Unusual Flavors Starter Kit, Lineup of 4
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We’re not tastemakers, to some degree we try to be educators. Here’s a package of non-mainstream items to enjoy.
Brettanomyces: Parri 'Tenuta Corfecciano Urbana' Chianti Montespertoli Riserva 2013 - ‘Brett’, a hot topic in wine for a while. It’s hard to find on the web [probably because of lawsuits], but 1990 Château Montrose created tension between American critic Robert Parker and his counterparts in England. A sort of power battle between egos over the detection of brett in the famed Super Second’s release. Can a wine be truly great if it has brett? Certainly, famed properties like Spain’s Vega-Sicilia went to great lengths to brett-proof its cellars. Many U.S. winemakers in the aughts [‘00’s] jumped on the anti-brett train to differentiate their portfolios & sell more wine. Thank goodness the ‘natural wine movement’ came along to further this somewhat annoying discussion because baby, brett is cool again! Taste its saddle leather nuance in a light-bodied Riserva from Tuscany.
Acetaldehyde: Hidalgo 'La Gitana' Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda – the biological ageing method in this sherry under ‘flor’ creates acetaldehyde, the resulting flavor: nuts, apples, olives. La Gitana is a benchmark for Manzanilla. If this is your first time with Manzanilla/Fino styles, try not to think of it as wine, but liquified Marcona almonds & Castelvetrano olives in a glass while standing on a beach soaking in salty air.
Skin Contact: Mansus, Vipavska Dolina, Slovenia, Sivi Pinot 2017 – Sivi Pinot is Pinot Grigio & this Slovenian PG spent time on the skins for color. This is not your mother’s Pinot Grigio, but is the safest introduction to “orange wine.” You’ll probably even like it. Look for subtle tactile texture compared to rosé & some phenolic bitterness.
Traditional Cider: Dupont, Cidre Bouché, Normandy, Brut 2017 – We hope you hope you love this cider [also a benchmark]. You’ll find a much more direct ‘wild’ sourness than American ciders and a touch of dank, wet orchard nuance. Even though it says, ‘Brut’ on the label it’s the drier side of off-dry.
