With #1 child back from university exams and family visitors staying with us, we have been doing various "wine lessons" to cover off a few of the basics of wine - classic regions, grapes and styles.
The theme of this tasting was off-piste whites; all three grapes here are somewhat unusual, but worthy of exploration.
- Austrian Gruener was more or less the grape that first got me into wine and it remains a personal favourite
- Godello hails from north west Spain's Galicia region; I've had a few over the years and always enjoyed them
- Falanghina was completely new to me; and not completely what I expected. In a good way.
Also unusual is that these wines were all purchases as a result of lockdown when all tastings and events had been summarily cancelled, based on recommendations (see further reviews below).
Sassi del Mare Falanghina Beneventano, 2019 (£7.99)
Dark yellow in the glass and relatively neutral on the nose, I wondered if this had oxidised in the year-plus since I bought it, but a bit of subsequent internet checking revealed that this is what it's supposed to be like.
It is very different from the standard crisp-fresh white and is more of an old school oily-waxy wine.
citrussy with pear and quince, white flowers and ripe, yellow stone fruit and dry straw; oily texture with good underpinnings.
Well made and thoroughly enjoyable.
Match with richer dishes, such as pate.
CEO Godello, Galicia, 2019 (£7.99)
Native to Spain and increasing in popularity, Godello is still relatively uncommon, so don't be surprised if you've never had it before
mint, bay and preserved lemons; fresh and citrussy with ripe stone fruits and zippy lime marmalade, white flowers and salinity with good underpinnings.
Well-made and thoroughly enjoyable.
Match with starters or a main of white meat or grilled oily fish.
Gruener Veltliner, Johann Quest, Niederosterreich 2019 (£6)
Gruener is Austria's signature grape, as well as its mostly widely grown. The Grueners of the Wachau are, I believe, world-class wines that can be considered as in the same league as top white Burgundies and the best German Rieslings.
This is my first Austrian Gruener from Lidl - see here for an unusual Italian Gruener from Suedtirol. It's also my personal favourite wine of the three here.
citrus, florality and white pepper; citrussy-zippy with fresh, linear acidity and slatey minerality, white pepper and classic Gruener celery-and-lentils.
Well-made and thoroughly enjoyable.
Serve as an aperitif; or match the fresh acidity to grilled oily fish or even steak with herb butter.
***
Further reviews
The Godello was Tom Cannvan's Wine of The Week: From Spain, the Ceo, Godello 2019, wine review - YouTube
His written review here: CEO, Godello 2019 - wine-pages
Also reviewed by Dave Cronin: CEO Godello : Hidden Gem : Lidl : Vinoviews
The Gruener reviewed by A Time For Wine: Grüner Veltliner – Lidl – A Time for Wine
No comments:
Post a Comment