The little brother to the famous Super Tuscan Grattamacco, Rosso is already a serious wine, and a great value, too.
Affordable great Bolgheri – Grattamacco Rosso 2017
Tokaj view
The view from the front of Attila Orsolyák’s cellar, in Bodrogkeresztúr, Tokaj. I visited him a week ago, tasted through the barrel samples of 2018 and 2019, and left impressed. There are only tiny quantities to be bottled, as usual. My opinion has not changed – he is quite probably the best winemaker in Tokaj (and that means in the whole country), when it comes to dry white wines.
Great value red: Clos Mont Blanc Xipella 2015, D.O. Catalunya, Spain
A generous, warm climate red that overdelivers when it comes to value. And it’s not a boring, predictable one – a real winner.
Great dry Tokaji – Gizella Barát Hárslevelű 2018
Gizella is one of the best producers of Tokaj, making wines in a modern, precise and crispy, almost steely fashion. Their entry level white (reviewed here) and the Szamorodni (see here) are both at the top of their class, just as is this single vineyard Hárslevelű.
Savage Thief in the Night 2018
Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. Replace the latter with Mourvedre and you get a classic Rhone blend. This has nothing to do with Rhone reds, though.
Great South African Chenin Blanc – Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2014
Recently I’ve been opening the South African whites I bought many years ago – I stocked up on them back then. Each and every of them turns out to be wonderful. Now I have confidence that they don’t simply shine as young wines, but can age remarkably as well. Continue reading
Good midweek dry Tokaji – Gizella Furmint / Hárslevelű 2019
A quite common Furmint and Hárslevelű blend from one of the best producers of Tokaj, positioned just under 10 Euros so that it’s affordable. Production is also considerably bigger for this entry level white, than for the top wines.
Serious dry Muscat from Mátra, Hungary: Centurio Fáy-Domb Sárgamuskotály 2019
There is quite a lot of Muscat planted in Hungary and besides some very cheap, sweet(ened) versions it’s actually used for dry wines – that’s perhaps not the most common path for Muscat growing countries. And these dry versions can be good, very good.
S. C. Pannell Basso Grenache 2017, McLaren Vale
It’s been too long since the last Grenache post on this blog… so here you go. This comes from Australia, from a highly regarded artisanal producer and it does not disappoint.
Summer red – an 11% alc. Hungarian Syrah, Válibor 2018 from Balaton
This is no ordinary Syrah. How often do you see 11% alc. on the back label of a red made from this powerful grape? Continue reading