Translation missing: en.ACellars Newsletter, 4th March, 2021: ACellars Newsletter, 4th March, 2021

 

POPPELVEJ

Contrary to popular opinion, it's not pronounced "Poppell Veg." It is in fact pronounced pop-ell-vei, and it's the tiny, shed-sized winery from Danish Somm-turned-winemaker, Uffe Deichmann and his brother Jens.

Poppelvej translates as "road of the poplar trees," and it's a direct reference to the street in the tiny village of Hundested (about 45 minutes north of Copenhagen) where the brothers grew up.

It was their shared love of wine that propelled the boys south, eventually settling in the picturesque Sellicks Beach, at the southernmost end of the McLaren Vale. Here Uffe crafts vibrant, minimal-intervention wines from fruit sourced from eco-sustainable vineyards. Everything is wild-fermented with no additions, apart from a minimal amount of sulphur at bottling.

The wines crackle with energy and vitality, and like so many other natural producers, sit at the lighter, more elegant end of the spectrum. No over-extraction here!

In the winery, the walls are lined with a series of concrete eggs, as well as older oak vessels in various sizes. Anything that will allow Uffe to pull as much flavour from the fruit as possible, without sacrificing its purity or essence.

We were immediately struck by the wonderfully layered and complex wines from Uffe's early releases, so when his new wines popped up, we pounced on them. A Cab Franc and a light Syrah are joined by some new skin-contact whites, that sport striking new labels.

Check out the range here.

FRESH DROPS



This week Fresh Drops is all about some new Italian wines, mostly coming from the northern alpine regions. Check out the haul below!

Cascina Sot Rosato 2019 - $47 single bottle / $39.95 in any six
A piemonte Rosato from Nebbiolo and Barbera. It's wonderfully aromatic with rose petal notes, red berry fruit and dried herbs. The palate is fleshy and generous, with ripe fruit leading to a lovely dry finish. It's complex and layered, and utterly delicious.

Cantina di Cuneaz Nadir 5 Jours Rosato 2019 - $50 single bottle / $42.50 in any six
100% Pinot Nero from this small, mountainous region in the far north of Italy. Tiny quantities of this wine are produced each vintage, with most of it staying in Italy for local consumption! The wine is gamey and savoury, with spicy red fruit adding brightness and vibrancy. It's got really good shape and great acid line through to the finish.

Rainoldi Alpi Retiche Nebbiolo 2018 - $43 single bottle / $36.55 in any six
Nebbiolo from steep, terraced vineyards in one of the highest vineyards in Valtellina. The wine is pretty and floral, with classic dried petal characters, savoury, alpine herbs and bright red fruits. It's elegant and restrained, and offers incredible value. Lovely wine.

Colle Corviano Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2018 - $28.50 single bottle / $24.25 in any six
Classic Montepulciano here, with lovely depth and generosity that belies its price. Plenty of dark fruits on the nose, with a gamey edge, dusted with spice. The palate is plump and rounded, with red and black fruits, plush, velvety tannins and a kiss of sweet vanilla. A great food wine.

Anduma Langhe Nebbiolo 2018 - $35.50 single bottle / $30.20 in any six
Lively and bright with plenty of red fruit and a sprinkling of spice. Classic Langhe dried herbs are involved too, with delicate petal notes above. The palate is assured and well framed with chewy tannins, energetic red fruits and alpine freshness. Brilliant value.

Antoniolo Gattinara Riserva 2015 - $116 single bottle / $98.60 in any six
From one of the finest producers in Gattinara, this Nebbiolo is rich and deep in the glass. Classic notes of dried rose petal, earth, alpine herbs and red fruits lift from the glass. The palate is powerful. Structural, layered, and framed by assertive tannins, it's a wine that sings its song loudly. And what a song.

 

Antoniolo Gattinara Riserva Osso San Grato 2015 - $222 single bottle / $188.70 in any six
A monopole vineyard, (and perhaps the finest in Gattinara!), handled organically by the Antoniolo family. The wine is brooding and deep, complex, layered, and incredibly inviting. It's at once savoury and dark-fruited, offering earthy notes and gamey tones, with dark cherry. The palate flexes its hidden power, but without being overt. Sour cherry, dusty tannin and alpine herbs all flow and ebb seamlessly. A delight for the senses.

 

Check them all out here!

THE CELLAR

Tissot
You won't find a producer more passionate about the Jura region and its wines than Stéphane Tissot.

Founded in the 1960s, the Domaine consists of 32 hectares spread across Arbois and the Cotes du Jura. All of the vineyards are farmed biodynamically, reflecting Stéphane's belief in the benefits of natural processes. Combined with his ruthless yield reduction philosophy and 'small batch' approach to winemaking, the wines produced are some of the most pure, serious and exciting expressions of the Jura.

In the winery, everything is carried out naturally with little to no sulphur used. Stéphane is constantly experimenting and obsessively seeking improvements to both viticulture and vinification, striving to capture the greatest expression of his vineyards in every glass. His passion is evident. And so too the quality of his wines, which are leading the charge in the Jura revolution.

See the Tissot collection here.

 

Alain Graillot
There are few names as revered as Alain Graillot.

In 1985, the now legendary Graillot returned to his home in Crozes Hermitage, after working with the venerable Jacques Seysses at Domaine Dujac. With each passing year, his devotion to crafting his hauntingly delicious Syrah has been rewarded with an ever-growing, and highly dedicated, following around the world.

Recently, Domaine Alain Graillot was given two Etoiles (stars), making it the highest rated Crozes domaine in France's leading wine guide, Revue du Vin de France. This confirms the great work being done by Alain's sons, Maxime and Antoine, who have been in charge of the Domaine since 2008.

All of the work in the vineyards is carried out by hand, as it ever was. Gnarled, yet manicured vines reach up from a sea of smooth, rolled stones, over ancient alluvial deposits. In the winery, Maxime continues the hands-off approach with whole-cluster fermentation using natural yeasts, and no additions apart from a minimal use of sulphur.

Their status as one of the top Domaines in all of France is without question and the whole lineup are must-haves for any serious Northern Rhone fan.

Check out the Alain Graillot wines here.

 

2019 Christian Moreau Grand Crus

“Overall, 2019 is at least a very good vintage and perhaps even an excellent one. Stylistically, comparisons could reasonably be made to 2012 or perhaps 2009.”— Allan Meadows, Burghound

See the whole range of Christian Moreau wines here.