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Noble Rot NO. 11 SUMMER 2009 Welcome to our Summer Newsletter. It has been a pretty frantic first half of the year with lots of new wines, another great Anniversary tasting in May and also a new face in the shop! We will be publishing a full strength newsletter in the early Autumn, but for now we hope that you enjoy our latest offering and look forward to seeing you over the summer months. Happy drinking Introducing our new Staff Member Many of you will have noticed a new face in the shop and behind the wheel of the van, but just in case you haven’t met him yet, here is a little introduction to our latest member of staff, Bob Alsop. When did you develop an interest in wine? When the first good Australian wines appeared on our shelves in the Eighties. What is your favourite style of wine? Dry reds in general, with Bordeaux and Rioja being my favourites. What is the best drinking experience you have had? On holiday in France when the Exchange Rate was in our favour. And the worst? A Sunday Evening in Wales, years ago. All the pubs were shut and there was nowhere to drink! Who would be your ideal dinner party guest? The regulars from ‘Have I got News for you’. PRODUCER PROFILE: Castello di Luzzano, Rovescala, Lombardy Perched in one of the most beautiful spots in the area, the Castello di Luzzano sits astride a hilltop that straddles the border between the regions of Emiglia-Romana and Lombardia, with views over the hills of Oltrepo Pavese to one side and the Colli Piacentini to the other. The Fugazza family took ownership of this historic property at the start of this century with the estate now being run by the innovative and forward thinking Giovanella Fugazza, know locally as a true ‘Donna del Vino’, (Woman of Wine). Castello di Luzzano have 80 hectares under vine on a wide variety of soils, allowing them to produce an eclectic mix of wines from Barbera, Bonarda and Pinot Noir in Oltrepo Pavese and Malvasia, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chadonnay in Gutturnio. What is most striking about the wines of this property are their sheer individuality and distinctive character, imparted through a passionate attention to detail by Giovanella and her team both in the vineyard and the winery. The entire range shows a distinct sense of place, and reflects the careful selection of clones suited to each individual soil type to ensure the best possible results. The Castello di Luzzano estate has always been one of the leading producers of Malvasia in the Colli Piacentini and they produce two very different styles. The first is the delightful 6.5% 2008 Malvasia Frizzante Dolce (£10.45), a quirky take on Asti Spumante that delivers stunningly delicate, aromatic Elderflower fruit, with a gentle palate displaying just the right amount of sweetness and balanced acidity keeping the wine fresh and clean and supremely refreshing. Their ‘other‘ Malvasia is the tantalising, dry 2008 ‘Tasto di Seta’ (£11.45), which is intensely aromatic with a floral nose of acacia, cypress and mint. The palate is balanced and soft with characteristic fragrance with excellent length. Such balance and drinkablility is achieved through hand harvesting of only the very healthiest grapes, immediate pressing to retain delicacy and a cool fermentation to complete dryness. The wine is matured on it’s lees through the winter and then bottled and released in the spring. In addition to these two tantalising whites, perhaps the most stunning wine of the range, and certainly the most popular amongst our customers, is the 2008 Vena Rossa, D.O.C Gutturnio (£11.45). Made from 65% Barbera and 35% Bonarda it manages to be both beautifully juicy, rich and rounded whilst retaining cracking acidity and freshness. The nose showing perfumed red fruits and Damsons with an intense, juicy palate with crisp acidity and supple tannins. This wine is just as happy to be drunk with a simple bowl of sausage pasta as it would be with more refined red meat dishes. Also in the range is an atypical Pinot Noir ‘Umore Nero’ (£9.95) and also a ripe, plummy Merlot (£9.95) showing deep, earthy fruit and fine structure. Their flagship wine is the 2006 Luzzano 270 (£17.65), made from predominantly Barbera and shows seductive sweet plum fruit over a smoky spicy background and firm structure. With such an eclectic mix of wines, it is not surprising that we fell in love with this property and it is such a refreshing change to come across a really distinctive range that does not pander to fashions or ‘international’ styles to build a following, but rather relies on quality and individuality to make friends. In the relatively short space of time that we have been stocking these wines, they have managed to build a loyal following amongst everyone who has tasted them. We will be tasting the full range of these fascinating wines at a special 3 course dinner at Sienna Restaurant on 30th September. The finer details are yet to be decided, but to register your Autumn/Winter interest or find out more, please Tastings – A full list of contact the restaurant on (01305) our Autumn Wine 250022. Tastings and Dinners will be published at the end of the summer. Here come the Aussies - Ashes Special The Ashes series is one of the most eagerly 2005 Reserve Shiraz ‘The Golden awaited and fiercely contested Duck’, One Chain Vineyards - This wine competitions in sport, and whether you blends rich, gutsy Barossa fruit with cooler, know your googly’s from your leg breaks, more cerebral Pyrenees Shiraz to make a your pulls from your sweeps or your fine delicious, richly flavoured but well leg from your short square leg it shouldn’t structured red with heaps of creamy stop your enjoyment of these terrific bramble fruit overlaid with spice and wines. subtle vanillin. £7.99 per bottle It is a well-known fact that Australians Jim Barry Wines, South Australia spend far too much time in leisure pursuits Two cracking wines that and are subsequently far too good at we able to offer for the sport. They are also rather good at same price that they winemaking and all of the wines were during the last highlighted here display ripe, up front fruit Ashes series. The white along with body and character…qualities (Silly Mid On) is crisp, we wouldn’t mind seeing in the England fresh and zesty with rip side as they bid to regain the Ashes, Sauvignon and rich perhaps without the fruitiness! Semillon fruit in perfect harmony. The red (The One Chain Vineyards, South Australia Cover Drive) is boldly NV Brut Sparkling ‘Howzat’, One Chain fruited, with rich bramble Vineyards - This delicious, fragrant and and eucalyptus tinged frivolous sparkler has ample pear, apple Cabernet Sauvignon Fruit. and tropical fruit character on the nose Two little belters at £9.75 per bottle. which leads through to a palate of crisp, citrus and creamy pineapple. £8.75 per And finally…Little Creatures Pale Ale, bottle – (perfect for toasting English Freemantle - £1.99 per 330ml bottle. success!) Just to prove that Australians can actually make beer that tastes of something (as 2008 Chardonnay ‘The Googly’, One opposed to beer coloured water), we have Chain Vineyards - Lovely ripe melon started stocking the delicious, and apple characters mingle aromatic yet crisp and dry Little with touches of pear and Creatures Pale Ale. Brewed in honey. Bright, zingy and well an ex-crocodile farm balanced, it is ideal with meaty south of Perth, this is fish or on its own. £5.95 per undoubtedly bottle Australia’s finest beer and one that is 2008 Shiraz Cabernet ‘The complex enough to Wrong ‘Un’, One Chain be enjoyed by wine Vineyards - A bright spicy red drinkers and beer with ripe berry flavours and lovers alike. The ideal lovely velvety texture. Youthful palate cleanser after and spicy, it is ideal on its own tasting your way or with lightly spiced meats or through our Ashes casseroles. £5.95 per bottle wines. Having been promised a barbeque summer by the Met Office, here is a selection of our pick of the wines to accompany whatever you might be inclined throw on the coals: La Guita Manzanilla – Not strictly a barbeque wine but for ultimate refreshment you can’t do much better than a well chilled Manzanilla. Clear and fresh on the nose, with the unmistakable green apple aroma and salty tang of Manzanilla. The palate is concentrated yet thoroughly refreshing; bone dry and savoury, with notes of almonds and a long, satisfying finish. 2007/2008 Penley Pinot, Coonawarra, Australia – A firm favourite on our list, this sweetly fruited sparkling Pinot from the Coonawarra certainly packs a punch and delivers huge waves of juicy, extracted Pinot fruit and decent freshness from the balanced acidity and lively bubbles. £11.99 per bottle. 2006 L’Hereu de Nit Cava Rosado Reserva, Raventos i Blanc, Penedes, Spain – This stunning, pale rose coloured sparkler from premium Cava producers Raventos is quite simply delicious. In the mouth, the flavours start as a rich, bready reserva Cava and then the palate develops an elegant red berry and pomegranate fruit character, finishing cleanly with beautifully balanced acidity. Gorgeous, Gorgeous, Gorgeous! £17.99 per bottle. 2008 Aubun Rosé, Domaine de Lansac, VdP d’Alpilles, France – If we could organise a beauty contest for the wines on our list, this delicate, paler than pale rosé would win hands down. This cracking wine has a delicately aromatic quality, suggestive of dried petals and spring blossom, combined with a perfect fruit/acid balance.