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2018 Four Gates Negrette
4/18/2024 - Kosher.wine.tastings wrote: 86 Points
There are over 10,000 varieties of grapes in the world. Famed wine writer Jancis Robinson published the book, "Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, Including Their Origins and Flavours." The difference? Many of these are not grapes able to be cultivated for wine, AKA "Vitis vinifera." Wine grapes have thicker skin and larger seeds, for one, which allows for tannin and color, as well as flavor. The grapes are smaller than table grapes and produce a smaller yield, which plays a part in concentrated sugar, allowing for higher brix in wine grapes.
Of the 1,368 varieties identified by Robinson, her assistant, Julia Harding, MW, and geneticist José Villamouz, just *thirteen* account for *one third* of all vineyards on Earth. Another 20 comprise the next 17% and thus half the vineyards in the world are planted with just 33 varieties of grapes. Globalization is both the hero and villain in this story, as grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon (2nd most planted variety in the world after Kyoho, a table wine grape in China) have rapidly canvassed the vineyards of the world which once may have produced wines from indigenous grapes.
In any case, I got to thinking about the grapes with which we are unfamiliar after tasting the Four Gates, Négrette, 2018 recently. Only a couple thousand hectares are planted around the globe so this is not likely a wine many have seen or tasted. Négrette's origin is, as you can imagine, in France, being most popular in Fronton in SW France. Legend has it the Knights of St. John brought the Mavro grape to the area as part of their culture of helping religious pilgrims. Some think Négrette is a relative of this Mavro, Greek for black, but recent studies point to Négrette's connection to Tannat and Malbec. Another legend has it that Négrette was banished from Gaillac to Fronton due to its inferiority, a tale similar to the fate of Gamay in Burgundy.
Négrette thrives in hot and dry climates such as Fronton's. Négrette can also be found in California, and the Four Gates Négrette is from San Benito AVA, in the Central Coast. The climate is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and maritime winds. So this rare bird, AKA Pinot St. George in California, performs well here.
Négrette is not a grape I believe I've ever tasted, and the only other wine I can remember is the Hajdu Négrette '18, which I have to imagine was shared grapes from F.G.. but which I have not tasted. Doing some brief online research, I did find a French blend with a majority Négrette which is kosher. I've never heard of it.
Négrette makes an interesting wine, one to enjoy young (again, similar to Gamay). Benyo's Négrette was a very different offering from his traditional wines. Dark and impenetrable and heavily perfumed with a floral nose, dark plum, black cherry, very earthy. Expecting a heavier body, I was equally surprised by the lacking acid. On the palate, more floral notes and dark fruit with notable medicinal quality.
Drink now.
$40, 14.4%ABV, non-mevushal
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2022 Binah Chardonnay
4/14/2024 - Kosher.wine.tastings Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not typically a fan of most Chardonnay, I approach any new selection with a fair amount of skepticism. I was so pleasantly surprised by this offering from Binah Winery of Allentown, PA. Pennsylvania has seen rapid growth in wine productivity, and now sits 4th in the nation. So it's only fair we get our fair share in the kosher world. While on topic, thank you, @senfettermanpa for your incredible moral clarity.
Binah, Pennsylvania, Chardonnay, 2022
High-toned, stark aromas of lemon, peach, and tropical fruit, with a mineral backbone. The palate has a good texture with a creaminess lifted by plus, mouthwatering acidity. Clean and fresh, in Chablis style. Medium bodied, well-balanced. Plus acidity and round plush fruit. 100% Chardonnay sourced from Brian Dickerson of Equivine Farm in Chester County, PA. Binah winemaker, Kevin Danna tells me "Dickerson's fruit is among the best in PA. When you get near perfect fruit, there's not much to do. It was almost crush, ferment, filter, bottle." Danna adds that the same fruit was used for his Blanc de Blancs and yet unreleased Chardonnay Reserve, 2022. Unoaked and aged in stainless steel. Very impressive offering from Binah. I enjoyed it very much tonight with some homemade thin crust pizza. Drink now to 2025.
$30,12.5% ABV, non-mevushal
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2021 Hagafen Merlot
3/23/2024 - Kosher.wine.tastings Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really enjoyable. Drink now til 2030.
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