5 in 5 Under 30: ep 02

5 in 5 Under 30: EP 02

 

This week I spent a fantastic whirlwind hour in the RE Store in Leederville.  The wines I came out with were exciting, varied and delicious.  I even ended up with a beautifully unexpected beer – the Duchesse de Bourgogne (that’s a whole nother story and one that, thankfully, we caught on ‘film’).

Serving suggestions for all the wines opened is to throw them into a decanter, and back into bottle.  They’ve all got the structure, body and tannins that benefit from some air.  It doesn’t matter what vessel you use to aerate your wines, just so long as it’s clean.  I like putting them back into bottle so if you don’t finish them there’s zero waste.

Ruggabellus Sallio, Eden Valley 2017

Sem 47%, Muscat 37%, Riesling 16%.  Buy this wine if you want a combination of the following things: structure, searing acidity, floral tension, grip, texture, spice and interest.  Winemaker and owner Abel Gibson was born and raised on Barossa soil, so the Ruggabellus label comes with history and experience.  Fits with my ongoing belief of backing the pedigree.  The white grapes are from an estate owned vineyard, always old oak, minimal adds etc.  If you’re looking for complexity, edginess and spice… this is for you.  The ‘whites’ are some of the country’s finest examples of skin contact ‘amber’ wines. The variations on Riesling, Muscat and Semillon are entirely world class. These are rare and truly authentic Australian wines.” (quote source: Different Drop Wines)

Very much an ‘orange’ wine, very textural, dry, spicy and full.  This has curry leaf, red apple, tangerine, orange rind, brine, black pepper and all manner of spice.  Very savoury, moves into the herbal, coriander, sage spectrum, then shimmies right back out again.  Yes.

$30

Pannell Family Pinot Noir, Pemberton 2019

Not yet released, but it is only shortly away.  This is a cracker.  I love it.  The Pannell family (Picardy) made the move down to Pemberton to pursue a long-time love affair with pinot noir.  This ‘Pannell Family’ label is their ‘trial’ label, usually made in pretty small q’s, and cheap – this being $25.

Contains a bit of Picardy fruit (20%) but the majority is bought off a neighbour.   I’ve been drinking the Picardy wines for as long as I’ve been in wine, and I know the Pannell’s well – this wine still retains a bit of mystery (RE winemaking, techniques on trial and so forth) and I’m ok with that.  I’ve thrown it into a decanter and then poured it back into bottle – a move I highly recommend if you want to jumpstart the silky plush and succulent fruit that it inevitably yields at the end.

Cherry, bramble and spice, lovely texture and a silkiness that speaks clearly and only of pinot.  Pretty and delicious.  A great value wine.  One of the few great pinots in the sub $30 price range.

$25

Antinori Peppoli Chianti Classico DOCG 2017

This is another rock solid Italian producer – in fact, one of the world’s greatest winemaking families.  I’m really having a moment with wines that are silky and plush with an edge of tannin and acidity – I like the push/pull of flavour V texture, acid V tannin, especially when it’s couched in fruit that has a ripeness and a plushness I can really get stuck into.  This is a consistently reliable Chianti (85%+ of Sangiovese) so if you’re wanting to try an exciting Italian red that won’t break the bank….

Raspberry, crunchy acidity and brightness that you only get in Chianti.  Spicy and fine, but interestingly, bigger than the following Nebbiolo, although I maintain based on tannin profile that the neb is in the right position.  There is a fresh sage/basil note on the nose that accompanies blood plum, fine spice and all things nice.

$25

Trediberri Langhe Nebbiolo DOC 2018

I’m a massive Nebbiolo fan.  The flavours and textures of this beautiful grape can range from the fine, grippy and aromatic, right through to the ballsy, rich and dense.  I find it has all of the appeal of pinot, but the tannins and the acidity create something I can really sink my teeth into… and it gets me thinking.  Neb is perhaps one of my favourite red grape varieties, so it made sense I would try and track one down for you.  2018 was warm and dry in Piemonte (14% alc). I’m always on the lookout for a new go-to neb from an Italian producer, often they sit around the $40 mark +++ having said that… it is possible to buy Langhe Neb from some of the best producers in Piedmonte for under $100, so if you fancy the splurge I would highly recommend the exercise.  I think I spotted a Bartolo Mascarello Langhe Neb for circa $80 on the shelf…

Ooof.  I do love Nebbiolo.  The most translucent on the bench, and also the most aromatic: this lends a marine vibe to the roses and herbs, a crushed rock angle to the spice and the very fine tannins assert themselves before even the mouth is properly closed.  I love this juicy, fine and exciting rendition of Nebbiolo – like I said in the video… if I could drink Nebbiolo everyday I WOULD.

$30

Blue Poles Teroldego, Margaret River 2012

Blue Poles is one of those producers that has been coming up again and again for me recently, my curiosity for what they do has been growing – so I decided to track down a bottle and try it.  This is the current release, and is the typical dense, dark berried, fleshy, tannic and warm/round monster that you’d expect from the variety.  Having said that there is real spice and complexity that backs it all up – so highly worth a go.  Third release of this variety, and from a producer who has made cult-like waves around the place.  This is an Italian grape variety (fitting with the Italian (ish) theme I’ve got going on here…)

A fitting estimation of this wine (above) it presents all dark chocolate malt and mulberries.  This is fleshy and almost showy teroldego that for its 8 years of age is incredibly fresh and exciting.  This is comfort wine of the most exciting order, and if, like me, you haven’t tried this wine before – well… you should.

$30

 

Duchesse de Bourgogne

WARNING:  This is a wine nerd’s assessment of a beer.  I don’t pretend to be a beer nerd so don’t be expecting a beer tasting note: I am a beer lover, but that is all.

I was in the RE Store, and I got carried away.  There is a wealth of whites that would fit this theme, but I strayed too far over to the beer section, so it made sense that if I was going to head down that route, that I selected something aged in French oak… something that has body and texture (tannins… not tannins…). 

‘A beer for wine drinkers’.  A Flemish red was where I landed.

Boundary pushing and exciting if you don’t usually drink beer – this has interest and texture and the ‘Lambic sour twang’ so I highly recommend you get amongst it.  Sweet and layered but with an appealing delicacy that sets it apart from the wines.  Definitely start with this if you intend on testing out the lineup.  Spiced malt, toffee, caramel, all underpinned by red berries and attractive spice.  Pretty and plush, with impressive restraint.  This does have a sweet vibe to it, but everything is so balanced that it isn’t the main event in my mouth.  Love this and a big fan of the suggestion.