Cuvée 1858 Blanc 2019

The colour is medium gold. On the nose honey, almonds, dried apricots, banana, ginger. In the mouth filling, elegant and tasty. The aftertaste is savoury and last for quite a while.

This top of the range Valais white wine is made by Bonvin with Petite Arvine, Heida and Amigne grapes. All three grapes are peculiar to Valais. The fermentation and the maturation on lees are carried out in new oak barrels. Continue reading “Cuvée 1858 Blanc 2019”

Terre Alte 2020

The colour is pale straw. On the nose pears, white peaches, orange peels and white flowers. In the mouth grapey and refreshing. The aftertaste is medium long.

This wine is made with 100% Merlot grapes vinified off the skins.

White Merlot del Ticino was born in 1986, when a local Cooperative, faced with chronic grapes’ oversupply, decided to produce a white wine. Other producers followed suit. Nowadays the share of Merlot grapes vinified in white in Ticino is more than 30% of the total production.

Merlot is the main grape of Canton Ticino, where it has been imported from France for experimental purposes at the beginning of the 20th century, during the post-phylloxera period.

Currently Merlot covers about 80% of the planted area in a Canton with some 3’600 grape growers and 200 or so winemakers. Approximately 1’000 hectares are devoted to viticulture.

White Merlot is not my kind of wine. Nevertheless, I find this exemplar made by Gialdi a pleasant Apero wine.

I bought this bottle at the winery for 16 CHF.

Country: Switzerland
Region: Ticino
Grapes: Merlot
Type: White
Vintage: 2020
Producer: Gialdi
Price range: Medium (15-30 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 3/5

Apremont 2021

The colour is pale yellow. On the nose some melon, pear, green apple and herbs. In the mouth very fresh with a marked citrusy flavour. The aftertaste is medium long.

Apremont is one of the best known white wine crus of the Vin de Savoie appellation of the Alps in eastern France. The wines are often made from Jacquère alone. However, the AOC law states that a selection of other grape varieties, including Altesse, Chardonnay and Aligoté, may make up to 20% of the final blend. Continue reading “Apremont 2021”

Ograde 2019

The colour is medium copper. A bit cloudy. On the nose candied citrus-fruits, strawberries, mango, orange marmalade and resin. In the mouth fresh and surprisingly tannic for a white wine. It leaves a drying sensation. The aftertaste is medium long. This wine is very peculiar.

Ograde is an orange wine made with each 25% Vitoska, Malvasia, Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio grapes. Continue reading “Ograde 2019”

Vagabondo Bianco 2020

The colour is pale yellow. On the nose tangerine, ananas, banana, jasmine. In the mouth fresh, but without much flavour. The aftertaste is watery and short.

This white wine is made with Solaris and other fungus resistant varieties (PIWI). PIWI is an acronym for the German word pilzwiderstandfähig (fungus resistant). Continue reading “Vagabondo Bianco 2020”

Viognier Varone 2020

The colour is medium gold. On the nose aromas of apricot, peach, citrus, peanuts, chamomile and minerals. On the mouth fresh and elegant, with a lemon-flavoured aftertaste that last for quite some time.

This wine is made with 100% Viognier grapes by Maison Varone.

Viognier is a unique grape variety known to produce full-bodied white wines. It is the premier white grape of Northern Rhone (France). Continue reading “Viognier Varone 2020”

Domäne Wachau Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2020

The colour is pale yellow. On the nose citrus fruit flavours of lemon, lime and grapefruit. In the mouth very fresh and dry. The aftertaste is medium long.

This Grüner Veltliner is made by Domäne Wachau under the Wachau DAC. Continue reading “Domäne Wachau Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2020”

Bersót 2020

The colour is medium gold. The bubbles very subtle. On the nose vinous and nutty notes. In the mouth refreshing, with an aftertaste that last quite a while.

What impressed me most about this wine when I first tasted it with the producer at the Gradizzolo winery in Monteveglio on the hills close to Bologna, has been the purity of aroma and taste for a wine that is 100% natural. Continue reading “Bersót 2020”

Cuvée “Champs Fleurs” 2019

The colour is deep gold. On the nose banana, nuts and butter. In the mouth not very fresh and fading. Not much aftertaste.

This wine is made in Arbois by Domaine Martin Faudot with Melon à Queue Rouge grapes.

Melon à Queue Rouge is a mutation of Chardonnay, which was found in the French region of Jura. There is no relation to the Melon de Bourgogne variety. The name rouge is not derived from the colour of the berries, which are white, but from the reddish coloured trunk.

Arbois in located in the eastern part of France and is the Jura wine region’s most-prolific appellation. The shop of Domaine Martin Faudot is one of the three I visited in Arbois during my summer holidays. I left upset with myself for letting the salesperson trick me. After tasting a few wines, I decided to buy two bottles to take home. Not only he sold me a different vintage than the one I tasted, he also charged me 2 EUR extra a bottle, with the argument that they were older vintages. I find this behaviour outrageous, but at the end it was my fault. I should not have bought any wine from such a crook.

For this bottle I paid 17 EUR at the winery, although it sells for 15 EUR (see the reason above).

Country: France
Region: Jura
Grapes: Melon à Queue Rouge/Chardonnay
Type: White
Vintage: 2019
Producer: Domaine Martin Faudot
Price range: Medium (15-30 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 1/5

Sauvignon Collection Otto Graf Huyn 2020

The colour is light straw. On the nose grapefruit, melon, mango, green pepper. In the mouth fresh and savoury. The aftertaste last for a long time.

This Sauvignon Blanc is produced by Cantina Bolzano/Kellerei Bozen under the Südtirol/Alto Adige DOC. Continue reading “Sauvignon Collection Otto Graf Huyn 2020”