ice box, chilling for a late-afternoon toast or a brunch of poached eggs and asparagus, the latter of which brings to my mind an anecdote conveyed by M.F.K. Fisher that took place on a train during a journey with her “kindly, urbane uncle”. She was 19 years old, and the exchange took place in the train’s restaurant car. Her uncle asks her if she would prefer a “a fresh mushroom omelet or one with wild asparagus.”

When she mumbles in “shy ignorance” that she doesn’t really care, he firmly reprimands her: “You should never say that again, dear girl. It is stupid, which you are not. It implies that the attentions of your host are basically wasted on you. So make up your mind, before you open your mouth. Let him believe, even if it is a lie, that you would infinitely prefer the exotic wild asparagus to the banal mushrooms, or vice versa. Let him feel that it matters to you … and even that he does!”

I would prefer the wild asparagus, and though it was not a wild bunch, asparagus is what I paired one day recently with a bottle of sparkling wine from England, Nyetimber’s Classic Cuvée. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier from the house’s vineyards and several vintages are in the elegant bottle, as is a great sparkling.

This traditional-method sparkling makes thoughtful gift, so buy a case, give six bottles to some lucky friends, and keep six for yourself. (Image courtesy Nyetimber)

The Nyetimber estate, located about an hour south of London, was mentioned in the Doomsday Book, and the first vines were planted there in 1988 — the aforementioned classic trio. Eric Heerema bought the estate in 2006, and Cherie Spriggs and Brad Greatrix have been the Nyetimber winemakers since 2007.

I chilled the bottle in an ice bucket for 15 minutes, and poured the sparkling into a Schott Zwiesel white wine stem. The wine’s bubbles were distinct and fine, and brioche and a touch of nutmeg are evident in the aroma. I had poached the asparagus in butter, and, after sprinkling it with salt and black pepper, ate a piece, following it with a sip of the wine. It was a delicious combination; the salt played well with the apple hints in the Nyetimber, and the asparagus’ acidity was lifted by the wine’s spice notes.

The estate puts a code on each bottle of Classic Cuvée that one can enter on the Nyetimber website and learn the particulars of the wine. For example, my bottle’s blend was 62 percent Chardonnay, 30 percent Pinot Noir, and 8 percent Pinot Meunier, with the following vintage blend: 2015 (80 percent); 2014 (9 percent); 2013 (3 percent); 2011 (3 percent); and 2009 (5 percent). It was bottled on March 13, 2016, carries a riddling date of August 12, 2019, and was disgorged on August 20, 2019. Don’t care to know all of that? Perfectly fine, the contents will be no less pleasurable.

The Classic Cuvée carries a suggested retail price of $55, and you can order it now (with free shipping) from the estate’s site.

Want more wine? Read on:

Talking With David Ramey
A Merlot That Your Snob Friend Will Love
French Couple Make a Sauvignon Blanc in California
A Perfect Afternoon Chardonnay
Terry Theise Talks Reisling
A New Wine Wonderland
Paris Wine Goddess Tells All
Rice Village Wine Bar Has a Cleveland Touch
A Texas White Blend for Your Table
A Pinot Noir Full of Flavor
This Pinot Gris From Oregon Pairs Well With Cheese
Willamette, Dammit!
A Value Rioja
Drink Pink!
Underbelly Veteran Goes for Grenache
A Man of Letters and Wine
Ms. Champagne Wants a Nebuchadnezzar
The Wine Artist Goes for Chardonnay
This American Loves Spain and Its Wines
Houston’s Wine Whisperer Has a Soft Touch
Blackberry Farm’s Somm Pours in Splendor
Mr. Pinot Noir: Donald Patz of Patz & Hall
A Cork Dork Wants to Spend More Time in Tuscany
Sommelier Turned Restaurateur Daringly Goes Greek
Texas Master Sommelier Debunks Wine Geeks
A Bottle From Gigondas Changed This Houston Man’s Life

Oil Man Falls in Love, and the Rest is Good-Taste History
Ryan Cooper of Camerata is a Riesling Man
Mixing It Up With Jeremy Parzen, an Ambassador of Italy
Sommelier at One of Houston’s Top Wine Bars Loves Underdogs

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