raffaele Mastrovincenzo

Saumur blanc appellation is a Chenin blanc in the district of Anjou in the Loire valley region. Chenin Blanc also know as Pineau de la Loire need to be at least 80% in the appellation Saumur blanc. Soil consistent on loose gravel, close to the bank of the Loire river you find this yellowish fragile sedimentary rock formed during the Turonian era roughly 90 millions years ago called Tuffeau. A combination of sand and marine fossils with the gravel character makes this rock extremely porous, absorbing water rapidly and releasing it slowly. This well drainage is very suitable for the growing of vines, so the vines can draw excess of water and hold reserves that stop the vines from shutting down entirely during drier periods. The Foucault family's "Clos Rougeard" own 10 ha of vines in Saumur-Champigny and produce three red cuvees and one white. Clos Rougeard is a cult estate that produces arguably the finest Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc in the  world. The Foucault brot...

In the center of Touraine district lies a beautiful appellation called Vouvray which celebrating the versatile of Chenin Blanc. The Vouvray designation AOC was made in 1936, cover the commune of Vouvray in the department of Indre et Loire, and the neighboring villages of Chancay, Noizay, Reugny, Rochecorbon, Sainte-Radegonde-en-Tourraine, Vernou-sur-Brenne and part of Parcay- Meslay. The appellation regulations dictate that the wines must consist almost entirely of Chenin Blanc but in theory can contain a small amount of Arbois grapes. Vouvray can be affected by the soil; clay soil may tend towards a fruity flavors, flinty clay soil may taste more mineral. Also siliceous-clay and limestone clay soil embrace the different of Terroir. The cool climate ensure good acidity, which balance the distinctive character of the Chenin fruit profile and acid structure and the mineral quality are impart by the soil. The vineyard are subject, in a good years, to botrytis cynera, the old responsib...

Vincent Dancer is one of the most exciting young winemakers to emerge in Burgundy in recent years. Vincent started in 1996 cultivated his vineyard with love and care in respect of the mother Nature. Only 5,5 hectare of vineyard owned by this young vigneron of the Cote de Beaune in all superb site. Tete Du Clos a premeir cru on Chassagne Montrachet. La Romanee in Chassagne also. Vincent should label them as Morgeot. In Mersault Vincent Dancer make great wines as premier cru Les Perrieres and with the lieu-dit Les Grand Charrons next to the premier cru Goutte d'Or. As a grand cru he made Chevalier Montrachet which belong only in the village of Puligny Montrachet. His tiny estate in Chassagne-Montrachet in a decade has climbed the hierarchy of white wine mans of the Cote de Beaune. His approach is focus in develop an artisan approach of is business. In the first years the production was very low 4,000 bottles and some wines was sold to commercial companies.  In 200...

Friuli Venezia Giulia Carso Doc Red, iron rich soil with a limestone content leads the wines an acidity characteristic  and mineral notes. Vitovska seems to be the queen of this special terroir a crossing of Malvasia Bianca Lunga, Prosecco Tonda and Terrano a red which come from the Refosco Istriano Family. Vitovska is a thicker skinned variety that can withstand cold winters, summer draughts and the strong wind of the Bora. Zidarich is a small producer in the small town Prepotto only 24.000 bottle on only 8 ha of vineyard. His Winery looks like a cathedral  sculpted from the hard rock a perfect meeting of nature and human ingenuity. The wines are very particular and strongly traditional. The whites are made crushing the berry and leaving the juice with own skin during the cuvaison (fermenting must).  A true craftsman grower with a real understanding of the Carso terroir. The Vitovska form 2009 was cloudy golden straw yellow. Floral and mineral with citrus zest ...

                                                     Photo from Agrapart website Was my birthday not long ago and I had the pleasure to drink this beautiful champagne from Avize the champagne grower is Agrapart  in the Cote blanc, they make outstanding champagne, 6 styles in total: -7 cru brut:  made in chardonnay 100%  in 7 different villages which represent the domaine of the house. They are: Madreuil, Oger, Bergeres les Vertus, Avize, Cremant, Oiry and Avernay Val D'or. Normally the wine is an assemblage of two vintage which are previously aged in barrel with the malolactic done completely and 3 years on lees. -Terroirs extra brut: 100% chardonnay, malolactic completetely and 4 years on lees with elevage in oak before la liquere de tirage. Two vintage blended together. -Complantee extra brut Grand Cru: cepage are Pinot Noir...

Emmanuel Brochet Villers aux Noeuds . R.M. 2,5 ha Pinot noir, Meniuer and Chardonnay Bottles produced annually 6.080. Located beyond the city of Reims, in direction for Epernay there is a tiny village Villers aux Noudes where he works and lives-Emauelle Brochet a small vigneron in Champagne. The vineyard are training organically with AB certified, but you will not find written on the label. Small traditional press are used "Coquard" (the wooden square base). All his Cuvèe born and mature in wood for over a year, but the tone is never woody too obvious with an incredible balance acid structure. First vintage was 2002, but be careful, because it can rely on vines planted in 1962 and 1986. His millesime 2002 with an elavage on wood 11 months, show bright colour with golden hue, elegant fine bubble note of pistachio, brioche, apple and citrus zest a note of vanilla really clean and fresh on the palate with a tension acid… Linear and energetic. Love Champagne...

Nicolas Joly's Chateau de la Roche aux Moines 7 hectares of one of the most celebrated Savennieres producer which has an AOC on his own as a monopole Coulee-de-Serrant. The father of the biodynamic in France started back in the 1981, which today is still a leading spokes person for the "trendy" of Biodynamic around the world as a leader of the association Le Reinassance des Appelations in english called Return the terroir. Since 2006, Virginie his daughter takes a position as an oenologist in her fathers winery, she has contributed to the production of more recent vintage.  Savennieres  as i wrote previous on this blog is a great Appelation in the Loire valley in France just in the  Anjou section.  Savennieres is also called the kingdom of dry white wines; the AOC area is limited to the three communes to the south of Angers, on the right bank of the Loire, Savennieres, Bouchemaine and La Possonniere. There are two distinct denominations within the ap...

Yarra Yering Dry red wine N°1 2005 Cabernet ° Merlot ° Malbec ° Petit Verdot Honestly I never understand cabernet red wine, first are very expansive, second are very hard to enjoy due their tannin structure and powerful. However last night a friend of mine from Yarra Valley let me try this wine from his personal cellar; we did the tasting blind. A first glance the purity of the fruit the smooth tannin the oaky character as moka, coconut and chocolate the slight oxidative component the hint of brett, farmyard, forest floor let me conclude the tasting, a spanish wine with cabernet into. I said this is Vega Sicilia or some good outstanding Rioja, I was definitely in the old world truly enjoyment wine. Black cherry, rasberry jam, cook beetroot, dusty, dark flesh plum and tomato leaf. Lots of pleasant oak sweet spice and vanilla. Lovely tar and charcoal minerality. We discovery the bottle and bang Cabernet blend from Yarra Valley, "Yarra Yering" awesome. I know I'm shit...

The small village of Volnay one of the most sorted Pinot Noir from the Cote de Beaune in between Mersault and Pommard mostly compared from the Chambolle Musigny of the nord of Burgundy for is finesse and elegance coming from similar soil of Chambolle, high active chalk content and low clay. 115 hectares of premier cru vineyard 35 in all with the best premier cru: Les Taillepieds Clos des Chenes Champans Cailleretes Santenots Mikulski is a polish guy with an attitude to do a great wine in the Cote de Beaune start in the early 1990  with this incredible non classic label in homemade writing, so cool. Mr. Mikulski is a non interventionist  guy, essentially organic a "lutte raisonee" he balance his work around the health of the soil and the biodiversity of the vineyard. His Santenots du Milieu from 2009 was rich and masculine lots of red fruit some mature and sour, dry branches autumn tree, mushroom character, forest floor, red apple skin and smoky meat arom...