Vinous Musings - A Pick n Mix.

Hello there my quaffing compadres!

The shop has taken on an interesting focus over July and August, with feeling somewhat more like a fulfilment centre than a shop. That is to say footfall is noticeably lower due to the Summer Holiday season, however, business has been really pretty darn fine! Which makes a difference for the time of year, as August we normally die a death, but here’s to diversification, and cheers to many of you for making that desire a real and tangible possibility. You’ve justified the laptop I type on and my flexible Tuesdays working remotely.

I really do appreciate the support, no matter how big or small, it all adds up and makes me feel very lucky to have a great community of wine loving folk around me. So, I shall toast you all after I’ve sent this email and have a snort of something delicious. Hope you do to.

Bit of a mixed bag today, just wanted to highlight some tasty drops that have landed at Baccha Mill Rd HQ.

In brief, I think notable additions to the shelves and very worthy of your time and attention are the beautifully crafted wines from Amelie Guillot in the Jura. These are classically styled wines, which dare I say it, seem somewhat undervalued in today’s market, making them extremely well priced for the quality. Amelie was originally native to Burgundy and also has an Oenology Diploma to her name. The wines are made from old vines, in classically TINY quantities, meaning little actually escapes the region and the locals, so lands the wines directly in the “under the radar” zone – relatively undiscovered outside of Arbois and the Jura, so get involved before that changes! Currently in stock are the lovely Crémant, a couple of Savagnins, a Poulsard and a Trousseau. These are in the range of £30-£50, with the majority at the lower end of that range. So, do take a peek and hopefully a sip soon.

If you’re looking for gutsy, structured reds, but those that still have enough freshness and focus, vitality and energy that can complement warmer days, served with a slight chill even, and knock it out the park dining on the decking or at posh BBQs (before it’s too late in the season to light the barbie) then look no further than the steel & concrete aged wines of Trediberri. The fresh, vibrant and racy Barbera D ’Alba shows a fullness of body but juicy power that is perfect for all manner of meaty dishes. The fantastic and elegant Langhe Nebbiolo is just a winner for easy going weekends, charcuterie evenings, or if you’ve got any summer truffles or the desire to get to Autumn early, a nice Ragu or slow cooked lamb dish would go a treat. At around £27-£28 these are undeniably top value and, in my opinion, no brainers!

However, major focus needs to be put on the below. As well as mainstay day-to-day excellence in terms of Assyrtiko (slightly skinnsy, deep, textural but with a fresh salty core) and youthful juicy Xinomavro (think pine resin, melting tar, Pinot Noir, wild strawbs) the wines of Apostolos Thymiopoulos also extend to some fantastic Rose offerings, that really are contenders for all year round consumption, made to be ultimately gastronomic. It has to be said though, that on tasting the wines a few months ago, I tried something that blew my mind. Twisted my melon right off. Let me explain:

2009 Apostolos Thymiopoulos Blanc de Rosé Xinomavro £44.99 p/b

Hailing from central Macedonia – Naoussa to be precise, in Paros, a picturesque fishing village within a large bay in the northern part of the Island, there was a particular one off wine made in the high altitude vineyards of Fytia, known for producing some of the most elegant expressions of Xinomavro. But location, soil and altitude are not what is bonkers about this wine. No, what makes this wine exceptionally rare and unique, is how it was made and its age. Originally set out as a red, the xinomavro failed to complete its initial fermentation due to the bitter cold winter of 2009, thus leaving a whopping 38g/l of residual sugar – not really what you want in your red vino. Rather than kick-start fermentation, Thymiopoulos left the wine on its yeast in tank until 2015, where it gained weight and complexity. Fermentation never restarted, so later that year he added a portion of ripe malagousia to the wine and transferred it to 500-litre oak barrels to continue fermentation for the next two years. Following this, the grapes were pressed and the wine fermented to dry before finally being matured for a further two years and bottled in 2020. Now, the last few bottles have been released… For the last time. Ever. I got a piddly amount – but the fact that I was considered and even got any is fantastic and I am extremely pleased I was allowed a small volume. Everywhere I look, if I can even find this unicorn for sale, it is limited to “one bottle per household.” But what the heck does it taste like, I hear you cry. Well, let’s start with the colour, it truly is golden. But, without any doubt, it really is ROSE GOLD. If you had to guess on colour, you’d say a Sauternes with a good few years of bottle age on it. And the comparisons don’t stop there. The nose is in fact not dissimilar to aged Sauternes, with a combination of stewed apricots, bees wax, spiced mead, cedar and saffron. I must stress that this wine is indeed BONE DRY, but the descriptors may not make it sound as if it leans that way. Behind the above are aromas of clay, plant resin and essential oils, pollen, mandarin and guava are detectable. Whilst the wine shows some oxidative character in terms of colour and aroma, it is fresh as a daisy and not at all overly woody or nutty, not even particularly caramel-y. On the palate, I get berry fruits, more apricots, but grilled now, there is caramelised orange zest, tangy acidity and refreshing salinity. The palate is broad, yet fresh, not quite oily, but there is a weight and a grippiness that appears with air and further sips. I would love this with a charred apricot salad, Mozzarella and white balsamic and honey dressing, with almonds or pistachios. I think it would be a great partner to meaty fish, such as Sea Bass with roasted Mediterranean veg and pesto. I don’t have much left, but I urge those looking for something truly unique and very limited in quantity to grab a bottle or email me pronto to secure one.

It’s hard for me to put out a mailer without reference or just directly writing about some form of Burgundy – But I did come across something of note and not to be missed in the land of Burg. I quite like following the family tree of great producers. I get really excited when I see a son or daughter of a producer branch out and start crafting their own wine. It must be such an honour continuing a legacy after soaking up, breathing in and absorbing your skills from the best. For me, it’s the stuff of dreams. Well, here you go, Theo Dancer, son of Vincent Dancer, making his own wine in the ever-growing trendy part or southern Burgundy, the Macon!

2023 Roc Breia Chardonnay by Theo Dancer £95 p/b

Marked as VdF on the bottle, and not being shackled to a specific AOC was a decision on Theo’s part, in order to have as much flexibility of expression as possible. This Chardo comes from a mix of parcels, sourced from vines up to 60 years old in the Macon, vinified in Chassagne and bottled at the Dancer Domaine. Less than a handful of vintages of this Chardonnay have been produced, with every year increasing in precision and excellence – not to say they were anything but in the first place, but it is clear that each vintage breeds greater understanding of terroir and technique to let the wines express themselves as best as possible. Designed to be accessible in youth but age extremely well too, the wine arrives with a medium-full bodied feel, a texture of satin, which evolves into spritely minerals, tension and cut, displaying pear, citrus, white flowers and hazelnut toastiness. Large used barrels of 300-500 litres were used for elevage, and this has been well pitched. The warmth of 2023 is evident in the ample fruit and rich depth of the wine, but balance has been executed well to bring ample freshness and zingy energy. A lovely Burgundy-not-Burgundy wine that shows Theo’s desire to explore, experiment but at the end of the day, make absolutely beautiful wines that should keep all who drink them happy.

Right, that’s enough from me today. Hope that something above is of interest. I’m off for a few days from Thursday, to spend some quality time with Lindsay and celebrate our anniversary, eat great food and definitely open some special bottles. Drop me a line if you want anything saving or to start building orders. Hope you are all having a great end to summer. Speak to you and see you all very soon.

All the best and Cheers!

Jim