I've been useless in the last month, a combination of music festivals and work and general tardiness have meant that I have been nowhere near this blog, but at least I have still been sipping nice wine.
Recently I spent a week at Latitude festival down in Southwold, Suffolk. It was a bit of a bus-man's holiday really, I was a bar manager for a good cause that goes by the name of 'Workers Beer Company'.
They're predominantly a trade union organisation that supports similar causes as well as other social enterprises and charities through volunteer fundraising. The bars are staffed by volunteers who work a number of hours each day over the weekend and donate their hypothetical wages to their chosen good cause. In return they get to go and experience the rest of the festival free of charge! A pretty good deal with some fundraising thrown in.
It was a fun weekend, seeing friends I haven't seen since the previous year's festivals. I also got to see some good music during my down time, notable acts include The Tallest Man on Earth, Kraftwerk, I am Kloot and a great set from Bloc Party. The whole week was great fun, just very tiring!
Right. Wine. I've had a few nice things recently, chance purchases, bottles I've had my eye on for a while and finally got round to buying, and a couple of things I'd intended to drink from my cellar that were possibly in their latter stages of life.
It's been a bit of a New World fest of late, so that's what I'm going to write about.
Evolution 15th Edition, Sokol Blosser, Dundee Hills Oregon.
First up is this interesting and quirky white. Technically a non vintage, but instead an addition, the second from latest in actual fact. It has quite a list of grapes inside that funky bottle, listed in their entirety, they are: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Semillon, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner, Muscat Canelli and Muller Thurgau.
Quite a list.
This sort of diverse blend creates quite a complex wine, with very contrasting and in some ways contradictory flavour profiles.
On the nose there is lots happening, ripe citrus, limes and grapefruit, as well as white fruits, peach, apricot and some pears too. There is a floral perfume too, with some spice underneath it.
This all follows through onto the palate, more spice and floral scent, with the citrus and pear showing most evidently. There is some sweetness to, only a little, following with some good acidity.
It seems the Gewurztraminer has the most effect on the palate, whether or not it's the most dominant grape, it certainly feels it with its floral almost chalky texture on the palate. Overall a pretty interesting blend and a good, approachable wine.
Thornbury Riesling 2008, Waipara, New Zealand.
I've really been into Riesling of late, particularly the steely but ripe stuff from both Eden and Clare Valley. My experience with kiwi Riesling is pretty minimal, but if they're all like this one then i would rest pretty happy. Waipara is on the South Island, below Marlborough, and subsequently a marginally cooler area.
The nose of this wine has some of the same qualities its Australian counterparts possess, a fair bit of petrol and citrus on the nose. After a little while some of that smokey petrol blows off and leaves a ripe, honeyed, limey nose. It smells utterly delicious.
The palate has some great honeyed melon flavours, a little sweetness alongside a great citrus acidity and brilliant length. I couldn't say how much longer this wine will stick around for, but I only have one left, and I know I won't be able to resist leaving it! Yum.
