L‘Esquisse

The colour is pale copper, with delicate, very persistent bubbles. On the nose a lively bouquet of white peach, green apple and citrus zest. In the mouth crisp and vibrant. The finish is clean and refreshing, with a lingering saline edge that invites another sip.

L’Esquisse Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs is made with Famille Moussé estate’s younger vines, blending 70% Pinot Meunier and 30% Pinot Noir (with slight variations across vintages, such as 72% Meunier and 28% Pinot Noir in this 2022 base). Continue reading “L‘Esquisse”

Vaduzer Pinot Noir Hofkellerei 2022

The colour is pale garnet. On the nose sour cherry and wild berries. In the mouth light. The aftertaste is short but pleasant.

Although the principality is better known for wealth management than wine, during the latter half of the 19th century, wine was one of Liechtenstein’s two main exports, alongside cattle. Continue reading “Vaduzer Pinot Noir Hofkellerei 2022”

Štoka Izbrani Teran 2022

The colour is medium ruby. On the nose very elusive. In the mouth very austere, with high acidity and dry. The aftertaste is kind of pleasant but short.

Wind, caverns and the Adriatic Sea define the Slovenian/Italian border region of the Kras, where this wine is made. The Kras, or “Carso” as it is called in nearby Italy, is a cross-border wine region characterised by iron rich “terra rossa”. The tiny amount of fertile soil is the result of various human and natural events.

Historically oak forests dominated the land until the Venetians deforested nearly everything to build ships and the city of Venice. The resulting erosion and the famously strong winds called the “burja” caused huge amounts of topsoil to simply blow away.

People learned how to build stonewalls called “griže” to protect against the wind and small manmade lakes to gather rain called “kali” to keep crops alive. It is one of the most severe and unique terroirs in the world.

This Teran based wine is made by Štoka winery under the denomination Izbrani Teran PTP. “Izbrani Teran PTP” is a further classification of Teran PTP. “Izbrani” could be compared to the Italian “Classico” designation.

Štoka winery is located north-east of Trieste, about 10 km from the Adriatic, in the village of Krajna Vas.

For this bottle I paid 9.90 EUR at Kǒzelj Wines in Lubiana during last year late October holidays with my son. In the US the same bottle sells for up to 32 USD.

Country: Slovenia
Region: Kras
Grapes: Teran
Type: Red
Vintage: 2022
Producer: Štoka
Price range: Economic (<15 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 3/5

Batič Pinela Selekcija 2022

The colour is pale amber. On the nose acacia honey, apricot, mango. In the mouth rather rustic, with a disturbing bitter finish. The aftertaste is short. The style is that of a natural wine.

Pinella (or Pinello) is an ancient white-wine variety indigenous to the Veneto region of Italy, where nowadays it is almost extinct, with the exception of a few hectares in the Colli Euganei hills near Padua. Continue reading “Batič Pinela Selekcija 2022”

Presle 2022

The colour is medium gold, the perlage very fine and persistent. On the nose delicate, with aromas of grapefruit, orange and apricot. In the mouth also delicate, with a pleasant freshness and minerality. The aftertaste is medium long.

Julien Prélat’s Champagne Blanc de Blancs Presle is composed of 100% Chardonnay from vineyards situated on kimmeridgian soil (a mix of limestone and clay) rich in marine fossils, situated in the village of Celler-sur-Ouce, in the Côtes des Bar. Continue reading “Presle 2022”