Back from Italy

Back from Italy to the raining land. Wonderful holiday, a lot to write, great wines tasted there and to be tasted here. It has been a long time since I wrote the last time. Italian trip something to do for everyone if you already know where to go, what to do, where to eat and what to drink. The beautiful Italy can be a hell, or heaven. It can be a money trap for a tourist or it can be an inevitable home to explore for a "flaneur". Hopefully to write some stories from Italy soon...

May your glass be filled with happiness!

Wine Tastings in Helsinki, you wanna be a part of it?

 If you live in Finland and if you are interested in wine in a serious way, if you read about it, write and eager to do more regularly, if it is a big hobby for you or more than a hobby, send a mail to this mail address wineandfinland@gmail.com in order to be a part of our tasting group --->>> There will a be a tasting group of 5 or 6 people maximum, totally non-profit. The idea is to taste, learn and share more about this magical beverage, more than paying membership fees to tasting groups. So you will not pay any membership fee but just participate in the cost of the bottles to be bought, which everybody in the group will participate equally. So you will have the chance to meet people who already know about wine and you will have the chance to taste fine wines which you probably don't buy regularly from the Alko shops when you are alone, because of several reasons, such as high prices. Send a mail and learn more details if you are interested, anytime, any date. An average wine knowledge is required. If you do not know such basics like, for example, what the tears of wine mean, if you do not know where the color of wine comes from, what salinity is, what minerality is, if you are not familiar with wine terminology/aroma definitions and things like that, these tastings might be a bit hard for you in the beginning. But still, do not hesitate to contact, do not forget that, non of us is a MW,  so, contact and learn more, maybe you can still join and improve yourself in time ;)

A trip to Summer

Summer never comes to Finland, if it is a bit warm, then it is extremely cloudy and rainy, or snowy; if it is sunny, then it is extremely windy and cold, you have no chance if you do not have your thick, heavy, big winter jacket. So a trip to another geography for winter-jacketless days is mandatory if you already live in Finland and want to feel again "alive".

So hopefully a trip to Italy next week, having some good wine, good food, sun warmth, then back to Finland full of wine-ish stories to write.

May your glass be filled with happiness, Cheers!

Petit Bourgeois Sauvignon 2011, France (Sav. Blanc 100%)

The color is light golden. First nose dominated by greengage and lemon. Second nose gives out mineral notes and green apple. In the mouth the acidity is very nice, the structure is rich, stone fruits like apricot and plums stand out. A very pleasant drinking. The final is long and delightful. Wet pebble stones, salidity... This wine has a nice minerality. It can handle creamy dishes, fatty fish, barbecue and stew chicken meals. It can handle a wide variety of cheese types too. It can even go with yoghurt based meze dishes and creamy vege-salads. A very food-friendly wine. 86/100 11,41€/75cl/April 2013

May your glass be filled with happiness.

Dominio de Punctum Tempranillo 2011, Spain (Temp 100%, Alch 13,5%)

Slightly opaque, light red on the rims. First nose is dominated by berries; blackberry, blueberry, rotten leaves, vanillin, soil. Legs are moderate. The second nose has blackcurrant, blackberry gets stronger, a hint of rotten meat, caper. In the mouth, acidity is satisfying, tannins are strong. The forest berries continue in the mouth too. A velvety, easy-drinking wine. Medium-bodied. You do not get the expected fist of Tempranillo punching right in the middle of your face, but all in all, it is a good wine to drink. The final is moderate and leaves a faintly sweet taste. A buttery-like feeling stays in the mouth but it is not buttery for sure. Rich in the mouth, elegant notes, nice to drink. Not a big surprise, but it is nice wine. It can fit to light dishes cooked in oven, the velvety texture can fit well with barbecued chicken. But it should be consumed as soon as possible, at the same time the bottle is opened. Because, it is a biodynamic wine so it doesn't have sulfites or has a very small percentage. So it is very open to the attack of oxygen. I have waited it in the fridge and tried next day, it was hardly possible to drink. 85/100 9,56€/75cl/April 2013

Chapoutier Rasteau 2010, France ( Grenache 80%, Syrah 20%, Alch 14%)

Opaque,  purple rims and ruby red in the mid. FIrst nose has vanillin, coffee with milk, dried orange peels. The legs are moderate. The second nose has both fruity and rustic characteristics; watermelon, sour cherry, blackberry, redcurrant, black pepper, caramel, biscuit and leather. The nose is not extroverted but rich. Tannins are very strong at the attack phase but integrated.  Medium-bodied. The red forest berries continue in the mouth too. This Cotes Du Rhone  has a very fruity nose but the tannic structure in the mid-palate gives a feeling like a typical Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is not for everyone and has a moderate-long final. It is a table wine and can fit a wide variety of dishes; stews, barbecues, even it can handle some light cheese types. The price-quality ratio is fine, a good everyday´s table wine. 85/100 Price: 15,95€/75cl/April 2013

May your glass be filled with happiness.

Masi Bonacosta Valpolicella 2011, Italy ( Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, Alch 12%)

Light red transparent color with purple notes on the rims. The nose is a bit extroverted and fruity. Grape molasses and rose hip jam notes leaves the stage to wood, slightly leather and alcohol at the second nose. In the mouth some notes of damson and cherry, a bit dilute, tannins are strong but integrated. Acidity is satisfying. In time, it leaves the feeling of sour fruits on the palate. The short-moderate final is  fine. But overall, nothing so big, not a surprising wine. Even a bit industrial. But it is a food wine, it would fit well a wide variety of red meat dishes, could be drunk at home parties, picnics etc. The fruity notes of Valpolicella is there but not too deep. Try it as a table wine with food. The curiosity and qulaity of Masi wines are on parallel with the price. 84/100 Price: 10,90€/75cl/April 2013

Masi Campofiorin 2009, Italy (Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara, Alch 13%)

Opaque, purple on the rims and dark ruby red in the mid. First nose: Cured meat, blackberry, fresh pepper, leather. The legs are thick and slow. Second nose is licorice, tobacco, slightly oregano and blackberry. This medium-bodied wine has strong tannins, rich and delicious as a bit out of usual. In the mouth, the licorice and red forest berry-aromas are strong while the notes of fresh green pepper, dried orange peels and slightly vanillin slowly get the stage. The moderate-long final is warm and under the alcohol effect.

This wine is like leaving a small gap for the cured meat, so it fits very well with the charcuterie products, "very light" cheese types, a nut cocktail made of almond, pistachio and walnuts, mushroom dishes cooked without cream, barbecued chicken and unspiced barbecued red meats without sauce. 88/100 Price: 14,99€/75cl/April 2013

Spring in Finland: Winter is coming? Time for some Red Wine?

The third season of Game of Thrones just started last week, meanwhile, since yesterday, it snows very much in Helsinki and also most of other parts of Finland just like in Christmas time, very much... A lot of snow... Surprisingly much... It has never been as Spring also, that sunny but always cold and the whole land frozen, but still I have been so excited for the summer coming, the best time to go to Esplanadi Park in the heart of Helsinki for a sparkling wine session with little snacks, as lunch or just spending nice time in the day watching other people doing the same and smiling, happy, "communicating, socializing". Some say that red wine is the drink of cold rainy winter days and Finland seems like decisive not to leave the atmosphere of a full-bodied strong red (I personally believe that any wine can be drunk any time). Did Robb Stark say " Winter is coming for Finland..."? It seems like... By the way, who is Robb Stark and why he talks about winter? Well you know if you watch Game of Thrones.

I guess there are so much days still to get to the Spring and for the last two years, Finland has one season missing, which is called Summer in southern countries, but if we are lucky this year, we can see a few  "Summer-like" days then Zbamm!!! Winter is back! Well, I like red wine :)

These two photos in this post have been taken just one hour ago, today, 8 April 2013...

Tasting Event: Domaine Fernand Engel of Alsace 27.03.13

Last Wednesday, in Helsinki, I have been in the tasting of Domaine Fernand Engel of Alsace. The tasting was in Winecellars in Kalevankatu organized by the importers, Red Bev Oy. The winery´s winemaker Xavier Baril was there to present the winery and their wines. The Red Bev Team, my dear friend Hadrien and his colleague Marina, were of course there ready to provide any help and info too.

The event has started about 6pm and took about 2 hours. During the event, 6 outstanding wines of that winery, which 2 in total were Grand Cru, were tasted. The wines were 2 Sparklings, 2 wines of the noble variety Riesling and 2 wines of other great varieties of Alsace Region. In the beginning, Mr. Baril, who is really a very kind and tender gentleman, presented the winery, winemaking process, methods and grapes. This presentation was quite interesting and a lot of interesting info were given about their methods and organic production. This producer is right now producing some organic wines and trying to convert all its production into organic. Soon they will have all their vineyards certificated as organic and they also practice the biodynamic methods.

We started with the sparklings, then the Rieslings took place and the last two wines followed. The sparklings gave an energetic start and Rieslings presented their different terroirs with a great feeling of minerality and acidity, then two different wines came which left a sweeter feeling and became the desserts of the night. The wines tasted during the event are:

1- Cremant d`Alsace Chardonnay 2010 : A very surprising Sparko which has the buttery characteristics and acidity together. This wine is available in Finland. A detailed tasting note is here.

2-  Cremant d`Alsace Trilogie 2007 : The name Trilogie comes from the triple fermentation of the wine, once in the tank and twice in the bottle. Hard to understand maybe but it is possible and has a very detailed process. The nose has honey, almond and a bit raisin with caramel notes. The mouth has a strong minerality and despite the nose, the mouth is not so sweet and the warm final is long.

3- Riesling Grand Cru Praelatenberg 2010 : The nose has citrus fruits and tropical notes like pineapple. The minerality is very satisfying and acidity is very high. Slightly felt cloves are followed by salinity. The final is moderate but very delightful. It also has a little bit of Botrytized grapes.

4- Riesling Cuvee St Michel Silberberg de Rorschwihr 2010 : The nose has nutty smells at first and then citrus fruits dominate. In the mouth complex, fruity but minerality is dominant, the acidity is very satisfying, the final is warm and long.

5- Pinot Gris Grand Cru Gloeckelberg 2010 : Nose has slightly fruity notes and honey. Quite sweet in the mouth. The final is moderate. Delicious and fun to drink.

6- Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim 2010 : This wine was my favorite during the tasting. The only thing I did not fall in love would be just that maybe it is a bit too sweet. Otherwise, it could be poetry. But still, this wine would be an addiction for me just as it is too if it was available in Finland, this wine is close to be more than wine to be an elixir for your soul. The dominant passion fruit aroma is followed by mulberry and mineral notes. The sweety hints continue in the mouth too. A very different Gewurz than its German fellows. The perfect final choice for that tasting.

Thanks The Red Bev Team and Mr Xavier Baril and also others who had part in the organization.

Engel Crémant d'Alsace Chardonnay Brut 2011, France (Alcl 12,5%) An Outstanding Sparkling

Before telling more, to say, an outstanding, surprising sparkling.

Light golden coloured, first nose has fresh cut grass and spring flowers, second nose gives out stone fruit notes like peach for example. Overall the nose is very rich of fruits, I had not so much time to think about the aromas one by one, but I can say, the nose is very complex. As it is a Cremant style of sparkling, it is very "big" in the mouth, filling, well structured and has it´s own character. As a sparkling, the acidity you look for is right there and satisfying but what surprised me about this wine is, even though it is a sparko, the buttery characteristics of Chardonnay is right there too. The buttery feeling and acidity together, both combining well and not disturbing, not shading each other. The final is long, warm and delightful with very soft notes of minerality giving itself like the wet pebble stones. This wine is also an Organic Product to keep an eye on.

Do not buy this wine for getting drunk with friends during a party, that means spoiling a bottle of good-quality. This is a serious wine which should be drunk at home or a nice picnic meeting of good friends or family. If you want to buy something precious for your friend´s birthday but do not have enough money for a well-known Champagne wine, do not go for cheap Champagnes and just grab this bottle of Cremant, especially if your friend has a knowledge of wine, this will be a surprising, nice gift. 92/100 Price: 16,99€/75cl/March 2013

PS: I will be writing on this blog about a tasting event of this producer organized by the importers, on the next days.

Château Sénilhac 2009, France (CaS 55%, Merlot 40%, CaF 5%, Alcl 14%)

Purple in the rims through ruby in the mid. Transparent. First nose vanillin, milk; the fruity structure is upfront, sour cherry and blackberry are dominants. Still sour cherry in the mouth, also blueberry. Tannins are very strong but they do not disturb so much, integrated. It is a bit felt as diluted but still good balance is found. This medium bodied claret has a warm moderate-long final with an alcohol feeling. Elegant, velvety drinking while it is possible to get dried orange peels in time with little bit tomato touches and almond. Acidity is satisfying. Relatively good balanced, matching with light dishes, even matching with fatty fish dishes cooked with cream if it is a bit cooled. With fatty cheeses it would be fine too but heavy meat stews can crash it down. Party-picnic bottle as long as nice to drink at home too. Not a deep wine, not a very serious wine but still it has a character. Unfortunately a bit diluted. 86/100 Price: 14,76€/75cl/March 2013

Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo 2008, Italy (Nebbiolo 100%, Alcl 14%)

Dark transparent ruby red with orange rims. First nose has extremely raisin, then honey, fresh baked cake, rose and vanillin. Second nose comes with blueberry, mulberry, chocolate, cloves and some tobacco. Very rich and intense in the mouth. I would call it balanced if the tannins are not that strong. They are extremely strong and this is a great wine to experience what astringency is. It is an extremely astringent wine but it is felt after some time during the long final, so still the quality of wine makes me feel like keeping the wine in my mouth for some time to enjoy, before swallow. There are blackcurrant, red apple, raisin and licorice aromas in the mouth with a hint of leather. The strong tannins of that full-bodied wine can handle strong dishes too. It is a serious wine. This DOCG Barolo is highly recommended to consume with Mozart, a touch of "Le Nozze di Figaro", tested and proved. I would prefer it to enjoy by drinking without food. Good wine even though seems like too early/young to open a Barolo. 91/100 Price: 27.50€/75cl/March 2013

Ugo Lequio Barbaresco Gallina 2008, Italy (Nebbiolo 100%, Alch 14%)

Light ruby transparent color and get a bit darker into the middle. The first nose has sour cherry, apple, blackberry and a bit vanillin. The nose is very strong, fruity, extroverted. After some time earthy smells and black pepper appear. In the mouth, the tannins are strong, maybe they a bit disturb like giving some burning feeling. Damson aroma dominates first and the high acidity is satisfying. It a a bit dilute. Soon a  bit orange peel and licorice with a touch of leather. The very long final is warm and pleasant. It is elegant like a good quality Pinot Noir but still the tannins are affecting the balance and it is a bit dilute. This medium-bodied wine would be nice to drink alone but also fits very well with light cheeses (not heavy-fatty cheeses as we generally talk about a red here). It can fit grilled beef and pork as well as chicken, cleaning the palate very well. 87/100 Price: 21.90€/75cl/March 2013

Guigal Cotes Du Rhone 2009, France (Syrah 45%, Grenache 52%, Mourvèdre 3% Alcl 14%)

Opaque, dark ruby red, the rims are purple. The nose is woody and of course possible to get red forest berries. But damson is there too. In the mouth, still damson is the dominant aroma, then plum and acidity is satisfying. Oaky notes like smoke comes out with swirling and some leather is possible to find. The spicy complex characteristics of Syrah and Grenache are definitely well performed in this bottle, with a high acidity. Fruit, acidity, oak, different aromas in a complex structure, everything is there for a good balance. This medium to full bodied lovely juice is not so special, not so close to perfection but definitely a great table wine with a warm moderate final by the alcohol. Anything you expect from a producer like Guigal, is in this bottle. I am not as professional as able to give drinking windows but I think this wine can wait  for some years without losing any strength, but not too long. For the next 5-6 years can be still very tasty, who knows maybe even better. The internet page of the producer says that it is possible to age 20 years. Interesting length for a table wine... Also the internet site has different grape percentages than given on ALKO´s internet site. With a great price-quality ratio, this wine is a great daily wine which can accompany to a big variety of relatively strong (not too strong!) dishes, mostly red meats, game and stews. If you think that French table wines are a bit overstated, this wine can change your mind. Enjoy it during a dinner with friends or family, as I did both, or even with some very light cheese, just enjoy the wine. Especially if you got lost in those hundreds of different bottles in the same price category in ALKO. Also I suggest you to learn about Guigal´s production methods and process. Interesting things wait you there.  92/100 Price: 12.98€/75cl/February 2013

May your glass be filled with happiness.

Tarantino´s last food porn touch: Beer Scene in Django Unchained

Right now in Finland the last movie of Tarantino "Django Unchained", which has nothing political to say about the slavery of Africans in 19 century USA and very poor about giving messages on human rights, is in movie theaters and actually, a great movie for fun!

The movie is not the topic here, but a scene in there, makes it desirable. In the very beginning of the movie, there is a bar scene which the character Dr. King (Christoph Waltz) pours beer from the tap... All those foam coming out of the tap and running out of the glass, all the sound of liquid filling up the glass... Another food porn scene made me drink/eat during/after the movie... Just like the dessert scene in the director´s previous movie "Inglourious Basterds" where the character Colonel Landa (same great actor) gives a cream treatment to the dessert in the restaurant. I remember going to the closest bakery to eat some sweets after that movie.

Hopefully, someday Tarantino makes a restaurant movie in future where I will definitely have orgasm in my palate while watching.

Beer Scene Here:

Verrocchio Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso 2010, Italy ( Corvina 70% Rondinella 30%, Alchl 13.5%)

Rims are crimson as a young wine and gets darker purple through the middle. First nose is very rich of aromas, intense and satisfying. The aromas like fresh fruits such as peach and cherry leave the stage to berry aromas after swirling, like raspberry, blackberry and a bit of leather follows them too. Vanillin is also sensed after some time and that can be a good hint for oak. This medium bodied wine loses nothing of fruity structure in the mouth, very rich and balanced. Even though the tannins create a bit dryness in the mouth, it does not effect the overall balance. With really low senses of tobacco and thyme come out during you enjoy the wine with a  relatively high alcohol content. But the alcohol is not breaking the balance. Tannins and alcohol do not fight against the fruit. You have a possibility of having different aromas in the nose slightly, for ex. green pepper in this almost elegant wine with a sweet-ish moderate final which makes you smile. A joyful day with friends or even alone while reading your book, this wine would be your accompany. I think it would fit a variety of dishes from white to red meats, fried or barbecued, as well as charcuterie and tapas/meze styles bites. Do not be afraid of cooling your wine for a while (usually people do not cool their red wines and also in Finland quite much restaurants serve reds very warm), especially this fruity one. No potential to age. When you decide to drink, no reason to decant, just drink as you open. 90/100 Price: 12.90€/75cl/January 2013 (Photo by Alko)