 As we approach full Beaujolais-mania the week before Thanksgiving, we wanted to show off some under-the-radar but surprisingly delicious Gamay, grown near the region for centuries but new in this form. If you go high enough up in Lyon you can look North and see the hills and ridges in the distance that define Beaujolais. Turning East and looking up the Rhone River, you can see the Alps in the distance with the Savoie region in the foothills. In the in-between lies Bugey, an area known historically for making a sparkling 'Methode Ancestrale' wine using Gamay, usually slightly sweet and a rose to ruby color. Still wines weren't usually attempted here much because the cooler Alpine influences made it more difficult to ripen grapes as easily as in Beaujolais, and the rolling hills here meant the vineyards are mostly scattered from ridge to ridge. Growing popularity for lower alcohol wines in general has spurred new interest in the potential for making still wines here with Gamay (as well as Poulsard, Jacquere and other Alpine grapes), and the more we see from promising producers like this, the more we agree this is a region to watch. Lovely ruby color in the glass, perhaps a bit darker than your typical Cru Beaujolais, but at under 13%abv it definitely isn't thicker or heavier. Cool red fruits and dark energetic floral notes immediately marks this as Gamay, and gets prettier the longer it is open. The palate is where this really shows itself as something different, with a distinct spine of acidity that brightens the fruit and adds a lot of tangy cranberry notes and a little firmer finish. Beaujolais is great, but it isn't the only game in town now.
0 Comments
 We had considered placing this wine in the big Thanksgiving wine email that was just sent out, but decided it had to be tasted to be believed. Brachetto is a unique red grape variety to the Piedmont in Italy, more famous there for making a Moscato d'Asti-like wine, lightly fizzy with sweet red fruits. The grape has naturally flowery aromas, similar in many ways to the Ruche grape (also from the Piedmont) in that if you closed your eyes you could be convinced by the aromas that it was a white wine. Perhaps being driven by a general move away from sweetness/sugar in beverages, but we are seeing dry examples like this pop up more and more, and this is the most exciting one we've had by a fair margin. Pale-ish ruby in color, the aromas jump out quickly with loads of red flowers, orange citrus and hints of mint and darker spices. Patient drinkers or those that decant will start to get more red fruits and juicy cherry the longer it breathes. The palate is a surprising contrast to the aromas, more tart red fruits and savory herbs, bright fine tannins that give the finish a long mouthwatering finish. Would almost parallel the palate to a Cru Beaujolais or a still Lambrusco, and would pair it accordingly. Probably not like anything you've had before, and after tasting it you will likely want more of it in your life.
 Often with the wines in the Insider's Pick, we will use the story and background of the people or vineyards to help entice, gain a connection to the customer. In this case, the story of the vineyards IS the wine, and the fact that what's in the bottle is an affordable value is almost secondary. Asprino is a native grape to Campania, mostly relegated to farming in the region of Aversa just outside of Naples. The varietal itself is less famous for what it is and the wines it makes than how it is usually farmed, an ancient trellising method called 'Alberata'. Developed during the Etruscan era for use in multi-crop polycultural farms, vines are raised in rows using elm or poplar trees as 'stakes', allowing the vines to reach as high as 40+ feet in the air once fully mature. At the time it allowed for more production in a smaller piece of land while also leaving room for other ground crops and grazing, even providing shade for more sensitive crops. Now the vineyards are seen as time consuming to grow and dangerous to farm, requiring specially trained workers to climb and harvest. But don't try it JUST for the fascinating backstory, get into it because it's an impressive sparkling wine for the money. Clear pale gold in the glass with a lightly persistent bead, the first sniff is yeasty apple with a bit of bitter citrus peel (a nod to the fact that Asprino was named for its sourness), but the Alberata method does allow the grape to get sun exposure and air flow that helps it fully ripen, getting some of the white fruits into the mix. The palate is also crisp and cidery with nice weight and a long lingering tang. Both delicious and fascinating in equal measures.
|
The Best of the Best.We offering free tastings on these wines in the store every Thursday and Friday, and a 10% discount off the retail price through the duration of the day. Come on by and give them a try! Archives
February 2025
Categories |
RSS Feed