The Spirit World

I attended a tasting recently which reminded me to keep an open mind when it comes to the wine world.

The Kiwis don’t have a monopoly when it comes to making great sauvignon blanc. Sauvignon from the Loire in France is often dismissed unless it has a Sancerre label. I tasted a wonderful 2006 Touraine sauvignon which was all a good Sauvignon should be with aromas of gooseberries and nettles, and fresh and lively in the mouth. Great for summer drinking as one of my fellow Spirit World contributors wrote. It’s the Kiwis who have the reputation for making these fresh drinkable wines but don’t neglect the Old World producers.

Do step into the unknown with Italian wines. Presented with an array of Chiantis and Brunellos it really is tempting to focus on them and ignore what else is on the table especially if you don’t recognise the label. But going “off piste” can be truly rewarding and lead you to discoveries you are very satisfied with. I sampled a Sangiovese from Tuscany that wasn’t a Chianti. It wasn’t a DOC classification either but the simpler, less restrictive IGT. The wine maker therefore will have had more freedom to make the wine in the way he wanted to leading to a wonderfully expressive fruity wine which would have made a great partner to a tomato based pasta dish. So next time you are in the wine shop in the Italy section, look beyond the usual names and you may be pleasantly surprised.

Bordeaux really does take time to mature. Now I know it’s not really fair to compare a 2005 Blaye with a 1995 Palmer but when you focus on why it is you prefer the Palmer you’ll see the noticeable tannins and acidity in the young Bordeaux compared to the more mature one. The moral here is to wait to drink the 2005’s for a few years. You’ll be rewarded with a wine that is much easier and more enjoyable to drink.

Writing notes does help you focus. Writing notes can seem like a pain, juggling paper and pen and glass but it really does focus the mind. If you are trying 2 Montepulcianos, why do you like one more than the other? Forcing yourself to write down why makes you put into words what your senses are telling you. It’s also great to have a record so it makes it easier to recall what it was you drank.