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30 October 2022

In Priorat Torres pays homage to the pioneers of viticulture

AdminTGT Catalunya, Red Wine, Spain, Tasting notes, Winejus Emag 0

Tasting Note

Salmos 2016 Priorat is an intense and seductive wine, and even better on the day after opening. Dark, ruby red colour. On the nose a violet floral note, lots of spices, blackberry, red and black cherry aromas, oak and vanilla. Beautifully balanced, lively on the palate with a depth of flavours. Soft, velvety tannins. Black fruit, dried prunes, liquorice, mineral, stony influences too. Oak well integrated. Round, long finish.

The prestigious International Wine Challenge not only awarded the Torres Salmos 2016 with 95 points and a gold medal but this red blend from Cariñena, Garnacha and Syrah also gained the title best Priorat wine.

Priorat has been a source for wine for almost a millennium. Winemaking emerged around 1095 when Carthusian monks established a ‘Priorat’ (the Catalan word for priory) and started to plant vines. In 1835 the monastery was sacked, and the church lands later auctioned off. In the late 19th century Phylloxera further deteriorated winemaking in Priorat. Priorat is a very steep and rocky kind of area and an arduous place for viticulture. Costers are the ancient way of cultivating vines on the steep slopes. The densely planted vines move up the treacherous hillsides naturally shaping their contours. Most of the 20th century the steep slate hills southwest of Barcelona with their ancient costers produced only cheap, robust, tannic wine.

Young French and Spanish winemakers propelled Priorat’s rediscovery in the 1980s and 1990s. They recognized the potential of the old garnacha and cariñena vines planted in what the Catalans call llicorella, the hard, stony soils of black and brown slate that occasionally sparkle due to quartz.

One of those wine making families was the family Torres, although Torres already in the early 1920s traded in regional Priorat wines. In 1996 the Torres Family planted their first vineyards on the llicorella slopes in the municipalities of Porrera and Lloar. The vineyards show extreme diurnal differences between day and night temperature and these natural fluctuations add to Salmos’ balance between on the one hand power and on the other elegance and finesse. In short, Salmos 2016 is a beautiful vinous homage to the monks of the courageous Carthusian order.

Wine Info

Style – full-bodied red

Grape varieties – Cariñena, Garnacha, Syrah

Vintage – 2016

Country – Spain

Appellation – Priorat DOCa

Region – Catalunya / Catalonia

Producent – Familia Torres

Winemaker – Jordi Foraster

Alcohol – 14,5%

Vineyards – Vineyards on the Priorat estates Porrera and El Lloar

Ageing potential – 8 to 9 years

Serving temperature – 16º to 18º

Score – 92 points

Tip – The wine may be decanted ½ to 1 hour before serving

Salmos 2016 Familia Torres

Finca La Solteta El Lloar

2 July 2022

The genius of Prosecco – why Prosecco is not running out of bubbles any time soon

AdminTGT Italy, Latest, Nuggets of wisdom, Sparkling Wines, Winejus Emag Prosecco DOC DOCG 0

Bubbly genius

The genius of Prosecco lies in its enormous popularity. Prosecco’s message oozes lifestyle and goes above and beyond the appeal of just any sparkling wine.

The genius of Prosecco – why Prosecco is not running out of bubbles any time soon

Why talk about the genius of Prosecco? The enormous popularity of Prosecco shows that its message goes above and beyond the appeal of just any sparkling wine. Prosecco is in demand, and everyone seems to like it. People are always finding the best alibi to open a bottle. First and foremost, it is a festive thirst quencher. It has bubbles, is it is light, aromatic, predominantly fruity, and to be honest, quite tasty. Plus, extremely popular and affordable. How did Prosecco manage to tap into the consumer culture of the world at large and create consumer loyalty so successfully?

Prosecco is one of the wine world’s most successful products

Prosecco epitomizes the genius of the wine world. It evolved into a lifestyle brand that exists for reasons beyond selling sparkling wine. It offers consumers the possibility to be part of a successful way of living, in each country attracting a different community that leads by example. In Italy, Prosecco is mainly consumed in bars, as an aperitif or mixed in an Aperol Spritz. In France, it is the chosen drink for family dinners. In the UK it is a party drink or consumed with friends in a wine bar. Millennials like to use it as a basis for cocktails.

It is light, simple to drink and easy to mix. It became the convivial glass to break the ice on social occasions. Prosecco’s success shows in sales numbers too. In 2014 Prosecco for the first time surpassed Champagne in terms of bottles sold worldwide, though not in turnover by a long stretch.

Prosecco as we know it today

Prosecco became such an enormous commercial success in volume and brand name that producers in other parts of the world jumped on the Prosecco bandwagon. Why? Because Prosecco cleverly managed to fill a gap in the sparkling wine market. Champagne was too expensive, too luxurious for just a festive treat. Cava was not. But, Cava suffered from a negative brand image. Prosecco, on the other hand, relayed a positive lifestyle. To drink Prosecco was “cool and fashionable”. It connected the consumer with a luxurious, yet affordable way of living, and made it desirable. Prosecco just oozed “luxury and coolness”, only at a cheaper price point than Champagne.

Infographic credits Corvezzo.it and social vignerons

Regulation became a real necessity

Regrettably, Prosecco gained another reputation too, as the poor man’s Champagne. Besides, back in 2000, when the prosecco boom began, there were estimates that up to 20% of bottles on the market were fake. To separate the wheat from the chaff, the artisanal from the industrial, high volume Prosecco, a better regulation became a real necessity. From 2009 on, the establishment of Prosecco DOC and DOCG and all related production regulations protect the value of the Prosecco brand and confirm the bottle’s status. The Controlled Designation of Origin also implied the separation of the wine and the grape. Until 2009 the name Prosecco was used for both the grape variety as the wine.

The grape Glera, formerly Prosecco

Since the establishment of Prosecco DOC and DOCG the name Prosecco signifies the sparkling wine and the ancient name Glera identifies the grape variety. By rule, Prosecco must contain at least 85% Glera and the rest can be white grape varieties such as Verdisio, Bianchetta, Glera Lunga, Trevigiana, Perera, or less common Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Pinot Bianco. Since 2011 Prosecco DOC and DOCG bottles are easily identifiable because of a marked state band with a unique alphanumeric code located on the side of the bottleneck.

A short history of Glera

The first written evidence of the cultivation of the vine Glera appears in 1754 in Il Roccolo Ditirambo by Aureliano Acanti, who wrote something along the lines of “And now I would like to moisten my mouth with Prosecco, with his apple bouquet”. At present we still find the aromas of white flowers, apple, pear and peach in Prosecco.

Glera is a generous vine

Glera is an early budding, a semi-aromatic variety that is particularly sensitive to spring frosts. It does well in the North-Eastern part of Italy, thanks to the Venetian Pre-Alps protecting the Glera from cold northern winds and the mitigating effect of the nearby Adriatic Sea. Glera is characterized by large bunches and medium to high yields. Even with high yields, Glera retains medium to high sugar levels. As a consequence, differences in the taste of Prosecco wines are less linked to sugar levels, but more to maintaining the medium to high acidity levels. Acidity and the presence of aromatics are the components that give Prosecco its freshness, elegance and lightness.

The key difference between Prosecco and Champagne is not only the region

Champagne is made in the French Champagne region in north-eastern France using the traditional method also called méthode Champenoise. After the alcoholic fermentation, the base wine is bottled with added sugar and yeast. During the ageing process, sur lattes, the wine sits on its dying yeast and forms sediment called the lees, which are collected in the neck of the bottle. The bottle is then flash-frozen, the lees are popped out, a process named disgorgement, and the bottle is sealed again. Champagne is mainly made from the three grape varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

The case of Col Fondo Prosecco then called Frizzante, next Sui Lieviti, then Spumante Sui Lieviti

Prosecco DOC is at home in the region Friuli and Veneto in north-eastern Italy, excluding the provinces of Rovigo and Verona. In the past Prosecco was made using a method locally called ‘col fondo’, literally with the sediment or lees present on the bottom, similar to the Ancestral method. Winter approaching, the winegrowers left the neutral wines from the Glera grape longer in contact with the skins and lees. To soften the (harsh) skin tannins, they added some sugar. When temperatures started to rise again in spring, fermentation restarted. The Italians say the wine is “frizzante a rifermentazione in bottiglia”, refermented in the bottle. Unlike Champagne, there is no disgorgement. It represents the original Prosecco, a slightly sweet, cloudy, earthy, textured, moderately sparkling wine. Several winemakers are making the original Col Fondo once more but were urged to use the term ‘Sui Lieviti’ -on the yeast or lees- instead. The bottle pressure of col fondo Prosecco is about 2.5 Bar, the new ‘Spumante Sui Lieviti’ rules allow up to 3 Bar. For these so-called Colfondisti, Col Fondo prosecco at 2.5 Bar expresses the terroir best and is the true wine of the region.

The Martinotti, Charmat or Tank method

Now the vast majority of Prosecco is made with the Charmat method. Although, it was Frederico Martinotti who secured the patent for the second fermentation in tanks in 1895. Martinotti’s method was improved by the Frenchman Eugène Charmat in 1910. After the alcoholic fermentation, the wine is placed in a large temperature-controlled autoclave, selected yeasts are added to a pressurized tank of still wine, and the wine is left to ferment for 30 days. After which the wine is bottled under pressure. To be called Prosecco Spumante the pressure will have to be 3 bars or higher. Generally, it is more around 3.5 Bar or 3.5 times atmospheric pressure in a bottle. The Charmat process is cheaper and faster than the méthode Champenoise.

What holds the future for the king of Italian fizz?

Has prosecco reached its saturation point? One could say yes. Although this festive, low alcohol, quite sweet (15 grams per litre of residual sugar is common) fizzy still holds its own in a changing market. After all, with its 24,450 hectares under vine, sales of circa 500 million bottles a year and turnover of a couple of billion, the Prosecco brand is doing incredibly well. Disappointing is the fact that, unfortunately, one finds plenty of mediocre Prosecco on the market.

Quality over quantity?

What will be the future of these mediocre quality Proseccos sold at low prices in supermarkets? Proseccos that lack structure, have feeble aromas and a short, muted finish. Is premiumisation the answer? Will quality reign over quantity or quantity over quality? In 2016, the Consorzio allowed a 3000 hectares augmentation of the area under vines – from 20,000 to 23,000 hectares – to meet the growing demand for wines made under the banner of the Prosecco DOC.

Is premiumisation the answer?

For now, the three Consorzios, 1 DOC, and 2 DOCGs decided not to expand the vineyard area further. Instead, they are aiming to restrict supply and move on to more sustainable vineyard practices. And raise the quality. Or at least show that the consumer that there are different levels of quality. The quality pyramid starts with the Prosecco DOC covering 9 provinces in Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia and ends with Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG. In the higher tiers, the Proseccos showcase quality, refinement and terroir expression, better bubbles and often diminished sugar levels.

At long last, a brand new category Pink Prosecco or Spumante Rosé Millesimato

The premiumisation of Prosecco also includes the introduction of a new category: Pink or Prosecco Spumante Rosé Millesimato. The official launch of the new category Prosecco Spumante Rosé Millesimato took place on the 25th of November 2020 in Treviso, Italy after getting governmental approval back in May.

Photocredits Pink Prosecco DOC Rosé

Still a majority of white Glera grapes

Prosecco can only be called Prosecco Spumante Rosé if it applies the rules of the new Rosé Prosecco DOC. The rosé blend will still contain a majority of white Glera grapes, yet must include 10-15% Pinot Noir as well. Pinot Noir is the only red grape allowed in Prosecco. In the past, it was used to make a white, blanc de noir wine.

From 2020 on, it is allowed to use Pinot Noir to add colour to Spumante Rosé. Pinot adds delicate aromas of strawberry and raspberry to the wine too. Just wondering why they did not allow another indigenous red variety, such as Raboso, to do the same. Ageing has to last at least 60 days, bottle pressure must be 3 Bar or more, and the Spumante Rosé will be vintage-dated. The Rosé Prosecco DOC expects to sell 16 million bottles in the first year. Let’s see if Spumante Rosé’s fancy Website Pink Prosecco helps to jazz us up. When the quality is good, we could start loving Pink Prosecco as well.

Website Prosecco DOC
Website Consorzio di Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG
Website Prosecco DOC Consortium and the Casa Prosecco DOC USA
Website Pink Prosecco

21 June 2022

Champagne Pascal Agrapart Complantée. Can one deliver terroir in a bottle?

AdminTGT Sparkling Wines, Tasting notes 0

Tasting note

Pascal Agrapart Complantée is an Extra Brut Champagne, a field blend of 6 varieties co-planted – or complantée in French – on a single parcel in the La Fosse vineyard in the village of Avize.

Agrapart is a ‘Récoltant–Manipulant’. This means they work with grapes from their own vineyards to make this fascinating and remarkable complex champagne. It also allows them to control the quality of the entire champagne making process from start to finish.

After the harvest all six grapes are fermented an aged together in oak barrels, without filtration. Because the grapes are harvested super-ripe, hardly any sugar is added after disgorgement. Its layered, toasty character comes from four years maturation on the yeasts.

Complantée is the result of Pascal Agrapart experiment with a blend of the ancient varieties Petit Arbane, Petit Meslier and Pinot Blanc, co-planted and vinified together with Chardonnay, P.Noir, and P.Meunier to test the strength of the Avize terroir. The older the vines, the stronger the influence of terroir, at least that’s the assumption. Not so strange, considering that Agrapart strives to express terroir in all its champagnes and works with a strong emphasis on natural viticulture.

Aromatic, with generous aromas of wildflowers and white fruits on the nose. On the palate Complantée’s is lively, fruity, mineral with a fine, creamy mouthfeel and a balanced acidity. It’s pure, refreshing, with an incredible density and depth, and long finish. La Revue du vin de France gave Agrapart a three-star rating, their highest possible rating, and one can taste why Pascal Agrapart is one of the stars of the Champagne region. Different and exciting!

Wine Info

Style – Extra Brut Champagne

Non Vintage Champagne, a blend of two vintages from the terroir of Avize

Grape varieties – A field blend of 6 varieties: Petit Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier

Country – France

Region – AOC Champagne, Avize

Producent – Pascal Agrapart (Pascal and Fabrice Agrapart)

Winemaker – Pascal Agrapart

Alcohol – 12%

Vineyards – La Fosse in Avize

Dosage – 5 grams/L

Disgorged – August 2019

Serving temperature – 10º to 12º

Score – 92 points

Champage wine area Avize

featured-image-winejus Masseria-Amastuola-vineyards

27 May 2022

Fernando Caruncho creates a spectacular wave of vineyards at Amastuola

AdminTGT Destinations, Travel, Winejus Emag Amastuola, Fernando Caruncho 0

Vineshapes

Landscape philosopher Fernando Caruncho plays with our perceptions in the Puglian vineyards of Masseria Amastuola. Our brain “learns” how a vineyard should look, square and immobile, yet Caruncho’s vine waves create a whole different motion.

In Puglia, Italy there is a -one of a kind- vineyard. It is part of Masseria Amastuola, a farm, and wine resort, located in the quiet, rural countryside of Crispiano. The Amastuola vineyard is perhaps the most prominent example of a landscaped vineyard in the world. When you go up the beautiful hill overlooking the Gulf of Taranto, the landscape gradually unfolds rows of spectacular, parallel green waves of vines. This sea of vines with a length of approximately 3 km is created by the famous Spanish landscape gardener Fernando Caruncho. Caruncho placed the vines in geometric patterns to accentuate the curved lines of the terrain at Masseria Amastuola. Caruncho calls the waves “waves of time that traverse this landscape since antiquity”.

Ancient footprint

In his design, Caruncho has approximated the ancient agricultural ways of the Taranto countryside. During excavations in the Crispiano area, archaeologists found signs of vines and olive cultivation, from olive and grape seeds to Greek wine amphorae. Nowadays, Masseria Amastuola uses the same classical footprint producing wine and other agricultural products. Moreover, this did not stay unnoticed. Amastuola received awards for its organic approach and good practices for the recovery of not productive agricultural landscapes and the enhancement of tourism.

Terra di Gravina Nature Park is characterized by an extremely varied flora and fauna, gorges, cave houses, crypts, and sanctuaries

The farm is part of the Regional Park “Terra Delle Gravine.” Terra Delle Gravine is an area of great biological diversity. It has beautiful vegetation, such as ‘fragno’, ilex, roach, hornbeam, maritime pines, rosemary, thyme, wild strawberry, blackberry, and a country rose called Calaprice. There are also olive trees, rocky areas, forests, meadows, marshes, wetlands, ancient gardens, and important: water.

Fernando Caruncho created a synthesis between light, geometry, time and nature at Amastuola

It is no wonder that the Giuseppe Montanaro family -who purchased Amastuola in 2003- choose Fernando Caruncho. Renowned internationally for his serene landscape and garden compositions mixing natural forms and the timeless principles of geometry, Fernando incorporates agricultural elements in the design of his gardens too. At Amastuola however, he designed for the first time an entirely agricultural landscape, as if it is a garden.

Amastuola-Vineyard-near-Taranto-in-Puglia

Minimalist landscape, an Italian vineyard with rolling waves

The Amastuola vineyard is striking by its designed allegiance between the curving lines of the slightly hilly landscape and the rows of vines. Most people are used to see vines in a strict grid, but here the opposite happens. It is certainly unexpected. Fernando’s waves of vines cause a pleasant visual shock as they capture the purity and simplicity of the curved beauty of the landscape. For Caruncho it is important to keep our relationship with nature at the centre of our experience. He does that by working with light. Using the effects of light to accentuate leaf colour and texture, but also walls and water. His starting point is the sky. Vertical features such as vines or trees lift your eyes up to the sky, allowing a warm contrast with the shadowy evergreen planting below.

24 groups of enormous antique olive trees

In addition to planting the vines, Caruncho also had the Amastuola workers move 1,500 enormous antique olive trees to place them in 24 groups. Positioned to guide you along the paths to the apex of the old stone Masseria. Like this, he creates a visual connection between the landscape and the old stone building on top of the hill. Relocating the trees – some more than 800 years old, with trunks over 2.5 m in diameter wide – took the best part of two years, as it was not easy to remove the deeply rooted trees. In Carucho’s thinking geometry expresses space, gives form, structures the light in the garden, and builds a new natural order in the landscape at well.

Masseria-Amastuola-landscape-with-olive-trees

The grammar of the Amastuola landscape

It is the grammar of a redesigned landscape that defines the harmony between production and aesthetics. At Amastuola it serves both nature and the produce of the olive trees and vines. Amastuola organic wines are not only the result of an artisanal process based on tradition. Employing advanced technologies is also part of it. From start to finish, it is the evolving result of hard work and passion. Similar to a garden actually. A garden is always on one’s mind. A garden is never finished garden, you have to labour hard, and adapt to changing circumstances. Landscaping expresses what gardening, what vine growing, is really all about: working with nature.

Visit the Amastuola website

14 March 2022

There’s a surprise around the corner at Rue de Belleville: bar Combat’s cocktails

AdminTGT Cocktails, Travel, Winejus Emag #BarCombat #cocktails 0

Cocktaillicious

If you want to follow in the footsteps of many a Parisian, travel to the colourful district of Belleville. Belleville is nothing like the rest of Paris. Belleville is also home to bar Combat. An excellent cocktail bar run by a group of female mixology experts.

Totally by accident, I ended up in the Combat bar at rue de Belleville, in one of the most iconic neighbourhoods of Eastern Paris. The unfussy, convivial atmosphere of the place pulled me in. Moreover, the striking mustard yellow tiles highlight the nicely stocked bar. The staff and the relaxed crowd make bar Combat super welcoming. Not only that, it soon becomes apparent that one goes here for quality. Bar Combat’s cocktails are delicious.

The neighbourhood Edith Piaf once called home, offers more than the old Parisian cliché

What I did not know is that the Combat cocktail bar is named after a nineteenth-century combat ring. In times past a savage animal fighting arena at Place du Combat with a notorious reputation. Those fighting days are now long gone. Along with the times that the tallest hill in Paris was covered with vineyards. In the 18th century, Belleville became known for ‘Guinguet’, a cheap, sour-tasting lightly sparkling white wine produced on the hills of Belleville in the vineyards of Clos Guinguet. And for its countryside ‘Guinguettes’. A ‘Guinguette’ is a cabaret, an open-air restaurant, wine bar, and a popular dance venue, all in one. It was the place where ‘tout Paris’ came to unwind, dance, and drink ‘Guinguet’.

Rue de Belleville is one of the main streets in the old village of Belleville. By the time Belleville was annexed to Paris in the 1860s, it was already a working-class neighbourhood. Famous singer Edith Piaf was born in a doorway at 72 rue de Belleville on 19 December 1915, or so the story goes. In all respects, Belleville was and still is a favourite nightlife haunt of Parisians. Since the neighbourhood became trendy again, it certainly has one of the most exciting bar scenes in Paris.

A bit of Combat history

The story of the Combat bar actually began in 2012 when its two founders, Elena Schmitt and Margot Lecarpentier, bonded in New York City over their love for cocktails. Long story short, they both return to Paris and meet again working behind the bar at the Experimental Cocktail Club. In search of a bar of their own, dedicated to mixology and good food, they discover 63, rue de Belleville in the up-and-coming district Belleville. Belleville was already a popular area to go for wine bars but in 2012 there was no cocktail bar in-sight.

Margot Lecarpentier, Elena Schmitt, with the help of Elise Drouet and Maxime Potfer, opened Combat in 2017. Their goal was to create something quite distinctive, different from a typical speakeasy. It does not take long before Combat manages to create a buzz. Combat’s (mostly) female bartenders conquer rapidly the Paris cocktail scene. This is no small feat, and for this reason alone you should visit them.

Home made, with a sustainable twist

Go for their ‘recette du jour’ or cocktail of the day. Every day, they design a cocktail made from decommissioned foods, fruits, or vegetables. Aside, they also serve fine, well-balanced cocktails made from homemade fruit juices, obtained with a juice extractor, their own syrups, and tonics, all in the spirit of sustainable development. All their cocktails are made with so many unique flavour combinations. Combat offers a small but pretty selection of natural wines, and some great craft beers as well.

Sometimes when you least expect it, you’ll find a surprise around the corner. For me, Combat embodied that surprise. It is a truly unique cocktail bar. I took a Bérégovoy made of Calvados, Cognac, Madeira Verdelho (interesting choice), Dry Curaçao, and Scrappy’s orange bitters. To grant yourself a little bit of French self-indulgence doesn’t hurt, does it?

Bar Combat
63, rue de Belleville
Paris(75019)
Tél. : +33 9 80 84 78 60
Subway: Belleville, Pyrénées

Bar Combat

16 January 2022

Oplato Paris, a great wine bar for aperitifs and Auvergne delights

AdminTGT France, Paris, Travel, Wine is fun too, Winejus Emag 0

French Apero

We’ve dipped into Paris before. For the record, we love wine bars. They are part of the undeniable attraction of Paris. Just around the corner from Rue de Charonne and Rue Basfroi in Paris’ Bastille district, we ended up in Oplato Paris, a great wine bar for aperitifs and Auvergne delights.

Oplato Paris, a great wine bar for aperitifs and Auvergne delights

Oplato’s philosophy

Wine bar Oplato’s philosophy can be summed up in a few words: conviviality and sharing. Or as our Oplato barman explained: “to rediscover the flavours and atmosphere of good aperitifs of yesteryear by sharing quality platters and wines with friends.” There is nothing like the combination of good cheese, charcuterie or a smoked fish board with an excellent glass of wine or a good cocktail. Who says Aperitif talks about the relaxing atmosphere and camaraderie one can find in Oplato Paris. A wordplay on terroir on a plate to appreciate what small producers from Auvergne and elsewhere do best.

Oplato proudly honours its Auvergne heritage

The owners have a strong connection with Auvergne. The people, called Auvergnats, are proud of everything that comes from their terroir. The selection of cold meats and cheeses are carefully chosen: IGP and AOP products. Do you want some Camembert with Calvados, Saint-Nectaire, or Bleu d’Auvergne? The charcuterie par example comes from carefully chosen producers, the bread is fresh and purchased from local bakers. By the way, there is an amazing baker nearby in the Rue de Charonne.

Un classique de l’apéro

In Oplato, you can put together a platter yourself or choose one board from the menu. Wines from independent producers are available and change every so often. Cold pints or a nice cocktail from the cocktail menu are on the menu too.

Oplato is open every day from 6:00 p.m. to 0 a.m. We loved its young and informal vibe. Sharing tables with strangers often leads to talk and sometimes to new friendships. This neighbourhood bar can be privatized for the organization of intimate events for up to 30 guests. The place is perfect for an aperitivo, an after-work drink, a birthday celebration, or even a business meal.

Oplato
69 rue de Charonne, Paris 11
Open every day from 18:00 till 24:00 hours.
Tel : 09 81 80 44 70

9 January 2022

Pago de Larrainzar gives magic to the ancestral land in Navarra

AdminTGT Latest, Red Wine, Spain, Winejus Emag, Wines worth trying - Tasted an tried 0

Bona fide Navarra

A magical forest, a vineyard and a dream to make wine give sense to the ancestral land of the Canalejo Larrainzar family. The result: Pago de Larrainzar Reserva Especial 2014 single vineyard.

Pago de Larrainzar gives magic to the ancestral land in Navarra

I always wish to be born into a family of vine growers and winemakers. A statement I make to underline my romantic vision of a simple but altogether pleasant life. Heaven knows, I even made wine, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Sadly it ended there, for now. I gather my dreams, but for the Larrainzar family, winemaking became a way of life. Their motto for Pago de Larrainzar: to make wine is to give sense to this land.

Some history

Halfway between Logroño and Pamplona, great-great-grandfather Luis Larrainzar acquired land from the monks of the nearby Monastery of Irache in the 1850s. The family farm was part of the Monastery of Irache, which was a hospital and a university during the Middle Ages.
In this magical setting at the foot of the Montejurra Mountain Luis planted Tempranillo grapes and established a small winery with limited production. And, with success. The 1929 wine competition of the World Exposition in Barcelona awarded Pago de Larrainzar a gold medal. Over time, the Larrainzar family decided to distance itself from winemaking but kept the land. In the 1970s, the first winery was sold.

The restart, a family project

After working for decades in the telecommunications industry, 4th generation Miguel C. Larrainzar decided in 2001 to revive the ancestral winemaking tradition. Two of his children joined him on the project: Miguel Canalejo Lasarte, as technical director, and Irene Canalejo Lasarte, as marketing and sales director. To “create” a wine with character and soul from the Larrainzar vineyards, Miguel hired renowned experts such as enologist Ignacio de Miguel Poch and vine specialist Mr Lissarrague to advise and coach the team of Pago de Larrainzar.

A sustainable approach to farming

At Pago de Larrainzar the vineyards are structured in a single plot, located between the right bank of the Ega river and the north slope of Montejurra. Thanks to the soil conditions of the vineyard and the presence of large pebbles, there is excellent water retention. What always stands out, is the importance they give to growing their 17 ha of vines. Their sustainable approach means respectfully working the vineyard without altering the ecosystem. It also follows the rules of the DOP Navarra Control Board, which guarantees quality standards and typicity of the wines.

A blend with personality

The winery uses its best grapes and selected native yeasts common in the area as the base for making red wines. Pago de Larrainzar produces only high-quality red wines from Tempranillo, Garnacha, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. At Pago de Larrainzar they believe in blending wines made from a single harvest. Blending starts with dozens of different potential wines created using different varieties, tank sizes, barrels and toasting levels of French oak barrels. Every three years the barrels are renewed.

The wine, single-vineyard Pago de Larrainzar Reserva Especial 2014

On one of my tastings, this time organised by Vinos D.O. Navarra in Amsterdam, I found Pago de Larrainzar Reserva Especial 2014 in my glass. A wine only made when the vintage is exceptional. The 2014 vintage comes after deciding not to make a Reserva Especial in the 2012 and 2013 vintages.

It is Pago de Larrainzar’s most international blend. This ruby coloured blend of international varieties Cabernet Sauvignon 40%, Merlot 40%, and 20% Tempranillo. The local Tempranillo gives it greater complexity and a genuinely Navarrese character. On the nose, it has good intensity, with notes of black plum, berries, cassis, tomato leaf, cedar, burnt wood, dry hay and an earthy, leathery finish. On the palate, soft, fresh with a good level of acidity, not heavy, very well integrated oak, toast and polished, long finish. In some tastings, certain wines stand out, and this Reserva Especial 2014 was one of them.

Family Canalejo Larrainzar’s motto – to make wine is to give sense to their land in Ayegui, Spain – works very well for me. One day I hope to visit them as I want to discover Pago de Larrainzar and the diversity of landscapes and wines from D.O. Navarra myself.

Bodega Pago de Larrainzar

D.O. Navarra

Freixenet-cava-garnatxa-subirat-parent-2015

27 December 2021

Unusual assemblage of white Subirat Parent & Garnatxa in Freixenet Cuvée Prestige

AdminTGT Catalunya, Cava, Spain, Sparkling Wines, Tasting notes, Winejus Emag 0

Tasting Note

Ten to one, when you associate a grape variety with cava -the sparkling Spanish wine made in the Traditional Method – you will not think of the grape Subirat Parent. This almost forgotten indigenous (white) grape with its intense orange-yellow thick-skin, has many aliases in Spain.

In Catalonia, it is called Subirat Parent, in Extremadura Alarije, in Rioja Malvasía de Rioja or Malvasía Riojana. Once you smell Subirat Parent, it is easy to distinguish the wine just by smelling it. Its quite intense, aromatic qualities make it an excellent blending grape for Dulce and Semi Dulce Cavas. Subirat Parent’s unique aromatic profile expresses predominately of flowers, ripe stone fruits and grapes. There is some orange blossom too and pineapple-like tropical fruit.

After tasting lots of cavas for a food and wine online Christmas edition, I noticed in the Freixenet 2015 Cava Cuvée de Prestige the unusual assemblage of the white Subirat Parent varietal and the Red Grenache. The red grape variety Garnatxa, generally used in rosé cavas or in “blanc de noirs” cava, is rarely blended with the autochthonous white variety Subirat Parent.

Freixenet calls the blend a balancing act. It is a special “blanc de noirs” cuvée. The cava is relatively young, aged in the bottle for 9 months or more. Slightly pink in colour, it is still a white cava, but then with the aromas of red fruit coming from the around 50% Garnatxa.

The Subirat Parent adds crisp freshness and aromatic richness to smooth out the potent influence of red Grenache, a tannic variety, with moderate acidity and high sugar content. Subirat Parent, on the other hand, shows aromatic intensity, ripe stone and tropical fruit, floral aromas of white flowers and rose, and herbal notes. All these nuances become more complex with ageing. The elegant, well-integrated fine bubbles are smooth and persistent. Freixenet produced 19.650 bottles of this Cava Garnatxa Subirat Parent 2015 Cuvées de Prestige.

Wine Info

Style – medium-bodied sparkling wine

Grape varieties – Garnacha Negra, Subirat Parent (also called Alarije)

Vintage – 2015

Country – Spain

Appellation – DO Cava

Region – Catalunya / Catalonia

Producent – Freixenet Cava

Winemaker – Josep Bujan

Production method – Traditional method with second fermentation in the bottle

Alcohol – 11,5%

Aged – for 9 months or more

Serving temperature – 6º to 8º

Score – 86 points

Freixenet 2015 Brut Garnatxa Subirat Pare nt

Freixenet

Eva-Clüsserath-weingut-Ansgar-Clüsserath

19 July 2021

Yearning for German Mosel’s Rieslings? Let Eva Clüsserath surprise you

AdminTGT Germany, Tasting notes, White wine, Wines worth trying - Tasted an tried, Women in wine Eva Clüsserath Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling 0

Tasting Note

Riesling needs more attention. Let’s wake up and start paying closer attention to the quiet charms of Weingut Ansgar Clüsserath’s Apotheke Trittenheim.

The Apotheke vineyards are part of the finest vineyard sites in Trittenheim, Germany. Located on the right bank of the Mosel, opposite the village of Trittenheim, the Apotheke soils of slate and rocks are perfect for Riesling. Add Riesling vines of at least 80 years old plus the expertise of winemaker Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann, and you’ll get the picture.

More than 20 years ago, Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann took up the reins of the estate that her ancestors had founded in 1670. Eva sees herself more as a “wine collaborator” than a winemaker. She works closely with nature in the vineyard and intervenes as little as possible in the cellar.

Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann’s wines are precise and lyrical. She orchestrates the top and mid-tones during the slow fermentation with the natural yeasts. The fine lees remain on the wine until summer, making them taste richer and gaining depth and structure.

The result is a wine with traceable minerals, lively freshness and layered fruitiness with stone fruits, apricot, apple and tropical mango.

Eva Clüsserath is a veritable phenomenon. Her wines, especially the wines from the Trittenheimer Apotheke vineyard, are among the best in Germany’s Mosel Valley.

Wine Info

Style – medium-bodied red

Grape varieties – Riesling

Vintage – 2018

Country – Germany

Appellation – Mosel

Region – Mittelmosel, Bernkastel-Wittrich

Producent – Weingut Ansgar Clüsserath

Winemaker – Eva Clüsserath

Alcohol – 8.5%

Vineyards – Trittenheimer Apotheke

Ageing potential – 10 years

Serving temperature – 10º to 12º

Score – 92 points

Website – Weingut Ansgar Clüsserath

Weingut Ansgar Clüsserath

14 July 2021

Discover the True Italian Taste wandering in 17th-century Amsterdam

AdminTGT Food and wine, Restaurants, Travel, Winejus Emag 0

Authentic Italian

I thought I knew where to go for the “True Italian Taste” in Amsterdam but there are places I have not got to. Until I discovered more “Authentic Italian Tables” through a walking-tasting organised by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Amsterdam.

Discover the True Italian Taste wandering in 17th-century Amsterdam

Amsterdam’s appetite for Italian food is inexhaustible. To find the “True Italian Taste”, I do know where I would go first. Or so I thought. Until I walked the walking-tasting organized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands. The five selected local Amsterdam restaurants, all of which bear the “Ospitalita’ Italiana” quality mark issued by the Italian government, proved to be true Authentic Italian Tables well worth seeking out.

Segugio

In search of Amsterdam’s “True Italian Taste”, we tasted Roman supplì and organic courgette lasagna (with three different types of Italian cheese – Parmegiano, Caciocavallo and Ricotto) at Segugio in the Utrechtsestraat. All complimented by a glass of Castelli de Jesi Verdicchio Riserva. By the way, to eat “buonissimo” go to Segugio, recommended by my Italian friends.

Al Bacaro

When Venetians want a bite, they head to their favorite bacaro for “cicchetti”. Cicchetti, which is pronounced “chi-KET-tee, is the Venetian version of tapas. We walked to Al Bacaro in the Vijzelstraat for “cicchetti” made of cod and baby octopus, and Bacaro’s interpretation of a potato, rice and mussels snack from southern Puglia. The Piccola Nera grapes in the accompanying glass of light red wine are grown along the Adriatic coast, but are mainly found in the small Carso DOC on the border of Italy and Slovenia.

Eatmosfera

We continued our Italian journey with 2 small, but perfectly made, pizzas on the tricolore terrace of Eatmosfera opposite the well-known Van Dobben croquettes dining room on the Korte Reguliersdwarsstraat. The “col fondo”, slightly bubbly wine from Casa Belfri tastes refreshing, with lots of fruity, citrus notes. Col Fondo translates in Italian as ‘from the bottom’, which means that the wine has not been filtered, sediment or dead yeast cells can be found in the bottle.

Pianeta Terra

I know where I prefer to go. Start at Koningsplein in Amsterdam and turn right. Then walk past the Sint Franciscus Xaveriuskerk with its two spires via the Singel to the Beulingsstraat. At number 7 you will find a very charming Italian restaurant Pianeta Terra.
“We cook with local, sustainable ingredients, grown by small producers, eat what is fresh is our slogan,” says chef Fabio Antonini. He is co-owner of the restaurant Pianeta Terra, which he has run for over twenty years with his wife and sommelier Laura Martini. We eat Solina wheat and turnip tortellini stuffed with buffalo ricotta, organic 24-month-old parmesan and pistachios. The dish is framed by a 100% Catarratto wine, Longarico Nostrale 2019 from Alcamo, Sicily.

Quattro Gatti

We close the Authentic Italian Table walking tasting with dolce, or sweets, at Quattro Gatti with no less than three Dolci and a sweet wine Piasa Raschei 2017. It was all a bit too sweet for my personal taste, but others clearly enjoyed it.

All restaurants are worth a visit when you are in Amsterdam. Tutti A Tavola!