Tasting Notes 120 found

Continuing my haphazard exploration of obscure Italian grapes (timorasso, gaglioppo, nascetta), this is my first encounter (as far as I remember) with ruche. This bottle is nominally non-vintage, but seems to be 2020, and the first thing I have learned is that ruche needs more aging. This was lean and quite acidic, with a little natural-wine funk, and it didn't change at all with air or even on the second day. On the third day, I thought I caught small glimpses of a richer fruitiness, but that might just have been wishful thinking. In any case, if this bottle is in any way representative, leave your ruche wines alone for several years, at least. (277 views)

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First time trying a natural wine (yeah you can't get around them anymore can you?), 50/50 Barbera and Freisa from Nadia Verrua's small family-run winery.

Smell is very peculiar with fresh red fruit but also an acidic barnyard/horse manure smell. This predicts pretty funky stuff! Similar to Belgian Gueuze in a way.

Tastewise lots of fresh red fruit again with cherry and red berries. Quite acidic and rough overall.

Evolves very quickly in the glass, quite volatile it seems, oxidates quite fast. Especially noticeable in the finish which became quite unpleasant only after a half an hour or so.

Overall interesting stuff but drinking this really requires change of expectations I feel. Not just yet giving up on natural wine though! (147 views)

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Quite good with smokiness and good length. But after 1,5 hours a small 🐭 (mouse) popped it’s head out. 15 min later barely drinkable. (206 views)

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Not disgorged, so the bottle carries a deposit of lees. The aromas are pristine and well defined, not at all reduced and immediately charming, somewhat like a strawberry-orange smoothie. Medium pressure, so the mousse is as soft on the palate as the balance is easy-going. We finished the bottle in one go and enjoyed it a lot. (Disclaimer: ITB with Swedish importer Vin & Natur) (818 views)

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Super weird wine, I think there's residual sugar in this? The sweetness is off-putting. (315 views)

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Not my thing last night, but this was probably because I a) failed to check the notes here first (very on point) and b) misrecalled this wine. I'd assumed I was getting a more or less classic Ruche, albeit a naturally made one. I expected grip and violets and roses and that unmistakable upwelling of Piemontese-tude. What I got was a rather simple wine: sweet, medium-thick on the palate, with a real pop of VA tang on the back telling you you're in Italia Naturale. And while I think this is an "honest" wine (whatever that means) and a wine that probably has a lot in common with its 19th c. self, this was a massive fail with last night's steaks. I personally wouldn't buy this again at its price, even if I could now probably pair it more appropriately. (269 views)

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{organically farmed} Enjoyable Ruché still offering good freshness. Light>Medium body, with well developed secondary characteristics; high-ish acids, very fine, integrated tannins. Plenty of roses, brown spice and even a note or two of orange tea. Only indigenous yeasts, then steel tanks with maceration on the skins for just a few days; ageing is in large, older barrels for 1 yr. Drink now. recommend

http://www.italianwine.blog (1690 views)

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Dense, with much of everything. Begging for a handful of years in the cellar. Dancing on the edge of mousiness though, hope it sorts out over a year or two. Potentially 89 pts. (347 views)

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Funny cinnamon bubble gum nose. Round and soft fruit dominate. Has a bit of sugar caramel with dark bitter core. White plums and slight cocoa. Really fun and great style here. (198 views)

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Very good. Fruity, dark color (317 views)

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Juicy! A little funk, yeast. Surprisingly tannic (435 views)

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LOVE THIS - similar to domaine Viret and Partida Creus' SM, this has black raspberry with a bit of savory depth. Vibrant. Not overly complex, but more than just a glou glou fruit bomb. (471 views)

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Lively, slight, sour fruited, slightly feral, grippy and full of character. (428 views)

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Light fruity red with notes of honey, regiis and pepper (209 views)

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I really like this, despite it being rather higher alc% than I'd be confident about (15.5) - it's certainly stacked full of complexity, but as far from monolithic as you could hope for, with effervescent acidity and with a very appealing balsamic core, making it feel like a light/bright wine just dialled up to 11.

I suppose I opened it with a little trepidation, but it's easily surpassed my expectations and is something I'd look to buy again.

[postscript - half the bottle left for the following day, and it was an altogether flatter experience - overtly savoury and that vibrant fizz had somewhat dissipated. Whether this puts doubt on ageability, instability, or points to a need to drink it on a single night, I'm not sure. Still keen to grab another bottle, though might need to ensure it's drunk in an evening where the bottle will get emptied] (217 views)

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