by Simon Calabria | Dec 4, 2016
We were privileged to host Gilles Dumangin, the fifth generation winemaker at Champagne house Dumangin J. Fils, for an invitation only pre-Xmas tasting of the following selection:
- Dumangin La Cuvee 17 NV
- Dumangin L’Extra Brut NV
- Dumangin Le Rose NV
- Dumangin Le Vintage 2004
- Dumangin Single Vineyard Blanc de Blancs Vintage 2006
It was a quality tasting with all wines punching well above their price points. Of interest was the personal favourites selected by attendees with a good spread across the range – testament to the overall high quality standards of the house.
For me the pick was the Le Vintage 2004, but on what was a beautiful sunny and warm Saturday afternoon the Le Rose NV was in great form and an instant inclusion on the house drinking list. All wines from the tasting will be included as standard Winecall offerings (if interested please email to contact@winecall.com.au).
by Simon Calabria | Jun 27, 2016
Recently keeping a keen eye on the Bordeaux En Primeur 2015 vintage releases, family celebrations providing an insight into the 1998 vintage 18 years on (some entering their peak drinking window, some still need more time in the cellar), Champagne (but particularly vintage and blanc de blancs), quaffing the Calabria Private Bin range, trying not to open the 2010 Barolo’s (but amazed at how approachable these wines are despite their youth), dipping into the cellar (2005 Rieslings and Chardonnays with 5 to 10 years age), and enjoying reds from the Douro, Portugal.
Three wines to build a meal around::
– Dumangin Le Vintage 1er Cru 2004;
– Castello di Pomino Benefizio Riserva Chardonnay 2012; and
– Quinto do Vallado VALLADO Douro Tinto 2010.
As always, happy drinking!
by Simon Calabria | May 30, 2015
The first half of 2015 has included some lovely wine highlights including Riesling DownUnder , Trait-d-Union, and Gambero Rosso’s Tre Bicchieri tastings (all February 2015), a visit to Australia from Alvaro Palacios – Decanter UK’s Wine Man of the Year 2015 and hosting a wine tour to the Yarra Valley (both April 2015), assisting two wineloving customers re-build their wine cellars, and drinking from the wonderful Zalto glasses.
By way of general observation, Australian wine appears to have benefitted from a string of strong vintages (2012, 2013 and 2014), Barolo from the 2010 vintage look to be very good to outstanding with many of the 2010s approachable and enjoyable in their youth (while still capable of being cellared for years to come), and all the current releases from Alvaro Palacios’ three wineries.
As usual there’s also been plenty of beautiful wines to taste and drink. Some of the many wine highlights so far include:
– tasting the Champagnes of Jacques Selosse and La Closerie;
– two cracking 2011 chardonnays from Margaret River (Leeuwin Estate Art Series and Voyager Estate);
– Beaujolais from the 2013 vintage (including Pierre Chermette (Vissoux) Vieilles Vignes Beaujolais 2013 and Janin’s Clos du Tremblay Moulin-a-Vent 2013);
– Mac Forbes‘ rieslings notably the RS7 Riesling 2014 and from his experimental batch series, the EB10 Ginger Rizz Riesling 2014;
– Palacios Remondo Propiedad 2010, Alvaro Palacios L’Ermita 2012, and DJP La Faraona 2012; and
– the ‘tre bicchieiri’ Le Monde Friuli Pinot Bianco 2013.
As always, happy drinking!
