“𝑷𝒖𝒍𝒊𝒏” 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒊 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒐, 2015

🍇 70% Granaccia / 20% Syrah / 10% Barbera

Nice dark and muddy look - beautiful color. The bouquet is very dark and spicy, offering blackberry, blackcurrant leaves, black olive, sweet liquorice, tar, smoky game meat, black pepper and wood. Some Mediterranean herbs and a funny hint of tonka bean.

The palate is rich and full with medium acidity and easy going tannins, offering blackcurrant, baked plums, charcoal, vanilla, black pepper and dill in the finish.

The alcohol is definitely present on the palate, but it’s well integrated.

• Fermented in steel tanks (10 days maceration and three daily pump-over)

• Aged 13 months in 2nd and 3rd use barrique followed by 11 months in the bottle

• The variety of Granaccia is a local variant of Alicante, that’s very close to Grenache (Alicante is an old cross between Grenache and Petit Bouschet)

• In local dialect, "Pulin" means "last born," as this wine is aged longer than any other Bruna wine

Bruna, established in the 1960s, is located in the village of Ranzo Borgo (not far from Imperia and Savona) in the beautiful mountains of western Liguria with the famous terraced vineyards.

They work organically in their 7,5 ha vineyards and use only a tiny amount of sulfites when needed.

Colline Savonesi wines, like this Pulin, tend to lie at altitudes between 400 and 700 meters. All local varieties are allowed in the blend in any proportion - most often with Granaccia as the lead singer.

 ⭐️88/100⭐️ “𝑷𝒖𝒍𝒊𝒏” 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒊 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒐, 2015 📍Ranzo Borgo

“𝑰𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒕” 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐, 2005

📍Monforte d’Alba, Barolo, Piemonte, Italy🇮🇹

Beautiful color with a fine orange rim that doesn’t seem too oxidized.

The bouquet started offering notes of port, brown apple and prunes, but after a bit of air it blew off and revealed quite a youthful and fresh Nebbiolo for its age. Strawberry (fresh and candied), dried sweet cherry, pressed flowers, orange peel, tar, thyme, mint, charcuterie and rusty metal followed on the nose. The oak is clear too.

The palate was medium(+)-bodied with well integrated tannins and a vibrant acidity. Cherry, cranberry, raw liquorice, dark chocolate, cloves, spicy vanilla and mint. A taste of chalk and iron in the finish.

• “Il Favot” means “the favorite”

• Grapes from different small (and younger) parcels at Bussia

• Fermented in steel tanks (8 days skin contact - brings a deep color but lower tannic level) with indigenous yeast

• Aged a few months in steel tanks followed by some months in barrique

• No clarifying and filtration before bottling

An estate of the elite in the Barolo area. The history dates back to 1969, when Aldo left him and his brothers (Giacomo Conterno) wine business to start his own adventure with more modern philosophies, following Angelo Gaja, meaning shorter maceration and some barrique next to the large Slavonian barrels.

Aldo Conterno passed away in 2012, leaving the winery to his three sons, France, Giacomo and Stefano, who were all working with their father during his last yeast.

They work organically without certification, farms 25 ha with very low yields - a total of 80.000 bottles pr. year.

 ⭐️90/100⭐️ “𝑰𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒕” 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐, 2005 📍Monforte d’Alba

📍Sant’Angelo in Colle, Montalcino, Toscana, Italy🇮🇹

Very old school Brunello with a bouquet slowly opening up revealing well matured notes of baked red fruits (a bit aged tawny-like), dark cherry, old leather, cinnamon, anise, dried herbs, sweet tobacco and old coffee grounds. It’s quite dusty as well and has some iron and blood-like scents coming through.

On the palate, it’s medium(+)-bodied with powdery tannins and medium acidity. Notes of dark cherry, prunes, baked tomato, cloves, oak, dark chocolate and rosemary/thyme-like herbs. The finish is long and balsamic, and the alcohol is (maybe a bit too) present. Not as floral as expected.

• Grapes are hand-harvested from the winery’s oldest vineyards (150-450 meters altitude)

• Fermented in steel tanks with indigenous yeasts

• Aged in big French oak barrels (30-50 hectoliters) for 3 years

An iconic winery in Toscana, still owned by the Francheschi-family since the establishment in 1890.

They own 600 ha of land, of which 125 are vines and 70 are olive trees, in the area next to the village of San’tAngelo in Colle, which is known as being one of the best terroirs in the Brunello di Montalcino-area.

Il Poggione is a winery with great quality, that delivers pretty much in all vintages. And the prices are not bad…

 ⭐️90/100⭐️ Tenuta Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino, 2012

𝑫𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒂 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊 𝑻𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒊, 2018

📍Castiglione Falletto, Barolo, Piemonte, Italy🇮🇹

First time tasting a Derthona. Lovely wine offering aromas of kiwi, quince, melon rind, raw white mushrooms, marzipan, chamomile  and mild petrol, resin and beeswax. There’s a mild scent of white flowers and a nice mineral touch of wet sea stones.

The wine is dry, medium-bodied and has a refreshing acidity on the palate. It brings notes of fresh pear, green gooseberry, kiwi, tangerine, ginger, stones from peach and cherry and green bitter salad.

* Grapes are harvested from vineyards located around the town of Monleale in Colli Tortonesi DOC.

* Fermentation takes place in steel tanks, ceramic containers and wooden casks.

* Aged 10 months in steel tanks, ceramic containers and wooden barrels on the lees - frequent batonnage.

The area of Colli Tortonesi DOC (eastern Piemonte) is most famous for wines based on Barbera, but the ancient, and almost extinct, variety of Timorasso is gaining a lot of attention these years. A real cult variety for those who know it.

Wines labeled as "Derthona", which is the traditional name (in the local dialect) for the town of Tortona, after which the Colli Tortonesi DOC is named, are always made by 95-100% Timorasso.

Walter Massa might be the main figure when it comes to the rise of Timorasso, but for sure giants from Barolo (like Vietti, La Spinetta and Borgogno) are helping to spread the “news” with their recently achieved vines.

 ⭐️90/100⭐️ 𝑫𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒂 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊 𝑻𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒊, 2018 📍Castiglione

𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒖𝒙 𝑩𝒍𝒆𝒖𝒔, 2016

To a start, the nose had some matchstick, yeasty and croissant-like notes backed by some yellow apple. It opened up and offered fresh citrus, lemon peel, apricot, wax, honey, dried ginger and roasted nuts. Some smokey, stony and oystershell notes.

The palate is medium-bodied, tight and with a crispy and sharp acidity, that rounded over some time making it perfectly balanced. Ripe red apple, dried pear, lemon and red grapefruit, pickled ginger, fennel and walnut. Long finish, quite salt and super mineral.

• Hand-harvested from the famous Grass terroir

• 24 months in French oak barrels (small and big)

Kenjiro Kagami is very highly spoken and pretty much on every Jura-lovers’ lips. Everything about this domaine is small, except for prices and the international demand.

The name ‘Miroirs’ itself is both a play on his name in Japanese and he believes in an expression of the “Mirror” between himself, the wines and the terroir.

 ⭐️93+/100⭐️ 𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒖𝒙 𝑩𝒍𝒆𝒖𝒔, 2016 📍Côtes du Jura, Jura

 Career Goals... @winereview _simple 🍷 . 📷 @wine _advocate 

𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐞𝐫 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒉 𝑷𝒊𝒕𝒕, 2015

🍇  Chardonnay / Grüner Veltliner / Sauvignon Blanc

Gerhard and Brigitte Pittnauer, who started working with vines n’ wines together in the late 90’s, are pioneers when it comes to modern Austrian winemaking culture. Constantly pushing the boundaries of sustainable quality wine since the winery’s transition to biodynamics in 2006, has resulted in Gerhard’s “Winemaker of the Year 2014” (in Austria, by Falstaff Magazine) and in incredibly popular wines, sometimes hard to find.

The wine is naturally fermented, partly with whole bunches, with 20 days of maceration, followed by 8 months on the lees in large old wooden barrels.

No added sulphur during vinification or bottling.

“Mash Pitt” is named after Gerhard’s wild youth, attending to many punk concerts with the hardcore crowd dancing and pogoing with lots of skin contact (!) in front of the stage in the so-called "mosh pit".

Maybe not the most complex wine, but it’s highly enjoyable and in superb balance on all parameters.

The nose is full of fresh tangerine, mango and pineapple, complemented by dried apricot, green olives, fresh herbs and a yeasty undertone.

Perfectly balanced on the palate: Medium-bodied, a low and delicate tannic level and a very fine acidity. It’s multi tropical fruit juice with a touch of ginger, a tiny hint of black tea and a delicate mineral and savory finish.

 ⭐️89+/100⭐️ 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐞𝐫 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒉 𝑷𝒊𝒕𝒕, 2015 📍Gols, Burgenland

𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒆 “𝑹𝒂𝒖𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒔”, 2013

Riffault began his adventure in 2002, and with a philosophy of biodynamic farming and a strong belief in natural winemaking, he is one of the great pioneers in the modern natural-winemaking-era of Sancerre.

His vineyards are layered with grass and different plants and flowers to increase the biodiversity. He is using absolutely no fertilizers or chemicals, and his wines are certified organic.

All cuvée-names are Lithuanian, since that is where Sébastien’s wife, Juraté, is from. “Raudonas” means “red.

40% of the grapes are late harvested after being hit by botrytis (noble rot), and then naturally fermented with native yeast - only 10 days maceration.

Elevated 24 months in big old barrels and 6 months in the bottle before release.

Unfiltered, unfined and no added sulphites.

Super funky bouquet. Very “natural” profile.

Sweet candied strawberry, dried cranberry, overly fresh/rotten flowers, white mushrooms, outdated dark chocolate, moss and medicinal herbs.

It’s pretty light and soft on the palate, but the acidity is kicking(!) (pomegranate-like, maybe a bit too much…). Apple/strawberry juice, sour raspberry, rhubarb-vanilla compote and pure lemon juice.

In general quite sweet on the nose, but extremely fresh (almost red sour beer-like) on the tongue.

 ⭐️89+/100⭐️ 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒆 “𝑹𝒂𝒖𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒔”, 2013 📍Sancerre, Loire

𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡 𝐃𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒖 “𝑽𝒊𝒆𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝑽𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒆𝒔”, 2018

‭Joseph started making his wines in 1989 from 2 ha located ‬on the slopes above the village of ‭Vadans, 5 kilometer west of Arbois. The vineyards were planted by his grandfather back in 1937, wi‬th an additional plot coming later in ‭1957.‬

‭The vineyards are organic and on the path to cer‬tification.‭ The soil is worked and turned effectively twice per year ‬with the help ‭by horses. The vineyard‬s are planted with a mix of Trousseau, ‭Ploussard and Pinot Noir for the reds, and Chardonnay and Savagnin f‬or the whites.

The grapes are hand-harvested from a tiny parcel of old vines. Destemmed before fermentation followed by 9 months in steel tanks.

If uncorking this bottle at such an early state, please (for your own sake) enjoy it over two days. The wine goes from “good” to “absolutely delicious”!

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏) Reductive animalistic start, blowing off in favor of dried cranberry, strawberry wine gum, mild charcoal, white pepper and a touch of rose petals. Very mild and fruit forward. Still delicious.

Highly expressive and concentrated, offering (very) ripe strawberry with cream, candied raspberry, new asphalt, wet moss, pressed red flowers, fresh topsoil, cola, cool mint, white pepper and green hazelnuts.

Medium-bodied with super soft tannins and a refreshing acidic touch. Sour raspberry, blood orange, ripe cherry, garden herbs and mild anise. Long and cooling finish.

Pretty much the same. A little more expressive and some black tea added to the finish.

 ⭐️91/100⭐️ 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡 𝐃𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒖 “𝑽𝒊𝒆𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝑽𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒆𝒔”

This lovely winery was founded in 1870 by Francesco Rinaldi and was quickly established as one the great, well-respected houses of the region. Francesco was the cousin of Giuseppe Rinaldi, and together these two superb family wineries have marched down through time side by side, both upholding the unique, traditional style of Barolo.

150 years later, the winery still carries the traditional winemaking techniques with steel tank-fermentation, long maceration and aging in big Slavonian oak “botti” for 3 years (no new oak included) prior to bottling.

Being traditionalists doesn’t mean being “lost in the past” - like for many great wineries, today’s wines have never shown higher quality with focus on sustainable/organic viticulture.

The small Cannubi-vineyard, located just north from the town of Barolo, is perhaps the most famous “wine hill” in Italy, being the foundation of some of most celebrated and prestigious wines of Barolo. It’s also the oldest official cru of Italy, given the recognition in 1752.

Specifically, Rinaldi’s surface areas lie in:

- Cannubi Boschis (northern part) - vines from 1967 - Cannubi (central part) - vines from 1990.

The bouquet is on fire with generous ripe fruit aromas - clear fresh strawberry, dried cranberry and raspberry jam. Lots of flower power focusing on lavender, rose and violet petals, finishing with sweet dark liquorice and hints of tar, wet clay and acetone.

The palate is rich without being full-bodied with big, chewy tannins and great acidity - it’s not super developed yet, but really elegant and fine with notes of fresh cherry, raspberry, raw liquorice and cloves finishing with menthol and mild balsamico.

 ⭐️90+/100⭐️ Francesco Rinaldi & Figli Barolo “Cannubi”, 2015

Winemaking has taken place at the estate of Pirramimma since the foundation by Alexander Campbell Johnston in 1892.

ACJ named his newly achieved land “Pirramimma”, an aboriginal phrase meaning “the moon and the stars”.

It’s been a family affair ever since and is now in the hands of Geoff Johnston, under who’s guidance, Pirramimma has seen many significant changes: Expansion of vineyards and different varieties planted, modern winemaking facilities and a greener, more sustainable approach to agriculture and winemaking.

“White Label Shiraz” 2004  is quite a limited released wine harvested from one of their best sites in McLaren Vale.

It’s aged 24 months in 100% new barriques before bottling.

Powerful potpourri of dark berries (blackberry, cherry, and blackcurrant) with hints of baked plums followed by delicious scents of cigar box, vanilla, coconut, dark chocolate, burned bacon fat, leather, bay leaves, pepper, brown sugar, superbly integrated oak and dry forrest floor.

The palate is full-bodied with great and well-integrated tannins making a velvety structure. It’s perfectly balanced between fruit and spices offering blueberry, blackcurrant compote, prunes, roasted almonds, spicy vanilla, espresso, sweet tobacco, cloves, menthol and an olive-like and mineral finish.

Even the alcoholic level is well hidden in both the bouquet and on the palate.

Not to forget about the brown-edged color… It’s perfectly aged!

This wine is pure satisfaction, and really an impressive Shiraz!

Every time I smell their wines, it reminds me of my lovely visit at their estate back in 2016.

- It was blinded both as a well matured Bordeaux and Bolgheri by my fellow wine nerds.

 ⭐️91/100⭐️ Pirramimma White Label Shiraz, 2004 📍McLaren Vale

𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒅𝒓𝒆 𝒂̀ 𝑪𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏 “𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆́ 𝑶𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆́”, 2017

📍Pupillin, Arbois, Jura, France🇫🇷

Julien Mareschal established his tiny domaine of just 5 hectares in 2003, quickly moving his work in those vineyards to biodynamic practices.

Julien plays with more or less all traditional winemaking techniques and profiles, making non-oxidative, oxidative, dry and sweet wines. All very classic in style and quite far from the funky natural wines also found in Jura.

This Arbois Pupillin Blanc is non-oxidative (“ouillé” is the technical term for wine aged in topped-up barrels, which is important to distinguish from “voile” (flor) - especially in Jura - where the barrels aren’t topped up which results in an oxidative wine).

Manual harvesting with 50% destemming before fermentation, which takes place in 600L to 1500L foudres, where it rests for 24 months on the lees.

First thing I noticed on the nose was a heavy and delicious note of Danish “koldskål” with crumble. Lovely on a warm summer day.

Following was notes of ripe peach, banana, elderflower, sweet melon, butterscotch and a beeswax/honey thing.

The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh and lively acidity. A bit milky and oiled in texture. Yellow apple, tangerine, honey biscuit, white pepper and salt in the finish. Nice yeasty touch.

 ⭐️90/100⭐️ 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒅𝒓𝒆 𝒂̀ 𝑪𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏 “𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆́ 𝑶𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆́”, 2017 📍Pupillin

𝐂𝐎𝐒 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒐, 2017

In 1980, three students, Giambattista Cilia, Giusto Occhipinti and Cirino Strano (thus the name; COS), took over Joseph Cilia’s family winery in Bastonaca (close to Vittoria, South-East Sicily) and became some of the  youngest winemakers in Italy - and most revolutionary for their region.

Today COS is run by Cilia and Occhipinti with biodynamic and natural principles, and with both modern and traditional Sicilian-winemaking (amphora etc.).

The grapes are hand harvested from biodynamic vineyards located around Vittoria (South-East Sicily) in 230 MAMSL.

Spontaneous fermentation on the skins in concrete tanks, and aging in concrete tanks for 12 months to preserve the fruit-driven profile.

Only a tiny amount of sulphur is added, it’s vegan, unfiltered and unfined.

The bouquet is somehow super light yet quite intense offering dried cranberry, sugared redcurrant, rooibos tea, orange oil, dried blood orange peel, green olives and a scent of Cola. It’s a little perfumed reminding me of a floral day cream.

The palate is ultra light, almost water-like, but still with some depth with a lovely prickling acidity and super mild tannins. Super juicy! I get some redcurrant juice, raspberry sorbet, raw liquorice and menthol. It’s pretty mineral but in general very primary fruit-driven.