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Volcanic Wines of North London
Must & Lees
Tasted May 4, 2023 by NickA with 57 views
Introduction
No theme, except that the vines have to grow on volcanic soil
Flight 1 - Atlantic Whites (3 notes)
White
2021 Envinate Taganan
92 points
I started out really disliking this wine, with its slightly farty reduced nose and natty, cidery stylings... but eventually grew to find it pretty appealing (especially once the nose had settled down). Lean and saline, with mouthwatering (and puckering!) green apple and a hint of tequila. Juicy on the finish, with more apple. I don't think I'd buy this, and if I had it again I'd try to decant it, but I did end up respecting it.
White
2018 Adega do Vulcao Arinto dos Açores Ameixâmbar
91 points
Soft green flowers on the nose, initially straightfowardly and unremarkably pleasant but then blossing into something genuinely appealing. Like the first wine, zingy and saline, and with the addition of a note of the exotic. This seemed 'better' than the Envinate, but also much less characterful.
White
2021 Suertes del Marqués Valle de la Orotava Trenzado
91 points
Pale and, once again, reductive (like a PYCM) - think this would also have benefited from a decant. Lean, sleek and powerful, with the notes in a herbaceous register. Interesting juxtaposition between softish, slightly toasty midpalate (is that oak?) and long, bitter 'volcanic' (TM) finish. This seemed the most popular wine from its flight.
Flight 2 - Santorini Assyrtiko (3 notes)
White
2019 Hatzidakis Winery Assyrtiko Cuvée No.15
92 points
Richly exotic and ripe nose, reminiscent of GG Riesling. Dry and grippy on the palate, floral but not fruity, and again rich and ripe, but then much zingier on the long finish. An exciting wine that was slightly more ponderous than I'd have liked; I see now it has 15% ABV! Group WOTN though.
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White
2020 Hatzidakis Winery Assyrtiko Santorini Familia
92 points
More classical (but less 'impressive') than the other Hatzidikis wine in this flight: sleek, lean and elegant, perhaps even sexy. Delightfully juicy, a note of icing sugar, gorgeous finish.
White
2018 Argyros Assyrtiko Cuvée Evdemon
93 points
Paler than the other Assyrtikos, but with some discernible oak influence. Reminded me of grand cru Chablis, with that posh oak supporting a saline, mineral wine, that was solidly built and had phenolic grip but also an attractive subtlety. In its window, sure, but this will age well for a good while yet.
Flight 3 - Orange and Pink (2 notes)
Orange
2020 Vil-lusionistes Priorat Equànim Blanc Brisant
70% Garnacha Blanca, 30% Macabeu, 9 days of skin contact. It's hard to believe this musty, funky-smelling wine wasn't affected by TCA, but I was reliably informed it's meant to be like this. That seems a shame, as aside from that unpleasant note the wine had some lovely attributes: a honeyed, subtly floral nose, some tasty stone fruit, and a really beautiful finish that fanned out before dying gracefully. Intriguing - and not rated.
Rosé
2018 Cantine del Notaio Aglianico del Vulture Il Rogito
91 points
I'm a sucker for a full-flavoured southern Italian rosato, of which this was a good example. Ripe, open and fruity nose, then beautifully rounded and supple on the palate, with subtle acidity that avoided any sense of weight and a surprisingly long finish.
Flight 4 - Small Island Reds (2 notes)
Red
2011 Hatzidakis Winery Mavrotragano
92 points
Wow - what a lovely nose, stylish and sexy with an attractive hint of oak. Somewhat soft and sweet on the palate, with lots of mellow red fruit. A delicious wine, in a good spot.
Red
2020 Envinate Taganan Tinto
89 points
Shockingly reduced (like the Envinate white we had earlier). Pale and lacking concentration, and somewhat elegant, yet very grippy. I didn't mind drinking it but this cerebral, individual wine lacked deliciousness.
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Flight 5 - Nerello and Pinot (3 notes)
Red
2011 Tenuta di Fessina Etna Musmeci Riserva
92 points
100% Nerello Mascalese. Attractive pale tomato colour. Some lovely red fruit on the nose, and more red fruit on the restrained palate, which was sour, softly smoky, with soft, sandy tannins. Classy stuff.
Red
2018 Giovanni Rosso Etna
92 points
Nerello Mascalese with small batches of other local grape varieties. Beautifully floral nose, with a gorgeously savoury note. Elegant on the palate, with lots of soft pillowy red fruit and hints of green vegetation and smooth oak. Beautiful sleek, mineral, sour-fruited finish. Group #2 tonight (and a wine many of us purchased afterwards - it's readily available and great value).
Red
2016 Trisaetum Pinot Noir Wichmann Dundee Estate
93 points
Wasn't sure how ready this would be - needn't have worried. Rounded, gamey, musky nose. A nice weight of blackcurrant fruit, sleek and well delineated, then a gorgeous rounded finish. Delicious, almost hedonistic (but not overdone) Pinot.
Flight 6 - Aglianico (2 notes)
Red
2013 Feudi di San Gregorio Irpinia Serpico
93 points
Made with pre-phylloxera vines. Sensual nose with just a touch of alcohol, inky and floral. Really concentrated, but somehow also supple and with a perfect amount of bright, acidic black cherry to keep things lively and demand another sip. Group #3 tonight.
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Red
2010 Perillo Taurasi
93 points
Deep, smoky nose, with a lovely aroma of violets - I think this is what Aglianico is supposed to smell like?! Somehow still quite tannic and buttoned-up, bitter and saline, then a long, ashy finish. Although the wine felt slightly immature and would have been better with a hearty meal, I found it characterful and irresistible (although I think plenty of others at the tasting thought it a little 'too much').
Flight 7 - Madeira (3 notes)
White - Fortified
1988 Barbeito Madeira Sercial
95 points
Wow - despite all the wine that I'd already drunk, this made a big impression. The deep, nutty, peanut-brittley nose was tempting, if slightly generic, but things intensified on the bracing, saline, penetrating palate, with its notes of popcorn, sweet chestnut and milk chocolate. Superb balance, incredible finish - yes please.
White - Fortified
N.V. Blandy's Madeira Verdelho 10 Years Old
91 points
Oxidative, somewhat aggressive, pungent nose, full of grilled nuts and orange. Slightly sweet on the palate, with chocolate orange and more nuttiness, and a touch of salinity. Pleasant wine, but overpowered and outclassed by the Sercial (which, to be fair, costs 10x as much!).
White - Fortified
1999 Barbeito Madeira Boal Colheita Casco 8a+d
93 points
Sadly I seem to have run out of notes here - apart from the score, all I have is "soft, chocolatey nose. Rounded sweet orange". Again, overshadowed by the highly impressive Sercial in the same flight.
Closing
Not sure there were any stylistic features that unified the wines from different regions, but the theme certainly made for an interesting, varied tasting - and confirmed I really like Assyrtiko and Aglianico, and am fairly suspicious of the Canary Islands. Oh, and Madeira is great.