Barolo: Big and Beautiful

Meaning ‘little fog’ – referring to the thick fog that sets in around the Piemonte hills during harvest time –  the  Nebbiolo  grape  produces wines with high tannins and acidity which can require years of ageing before being ready to drink. It is a fickle  fruit , ripening late in the growing season and unable to adapt well to soils other than those found in the Langhe hills. Here, where it revels in the calcareous-marl rich soil, it is responsible for producing the wines of Barbaresco and the grandest of all Italian appellations, Barolo. At its finest, Barolo is without a doubt, the ultimate expression of the Nebbiolo grape.

Up until the middle of the 19th Century, Barolo was a sweet wine. Then, in the cellars of the Marquis of Barolo, French oenologist, Louis Oudart, was able to ferment the Nebbiolo must completely dry, with this new style quickly becoming popular among the Italian nobility. These wines are thick and tannic, displaying complex aromas of plum, tobacco, tar and roses, and taking some ten years or longer to reach maturity.

In the 1980s further changes to the style of Barolo took place. Looking to appeal to consumer tastes which favoured less tannic wines that could be drunk at a younger age, some producers broke away from the conventional methods and started making more fruit driven wines. As well as having more fruit, these modern styled Barolos have riper tannins and more creamy, vanilla flavours due to being aged in barriques of new oak.

Whether modern or traditional in style, top Barolos show surprisingly good finesse for such weighty wines.

Food matching

Big, powerful, tannic wines need to be paired with food of a similar weight. Italian wines, more than any other, with perhaps the exception of Burgundy, are produced to compliment the local cuisine. Barolo best suits meat dishes, rich pastas and risotto where the tannins come across as more mellow when combined with the proteins in the food.

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Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2009

This is my first wine review on LilacWine.co.uk, for which I have chosen a Pinot Noir from the Central Otago region of New Zealand. Although identified as an area of great potential for wine growing in the late nineteenth century, it was not until the middle of the 1990s that vineyard plantations in Central Otago really started to expand. Pinot Noir is the most widely grown grape variety accounting for around 70% of plantings in Cenral Otago and, despite being a notoriously fickle grape to grow, has found a home outside Burgundy in the most southerly wine region in the world.

Located in Bannockburn, boutique winery Mount Difficulty started planting grapes in 1992, making its vines amongst the oldest in Central Otago. Roaring Meg is the entry level range with estate and single vineyard wines are also produced.

This wine has an intense, but not overpowering, warm and spicy aroma, nicely integrated with ripe red fruits (strawberry and cherry).  On the palate the juicy berry fruits combine with delicate white pepper and herb flavours.  The refreshing acidity and soft tannins combine to give a well balanced, medium-bodied wine that sits well on the mid-palate and leaves a nice long finish. The alcohol level may seem high at 14% but is matched by the intensity of flavour. Whilst fairly straight forward and not overly complex, this wine offers very good value for money.

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Spotlight on Chile

The New World has been successful at building their identities on producing wines from grape varieties that represent their own unique terroir. New Zealand has done this with Sauvignon Blanc, the Australians with Shiraz, and Argentina with Malbec. But what about Chile?

Chile’s biggest strength is its superb conditions for wine production. Its fourteen wine growing regions stretch 1,200 kilometres north to south, and benefit from the influence of the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Andes Mountains on the other. An extraordinary geography provides a great diversity in soil types and climates to produce different varieties. On top of this, the country is unaffected by Phylloxera, the pest that has afflicted most European vineyards, enabling vines to be planted on their original rootstock (and therefore avoid the complicated methods of grafting). Because of these factors it is not difficult to see why Chile is considered a winemaker’s paradise. And with the opportunity to produce quality wine from almost any grape variety, which, if any, should Chile chose as its statement wine?

The main contenders:

Carménère

This Bordeaux grape variety was thought to have disappeared completely, before being discovered in Chile masquerading as Merlot. Now flourishing in its adoptive home, it is seen by many as the closest thing Chile has to a single variety identity. Spicy yet velvety in texture, its easy drinking qualities are popular with drinkers. The Vui Manent Carménère from Colchagua Valley is a perfect example. Deep red in colour, it has aromas of black cherries, coffee, mocha, and leather.  On the palate a mix of blueberries, dark chocolate, and toasted hazelnut flavours can be detected.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Chile has a long history with Cabernet Sauvignon. Since the first vines arrived from France in the mid-19th century it has been grown in almost every area, becoming the most widely planted grape variety in the country today. It is, however, best suited to the warmer valleys, such as Maipo and Curicó, where it can ripen fully and develop rich berry flavours. Whether blended with other varieties, as with Concha y Toro’s Don Melchor, or used simply on its own, there is no doubt that Chile excels at producing this grape.

Syrah

Syrah is a relative latecomer to Chile, only really being established in vineyards in the mid-1990s. Plantings have grown rapidly since, but it is only now that winemakers truly understand the best ways to cultivate this grape. The vines may be young, but producers such as Casa Lapostolle are already proving that it can produce excellent wines from Syrah. Their Cuvée Alexandre is intense and complex with a punch of solid black fruit, white pepper, rosemary and spice.

Pinot Noir

As with Syrah, Pinot Noir is comparatively new to Chile and winemakers are still getting to grips with how and where is best to express the grape. Once over-cropped and over-vinified, vintners are now concentrating on lower yields and quality. Producers like the Matetic Family have discovered that the cool climate sites of San Antonio, Casablanca and Colchagua are ideal for making outstanding wines. Their EQ Pinot Noir has fresh aromas marked with mature red fruit, herbs and wet earth perfume.  On the palate it is spicy with floral hints, with a good structure and a balanced acidity that makes it fresh.

Sauvignon Blanc

The quality and complexity of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc has vastly improved over the past few years and it is now getting the attention that it deserves. Lesser clones have been replaced by better imports, the inferior Sauvignonesse variety is disappearing fast, and more vineyards are being planted in the cool zones of Casablanca, Leyda and San Antonio. These valleys are closer to the Pacific Ocean where the hot Chilean sun that ripens the grapes is moderated by cool coastal breezes. The resulting wines are aromatic with zesty citrus fruits, green apple (even pineapple at times), a refreshing grassy aroma, vibrant acidity and a steely mineral edge. Costero provide a delightful example with their Leyda Valley Sauvignon Blanc.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is also flourishing in the cooler climate areas. The northern valleys of Casablanca and Limarí bring out an attractive minerality, combined with well-balanced acidity. Where oak is used, it is much more subtle than in the past, allowing the wines to express more of their tropical and citrus fruit flavours. This is certainly the case with the Wild Ferment Chardonnay from Errázuriz. The soft minerality and light use of oak add complexity to fresh tropical fruit, quince and honey flavours.

Final thoughts

Vast improvements in the production of Chilean wine have been made over the years, and while winemakers are still exploring new possibilities and refining existing ones, it is exciting to see so many outstanding wines being made. Chile may not have a signature grape, but it is building a reputation on producing quality wines that offer great value for money and, as consumers, we should embrace this.

 

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