[ZINFANDEL'S ORIGINS]
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📺 If you're just tuning in, check out "House Pour: A Real Guide to ZPC (Zinfandel/Primitivo/Crljenak)" on @grapenomad IGTV!
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I wrote Zinfandel because that is the most common name used for this grape, but the biggest misconception of it is that it's native to the US. Primitivo ("first one") was first planted in 🇮🇹 Liponti, Puglia. A bit north of Italy, the exact same grape, going under the name of Crljenak Kaštelanski aka Tribidrag was travelling from 🇭🇷 Croatia to Boston to California thanks to the Habsburg Monarchy and horticulturist George Gibbs.
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🍯 The California Gold Rush was showing great potential for both the economy and US viticulture and then BOOM - Prohibition 🚱 comes along. Vines were being ripped out left and right, bottles seized and everybody stopped caring about viticulture for the most part. But Zin firmly stood its ground in the shadows. By the late 19th century, its reputation erupted, going from cheap table swill to one of the most esteemed wines in the United States.
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Back in Europe in the late 1960s, UC Davis professor Austin Goheen concludes that Primitivo and Zinfandel are 👯 identical. In the early 90s, Carole Meredith (yes, the “can-there-be-any-other-business-where-there-is-so-much-bullshit” lady from @somm_films: Into the Bottle) decided to finally pinpoint where these two grapes originally came from. She collected over 150 vines ❗from all over Croatia with the help of several Croatian enologists, at first speculating that 🍇 Plavac Mali was the parent (it’s actually the child).
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With 🧬 DNA fingerprinting, after almost 10 years of 🔬research, they proved that the true origins were in 🇭🇷 Kaštel Novi, Dalmatia. Forget about Lewis Carroll, this is where the real adventure is, son.
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📸 Pictured is: @zlatan.otok.wine Zinfandel Organic 2015 from Dalmatia. Whimsical taste profile focused on dried fruits 🍒 and spices. Full-bodied with well-integrated tannis & acidity, giving a rather dry and mildly refreshing red wine. Find it at @adriaticpantry for a symbolic S$69.
@vietti_vino Roero Arneis 2017
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🏠 One of my favorite estates in Piemonte. Nothing to do with the fact that the wines are produced by a Macedonian. Nope. We had a tasting at the firm a couple of weeks ago and a rare thing happened - all the wines were made with sheer precision and dedication. Now, if you've ever worked for an importer or a retailer, you'd know that in a batch of 10 wines, three are going to be shit, five are going to be good and two are going to be outstanding. And the presenters will always romanticize and push their excuses on you. Not Vietti. These guys hustle hard and have results to show.
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🍇 Arneis
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👅 Disregarded and underutilized in the 1960s, Arneis was kept around in some cases solely to give the birds something to eat instead of the prized Nebbiolo grapes. Even though the "rascal" grape of Piemonte was on the verge of extinction, it made a powerful comeback and is now planted on vineyards as far as California. Vietti's example is classic like 'The Godfather'. Medium lemon in the glass. Aromas very reminiscent of Chenin - ripe peach, honey, yellow apple. Hints of sea salt and roasted nuts. Well-knit on the palate, concentrated, terroir-driven. A heavily salted lemonade with an oily texture. Long finish. I can see this going with nothing else but an anchovy pizza and rainy days of Netflix & chill. Just have to find somebody that likes anchovies.
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🇮🇹 Roero (Piemonte, Italy)
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💰 S$66
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#vietti #wineenthusiast #somm #winesg #sgwine #sommlife #italianwine #wset #arneis #vin #whitewine #iconicwine #wineeducation #wineandfood #winereview #wineeducator #wsetdiploma #winetasting #blindtasting #piemonte
Savart Champagne 'L'Accomplie' Premier Cru NV
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🏠 You've got to hand it to a man that makes wine in a cellar right underneath his house. Living and breathing it, literally. Located in the minuscule village of Ecueil on the slopes of the Montagne-de-Reims, Savart Champagne is a one-man operation run on 4 hectares of premier cru vineyards. Something that really caught my eye when reading about the production was that Savart uses new barrels not because he likes the taste of oak, but because he wants to use as little sulfur as possible - the idea being that new barrels lack the microbial residue of previous vintages. The 'L'Accomplie' is made from the first pressings of 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. Predominant barrel fermentation with 5 g/l dosage (extra brut).
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🍇 Pinot Noir + Chardonnay
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👅 Pale lemon in the glass with bubbles that stay consistent through the course of the 2.5 drinking experience. Quite aromatic, especially as the wine gets warmth and air. Notes of yellow/red apple, lemon, lime rind, roses, peach and a solid dose of lees (cereal, toast). Light on its feet. Mild complexity and grip. Balanced. I guessed a NV house blend because I just couldn't associate its intensity, nor expression with growers I've tried in the past. Not that that's a bad thing, but considering the price, I'd definitely lean towards favorites like Bereche or Marie Courtin.
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🇫🇷 Montagne-de-Reims (Champagne, France)
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💰 S$80
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#champagne #wineenthusiast #somm #winesg #sgwine #sommlife #frenchwine #wset #pinotnoir #vin #whitewine #chardonnay #wineeducation #wineandfood #winereview #wineeducator #wsetdiploma #winetasting #blindtasting #growerchampagne
@toppersmtnwines Barrel Ferment Petit Manseng 2013
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🏠 I met up with a good friend and mentor @thelostterroir to get some insights on the development of the Australian wine scene both on and off the field. I got an impression that Aussies are always looking for something fresh, quirky and interesting (at least the young guns). The winery he works for is a very forward-thinking one in terms of experimenting with various grapes outside of your classic Shiraz and Chardonnay. And it doesn't stop at "experimenting". These guys get some solid results from it. Located in New England, NSW, Topper's Mountain works on some high-ass vineyards of 900 meters altitude. Soils are red volcanic aka Krasnozems (as represented on the label). Ten hectares, so much diversity - Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Tannat, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao and Barbera.
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🍇 Petit Manseng
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👅 I've been tasting a lot of Petit Manseng lately, mostly focusing on bottlings of southwest France. And what an under-looked grape this is. I know, I know, it's safer to talk about well-known varieties and labels that are readily available in your local supermarket, but I'm a rebellious preacher. What can I say. It's going to be tough to find this exact producer on the market, but I urge you with all my soul to give PM a shot. It has high acidity (insane aging potential), its wines are rich & concentrated, both dry & lusciously sweet and it does well in oak. The only concern I have is that it might reflect winemaking more than its primary characteristics, just like Chardonnay. So if this doesn't bother you, seek it out. Yesterday.
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🇦🇺 New England (New South Wales, Australia)
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💰 S$40
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#petitmanseng #wineenthusiast #rarewine #somm #winesg #sgwine #sommlife #sommelier #wineo #instawine #aussiewine #wset #toppers #wineblog #winetasting #vin #winenerd #whitewine #instawine #australianwine #wineeducation #wineandfood #winereview #wineeducator #wsetdiploma #winetasting #blindtasting
