Ryukyu Awamori Kariyushi Koshu

From the Shinzato Shuzo Distillery in Okinawa. Aged 7 years, 35% abv. Poured neat, at room temperature. Aromatic, yet restrained. Sweet grains and grasses, smells like good springwater tastes...hard to explain... it gets into your head... hint of rice sweetness, and still, as last night, a touch melon. On the palate, so smooth, simply incredible balance. A really deft combination of minerals, sweet springwater, aromatic milled wood. I wouldn't call it mouth-coating, maybe 60%... medium- body, delicate, light, refreshing...this stuff is mental. Oh. My.

Here's a short video interview with a brewer who ages Awamori under the floorboards of his home. The narration is goofy, and unfortunately the translation/subtitling is spotty and you miss out on some little quips, but suffice it to say, Nakamura-sama is legend. I would love to drink with this guy!

Nakamura-sama explains all From the Shinzato Shuzo Distillery in Okinawa. Aged 7 years, 35% abv. Poured neat, at room temperature. Aromatic, yet restrained. Sweet grains and grasses, smells like good springwater tastes...hard to explain... it gets into your head... hint of rice sweetness, and still, as last night, a touch melon. On the palate, so smooth, simply incredible balance. A really deft combination of minerals, sweet springwater, aromatic milled wood. I wouldn't call it mouth-coating, maybe 60%... medium- body, delicate, light, refreshing...this stuff is mental. Oh. My.<br /><br />Here's a short video interview with a brewer who ages Awamori under the floorboards of his home. The narration is goofy, and unfortunately the translation/subtitling is spotty and you miss out on some little quips, but suffice it to say, Nakamura-sama is legend. I would love to drink with this guy!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/027/eng/media/lm_012e.wvx" target="_blank">Nakamura-sama explains all</a>

Man Full of Trouble Porter

From the Dock Street Brewery in Philadelphia. Great pizzeria too, and takeaway beer by the growler. Tonight's selection was apparently named after one of Colonial Philadelphia's first taverns. Brown porter, rich and creamy, dark chocolate, coffee, nutty bitterness... surprisingly light on the finish but the lovely bitterness persists. A joy to drink on this cold, wet, half snowy night. 6% a.b.v., 27 IBU's only. I'd also recommend Prince Myshkin's Russian Imperial Stout... yum! <img alt="growler" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/IMGP1502.jpg" width="400"><br />From the Dock Street Brewery in Philadelphia. Great pizzeria too, and takeaway beer by the growler. Tonight's selection was apparently named after one of Colonial Philadelphia's first taverns. Brown porter, rich and creamy, dark chocolate, coffee, nutty bitterness... surprisingly light on the finish but the lovely bitterness persists. A joy to drink on this cold, wet, half snowy night. 6% a.b.v., 27 IBU's only. I'd also recommend Prince Myshkin's Russian Imperial Stout... yum!

Nobu Junmai Daiginjo

Made for Nobu by the Hokusetsu Shuzo, 15.5% abv. Very yellow in colour, made me think that this isshobin (1.8L bottle) might have been sitting around for a while very yellow, but no, the dating suggests otherwise.

Esterised nose (overripe bananas) dominates. Sweet front end, nutty and earthy, a touch of citrus on the finish. Really wasn't feeling this sake, especially not for the price this commands (the 500ml goes for about $50, not sure the isshobin is available in retail). Made for Nobu by the Hokusetsu Shuzo, 15.5% abv. Very yellow in colour, made me think that this <i>isshobin</i> (1.8L bottle) might have been sitting around for a while very yellow, but no, the dating suggests otherwise.<br /><br />Esterised nose (overripe bananas) dominates. Sweet front end, nutty and earthy, a touch of citrus on the finish. Really wasn't feeling this sake, especially not for the price this commands (the 500ml goes for about $50, not sure the <i>isshobin</i> is available in retail).

Konishi "Shirayuki" Shiboritate Junmai

"Snow White" from Hyogo Prefecture. SMV +5, Acidity 1.2, 13% abv.

Lightly chilled. Rich nose, nutty, jasmine, banana. Medium body, surprisingly rich and sweet, with strong rice and yeasty flavours, yet feels dry, and has an edgy finish. Doesn't have the liveliness I'd expect from a shiboritate (unaged) sake, making me wonder how long this spent in transit (I didn't notice a bottling date on the label). On the whole, soft and full-flavoured, easy drinking, would pair nicely with a rich broth with bitter green-leafed vegetables, like chard or rabe, or with a meat stew. Only $19 for an isshobin (1.8L) at Astor Wines in NYC. "Snow White" from Hyogo Prefecture. SMV +5, Acidity 1.2, 13% abv.<br /><br />Lightly chilled. Rich nose, nutty, jasmine, banana. Medium body, surprisingly rich and sweet, with strong rice and yeasty flavours, yet feels dry, and has an edgy finish. Doesn't have the liveliness I'd expect from a shiboritate (unaged) sake, making me wonder how long this spent in transit (I didn't notice a bottling date on the label). On the whole, soft and full-flavoured, easy drinking, would pair nicely with a rich broth with bitter green-leafed vegetables, like chard or rabe, or with a meat stew. Only $19 for an <i>isshobin</i> (1.8L) at Astor Wines in NYC.

Are you going to Scarbolo's Friuli?

Went to a fun tasting this evening, led by Valter Scarbolo of Azienda Agricola Scarbolo. We tasted through his current offerings and had an interesting discussion on the varied terroir of Friuli. In particular, we learned that Ribolla doesn't fare well on the plains of Grave del Friuli, but thrives in the hills of Collio. He will be releasing a Schioppetino/Refosko next year, but that wasn't available for tonight. In order, we tasted.

2007 Pinot Grigio: I was pleasantly surprised to see this lightly pink wine, as most PG is not, well, pink. 80% pressing of whole clustered fruit, 20% maceration with the skins. The nose was very fresh, with pronounced sweet meadow flowers, yellow fruits and a touch of fennel. On the palate,light and clean, yellow fruit and subtle minerality, with moderate acidity and length. Valter suggested that his intent is to match the nose with the palate. Our opinions on this wine diverged then, as I felt the nose to be far more vibrant, but still a pleasant wine, much more interesting than the bog standard P.G.

2007 Pinot Grigio “Ramato”: One of two “flagship” wines, this was my WOTN. Fruit sourced from a single vineyard site (“Mattia”). Half the grapes are cold macerated and then fermented in stainless steel, while the other half is fermented on the skins. A Pinot Grigio unlike any other, perhaps? Orange hued, obvious notes of red fruit, orange peel and smoke. On the palate, more of the same, a pleasant, mouth-watering acidity which frames a viscous, full bodied wine with a sustained finish. Simply delicious.

2007 Tocai Friulano: 60% pressing of whole clusters, 30% maceration with the skins, and 10% late harvested fruit, which is further dried by 10% appassimento. Pale lemon in colour, with a floral nose flanked by apples, pears, sweet honey, and stewed tomatoes. Noticeably absent are any nut aromas. On the palate, this was a real surprise – viscous, sweet, honeyed yellow fruit, peach juice. The acidity is good, but perhaps a bit overwhelmed by the body. Very easy drinking, this wine.

2006 Sauvignon: 90% pressing of whole clusters, 10% maceration with the skins. Whitish green in colour, and to my nose, a dominant “evergreen” aroma, suggestive of all the things I dislike about New Zealand S.B. Grassy, tropical fruit and cat piss. Not my thing at all.

2006 Chardonnay: 90% pressing of whole clusters, 10% maceration with the skins, 90% fermentation in stainless steel , 10% in 225 litre French oak barriques, and 6 months aging on the lees. Pale yellow in colour, very light nose, clean, elegant, hints of lemons. Very round, sweet, with pleasant acidity, and no suggestion of oak treatment. Ripe, juicy peaches, with melon notes. A nice bitter finish, quinine and bark notes. Would drink this again.

2005 Merlot: Vinified in oak barriques with frequent daily batonnages and aged on the lees for 10 months. Restrained nose, really only with red cherries given any prominence. Elegant on the palate, sweet cherries, faint vanilla, slightly “green’ tannins. I preferred this to the “reserve” wine.

2006 Cabernet: So the name on this requires a bit of explanation, in that it is 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Vinified with the same method as the merlot, this is a food greedy wine. Leafy, vegetal nose, peppery, with red fruit. This was the wine that had the most similarity between nose and palate. Very grippy tannins, could use some time to settle, as it tended to overshadow the acidity. Would be interesting to revisit this in a few months time to gauge the progress.

2004 Merlot “Campo del Viotto”:This is the other flagship wine, and only made in select years (the previous vintage was 1999). 40% of the grapes are dried appassimento to 75% of original weight and then fermented in small oak barrels (as is the balance of the fruit). Very rich and forward nose of vanilla, caramel, and stewed berries, with a vegetal top note. On the palate, cherries, cola, vanilla, ripe almost over-ripe strawberries, with India ink, coffee and peppery tobacco on the substantial finish. Good structure overall, and actually more restrained than my notes may suggest. Tasty, but also a bit on the forgettable side (for my tastes). <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.scarbolo.com/index.php" target="_blank"><img alt="Valter" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/Sd-H55mFBdI/AAAAAAAAAEE/jSxig1f0nxE/s400/valter.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 306px;" /></a>Went to a fun tasting this evening, led by Valter Scarbolo of <a href="http://www.scarbolo.com/index.php" target="_blank">Azienda Agricola Scarbolo</a>. We tasted through his current offerings and had an interesting discussion on the varied terroir of Friuli. In particular, we learned that Ribolla doesn't fare well on the plains of Grave del Friuli, but thrives in the hills of Collio. He will be releasing a Schioppetino/Refosko next year, but that wasn't available for tonight. In order, we tasted<span class="fullpost">.<br /><br /><b>2007 Pinot Grigio</b>: I was pleasantly surprised to see this lightly pink wine, as most PG is not, well, pink. 80% pressing of whole clustered fruit, 20% maceration with the skins. The nose was very fresh, with pronounced sweet meadow flowers, yellow fruits and a touch of fennel. On the palate,light and clean, yellow fruit and subtle minerality, with moderate acidity and length. Valter suggested that his intent is to match the nose with the palate. Our opinions on this wine diverged then, as I felt the nose to be far more vibrant, but still a pleasant wine, much more interesting than the bog standard P.G.<br /><br /><img align="left" alt="ramato" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9T848u4wxrU/Sd9_nWedG_I/AAAAAAAAADs/HdMYUz49wiE/s320/ramato.jpg"><b>2007 Pinot Grigio “Ramato”</b>: One of two “flagship” wines, this was my WOTN. Fruit sourced from a single vineyard site (“Mattia”). Half the grapes are cold macerated and then fermented in stainless steel, while the other half is fermented on the skins. A Pinot Grigio unlike any other, perhaps? Orange hued, obvious notes of red fruit, orange peel and smoke. On the palate, more of the same, a pleasant, mouth-watering acidity which frames a viscous, full bodied wine with a sustained finish. Simply delicious.<br /><br /><b>2007 Tocai Friulano</b>: 60% pressing of whole clusters, 30% maceration with the skins, and 10% late harvested fruit, which is further dried by 10% <i>appassimento</i>. Pale lemon in colour, with a floral nose flanked by apples, pears, sweet honey, and stewed tomatoes. Noticeably absent are any nut aromas. On the palate, this was a real surprise – viscous, sweet, honeyed yellow fruit, peach juice. The acidity is good, but perhaps a bit overwhelmed by the body. Very easy drinking, this wine.<br /><br /><b>2006 Sauvignon</b>: 90% pressing of whole clusters, 10% maceration with the skins. Whitish green in colour, and to my nose, a dominant “evergreen” aroma, suggestive of all the things I dislike about New Zealand S.B. Grassy, tropical fruit and cat piss. Not my thing at all.<br /><br /><b>2006 Chardonnay</b>: 90% pressing of whole clusters, 10% maceration with the skins, 90% fermentation in stainless steel , 10% in 225 litre French oak barriques, and 6 months aging on the lees. Pale yellow in colour, very light nose, clean, elegant, hints of lemons. Very round, sweet, with pleasant acidity, and no suggestion of oak treatment. Ripe, juicy peaches, with melon notes. A nice bitter finish, quinine and bark notes. Would drink this again.<br /><br /><b>2005 Merlot</b>: Vinified in oak barriques with frequent daily batonnages and aged on the lees for 10 months. Restrained nose, really only with red cherries given any prominence. Elegant on the palate, sweet cherries, faint vanilla, slightly “green’ tannins. I preferred this to the “reserve” wine.<br /><br /><b>2006 Cabernet</b>: So the name on this requires a bit of explanation, in that it is 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Vinified with the same method as the merlot, this is a food greedy wine. Leafy, vegetal nose, peppery, with red fruit. This was the wine that had the most similarity between nose and palate. Very grippy tannins, could use some time to settle, as it tended to overshadow the acidity. Would be interesting to revisit this in a few months time to gauge the progress.<br /><br /><b>2004 Merlot “Campo del Viotto”</b>:This is the other flagship wine, and only made in select years (the previous vintage was 1999). 40% of the grapes are dried <i>appassimento</i> to 75% of original weight and then fermented in small oak barrels (as is the balance of the fruit). Very rich and forward nose of vanilla, caramel, and stewed berries, with a vegetal top note. On the palate, cherries, cola, vanilla, ripe almost over-ripe strawberries, with India ink, coffee and peppery tobacco on the substantial finish. Good structure overall, and actually more restrained than my notes may suggest. Tasty, but also a bit on the forgettable side (for my tastes).</span>

Slovenely Winetasting

A friend of a friend, D., lives in Ljubljana, and kindly stole away from his family Sunday morning to show G. and I around town. Our first stop was for coffee, and our second for beer. Sensible people, these Slovenians. Ljubljana has a very pretty city centre, nestled up against a castle-topped hill, lots of activity around the river, and plenty of greenery. Great discussions with D. about history (as a people, very old, as a nation, very young), politics (stable & progressive), economy (growing nicely), literature (Boris Pahor), and most importantly, wine (tasty) and food (neither diet nor vegetarian friendly - good thing the Mrs. didn't join).


By the end of our walking tour it was late morning, and while the air was crisp, the sun was shining brightly and the place was bustling. D. went off for Sunday brunch with the family, while G. and I prepared to sample the length and breadth of Slovenia, settling on Dvorni Bar's outside seating along the canal.


My first priority was Movia, a biodynamic producer from the Brda Valley, adjacent to Collio on the Italian side of the border. Movia also runs their own wine bar in Ljubljana, but unfortunately it was closed on the day. This sampler made up for it – from left to right:

2001 Movia Pura Rose - 100% Pinot Nero. An undisgorged sparkler, unlike any I've ever had. Clear, orange-bronze in colour, with an incredible nose of flan, cheesecake, creme brulee. Decadent. On the palate, bone dry, astringent, with dried forest berries up front, a bit of prickle and more creme brulee (but not sweet) on the finish. Tremendous.

2006 Movia Lunar - 100% Rebula. Allegedly harvested by the light of the moon, unfiltered, skin-fermented and barrel aged in French oak for 7-9 months. Tremendous nose of dill, pickles, tarragon, caramel, honey, and loads of mint. Tannic, with sharp but fleeting acidity, oxidative, with sherried, caramel, butterscotch, candied orange peel, and mineral notes. Full-bodied, yet lively. Looong drying finish. Had this with the smoked salmon and orange-dill mayonnaise on toast, and it was an excellent match.

2002 Movia Merlot. Seems unfiltered, ruddy black cherry colour. Restrained nose, dried cherries, with herbal and bitter chocolate notes. Lightly oxidative, tannic, with a drying, caramelised finish.

2003 Movia Cabernet (not pictured - 100% Cab. Sauv.) Spicy nose, red fruit and savoury elements. A bit green on the palate - tannic, good acidity, cranberries, green tomato, some honeydew (weird), and a drying, astringent finish. Not unpleasant, but I wasn't finding so much interest here.


Having exhausted the Movia choices, we moved onto a couple more rebula, fast becoming one of my favorite white varietals.

2007 Kristančič Dušan Rebula, Goriška Brda, Primorska - 100% Rebula: Pale lemon colour, nose of vulcanised rubber, smoke, lemons, dried Italian herbs, and onion greens. On the palate, oily and full bodied, lighter acidity, olives and tomato acids, mineral water, long finish with bitter salad greens. Delicious.

2006 Jakončič Aljoša Rebula, Goriška Brda, Primorska - 100% Rebula: Simpler than the Kristančič, though with a similar nose of lemons, onion greens and smoke, and a touch of sour cream. A hint of sweetness, raw potato, mineral water and a light sweetness, enough to make a decent aperitif.


And then, for the rest of the day, things got strange.

2005 Sutor Burja,Vipavska Dolina, Primorska - "white blend": Smoky nose, lemons and candied fruit. Rich and oily body, well balanced by the acidity. Wet stones, lemon, candied fruit, and just a dark edge of coal. A pleasant wine. I'm guessing Tocai Friulano and Rebula were in the mix.

2004 Makovec Bogdan Mansus, Vipavska Dolina, Primorska - 100% Klarnica: Normally vinified sweet, but this was off-dry. And weird. Intensely aromatic nose - bubblicious, smarties, tuber rose, and talcum powder. Offputting nose, but we press on... good acidity, good weight, still a hint of bubble gum on the palate, but curiously mingled with citrus, straw, and wet hay notes. Just. Plain. Weird.


Time to stretch the legs a bit, see a man about a horse, and so on. A brisk walk to the castle and back, we passed a wine shop. Good thing it was closed. How ever would I have brought this thing home?


Having avoided buying absurdly awkward souvenir, we checked in at a new wine bar on the opposite side of the river from Dvorni, RanDeVu, only open for 4 months. Their philosophy is, in brief, "if it isn't popular, then that's what we'll serve." We directed the manager to serve us only varietals we hadn't heard of.

2006 Steyer Ranina, Podravje - 100% Ranina: Very pale lemon colour, fresh clean nose of citrus and ginger, crisp acidity, and fresh, light, mineral and citrus on the palate. Nice.

2007 Miro Šipon, Štajerska Slovenija, Podravje - 100% Šipon: Not completely new, this is local version of furmint. 2 demerits. Even paler than the Ranina, almost imperceptible colour. Brighter nose, hints of tropical fruit, with an unusual, cured meat thing as it warms up. Bright acidity, almost zingy, with a bit of frizzante. A bit more weight than the ranina, slightly leesy finish. Again, nice.

2007 Cviček Ptp, Dolenjska, Pleterje - 60% Žametovka, 30% Bele Kraljevine, and the remainder is made up of Jelaškega Rizling, Zelenga Silvanica, and Žlahtnina: Ok, really? Ptp? Yes, that is the correct spelling. No, I cannot pronounce it. This is made at a monastery in the eastern part of Slovenia, under the auspices, but perhaps not at the direction of the monks. The nose was intriguing: very vegetal, with mint, cinnamon, green pepper, and spice notes. The palate though was rather thin, suggestions of strawberry and red stone fruits, but obscured by an impression of cottage cheese. An oddity, not likely to be revisited by me.


Well, after that experience, it was definitely time for dinner and something tasty. Pork cutlets. With bacon. And dumplings. And gnocchi. And garlic soup. And some wine with dinner? But of course! The 2007 Boris Lizjak Kras Izbrani Teran! O tannin-bomb, o tannin-bomb. My face is still puckered... <img alt="Ljubljana" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/GirisFriuli-Slovenia-CroatiaPict-13.jpg" width="400" /><br />A friend of a friend, D., lives in Ljubljana, and kindly stole away from his family Sunday morning to show G. and I around town. Our first stop was for coffee, and our second for beer. Sensible people, these Slovenians. Ljubljana has a very pretty city centre, nestled up against a castle-topped hill, lots of activity around the river, and plenty of greenery. Great discussions with D. about history (as a people, very old, as a nation, very young), politics (stable & progressive), economy (growing nicely), literature (Boris Pahor), and most importantly, wine (tasty) and food (neither diet nor vegetarian friendly - good thing the Mrs. didn't join)<span class="fullpost">.<br /><br /><img alt="Ljubljana" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Slovenia2008012-Copy.jpg" width="400" /><br />By the end of our walking tour it was late morning, and while the air was crisp, the sun was shining brightly and the place was bustling. D. went off for Sunday brunch with the family, while G. and I prepared to sample the length and breadth of Slovenia, settling on Dvorni Bar's outside seating along the canal.<br /><br /><img alt="Movia trio" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Slovenia2008033-Copy-1.jpg" width="400" /><br />My first priority was Movia, a biodynamic producer from the Brda Valley, adjacent to Collio on the Italian side of the border. Movia also runs their own wine bar in Ljubljana, but unfortunately it was closed on the day. This sampler made up for it – from left to right:<br /><br />2001 Movia Pura Rose - 100% Pinot Nero. An undisgorged sparkler, unlike any I've ever had. Clear, orange-bronze in colour, with an incredible nose of flan, cheesecake, creme brulee. Decadent. On the palate, bone dry, astringent, with dried forest berries up front, a bit of prickle and more creme brulee (but not sweet) on the finish. Tremendous.<br /><br />2006 Movia Lunar - 100% Rebula. Allegedly harvested by the light of the moon, unfiltered, skin-fermented and barrel aged in French oak for 7-9 months. Tremendous nose of dill, pickles, tarragon, caramel, honey, and loads of mint. Tannic, with sharp but fleeting acidity, oxidative, with sherried, caramel, butterscotch, candied orange peel, and mineral notes. Full-bodied, yet lively. Looong drying finish. Had this with the smoked salmon and orange-dill mayonnaise on toast, and it was an excellent match.<br /><br />2002 Movia Merlot. Seems unfiltered, ruddy black cherry colour. Restrained nose, dried cherries, with herbal and bitter chocolate notes. Lightly oxidative, tannic, with a drying, caramelised finish.<br /><br />2003 Movia Cabernet (not pictured - 100% Cab. Sauv.) Spicy nose, red fruit and savoury elements. A bit green on the palate - tannic, good acidity, cranberries, green tomato, some honeydew (weird), and a drying, astringent finish. Not unpleasant, but I wasn't finding so much interest here.<br /><br /><img alt="“Dvorni" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/GirisFriuli-Slovenia-CroatiaPict-3.jpg" width="400" /><br />Having exhausted the Movia choices, we moved onto a couple more rebula, fast becoming one of my favorite white varietals.<br /><br />2007 Kristančič Dušan Rebula, Goriška Brda, Primorska - 100% Rebula: Pale lemon colour, nose of vulcanised rubber, smoke, lemons, dried Italian herbs, and onion greens. On the palate, oily and full bodied, lighter acidity, olives and tomato acids, mineral water, long finish with bitter salad greens. Delicious.<br /><br />2006 Jakončič Aljoša Rebula, Goriška Brda, Primorska - 100% Rebula: Simpler than the Kristančič, though with a similar nose of lemons, onion greens and smoke, and a touch of sour cream. A hint of sweetness, raw potato, mineral water and a light sweetness, enough to make a decent aperitif.<br /><br /><img alt="winebar" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/GirisFriuli-Slovenia-CroatiaPict-7.jpg" width="400" /><br />And then, for the rest of the day, things got strange.<br /><br />2005 Sutor Burja,Vipavska Dolina, Primorska - "white blend": Smoky nose, lemons and candied fruit. Rich and oily body, well balanced by the acidity. Wet stones, lemon, candied fruit, and just a dark edge of coal. A pleasant wine. I'm guessing Tocai Friulano and Rebula were in the mix.<br /><br />2004 Makovec Bogdan Mansus, Vipavska Dolina, Primorska - 100% Klarnica: Normally vinified sweet, but this was off-dry. And weird. Intensely aromatic nose - bubblicious, smarties, tuber rose, and talcum powder. Offputting nose, but we press on... good acidity, good weight, still a hint of bubble gum on the palate, but curiously mingled with citrus, straw, and wet hay notes. Just. Plain. Weird.<br /><br /><img alt="chandelier" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Slovenia2008047-Copy-1.jpg" width="400" /><br />Time to stretch the legs a bit, see a man about a horse, and so on. A brisk walk to the castle and back, we passed a wine shop. Good thing it was closed. How ever would I have brought this thing home?<br /><br /><img alt="winebar" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Slovenia2008050-Copy-1.jpg" width="400" /><br />Having avoided buying absurdly awkward souvenir, we checked in at a new wine bar on the opposite side of the river from Dvorni, RanDeVu, only open for 4 months. Their philosophy is, in brief, "if it isn't popular, then that's what we'll serve." We directed the manager to serve us only varietals we hadn't heard of.<br /><br />2006 Steyer Ranina, Podravje - 100% Ranina: Very pale lemon colour, fresh clean nose of citrus and ginger, crisp acidity, and fresh, light, mineral and citrus on the palate. Nice.<br /><br />2007 Miro Šipon, Štajerska Slovenija, Podravje - 100% Šipon: Not completely new, this is local version of furmint. 2 demerits. Even paler than the Ranina, almost imperceptible colour. Brighter nose, hints of tropical fruit, with an unusual, cured meat thing as it warms up. Bright acidity, almost zingy, with a bit of frizzante. A bit more weight than the ranina, slightly leesy finish. Again, nice.<br /><br />2007 Cviček Ptp, Dolenjska, Pleterje - 60% Žametovka, 30% Bele Kraljevine, and the remainder is made up of Jelaškega Rizling, Zelenga Silvanica, and Žlahtnina: Ok, really? Ptp? Yes, that is the correct spelling. No, I cannot pronounce it. This is made at a monastery in the eastern part of Slovenia, under the auspices, but perhaps not at the direction of the monks. The nose was intriguing: very vegetal, with mint, cinnamon, green pepper, and spice notes. The palate though was rather thin, suggestions of strawberry and red stone fruits, but obscured by an impression of cottage cheese. An oddity, not likely to be revisited by me.<br /><br /><img alt="dinner" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Slovenia2008078.jpg" width="400" /><br />Well, after that experience, it was definitely time for dinner and something tasty. Pork cutlets. With bacon. And dumplings. And gnocchi. And garlic soup. And some wine with dinner? But of course! The 2007 Boris Lizjak Kras Izbrani Teran! O tannin-bomb, o tannin-bomb. My face is still puckered...</span>

Zagreb = Pizza Mecca?

It seems unlikely, but there you go. We set out rather early this morning, catching the first train from Ljubljana to Zagreb in Croatia.


We decided that the most comfortable and comforting spot would be in the dining car. Breakfast of champions ensued, lager, coffee, and potato chips. The conductor was a chatty sort. We tried to buy him a drink, but he insisted that beer was bad for his head. The tumbler full of vodka, on the other hand...


The chef. Don't mess with the chef.


Familiar, Hapsburg styled city.


Zagreb fruit and veg market. Kind of a drizzly morning, so we took it easy, had a coffee, watched the people.


Huh... Tesla was here.


Trg Bana Jelacica - the main square.


Another member of IRAW (Indian Restaurants Around the World). G. refused to eat here unless puff pastry was involved. It wasn't. We moved on. Good thing, too.


Because this pizzeria was open.


And because, this pizza was enough to bring G. to his knees. A pizza to make a grown man weep. I know I'm going to be hearing about this pizza for days... months.... possibly longer... <img alt="Train" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/GirisFriuli-Slovenia-CroatiaPict-5.jpg" width="400"><br />It seems unlikely, but there you go. We set out rather early this morning, catching the first train from Ljubljana to Zagreb in Croatia<span class="fullpost">. <br /><br /><img alt="Driver 8" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/019.jpg" width="400"><br />We decided that the most comfortable and comforting spot would be in the dining car. Breakfast of champions ensued, lager, coffee, and potato chips. The conductor was a chatty sort. We tried to buy him a drink, but he insisted that beer was bad for his head. The tumbler full of vodka, on the other hand...<br /><br /><img alt="Chef de Train" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/016.jpg" width="400"><br />The chef. Don't mess with the chef.<br /><br /><img alt="Zagreb" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/022.jpg" width="400"><br />Familiar, Hapsburg styled city.<br /><br /><img alt="flower market" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/031.jpg" width="400"><br />Zagreb fruit and veg market. Kind of a drizzly morning, so we took it easy, had a coffee, watched the people.<br /><br /><img alt="tesla" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/045.jpg" width="400"><br />Huh... Tesla was here.<br /><br /><img alt="main square" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/049-1.jpg" width="400"><br />Trg Bana Jelacica - the main square.<br /><br /><img alt="Maharadja" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/027.jpg" width="400"><br />Another member of IRAW (Indian Restaurants Around the World). G. refused to eat here unless puff pastry was involved. It wasn't. We moved on. Good thing, too.<br /><br /><img alt="Maharadja" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/037.jpg" width="400"><br />Because this pizzeria was open.<br /><br /><img alt="Pizza" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/GirisFriuli-Slovenia-CroatiaPict-4.jpg" width="400"><br />And because, this pizza was enough to bring G. to his knees. A pizza to make a grown man weep. I know I'm going to be hearing about this pizza for days... months.... possibly longer...</span>

From Trieste to Portaroz, From Piran to Maribor

After our tour of Collio, a couple of days by the seaside was just the ticket. This is the port of Piran in Slovenia, just an hour or so drive south of Trieste in Italy. Therapeutic salt baths, therapeutic cold beer, therapeutic pizza with chilies...


If this is what the Adriatic Coast is going to be like, I will have to come back with R. But, a much more weighty question arose...


And that is, which way to Arse?


From Piran, we rented a car and headed across the country to Maribor, hoping to get a tour of Vinag, a cellar in the centre of town, reportedly holding some 2 million litres of wine (the equivalent of more than 2.5 million standard wine bottles). Unfortunately, we ran into heavy rain and got there just as the place closed.


It was looking bleak, with only this fruit stand and an oil drum of flaming chestnuts for consolation.


However, all was not lost though, as turning around we found a winebar. Along with Vinag's finest, some home-made wine must was available, so we gave that a go before moving on to Ljubljana. <img alt="Port of Piran" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Slovenia2008010.jpg" width="”400”"><br />After our tour of Collio, a couple of days by the seaside was just the ticket. This is the port of Piran in Slovenia, just an hour or so drive south of Trieste in Italy. Therapeutic salt baths, therapeutic cold beer, therapeutic pizza with chilies<span class="fullpost">...<br /><br /><img alt="Piran town square" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Slovenia2008040.jpg" width="”400”"><br />If this is what the Adriatic Coast is going to be like, I will have to come back with R. But, a much more weighty question arose...<br /><br /><img alt="Arse" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Slovenia2008034.jpg" width="”400”"><br />And that is, which way to Arse?<br /><br /><img alt="Vinag" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Slovenia2008051.jpg" width="”400”"><br />From Piran, we rented a car and headed across the country to Maribor, hoping to get a tour of Vinag, a cellar in the centre of town, reportedly holding some 2 million litres of wine (the equivalent of more than 2.5 million standard wine bottles). Unfortunately, we ran into heavy rain and got there just as the place closed. <br /><br /><img alt="Fruit stand" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/GirisFriuli-Slovenia-CroatiaPict-8.jpg" width="”400”"><br />It was looking bleak, with only this fruit stand and an oil drum of flaming chestnuts for consolation.<br /><br /><img alt="Maribor must" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/Slovenia2008062.jpg" width="”400”"><br />However, all was not lost though, as turning around we found a winebar. Along with Vinag's finest, some home-made wine <span style="font-style:italic;">must</span> was available, so we gave that a go before moving on to Ljubljana.</span>

Winetasting in Friuli-Venezia-Giulia

I'm sitting on my balcony in Portoroz, Slovenia, basking in the sun, looking out onto the Adriatic Sea, contemplating my next swim, and recovering from yesterday's events: a tasting through through the Collio area of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia.

A quick aside before jumping in... G. and I rented a ridiculously small car, a Fiat Panda, it felt like clown college. Anyways, as we're approaching Collio on some side road which no doubt we never planned on taking, we see this incredible monument, not at all sign-posted. It was the Redipuglia War Memorial, a tribute to the more than 100,000 Italian soldiers who fell at this site in WWI. It was incredibly humbling in scope and scale:


Redipuglia Memorial from afar


A view across one step


Schiopetto – Moving on, our first stop was a complete accident – we were trying to head north from Goricza to Oslavje, but somehow ended up going a few kilometers out of town going west. Passing through Caprivo del Friuli, we spotted a sign for the wine trail, and this was the first property we came across. It was very sleepy looking, but we drove up anyways. Getting out of the car and kind of wondering where the front door, a young woman came out and asked us what we were looking for. I was pretty sure we were about to be chased off the property, but she said that they were just finishing up lunch, and if we could wait a few moments, she would arrange a tasting.


The Schiopetto tasting room

2007 Pinot Grigio (13% abv) – Generally not a fan of this varietal, but this was very nice. Fragrant nose of acacia and tropical fruits (I’ve had one like this before, I believe it was the Oriel Pinot Grigio). Very clean on the palate, intense and bright acidity, but delicately flavoured at the same time. A pinot grigio I would drink again. 11 Euros.

2007 Tocai Friuliano (13% abv) – Delicate nose of white flowers, almonds and pears. Dry, with a good body and moderate acidity, and again delicately flavoured, more sweet almonds and pears. 11 Euros.

2007 Pinot Bianco (13% abv) – Intensely floral nose, with strong cherry and apple blossom notes. Very dry, with a rather bold, floral taste, yet, clean and refreshing. 10 Euros.

2007 Savignon (local spelling, 13% abv) - A strong herbal and vegetal nose, green peppers, eucalyptus and sage, fuzzy tomato leaves. Silky body and slightly subdued acidity. Balanced and clean finish, but the nose is a bit too strong and green for my tastes. Not as offputting to me as the NZ SB’s, but still. 11 Euros.

2007 Blanc des Rossis (13% abv) – An everything but the kitchen sink cuvee, this is 50% tocai friuliano and then equal measures of pinot grigio, sauvignon, and malvasia. This also usually contains ribolla gialla, but Schiopetto’s 2007 harvest was considered unsatisfactory. Mostly fermented in Inox, but 5% of the malvasia is fermented in oak tonneaux, and remaining on its yeast for 8 months. This lends a rather noticeable roundness to this blend, compared to the single varietal wines. Intense nose, an amalgam of things. Yes, it is well balanced, harmonious even, and easy drinking. I think it a bit too polished for my liking, but it wasn’t bad. 12 Euros.

2007 Mario Schiopetto (14% abv) – A 50:50 blend of chardonnay and tocai friuliano, with 60% of fermentation taking place in stainless steel tanks and 40% in new French oak (the only other Schiopetto white wine that sees any oak.) Very perfumed nose, sweet bakery notes, vanilla, and balsam. On the palate, it was easy to pick out the tocai friuliano from the chardonnay – the oakiness was evident but judicious. The tocai friuliano appears to have lent some darker tea and mineral notes. Pleasant quince and dried fruit, with good acidity. I felt that the varietals hadn’t quite integrated, but Mikaela assured us that this was painfully young and would require some patience. I bought a bottle of the 2006 and will give it a shot in a year or so. This was the most expensive white wine we tasted on our tour, but still only 19 euros.

2003 Blumeri (15% abv) – A blend primarily of merlot and cabernet sauvignon, with a bit of refosco dal peduncolo rosso. The oak is pretty evident, with bright cherry and raspberry notes on the nose, and a clear cherry vanilla cola vibe going on.. we were told that the red wines aren’t such a focus for the winery, but rather made to fill out their portfolio as demanded by their restaurant and distribution customers. Certainly not a bad wine, but nothing special as far as I’m concerned. 19 euros.

2003 Rivarossa (14% abv) - a blend of merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and refosco dal peduncolo rosso. Immediately reminded me of a recioto style wine. We learned that this characteristic comes from the refosco grape, which even in tiny percentages has a powerful personality. Warm red fruit, vanilla, and spice on the nose, full bodied, tannic on the body, with dried fruit, chocolate, raspberry and some liquorice. I much preferred this to the Blumeri. 16 euros.



Grauner – This might only be available from the man’s barn on this hilltop in San Florian del Collio. I think we nearly walked into a “domestic”, I say “I think” because I’m pretty sure they weren’t speaking Italian (probably Slovenian, since we had just passed a sign saying, “Slovenia, 0.5km”)… they also looked pretty stunned to see two 6 foot Indian chaps who haven't missed many meals walking up. I said, “posso probare il vino?” (which, I hope, meant "can I try the wine?") - the reply was “Veni, veni” (come, come), and then the shouting began… the old man wanted to give us some pretty scaly looking glasses before his wife, thankfully, interceded. We tried their 2007 Friuliano, which admittedly was pretty good (won some awards too, at some wine competition in California. I don’t put much stock in these things, but the man had his medal hung up in the “tasting barn/packaging centre/livestock washing room / cellar/ torture dungeon/ fermenting chamber”, so I couldn’t help but notice.) I bought a bottle for a whopping 5 euros and will taste this at leisure later on.


San Florian del Collio

Humar – on the same hilltop as Grauner, but a rather more professional operation. I think we woke the proprietress up, she looked pretty sleepy, and asked us if we could wait 15 minutes or so (after letting us drive into the gated compound.) Humar used to have a U.S. importer, and is looking to get back, but currently this is only available in Italy, Austria, Germany and the U.K.

2007 Tocai Friuliano. Herbal nose, actually quite similar to the Schiopetto version – sage and eucalyptus – is this a characteristic profile? Nice acidity, citrus, minerality and a bit of orange peel to add interest. 6 Euros

2007 Ribolla Gialla – delicate nose of almond oil and olives in brine, slightly oily on the palate, with more nuts and fruit pits, pleasant acidity, and really mouthwatering. At 6 Euros, this is a village burning, war-mongering, rage raising value.

2006 Refosco – This is a local red varietal. On the nose, sweet and sour berries, a hint of dairy as well. Acidic and very tannic, to the point of roughness. The server indicated that this was just about to be released for sale, but that it was indeed very very young, and that the edges would soften considerably. 6 Euros.


Simon Komjanc – This property is located just around the corner from Humar in San Floriano del Collio. We met the younger Komjanc just hopping off a tractor, but he bade us follow him to the tasting room anyways. This actually really nicely captures the spirit in which we've been received... we seemed to be the only ones on the wine trail all day, and every winery appeared to be in sleep mode, but they all turned on the lights for us...

2007 Tocai Friuliano (13% abv) – Terrifically interesting nose of lemongrass, lemon zest, and neem. On the palate, more neem and lemons, good acidity. Very interesting, but perhaps a bit too strongly flavoured for more than a glass. 6 Euros.

2007 Ribolla Gialla (14% abv) – Funky nose, with musty and nutty elements co-mingling… the funkiness subsides quickly though. On the palate, more nuttiness, nut oils, a cider element, and bright lemonesque acidity. Good stuff. 6 Euros.


Oscar Sturm – the current heirs are 5th generation winemakers, hailing originally from Austria (Styria), but have been in this area since this area was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This winery does have a California based importer, as well as an importer in Japan.

2007 Pinot Grigio (14% abv): Highly perfumed, floral nose, white flowers. On the sweet side, relatively low acidity, but again clean and more flavor than I normally anticipate from this varietal. Light citrus, minerals, hint of acacia. 9 Euros

2007 Savignon (14% abv): Strong, almost overpowering nose. First impression, again, is of a mix of eucalyptus and sage. This was confusing, but Sturm says that the bloodlines for Tocai Friuliano and Sauvignon are closely related and can be easily mistaken for each other. I could see this nose being mistaken for cat piss, but there’s a certain high tone element that’s missing in that (that’s a positive). On the palate, more eucalyptus, but also fresh green grass and green apple, positive acidity and a surprising amount of body. 9 Euros

2007 Andritz Bianco (14% abv): 1:1 blend of Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio, matured in 50/50 new/old French barrique. Oak here presents very subtly, and this is an extremely well integrated blend of these two varietals. Vanilla appears only scantly on the nose, with nice floral, citrus, and green apple flavours on the palate, with excellent body and good structure. They say this cuvee ages nicely. 11 Euros

2004 Andritz Rosso (13% abv): 70:30 blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon). Also barrique aged. Rich vanilla and cherry nose, cherry cola on the palate, and very tannic. Not terribly complex, but will likely be very forgiving in a couple of years time. 12 Euros <img alt="Collio" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/094.jpg" width="400"><br />I'm sitting on my balcony in Portoroz, Slovenia, basking in the sun, looking out onto the Adriatic Sea, contemplating my next swim, and recovering from yesterday's events: a tasting through through the Collio area of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia<span class="fullpost">.<br /><br />A quick aside before jumping in... G. and I rented a ridiculously small car, a Fiat Panda, it felt like clown college. Anyways, as we're approaching Collio on some side road which no doubt we never planned on taking, we see this incredible monument, not at all sign-posted. It was the Redipuglia War Memorial, a tribute to the more than 100,000 Italian soldiers who fell at this site in WWI. It was incredibly humbling in scope and scale:<br /><br /><img alt="Redipuglia" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/020.jpg" width="400"><br />Redipuglia Memorial from afar<br /><br /><img alt="Redipuglia" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/034.jpg" width="400"><br />A view across one step<br /><br /><img alt="Schiopetto" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/047.jpg" width="400"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Schiopetto</span> – Moving on, our first stop was a complete accident – we were trying to head north from Goricza to Oslavje, but somehow ended up going a few kilometers out of town going west. Passing through Caprivo del Friuli, we spotted a sign for the wine trail, and this was the first property we came across. It was very sleepy looking, but we drove up anyways. Getting out of the car and kind of wondering where the front door, a young woman came out and asked us what we were looking for. I was pretty sure we were about to be chased off the property, but she said that they were just finishing up lunch, and if we could wait a few moments, she would arrange a tasting. <br /><br /><img alt="Schiopetto tasting room" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/049.jpg" width="400"><br />The Schiopetto tasting room<br /><br />2007 Pinot Grigio (13% abv) – Generally not a fan of this varietal, but this was very nice. Fragrant nose of acacia and tropical fruits (I’ve had one like this before, I believe it was the Oriel Pinot Grigio). Very clean on the palate, intense and bright acidity, but delicately flavoured at the same time. A pinot grigio I would drink again. 11 Euros.<br /><br />2007 Tocai Friuliano (13% abv) – Delicate nose of white flowers, almonds and pears. Dry, with a good body and moderate acidity, and again delicately flavoured, more sweet almonds and pears. 11 Euros.<br /><br />2007 Pinot Bianco (13% abv) – Intensely floral nose, with strong cherry and apple blossom notes. Very dry, with a rather bold, floral taste, yet, clean and refreshing. 10 Euros.<br /><br />2007 Savignon (local spelling, 13% abv) - A strong herbal and vegetal nose, green peppers, eucalyptus and sage, fuzzy tomato leaves. Silky body and slightly subdued acidity. Balanced and clean finish, but the nose is a bit too strong and green for my tastes. Not as offputting to me as the NZ SB’s, but still. 11 Euros. <br /><br />2007 Blanc des Rossis (13% abv) – An everything but the kitchen sink cuvee, this is 50% tocai friuliano and then equal measures of pinot grigio, sauvignon, and malvasia. This also usually contains ribolla gialla, but Schiopetto’s 2007 harvest was considered unsatisfactory. Mostly fermented in Inox, but 5% of the malvasia is fermented in oak tonneaux, and remaining on its yeast for 8 months. This lends a rather noticeable roundness to this blend, compared to the single varietal wines. Intense nose, an amalgam of things. Yes, it is well balanced, <span style="font-style:italic;">harmonious</span> even, and easy drinking. I think it a bit too polished for my liking, but it wasn’t bad. 12 Euros. <br /><br />2007 Mario Schiopetto (14% abv) – A 50:50 blend of chardonnay and tocai friuliano, with 60% of fermentation taking place in stainless steel tanks and 40% in new French oak (the only other Schiopetto white wine that sees any oak.) Very perfumed nose, sweet bakery notes, vanilla, and balsam. On the palate, it was easy to pick out the tocai friuliano from the chardonnay – the oakiness was evident but judicious. The tocai friuliano appears to have lent some darker tea and mineral notes. Pleasant quince and dried fruit, with good acidity. I felt that the varietals hadn’t quite integrated, but Mikaela assured us that this was painfully young and would require some patience. I bought a bottle of the 2006 and will give it a shot in a year or so. This was the most expensive white wine we tasted on our tour, but still only 19 euros.<br /><br />2003 Blumeri (15% abv) – A blend primarily of merlot and cabernet sauvignon, with a bit of refosco dal peduncolo rosso. The oak is pretty evident, with bright cherry and raspberry notes on the nose, and a clear cherry vanilla cola vibe going on.. we were told that the red wines aren’t such a focus for the winery, but rather made to fill out their portfolio as demanded by their restaurant and distribution customers. Certainly not a bad wine, but nothing special as far as I’m concerned. 19 euros.<br /><br />2003 Rivarossa (14% abv) - a blend of merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and refosco dal peduncolo rosso. Immediately reminded me of a recioto style wine. We learned that this characteristic comes from the refosco grape, which even in tiny percentages has a powerful personality. Warm red fruit, vanilla, and spice on the nose, full bodied, tannic on the body, with dried fruit, chocolate, raspberry and some liquorice. I much preferred this to the Blumeri. 16 euros.<br /><br /><img alt="Vespi" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/075.jpg" width="400"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Grauner</span> – This might only be available from the man’s barn on this hilltop in San Florian del Collio. I think we nearly walked into a “domestic”, I say “I think” because I’m pretty sure they weren’t speaking Italian (probably Slovenian, since we had just passed a sign saying, “Slovenia, 0.5km”)… they also looked pretty stunned to see two 6 foot Indian chaps who haven't missed many meals walking up. I said, “<span style="font-style:italic;">posso probare il vino</span>?” (which, I hope, meant "<span style="font-style:italic;">can I try the wine</span>?") - the reply was “<span style="font-style:italic;">Veni, veni</span>” (come, come), and then the shouting began… the old man wanted to give us some pretty scaly looking glasses before his wife, thankfully, interceded. We tried their 2007 Friuliano, which admittedly was pretty good (won some awards too, at some wine competition in California. I don’t put much stock in these things, but the man had his medal hung up in the “tasting barn/packaging centre/livestock washing room / cellar/ torture dungeon/ fermenting chamber”, so I couldn’t help but notice.) I bought a bottle for a whopping 5 euros and will taste this at leisure later on.<br /><br /><img alt="San Florian del Collio" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/078.jpg" width="400"><br />San Florian del Collio<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Humar</span> – on the same hilltop as Grauner, but a rather more professional operation. I think we woke the proprietress up, she looked pretty sleepy, and asked us if we could wait 15 minutes or so (after letting us drive into the gated compound.) Humar used to have a U.S. importer, and is looking to get back, but currently this is only available in Italy, Austria, Germany and the U.K. <br /><br />2007 Tocai Friuliano. Herbal nose, actually quite similar to the Schiopetto version – sage and eucalyptus – is this a characteristic profile? Nice acidity, citrus, minerality and a bit of orange peel to add interest. 6 Euros<br /><br />2007 Ribolla Gialla – delicate nose of almond oil and olives in brine, slightly oily on the palate, with more nuts and fruit pits, pleasant acidity, and really mouthwatering. At 6 Euros, this is a village burning, war-mongering, rage raising value.<br /><br />2006 Refosco – This is a local red varietal. On the nose, sweet and sour berries, a hint of dairy as well. Acidic and very tannic, to the point of roughness. The server indicated that this was just about to be released for sale, but that it was indeed very very young, and that the edges would soften considerably. 6 Euros.<br /><br /><img alt="Komjanc" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/088.jpg" width="400"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Simon Komjanc</span> – This property is located just around the corner from Humar in San Floriano del Collio. We met the younger Komjanc just hopping off a tractor, but he bade us follow him to the tasting room anyways. This actually really nicely captures the spirit in which we've been received... we seemed to be the only ones on the wine trail all day, and every winery appeared to be in sleep mode, but they all turned on the lights for us...<br /><br />2007 Tocai Friuliano (13% abv) – Terrifically interesting nose of lemongrass, lemon zest, and neem. On the palate, more neem and lemons, good acidity. Very interesting, but perhaps a bit too strongly flavoured for more than a glass. 6 Euros.<br /><br />2007 Ribolla Gialla (14% abv) – Funky nose, with musty and nutty elements co-mingling… the funkiness subsides quickly though. On the palate, more nuttiness, nut oils, a cider element, and bright lemonesque acidity. Good stuff. 6 Euros.<br /><br /><img alt="Sturm" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/099.jpg" width="400"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Oscar Sturm</span> – the current heirs are 5th generation winemakers, hailing originally from Austria (Styria), but have been in this area since this area was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This winery does have a California based importer, as well as an importer in Japan.<br /> <br />2007 Pinot Grigio (14% abv): Highly perfumed, floral nose, white flowers. On the sweet side, relatively low acidity, but again clean and more flavor than I normally anticipate from this varietal. Light citrus, minerals, hint of acacia. 9 Euros<br /><br />2007 Savignon (14% abv): Strong, almost overpowering nose. First impression, again, is of a mix of eucalyptus and sage. This was confusing, but Sturm says that the bloodlines for Tocai Friuliano and Sauvignon are closely related and can be easily mistaken for each other. I could see this nose being mistaken for cat piss, but there’s a certain high tone element that’s missing in that (that’s a positive). On the palate, more eucalyptus, but also fresh green grass and green apple, positive acidity and a surprising amount of body. 9 Euros<br /><br />2007 Andritz Bianco (14% abv): 1:1 blend of Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio, matured in 50/50 new/old French barrique. Oak here presents very subtly, and this is an extremely well integrated blend of these two varietals. Vanilla appears only scantly on the nose, with nice floral, citrus, and green apple flavours on the palate, with excellent body and good structure. They say this cuvee ages nicely. 11 Euros<br /><br />2004 Andritz Rosso (13% abv): 70:30 blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon). Also barrique aged. Rich vanilla and cherry nose, cherry cola on the palate, and very tannic. Not terribly complex, but will likely be very forgiving in a couple of years time. 12 Euros</span>

Trieste

G. and I have landed in Trieste, and almost nothing good can come of it. Consider for a moment the comedy hotel room. Friendly we are. This friendly, we are not.


After sorting out the sleeping situation, a glass of wine on the piazza and a little bit of food sets us all right.


Trieste, from the pier.


Somehow, can't help feeling that this guy is enjoying life more than we are. It's a weekday afternoon. No one seems to be working. We fit in perfectly.


The local library.


The panna cotta emporium. This place is all right. <img alt="Trieste" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/172.jpg" width="400"><br />G. and I have landed in Trieste, and almost nothing good can come of it. Consider for a moment the comedy hotel room. Friendly we are. This friendly, we are not<span class="fullpost">.<br /><br /><img alt="Piazza" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/199-1.jpg" width="400"><br />After sorting out the sleeping situation, a glass of wine on the piazza and a little bit of food sets us all right.<br /><br /><img alt="From the Trieste pier" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/187.jpg" width="400"><br />Trieste, from the pier.<br /><br /><img alt="Coffee" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/175.jpg" width="400"><br />Somehow, can't help feeling that this guy is enjoying life more than we are. It's a weekday afternoon. No one seems to be working. We fit in perfectly.<br /><br /><img alt="books" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/179-1.jpg" width="400"><br />The local library.<br /><br /><img alt="panna cotta" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/190-1.jpg" width="400"><br />The panna cotta emporium. This place is all right.</span>

The Hong Kong Vienna Opera Ball

Our trip to Hong Kong was capped off on Saturday night with "The Hong Kong Vienna Opera Ball", held in the ballroom of the Grand Hyatt. This was the first such ball held in HK since 2002, before which it appears to have been an annual event. I wouldn't have thought there'd be so many Austrians in Hong Kong, but there you go, with my classmate amongst them. All in all, it was a fine evening of Austrian wine, food, and song.

N.V. Schlumberger "Sparkling Brut": 100% Welschriesling, and only 11.5% a.b.v., made by methode traditionelle. Very light, with yeasty and apricot/green apple aromas. Pleasantly toasty, dry and angular. I believe this is available in the U.S., for between $25 and $30. There's also a sparkling rosé which I'm keen to try.


Wiener Kartoffelpuffer mit Lachstartar und Caviar an Dill Sosse (Pan-fried Viennese potato tart with salmon tartar and caviar in a light dill sauce) - This may have been my favorite dish of the night, barring the dessert.

2005 Laurenz V. Gruner Veltliner: This was a slightly unusual but overall very pleasant wine. Slightly funky and quite smoky on the nose initially, giving way to slate, green apple, and green pea aromas. Initially, I found this to be on the soft side, but as it came up to room temperature, the acidity really livened up and served as a nice counterpoint to the juicy green apple and citrus notes. Easy drinking, all night long.

[no picture, inexcusably...but it was very good.]
Schaumsüppchen von der geräucherten Regenbogenforelle serviert mit seinem Schaumbrot in Blatteteig Vol au Vent (Light cream of smoked rainbow trout, served with rainbow trout parfait in puff vol au vent)


Gemüse strudel auf Kerbel weisswein sosse (Vegetable strudel on white wine chervil cream)

2007 Gernot Heinrich "Roter" Zweigelt. Strangely named, not sure there is any other colour of Zweigelt. This was a rather simple, but again easy drinking wine under the less than critical circumstances. Nose was very strong on the ripe and stewed plums, with fresh black cherries and soft tannins on the palate. Very much lacking in the acidity department. Didn't drink much of this beyond what the very eager attendants poured, returning to the grüner veltliner at the first opportunity.


Tafelspitz mit apfelkren, petersilien kartoffeln und mangold (Boiled beef rump with apple horseradish sauce, steamed parsley potatoes and Swiss chard)


Mohr im hemd mit schokoladen sosse, schlagobers auf vanille sosse mohnudeln mi himbeerhalbgeforenem (Chocolate pudding in chocolate and vanilla sauce with whipped cream and poppy seed gnocchi served with raspberry parfait)

I was a little disappointed that there wasn't any dessert wine, but by this time, the dancing was in full swing (Hong Kongers are apparently VERY keen ballroom dancers). The midnight quadrille was energetic and hilarious, with only minor casualties, soothed by traditional post-midnight ball fare, i.e. goulash! It was a great night, although we didn't quite make it all the way to the end, since we had a flight to catch late on Sunday morning. Still, I can't imagine it will be too long before we are back for more... <img alt="“" border="“0”" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/IMGP0035.jpg"><br />Our trip to Hong Kong was capped off on Saturday night with "The Hong Kong Vienna Opera Ball", held in the ballroom of the Grand Hyatt. This was the first such ball held in HK since 2002, before which it appears to have been an annual event. I wouldn't have thought there'd be so many Austrians in Hong Kong, but there you go, with my classmate amongst them. All in all, it was a fine evening of Austrian wine, food, and song<span class="fullpost">.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">N.V. Schlumberger "Sparkling Brut"</span>: 100% Welschriesling, and only 11.5% a.b.v., made by methode traditionelle. Very light, with yeasty and apricot/green apple aromas. Pleasantly toasty, dry and angular. I believe this is available in the U.S., for between $25 and $30. There's also a sparkling rosé which I'm keen to try.<br /><br /><img alt="“" border="“0”" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/IMGP0017.jpg"><br /><b>Wiener Kartoffelpuffer mit Lachstartar und Caviar an Dill Sosse</b> (Pan-fried Viennese potato tart with salmon tartar and caviar in a light dill sauce) - This may have been my favorite dish of the night, barring the dessert.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2005 Laurenz V. Gruner Veltliner</span>: This was a slightly unusual but overall very pleasant wine. Slightly funky and quite smoky on the nose initially, giving way to slate, green apple, and green pea aromas. Initially, I found this to be on the soft side, but as it came up to room temperature, the acidity really livened up and served as a nice counterpoint to the juicy green apple and citrus notes. Easy drinking, all night long.<br /><br />[no picture, inexcusably...but it was very good.]<br /><b>Schaumsüppchen von der geräucherten Regenbogenforelle serviert mit seinem Schaumbrot in Blatteteig Vol au Vent</b> (Light cream of smoked rainbow trout, served with rainbow trout parfait in puff <i>vol au vent</i>)<br /><br /><img alt="“" border="“0”" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/IMGP0020.jpg"><br /><b>Gemüse strudel auf Kerbel weisswein sosse</b> (Vegetable strudel on white wine chervil cream)<br /><br /><b>2007 Gernot Heinrich "Roter" Zweigelt</b>. Strangely named, not sure there is any other colour of Zweigelt. This was a rather simple, but again easy drinking wine under the less than critical circumstances. Nose was very strong on the ripe and stewed plums, with fresh black cherries and soft tannins on the palate. Very much lacking in the acidity department. Didn't drink much of this beyond what the very eager attendants poured, returning to the grüner veltliner at the first opportunity.<br /><br /><img alt="“" border="“0”" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/IMGP0022.jpg"><br /><b>Tafelspitz mit apfelkren, petersilien kartoffeln und mangold</b> (Boiled beef rump with apple horseradish sauce, steamed parsley potatoes and Swiss chard)<br /><br /><img alt="“" border="“0”" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/IMGP0025.jpg"><br /><b>Mohr im hemd mit schokoladen sosse, schlagobers auf vanille sosse mohnudeln mi himbeerhalbgeforenem</b> (Chocolate pudding in chocolate and vanilla sauce with whipped cream and poppy seed gnocchi served with raspberry parfait)<br /><br />I was a little disappointed that there wasn't any dessert wine, but by this time, the dancing was in full swing (Hong Kongers are apparently VERY keen ballroom dancers). The midnight quadrille was energetic and hilarious, with only minor casualties, soothed by traditional post-midnight ball fare, i.e. goulash! It was a great night, although we didn't quite make it all the way to the end, since we had a flight to catch late on Sunday morning. Still, I can't imagine it will be too long before we are back for more...</span>

Oxidised wines in HK

After the severe battering HK has received the last couple of days, the rain finally let up this afternoon, and by evening, even the skies were clearing enough to give us some purple moonlight under which to have a selection of deliberately oxidised wines.


Tonight's lineup, from L to R: 2002 Damijan Collio Kaplja, 1997 Rolet Pere et Fils Vin Jaune, 1999 Jean Leon Chardonnay, 1997 Chateau Musar Blanc, and 2000 Chateau Musar Rouge.

1999 Jean Leon Chardonnay, Penedes, Torrontes, Spain, 100% Chardonnay, 13.5% abv: Not intentionally oxidised, but other bottles in this lot were found to be, so it was included. Golden yellow in appearance, toasted oak nose, cheesy/leesy notes, with some honeyed / flowery tinges. Decidedly mushroomy, with a weird rancid coconut oil flavour. Overall, it was insipid and flat, with no acidity to speak of. Undrinkable, really.

2002 Damijan Podversic Collio Kaplja Bianco, Friuli-Venezia, Italy, Chardonnay/Malvasia blend, 13.5% abv: This is fermented on the skins. Amber/honey coloured, hazy, with a noticeable hard apple cider nose, with a touch of orange. On the palate, this is a wine of contradictions. Smoky, roasted notes, this is tannic, and very drying, but not dry. It was actually rather juicy, but with non-specific fruit - more of a feeling than something identifiable. Medium to full bodied, with an interesting bitter streak down the midline, and a pleasantly buttery and caramel finish, but still with a bitter of bite at the end. R. took the last quarter of this home with him, so will have to hear how this develops.

1997 Chateau Musar Blanc, Bekaa valley, Lebanon, Obaideh/Merweh blend, 12% abv: Decanted for only 5 hours. Deep golden colour, with a subtle nose of smoke, plums, candied fruit, bakery spices, and sweet caramel apples. On the palate, dry, balanced acidity, medium bodied, with minerality dominating. Subdued citrus notes, with a bit of raw egg protein, and no volatile acidity present. A light and refreshing finish. A lovely Musar. Will revisit this later in the week.

1997 Rolet Pere et Fils Vin Jaune Arbois, Jura
100% Savagnin, 14% abv: Pale gold colour, with a delectable nose of walnuts, grassy, mossy, flower meadow, followed by a sweet sherry profile, with obvious caramel, toffee, and stewed red fruit. On the palate, bracing acidity, schist, more walnuts and a lovely aged sherry finish, plenty of toffee notes. The acidity was very bright indeed, probably overpowering any fruit. Definitely tight tonight, even after being opened for several hours. Will follow this over the next couple of days as well, will be interesting to see how it unfolds. The nose was tremendous though, and there clearly is plenty of taming to be done by time here.


The Whites, from L to R: Jean Leon, Damijan, Musar, Vin Jaune...

2000 Chateau Musar Rouge, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, 13.5% abv: This is from a U.K. importer. Not decanted. A completely different wine from the one I had a few months back. More brett, no VA to speak of. Not cloudy this time. Stewed fruit and tomatoes again on both the nose and the palate, leather, barnyard, macerated strawberries, a bit of herbaceousness. Nice balance between the acidity and tannins. Overall, this was a very, very nice wine tonight.

These were all drunk over the course of the evening, along with the following cheeses: epoisses de bourgogne, saint maure, bouchons, and comte. The comte and vin jaune easily made for the best pairing. <img alt="HK" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/IMGP0930.jpg" width="400"><br />After the severe battering HK has received the last couple of days, the rain finally let up this afternoon, and by evening, even the skies were clearing enough to give us some purple moonlight under which to have a selection of deliberately oxidised wines<span class="fullpost">.<br /><br /><img alt="lineup" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/IMGP0926.jpg" width="400"><br />Tonight's lineup, from L to R: 2002 Damijan Collio Kaplja, 1997 Rolet Pere et Fils Vin Jaune, 1999 Jean Leon Chardonnay, 1997 Chateau Musar Blanc, and 2000 Chateau Musar Rouge.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1999 Jean Leon Chardonnay</span>, Penedes, Torrontes, Spain, 100% Chardonnay, 13.5% abv: Not intentionally oxidised, but other bottles in this lot were found to be, so it was included. Golden yellow in appearance, toasted oak nose, cheesy/leesy notes, with some honeyed / flowery tinges. Decidedly mushroomy, with a weird rancid coconut oil flavour. Overall, it was insipid and flat, with no acidity to speak of. Undrinkable, really.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2002 Damijan Podversic Collio Kaplja Bianco</span>, Friuli-Venezia, Italy, Chardonnay/Malvasia blend, 13.5% abv: This is fermented on the skins. Amber/honey coloured, hazy, with a noticeable hard apple cider nose, with a touch of orange. On the palate, this is a wine of contradictions. Smoky, roasted notes, this is tannic, and very drying, but not dry. It was actually rather juicy, but with non-specific fruit - more of a feeling than something identifiable. Medium to full bodied, with an interesting bitter streak down the midline, and a pleasantly buttery and caramel finish, but still with a bitter of bite at the end. R. took the last quarter of this home with him, so will have to hear how this develops.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1997 Chateau Musar Blanc</span>, Bekaa valley, Lebanon, Obaideh/Merweh blend, 12% abv: Decanted for only 5 hours. Deep golden colour, with a subtle nose of smoke, plums, candied fruit, bakery spices, and sweet caramel apples. On the palate, dry, balanced acidity, medium bodied, with minerality dominating. Subdued citrus notes, with a bit of raw egg protein, and no volatile acidity present. A light and refreshing finish. A lovely Musar. Will revisit this later in the week.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1997 Rolet Pere et Fils Vin Jaune Arbois</span>, Jura<br />100% Savagnin, 14% abv: Pale gold colour, with a delectable nose of walnuts, grassy, mossy, flower meadow, followed by a sweet sherry profile, with obvious caramel, toffee, and stewed red fruit. On the palate, bracing acidity, schist, more walnuts and a lovely aged sherry finish, plenty of toffee notes. The acidity was very bright indeed, probably overpowering any fruit. Definitely tight tonight, even after being opened for several hours. Will follow this over the next couple of days as well, will be interesting to see how it unfolds. The nose was tremendous though, and there clearly is plenty of taming to be done by time here.<br /><br /><img alt="lineup" border="0" src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w250/orie0704/IMGP0928.jpg" width="400"><br />The Whites, from L to R: Jean Leon, Damijan, Musar, Vin Jaune...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2000 Chateau Musar Rouge</span>, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, 13.5% abv: This is from a U.K. importer. Not decanted. A completely different wine from the one I had a few months back. More brett, no VA to speak of. Not cloudy this time. Stewed fruit and tomatoes again on both the nose and the palate, leather, barnyard, macerated strawberries, a bit of herbaceousness. Nice balance between the acidity and tannins. Overall, this was a very, very nice wine tonight.<br /><br />These were all drunk over the course of the evening, along with the following cheeses: epoisses de bourgogne, saint maure, bouchons, and comte. The comte and vin jaune easily made for the best pairing.</span>